September and the start of Autumn

Firstly may I apologise for yesterdays little rant.

Tomorrow is the 1st September, the beginning of the end of summer and the start of Autumn. Thoughts turn to darker nights, already by half eight its dark and cooler weather. Not that we have had much of a summer.

I love the early autumn months and plan a visit to the top of Sutton Bank to witness the many beautiful colours of the trees from one of my favourite vantage points and take a few photos as well. I may well ask a friend to join me.

Its also the start of the new university year, I head into the second year of my graduate diploma, despite the advice of my tutor I am still sorely tempted to study for the remaining 2 modules in one year despite knowing that its really not a good plan given the struggles I faced last year.

I also have something fantastic to look forward to this month, something that will be very exciting and great fun. I am going on holiday. On the 19th September me and a very good friend B will be heading off to Somerset for a week of sightseeing and silliness. Can't wait.

I thought this was supposed to be fun

Is a concept that I am beginning to wonder exists.

The need of a new motor continues but, I was led to believe that it would be fun, exciting.

Its not, or rather it was at first but it doesn't feel it anymore.

I have chosen my car (or rather the car I wish to purchase) that's were the fun ended and the stress started. I have a budget based on the fact that I have a mortgage and bills to pay and food to buy. The car budget seems to keep going up and up. It scares me, or rather the thought of borrowing that much money scares me. It feels like its spiralling out of control. I could of gone under the scrappage deal but the concept of borrowing £5000 scares the hell out of me yet my budget is now heading that way. And it still scares the hell out of me.

On top of that I keep receiving a variety of advice. Or rather advice from two separate camps, one camp saying put it in under the scrappage scheme, others saying don't put it in under the scrappage scheme. Either way when I eventually purchase my new car there will be one party going "why didn't you, you should of done this, your daft doing that, I would of done this, etc. You get the picture. The only thing that is not an option is keeping my car on the road, its old and falling apart.

If it wasn't for the fact that managing without a car isn't an option I would get rid of my present car and manage without because I am beginning to feel that its simply not worth the stress that I am putting myself under through it. Nor is it fair on my friends who hear me harping on about it morning, noon and night.

Tired

I is tired, very tired. Owing to holidays, staff sickness and compassionate leave we are a bit short staffed at the minute resulting in me working a mixture of day shifts (one of which was over 13 hours long) and night shifts.

I worked out from last Saturday to this Saturday I will of worked 66 and half hours, aquiring over 17 hours over overtime. I also will be going 10 days without a day off, though my staffing declares a day off on Saturday it can hardly be classed as such given that I don't finish work that day till 8 in the morning. And then I am back in the next day, all over the bank holiday weekend working day shifts. My next day off isn't till the Thursday, another week to go.

Its going to be a long week.

A new nickname

I have been handed a new nickname at work.

Dr Dolittle.

I wonder why?

Exam results day (there is light at the end of the tunnel)

This was one of the best days of my life, it was the day I graduated from the Open University with BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care lower second class. I achieved it while working full time in combination with studying upwards of 2o hours a week. It was really hard work but worth every minute.

Six years on and I am working towards a graduate diploma again while working full time and through distant learning with Glasgow Caledonian University. I was hoping to complete it in two years however, my tutor has advised that I take it over three years instead for reasons of my health. My second year starts next month.

Today A-level results come out and next week it is the turn of GCSE students, while many will be celebrating there will also be those who do not achieve the grades they need and may well be left feeling their life is over, or that their dreams are now impossible dreams. Let me stop you there, they are not. If you really want something badly, hold on to your dream and keep going. It may take you longer, it may even take you down paths you never considered. You may even look back on this in 5 years time and feel life has turned out better because of your failure.

Success is failure turned inside out, its for you to work out how to turn it the right way round. Given the nature of this blog I feel that it is important to dedicate a post to this subject. I was written off at school but from 10 years old dreamed of going to university. I had little support and encouragement from my school and the same from my parents. My GCSE results were 2 Ds, 4 Es, F, G and a U.

It took a further 5 years to get the grades I needed to get in to university I re took 3 GCSEs achieving 2 Cs and a D and sat two more achieving, interestingly grade Bs for both on the first sitting along with a host of other qualifications eventually achieving the equivalent of 3 A levels. I I passed a Diploma in Higher Education in 1998. In 2001 I commenced topping up my Diploma in Higher Education to a degree, which as you can see I passed and now I am moving up to a graduate diploma. My achievement is made all the more greater because I what I had to do and go through in order to get there.

For those that achieved the grades they required congratulations, for those that didn't its not the end of the world. Stop, think and remember your goal is not an impossible one. Go for it and good luck.

Procrastination

I said I was going to start my studies a couple of days ago, well I didn't.

I ended up finding lots of other things to do, I had a lay till 1pm, then two men turned up to do my loft insulation (they arranged it back in March but gave me no date and time, just turning up unannounced yesterday). This led to a great deal of amusement as 6 piggies joined in unison squeaking at the sound of loft insulation been unwrapped from its polythene wrapper thinking it was tea time. Then I had the housework to do because my friend was coming round, at least we did get some studying some for his course.

Today, I never really got round to it because the I was coming close to finishing the fourth Harry Potter and I really, really wanted to finish it. Now I have. Then I had to go over to visit my friends cat whose mummy is on holiday, a job I love, I also have her garden gnome to keep an eye on. He's guarding her watering can that comes complete with holes. Wilfreds role is a very important one as someone attempted to steal the watering can earlier in the year, the court case is still on going. The guy responsible is on the run having failed to turn up in court for his hearing. And now I am updating my blog.

Next week, maybe but I have my car loan to organise....

New year, let the stress begin

My new academic year doesn't start for at least another month but, tomorrow I plan to take the plunge and start this years study, family and couple counselling.

First of all I have a few loose ends to tie up from last year, then its on to this years study. I am reluctant to start due to the fact that I have got too used to having my days off to myself but, now its time to start again. I am choosing to start early for reasons of my health. I already have this years course notes as I undertook the statutory residential week a year early to avoid it clashing with my sisters wedding next year. A month later my university reviewed the course and declared the residential week to be optional rather than statutory, but it was a very useful week and I am really pleased I undertook it as without it I would not have grasped the key principles of couple and family counselling.

Last year I started the day the university term started and struggled in keeping up, resulting in a real crisis when it was time for my essays to be handed in January. In October I went down with a throat infection followed shortly by a cold which developed into both a chest infection and pleurisy, leading to me having to take time off work threatened with hospital. Three weeks later my asthma again played up resulting with another hospital threat and another week off work. At Christmas I was floored by a heavy cold, this along with the demands of day to to day life lead to me falling heavily behind and a huge amount of stress which lead me to seriously consider giving up my place on the course, I am determined not to go through that again.

So tomorrow I start again.

And tomorrow evening my friend P shall land, he too is planning to start a degree and has just commenced his access module, tomorrow evening will be dedicated to supporting him as he commences his studies.

A pet is for life not just while its trendy

There is a new film out G-force which is bound to be a hit this summer amongst children, sadly this film and many others lead to people deciding to take the animal concerned on as a pet only to abandon the pet once the novelty wears off.

Guinea pigs make great pets but to take them on as pets as a result of watching a film at the cinema may result in disappointment as they are nothing like what the film portrays.

If you are considering taking a pet on please give it very careful consideration, do you understand fully what their needs and are willing to care for your pet for the whole length of their life? Its also advisable that before you take a pet on that you consider who will provide it with the love and care it requires should you happen to go away.

Animal guest house

Let me first of all introduce one of my piggies, this is Sparky.

I love this time of year not just the weather (or rather the odd day were the sun comes out and it doesn't rain) but the fact that my friends all go on holiday. Let me reassure you I am not happy that my friends are on holiday, I miss them while they are away. I am pleased for them that they are able to get away and enjoy their breaks away. I am pleased because they leave their pets behind and in my care.

Today three more piggies will be arriving, its gets a bit squashed with an extra cage but we manage. Sparky and Harry, who is currently enjoying a Handel CD are in the living room. Tommy remains in the hallway, whinging and an empty cage stands next to it ready to receive the guests.

Next week my friend B heads off on her hols and for a week I will be cat sitting in addition to guinea pig sitting. He's such a gorgeous lad, though a tad spiky at times so I have the joy of caring for him as well.

Small taste of victory

A few weeks ago a close friend was in hospital very poorly. Each day visited her, and each day I was charged to park my car. I would estimate that parking my car cost me around £25-30 over a period of 10 days. It annoyed me greatly, not so much having to pay but rather the principle of it, having to pay to visit my sick friend.

In Scotland the charges have been abolished. The hospital I was visiting makes close on a million pounds per year through car parking charges. On the other hand (I can't find the link) the government refused to charge people to park in prison car parks as they are deemed as too far out the way. I appreciate that hospital car parking is a contentious issue with arguments for and against. Personally I feel that it's unnecessary tax forced on those who have loved ones in hospital.

Anyway I sent the hospital concerned an e mail expressing my opinions regarding the cost of their car parking charges but on hearing nothing back I forgot about it. This afternoon I received an e mail informing me that if I would forward my address they would reimburse me the parking charges. I responded immediately and I await the arrival of a cheque in the post. Then we are off out for a meal courtesy of our local NHS trust.

New car = Stress

I need a new car as a matter of urgency. My current motor is 10 years old and showing it. Patches of rust seem to grow over its body work on a daily basis and each day I go outside expecting to find my car sitting there minus its body.

On the advise of my local garage I am now looking for a new car, there is an added sense of urgency to my search for a new car. Based on an assessment of the external presentation of my car, it will definitely fail its MOT and its going to cost a lot of money to get it through its MOT so therefore its simply not economical to put it through its MOT. The MOT is due in 3 weeks.

Being without a car is not an option as my grandma lives over a 100 miles away and she is not in good health, my friend B has very kindly offered to give me a lift should I need it. I also need to have a car as a very close friend (B) is often admitted to hospital as an emergency and while I am aware that she has many other friends who are there to support her I like to be available if she needs me.

It all sounds very exciting but in reality I am finding it stressful, I am one of those people who like to research things very carefully. It is particularly important when committing to buy something which will cost several thousand pounds. I had made my choice but now that has all been thrown into turmoil as I have read several bad reports reporting the poor reliability of the car I have chosen. Now I am at the point were I want someone to organise it all for me, the removal of my old car (I have no idea what I will do with it) and the provision of a new one. How nice it would be to go outside one morning and find a nice new shiny motor sitting in the drive.......

Harry Potter

Ok, admission time now. I am one of the few people that did not get swept along with the Harry Potter craze, I failed to stand in queues outside of Waterstones at midnight awaiting the release of the next book. I did not bother going to the cinema to watch each film as they were released, though I did see the first film.

That, now has all changed. My friend B asked if I would like to go and see the latest film, to which I answered in the positive, admitting though that I was yet to read any of the books. As a gift B very kindly bought me a beautiful box set of all 7 books and I admit I am now addicted, I have read the Philosephers Stone I am now working my way throught The Chamber of Secrets. I am so pleased that I hadn't followed them from the start as I simply couldn't wait for the next one to be released, I would be one of those waitng outside Waterstones at midnight, first in the queue.

All this has rather an unfortunate side effect, my plans were to recommence studying in August in order tie up some loose ends from last year and commence this years study a few weeks early, I like to do this as I often suffer from chest infections and colds in the winter meaning that it is then all too easy to slip behind. The pain from my arthritis also adds to the difficulties making it harder to concentrate, harder to get out of bed, making me more irratable and therefore more prone to stress and the pain killers often add to the difficulities, by making me drowsy. These plans have now gone by the wayside and time with Harry Potter has taken its place.

Hello

Hello,

This must be my zillionth (well that's exaggerating things a bit) attempt at blogging. I have started several blogs and then got bored and deleated them. Or I have simply forgotten about them.

I started a new one back in June but, a visit to it today to update it led to the discovery that its manifesting in webdings. For those a little unsure what that is, its this webdings. Which I am sure you will appreciate is pretty difficult to understand in any language.

So here's my challenge, the continue this blog until I graduate in 2011.