Sort of revamping...

Well I am feeling a bit better but still light headed so it is off to the doctors tomorrow to check that there is nothing really wrong with me. I am hopeful that it is just a slight ear infection. 

This is the start of my xmas cards and things for next year... well there is nothing like being organised! I also bought some boxes and have started organising my cross stitching stock for the year. I spent ages looking for the below image and I had put it somewhere that I didn't even remember.

I am also getting the flowers sorted for the wedding, I have been to my local florist who was lovely and is getting us some prices sorted. Then hopefully I can tick that box :D 

Who knows what I will achieve tomorrow!! 

Less poorly

Today I am less poorly so I managed to finish off this.... 

Tomorrow if I am well the revamp of my life begins...

I am back!!

Well Christmas is officially over and I am poorly... again... I figured out that I have spent about 1 month this year poorly with a cold! I am so not impressed. So all my plans for getting out there and loosing weight are on hold. I also have periods of dizziness which is just uber fun (no fainting though which is good!).

I made a Mary Berry Christmas cake (my first attempt at a real cake). It turned out really nice but very very heavy. I rehomed it to dad after Christmas, I don't think I will make another one as it was expensive and I am not that much of a fan of Christmas cakes. 

Other than that I have not been kept on at ASDA (although they do want me to apply back for other seasonal vacancies), it was fun working there but hard work. I won't mind going back again next year if they want me. I can't do Easter as I will be away on my hen weekend in Paris. Mum is planning and organising this and Ellie is doing something else for me... but I don't know what it is!! :D

I have been trying out a few new crafty things, but will put pictures up when I have something to show for it!

I need to get better now so I can get on with all my developmental stuff and weight loss and wedding planning and house extensions. 

Busy busy busy

The last few weeks I have been  super busy enjoying myself, going to London to the Winter Wonderland and basically shopping till I dropped. I have managed to get the presents wrapped today but I don't plan on any development stuff till after Christmas as I have no motivation for anything (other than sort of trying to loose weight... but only sort of!). I just feel so busy at the moment. We haven't even managed to get the tree up or any decorations yet.

Tonight is my works xmas party... though as I am self employed it is just me and the puppy. We got a take away pizza and are listening to cheesy Christmas movies.

Graduation

I graduated (again) on Saturday and it was amazing - I am now Jenny Thompson BSc, PGCE, MSc... there will probably never be PhD as unless I can find a funded one I just don't think I want to put myself through the pain lol. We had so many photos taken as we were the first MSc students to graduate from the college and we had to add our thoughts and quotes to a press release for the college. I am getting free advertisement for my business so I didn't really mind writing a few nice things lol.

I managed to get the job at ASDA so at least for a few weeks I am going to have lots of money coming in. I have an induction at the end of the week and then I should be good to go :D I cannot wait to get paid and put some money back in my bank account again!

I am reading The Murder at Styles (1st Agatha Christie book) at the moment, very apt as the last Poirot was on the TV the other night. I have been naughty and getting all my books from the library so I am no nearer to my target of 20 books, but on the plus side I have not really bought any (excepting the three that fell into my bag at the charity shop).

All the chocolate is gone from the house so I am trying to focus on loosing some weight. It is 6 months to the wedding and I really need to loose about 4st before then so I am going to be pushing it. I have been meaning to loose weight for about 7 years but it has never happened. I finally feel ready though...

Oh and I made my first pairs of earrings yesterday (something I have been wanting to do for about 9 years). They turned out quite well, I will have to remember to take a photo of them tomorrow. My friend has also told me she will help me learn quilting (though I think that will have to wait until after the wedding!)

We also went for afternoon tea with the OH's mother which was lovely and we have said we will have to do it again, maybe in February which I think is the worst and most depressing month. November isn't too bad and December has Christmas to liven it up. January is when I accept that it is winter but by February I am just bored of it all lol.

Another job

Another job I didn't get, not enough experience... even though all they asked for was enthusiasm with animals and you would expect years of pet ownership and actually teaching animal care at a college would be enough! I am getting very disillusioned with the job market. I have seriously struggled to find work after my car accident :( Still I have an interview with ASDA today (I made it through the initial selection bit) to do some Christmas temping work on the checkouts.

When I was there they made us build a house from cards, this is my attempt... it is my first and possibly last house building attempt.

My website is up and running which makes me very pleased and I am just waiting for feedback from my mum on a press release on keeping pets safe over the winter period to send to the local newspaper.

I am narrowing down the wedding music selection and am trying to keep the house in order. This would be made much easier if I wasn't so messy! I am just constantly battling against my own messy nature lol. I just have cross stitching stuff everywhere in the front room.

Tomorrow I graduate from my Masters at Beverley Cathedral so then I can put that bit of my education behind me and move onwards. My best friend has booked me onto an online grooming course as my Christmas present and I am really looking forwards to getting another string to my bow :) I don't have to pass any exams or be assessed for it which means it won't be at all stressful.

Autumn colours

The other day we went to Fountains Abbey, it looked amazing with all the colours, I always have to do an autumn visit. Here is the the puppy dog and I at the lake there.

I have lining curtains up in the lounge now, so hopefully we will cut down on the heating bills. I am happy to only really use the lounge over winter to keep costs down. We only have the heating on for an hour in the evening which I don't think is bad going for mid November. 

Still struggling to find a job, though I have an interview for a Xmas job at ASDA. I do love working at supermarkets over Xmas as people are always happy and buy the most interesting food! 

I have booked tickets to the Wildlife Photography exhibit in London later this month (which I have always wanted to go to). 

I may start writing my book 'Life with a house rabbit' :) If no one wants me then maybe I can write my own job!

Need to get myself back on track with development type stuff!! No point in a blog if I have nothing to fill it with...

Architects

Today the architects came and took measurements for the new extension, I should get the first draft drawings in 2 weeks. It is all very exciting! I can't wait to see what designs they come up with for us, though I am not expecting to like anything beyond a basic design.

Been to the chiropractor this morning. Ages ago they took on a new member of staff, who had previously worked at a clinic which I had left as he was horrible and gave rubbish service. I did express my concerns over him at the time as I was worried over meeting him in the clinic and him asking why I had left him at his other practice. Anyway roll on 2 years and he has been sacked as they realised they were getting complaints about him and that some people had stopped visiting the clinic... when they wrote to these people they said it was because they felt uncomfortable about complaining about him and felt leaving was easier. I am please he has gone (apparently he is changing careers, which is probably for the best) and also pleased that it was not just me that had a problem with him and that I gave good advice at the time to my chiropractor when she asked about him (she is the owner). 

Parts are no longer working

Did my first boot camp yesterday, I utterly loved it but the back of my thighs are no longer functioning!! Can't wait to have another session next weekend, they run two over the weekend but this time round has proved I am not really up to two sessions yet.. *watch this space*

I am starting to apply for work at the local supermarkets for over the xmas period. If I can get something it should give my some cash for my hen weekend (Paris hopefully!). I have done loads of supermarket work in the past so I am hoping that it will be pretty easy to get work. I have an interview tomorrow for a lab tech job but I don't really want to get it, I don't even know why I am going to the interview, but I guess they may surprise me and the job may be awesome. The 7am starts are somewhat putting me off as I have to drive 45 minutes to get there.

Today I have been making a start on my wedding invitations. I have put my Beatrix potter stamps on the cards but I need to just colour them in now (that is the bit which takes ages). 

Mum and dad get back from their really long holiday soon so I am looking forwards to seeing them again and finding out about the orient express :)

I have been borrowing books from the library to read but the only problem is that each time I take a book back I seem to come home with even more. I took in 2 today and left with 3... But at least it doesn't cost me anything!

Website is finished!

My website is almost all finished!! It just needs checking over and a testimonial from a friend I helped with her dog adding and then I can go live! When I met up with friends the other day for coffee they were surprised how quickly I was moving with things (kinda helps when you have hardly any money coming in) one of the other girls was still debating about her brand image but I am happy to work out things like that at a later date.

I start boot camp tomorrow which should be a hoot... I probably won't be thinking the same thing tomorrow when I drag myself home from the gym!

The Christmas ornament I made for an exchange was sent off today so I can stop thinking about that. Now I just need my parents to respond to my text about a production of Sherlock homes I want to go to next month and I will be getting along well. I have been reading the Mayor of Casterbridge and at the same time Austenland, completely different but both very good.

Nothing much else to report, just trying to stay motivated today and not get sucked into the TV!

Bridesmaids and honeymoons

Wow I have managed to get a lot done today!! First off I went to the bridal shop with my cousin and Aunt and we designed the bridesmaid dresses. Think Jane Austen dresses only purple :p my cousin is having a Elizabeth Bennet style jacket (see the photo below). I am so pleased that we have finally made progress on their dresses. It was a nightmare finding something that my cousin liked that I also liked. But the women in the dress shop were lovely and supported me in all the right ways and in the right spots (where my Aunt may have been about to throw a spanner in the works) so all is well that ends well. I cannot wait to see the dresses all made up!

Then I came home and found our honeymoon hotel for our mini break after the wedding (see other photo). There were several of the rooms that I liked the look of so I am waiting until the OH gets home from work and we shall decide on a room which we both liked. I can't believe that they still had rooms available! It is a fabulous country house hotel in the lakes and it looks so tranquil and relaxing which is exactly what we need.

After that my new passport arrived in the post and I have sent off my details which the travel agents needed for the proper honeymoon in China. I have been fabulously organised today!

Tomorrow is gym, then town to shout at the bank as they got my business name spelt wrongly even though I pointed it out to the guy who set it up and he assured me that it would be changed. I am then shopping (possibly for some xmas gifts) before I meet up with some of the people off my masters course for drinks).

Oh and I nearly forgot I am looking into doing some voluntary work in the community! I think I will try and sort that out on Thursday :)



(I even managed to find a semi dressed Colin Firth... better and better!)

Soooo relaxed

I feel so utterly relaxed after my not-quite mini break, I have a massive list of things that I can work my way through this week though :) The parents are away on the orient express so I will have a quiet week really so I am going to fill it with admin and puppy dog training.

There is supposed to be a really bad storm coming tonight (not that you would expect it from the blue skies this morning!) so today I will be doing any little jobs needed to secure the house.

I am almost at 9/20 books rehomed, though I did accidentally buy a new book (though I am going to do my best not to read it until I have reached my total). At the moment I am reading a book that has sat in my bookcases for over 13 years... and it is actually an amazing book! Kicking myself that I hadn't read it before now, there is a whole series of them but luckily mum has the rest of them. I am trying to get books from the library to read to stop myself from buying them.

The other half has agreed to come along on my voyage of personal development. The first week we tidied up after ourselves more (which has kinda kept going), then the next week as to be more adventurous about walking new places, which worked well as we were away on holiday (the other half is a little unsure about going places he doesn't know before hand). Tomorrow is Monday so I don't know what we will decide as this weeks challenge.

Didn't get the job as I hadn't worked enough with unpredictable dogs, which is fair enough. I feel I have accepted it quite well (only minor feelings that I hope it all goes wrong for them - I don't accept rejection well but seem to be improving!).

Holiday was lovely but very painful on my knees and ankle (serves me right for getting my insoles changed the week before we went!). I was surprised how nice Liverpool was, Manchester was a bit more disappointing as hardly any of the tourist attractions were running for a variety of different reasons.


Still I am back now and hoping to throw myself back into developmental stuff.

 

This is my owl cross stitch for my mother-in-law-to-be's 60th which is in May (about a week after we get married).

 

The first of many (hopefully) Christmas cards that I have stitched, although this one needs little beads attaching. I really need to put down the owl and concentrate on xmas for a while. I may attempt this today as there are some films I want to watch.

 

My ornament for the xmas ornament exchange on my forum. I am very very pleased with this, I want to make a new one for myself but I don't think I am going to have time... maybe next year

Its like a mini break (only longer)

It isn't really a mini break but it isn't quite a week away! Anyway I am going to Manchester and Liverpool for a few days so there will be no blogging. But as we are doing loads of museums there is going to be plenty of development.

It has also come to my attention that I really should learn my times tables before I am 30... not really pleased by this but I guess it is a necessary evil!

9/20 books read and rehomed. I reckon I can reach my total by Christmas, if I am sensible and read only shorter books of course lol.

Anyway I am off to finish packing... I have this horrible feeling I am going to forget to take underwear...

Was my best good enough?

I won't find out till next week if I was good enough in my interview, it went ok but you can never tell who else you are up against. Still they were only interviewing 5 of us so I think I have done really well to get that far :) Had two really cute dogs to work on, though I couldn't get them to touch the target with their paw within the allotted time. I am a little scared about getting it and going back to work full time. Still I have found another part time reception job in York that I will apply for tomorrow, it is also a term time only job so would give me money and lots of holidays (got to be a good thing!)

Been for a podiatry appointment (managed to step in a large puddle in Leeds on the way there and soaked my foot!), apparently my feet have improved a little which is great, though I had no idea that they may improve.

I am doing a set of dog training classes with the puppy dog so we are learning about walking on a loose lead (never bothered when she was little but there are now times when I just want her walk nicely!).

Found a veil for the wedding in Leeds yesterday :) So I went from not wanting a veil to utterly falling in love with one!

Interivew!

My interview is for next week, so it will not clash with the holiday (phew because I can't really afford the  train fair over from Liverpool/ Manchester (we are probably going to have to do free museums as it is for the week to save money!). Not having any money sucks. I am hoping I get one of these jobs just for the money element! I keep getting really expensive things that I need to pay for, a new passport, vets bills, car insurance. I have a small private income but even though I have tightened my belt significantly (chocolate buying, day trips out and meals have all gone) I am still struggling *sighs*

I have a telephone interivew for another job, which I assume is step one of the process!

I am now at 8/20 books read to be rehomed :) Getting close to that lovely 20 book total. Not sure what to pick as my book at the end of it, I will have to go for a shopping trip.

Freezing cold!

Winter is coming!! I went to Clifford's Tower in York today and was very glad for my shawl I took with me, it helped to keep the cold wind at bay. I then went to open up a business account with the bank so I am all ready to go with things now, just need to take in my questionnaires to Nigel which I will do tomorrow as the bunny needs his follow up from having his tear ducts flushed again. Not very impressed as the vet sedated him unnecessarily to do his ducts and he took quite a while to get back to normal.

I have started on the fiancés mothers 60th birthday gift which will look like this when it is finished. At the moment I have only done the face of the winking owl.

 

 

Very excited today as I have been offered an interview for the canine research job at Lincoln Uni. I doubt I will get it as I will be up against the best but I am very pleased that I will have an interview :) I am on holiday in a couple of weeks and I bet that I get offered an interview for when I am away... it will be typical and will involve me dashing across the country from either Liverpool or Manchester!

No shopping makes for a depressed Jenn

I had never really realised now much I use shopping as a pick me up. I went around the shops in York today and only bought a gift which I am stitching for my fiances mother for her 60th. That can't be a good thing, I will need to find something else to improve my mood... either that or actually get a job.

I am applying for a husbandry technician role at an animal testing lab. It is not my ideal job but it will pay for the clothes and the holidays and the wedding. I will hopefully only work until I have a baby so cross fingers that will only be a couple of years.

Saw a duck get hit by a car when I was feeding the ducks with a friend and her baby. It was horrid and the person didn't even stop even though the duck as still alive.

The fiances meh-ness seems to be infecting me...

300 million year journey

Today we went to Brimham Rocks for a guided tour... 300 million years in 90 minutes. I am not suitably tired, it was a lovely afternoon and the puppy dog was so excited that she squeaked her way across the car park! I have finished my latest book so that is one less before I can get a new one :D

Not much else going on, we were supposed to have guests this weekend but they couldn't come due to a family berevement so we now have too much food and a very clean house!

Parents are away this week so I am going to have to keep myself busy, they are in deepest darkest Scotland so I am not expecting there to be any signal.

Fiance suprised me today saying he will come to all the tourist type things I want to do over the next few weeks in case I get this job and we need to move away. There is a surprisingly long list!

This week I aim to do:

Cliffords tower
Richard III museum

7/20 books read and ready to be rehomed

It was a mistake

Declaring myself better as I promptly went and caught a stomach bug/ate something I shouldn't and spent the whole of the other night throwing up. I really need to stop telling life to bring it on because it keeps brining it!! Anyway cross fingers and touch wood I am feeling much better today lol.

I have set myself a book challenge, I am not allowed to buy another book until I have read and got rid of 20 books. I am starting to get a stupid amount of them and they no longer fit in the four book cases and three mini book cases so I will be putting a running total on the bottom of my posts so I can keep up with how I am doing!

Just about to take my paperwork to the vets for my problem behaviour consultancy business but I suspect that I don't have an envelope big enough which is going to be a pain in the butt as the puppy dog hates being left outside shops. After that I need to get the house clean and tidy as we have guests coming tomorrow. I also volunteered to sort out the fridge and the cupboards as they are starting to get really messy.

I really do have more to do today than I thought I did!


Books ready to be rehomed: 6/20

Declaring myself better again

Today I have finally givin myself the all clear from my cold, I was acutally able to exercise properly at the gym today! My stamina has gone down the drain (I am told it will come back quickly) but my strength seems to be improving quite a bit. I have gone up to 5kg on some things that I started off on 2kg :)

Bridesmaid dress designs are with my bridesmaids so fingers crossed they like them. I have sent my form off so my architecht can get started with the house extension designs and my planning application. The job application is in and my parents have said they will rent out their house if I get this job and come and live in our house (to be fair it is much bigger) so we won't need to worry about bunnies etc :) Need to get offered an interivew first though and then maybe maybe I will get offered it. I will be quite excited to move to Newark as it will mean I have a new place to investiagte and there looks to be so many great places to visit in the Nottingham area.

Feeling more positive today about things in general, possibly helped by meeting a freind and her little son for lunch... no one can resist his cheeky grin :)

Anyway tomorrow I had better achieve some more development points or at least make a start on something.

* The lounge is now back to normal and 95% finished (we have guests this weekend so it needs to look presentable)
* I have started learning basic mandarin for the honeymoon next year (yes I am slightly crazy)

Why is nothing ever simple?

It never never is with my life!

Both good and bad news to relate... I shall start with the good

* I have finally passed my masters, they took long enough about getting our results out to us though! This now means I can start my business!
* My cold seems to have finally gone away... two weeks but I seem to have shifted it now
* I am applying for a canine research job, good but also slightly bad as I will acutally have to work *shock horror* and it will involve moving away from York to Newark
* My lazer hair treatment seems to be working, I cannot wait until the day I don't have to shave my legs any more!

And the bad:

* Can't afford a good website for my business, my brothers friends quoted me £1500!! I thought I may get a good discount as I was a family friend... seems now
* Quite worried about the bf as he seems to be suffering from "meh" when he can't be bothered to do anything (apart from play on computer games)
* Turns out there is no chance of the bf and I having a family together naturally so we will have to go down the fertility route which is just bloody fantastic because I havn't spent enough time in hospitals and having horrible things done to me the last few years... I am very unimpressed with nature.

Not really much personal development going on as I have felt rubbish the last couple of weeks. But the lounge is nearly decorated (we havn't had lounge curtains for well over a month) and I went on a guided walk around York which looked at secret places which was really good :)

Sick *coughs and splutters*

I have come down with some version of man flu (which I caught from my friend Ellie... it must be mutating into a female strain!). I knew when she was ill that I would get it as I have a stupidly supressed immune system. Still I am allowed werthers origionals for my poorly throat so it is not all bad. Having to sleep in the spare room though as I wake the bf up and then he wakes me up lol.

Been to Whitby with my mum and got a few xmas/birthday gifts and around the Abby, last time I went in I was in a wheelchair so it was nice to see it properly. Although it was soooo windy and the puppy dog looked totally windsweapt. Today we didn'y really do anything as I have been feeling poorly.

Off to Harrogate tomorrow to drop my mum home and to go second hand book shopping (I really feel like some cheap retail therapy!). After that I plan on spending the rest of the week splodging on the sofa while I get better. No news on my masters score yet...

One visitor down

One visitor down and one to go, so just quickly popping on here before my mum arrives!! Had a wonderful time with my best friend, I went wig shopping with her which was a first. I now know all about how to care for a wig (if I ever need one). I also went to Fairfax house in York although I need to go back again as they had a display all about Bonnie Prince Charlie without actually telling you anything about him and his history so I need to do some reserch (luckily my ticket is valid for a year).

I also found my wedding dress and have paid my deposit and got our rings for about £300 less than we had budgeted so I am a happy bunny. I am getting the seamstress at the shop I got my gown from to design some dresses for my bridesmaids so the images should be heading my way in the next few days.

Goodness only knows what I will achieve in the next few days! (my mother is a very organised person and always motivates me - even when I don't really want it!)

Another busy day

I am certainly making the most of my free time (wondering how I ever had time to work!!). I am spending an hour at the gym in the morning, the member of staff asked me if I was enjoying it today, I kinda didn't know what to say. I don't really like the gym! It is just a means to an end lol.

Today I also wrote up the draft version of my questionnaire for my new business and set up an email account for it. I then emailed my brothers friends who are going to help me with my website design (I think that is a pretty important thing nowerdays especailly when it comes to google search engines and to make it look professional).

I then went through the Making Spot website which is supposed to be closing down at the end of the month and downloaded all the designs that I wanted. I have even started stitching for the christmas ornament exchange that I am part of, I am using evenweave fabric for the first time which is making it a little harder than it should be but hopefully I will have a nicer finish at the end. I may have to wait for poorer weather over winter before I get the sewing machine out to practice on.

Busy few days for me from now on so will be a bit before I blog again. My best friend is up for the weekend, so I will be taking her to see my chosen wedding dress and off to some historic house or other and then as soon as she leaves on Sunday she is being replaced by my mother who is staying for a few days while my dad is in America. So that will be a nice kick start onto the healthy eating side of things too.

There are not enough hours in the day!!!!!!

More decorating

I am still plodding away at the lounge. We never seem to get a full day of decorating done as things keep cropping up. We had the electrician here today to fit new lights in the garage (I don't have to open the fridge at the same time as the freezer to be able to see what I am picking out!) and in the lounge. Then the builder and the architect came to have a look at the extension (luckily it should be very straight forwards and the planning permission is only a formality).

Then we had to do lots of small jobs like buying in bunny food (very important lol) and washing the dog as she was starting to smell a bit. She has been sitting in my seat though and it was all soggy when I sat in it! After that mum and I were trying to plan our London winter trip to get bridesmaid dresses and it only turns out that the blooming shop that sells the design of bridesmaid dresses my cousin likes is closing down. I am so annoyed as so much thought has been put into this trip (brdiesmaid dresses are starting to give me a headache!!!!) and I am determined that I will get to the Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park this year!! I only have a really small window of opportunity before my dad has to go in to hospital for an op and then it is Christmas.

So after all that we only really ended up with a couple of hours of decorating. I am giving up for a few days though as I am fed up of living with everything everywhere and as dad is off on holiday next week to America I doubt that any will get done then (mum and I will have funner things to be doing with our time). Still tomorrow I must carry on with the planning of my business!! I am starting to put it off now and I can't afford that.

Tomorrow is the exam board for the masters... so I can expect my final grades over the next few days (must not die of excitement/nerves in the meantimer!!)

Day one of the new me

I feel in a place to turn a new leaf today :) I have made a start at my new life (it has involved a little more chocolate that I would like it to have but hey I am not perfect!). I have a gym plan in place for the next few weeks, one hour three times a week and then a dog walk each day.

I started reading the Blue Planet book yesterday which has been sat on my shelves for years, the pictures in it are stunning. I have also chosen my design for the christmas exhange on my cross stitch site which I hope to start in the next few days.

Tomorrow I am going to the gym, nipping to town for the new lights for the lounge and then going to kick the butt of the decorating in the lounge! I am really hoping to have most of it finished by the end of the week and then I can get my house put to rights as I am fed up of bags of DVD's hanging around in the dining room.

Oh and most of the save the date cards have been sent out!

Clapping

I forgot to say that I started a round of aplause when I was at the York Chocolate experience, I have always wanted to do that so I felt pretty pleased and the girl who took us around really was good :D This weekend is going to involve me doing stuff... but in order to do that I really need to find my way off the sofa (I feel exhausted today so I will need to locate some energy!)...

And relax

It feels so good not to have the masters hanging over me any more! I have been cleaning and tidying today as I have been neglecting the house for weeks (maybe months but shhhh). Hoping that the house is going to be all sparkly tonight when the bf gets home, although I am going out with a friend tonight so I won't get to see if he is impressed!!

I forgot to mention that I had eaten Octopus the other day. I think it is a first and last to be honest it didn't really taste of anything and was very chewy!

 

 

This was my chocolate t-rex which I had made for me when I went to the York Chocolate Story for my birthday! I havn't eaten him yet and I am actually not 100% sure where he is, I think he may be lurking in the fridge preying on left over cocktail sauages...

Masteres = sorted

Finally the masters is finished!! It is all in :D I did my presentation this morning, made the students laugh which was great and I answered all the questions well too. They didn't ask about my aims (which were slightly wrong) which was fab as I have been panicking about them for days. We all went for drinks afterwards and I will see them all again for graduation in November. I have to wait a couple of weeks for my final marks as the exam board is on the 12th Sept. But yay!!! Tomorrow I plan to lie on the sofa watching DVD's and doing nothing... it is going to be awesome :D I am hoping that this will also be my last day eating chocolate *laughs behind hand*

Decoration of the lounge is progressing slowly, about 2/3 of the walls have lining paper on them, some of which I have managed to put on all by myself. I need to get some paint and then I can get to work with the painting... but not until after tomorrow of course!

Plus it will be back to Game of Thrones again :D I got the DVD boxsets for 1&2 for my birthday! So I can watch and read to my hearts content *happy sighing*

Needlework show

Today I went to Harrogate needlework show which was fantastic though far far too busy! I have a few new purchases including the material for the skirt I am going to make and a some blackwork for a cushion (of course to make these items I actually need to learn how to use the sewing machine... even getting it out of the box would be a start). But of course before any of these fun things can be attemped the thesis of doom (as it is now affectionatley known) needs to be completed. The tutor tried to change the date of our at the last minute after I had emailed her about it AGES ago but none of us were having any of it so it is going ahead on Wendesday next week. I must remember that in four days I will be thesis free.

My major goals for the rest of the year are:

* Finish decorating the lounge
* Build an extension on the back of the house (of course I will be the project manager...)
* Sort out more wedding stuff (leaving this one slightly open as I am unsure on the timings of what I need to do)
* Learn to use the sewing machine
* Open up my problem behavioural consultancy business

... not much then. Next year will be a bit easier though, it should be known as the year of the holidays Paris, the Lake Distritct, a tour of Europe, China and Rome :D All the fun stuff is happening next year. No doubt bits of the extension shall be fun but it will also be cold and dirty.

Today I learnt...

How to put lining paper on :D I have been wanting to do it for ages but I wasn't well enough before. The decorating is progressing very slowly, only about 1/4 of the room has lining paper, however my dad has painted the celling and that is already looking fantastic. It will be a few weeks before I can get any more done however as I have my birthday, my VIVA and the finace is starting another of his masters classes. We are going to put most of the furniture back and it will just have to stay half done for the forseeable future.

Yesterday night I saw the Priates of Penzance which was amazing, we also went for a long walk around Aldwark village (near where we are getting married next year). So I am getting there with the development stuff. Although until the VIVA has been completed there will not be much development going on!

Decorating

We have started decorating the lounge, it has taken 2 days to strip the walls and we need to spend today painting the black skirting boards white. Then on Tuesday my mum is going to show me how to fit lining paper (it is really not my fault I havn't learnt before this, I have been too poorly after my accident a few years ago but now I am well enough to learn) while my dad paints the celling. Then we will just need to paint and do the top coat of the white work... Other people seem to be able to decoarate a room in a day but I will never understand how they acomplish that!

I am over half way through the Game of Thrones books but I think I will stop after this one as I am not getting anything done on my VIVA. Not really getting any development stuff done other than painting as that is taking up all my spare time. I am not really wanting to do decorating today (not helped by the fact that we need to go for masking tape before we can go any further with things). Still if we work today then we can have tomorrow off and of course tomorrow night is Priates of Penzance!! :D

Oh wait no I did go and see an open air performance of a Midsummer Nights Dream, it was much better than Romeo and Juliette, I had never seen a Shakespear comedy before! That is definate development

Extension

I am very excited at the moment as my parents have decided to give me my inheritance now (in the hope that I don't have to pay any inheritance tax on it) so we are getting an extension put on our house. We are extending the back out by about 2 meters and it is going to be HUGE :D I cannot wait to get the architect around and start desiging!!

VIVA for my masters is in just under 2 weeks so I am having to make a start on preparing that. Other than that I have started taking the wall paper off in the loung (it is going to be a loooong job), somehow the room looks better without the wallpaper than with! I have done 6 save the date cards now for the wedding so I just need to make sure that they make it to the relevant people and get some photos up on here. They are home made to try and save some money. I have been meeting up with friends who I havn't seen for month due to the MSc which has been feeling really great.

I have a massive list of jobs for today but I am slowly going thorugh them and crossing them off. I realy ought to go and put the washing out now!

Oh and I made it to the Richard III exhibit so I have seen his head reconstruction, they didn't have too much information there which was a shame but I did also see the Middleham jewel :D

Life is sort of starting to come together for me!!

Ouch

I have woken up with a stiff back for weeks and today was one of the worst ones. I think it is probably the matress but at some point I will try sleeping in the spare room and see how I go in there. Poor puppy dog jarred her back slipping on the stairs yesterday so we are both lying on the sofa feeling sorry for ourselves.

Found two possible dresses for the wedding yesterday but need to book appointments to compare them to the first one. My chief bridesmaid may be coming up for a visit so I can take her to see them. I also talked to someone at the bank about opening up a business accound and sent off for my insurance.

Things are slowly beginning to come together!

Crafting day

I am off to a friends house for a crafting day today, I am taking my kings and queens of England cross stitch to work on. I can see that this design is going to take months and months to finish but it is such an interesting design (I like anything with bright colours).

The house bunny has been given the all clear today which I am very relieved about :) Tonight is a walking tour about Georgian York and then tomorrow is a shopping trip into York with my mum, two wedding dress shop fittings and my car service. There is a charity shop near the wedding dress shops which appears to sell young peoples things only so I am very interested in going and having a look around. I popped in very quickly the other day with the bf and found three books in a series I have been reading (The Railway Detective).

Life is full of a busy successions of nothings

Day out

Today we managed our first day out for weeks! We went to Hemsley castle (though I need to go back and do the audio guide without the bf as he doesn't much like standing around listening to history) and then on to Robin Hoods Bay. We had only just finished our chips when the rain started so I ended up sat on a sea defence with my cardigan over my head and a towel on me legs as it chucked it down (we were not expecting rain so left the umberella in the car  and of course there is no nipping back to the car with the sort of hill you get at Robin Hoods Bay). The puppy then decided that she needed to get under my cardigan out of the rain so bodily climbed onto me... people were even laughing at her. It kept showering so we ened up coming home. It is the first time I have felt really relaxed in months though!! I didn't realise how uptight I was. Helmsley castle has been on my wish list for about 6 years so I feel really pleased that I have made it there!

Tomorrow is my yearly meeting with my financial accountant, then getting some bits and bobs to finish off my save the date cards for the wedding and starting this business plan! It is sad to think that this time next week I will be starting on my VIVA planning (boooo!!!!!).

Still I will blog again when I have managed some development (which as this week is officially to be known as appointment week) may be a while!!

Life brought it

So after telling life to bring it on, it actually took me at my words!! I left to hand in my thesis and came back to find the house bunny had had a stroke. I really thought we were going to loose him but the vet wanted to give him a shot to recover... and a few days later you could never tell anything was wrong with him!! He is possibly more active than before the stroke (he is a little old man at 9yrs old so he can be excused not being too hoppy all the time). I shall refrain from taunting life in future.

I am now masters free (for another week or so before I need to start preparing for the VIVA!) So far I have managed to get the bottom of the house cleaned and tidied but the upstairs still looks like it has been hit by a bomb. I am plodding on with 'Game of Thrones' which I had been meaning to read for ages but had to stop as they are addictive and it was taking up all my time.

I have managed to buy 6 books in the last week and have added 'to kill a mockingbird' to my list (which I will attempt to source from the library) as it turns out upon investiagation that I really should read it. I rang a builder today to get him to come and look at beautifying the front of my house (as it is the ugly duckling of the road) and have hand crafted some save the date cards for the wedding. I will post pictures when they are finshed. I have done my picture on the front of them but at the moment I don't know how I am going to write on the back of them. I also contacted my brothers friend who is an IT boffin about setting me up a website for my new business... eeek! Still need to write myself up a business plan though (which the bf keeps telling me off about).

Still I have a whole other week in which to start my development. Though it may be impacted by the fact that I have about 101 appointments to go to... However I am determined to achieve something. I will not let this summer slip through my fingers like the last ones. Hopefully we are going for a scramble around North Yorkshire tomorrow and are aiming to finish up at Robin Hoods Bay, although the weather seems to be conspiring against us :(

Feeling lost

I feel oddly lost without the masters, there is a big gap in my life and nothing to fill it at the moment... maybe I need to take up some more hobbies!! lol I can't believe it but the others on the masters are not finished!! it is due in in under 48 hours, I just can't work that close to the deadline, I felt uncomfortable enough about only having four days to spare! One girl still had 8000 words on Saturday... I bet she will be pulling an all nighter.

All ready for tomorrows visit to hand in my thesis (apart from the obvious of course... who needs petrol in order to get there?!!! So there will be an emergency visit to the garage in the village tomorrow morning). After the big hand in I am going to rush home and need to get my fiance to the hospital in the afternoon as he is having a broken tooth removed. Then Wednesday is my reward for finishing my masters... a trip to see the new Percy Jackson movie. And then after that I really should start doing some more house work!

I made a spinach lasagne today using spinach from the garden and four different types of cheese (why use one when you can experiment?) whilst listening to Sense and Sensibitly on Radio 4... I felt very culture and housewifyish. I have promised myself that I will cook more now I have the time. I have also started reading one of my Mary Balogh regency romance books which I had been putting off during the masters (there was no reading of fun stuff due to the increased risk of me actually not getting handed in on time).

So am I then going to take it easy after being stuck in education for the past four years (PGCE and MSc)... certainly not!! I have a business to set up, a puppy dog to retrain, (she appears to have forgotten stuff over the last few months), house renovations to orchastrate and a wedding to plan all by this time next year when I vanish off to Europe backpacking and then for my honeymoon in China. I also need to learn to waltz before the big day and loose at least 3 stone (though the wheels are in motion for that as I am booked in for my first gym session on Wednesday)... bring it on life... bring it on!!!

And it is done...

Finally I have managed to get my thesis handed in, I havn't slept much the past few nights but at least it is all electronically submitted... of course the torture is not really over yet. I still have to get it printed and bound on Tuesday and after that prepare for the VIVA but at least I have a couple of weeks of breathing space before the presentation.

So now I can concentrate on devleopment again!! I have lost my job (as they decided to make it full time and wouldn't wait the two weeks I needed to finish off my VIVA) which sucks financially but we can get by over summer and hopefulyl I can pick up some more teaching come september.

I have given the rabbit hutches and shed a real going over today so they are all sparkly and clean and then we took the puppy for a ramble around the village. Now I am just looking through my crafty stashes and wondering what I should start work on next. Below are photos of my stash, I have more than I thought I did and I have plans to go to one of the big stitching events for my birthday so I will end up with even more stuff (though at least I will have time to work through it all). I know it looks like a big stash but lots of them are small projects and several of them were free with magazines (so I really need to decide if I am actually going to find a use for them!!). Right well I need to go and do some serious splodging and chilling out after 6 weeks of masters hell. Thank goodness it is finished... I may share the results at some point when I stop being frustrated by it lol.

Still no improvement

No real personal improvements happening however I did manage to update my iphone... that was a massive drama... it will be easy they said... liers!! I ended up with a phone which didn't work so had to do an emergency trip into York yesterday to get it fixed by a lovely man in O2.

I have a poorly bunny in the vets this morning, then an eyebrown appointment, then probably dropping my rabbit off for minor surgery and lastly I will go to the chiropractor. I am always so busy, I have a total of five appointments this week and only 2 1/2 days to squish them in to!

Still I am at about 11,000 words now and my methodology is almost finished!! :D In under a month all this will be finished and I will be free! I can so get on with my personal development then and I guess my masters is developing me and will be a big mile stone!

10,000

10,000 words written!! *woop woop* just the same to go again!! Still I can only really do another 3000 on my lit review before I have to stop and then I need to start data analysis! I am really wishing I booked in this week to see my supervisor but I didn't so I will just have to accept that my stats will be rather rushed!

Other than that no development! I have bought a wii fit board to help with loosing weight but I can't get it to connect to the wii... not sure if that is my batteries though so they are on recharge. Off to tidy the downstairs of the house now as the personal trainer is coming tomorrow and I don't want her to see it in this state!

If you hadn't guessed the thesis is starting to take over my life... if I am not writing it I am thinking about what to write or feeling guilty for not writing... I can't win!

No time...

I have had no time to blog :( I have had no time to develop either!! Even my reading books are on hold (I am rereading the Spooks apprentice... something for a child to read seems appropriate at the moment!).

I am now at a grand total of 8117 words and 307 reponses to my questionniare (so much for getting 1000!). All I am doing is going to work, coming home, cooking some tea and then writing my thesis... it is all very boring and I can't wait to get it finished. For once in my life I want to exercise but can't as I have no free time, I am not even stitching at the moment.

Still I have two development things to tick off

1. We have booked the honeymoon
2. I have put a deposit down on a wedding dress

Now if only I can find a lovely expert on dog personalities to write my thesis for me!! I don't expect I will have much to report over the coming weeks other than milestones on my word count!

Thesis of doom

About 3100 words on the thesis of doom now... it is not as if I need to panic though... it is only five weeks before it needs to be in for checking... *screams silently*. My lack of progress really isn't all my fault though!! My lappytop has been in the hosptial this week as it got infected with a virus and my supervisor is sometimes rubbish at getting back to me and when that involves me needing to get details of a meeting from her it is less than ideal! I am trying to read articles in my lunch hour but even then I am struggling... maybe I will pull some all nighters closer to the deadline!!

Other than that my life has not been very productive, with the parents being away on holiday (they got back today thank god!) I have been trying to work and keep the house ticking over (which is acutally harder than it sounds when everyone living in it is so messy)

Food is also evil

I couldn't stop eating junk today, I am either really healthy or really bad... I need to find a medium ground. Still today wasn't helped by the fact that I didn't sleep well and ached from personal training.

Slogged on with the dissertation today but don't really feel like I got anywhere. Managed to find most of the stuff I will need for wedding stationary. I hope in total it will cost less than £50 and that is me buying stamps and ink etc.

Far too rushed for my linking at the moment, in life, I had a bath and chilled out only to get out and I can already feel the stress levels rising so no blogging for the next few days I shall simply concentrate on doing all the jobs I need to do... anyway blogging is hard when the puppy decides that she really really needs to sit in my lap!

Wheat is evil

I have given up wheat (on the whole) and am feeling much better for it so yay :D. I have also managed to cut out bad snacks between waking up at 5pm and am eating salads for lunch (it is great as I get to stuff myself lol).

Finding I do have less time to spend on my masters than I thought, I managed three lines today... I keep having appointments that get in the way. But I hope to get up nice and early tomorrow and get a full days work in on it. I am at just over 2000 words now... though I hear one of my classmates is at 8000 (boo!!! lol) but she isn't really working. I got my questionniare back with amendments to make and was hoping to see my supervisor tomorrow but she has gone all really weird at responding again.

We costed up approxomations for the wedding today... probably about 15,000 which is very ouch but I already have about 10,000 saved from the bank of mum and dad, savings and working extra hours. The bf has contibuted a shiny ring so far... but hopefully now he is debt free he can get some proper saving done. Think I have found a photographer which is awesome but very expensive, we saw him at a wedding fair in Harrogate yesterday and he just seemed so chilled

I managed to get around to making the scrap book of our time together which I had been meaning to make for about 3 years. I have also finished 50 shades of grey which was sort of ok but I would like a bit more of a story link to link everything together. My best friend also lent me the second book so I may read that one as it was very easy reading once I got into it.

Other than that I have been pottering around doing house stuff, kinda keeping on top of it all but I need my mothers motivation to help me. I have also got a personal trainer who is working with me weekly. I have to do 3 cross country training sessions by next week but I think that is achivable as she wants me to start off with just 5-10 mins per go. I am thinking I will get up uber early and get started (cue me rolling out of bed at 9am and sitting around doing nothing... I do not mentally engage till about 10am... I wish I was a morning person but it is just never going to happen)

Freeedom!!

I am now part time... meaning

• I can get the house work AND gardening done
• I have orchastrated two sets of work men in my mothers house yesterday
• The whole of the series of books I was supposed to order for my mum is now sitting in a bag wating to go to hers
• 1700 words of my thesis is done
• I have met my friend for drinks
• The bunnies have all had their claws trimmed
• I am calm and panic free :)

Parents have been away 6 days... I am coping much better than last time they went away and the house is kinda ticking over, it is not clean and tidy but it is acceptable. My last teaching session (apart from if we go play with the birds of prey) today so I can draw a line under that too for the year. I feel I am really making progress with my life, I have even had time to complete a scrap book of the finace and I and our time together which I have been meaning to do for about 3 years. I have also booked a personal trainer to come once a week and am cutting bread out of my diet (apparantly bread and antibiotics don't mix which may be why I feel so sluggish all the time... day one without it has gone well!!).

I bought a pack to enable me to larn how to make earrings so I can't wait to make a start, however I will wait until I am having a low point and need something to cheer me up. I am also toying with the idea of going away for a weekend in London next month with the bf... we just need to see he reacts.

So much development done... but so much more that I can achieve!!

Less than a week

Less than one week till part timeness!! Ignoring the fact that I am already booking up my days off with work men, jobs for my parents and appointments... but still it is a yay situation!!

Work is going really well, I spent my time checking 255 pages of data today... was kinda fun, made a change from the usual sending out of letters and filing. 

Mother also found a wedding shop selling lots of bridesmaid dresses so there is the potential for visiting and trying on... I will use mum as a model as she is more the shape of my bridesmaids lol. 

Puppy appears to have done her back in again today so she is resting on the sofa and having scrummy meals made for her. I have even managed to get a friend to walk her next week when my parents run off to Scotland and leave me (it is totally outrageous)

Hospital tomorrow with my bf having his tooth extracted (hopefully), maybe meeting a friend, maybe puppy dog classes (depending on how she is feeling) and some food shopping... busy busy busy!!

Voice is back!!

I have my voice back again, it is not perfect but it is good enough to go to work tomorrow (unfortunatley)

Got my questionnaire handed in yesterday for checking, it is rubbish but at least it is in!! I have also read up a bit more on personality in dogs... at the moment it is all just looking confusing! Still only one week to go till part time work and I can actually get stuck in with it. My parents are also on holiday for a couple of weeks (maybe longer depending on the weather) so I am not going to have any distractions... unfortunaltey.

Went on a chocolate walk today, I had so many free samples... it was great :) I have also decided that I am going to go to the Fudge Kitchen for my birthday, unless I think of something else in the mean time lol. I have also planted out lots more seeds in the garden, so hopefully more veggies for us later in the year

No voice

So now I have lost my voice, two days now... I am not best pleased but at least I am not feeling poorly. I also took a sick day (not that I get paid for it) on Friday and managed to get some of my thesis finished. I was supposed to do a Terror Trail yesterday but I seem to be struggling with times at the moment and we turned up at completely the wrong time!

Then today I went for a ramble over Beverley common with the parents and puppy, I managed to pull my knee scrambling over a fence and got stung by nettles but had an awesome time... puppy dog is reluctantly posing here.

I also photocopied loads of things for my masters (tomorrows fun and games), had scrummy honey comb ice cream and a pub lunch in the sun with my parents

Poorly

Been infected by someone at the zoo/wedding... am now going to die quietly in a corner (or perhaps with much overdramatic acting as that is more fun)... not looking forwards to work tomorrow... not pleased

Wedding

Managed to forget to ring the electrician back to sort out some work needed and missed our appointment day so I have had to ring him back... if it isn't on my calander I never remember it!!

Been at a wedding this weekend and got lots of tips for mine, people need to know what they are doing and when, speeches need to have a time limit and catering staff should not be taking away full glasses of champgne when you back is turned!!

My adopted penguin died three days before we headed to the zoo so I had to go and pick another animal! I ended up with a hyena (to be random lol).

I am glad to have a few quieter nights, though I am still working through my lunches marking assignments but in the next week they should all be finsihed. Hoping I can put a lid on the teaching for the year soon!! I really need to get more masters work done!!

Still only 13 days until I drop down onto part time work!! Yay!!!

Exhausted

Now exhausted after my weekend of fun :) I managed to try out a new cafe in York (new cafes, pubs and restraunts are on my list of things to do), did a ghost walk and also went to see Priscillia Queen of the Desert at York theatre which was amazing :D

I have got J K Rowlings 'The Casual Vacany' from the library (when I put myself on the list I was 22nd... it has taken months to get my hands on it!)... I just need to to find some time now to read it!

Managed to get to the church to fix a date for the wedding, I almost forgot and only remembered because next door asked how I was getting on with wedding plans. They are also considering cutting down the big tree in their back garden which overshadows/drops things on my garden... that would be good if they managed it.

I am back to being stupidly busy again after having a nice relaxing weekend, shopping tomorrow night, then puppy classes thursday and off to a wedding in Sudbury Friday and Colchester Zoo Sunday :D

Jenny and Jenni weekend

My friend Jenni is over for the weekend, she is a bad influence... it is half two and we only just got in from a club and I am not tired lol. I have discovered that men acutally now dance at clubs (and are very touchy feely with one another which was slightly creepy) and that girls do not dance, but they may be something to do with their stupidly high heels... I think they would over balance.

Other than that I have been to the York Dungeon (it was kinda scarey but I am glad I went lol) and am getting Jenni to make jewlery for my mums 60th as well as another friends birthday.

It has been nice catching up with her as it has been years since we have managed to get together but we have agreed that we need to meet up at least once a year.

Tomorrow is a ghost walk and the Croods :D

Today I....

Had a fantastic day teaching and learnt:

• How to hold a snake
• Restraining of gekkos
• How to hold a chameleon
• Handling of tortoises

I also took my students outside with the tortoises to forage and collect dandylions for them... they are hungry wee beasties. Then I jumped in the car and drove to meet my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin. Turns out my Aunt has been busy buying possible tops for my cousin to go with her bridesmaid dress... ignoring the fact that it is MY wedding and we havn't even found a dress yet lol. It is supposed to be the Mother of the Bride who gets carried away not the Aunt of the Bride.

Work want to keep me indefinatley for two and a half days a week which means lots of money for me :D We can have the work on the house carried out and maybe even afford to go away somewhere nice over the October half term.

I have also managed to make a start on my thesis questionnaire yesterday, though I need to source some books from the LRC before I can finish it. My cross stitch is also half completed but I need to finish off the new baby card for someone at work.

Another best day!

I am having the best day

This morning I did lots of sitching on my project, it is now almost half finished. Very difficult to sititch as the colours are so similar but it will look lovely in the newly decorated kitchen.

I then went for lunch with the bf, some family friends and my parents (who had been away for a week). It was so lovely to see everyone again and we spent 2 1/2 hours eating, chatting and then eating a yummy crumble desert. After that I went to Hobby Craft and got a £124 sewing machine for £75 so I was very pleased. The sales girl was one of my students from college which was lovely

Then we rushed home, the puppy went wild to see my dad (her favourite person in the world) and I went out on a scarecrow walk around my village with the puppy dog. It was a lovely walk in the sun with fun clues to figure out. It wasn't too sunny when we started out but it was a 3 mile walk and half way around the puppy dog started panting so we had to pop and get her some water from a garage which she drank from my hands (very cute).

There was a scarecrow set up by a scafolding company with workmen but they had linked it up to the electrics so there was music you could press on a controller to play, noises of men working and one which even made water come out of a hose pipe to squirt at you! Another house had the Fat Controller and a mini railway set with thomas going around... puppy was not too sure about that. It was so impressive the lengths that people had gone too, someone had turned their downpipes into a beanstalk and had jack climbing up it lol

Here is puppy doing a stress lick (she still wanted to approach and look at it, the lick just makes her feel self soothed about the situation).

Then we got home and the bf announced that he was buying in dominos for tea and had got me a pizza!! Perfect end to a perfect day!!