In less than a week...

...I'm going to be here!!!!!!!!!!!!!! With Jane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!OMG!!!!!!!!!!!

This time next week we'll be in Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. I'm feeling almost entirely prepared: I have new shirts (too many), new socks (never enough), new boots, sunscreen, toiletries, a Guide Book to Ireland, tickets, maps, various and sundry bits & pieces and am making up my trail mix this weekend.

I've bought all kinds of bits for my trail mix: M&M's, cranberries, coconut, currants, pumpkin seeds, and I've got three kinds of nuts: almond, cashew, and walnut. I think I've got more than enough to see me through the hike, if not beyond.

The weather isn't supposed to be so great, but hopefully we'll get a few decent days and who knows? The system may move off before we get there or at worst, while we're there, and we'll be able to bask in the green glory of the countryside. Regardless, there's literally nothing we can do about the weather (except moan and I promise to keep that to a bare minimum, Jane - or at least keep the muttering to myself) so will make the best of it that we can.

In the meantime, there's still a week of 'real life' to get through.

Work is slow. It's trickling in at this point and we're struggling a bit to find things to do during the day, although at least the MD is working pretty steadily which means I still have things to do. However, I can't see it picking up before Christmas when it usually reaches a standstill anyway.

I've just come home from the library where I had YET MORE heavily crime-themed books awaiting my attention - 9, to be exact.

A few more hardcovers than I would have liked, but there we are. They're due back after I get back from Ireland and I renewed the others I still have as well. I managed to get through 5 books this month (so far) and have to decide which one(s) I'm taking to Ireland with me.

I'd like to get through the top two of the pile this weekend. My cousin is away to see her family this weekend, so I'll be expecting to see her on Tuesday when I get home. She rushed off yesterday evening (it's a two-hour drive) and an hour after she'd gone, I found her purse left behind on the kitchen counter! So she is sans wallet, glasses, and phone, but at least she's with people who can take care of her until she gets back. She didn't even realise until she arrived at her mum's house and was unloading the car. Ha ha!

I sent an inquiry to a local women's group (which is part of a National Association) last week after seeing a poster at the library for it. It's similar to the WI, but I don't think is so focused on week-day activities and seems to be more of a chatting and social association. There's an annual fee of £20, which is very reasonable, and there are only 9 members at the moment. A nice size, actually, as any more than that and I'd likely not bother.

They have bi-weekly meetings that seem to focus on discussions of various sorts - next week is a meeting at a pub to discuss current events (which I'm embarrassingly lacking in knowledge of), two weeks' on is the AGM and planning the next few meetings, and the one following that is a talk by one of the members about her trip to Cyprus. I'm struggling to meet people here. I have three women I consider friends - two live in London and the third has disappeared from radar for the most part as she met a fellow in January and is now planning her wedding, so I haven't seen her since the end of last year. I'm feeling a bit stuck and lonely if I'm honest, so this group is, hopefully, something I can enjoy.

I'm hoping this group is a start, but that it isn't too, well, boring (says the woman whose only hobby is reading). I said right off the bat that I work full-time, so am limited in what I'm able to do (evenings & weekends) and the WI was frustrating because they planned 98.999% of their outings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'd like to have some...more youthful...members as well so that perhaps there will be some more energetic activities available.

It feels a bit structured but it can't hurt to go and see how I feel about it.

Anyway, it's a rubbish(y) weekend weatherwise, I've just finished sorting my trail mix and it's time to take book to sofa and get started on the new pile. I have a couple of books I can likely get through if I set my mind to it.

Have a great weekend, all!

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Amended to add:

Also, that student loan debacle that happened way back in January 2013 (already, apparently)? The one that made headline news because of the lost flash drive and potential privacy breach of 583,000 Canadians? 

I was affected and once the initial phone calls, etc. had been made and all the right noises voiced, I promptly forgot about it. 

I got a letter last week making me aware that I'm included in a class action lawsuit - 4 legal companies have banded together for this opportunity - against the Federal Government.

I considered not bothering, but it's actually easier to just be a part of it rather than faffing around with paperwork to get out of it. They're still working through the collection and review of paperwork - which should take them through February next year - but, according to (one of) the legal bits, "Borrowers may be entitled to compensation for the breach of their privacy, damages for identity theft and/or damages to their credit reputation, damages for the costs incurred to prevent identity theft, damages for the time spent changing your personal information such as your Social Insurance Number, damages for emotional distress/inconvenience, and/or compensation for out of pocket expenses. Punitive damages will also be claimed because the Government failed to disclose the breach of privacy for 2 months."

I actually did none of the above, so unclear what my compensation would (or MAY, no guarantees) potentially be. Nothing? These sorts of suits are notoriously lengthy and I think the only people to honestly profit will be the lawyers, although the Feds have capped their fees at 1/3 of whatever the compensation happens to be.

I could make $20,000. I could make $20. There could be nothing. I've got the necessary page bookmarked, but am not really holding my breath for a massive windfall of any sort.

Still, it'll be interesting to see how it turns out in the future.