Change of plans

I am doing one days work tomorrow in Vauxhall, helping with a mailout. So yes, no rest for me then! Actually, I would rather be working. I still get a long weekend, regardless!

The interview

I had a date with the Queen on Monday. I thought I better clarify this point before you thing I am going crazy.

On Monday afternoon, I had an interview for the position of Warden, for when Buckingham Palace opens to the public when Her Majesty is away at Balmoral. It was a group interview, and I hope I did ok. It was really daunting, and I was so nervous. But I tried not to show it, when we had to stand up in front of 15 people and answer questions about who we were, why we wanted the job etc. Then we had to get measured for our uniforms, so if we got the job they would be waiting for us. And had an individual interview. So daunting. I just want to know the outcome though! A problem I have, is that they want to see my original university degree certificates. These are currently in frames on my bedroom wall.

So there you have it.

Last day of the working week

Well, seeing as though I am working only 4 days here, I have a four day weekend! It is a Bank Holiday, which is the UK equivalent of a public holiday. It is just a pity I am not getting paid for it!

Tonight Scott and I are going out to dinner to a Mexican restaurant with his work collegues. Someone is leaving apparently, so we have been invited. Lovely. I am glad that Scott brought the menu home last week though, as I had to pick something dairy free. I have decided it is not great for me to eat dairy. In normal quantities anyway. What I mean is, I won't be having cheese in sandwiches etc, but if I have something that might contain milk, it's ok. I think it's just the quantity that makes the difference to me. I feel better for it already. I have been doing it for a week now. :-)

Tomorow I am a free woman. What to do, what to do. Hmmm. I think I shall sleep in a little, and explore the area we moved to a little more. And some shopping maybe.

Saturday we are off to the Family History Fair, being run by the Society of Genealogists. Should be interesting!

Sunday - who knows!

Monday - who knows!

Excellent.

New house etc

Hello there!

I am currently sitting in a new desk in a new job. Admittedly it is only for four days, but it is a great change from doing the same thing every day for the last two months! I am working for a betting arbitration office. Basically people ring up if they have a complaint about a bookie or agency or whatever. I am answering the phones and sending out correspondence. And getting paid a little more than I did at CIPFA (I can say the company name now that I am not working there anymore!). It stands for the Chartered Insitute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

I have my date with the Queen this arvo. I am really nervous. My stomach has been churning since I woke up this morning, and is probably the reason I did not sleep all that well last night either.

We moved into our new place yesterday. We managed to squeeze all our stuff in one car, and made only one trip which was great. Trip took all of 12 minutes, which included the driver slowing down for every speed bump so that the bottom of the car would not scrape along the road!! But we arrived in one piece, with nothing broken, or fallen out the windows of the car! We had help getting everything up the two flights of stairs to the flat. We dumped our stuff, and found the place in mayhem with everyone there, including the landlord and her dog! We signed our lives away on the contract etc, handed over a cheque for a lot of money (deposit and one months rent) and breathed a sigh of relief. We did a little unpacking, and then at about 1.30pm we all went out for lunch. Landlady included! It was fun, sitting around chatting and laughing with people. We then did a little bit of a pub crawl, trying out two pubs. One, called The Green, has a great seating area out the front. A little expensive on the drinks side of things, but we could sit outside! Amazing. :-) Then it was off to the next pub, not as nice, but they had a pool table. Played a couple of games, once Laurie beat the guy already playing. So then the table was ours. Played a couple of games of doubles. Then it was home to new flat for dinner. Well, we got Chinese take away on the way home. We checked out the Down Under Centre too, which is an internet cafe and they sell Aussie food. Expensive, but nice to know if I really need a packet of Tim Tams I can get them (even though they cost the equivalent of about $6 Australian!!!).

I am happy in this house. We have a nice room (with a brand new bed), the people are easy to talk to, and we have a huge park as our back yard!! And there are more Aussies in the area too.

So there you go.

New house, new job

Hello!

So yes, as the title says, we are moving house - tomorrow morning! We have a cab booked, should cost about £18, so not too bad really. I can't remember what I have already written about the new place, but we will be sharing with another couple, and a single guy. I am looking forward to the move. The landlord's agent, the complete git, has managed to turn the process of us leaving, into a long drawn out process, with another one of our house mates involved. He has decided the seeing as though he is going on holidays tomorrow, and therefore cannot be there to sign the paperwork etc, he will get Nat to pick up the deposit cheque from him instead of him coming over. She apparently is not to give this to us until tomorrow when we leave. What are we going to do with the cheque? Cash it on a Saturday night? Hello? Grrrrrrrr......

Anyway, on a lighter note, I did a one day course today. Twas fab! It was called "The Archaeology of Islands". As the name suggests, it looked at islands in both the physical sense, as well as the ideological sense. There were 5 speakers, and they each outlined a case study froma different part of the world. There was Easter Island and the colonisation of the Pacific Ocean. Ireland and the artifical islands created in lakes and rivers, islands in Lake Victoria in Africa, And island off the coast of Scotland, and Cuba. I really enjoyed being back in a learning environment. I miss using my brain!! Sad but true. I will keep my eye out for more courses like these I think. Keep my brain active!

To the last bit of packing I think, then to bed! Toodles!

Friday!

Whoo hoo!!

We have a new place to live in. We are moving in on Sunday morning. It is a flat, and we will be charing with another Aussie couple and an English guy. A very large park is our backyard, and it is not too far from transport etc.

Another whoo hoo is for leaving this place. It is my last day at this particular assignment, and I am not sorry to be going. I have another job for next week, which is great. I will be breathing a large sigh of relief when I no longer have to hear these two girls talk to themselves etc.

And I have a date with the Queen on Monday afternoon.

:-)

Tuesday, nothing exciting

We are looking at a flat tonight. Hopefully it will be a good one. It is within our budget, just barely, so keep your fingers crossed it is ok!! It fits the other pre-requisites too.

Friday - Thank god!

So, I have endured yet another day in this hell hole of an office. Today, they eejits have been having email conversations about me. Like I really care? Are we back in high school? Honestly. Do I really give a hoot what two immature 24/25 year old things think about me? If they believe that, they are seriously deluded. I never wanted to make friends with them. Like I would want to people like that as my friends. They remind me a bit of two friends at high school (Lou - K & M). I went thru the stage they are at 10years ago. Grow up people!

On the up side, we have another house to look at tonight. So, we'll see!

:-) Have good weekends all!

Thurdsday

Hello again. I am still here in this office. I will be next week too. O well, at least I can focus on the househunting, and not have to worry about job hunting as well.

I find it hard to believe, still, that the other girl in this office keeps her job. She has done about 8 hours work in the last 2 months. She has called Jamaica (a mobile) on the company phone. She spends her days on MSN and playing games. I just cannot fathom what the heck her job actually is. She sure as hell ain't doing any work whatsoever, so why is she even here?

Another thing. I am the only one in this office doing much work. And they compain about the work not getting done to the deadline. Subtly of course, but it ain't my problem. I am not going to bust a valve in my brain straining to get the work done for 8 pounds per hour. No way. Not when the others in the office are not pulling their weight. Serves them right if they don't get it done really.

I apologise. I realise that the last few posts have been really boring, mopey and about me whining about stuff. Sorry people! Promise to talk about lighter stuff once we find new house!

Hump Day

That's another day for Wednesday to the uninitiated...

So, my day so far? Boring. As usual for the moment! I have been physically counting how many students are enrolled (or should be if the others in the office actually did any work) for each subject for each centre. This place runs exams all over the UK. What a waste of time. Surely the computer program I wrestle with every day could have done it?

I hope they don't need me next week. I could really do with a change. I know there is always the possibility of there actually being no work next week, here or elsewhere for me. But, I have been here since the beginning of Feb now. A change is in order.

Last night we had a look at a house in Northfields. Quite near to the tube, on the Piccadilly line. About 30mins away from the centre of London, zone three. The house was nice, I could see myself living there. But, it's now up to the others in the house, as they will decide. :-) An advantage of living further out, is that we would save money in rent. We are paying too much at the moment. We would pay about four pounds per week more for travel costs, but save at least 100 pounds per month on the rent. Big diffference!