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Word of the month: Feel (the feelings)
I'm on holidays starting today until 25 June. It's a miserable, wet, windy and cold June day (welcome, summer!) so after a couple of quick errands this morning, I decided to just take time to catch up on some emails and try to get a bit more organised for the move next week.
I have a hospital appointment tomorrow, so that will be most of my day gone, a shift at the cafe on Saturday morning, and then a few days to get the last of the bits & pieces organised for the move next Saturday. We're pretty organised, really, and I suppose it's just a matter of hoping the weather is clear(er) so that things don't get too wet and soggy on the day.
We never got our job reviews last month. One of our surveyors went sick, so a few jobs had to be rearranged (unforeseen, so okay...sort of). We didn't get an acknowledgement or apology until a couple of days later, so I wasn't particularly impressed. It was rescheduled and then cancelled. Again. And again, without acknowledgement or apology. So, I'm still waiting if no one else is. All things I'm taking note of for when I legitimately start looking for a new job.
To that end, I've been feeling particularly tetchy and frustrated at work for the past couple of months. So I made a 'proactivity' list in my handy dandy journal, things that I need to do to stay forward focused: looking at evening/online courses, completing a National Career Service 'Skills Health Test' (check!), updating my CV, clearing clutter, writing my book, etc. Things like that. Taking little steps forward is better than feeling like you're stuck and going nowhere. Or worse, backwards!
But the biggest thing happening right now is, obviously, the move. We've got someone coming to collect the sofas early next week, the cleaner next Thursday, carpets are being done next Friday - when we also pick up our moving van - and then Saturday we need to ensure everything is out and the keys at the estate agents by 4:00.
We've already started moving boxes and things into our garage so the place is looking a bit bare. We're collecting the key for the garage at the new flat next Thursday and will start moving things over there then (we are SO lucky to have this as an option!). Friday will be packing up the van and moving what's left over there, apart from beds, etc., and we should be finished well before 4:00 on Saturday. There should only be one trip with the van and as it has to be back for noon on Saturday, we should be absolutely fine if we start first thing. Our neighbours across the hall volunteered their services and Nissan Pathfinder for assistance if required, which is really kind!
We've learned that moving on a Saturday in England is completely inconvenient - no one seems to work on weekends (carpet guys, cleaner, Internet techs, van rentals...). Noted for the next one!
Mrs May has stepped down as PM but remains in charge until a new leader is selected, which is in process. All the hopefuls are on about Brexit, but I am expecting much egg on faces in the run-up to the new leave date - Hallowe'en! I think he (because the female hopefuls haven't made it through the initial round of conservative party leadership votes) is kidding himself that he can do better. There's plenty of strutting and preening happening, and lots of overconfident waffling and tooting of horns, but the EU has already said they won't be making any concessions, changes or other agreements on what has already been agreed. So it's that or nothing. Good luck!
Anyway. I've also been coming up with some ideas for my book, which is great but means having to more or less rewrite everything I've already got down which is a bit frustrating. I'm opting at this point to just keep notes and peck away at Chapters 1 and 2 so that I can get the initial characters and potential suspects sketched out. The point is to get it all down on paper, knowing that it's going to be really rubbish/rough, and then go back and review, amend, rewrite, etc. Patience and persistence, right?
I keep getting tempted by 'preapproved' loan offers from my bank. I was playing with some numbers today, but need to just stop doing that and focus on reducing my debt the old-fashioned way for the next few months. I'm not entirely ruling out another loan, but I'm going to see how much I can hammer it down before making any further decisions about it. Plus crunch some numbers and see if it'll just make things worse.
Wish me luck for the move and I'll update from the 'other side' - with photos!
9 comments:
Good luck with the move!
Thanks, T'Pol! xx
I did an update today as well :) Great minds and all...you seem to have your move well organized and you'll be glad to get settled once again. Look forward to seeing photos. So handy with the garage and getting some things over there early. I was just wishing yesterday that I had a garage. I have a parking spot but no handy dandy catch-all for storage of off season stuff. But maybe I have LESS stuff because of it. Somehow I doubt it. So you're thinking of looking for a new job? Since you're not moving far I imagine you'll still have shifts at the cafe? Will it be easy/hard to find something new? I ask as I don't know what the job situation is like there. Things seem to be pretty good job-wise this side of the big pond. Kazi interviewed for a job with Info-Tech and within a couple days they called her and she got the job. She's been hopping from job to job over the past couple of years so I hope she can stick to something for a while as she has debt to pay down. Sigh...It's looking like I won't be travelling too far this year other than to PEI for my sister's 75th birthday. Definitely next year though. Good luck with your move - hope it all goes smoothly!
Hi Jane! Nice to hear from you :) I hope we're organised, I feel we are at least. Yes, really lucky to have a garage at either end to use - it's amazingly helpful. I'm hoping that the smaller space will mean a serious declutter, which will then help me downsize further when I move to my own place (giving it another 12-18 months), which will only be a studio at this point. Anyhow, that's for future decision. I'm getting quite fed up with the job for various reasons, but refuse to leave without a plan and am giving myself a year to focus and consider and organise myself around that.
I will be staying with the cafe for at least this year, yes. I enjoy it and it's only once or twice a month, so not onerous. If I move further away, though, I will have to reconsider but, again, that's for the future! :) Glad to hear Kazi's got something new - hopefully this one will stick. I understand her frustration, though, and you can kind of get away with it for a few years before it catches up with you (i.e., me). I'm sure PEI will be fantastic, but I'll look forward to seeing you next year...? xx
I was pre-Approved at my bank for a C,C,, LOC. and 500 overdraft. And my credit wasn't the best. My friend worked at a bank and she told me to go for it. There are no questions and you just sign on the doted line. It has become a Godsend. Because I have had trouble before and realize the problems of going into debt and know not to waste money I find I manage them wisely. Some months I have interest but I accept it (I try to pay off every month)because having these give me peace of mind. I use them for emergencies only. And once in awhile I buy myself a little gift. Go for it, manage them carefully and you'll do ok. They only pre approve once.
You sound very organized and having the possibility to start moving stuff over several days is ideal isn't it. I have a garage and a huge basement but in the end you end up just storing more stuff (although not all of it is mine)!!! And writing a book - how exciting! I would never be able (or want) to do that, but when I'm doing a translation I just plonk very rough drafts down on paper and then it is easier to start honing it from there. So yes, as far as I can see, it's easier to get something - anything - down on paper and then work from there. Can't wait to see the final masterpiece though!
Hi Anon! Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I'm a bit reluctant to take on any more credit (despite my greater awareness of it these days). The original pre-approval amount was £1800, and it's gone up, so I'm just leaving it alone for a bit. I'd like to bring down the debt a bit more first. If I DO decide to go ahead with it, it'll likely go towards paying down my Canadian LOC, as that would give me over 2 years' worth of payments and I could put extra ££ towards my CCs here. It's definitely something I'm thinking about though. Thank you for your thoughts! xx
Hi Treaders - well, it's still a pain, but the garage is immensely helpful. I'm sure it'll all work out, as it's just a matter of putting our heads down and getting it done really. I'm being quite lazy at the moment and just moving bits & pieces very, very slowly... Ha ha! The book is not quite what I was hoping for (just yet, at least), but it can't be anything if it doesn't get written at all, can it? Yes, aiming for just putting words on paper right now - however they happen to appear - and honing it from there. As you say, easier to go from there. Will keep you updated! xx
Hope your health appointment went OK. Thinking of you this week as you finalize the move!
Hi MW - thank you! I should know soon(ish) I think. Hopefully, the results will mean I don't need to continue these 'due diligence' appointments. We're feeling pretty on top of everything, and even the weather looks like it will cooperate, so fingers crossed! xx
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