Planning to plan for Big Plans - plus photos!

Look at me, blogging twice in a week! It's almost like I have time on my hands or something...

I've had another up and down week, but am feeling quite positive today. I'm off to the Hampton Court Flower Show with my friend and her mum, so am really looking forward to that. Hampton Court was on my 'to do' list, so this crosses that off with a bit of a bonus. The flower show is a big one, on the scale of the Chelsea Flower Show, so it will likely be busy and quite fantastic. We're heading over about 11:00.

I've been awake since just after 5:00 - not unusual. There was a thunderstorm and some rain last night, which has cooled things nicely. It's supposed to get sunny and warm later in the day, but I for one am certainly appreciating the drop in temperature this morning. Quite refreshing!

So what's been going on?

Monday I took myself to Wisley Gardens, a Royal Horticultural Society garden about 20 mins drive from me. I'd been once before, but just sequestered myself on a bench by a pond to do some reading in the fresh air rather than walking around. This visit I spent time wandering around the acres of beautiful and well-tended gardens. I was there for about three hours, stopping on occasion to just relax and read my book. Some photos below, showing only a small selection of the huge variety of plants and flowers they propogate. There's still more to see, as I didn't see the entire place - it's very big! I've got plans to go back with a friend sometime in the next couple of weeks.

These are very new, very fuzzy Moor Hen chicks. The sun was directly behind me, so I couldn't see the screen on my phone very well, hence the slightly out of focus photo.

The past couple of days I've been feeling a bit better about things (except the heat). A woman at one of the agencies I've been in contact with (and with whom I've got an initial interview on 13th July) sent me an online assessment to complete - audio typing, Word processes, etc. I blew the audio typing one, but the rest of the assessments put me in the Advanced category for Word & typing speed, which negated the audio portion. Regardless, she sent me the audio typing one again and I did MUCH better the second time around, which pleased me no end. I know I'm good at this stuff; sometimes you just need a little reminder now and again to boost your self-confidence again.

I was also told that the company she was recruiting for - a chartered surveying company - wanted to interview me as well. So I now have an interview with them on 16th July!! Very excited. I won't know about the job at the financial company probably until some time next week, but hopefully I'll at least get an interview. Always good experience, even if you don't get the job. I'm still terrible at interviews, so have to take some time to prepare properly. There are loads of interview websites out there with excellent suggestions about what to say, what to ask, what NOT to say (!), etc. An hour or two spent on there, along with some thinking about my work experience and various scenarios and finding something appropriate to wear (I'm not a clothes horse) and I should be fine.

I ALSO got a phone call from the Donkey Sanctuary and was invited to interview with them on 15th July!!! So excited!!! It's 2.5 hours from the New Forest, so I've provisionally booked a hotel for the night of the 14th for me and my sister. It's definitely doable as a day trip, and the hotel can be cancelled up to the 13th July if needs be, but I just thought that we might as well enjoy it a bit while we're at it. Either way, it will be fun.

I took myself to the town of Weybridge on the train on Wednesday. I hadn't really been and wanted to find myself some new thrift store duds. I'm not sure I have the patience for that sort of thing. I stopped in a few and saw a bag I really like, so I'm planning a return visit on Monday to get that. I may do another, more thorough, search for clothes. I wasn't there long, as I wanted to get a few items and once I'd done that, I was pretty much done. One high street, after all, is much like the next really.

Yesterday I paid for my walk at Hadrian's Wall, which I'm doing with Jane in September. I ended up putting it on my CC (my Canadian one). I've been putting aside money each week to this point for it, but I simply wasn't going to make it, particularly as I'm in that in-between place where I'm not replenishing anything and still have two weeks to go before I get my rent deposit back. The CC was the only way to go if I wanted to do this and I reallyreallyreallyreallyreally did. I need to do the walk and I have to say that, when I emailed Jane to let her know, I did tear up. It was the same feeling that pushed me over here, so I know it was the right thing to do, regardless of the additional debt I've taken on for it. It will be SO worth it. And so much fun! I'm really excited about doing this with Jane, too. It'll be amazing.

So, definitely feeling much better today. I suppose it's just a matter of DOING things and feeling like something gets accomplished every day, pushing you forward rather than just letting it pass you by in a blur of pajamas, Facebook, reading and overanalysing everything that enters your head.