The Sun Has Got His Hat On!

Yes Mr. Sunshine has certainly had his hat on for the past week, it has been beautiful weather, I really hope it's like it this summer.

Well I still haven't heard anything about my car, other than my Dad receiving a quote from one of the garages I took it to! Over £550 so I think I'll probably get a new car if the council decide not to pay.

Matt has taken me to Ryde House to fill out a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) form, just waiting on that to come back then I can start. I'm still so excited, but feeling a little pessimistic at the same time. I keep dreaming that something happens that means I'm not allowed to work for them!

The place I went to this time was in a different part of Ryde & it was beautiful, if I hadn't of had directions I wouldn't have known it was there, it was off the main road & surrounded by trees, they had their own garden centre/nursery there & it was just so peaceful & relaxing.

Matt & I have been on a couple of walks. On Sunday, 15th March, we walked with Matt's friend Cristian (usually known by his last name Warren) & his fiancee Gina. We walked through Sandown golf course & up the cycle track to Newchurch. We did take a detour off the cycle track at one point, having been told it would be quicker, it took us right up a hill & through a farm, well the hill almost killed me yet everyone else was fine, so I think I definitely need to get some more exercise before Florida.

We ended up in a pub in Newchurch called the Pointers, it was lovely one of those pubs where every one feels at home, one bloke had even left his money & phone on the bar whilst he went outside! We had a couple of drinks each, outside as we were rather hot. Then walked back. Matt showed Warren & Gina the Michael McIntyre skip, he did it during one of his stand ups & said that skipping though generally frowned upon unless your a 5 year old girl, was actually an easy way of getting about quickly so long as you swung your arms together. It was certainly a sight to see the 3 of them skipping down the cycle track.Lol!

Matt & I also walked from home to Arreton on Saturday, where Mum & Dad picked us up, as there was no way we could have walked back home & got there in time to go to the Ponda Rosa.

On Sunday Matt & I were going to try & walk from Home in Sandown to Newport, but as there was a bit of wind we called in at Yaverland first (with the intention of going on a walk in bit) & ended up spending the day down there.

Warren & Matt have made a landboard. Basically a mountain board with a windsurf sail attached. Some of the islanders really make my blood boil, they complain that the kids run around causing chaos, but anything that they love doing they put a stop to, the most recent one is the youth clubs, some of the islanders are trying to close all the youth clubs on the island. Well how can they then complain that the kids are always running around making trouble! But it isn't just the kids some rather large. old lady shouted out of her car as her husband drove past (she didn't even have the nerve to come say it to our faces) that this was a car park not a sailing ground!

Matt on the landboard

Warren on the landboard

After a bit another of Matt's friends, Kim/Kym (not sure on the spelling) turned up with his homemade landboard. And we went down the revetment to Dinosaur Isle & then back again.

Matt, Kym/ Kim & Warren landboarding along the revetment

Hmm What Can I Say Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!

Yesterday a man came from the council's insurers to inspect my car, so hopefully we will hear from them soon. Might just be me being pessimistic but I don't think he believed me over what had happened to the car, still I will keep my fingers crossed.

Mum & I nipped up to Morrison's today, for part of my birthday present Nana & GrandJack had given me a £20 Morrison's saver stamp book, so I've treated myself to a itunes gift card. Mum needed some bits so we thought we'd get it from there just in-case they said anything about buying a gift voucher with a gift voucher.

At 2 o'clock Matt picked me up to take me to Ryde for my interview at Ryde House. It's a privately owned company that provides accommodation & care for people with learning difficulties. I think the last time I was that nervous was when I took my 2nd driving test! Luckily Colin interviewed me as well as the main manager, so with him there I felt a lot calmer, even though at one point I had to sit on my hands to stop them from shaking!

Well they seemed really impressed with me, luckily everything I'd put on my application form seemed to help, like having my own department at Woolies, my interests and hobbies etc.

They told me they would let me know either way on Monday & if I was offered the job would have to have a police check done, which could take anything from2-4 weeks.

On my way to the interview

After the longest interview I've ever had (an hour!) Matt dropped me off at home, whilst he went back to his to carry on with the work in the garden, he's finished painting the fence now & has started on relaying the patio.

Around 5.30 whilst sat talking to Lisa over the internet I had a phone call, it was from Ryde House... I GOT THE JOB. OMG I was so excited as I was still on the phone I was typing to Lisa & Liam & as soon as I put the phone down I ran outside to tell Dad ( he had just pulled up in the car), then on the phone to everyone else I could think of. Including Sharon, who was really pleased for me & promised to write a glowing reference.

So now I just have to wait for my references to go through & this police check, then I'll be working again. Yay. Now to book the holiday to America.

So thank you Kerri & Colin xxx

TTFN x

Everything Happens For A Reason!?!

Hmm what have I been up to recently well been to the job centre yet again. Almost (as Debbie says) "lamped" the women serving me when she told me yet again to visit the useless crown website (that directs you to places like the job centre website- genius) & that I had go round all hotels & businesses begging for a job... What the hell do they think we're doing? OK I'm not visiting people in their places of work, but I am sending out numerous CV's! There's just no jobs around at the moment.

Lisa & Liam have come down to celebrate Lisa's birthday, bringing with them 3 of Lisa's flatmates, Abbie, Katie & Emily. On Friday, 27th February, Mum & I nipped to Tescos's & bought the biggest chicken going (actually I thin it was a turkey pretending to be a chicken).

Then whilst Mum as at work I made a rather huge Keylime pie, using the new cook book that I've typed up, made sure everywhere was tidy & with Elena's help pumped up a couple of airbeds for the girls to sleep on.

Lisa & the gang arrived about 7.30 & after a tea of Shepperd's pie & Keylime pie Mum dropped us off at Bogeys.

Abbie, me, Liam, Emily, Elena, Katie, Lisa & Sam

We had a great night & on the way home Abbie & Katie decided to go for a paddle in the sea! It's far too cold for me in the summer when I will only venture in if accompanied by my winter wetsuit & wetsuit boots! Matt picked me up as I was staying at his.

Spent all of Saturday in bed, every time I go out I say to myself this time I won't mix. But I always manage it & regret it the next day. Thought the last time I went out I'd mixed cider & amaretto, this time thought I'd better not mix the 2 so I had cider, sambuca, tequila, sours & champagne...oops. Unfortunately it meant missing Shaun's 21st, but there was no way I could have drunk again that night.

Sunday, whilst Matt was out boarding with Christian, Elena & I went down Sandown with Lisa & co. First we visited the Rock shop, so the girls could buy some,yes you guessed it, sticks of rock, then down to the pier.

We all had a game of crazy golf, which was a laugh. Lisa's first shot bounced out of the 1st hole we were playing on & then landed on the 2nd. Abbie hit the ball so hard on one hole it ended up in a little well of water, where Lisa fished it out for her. Then on the last hole (where when I took Elena & Jake in the summer, Jake managed to hit some woman down the other end off the hole) Lisa hit her ball so hard it ended up on hole 1! Steve walked round & got the ball for her, she took another shot & it rolled all the way down to the beginning of the hole, so Abbie hit it up to us, managed to get it through a rather small hole in the wall & the ball ended up on hole 2!

Elena, Emily, me, Abbie & Katie playing golf on the pier

Dad cooked a huge roast dinner for all of us & we managed to sit 12 people around the dinning room table, it was like trying to eat your dinner on an aeroplane! There was Mum, Dad, Lisa, Liam, Elena, Sam, Steve, Abbie, Katie, Emily, Matt & me! I hope Lisa liked all her presents, I got her a hand blender & in a lovely folder had given her a copy of the Hopwood's cook book. Lisa, Liam & everyone left around 8.30 so they could go back to uni.

Have been watching Gavin & Stacey , it was 1 of the DVD's I got free from the Entertainment roadshow I went on for Woolies, I've never watched it because looking at the front cover I thought it looked rather chavy. Proving you should never judge a book, or in this case DVD, by it's cover! It's brilliant I can't believe I was considering getting rid of it!

Have done a car boot sale with some of my stuff & the stuff Mum & dad have cleared out of different places. Managed to get just under £40 & have also sold their old cooker for £65. Mum & Dad have very kindly let me keep all the money & want it to go towards fixing my car. So just got to wait to hear from the council. If the council do cough up then we're going to put it towards a big birthday meal when Lisa & Liam next come down. We're going to go to the Ponda Rosa in Ryde to celebrate Mum's birthday, Mother's Day, Sam's 21st & my birthday.

For my birthday Matt took me bowling on the Wednesday & then out for a meal at the Dairyman's Daughter. It's a really lovely pub in Arreton & is usually really busy but tonight, even thought the car park was quite full, Matt & I were the only people in there! He also bought me series 2 of Gavin & Stacey.

Mum & Dad bought me a digital camera, so now I can take decent photo's. Lisa & Liam bought me a memory card for my camera, a couple of necklace, some earrings & a pink travel adaptor. Elena got me a pink heat protective mat for my hair straighteners & a cross stitch & I got money & Morrisons stamps from Nana & GrandJack, Nana- Jean, Teresa & co, Auntie Claire & Wendy.

Wendy bought Matt & me a curry from Taj Tandoori to celebrate my birthday. So I'm managing to make the celebrations last quite a while as the meal out to Ponda Rosa is 2 weeks after my birthday! Lisa would be proud.

Went to Newport Friday with Mum & bought myself a new hoodie, highlighter blue this time, & a white top similar to the top I wore to Bogeys. We met up with Dad for dinner & on the way back to the car picked up a brochure for Disney World Florida, ad Mum & Dad want to take Elena there. And if I get a job & can save enough money then hopefully I'll go to.

Saturday night Matt dropped me off in Newport as it was Sam's birthday, we went to school together & she worked at Woolworths but left quite a while before it shut. I didn't stay long as Newport's not really that nice a place to go drinking in. Cat was there as well so it was really nice to see her.

Sunday Matt dropped me off at the King's to meet up with every one from Woolies. We had decided last time that we'd all get together to celebrate all the birthdays in February & March. This time Cat, Shaun Debbie & myself turned up, I'm beginning o wonder what the point is as no-one can ever be bothered to turn up or to tell us they aren't coming.

Matt picked me gone 6 & we went back to his to watch Heston Blumenthals Victorian Feast, it was brilliant, he even manged to make a drink that was all pink but tasted of toffee, hot buttered toast, turkey, custard & cherry tart!

Kerri's husband Colin phoned me this morning to say I have an interview on Thursday at Ryde House, where he works & He is the one who has tried to get me a job. So keep your fingers, toes eyes & anything else possible crossed for me.

Well i think I should really get up & dressed now as it's gone midday. TTFN. x

It's Official!

Matt's boat is now over at Cowes, after a very long, slow journey there. We kept pulling over to allow cars to go past & at one point I even spotted Cat's car, so text her apologising which she found highly amusing. It took us all day as first we took the boat, then popped into Yaverland to pick up Matt's catamaran trailer so we could take the mast separately. But it's there now so all is good.

Had an email from Sharon last night asking me to see if I could get hold of as many people from work as possible to get their details for our claim against Deloitte, it's amazing how fast people email back when it's regarding them receiving money! Oh well, we've managed to get everyone so Kerry's going to help Sharon fill out the form's & get them sent off.

Southampton today. The Red Jet terminal was so busy the queue was out of the door & on to the street! We found out when we got on the boat that all the very thick fog had delayed everything.

I managed to get some new pyjama bottoms from Primark & get a few birthday presents sorted out. It was a really lovely day out with Mum, Elena & Kerry but I was definitely glad to get back, feeling rather tired now.

Matt picked me up from home & we spent a few hours together, I must have been such great company as at one point I did nod off! Just before he dropped me back off we went down Shanklin seafront for a quick drive, it was lovely watching the waves come in.

Thought I'd quickly check my emails before going to bed & found one from Shaun. It's official Sandown Woolworths is becoming a Sainsbury's local, http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shoppingandservices/storelocator/store.htm?id=4933, think I'll be sending my C.V. off to them tomorrow along with getting a quote for the damage on my car (to complete the council claim form).

Off to bed now for some much needed sleep. TTFN

Boat, Car & Pink Dumplings

Matt came round Wednesday morning & phoned the council for me so now I have a claim information pack on it's way.

We then went up to his to get the boat out of the garage (a lot of hard work as it fitted rather snugly in there, and was rather heavy) & gave it a good clean ready for the man from Cowes Boat-shed to come & take a few photo's for hiss website.

Matt dropped me off before the man turned up so i could get a much needed shower. I gave the under stairs cupboard it's first coat of paint before Matt picked me up again. We popped into Newport again to get the cheapest car seat covers possible form Argos, as the seats in the new car aren't that nice, but we've had worse.

Matt then dropped me back at Mum & Dad's for some tea, cauliflower & broccoli mornet, I love it it's so tasty. Lisa sent me a picture of what she had cooked for her tea steak & ale pie with pink dumplings! So after tea Mum called her up & we all had a good chat with her, I can't wait for them to come down for her birthday, I really miss her & Liam so it'll be great to see them again.

Spent a few hours with Matt after tea.

Absolutely Fabulous Darling

Mum, Elena & I went into Newport yesterday to get them some bits for their upcoming holiday. Mum managed to find a few bits for herself, which is good as she usually struggles. And she looked absolutely fabulous (hmm really want to say darling here, lol) in everything she got, not to sure if she believed us at the time though.

The problem when shopping for clothes (and shoes) is you have not only find something that looks great on but it has to feel good as well, not only in texture it has to make you feel good. I'm exactly the same. And I love really soft materials, but I think that may have something to do with when I was younger & loved to pull a lovely sot hankie through the gaps in my fingers & toes! Well when I say younger, nothings changed as I still love it now.

Mum treated us to a McDonald's, hmmm chicken nuggets yum. I felt rather run down though, I don't know why as I hadn't really done anything.

Mum dropped me off at Matt's on the way back. We went back into Newport to buy a car, so we can tow Matt's boat over to Cowes where it's going to be sold, & just something for us to get around whilst mine is being fixed. It'll be great once the boat is sold as the money is going towards somewhere for us to live. So keep your fingers crossed for us.

Got back just into for the final installment of ITV's Whitechapel with Rupert Penry- Jones, based on the notorious Jack the Ripper. It was rather squeamish in places, but then I'm a rather squeamish person, but very good.

Matt popped round to see his friend Christian and got asked to be his best man. Christian (more popularly know as Warren, his surname) was the lad who tried to sail to France about 4 years ago know, just before I met Matt, on Matt's catamaran.

We went on another random drive ( I know you would have thought we would have learnt our lesson about random drives) it was about 11.30 and we were just coming up to Arreton, when I spotted James another of Matt's friends walking on the side of the road. It's quite a long stretch of this road has no foot path! So we turned round & offered him a lift, he was rather pleased as he had been quite worried about getting run over but had just finished work at the Dairyman's Daughter, a lovely pub further up the road.

He was really nice, I'd only met him briefly a couple of times before. Unfortunately he'd lost his bike licence due to speeding a year or 2 ago & couldn't afford to re-sit it at the moment as now you have to take bike tests on the mainland as no-one does them on the island anymore! The advanced driving instructors are also warning the council at the moment that if all of the island becomes a 40 mph or less zone then no-one will be able to sit their driving exams on the island as it would be too dangerous for them, due to faster speeds on the mainland & people not being used to it!

Matt dropped me back off at Mum & Dad's after we had dropped James off so we could both get some much needed sleep.

A Little Bit Of This & That

OK so yet again it's been quite a while since I last blogged, well almost a week, sorry. So a quick catch up...

Tuesday, 10th February 2009

Matt & I went for a drive over to Yarmouth, popping into Sainsburys on the way. We bought some more Walkers crisps. Builders Breakfast, they were ok but got a bit too eggy towards the end, & Fish & Chips, absolutely disgusting they tasted as if they had dipped the potatoes in week old used chip shop oil...yuck! We also bought some olives... my favourite yum.

We parked in Fort Victoria, it was really nice down there, unfortunately it wasn't until we got there that I realised I'd forgot my phone, so no camera!

Wednesday, 11th February 2009

Off to the job centre again today, woop woop. OMG I really hate it their, some of the staff make you feel so rubbish, it always feels like they think they're better than you, I know some of the other girls feel the same way.

Kerry, the manager of Cowes, is always leaving just as I go in, this week we had about 30 seconds to have a quick chat before I got called up. She told me to go down the Kings tomorrow as she was meeting up with Sharon to tell her about a claim we can make against Deloitte.

I had another form to fill out, this time to claim my notice pay, so the women I saw this week helped me fill it out. I also found out that for the first 6 months of unemployment you go on to contribution based pay, this means you don't get any help towards your options fees. So had to cancel my appointment on Friday as £30 is a bit expensive when you have limited funds. I just hope the dentist will be free or even a bit cheaper.

On the way home I drove via Culver/ Yaverland. All the marshes had flooded.

Matt & I also had a drive to a few different places to have a look at a couple of cars as I am currently deciding whether I should get a new car or spend a bit of money fixing the Corolla. Still haven't made my mind up yet though.

Flooded marsh fields near Yaverland

Flooded fields near Brading

View of flooding from the down's

View of flooding from the down's

Thursday, 12th February 2009

My interview at Lower Hyde today. I didn't really feel that nervous, I thought I would, I've never really had a proper interview. At the Trouville hotel Pete, the restaurant manager, told me what the job would entail and asked when could I start. The Fairway I had been doing a bit of work in the reception when I approached Wayne, the manager of the club house, and asked if he had any work going, I started that night. And I had handed my C.V. into Woolworths after a couple of seasons had passed at the Fairway, Wayne had left (it wasn't the same working there after he and Adele had gone) and the season had ended. Tracy, the manager at the time, phoned me one day asking if I could pop in as a girl was supposed to be transferring from the mainland and never turned up! I started the next morning!

The man I saw, Sven, seemed really nice. He was the head of the bar. He showed me around the bar and entertainment area and also showed me the little children's shop. Other than just refreshing on my previous jobs, a quick chat about Woolworths and a general overview about the job and Park Resorts the only question he asked me was "What could I bring to the company?", so I'm not feeling to positive about getting the job.

At 12 o'clock Matt dropped me off at the Kings. Kerry told Sharon, Bren & me that we can claim up to 8 weeks pay from Deloittes, the reason being something to do with a consultation period they legally had to give all the staff. I'm not 100% sure what it means but because Woolworths employed over 100 people they had to give 90 days consultation period before making the first person unemployed, which they didn't. So hopefully we should be able to get some more money.

Friday, 13th February 2009

Matt & I went to Marks & Spencer's today to get their Valentine meal deal. The deal consisted of a starter, main, side dish, dessert, bottle of wine & a single rose all for £20. So we had a lovely pate for our starter. Steak & chunky chips for the main & side dish. Melt in the middle chocolate pudding. A bottle of rose. A bubblegum pink rose.

Matt then treated me to a small bag of Thornton's cappuccino chocolates, yum. And the last of the Spiderwick Chronicles books from Waterstones. Where we bumped into Mum who was trying to buy all the birthday presents for the copious amounts of birthdays in February & March.

We had our meal tonight as an early Valentine's celebration, it was all really lovely except the wine. It doesn't really help as I'm more of a cider girl.

Our Marks & Spencer's Valentine meal deal

Saturday, 14th February 2009

Didn't really do that much today as I woke up with an awful headache, not due to the wine as I only had a mouthful. I slept at Matt's last night and didn't sleep to well. He has a water bed, which is ok, but we haven't slept on it for a while so I every time I turned over I woke up.

Went home & had a quick shower then went to Morrisons with Mum & Elena to get a few bits. Then after having a bit of lunch I went back up & spent a few hours with Matt

Sunday, 15th February 2009

Well talk about kicking you when your down, who ever it is doing the kicking I want to find them & give them a taste of their own medicine! So if any ones got some steel toe caped boots I could borrow I'd be very grateful, lol.

What am I talking about I hear you say... well Matt & I went for another random drive again today. Going to Ventnor first of all. It was really busy with hardly any parking space! Then over towards Compton along the Military Road.

Whilst just coming out of a corner (doing 45 mph) I spotted a pot hole in the road, tried to swerve to miss it but no luck. No sooner as we had gone through it the car started vibrating and making a really awful noise! So hazard lights on I had to pull over straight away .

Running back to take a picture of the pot hole for evidence I found a couple of rusty cogs, not knowing if they belonged to my car or not I picked them up & took them back with me, just in case.

The pot hole

And again

Matt drove back it was so loud we could hardly hear each other talk, & you could barley see out of the rear view mirror as it was vibrating so much! It was really embarrassing going through place like Godshill, which is only a 20 mph, as it sounded as if we going a lot faster & all the old folks where staring at us looking rather annoyed.

Got back just in time to make it to the Kings for 4 o'clock. Where I met up with Sharon, Cat & Shaun. We talked about the claim & Cat's sister-in-law is an employment lawyer has said we've got a very good chance of getting it! We had a few drinks & have decided to go back down there on the 8th March to celebrate every ones birthdays that fall in February & March. Bren, Cat, Shaun & mine!

Matt & I spent a few hours at his before Mum very kindly came & picked me up.

Now off for some sleep. Bye.x