Last night i completed my first ……

Proper shift in more than 15yrs.

After a few training days i became very worried that i’d made the wrong decision in going back to work more so nursing.

But after completing my first 12hr night shift this confirmed i should have come back to nursing many years ago and i don’t think being a carer will be enough for too long.  In time and hopefully with support from my new employer i hope to complete a back to nursing course which will enable me to re.register and use the Registered General Nursing course that  i completed pre.children.

Being a very new venture we were very lucky to only have 4 residents 1 of which was self caring this enabled us to get to know each of them a little better than if there was a full unit.

Thankfully i never have  a problem sleeping anytime of day so a lie in the morning before shift and a sleep in the day after was easy.

I can already feel my confidence growing and enthusiasm running up a close 2nd.   I’ve found myself making more of my free time and fully intend to do a lot more once i’ve been paid.

A headache that  i have found is that since all the benefit reforms there is very little help adjusting from weekly benefits to monthly pay.  Aaawwww well we’ll all have to learn to like baked beans

My next and 2nd shift is tomorrow night so today with hubbs, we took the ‘girls’ for a lovely walk through the woods and fields of Crickley Hill.  The sun was warm and view was gorgeously clear.  Whilst going through the wooded area we spotted these fungi which i could have photographed for ages but the ‘girls’ get bored waiting.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So heres to a very fun and full filling summer

Full steam ahead (with a little hic cup along the way)…

I suppose i’ll get the confession out the way first and admit to getting over enthusiastic with a few days of sunshine at the beginning of the month which were followed by a frost which meant i lost the 3 courgettes i put outside under a cloche ….

 also managed to boil a tray of lettuce that were sat under a propagated on the kitchen window sill   all part of the learning curve i suppose 

Since then i’ve gone on leaps and bounds ….. where do i begin some much is going on     i have a lovely full green house, lots of healthy growing seedlings

full green house

full kitchen window sill

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve done 3 batches of sweetcorn but only
5 actually germinated :-/ might have to cheat a bit with the sweet corn and buy some seedlings

Now for outside in the raised beds .. about a week ago i took a small risk and planted out my dwarf green beans and my mange tout as both were getting very leggie in the green house (also need the space mind)  thankfully as yet we’ve had no frosts just showers and sunny patches.  After the initial shock of being planted out all seem to have recovered really well and beginning to grow very well.

At about the same time i planted out some radish seedlings, sowing  a row of carrots and spring onions either side then covered them all with a plastic cloche.  Today i lifted the cloche to check to see whats happening and wow the radish are looking good, so good i picked one yummy.  Both the carrots and spring onions are doing well and i weeded then replaced the cloche.

On the next quarter of bed 1 i’ve sown a further 2 rows of carrots and a row of garlic chives after inspecting today they are all peeping through the soil, which is very surprising as just after i’d sown them one of the pups jumped onto the bed and probably disturbed the very nice tidy rows.  Will be interesting to see what happens there.

radish

BED 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past week has been a mix of sunshine and showers so today we decided to brave the showers and do more on the garden.  So in bed 3 i planted out a few cabbages and broccoli,  i placed a cloche over both and will keep a close eye on them.  We do have an old bed frame surrounding the bed which i will eventually cover with fine netting.

Also planted out some peas and mixed a few sweet peas that i had,   took a bit of a chance and planted out 2 single beetroot but placed home-made mini single cloches over them.  ( cut down pop bottles ).

Sonny the gnome supervising

Back in the green house i planted on a tray of sprouts, beetroot and lettuce seedlings, this took up more space than i thought so the 6 chilli plants have been removed to the bedroom window sill.

Hubbs continues to work on clearing the very end of the garden along the fence line.  We plan to build up a mound then fence it all off, loosing about 2ft along the end but it will add to the security of that edge of the garden.

For first growing, this season i’m growing garlic (planted out last october) in a tub its doing fantastically well.  Leeks too are a first and after germinating in what i’ve now decided was a much too shallow tray, i’ve planted them on into a bigger deeper pot and they’ll sit out in the greenhouse until big enough to plant out.

 

As a little experiment for me i’ve sown about 5 or 6 carrot seeds into a big pot just to see how straight and big they grow.

leeks

 

carrots

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then of course there’s lots of tomatoes at different levels of growth.

It’s now getting a little late after what has been a full day so i’m off to chill in front of the tv with a cold glass of wine.

This blog has probably updated all the veggies i’m growing, i’ll try to do a blog on the flowers i’m growing too which are many more than i had planned.

Happy germinating peeps  

 

 

Yayyyy i got it …

After nearly 15yrs of being a ‘at home mum’ it looks like i’m going back to work full-time.  It all seems to be fate, the job is just perfect for me to go back to after so long.  I’m going to be a care assistant in a brand new built care home run by a none profit-making charity called ‘the order of st john’, elderly care has come on leaps and bounds since i did my 3 month stint during my training.

I hope in time i can also re.instate my Registered General Nurse qualification too.

Its funny i’m very excited but quite nervous at the same time

Obviously its going to mean big changes in our family dynamic’s, i will expect my 2 sons to step up and help a little more around the house, seeing as they are nearly grown adults now i don’t think it will hurt them.

I will miss my hubbs terribly, i’m  so used to being with him all the time and then of course theres my 3  ‘girls’  (cavalier king charles spaniels) they will miss me loads, but i promise to make it up to them all  on my days off.

soaking up some sun

 

 

Another bonus i’m hoping going out to work will help lift my depression keeping busy and seeing the outside world.

 

 

 

Sitting and waiting …….

As i sit here surfing the net, checking out gardening and vegetable growing blogs, i’m in fact waiting for a very important phone call.  The result from the call will change our family life in a big way and i hope it will be a positive way.

I haven’t worked for nearly 15yrs due to bringing up 2 sons and helping care for 2 step children.  At the beginning of my ‘at home mum’ time my confidence was pretty much at rock bottom due to a past relationship, with the support of my soul mate my confidence has grown.

With the governments new benefits reform our benefits have changed from being just about manageable to very worrying low.  So i have decided to make a very big step and try and get back into the wide world of work.  At first i was going to look for anything but then after thinking and looking i realised the only way i’ll be happy in my new career is by doing something i know best …. nursing.  Sadly due to unforseen circumstances in the past i was unable to keep up my Registered General Nurse qualification.  At some point i’ll make some enquiries to see if its possible to get that back and up and running.

As fate would have it whilst chatting to my sister about our situation, she told me about a job she’d applied for and how they were opening a care home just 5mins from me.  So without thinking i checked out the website for the selection of vacancies they were advertising and there it was …. night-time care assistant full-time.

The interview went well, there were 2 very nice ladies on the panel.  One had commented on how we had the same GP and that he was very happy to write me a reference, which surprised me how they were chasing them up already…. sounded promising  At the end of the interview i was told due to the good friday and bank holiday monday admin won’t be in until Tuesday and that i should get a call soon after.

So here i sit waiting to see what my future will bring……..

snow still sits on top of the hills

 

Getting ready for the new 2013 growing season …..

After last seasons attempt at growing veggies i am 100% determined to get better results this year.  There were a number of things that hindered me last year … a litter of puppies… late start due to being distracted by puppies… weather.. and of course the bug and slug infestation

This year i’ll be ready and raring to go with the help of my lovely and very patient hubbs.

So back at the end of january i did calm my itching to get started by sowing just a few seeds … leeks, tomatoes, chillies and marigolds they are doing really well sat on my kitchen window sill.

Leeks

 

Tomatoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past weekend blessed us with some gorgeous warm and dry weather which meant we were able to get out into the garden and do some much needed work on the veggie plot.

Before

 

After

With a bit of hard work and shoveling we juggled about a bit and now have 3 veggie beds.  The 1st is covered with cloches and warming,  the 3rd just needs some sort of edging and then we can work on the paths

 

 

 

Also managed to tidy paved area of the garden and set my mini green house up which is now home to a few bits.

mini green house

 

I’ve sown some peas, sweet corn, a few sun flowers and some lettuce.  Then low and  behold we are forecast a week of cold freezing and even some snowy conditions

 

 

 

 

”Just paint a white cross on my door” :-( furbabie update

I can’t believe it since christmas i’ve been visiting the vet with one or 2 of the girls every other week and i don’t think we’ve managed more than a handful of walks.

Titch came in season during the christmas holidays so no walks for 3wks, this was then followed by a little gland trouble which was quickly seen too.  Then she developed a skin irritation on her back the vet gave her a steroid injection and some anti biotic’s, this settled and she then developed an ear infection which was treated by more steroids and anti biotic’s.

Just as this is settling it seems that all 3 girls are now suffering with kennel cough which has effected poor Titch the worse, then i discovered whilst giving her a relaxing tummy rug that she has milk …. she’s also suffering a phantom pregnancy, i don’t think the vet will believe whats going on with her on our check up this monday

Poorly Titch still looks gorgeous

Misha and Tinker bell just seem to have a mild case of kennel cough and got over it very quickly.

I need some nice weather so roll on the summer so i can get my girls well and fit again.

I feel that  Titch might need several trips to the vets to find out why she’s been so poorly, i suspect she has some sort of low immune system problem so researching how i can help that.

My 3 gorgeous ‘girls’

Roll on the summer for some good fun times

Its been 2 days now…..

I seem to be on a depressive high …. i’m feeling extremely happy which is really scary because i’m scared of the crash i’ll have on the come down.  I shouldn’t be complaining about being so happy i suppose and should really be enjoying the feeling.

Life at the moment is really good.

We’re just waiting for a break in this very cold spell so we can get out into the garden.  Hubbs and i plan to move the raised beds around that will eventually give us more planting space.  I’ve made a start on a few seedlings, the leeks are doing brilliantly and after some research (via twitter friends) i know what to do next with them.

4wk old leek seedlings

I’m keeping my fingers crossed but the forecast for the weekend is good and i’m hoping we’ll be able to spend sometime on the veggie plot   My sister and her family are coming to spend some time planting some seeds for their newly acquired allotment.  (just so jealous   )

 

To try and heed off the mega mood crash i plan to keep busy…. gardening… sowing more seeds … dog walking ( Tinks been in season so we’ve been housebound but that’s over by the  weekend) …. take some photos of everything we do in the garden and catch up on my group prompts…. lol might even fit in some house work

 

 

A big weekend has passed …

It all started on friday when i turned the very young age of 47, an age when i think i need to start living and ”just do it”.  I’m never normally bothered by another birthday but this one has got to me a bit.

The actual day was brilliant i was totally spoilt by my hubbs who just kept making me smile all day.

my cards   

 

my celebrations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then on saturday my eldest got to meet his 2 half sisters and their children after weeks of reconnecting with his dad.  My youngest was a little more nervous after not spending any time with his dad for nearly 5yrs eventually plucked up the courage to spend the last hour of their visit with them and i’ve heard he smiled 

I’ve spent quite a few hours sat on my own, the ‘girls’  (my dogs)  have been waking early for a visit to the garden, so whilst sat in the quiet i’ve had time to think …. very dangerous on occasions

Its time i sorted me and mine out we’ve plodded along for so long and its time to get out of the rut and start living.  Theres so much i want to do that i’d like to achieve but i’d also like to encourage each member of my little family to start achieving too.

my tomatoe seedlings  

So with the new growing season about to start i think its time we all grew and started living

 

 

Well i’ve done it … i’ve sowed some seeds ….

I know ….. it’s probably much too early but i really want to get ahead this year with my garden as last year was such a flop.

So 8 days ago i took a chance and sowed just a handful of each,  leeks, tomatoes, chillies, peppers and marigolds, using propagators that i sat on my kitchen window sill (which is south-facing) and look …

marigolds & leeks

chillis/peppers & tomatoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As yet nothing appearing of the chillies or peppers but not giving up on them just yet, the others are doing ok   so that’s it i’ve made a start

As for the garden we (hubbs and me) have great plans for a total revamp that will give me two more vegetable beds so i can either grow more of what we like or try something  new.

Although this year i’ve already started something new in that i planted garlic in a huge tub last october and leeks are a first too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feeling so much better in more ways than one …

Back at the beginning of January i had all these plans to change my diet, exercise more, generally get out of the rut i felt i was in but then just before christmas it appeared i’d trapped a nerve in my neck.  The pain at first was unbearable, it has made me so much more understanding of those who have this sort of pain long-term.  This is the 7th week now and with regular physio and medication things seem to start feeling a little better.

I’m now on day 3 of my diet, well i’m not following a diet as such just not eating what i know is bad.  After so many years of trying  different diets i’ve learnt what works and what doesn’t   On day 1 i weighed myself to give me a start weight and plan to weigh in on friday’s in the hope by loosing something it will keep me motivated through the weekend.

As well as watching what i’m eating i’ve dug out my wii fit and done 30 minutes exercise on there each day, not much i know but i’m trying to be more active generally,  been ages since i’ve had the motivation to give the house such a good clean and i’m gagging to get out into the garden ( seperate blog for garden).  I try to walk most places i go such as hospital for physio and popping to town both are only 30min journeys.  As for dog walking the weather is still so wet i’ve only managed to get out with the ‘girls’ every few days and then when we get back they all need baths as they’ve not yet learnt to stay on the paths and out of the muddy puddles.

My mood has lifted too, i’m feeling a lot more positive about everything and looking forward to a great 2013 even if it started a little later than i’d planned.

Trio of trouble xxx