Almost Carefree!

Thank you all for your patience while I have been cramming my life with all sorts of trials, tribulations and annoyances.

Today I was told that my portfolio for my Foundation Degree has gone through as a pass and so that's one large heavy piece of luggage off my back.

This afternoon was the last proper class at the high school where I have taught an employment skills class. They now have until Thursday to put their work in their files and then I can start to assess them (all 35 of them!).

Once that is done, the only thing left to bother me will be my new project and getting it up and running while flying from one corner of Northumberland to another.

I am also the proud owner of a slim trim figure, I lost one and a half stones in total. I have spent a fortune in clothes, refusing to buy anything expensive until I was where I wanted to be. Now I'm there I keep thinking maybe another couple of pounds....!

I'm also addicted to facebook - I am close to needing therapy, really, so hop on there and say hello!

and incase you are wondering about the photo - it's my view of Take That at Sunderland a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely fabbytantastic! unlike the useless camera in my iphone - although that may be rectified tomorrow when we get the software upgrade!

Catch Up

Hello everyone!

I'm not going to apologise for not blogging because here in the UK and in particularly the North East of the UK we are having a heatwave and I'm making the most of it as by the weekend we could be into Autumn!

There have been times over the last couple of weeks where I sat in the garden thinking "This is hotter than it was in Florida!!!!" yes I know! unbelievable!

Oh and I have been getting on with my assignments, had a difficult time with one but I put it to one side and have completed two others, now I just have the difficult one and a bigger report to finish off and that should be me done! Wat you betting that the day I finish the rain will arrive.

I've also been doing a lot of catching up with old shipmates from my Navy days on Facebook. I have set up a group where we can all share memories of the good old days. It's amazing who has come out of the woodwork, people I had completely forgotten about. It's all been a lot of fun. I just have to find my bestest friend Mo McCleave though. We lost touch about 10 years ago and I have to find her, I know she has been looking for me on Forces Reunited but I have changed my e-mail so I'll have to keep trying.

The diet is also going really well. Not doing the full on thing anymore but watching what I eat and portion control. I was sent out to the shops last weekend to buy myself some clothes as hubby was sick of me hitching up my pants all day long. I hate clothes shopping!

Oh well, time for work, will keep popping in while the weather is good and then no doubt once stuck inside I'll be back on track.

Take care and be good.

Butterflies as Big as Elephants.

In 27 minutes time, the Newcastle United players will walk out to the pitch at Aston Villa for what will be the biggest game in years. Putting it very briefly, we have to win and other teams have to lose for us to stay in the Premiership. Winning isn't enough, we are relying on the results of other games.

Watching Newcastle isn't easy on a good day. This will be the longest 90 minutes ever.

Sorry if you were hoping for something interesting, you'll just have to wait a while longer.

A pile Up.

Thanks those of you who have been wondering where I am, it's really nice to know there are people out there who miss you!

Everything is fine and I didn't die of suffocation under a pile of ironing!

Just like many others out there, I'm taking a break from blogging for a while because I not only have my own foundation degree coursework and assignments to complete but I also have my students portfolios to get finished and checked. Add to this the new project I am coordinating which means I am out at meetings and planning the delivery. I am covering the length and breadth of Northumberland in a daily basis at the moment!

Which means I am having to do the portflios in my own time as well as my assignments. I am pottering around on facebook a bit too, when I need a break and of course my nerves are shattered at the moment from the anxiety of Newcastle United's very precarious position in the Premier Leauge.

Sunday is the day the whole of the North East of England will a nervous wreck. All three Premier teams as well as Hull, are in the relegation zone and it all goes down to the last game which takes place at 4pm. All teams play at the same time. Can you imagine it? Four teams and two will be relegated. I'm feeling sick just thinking about it.

How can you study with that on your mind?

So hope you can cope without me for a while. I may well post now and again but there are more important things to do I'm afraid.

Take care, I'll be back!

Funny Old week

It's the weekend continued.

Not having hubby at home throws my routine anyway, not that he does much to help or hinder really, but I can't just nip to the shops or have a leisurely drive home, it's all much more timetabled. I always take the kids to school but hubby picks them up. This week it's MY job as well as feeding, clothing and nurturing them in a motherly fashion.

Sunday hubby went - peace, quiet? Nope.

I had half the kids on the estate in and out of the house all day long. The front door was like a revolving one. Even the dogs were dizzy. They drank me out of juice and all the crisps for Alexander's bait disappeared. By 7pm I had to tell them all to go home. It was good that I didn't have to entertain anyone personally but it was hard work making sure I knew who was in or out.

Monday was a quiet day at work, catching up and sorting out. Until the evening when it was time to don the black and white stripes and hit The Toon.

I had hubby's season ticket for the Newcastle v Middlesborough game. It was vital we won or we would definitely be relegated. If I couldn't go then neither could Jordan and he had a face like a fiddle and I really wanted to go.

A very very nice person I work with came to my rescue. Despite having no knees due to a little trip up Everest (to base camp) and being young free and single - and a Mackem to boot, she sacrificed a free meal at her brother's for an evening watching my big TV and eating free pizza - oh and she had to entertain Alexander who was less than pleased that he was being left behind.
Thank you Susan - you aren't bad for a Mackem.

The match was fantastic, a great atmosphere and a massive win 3-1. Just what we needed to give us a boost to get through the last two games and hopefully stay in the Premiership. And we got a free flag!

Today was better, pretty much normal by our standards but what's with the weather? It's clearblue sky and looks as though you'd need your shorts and flip flops on but the second you step out of the door it's like frostbite. Someone forgot to put the heating on the sun.

Now I just heard my dad is in hospital with a gammy leg. He has had two hip replacements and the first one (8 years ago) has some form of infection which they are cleaning out, so he's had an operation today. Dad is one of these who never complains and just gets on with things. Apparently he was sitting up laughing with the nurses when Sylvia his wife (my step mum) went in.

and the reminiscing continues too. I now have two people chatting to me on Facebook about our navy days. Oh the memories I've got now. Our heads are pounding from trying to remember names of people we practically lived with for weeks and months on end. Don't worry I'm not about to launch into a barrage of 'olden days' again.

So it's late and I rather fancy reading a few pages of my book. I can't watch any of my favourite programmes because they are saved so hubby can watch them and he hates it when I watch them first. It's nice having time to do MY things but I do miss not having someone to warm my feet on.

Funny Old weekend

As weekends go this one has been a bit strange. Normally you would relish the two days off after a busy week at work, but since my week was one of disarray, bank holiday, swine flu shannanigans and then working from home for 3 days I haven't appreciated it as much as I normally do.

Add to this the fact that hubby is now on his way to Holland for work so didn't want to do anything other than get ready for that. Alexander had a birthday party in the afternoon and Jordan went off to Newcastle with his friends. I was left milling around playing taxi and looking for things that hubby couldn't find.

Today (Sunday) will probably be no better. Alexander is now playing out every waking minute of the day when the weather is nice, so apart from the three million times he nips in and out collecting his bike, scooter, action figures, guns, football etc etc and the three milion times I bring them back in off the drive so they don't get run over, I hardly see him. It's nice that he wants to do this though. Jordan didn't have this opportunity as there were no children his age where we lived then and it gives me time to myself.

So what to do today? I have a pile of ironing...























.....bathrooms to clean.....
























...holiday videos to make into a movie for MIL/FIL..

None of which I am inclined to do at the moment.

Maybe a shower and a nice coffee can muster some enthusiasm?

Amazing Real Photos

Remember my friend Susan who nipped off to Nepal to climb to Everest base camp a few weeks ago? Well she has posted her photos on Facebook. If you have an account go and have a look, and comment - I'm sure she won't mind.

HERE is the link