Never to far away.

Has been busy....

2009-06-07T23:36:00.004+01:00

I just LOVE this picture of Harriet! This is in Asda when she insisted on having the glasses! She then tried the hat on and made me take a photo....

Well to start off the good news, I have a new job!! YEAH! I was getting to the point where I thought I'd be stuck in macs forever but thankfully not! I'm am going to be a cover Supervisor at the comp (basically crowd control haha) I start that at the end of June. I have been volunteering for the past 7ish weeks and have been loving it so hopefully I will keep enjoying it. However I am still in the hell hole at the weekends to pay for my top up degree woohoo! I start a Top up in BA hons business management on the same day as my new job....so busy busy busy!

I am planning to carry on working weekends for as long as I can manage so not to have to take a loan out...all these things are good in theory until the 7 day weeks and 20 hours of studying a week starts! LOL But as the saying goes....'Where there's a will there's a way!' I'm really looking forward to the new challenges ahead and hopefully these first steps will be the start of something very promising.

I went to see Loose Women last month and it was awesome despite my ill turn ...those who were there know what I'm on about! Me and Samantha are still as thick as thieves when we are together...nothing changes but we went out for a meal and took a photo of us together and man do we look a like....this is the first time I have honestly looked at a picture and thought we really look the same! Its not a great pic of either of us but still, see what you think......

As always there are more pics of the wonderful Harriet! Her personality grows each day, she is so clever, cheeky and funny it is unreal. I haven't been well today so she has been laid on the sofa with me saying "I hope you heal soon Auntie Nat Nat!" She is picking up stuff so quickly and it is great fun to teach her new things, she has started visiting nursey and she loves it which is great news for Charlotte as she can get on with her Placement. Charlotte let me buy Harriet her first pets....ok she turned me down when I wanted it to be a hamster but instead we have two fish....Whoopi and Goldberg. The black fish is Whoopi and the gold one is Goldberg, Harriet loves watching them swim round the bowl and thinks its halrious when you turn the light on and they go crazy!

It's been a long time....

2009-04-01T09:58:00.002+01:00

Oh dear I haven't really kept this upto date but hey if any of you want to know anything you just ask anyway!!

Well as many of you know i didn't go back to Oz sadly....but maybe in years to come! So now the plab is to fine a real job! No more macs, well i'm trying anyway and nobody seems to want me! I've not worked for like 6 weeks now its awesome....well apart from the obvious issue of cash! Never mind i'm sure I will find something soon! So keep your fingers crossed.

Last weekend us 'kids' went to skegvegas together! It was great fun apart from the bad weather! Boo!! Harriet talks more than us all put together! She is well cute....well most of the time!!

I don't really have a great deal to say but just thought i'd post something so you didn't think i'd disappered of the face of the earth!!

I'm off again!! yay!

2009-01-18T13:30:00.004Z

Christmas and New year were good, worked a lot but when I wasn't working we spent most of our time together as a family which was dead nice. Harriet really enjoyed this Christmas which made it even more fun for me...although i'm still like a child. She got soooooooooo much and now has about 1,000 babies, all called baby! lol . I dressed up as Santa as a bit of fun but Harriet was that scared when I knocked on the door she wet her pants...i felt awful!

I have also been trying to master guitar hero and the band one...which has lead to many laughs and many fights too! But Harriet is a master at it...well she thinks she is!! lol

Well as a birthday present to myself I have booked a flight to Australia :) :) :) I can't stop smiling!! So in a month I'll be flying out...but I only have a visa until June but I think I will be trying for a 3 year visa if everything goes to plan! I can't wait to see all my friends and I def can't wait to get some sun!!!!!
Dad and I took Harriet to feed the ducks the other day, it was lovely. She is a right little chatter box and is always asking why? What are they doing? Who is that? So I was tired fro talking not walking when we got in.

Back to the norm...

2008-11-23T12:50:00.002Z

Well I've been home from Australia for about 3 or 4 weeks now and it is just the same as when I left. Why do you always think you are missing out on something when clearly you are not?!

Well the plan is to get rich and go back in Jan but i'm working mega hard and don't seem to be earning much!! lol. I knew $'s look more but man they go loads further too!!

The weekend before I flew home I finished my backpacking in Sydney. I jumped on a bus from the Gold Coast in Queensland and did 16 hours overnight on the bus....it wasn't half as bad as I thought. I meet my friends Naomi and Dave in Sydney and we did the tourist thing as the other two times I went I just didn't have enough time to do everything! I spilt an ice cream down my t-shirt about 10 mins after I left the hotel so I just bought a cheap t-shirt which says 'I Love Sydney!' how embarrassing!! However i was not walking a million miles to find a different shop! Also my house mate Ben text me and randomly he was in Sydney too which was ace as Ben is the bee's knees! So had a great time with my mates! :)

My main dream while I was in Sydney was to Climb the Harbour Bridge. I was going to do this no matter what and I did! It was AWESOME!!!!!!! Myself, Naomi and Ben all climbed together. Dave was too scared but too be fair Naomi did cry for a big part of the climb. It takes ages about 3.5 hours all in all to get to the top and back. The views are just stunning, I still can't believe I've not only been to Australia but that I've travelled a little and seen some much stuff! I have sooooo many stories to tell....it's just finding someone who wants to listen to them!!! lol.

Hopefully i'll be able to get myself back out there in Jan and maybe even bungee jump this time? Who knows!!!

Travels

2008-10-14T08:25:00.003+01:00

Well I quit my job about 4 weeks ago....great feeling!! So off I went traveling!!! I flew to Brisbane which is a lovely city, but still a city, and too be fair they mainly look the same whatever country you are in. Spent four days in a Caravan in Brisbane...def an experience. There is a 'fake' beach in Brisbane at south bank pretty random, sand and water in the middle of the city...but plenty of hot guy!! :)

From Brisbane I jumped on a bus to Noosa which is stunning! Some beautiful views but so very very hot. There was a bush fire while i was there which was a bit scary. Stayed there for 5 days, hired a car and went exploring.

From Noosa I went on the bus back to Brisbane then train to Robina Coast. I'm currently on the Gold Coast at Burliegh Heads. Now this is stunning!! I think even better than Noosa but thats just opinion. I went to Byron Bay yesterday and its pretty cool, plenty of hippies around! I also visited the most eastern point in Australia.

Today I have been on a right trek up in the country side...I went through some places which were like rain forest and the noises from the wildlife were just amazing. I saw water falls and went to the best look out point in Australia. You stand in Queensland and can see right into New South Wales. It was stunning.

I've had a great time traveling around soooo pleased I have grasped this experience. Be back in the 'sunny' UK soon though as money starting to run out :( Catching the bus from here to Sydney on Friday which takes just over 16 hours!!!!! oh the joy of backpacking and being on a tight budget. Traveling overnight so saved on the cost of a nights accomodation!! hehe!! Then back to Canberra on Sunday. Then we'll see where from there! :)

Sky tower pics

2008-09-09T03:53:00.003+01:00

The pic isn't amazing as i've just taken a picture of it as no scanner out here! But wow it was so much fun do to this. It only cost like £38 to do a 30min walk outside on the rim up 192meters! Bargain!! Hopefully i'll climb Sydney harbor bridge before i come back too and have a pic of that! Thinking about going to the aboriginal art gallary today sounds pretty cool.

Last night I cooked tea for the boys as they are useless....not that i'm much better but hey! They had never heard of chocolate cornflake cakes before so I made some and they were amazed!! Having a few friends over for tea tonight and they want me to make them something British....bangers and mash?? But they said no something different? I couldn't think of anything but then i mentioned yorkshire puds and they were like what? Ok so one is from China and another from Elsalavdor but come on never heard of yorkshire puds!! So i'm cooking my fav, mince, potatoes peas and yorkshire puddings!! yummy! But what dessert?? Trifle? yuk!! Maybe chocolate rice crispies!!!! The cornflakes went down sooooo well!! he he he!

New Zealand

2008-09-05T23:10:00.004+01:00

It was FAB!! I went to New Zealand and stayed with my A Level Media studies Tutor Rachael. She has been living in NZ for a year with her boyfriend so i spent a week with them. Rachael and I went to auckland for the day and did the Skywalk round the tower. It was amazing check it out on http://www.skywalk.co.nz/ that'll show you what we did. I've got a pic of me leaning out over the edge so i'll get it on here when i get round to it.

I hired a car and drove to Rotura for the day, it was lovely. A great drive too, it was three hours but the scenery was great. You drive past some of the places where Lord Of the Rings were filmed. It is sooooooooooo green, not like Australia and we've just had the winter so its only going to get browner!!

I've been offered my own store to run if i return after Christmas but not sure I want to come back and leave all my family and friends just to work for McDoanld's!! It's exactly same, the bosses, the rude customers and the idiot staff no matter what country you are in so i think i'm going to persue something else. Although this has been an amazing experience! :)

I've just moved house, i've been living with Simon the store manager his wife Lynn and their kids Sandy and Ru. I've really enjoyed living there. For the rest of the time I will be living in the city with 3 guys. They are all dead nice but haven't got a clue...plus the house smells of boys!!!!!

Yesterday i went shopping and didn't have anywhere to put put my chilled stuff so i was moving things round and oh my lord......i'm surprised they are alive with the amount of mould growing in there...i soon sorted that out. Next is to put the toilet seat down!!!!!!!!!!

Sydney

2008-08-04T04:52:00.003+01:00

Just spent the weekend in Sydney and mot of it was fun! We were going to go to the Zoo but then i wanted to go up Sydney tower and go to the aquarium and everything else...like being a child all over again! Luckily we went on a good day its was warm and bright.

We went up Sydney tower and the views were amazing it is like 309m and we went to 250m but that was plenty. I am off to New Zealand in 2 weeks for a few days away and i'm meeting my tutor from last year there as she has been living there for a few months so should be fun!!

We saw Jimmy Choos and loads of posh shops....i felt to scruffy to even walk down that street never mind go in any shops!!

Chocolate sucks over here!!

2008-07-20T11:47:00.003+01:00

I couldn't believe it, went to tuck into a twirl and it tasted horrible :( they make it different over here so it doesn't melt so fast but it is horrible and i'm gutted!!

Just a quick update, things are going well and making friends which is nice. Was taken out twice this week, once to Hog's Breathe and once to this amazing Turkish resturarnt. I had the biggest steak ever with pepercorn sauce at Hog's Breathe and then went to see mamamia and oh god it was so funny. I knew all the songs and some of the words yes i know i should be ashamed!! But they had only heard like one or two! I must say yes a cheesy film but def a must see its well funny and got some great people in.

I was also taken sight seeing in the dark which was interesting!! All is could see was headlights and street lights! The plan is to go and find a flat tomorrow and then sight see afterwards. So maybe some cool pics!

Here are a few pictures that Chris took.

G'day!

2008-07-05T14:48:00.002+01:00

Well hello from down under! This is a very short and sweet blog just to let everyone know i arrived safely!!! However the flights were sooooooooo long but i got through them! The weather is cold but then again it is their winter so i can't really complian! I started work on thursday and it is so very different but i'm sure i'll get used to it!

Haven't really taken any pics yet as we've doing all the boring stuff like sorting out visa's bank accounts etc. Have had a few good nights thoughs, everyone drinks beer in like the middle of the day its weird ...but good!

Will get some pics up soon. I have a mobile number while i'm out here so just e-mail me if you want it! xxxx

Tuesdays!

2008-04-30T21:36:00.003+01:00

I've been looking after Harriet for several weeks now on a Tuesday...we have great fun!! I love it! I try and make things fun and we try to learn something new, even if it is just a word!

She is defiantly a pain in the rear end but I love her for it! She bites me loads too and let me tell you she comes keen when she starts!Last week we went to White Post Farm and we had a great time, I think I enjoyed it more than her lol. She is talking a lot now and her words are getting really clear, she knows what she wants!! The turkey was following her around and it scared her a little. She ran up to me shouting "scare scare" patting her chest, obviously this means she is scared, how sweet!

We fed the goats and the sheep and she was really brave. We played on the trampoline and the 'lide as she calls it. I really enjoyed myself and think she did too. Plus we picked up a few new words, she can now say Ostrich, Peacock and goat.

Above are a few pictures from over the weeks of bits and bobs we have done. We've been shopping where she tried to steal a brolly which I ended up buying I was mortified, she has laid on the floor in marks and spencers for like 20minutes much to my embarrassment!! We been to kids play areas, we've painted, we've been on walks and many drives in the car as she won't sleep for me unless in the car!!

I will miss Harriet soooooooooooooo much while I'm away and I'm gutted I'm gonna miss out on her growing up...but hopefully she'll be over her bitting faze when i get back!!

V isa has been granted!!

2008-04-16T11:13:00.002+01:00

OZ here I come!! A tense week waiting for my Visa is over and the excitement has now kicked in! Now the flight searching has commenced its amazing the amount of price difference I've found one flight for £750 and then another for £1974!!! how can that be?! So Chris and myself have spend hours searching the net for good deals. Anyone know of a good site?

I've got a rotten cold and feel poo so I'm still in bed and intend to stay here all day! I will catch up with you all soon!

Is OZ the place for me?!

2008-04-10T22:19:00.004+01:00

Haven't updated this for a while, as I'm sure all you people who tell me you read this actually don't, as Louise is the only person who ever leaves comments! Thanks Louise!

Well my life has been slightly up and down recently! I decided after what can only be described as some miserable months at work to resign....great idea apart from the fact i don't have another job. Do you all remember the competition i entered to go and work in Beijing? Well when I went there I meet a nice man called Chris who work for macs in Forfar Scotland, we decided to keep in touch and the day I resigned he e-mail me to tell me he had too. This was very random as neither of us had mentioned this to each other. He however had a new job in line. His old store manager was working out in Canberra in Australia and was looking for managers to go out and work for him! I was dead jealous! Then he told me that he'd put my name across to Simon and Mark out there is OZ and my contact details. Next thing i know, e-mails are being sent back and forwards and on Tuesday night i applied for a working holiday Visa. I've been offered a 2 year contract but I'm slightly worried about that but have agreed to go for 6 months if my application is granted!!

I have mixed feelings about this, as do many other people. All I can say is if I don't do it now, when will I? I have nobody relaying on me, i don't have a house or a bloke or children or a life to be fair. I go to work and come home miserable go to college once a week and that is it! So maybe this is a mega opportunity!

I should know by the end of next week whether I've been accepted or not so finger crossed hey!!

However all of you that know me , know I have no back bone so who knows I'll probably still be working for Ollerton McDonald's in 15 years time!!

Graduation!!

2008-03-08T03:46:00.005Z

Last week I graduated from my HNC course. To be honest I didn't really think it was a massive thing but according to the tutors and some parents it was! we had the whole thing, cap and gown.....millions of pics..(which I hate!!) But lets not forget the white piece of pipe with a ribbon tied round it as our scroll! Classy hey!

I had a nice evening with my friends from the course, which I must say I have grown pretty close too over the past year and a half. Probably couldn't have done it without all the crazy cups of tea and the occasional dinner time trip to the pub!

I haven't written anything of here for ages as a) I'm rubbish and b) I'm mega busy, with work, college and looking after friends!! (which I enjoy of course!) So next week I am going to have a least one night to myself!

zeebrugge

2008-02-06T11:39:00.000Z

I really enjoyed my few days away.....although we didn't go to Rotterdam...We went to check in at Hull to be told we were booked on the ferry to Zeebrugge and I had NO idea where this was! I talked to a dew people to try and get us moved onto the Rotterdam ferry but we had to pay extra money and be down graded into a worse cabin! So we decided we'd go to Zeebrugge even though we didn't know where it was.

It's quite lucky we went on that boat as i ended up winning £100 on the bingo!! woohoo! I wasn't going t play as bingo is for old people and then i ended up winning. I split the money with Toni so we both had a bit of extra spending money which was nice.

The sea was soooooooooooo rough. I didn't sleep a wink the first night as it was throwing us around so much. The second night was even worse but i was that tired i had no choice but to sleep a little. All day Saturday when i got back i felt as if i was still on the sea. It's a really weird feeling.

We spent the day in Brugge, which is a gorgeous place. It reminded my a little of York. All the streets are cobbled and there are loads on grand buildings. We went on a tour of the area on a horse and carriage and then walked around for what seemed like hours as it was pretty cold.

There was, no word of a lie, 30 chocolate shops! It was amazing, so many different types and in any shape you could ever want or need them in. I bought all the boys at work naked ladies. I bought gifts for people but I must say I don't have the taste for it I still prefer Dairy Milk!!

I am without a car today..... : ( it failed it's MOT on brakes so gone to have it sorted. So i couldn't get to college.....secretly i planned it like this! So i am meant to be writing my assignment but as you can tell I'm not getting very far with it!!

Catch up

2008-01-20T21:04:00.000Z

What a mad few weeks it has been!! Firstly I'd like to say thanks for all my birthday wishes...i am now old and all people have been saying is it goes down hill from now!?! God I hope not. I received many gifts and money which I will be putting towards a holiday....which i really need right now!! Toni has paid for me and her to go on a small cruise to Rotterdam at the end of the month which I'm really looking forward too. You're only actually in Rotterdam for about 7 or 8 hours and spend the rest of the time at sea and sleeping between ports which to me sounds like something different to do. I am always going on about how I'm a little too grown up and won't let my hair down so this is something random which will hopefully be fun. So THANK YOU TONI!!! X

Apart from the madness of my birthday I have worked a million hours and also got lots and lots of college work to get to grips with. Plus I've been applying for any job I have the qualifications for so please keep your fingers crossed for me. As i am in two minds of whether or not to go back to uni as Swansea really shattered my dreams so maybe i will go in sept maybe i won't depends what comes up between now and then.

I bought my bestest mate Jason tickets to go and see High School Musical on ice for his Birthday as he likes the movies. I must say...it was FANTASTIC! Ok it was for children but i really enjoyed myself, the skating was great the acting and singing was good too.

I have lots more to say but I have soooooo much to do. I have had the same head ache for about 2 weeks now which is really starting to suck ass. I have even been wearing my glasses to work...thats how bad it is!! So i will catch up again with everyone is a few days.

Merry 2008!

2008-01-02T21:25:00.000Z

Well Happy New year to anyone I haven't already wished it too. A very uneventful evening had by a very tired me. Worked lates new years eve, managed to have 3 malibu and orange before deciding i was too old for late nights early mornings as was back to work in the AM. Although the sight of 8 greeny off looking crew members reminded me why i went to bed without getting wasted!! hahaha.

Tomorrow is my first day off since Christmas but i decided that doesn't count as everyone had it off so today has been my 13th shift in a row and man my feet ache. I am contemplating whether to stay in bed ALL day and sleep, or go shopping and spend my hard earned cash?!

I'm 21 in less than a week now...WOOHOO so i need to find clothes to wear for the night on the town. Plus its Dad's birthday on Sunday so need to get him a present.

Harriet is a little monkey although a lovely little one, she had millions of presents so it is crazy working out what to play with. She had a little play kitchen with the pots and pans etc, a shopping trolley and till so she has taken over the real kitchen, bringing us cups of tea! She now knows how to say 'Yes please' and says it at the right time, with a big smile on her face...how sweet. I can't wait until she can really speak!!!

I love Santa!

2007-12-29T12:22:00.000Z

I think I'm going to marry Santa Clause. I had a great Christmas and can't believe it is all over already....although not long till my 21st now!!

I got a Sat Nav and a tent as my main presents so i think this calls for a road trip!! I'm well excited.....all i have to do is get time off work...and maybe wait till the summer for some warmer weather.

I was just as excited as any other year, i worked lates on Christmas eve until about 10.30 in the hope this would tire me out so i could sleep. How wrong was I!!?? Me and Samantha who are meant to be the grown up ones didn't sleep at all but Darrell managed alright!

Christmas dinner was yummy as always and is topped off with a glass of wine. A few glasses and many giggles later more presents were opened...Santa really was a busy boy. Darrell got University Challenge game so we played that for a while.....I WON!!!!

Then straight back to work for me, which sucks ass! So in the whole festive period i managed to have Christmas day off! Anybody would think I had a really important job where people couldn't survive without me but no it's just burgers and chips!!

Aberdeen

2007-12-16T15:59:00.000Z

It's freezing, but not as cold as Nottingham?? Whats that about, my dad said it was minus 2 yesterday and it was roughly 4 degrees here but i swear more like minus 19!!! Samantha and I erected Gran's Christmas tree, which doesn't look that bad!

The only person i have completed Christmas shopping for is Harriet, I had all her stuff in October but then decided to give it too her so then i had to go shopping again. Well thanks to Charlotte I didn't even leave the house, she found a trolley and basket with shopping so i have got her that. I can't believe how she has grown. She is a proper little madam now!

So tomorrow take form of shopping....i HATE shopping. As we have flown up here we have to be careful of weights to take things back with us. If i don't finish shopping tomorrow everyone is having money as I'm back to college on Wednesday and back to work until Christmas day then! So the pressure is really on!! arrgghhh

Off to visit Grannie!!

2007-12-13T01:20:00.000Z

Me and Samantha are off to Aberdeen tomorrow to see my grandparents. We are flying...i know seems pretty lazy, but believe it or not for both of us to fly return for 6 days, it is cheaper than it would be to drive!!! Samantha has never been on a plane before so this will be interesting!! he he he.

If i have time to pack properly i am planning on taking my laptop so i can do some of the million essays i have pilling up for college! ugh! So i may keep you updated while I'm away.

Finally getting over this stupid glands thing, feeling 1000 times better than a couple of days ago. I think the rest is just what i need, no work!! woo hoo, with my sick days and now the hol i will have had nearly 2 weeks off!!

Christmas Party

2007-12-10T23:32:00.000Z

Well it was that time of year again where I have no choice but to be associated with all my crew members!! The Christmas Party, this year i vowed to get wasted and let them look after themselves as last year i ended up in A&E with someone who had been fighting and the year before bailing someone out of prison!! So this year I was going to let someone else deal with it!

So i did just that!! I probably haven't drank that much since i was about 15!! I went out in some high heeled boots which only stayed on for about 2 pubs then i just gave up! But to my shame i had red socks on...of all colours.. RED! I have a purple/blue top on, dark grey trousers then these bright RED socks!! Ok i suppose they were festive!

I also managed to acquire an inflatable penis! Which amused me no end, for most of the night. I drank too much and apparently verbally abused a few of my crew calling them prostitutes!...which they probably are but it isn't very professional to accuse them is it?! Oh well and least nobody took it too seriously.

I had to work Thursday morning and man did i know about it. I was still extremely drunk when i staggered through the dinning area with both my assistant manager and store manager giving me their disapproving look...well i didn't ask them to schedule me that day did I?!?!

I've been poorly sick since Friday though...No it isn't just an extra long hang over! I feel dreadful. I think every gland in my neck and face have become infected and swollen up. It hurts to even sip water! I've now taken three days off work and feel a tiny bit better. Hopefully I'll be all mended by Thursday as I'm off to visit my Gran and Grandad in Aberdeen!! woohoo.

I didn't get through... : (

2007-11-24T20:50:00.000Z

I didn't make it any further than the final for Beijing but I'm not surprised the competition was high. All were managers and only two crew, some of the managers were even salaried. I gave it ago so at least i tried!!

I got a beautiful Olympic T-shirt...which i put on back to front to start with....how stupid did I feel!!! lol. And a 1GB ipod shuffle which is personalised with crew Olympic competition 24/11/07 which I think is a nice touch.

I'm getting excited now!!! (about everything!!)

2007-11-21T10:59:00.000Z

It is very very nearly Christmas!! I'm so very excited!! Christmas songs have started playing at work and yesterday the came to put up the decorations!!! WOOHOO!!! Although I'm sure by the time Christmas actually gets here I will be sick to death of the songs as at the minute they are playing every 3 or 4 songs as it gets closer it'll be every other one and on a 10 hour shift I am bound to hear the same song a Million times!!

The final is approaching quickly......I'm getting a little nervous but I am still excited at the same time. We had to send a picture in of ourselves in and it took me hours to decide which one to send it. I'm not sure why I am going to meet them on Saturday! I will let you all know how it goes so keep your fingers crossed for me!

I went to 'Meadowhell' last night....i hate shopping at the best times never mind at Christmas! However i managed to get a few bits and bobs. Got Darrell's birthday present which I am quite impressed by! I will post a pic of it when he's had it, wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.

Right off to college to learn something about common law!!?? I have about a million assignments on common law so if anybody knows anything about it HELP!!!!

I'm through to the final!! woohoo

2007-11-14T23:04:00.000Z

Remember me telling you all I'd applied to go work for McDonald's in the Olympic Village next year? Well today I had an e-mail confirming I'd been pick for the final!! OMG! Out of all the people that applied only 16 got picked which all go for the trails in two weeks time at Leicester. From that only 6 people will get a place! I can't believe I even got short listed! If I don't make it any further at least I gave it ago. We will work a station for an hour and be assessed on : Job knowledge, Performance, Personality and attitude. I think for the next two weeks I will be reading my QRG (quality reference guide) This is like the McBible. I'm really pleased I have made it this far....although I didn't really do a lot apart from fill in an application form.

I've been to the gym today first time in ages and I mean ages! I've decided I am going to be committed and go at least twice a week. I really wanna lose a couple of stone then I'll be happy....well probably not 'happy' but happier about the way I look.

Oh I am so very excited about Christmas! Mum and Dad want a list writing but I'm too excited to think what I want! Luckily I have chosen all the worst shifts at wok over Christmas to make sure i am tired enough to sleep.....last year it worked...well ok only until about 5.30am!! I know what you are all thinking this woman is 20 years old....I only become this childish at Christmas....honestly. Come on my whole family (yes this may embarrass you all) knock on the living room door saying "izzy wizzy lets get busy" before we are allowed in the living room! You're never to old to do things like that!!

Right I'm off to bed...very tired after my day of confusing study ...common law anyone know anything about it?

My luck needs to change!!

2007-11-10T21:29:00.000Z

This last week has been horrendous! This all revolves around work...it sucks ass! Thursday night I was doing the close as I have very high standards...well as high as people who work for McDonald's have lol. We were having an operations review which is extremely important to us as a store. well one staff member went home sick, the other to hospital in an ambulance...had blue lights and everything! Which finally left me with one crew member, myself and a s**t load of work to do. Needless to say I started work at 2pm Thursday and finally clocked out at 7am Friday!!

Then with less than 4 hours sleep I went back with high spirits. Although I looked like I'd been smack in the face with my puffy eyes. Finished work at 8ish, birthday get together for mum (happy 95th!) and back to work at 4.30am! I LOVE MY JOB! Well actually there must be something about it or else i still wouldn't be there would I?

My work load at college is ever more growing so better get a shift on! However on a tiny positive note I finally finished unpacking my clothes...although there is still some stuff boxed up this is a move in the right direction!!

The count down to Christmas is upon us! Must say I am a little excited!

Sing star

2007-11-02T15:10:00.000Z

OMG where has this year gone? I can't believe it seems like two minutes since this time last year. I'm sure the older you get the faster everything flies past you...how scary! I will be 21 in like 9 weeks.....it only feels like yesterday when i was dying to be 16!!!

I started Christmas shopping yesterday and to be fair it was a pretty poor outing. I hate shopping anyway and i went with a lad from work and it was even harder!! Although I did buy myself a new sing star game for the playstation 2. Last year for my birthday Samantha bought me the microphones and games for it. If you have never heard of it or played you have to sing the song and try and hit all the notes. It grades you on your tone and gives you an overall rating like tone deaf or lead singer. I must admit we are all a lot better now and get quite competitive about it. The new CD is RnB which I'm not really a fan of but got some well good songs on. Harriet thinks herself a bit of a lead singer i think! I have 80's hits which is the best and mum and dad know all the words. Mum is pretty good at it but Dad is just funny....he gets well into it. I get excited and start dancing , plus it puts everyone else off!!

Right I am now going to sort my room out as I still have not out anything back in place since i came back all those weeks ago. Had to come home from work today poorly so need to take it easy! : (

Toga!

2007-10-28T14:50:00.000Z

What a fantastic night had by all! Normally something goes wrong..fights, crying, injuries but this night nothing. I really enjoyed myself. I've never been out in Chesterfield as it is quite a way from home, especially at 3 in the morning when you are wasted!!

I have become a bit of a lightweight during recent years so hadn't had a drink since about easter so I pushed the boat out! I'm blaming this all on Scott as he was encouraging me to have shots... Ok he wasn't really he said i should have one not six!! lol

Unfortunately i was the only person stupid enough not to book the next day off work...so needless to say breakfast kitchen was enjoyable for me!! I managed not to be sick at all which i'm mega impressed by!!

Christmas has come early. My auntie Sue is leaving to live in Canada for a while and won't be around for Christmas...so today I've had Christmas dinner..yummy, although Santa hasn't been today he has for Harriet. I just can't help myself. I went to Toys' R US on Thursday as it is my friends babies 1st birthday so i went present shopping. I got Harriet a Trike and I've given it to her today!! She Loves it!!

Sorry about the disturbing toga pictures!!

The Deep

2007-10-25T10:41:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I decided i wanted to go and do something fun as all I do is go to work for a million hours come back tired out and go to bed. I had a really rough weekend working nearly 40 hours in 3 days!! So I decided I deserved a treat. Jason and myself went to 'The Deep' in Hull about 3 years ago and we had a fantastic time. Yes I know it is designed for kids but it is great fun! So after i had been to work to finish the schedule me, Darrell and Jason all set off. I was a little unsure to whether Darrell would like it with him being 14 and cool!!

I am very unorganised as normal and never thought to take a camera so pictures are just off my phone again so sorry the quality isn't amazing! But it is pretty difficult to get pictures when the fish are swimming around I think someone needs to teach them to pose for us!

We later went into Hull for lunch and found Pizza Hut which Darrell LOVES!! So we had the buffet lunch all you can eat thing. The guys on the table next to us no word of a lie must have eaten 70 pieces of pizza and chicken wings on top of that!! I thought Darrell did well with 9 pieces! I was going to try and get a picture of the stack of pizza crusts but i thought that might be quite rude!!!

I'm now off to buy birthday presents and something to wear Saturday night.....I HATE SHOPPING! I'm sure i was meant to be a man!!

McPassport

2007-10-16T12:21:00.000+01:00

Haven't felt like blogging for past few days but now I'm back. Today I have applied to go and work in the Olympic Village for the 2008 games in China. If my application is successful I will go and work for McDonald's out there for between 2 weeks and 2 months with all expenses paid!! woohoo! So I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I am going to also apply to go to Rome to work we have cheesy things called McPassports which allows to go and work in other countries. Good idea but cheesy just like everything that place does.

Today I am going into a school to give a presentation on McDonald's and it's people practices.......so wish me luck I may get eaten alive!! It seems there is a trend emerging with what i agree to do...firstly I agree to give this presentation next I agree to make costumes for my uncles theatre company and last I have agreed to go out in a toga for Toni's 21st birthday!! oh what am i getting myself into!! I went to make my toga the other night and to be fair it's not looking that bad....i have a skirt made out of a bed sheet and then we have been adapting a top as I don't want to be half naked!! This event is next weekend so photo to follow!!

I was sorting through all the pictures on my computer as it's getting slow now and i found this one...it is one of my favorite of Harriet. She loves her belly and lifts her top up...but this one she was fast asleep and luckily speedy Charlotte got me a pic of it!

First day back to college

2007-10-09T22:41:00.000+01:00

I started back to college today, I was really nervous and I shouldn't have been. It was like I never went away. I still got the same old abuse of my friend Deb and was great to see my bestest bud Graham again! So thanks guys for making me feel welcome again!

I still haven't managed to unpack yet...well not that I have tried very hard to be honest. It can stay like that for me as I can face putting everything back!! I know I'm lazy. Worked everyday since I've been back suppose it takes my mind off things. Nothing ever changes though I had the Police out the other night to deal with the most awful teenagers I think i have ever met. I'm sure i wasn't like that when i was their age!!! One of them tried to spit in my face last week so i said i wouldn't serve them so the abuse started then. They soon shut up when police took them all in and cautioned them for verbal abuse!! hahahaha! Horrid children!

The other night me, Samantha, Charlotte, Darrell and Jason oh and not forgetting unc John were all playing rapidough...if you haven't played it you don't know what you're missing! i was on Samantha's team which was going to be trouble from the start. Normally i get sooooo mardy if someone cheats and throw the board in the air! Yet this game I was getting so excited I couldn't help myself but cheat. The aim of the game is to make your dough into whatever it says on the card. Which ever teams guesses first wins and takes a chunk of the other players dough to make it harder for them. I must say i did actually guess some although I'm usually rubbish at these kind of games.

I am going to add some pics of the board and also of the day out to rufford as i have now got round to finding the lead to download them from my phone. The hobby front is still looking rather gloomy and looks like I should pick up an extra shift a week! NOOOOO!!!

Back in to education.

2007-10-06T23:43:00.000+01:00

On a more positive not than the one on Thursdays i have secured myself a place to study a HND in Business management and Finance. I started this course last year and finished it with a HNC. This basically counts for a first year at uni. HND 2nd and then you go and do a top up year somewhere. This means i will get a degree from a university just not Swansea. Everyone has been so supportive and said just do what makes you happy ...but god i didn't want to make the decision!! the best piece of advice was "a degree is a degree no matter where you get it from as long as you are happy" This made me think, yes I'm dropping out of Swansea but not out of education all together. I will end up saving a lot of money, be happy...well i bloody hope so now after all this and will be with all my family and most of my friends. The friends i am not near i can and will come and visit at some point I promise!! So thank you to everyone who has been supportive and not judgmental and has given me good advice. Especially my mum, you think i don't appreciate it but i do. So there it is public now!!!!!

Started back to work today and never received so many hugs even more than when i left!! Loads of people have said glad to have you back which is really nice of them. Now back to the same old same old. That is the only thing I am worried about just falling back into the mind numbingly same routine. I need a hobby or something so any ideas anyone?!

Harriet's vocab is coming a long great now. It's really funny and I love it when she copies us. Samantha, Charlotte, Harriet and I went to Rufford park on Friday and had a nice walk round the lake and fed some quack quacks. Although she did fall down and end up head to toe covered in soil...which isn't funny but man she looked hilarious and even got a mouth full! I have got some pics of the day but i am too tired to be faffing around. I am back at work at 5.30am for the open and it is now 23.57. The time my blog says is wrong and i have no idea how to change it!?! Any ideas Louise?

Will be back with pics tomorrow once I've done my shift and eaten Sunday dinner and many YORKSHIRE PUDS!!! yummy. Sunday is my fav day although it is the end of the weekend and nothing on TV but you get Sunday dinner i spend all week waiting for it to come around from Sunday tea time!!

I've been tagged apparently!?

2007-10-05T11:11:00.000+01:00

According to Louise I had been tagged and have to answer the following questions i think? Hope this is right!

4 Places I have worked:
Well when i was young I used to deliver leaflets with my friend Amy....this really was slave labour I'm sure we had to deliver 250 for £5! We thought wow £5.....no not at all we didn't last very long at this. My first 'real' job was in Scott's the bakery which was called the Robin Hood bakery at the time. I got an amazing £2.50 an hour and used to work Saturdays. This job was ok apart from the spider cupboard which they used to make me clean out....I HATE spiders! oh and touching meat...yak! Ding Dong Avon calling was another one of my jobs when i was about 16. This was easy money. I had a great round and always made plenty of commission. My final and present job is working for McDonald's. I have progressed up the ladder in the four years i have worked there and I am now a shift runner. The job is ok for the time being and according to my performance review I'm quite good at it?! (not sure where they got that idea from!)

4 places i have visited
I didn't go on a plane until i was 18 so the first place i have got to say is Morocco. What a fantastic place. The first few days were a little alien to me but then i got the hang of it. We stayed in Agadir but visit Marrakech which took us three hours to get there, but was worth it. Although i did get heat stroke and pass out and throw up everywhere. Do you blame me it was like 45 degrees. I had a fantastic time as the place was not too touristy so you could really embrace the culture. I'd love to go back again. The follow year I went to turkey, this i did not enjoy so much. We were out there during the world cup so i enjoyed the football and the beer but not the sleazy men. I went scuba diving, white water rafting and a few other things so it was an action packed holiday but full of tourist which isn't really my thing. Although i am a tourist i know what you are thinking. This year i went away for the week with my parents and Darrell to somewhere near St. Ives so i could revise. We visited the Minack theatre and i thought this was AMAZING. If you are every there go honestly the views and the sculpting is fantastic. Also somewhere i used to visit a lot when i first started driving was the Yorkshire sculpture park I went twice with schoo and now i have been about 8. I love everything about the place. If you have never been go.

4 fav foods
YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS...can i say them four times?! No really i love Yorkshire puddings especially home made ones. Ice cream...who doesn't like ice cream. Pineapple..yummy i like it out of a tin or fresh. I love steak too especially with creamy peppercorn sauce. As you can see nothing very exciting there from me.

4 places i'd rather be
In bed...although technically i am in bed but not sleeping so i should say sleeping in bed. Somewhere, anywhere would do, on a beach in the sun with a cocktail in my hand. On the catwalk as it would mean i would be skinny!! yay!! out shopping with loads of money...but only when I'm skinny.

Think that answers all the questions.

Failure

2007-10-04T01:34:00.000+01:00

I'm sad to say i am going to become another one of those statistics the university drop outs! I've tried to be brave and put of the face but it just isn't working. I've used two full boxes of tissues and about 10 sleeves since I've been here, and that just isn't me. I cry of course but no more than the average hormonal woman!

I cannot believe that one group of people can make me feel like this. You may all be there saying move flats which yes is a good idea but takes ages to do. The course outlines have changed so i am taking core modules for every first year degree that takes place within the school of business and economics which means I will be doing stuff that will in the future not help me. If i wanted to spend 4 hours a week doing economics and 1 hour doing business management i would have taken an economics course not an international business management course!!

But fear not i will not be leaving education just yet not sure what i will do but right now i just need to get out of this places and stop crying!! I know you all probably think i'm giving up to easy and part of me does but part of me is telling me to go away from the things making me feel vulnerable and emotional. If you are going to leave mean comments please don't as i already feel like a FAILURE!

I'm sorry to everyone who has invested in me with pots and pans etc or money or just time being supportive, i do appreciate everything that has been done for me. thank you x

Lectures

2007-10-03T16:53:00.000+01:00

Well i have now been to at least one lecture on every subject i will be taking for the next 20 weeks. Some seem really good and can't wait to get into them but others seem a little more difficult. Mathematic with business and economics sounds well hard. I had to take a test to see how good i am at maths this pointed out exactly what i thought...not only am i rusty i am seized up with a mega 16%!! The questions were well hard (hence the result!) It has been like 6 years since i did maths GCSE as i took mine a year early. Algebra and fractions have long left my mind. Not to worry though i bought an amazing text book (well it wants to be for the money) to help me get back into it.

I think i have just about found all the rooms i will be having lectures or tutorials in. God help me if they ever move us around!! You can tell who all the first years are as we all walk around the campus with our mouths open trying to read signs and match it to our maps!! It's like hundreds of tourists all in one place!

Can anyone enlighten me to when tuning in a TV became so complex!?! Yes i know i am a woman but these things are usually quite self-explanatory yet it took me around 3 hours to tune mine in and still i do not have the right channels on the right number!! I have welsh TV and all kinds of things.

I have finally made it to the beach today although it was cold and dull i thought i'd go and see what was around. I visited Mumbles Pier it is not how you would imagine a pier as i always think of the big grand ones but this is little an old. The picture will be somewhere on here (not quite sure how to position them how i want yet!)

As i didn't blog yesterday HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Charlotte. Sorry i couldn't be there but at least you got a card and present...better than when i am there!! hahaha

oh how I ache!

2007-10-01T01:04:00.000+01:00

Think I'm getting old, every bit of me aches! I went home Tuesday night and worked everyday until i came home, which doesn't sound a lot I know but man those shifts were hard!! Although i must say i enjoyed them all apart from Sunday's on which the Grill blew up, the shake machine broke down and i ended up covered in ice cream from the pump. So this obviously meant we had more abusive customers....oh how i love them!! However the Saturday shift was mint, i really enjoyed myself. I always say to people "hurry up i could run circles round you" and that day myself and two fellow managers (the best ones!) actually did run rings round people...how there were no accidents i will never know. After that shift all three of us went for a well deserved pint, well shandy to be exact.

I'm back to Wales now and the drive back wasn't to bad. Ironically as soon as I'd past the 'Welcome to Wales' sign it started to rain!! I don't mind though rain doesn't bother me. Driving back on Tuesday it was raining the funny fine stuff which soaks you, before you say it all rain is wet rain but this kind is just annoying (I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about!) and there were three rainbows...i love rainbows not sure why just think they are amazing.

Although i am now wide awake i suppose i should go to bed so i am ready to go in the morning to for my first lecture. How exciting but a little nerve racking.

Enrollment day

2007-09-24T15:57:00.000+01:00

Well been in to enroll today, oh how very confusing!! I was sent to 3 different places before finally getting to the right part of campus never mind the right room. I have now been told i have nothing until Monday ...why!!! So i am going home and working a few shifts. I've met a nice girl from my course today but she is living at home so and working so won't see her until next week.

I managed to grab a few posters today...not everyone's taste I know but reminds me of being little!! Button moon!!! Only bought a few pics so I am going to get some more when I go home. I've tried to take pics on my phone as batteries on dig cam are dead and couldn't be bothered to go get some...YES I have become lazy already!!! So the pics aren't amazing, sadly you can't really see the colour of my walls either : ( i will get some batteries to give you a better look.

The nice kind people who i will loosely call my flat mates came in this morning around 2.00am and put the radio on full blast for about 45 mins!! I don't mind a bit of noise when they come in etc but i think this was just rude! I even gave them my left over pizza....next time i'll put it in the bin!

I've arrived in Swansea.

2007-09-23T19:34:00.000+01:00

I've arrived in real true Welsh weather....rain, rain and more rain. It was a pretty long drive of nearly 5 hours with more than usual annoying incompetent drivers on the roads!!!!

My flat is full of welsh people they are all locals with the furthest being half an hours drive away.....so not only an outsider I'm elderly too! They all seem pretty friendly though with 3 boys and 4 girls in the flat a nice mixture.

I couldn't get a parking space yesterday and i had to park right at the bottom of a 'hill' which felt more like a mountain while carrying all my worldly possessions up it...must have burnt a few calories though so thats the bright side.

Well what to say, we don't have any hot water for baths or to wash up in as our boiler is knackered already. The sink in the bathroom leaks and my window is covered in something which I'd rather not know what it was!!(True dirty student digs!)

My room is pretty big and has yellowy creamy coloured walls, kind of gold curtains and a beautiful brown flecked carpet. ( can you all visualise my new room?) I have a nice laver lamp which emits quite a lot of heat which i am pleasantly surprised by. (Thanks for the pressie auntie sue)

Thank you to Mum, Dad, Nana and Grandad for all the stuff you bought me and gave me to help me get set up, couldn't have done it without you. Samantha, Charlotte, Darrell, Harriet and extended family (Alan and Jason) thanks for all the bits and bobs you lot bought me too.

Thank you to all of my friends (you know who you are) Who have given me support and encouragement to do this. Thank you to everyone!

Ann I'm thinking of you and I'm never too far away, i can't imagine what you are going through I'm only a phone call away.

Alton Towers

2007-09-20T22:22:00.000+01:00

Been to Alton Towers today on a crew day out from work, I've had a fantastic time. I really shocked myself. I love Alton Towers it is just normally when i go out with work something goes wrong and i end up first aiding or something crazy. This crew event was fun and i didn't feel like everyone's mother. (first in four years!!)

Sadly no pics tho as i forgot my camera and my phone camera wasn't good for pics like that. All the pictures from the rides were rubbish, i managed to have a hairy face for about 85% of pics and the rest i had my face screwed up on.

As my "leaving presents" i was given the cuddly toys won out those machines that nobody ever wants! However Harriet was pretty pleased with them, if only they stayed like that forever! It has been an overall exhausting day, you wonder why but you do loads of walking and run and generally being hyper active. As i always drive everywhere i took a car full and the drive back was awful it seemed to take FOREVER!! My little car 1.4 Bravo trying to pull 5 adults up and down those twisty country roads wasn't to happy but we made it!!

Got all the packing and wrapping to do tomorrow! I am leaving in approximately 35 hours...scary!!

The last shift is over!!

2007-09-17T00:11:00.000+01:00

Finally mastered the art of phone files etc. So here are some pics of Tuesday night at the mini leaving evening. They may not look so clear as came off phone. Got a busy week a head and will keep you all posted.

Well it's all over!! No more work, well at least until i find one in Swansea. I must say my last shift was amazing....NOT. Short staffed and busy so no change there then. Finished an hour and half late and only one person wished me luck. Thats what you get for 4 years hard work. Not to bothered though as I will be seeing them Thursday for our staff event. We are going to Alton Towers....how original! Will post pics of that day out.

Got a busy week a head and will keep you all posted.Over and out for now and I will leave you in peace.

7 days to go!! arrgghh

2007-09-14T10:23:00.000+01:00

7 days until i leave for Wales. There is so much packing it is unreal. As i have decided to go on my own anything that doesn't fit in my car isn't coming so i have to be strong and leave stuff behind! Last night i was putting my clothes into piles of what i want to take and what i don't.....i even forgot i had some of the things and most of it doesn't fit. So when i am all settled in i AM going to loose weight.

2 more shifts left at work sadly i have to run one of them so won't be as much fun. I got a present from 2 customers last night which was really thoughtful of them.

My mini leaving drinks with a few friends was a right good laugh. Apart from the steak knife incident although it was pretty funny but we shouldn't laugh!! i have got pictures of the night on my phone but it is a right pain to upload them, if i get chance i'll try add them so you can see the mayhem caused in Mansfield!

Back from the adventure

2007-09-05T18:13:00.000+01:00

I went to Swansea for two days to try and secure myself a job! Although this was unsuccessful I managed to convince myself I am doing the wrong thing by moving 230 miles away!! Just had some more post today giving dates and times of where I need to be to enroll.....i can't even say half of these places with the 'Ll', 'W', 'V' everywhere! Plus everything for legal reasons has to be in English and Welsh means it takes me 10 minutes to figure out if I'm reading the right language!! As I'm too stubborn to say I'm not sure to anyone's face i am going to stick with it!

As I need to get to grips with the roads as I will be coming home now and again I decided to take my Dad's Sat Nav! I'm pleased nobody can hear what you say to the machines as i might get locked up for the language i used towards that one!! It took me right down the M5 across the toll bridge which cost me £5.10! Was going to go another way back but you don't have to pay coming back so i decided to get my money's worth to drive back that way!

I love Swansea well at least when i am facing the sea....when you turn around to look into the city it's pretty bad! The days are ticking away now!

New to this...

2007-09-02T22:16:00.000+01:00

Well as you might have all guessed this is my first blog...I'm Natalie I have 2 sisters and a lovely little brother (who now towers above me although only 14!) I am known as Auntie Nat Nat within the family as Harriet is just starting to talk. She is my one year old niece, who is adorable (most of the time!)