My name is Jane ......... and I am a hoarder.
There - I said it !
I am not as bad as some of those you see on some TV programmes BUT I really do keep all sorts of rubbish! .......... The point is ... it's not rubbish to me !
I was sorting out the Office the other day. (It used to be the downstairs front room but since Gina left home I have transferred it to her room. The downstairs room has been restored to the dining room!) So ... in the first wave of clean out ... I did get rid of lots of stuff - mainly old documents from the business - things that had to be kept legally for a set number of years but now I could get rid of.
We transferred the filing cabinets and desk upstairs and then I began filing ...... and sorting ....... and attempting to throw away ....... but that just didn't seem to pan out !!
A job that should have taken maybe a couple of hours began to drag out and ended up taking the WHOLE day - and I'm still not finished !!!
I came across little notes that the kids had written for me, old Christmas lists of presents bought and to whom I was giving them, work I had done for the Pre-school 15 years ago ........ and I just couldn't bin any of it !!!
I know the little notes are sentimental and people will understand me wanting to keep those but - the work for the pre-school is now out of date and as for the Christmas lists...... !
Of course there was other stuff as well - more up-to-date information and paperwork from the business and my last job but why oh why am I keeping it ??
I think - "ooh - that might be interesting and useful one day" - but you just know that the only time I will look at it will be in 10 years time when that too, is well out of date !!! BUT I JUST CAN'T BIN IT !
I think its one of those things that happens not just to me but universally - When I have got rid of some old kitchen utensil or some previous information you can guarantee that 2/3 weeks later there will be "now, where did I put x - that would be really useful today!" IT ALWAYS HAPPENS as soon as I have got rid of the thing I need it !
Or is it just that old sentimentality - these days you can download any information from the internet - including old versions of documents I have - you can buy new goods readily (if not reasonably cheaply too, from supermarkets) - Why would I need a box full of old tea-towels and hand-towels (the Disney and children's ones the kids had when little).
Yes - most of it is sentimentality - one day I will sort it all out properly - but thankfully, at the moment we have enough room in the house for several storage boxes - some in the attic, some in the cupboard under the stairs and some just sat there in Gina's room (the Office) that will remain for a little longer, till I either have to move to a smaller house or reach the age of 90 ..... and decide that I'd better clear out the diaries before someone else does !!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Jezza
Thursday 24th November was a great day --- really good fun, despite the few panic moments when we thought we were not gonna make it !
Jess, Gina, Nikki, Zoe and I set off just before 10am to travel to Manchester Granada TV Studios, to be in the audience for a Jeremy Kyle show! The journey was ok until the junction where the M6 turns off into about 6 different lanes - yes - we took the wrong turn ........ I had printed off directions BUT ................................
Zoe to the rescue (well and all the others cause they all have smart phones LOL). Zoe had bought her Sat Nav and we plugged it in.
UNFORTUNATELY - That didn't help much ...................... not initially anyway - the SatNav gave some directions a little late .......like "turn left now" when we had already gone right !
OK I ADMIT IT AND I OFFICIALLY CONFESS ..... I am rubbish with directions !
I regularly get lost when presented with somewhere to get to and there must be a scientific calculation that doubles the chance of getting lost when I have a time limit ........
The directions to the studios that I had printed, suggested that it would take 3 hours to get there - we naturally thought that if we left at 10am and had to get there by 2pm that left us an hour for any distractions OR for us to get lost ...... hoping that we wouldn't - and could then stop for lunch or coffee.
Well .......... forget eating or stopping for a coffee - we took the first wrong turn from my printed directions - then another wrong turn from the SatNav each taking us about half an hour out of the way and to get back on track.
With 2pm fast approaching we got to the right location .........only to find that the car park shown on the reverse of the ticket was just for Granada employees
ARGGHHHHHHH - (we do have a suspicion that the car parking attendant was having us on actually but had no time to argue the toss)
THANK GOODNESS for retail parks and massive Sainsburys stores - we parked within a 10 minute walk. it was 1.50pm and the priority tickets stated that although doors open at 2pm we should be there 10 minutes early!!!
CUE frantic race across town - crossing horrendously busy and wide roads - teetering on high heels and with one very unfit older lady (that'd be me) and one who has just had a baby - huffing and puffing like we had reached the end of a marathon.
Nikki and Zoe (the fitter amongst us) ran on and got to the doors - they signalled to us to slow down and as we turned the corner we realised why - it was 2pm and we had rushed for nothing ... as everyone - even in the priority line - was still queuing.
This was, in fact, a godsend as The Unfit amongst us had chance to breathe and reduce the colour in our cheeks. We queued for another 10 minutes, (losing half a packet of biccies on the pavement during the course of queuing) and EVENTUALLY we were let in.
NOW - bear in mind we had just travelled for 3 and a half hours - had run miles (well maybe a mile at best) had queued for 10 mins ......what would be the first thing on your mind ...... THE LOO !!!
We were searched (I had to hand in my mini Swiss pen knife) and then we made a bee line for the conveniences .......... only to find that there were just 2 cubicles and the queue for these was out of the door !!!!
WHY oh WHY were there only 2 and WHY OH WHY were both blocked ..... yes honestly - epic fail Granada !!!!! (oh must just mention seeing both Michelle Collins and the actress who plays Sally Webster - bet they didn't have to wait for the loo!)
SO finally - we had refreshed ourselves in some not too pleasant facilities - and went into the Studios.
We were sat right next to Jezza'a entrance and sorry to announce this but ...actually .... he is not very tall!
I am not sure if this was the reason they asked Gina to sit down when he came in, or whether it was genuinely the camera angle, but whatever the reason - as the rest of the audience stood up when he came in - she had to stay sitting.
I will not reveal details of the show - in fact the guests themselves were not that exciting. JUST will mention that Jezza is actually SOOOO much funnier than you imagine - he has a good sense of humour and kept the audience entertained in the breaks.
So for an epic journey there we spent just 3 hours at the Studio and then it was done - Maccy D's for tea (Manchester Maccy's was excellent! - probably because we were all starving by 5pm having had nothing to eat since brekky other than biscuits) Then the journey home.
All in all a fantastic day and the girls made the journey such fun - the conversations home shall never be repeated again or put into print !
Now all I can say about the journey home was that it was SIMPLE - why is it always the way NO WRONG TURNS at all - straight run through and home before 9pm !!!!!!!!!
Like I say - there must be a calculation regarding lost directions and time constraints !!!
The 6 hour travelling time thought was so worth it and I recommend anyone to try going to a Tv show - any show - just for the experience - I can cross that off my list and we will very probably be going again !!!!
Jess, Gina, Nikki, Zoe and I set off just before 10am to travel to Manchester Granada TV Studios, to be in the audience for a Jeremy Kyle show! The journey was ok until the junction where the M6 turns off into about 6 different lanes - yes - we took the wrong turn ........ I had printed off directions BUT ................................
Zoe to the rescue (well and all the others cause they all have smart phones LOL). Zoe had bought her Sat Nav and we plugged it in.
UNFORTUNATELY - That didn't help much ...................... not initially anyway - the SatNav gave some directions a little late .......like "turn left now" when we had already gone right !
OK I ADMIT IT AND I OFFICIALLY CONFESS ..... I am rubbish with directions !
I regularly get lost when presented with somewhere to get to and there must be a scientific calculation that doubles the chance of getting lost when I have a time limit ........
The directions to the studios that I had printed, suggested that it would take 3 hours to get there - we naturally thought that if we left at 10am and had to get there by 2pm that left us an hour for any distractions OR for us to get lost ...... hoping that we wouldn't - and could then stop for lunch or coffee.
Well .......... forget eating or stopping for a coffee - we took the first wrong turn from my printed directions - then another wrong turn from the SatNav each taking us about half an hour out of the way and to get back on track.
With 2pm fast approaching we got to the right location .........only to find that the car park shown on the reverse of the ticket was just for Granada employees
ARGGHHHHHHH - (we do have a suspicion that the car parking attendant was having us on actually but had no time to argue the toss)
THANK GOODNESS for retail parks and massive Sainsburys stores - we parked within a 10 minute walk. it was 1.50pm and the priority tickets stated that although doors open at 2pm we should be there 10 minutes early!!!
CUE frantic race across town - crossing horrendously busy and wide roads - teetering on high heels and with one very unfit older lady (that'd be me) and one who has just had a baby - huffing and puffing like we had reached the end of a marathon.
Nikki and Zoe (the fitter amongst us) ran on and got to the doors - they signalled to us to slow down and as we turned the corner we realised why - it was 2pm and we had rushed for nothing ... as everyone - even in the priority line - was still queuing.
This was, in fact, a godsend as The Unfit amongst us had chance to breathe and reduce the colour in our cheeks. We queued for another 10 minutes, (losing half a packet of biccies on the pavement during the course of queuing) and EVENTUALLY we were let in.
NOW - bear in mind we had just travelled for 3 and a half hours - had run miles (well maybe a mile at best) had queued for 10 mins ......what would be the first thing on your mind ...... THE LOO !!!
We were searched (I had to hand in my mini Swiss pen knife) and then we made a bee line for the conveniences .......... only to find that there were just 2 cubicles and the queue for these was out of the door !!!!
WHY oh WHY were there only 2 and WHY OH WHY were both blocked ..... yes honestly - epic fail Granada !!!!! (oh must just mention seeing both Michelle Collins and the actress who plays Sally Webster - bet they didn't have to wait for the loo!)
SO finally - we had refreshed ourselves in some not too pleasant facilities - and went into the Studios.
We were sat right next to Jezza'a entrance and sorry to announce this but ...actually .... he is not very tall!
I am not sure if this was the reason they asked Gina to sit down when he came in, or whether it was genuinely the camera angle, but whatever the reason - as the rest of the audience stood up when he came in - she had to stay sitting.
I will not reveal details of the show - in fact the guests themselves were not that exciting. JUST will mention that Jezza is actually SOOOO much funnier than you imagine - he has a good sense of humour and kept the audience entertained in the breaks.
So for an epic journey there we spent just 3 hours at the Studio and then it was done - Maccy D's for tea (Manchester Maccy's was excellent! - probably because we were all starving by 5pm having had nothing to eat since brekky other than biscuits) Then the journey home.
All in all a fantastic day and the girls made the journey such fun - the conversations home shall never be repeated again or put into print !
Now all I can say about the journey home was that it was SIMPLE - why is it always the way NO WRONG TURNS at all - straight run through and home before 9pm !!!!!!!!!
Like I say - there must be a calculation regarding lost directions and time constraints !!!
The 6 hour travelling time thought was so worth it and I recommend anyone to try going to a Tv show - any show - just for the experience - I can cross that off my list and we will very probably be going again !!!!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
The gift of listening.
A few weeks ago I went for a coffee with an old friend (not old as in age !!). We had a lovely catch up and reminisced about a fabulous charitable organisation that, although I believe is still in existence in some smaller sense, it does not do many of the activities it used to.
This charity used to provide a crèche facility - this crèche had a 2 fold purpose. First was to provide "work experience" for adults with learning difficulties. The other was to provide a crèche facility for children for about 3 hours, including lunch, for an unbelievably good price !!!
This was an absolute godsend to me - seriously - I was 29 with 3 very young children and struggling with sleepless nights, very little breaks (although friends and family were brilliant) and still grieving. I was living off Widowed Mothers Allowance and still lived in a one-bedroomed flat - I needed to breathe .......... and ... even though friends and family were fantastically supportive ... I also needed to feel that I could do it on my own.
The crèche looked after Gina and Dan for 2 afternoons a week (I think ...... although my memory is not brilliant for around that period of time??). Jess was at school - so I had time to myself - I went swimming - it was so good for me - genuinely therapeutic - or I would use the time to get some housework done without 2 toddlers clamouring for attention ... or go shopping without 3 extra voices asking for things that were just out of price range !
It also provided another listening ear.
The manager (I am not sure if that was her title), who I now call my friend and who was the friend I was having coffee with - would always have the time (goodness knows how) to listen - to never judge - and to just empathise. I actually told her she should go into bereavement counselling.
I do not take anything away from the support I received from family and friends - they really were fantastic and must have got sick of hearing me grieve with them (I know they were grieving too) - my parents, brothers, sisters-in laws, friends etc would patiently let me get issues out of my system ...... but the manager was slightly different - she was a professional and she was external - she didn't have that bond that links friends and family and "obliges" you to provide that support.
She was there (unbeknown to her and them) to actually give my supporters a break - so not only did I get the physical break but they did too - I could offload some of that day's problems to her and then be able to have a conversation with family and friends that did not just revolve around my grief, or theirs, at the time!
In later years I have discovered that she also seems to know lots of the people I am working with now - because of course she worked in the children, families, social care and charitable sector.
But I still say her true calling could well lay in bereavement or other counselling - sometimes we are born with the gift of listening - sometimes it develops in us - but I think, for her, it is innate, natural, it came without her seeming to try.
So if you are reading this Virginia ........ think about it again ...and thank you !
This charity used to provide a crèche facility - this crèche had a 2 fold purpose. First was to provide "work experience" for adults with learning difficulties. The other was to provide a crèche facility for children for about 3 hours, including lunch, for an unbelievably good price !!!
This was an absolute godsend to me - seriously - I was 29 with 3 very young children and struggling with sleepless nights, very little breaks (although friends and family were brilliant) and still grieving. I was living off Widowed Mothers Allowance and still lived in a one-bedroomed flat - I needed to breathe .......... and ... even though friends and family were fantastically supportive ... I also needed to feel that I could do it on my own.
The crèche looked after Gina and Dan for 2 afternoons a week (I think ...... although my memory is not brilliant for around that period of time??). Jess was at school - so I had time to myself - I went swimming - it was so good for me - genuinely therapeutic - or I would use the time to get some housework done without 2 toddlers clamouring for attention ... or go shopping without 3 extra voices asking for things that were just out of price range !
It also provided another listening ear.
The manager (I am not sure if that was her title), who I now call my friend and who was the friend I was having coffee with - would always have the time (goodness knows how) to listen - to never judge - and to just empathise. I actually told her she should go into bereavement counselling.
I do not take anything away from the support I received from family and friends - they really were fantastic and must have got sick of hearing me grieve with them (I know they were grieving too) - my parents, brothers, sisters-in laws, friends etc would patiently let me get issues out of my system ...... but the manager was slightly different - she was a professional and she was external - she didn't have that bond that links friends and family and "obliges" you to provide that support.
She was there (unbeknown to her and them) to actually give my supporters a break - so not only did I get the physical break but they did too - I could offload some of that day's problems to her and then be able to have a conversation with family and friends that did not just revolve around my grief, or theirs, at the time!
In later years I have discovered that she also seems to know lots of the people I am working with now - because of course she worked in the children, families, social care and charitable sector.
But I still say her true calling could well lay in bereavement or other counselling - sometimes we are born with the gift of listening - sometimes it develops in us - but I think, for her, it is innate, natural, it came without her seeming to try.
So if you are reading this Virginia ........ think about it again ...and thank you !
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Buses, choices, opportunities, dilemmas !!
OK ... so ...... after 3/4 months unemployed ... I now have options.
Why oh why do opportunities all come at once - they are like Buses - you wait for ages for one and then 3 come together !!!!!
I am trying to be very practical about this - "a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush" I have done my list of pros and cons and am going to follow my head and ...... up until yesterday .... my heart. I have chosen and hope that it will prove to be the right choice.
I have 7 potential opportunities. YES honestly - SEVEN. One is a given and self employed, but will take me another month or two to prepare and to go through a process ..... so I can pretty much dismiss that one. Another 2 further possibilities have not even yet been properly advertised and so may not come to fruition ..... so realistically I cannot count on them and I will pass on both of them. This leaves 4 options with only 3 confirmed.
Of the 3 confirmed - One, I am thoroughly enjoying at the moment but it is not one of my areas of strengths, so am not sure of the longevity of it. One, I can sadly dismiss, a nice opportunity but it is not enough hours.
The third is THE ONE that I had been looking forward to, hoping for ..... and have been offered today! I would have been over the moon with this ................................. if another opportunity had not presented itself yesterday !!!!
Don't get me wrong - I actually am still over the moon with my offer, it really is my "dream" hours and a nice position however, at this point in time, for a fixed term only.
It is this 4th opportunity that presented my dilemma. It is a really great position and one that will probably not arise again for me in the near future, if ever again ! BUT it will mean going back to full time work .... good money ..... less time ..... AND of course - I have no idea if I would be accepted or not. It has not even got to interview stage !
SO - using my head ... and I guess really my heart ..... telling me time is just as important as money - I am happy to announce that I am back in employment - and not just casual work ....................
Well ..... for a fixed term anyway !
Why oh why do opportunities all come at once - they are like Buses - you wait for ages for one and then 3 come together !!!!!
I am trying to be very practical about this - "a bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush" I have done my list of pros and cons and am going to follow my head and ...... up until yesterday .... my heart. I have chosen and hope that it will prove to be the right choice.
I have 7 potential opportunities. YES honestly - SEVEN. One is a given and self employed, but will take me another month or two to prepare and to go through a process ..... so I can pretty much dismiss that one. Another 2 further possibilities have not even yet been properly advertised and so may not come to fruition ..... so realistically I cannot count on them and I will pass on both of them. This leaves 4 options with only 3 confirmed.
Of the 3 confirmed - One, I am thoroughly enjoying at the moment but it is not one of my areas of strengths, so am not sure of the longevity of it. One, I can sadly dismiss, a nice opportunity but it is not enough hours.
The third is THE ONE that I had been looking forward to, hoping for ..... and have been offered today! I would have been over the moon with this ................................. if another opportunity had not presented itself yesterday !!!!
Don't get me wrong - I actually am still over the moon with my offer, it really is my "dream" hours and a nice position however, at this point in time, for a fixed term only.
It is this 4th opportunity that presented my dilemma. It is a really great position and one that will probably not arise again for me in the near future, if ever again ! BUT it will mean going back to full time work .... good money ..... less time ..... AND of course - I have no idea if I would be accepted or not. It has not even got to interview stage !
SO - using my head ... and I guess really my heart ..... telling me time is just as important as money - I am happy to announce that I am back in employment - and not just casual work ....................
Well ..... for a fixed term anyway !
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Acronyms and My DAH
Hello all!
Sorry it has been over a week since my last blog - I have had a busy week and went away for the weekend for my hubby's birthday.
Now that I am a Nana, I have looked on a few websites and web forums for information for my daughter. During some of these searches, I had noticed that a there are some web forums that seem to be quite "clicky" - everyone appears to know each other fairly well and they even have their own language.
Now ........ it has taken me several years to suss the kids' "language" and I am quite proud of the fact that I have kept up with some of it - including new acronyms such as LOL and BTW and WTF which I use quite happily (well maybe not the last one very often!).
So ..... when logging on to a particular site I was dismayed to find it filled with various acronyms ... that were completely new to me ...... yes I am ageing !!
The best by far was SAH Mums - translated as Stay At Home Mums. I loved it ... and hated it at the same time!
My concern was that any new Mum logging on to the site may actually be a little intimidated by the "cosy" familiar tones between those who very obviously use the forums a lot. Those new Mums may not stick around to find out about the acronyms used.
NOW please don't get me wrong - I am all for these forums that can be equally really helpful and reassuring for Mums who may feel isolated at home or those who may not have close contact with parents or friends living nearby BUT there was also a "judgemental" feeling in a couple of posts I checked out - almost as if parenting and motherhood was a competition.
IT ISN'T! .............................. I was put off.
I was also inspired to bequeath to my husband (with the help of my friend who we visited this weekend) his own acronym - none of this SAHM or even SAHD ..... nope he (along with my friend's husband) are now our very own DAH's
Delinquent Annoying Husbands!
WE love them dearly and boy ... did we have a good partying weekend but yes - neither of them have grown up (they are men - they don't need to LOL). I live in the reality that comes with age, where we have dismissed the rose tinted glasses but still love them as they are !!!!
As for the web forums ..... take it from someone who has sometimes made the mistake of being too quick to judge - keep up the good work but be mindful of newbies - help them feel welcome and don't compete with your child's progress or "judge" those whose children may not have reached the specific milestones at the "right" times ..... just be happy that you all have something in common - a love of your family and the ability and opportunity to connect to others through the wonder of the world wide web!
Sorry it has been over a week since my last blog - I have had a busy week and went away for the weekend for my hubby's birthday.
Now that I am a Nana, I have looked on a few websites and web forums for information for my daughter. During some of these searches, I had noticed that a there are some web forums that seem to be quite "clicky" - everyone appears to know each other fairly well and they even have their own language.
Now ........ it has taken me several years to suss the kids' "language" and I am quite proud of the fact that I have kept up with some of it - including new acronyms such as LOL and BTW and WTF which I use quite happily (well maybe not the last one very often!).
So ..... when logging on to a particular site I was dismayed to find it filled with various acronyms ... that were completely new to me ...... yes I am ageing !!
The best by far was SAH Mums - translated as Stay At Home Mums. I loved it ... and hated it at the same time!
My concern was that any new Mum logging on to the site may actually be a little intimidated by the "cosy" familiar tones between those who very obviously use the forums a lot. Those new Mums may not stick around to find out about the acronyms used.
NOW please don't get me wrong - I am all for these forums that can be equally really helpful and reassuring for Mums who may feel isolated at home or those who may not have close contact with parents or friends living nearby BUT there was also a "judgemental" feeling in a couple of posts I checked out - almost as if parenting and motherhood was a competition.
IT ISN'T! .............................. I was put off.
I was also inspired to bequeath to my husband (with the help of my friend who we visited this weekend) his own acronym - none of this SAHM or even SAHD ..... nope he (along with my friend's husband) are now our very own DAH's
Delinquent Annoying Husbands!
WE love them dearly and boy ... did we have a good partying weekend but yes - neither of them have grown up (they are men - they don't need to LOL). I live in the reality that comes with age, where we have dismissed the rose tinted glasses but still love them as they are !!!!
As for the web forums ..... take it from someone who has sometimes made the mistake of being too quick to judge - keep up the good work but be mindful of newbies - help them feel welcome and don't compete with your child's progress or "judge" those whose children may not have reached the specific milestones at the "right" times ..... just be happy that you all have something in common - a love of your family and the ability and opportunity to connect to others through the wonder of the world wide web!
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