The trials and tribulations with my employer continue, but with movement at last both on the grievance and the collective consultation.
Firstly a timeline was published for the collective consultation, expressions of interest for the available posts (none of which I am qualified/suitable for) and voluntary redundancy to be received by this Thursday despite this news only being delivered late last Friday afternoon. So they can take the majority of the 90 days to leave us hanging with no answers or decisions made, but when its time for us to make a decision we don't even get a week!
The union are now putting our case forward in the weekly meetings too, although we are a very small percentage of a much larger group that are in consultation so I still feel our views and concerns are marginalised.
In the meantime I had my appeal meeting on Monday evening and the member of senior management seemed very understanding to the point of being lovely (a deception I am sure) and she supplied yet more evidence that I was forced/bullied into taking a cut in hours (evidence collected during the grievance investigation so how on earth was the outcome not in my favour?)
The meeting concluded with the reassurance that I would receive a speedy outcome with the impending decision date for voluntary redundancy in mind. Not that speedy it would seem though as I was informed yesterday that they need more time, but they are consequently allowing me more time (until 6th June) to make my decision (how nice of them!) Although there is little to distinguish voluntary from compulsory other than if I request voluntary the college look better than if they made me compulsory redundant (why should I do them a favour!) and that with voluntary I don't have to work 4 months notice, but with compulsory I might have to work some notice. What I would be doing during this notice period I really can't imagine, as the department will be closed before the notice begins.
So movement there has definitely been, conclusions though? No.
The HR team are becoming very familiar with me though and are still able to maintain a friendly demeanour in my prescence. They have managed to instill a little hope in me that justice will be done and even my more cynical colleagues are hopeful that perhaps they were just trying their luck before, hoping I'd be put off by the farce that their grievance procedure appeared to be. Surely they would not want the case to go to tribunal with all the evidence I have and the additional evidence they have produced to support my case?
I am holding on to that little glimmer of hope while trying not to get my hopes up too high.
News outside of that is a little sparce I'm afraid. The exam marking period is in full swing and will be for the next four weeks so social life is on hold. I was working at lightening pace to start with, but now the boredom has set in its more like snails pace. The glorious weather we have had hasn't really helped. I'd much rather be sun worshipping than sat inside glued to the shiney new laptop (even if it is very efficient and a lovely shiney red) Its okay though its meant to rain this week (sorry, I know I'm the only one thinking of that as a positive)
I'm already considering my options of what to spend the extra money on........holiday is a definite although I still have money from the January marking to contrbute to that. I really want to go to London to the theatre (something I have never done)
Train to London on 1st August £11.25 from Doncaster straight to Kings Cross and £12 return the following day was very tempting, almost booked it there and then. The theatre tickets and necessary hotel are another matter, tickets are a minimum of £53 even for a Weekday and hotel in central London? I haven't looked yet, I daren't! Its on my wish list though, so surely I should do it? I think I've got so used to budgeting that splashing out has become difficult.
While writing to you I have talked myself into it, a trip to London is booked! Train tickets £38.90 for two adults from Doncaster to Kings Cross return with East Coast Trains. It brings the fare down if you book two singles and go direct to East Coast trains website, its an extra couple of quid through national rail website.
I paid the extra £1 to get the tickets posted out to me, I need something physical to reassure me I have actually got somethingin return for my pennies.
The hotel is also booked. Travelodge on High Holborn, near the theatre and close to all central attractions, £49.50.
Yes these prices are because we go on a Monday and come back on a Tuesday, but its summer hols so we can :-)
The theatre I haven't booked yet. There is method to my madness though, the prices seem to get cheaper the closer to the date we get (the opposite to trains and hotels) so I'm going to wait it out in the hope that the prices come down, if they don't I haven't lost anything I'll ust pay the full price and worst case scenario if its sells out on a Monday night (possible because its school hols?) then we have two days in London to do whatever we fancy. I have to admit I haven't done the tourist thing in London, the only reason I've been there is for exam training days and passing through to the Eurostar, hubby spent a bit of time in the city as a teenager though so I can rely on him to be my guide and drag me on and off the underground, which is the scariest part for me, I have always stubbornly walked from station to exams head office.
The only other thing to worry about is parking the car in Doncaster weighing up whether to leave it at the house I rent out (no off road parking there) or pay for parking at the station (have the feeling that might blow the budget. I also need to persuade a friend to look after the puppy, I have one in mind who is particularly good at it, but he's rubbish with dates so there's no point mentioning plans for August now.
In the meantime I am very excited about our theatre trip in Leeds next week to see Dirty Dancing (did I mention that before) I've converted my £10 worth of Tesco vouchers into £40 of Browns restaurant vouchers so we can eat for free while we are there, the only downside is we can't use the vouchers for drinks and I do so love a cocktail or two! Still having some Tesco vouchers left I plan to convert them into restaurant vouchers to use on our London trip so we can have extra money to go visit the usual attractions.
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
What I wished for.......
I bought a laptop! Its red and shiny, has face recognition 3 times more memory than my old one and a super fast processor and lots more technical stuff that means nothing to me. I did my research of course and think I got a good deal (just under £400) The decision was made when I realised that trying to complete the summer exam marking on a laptop that regularly crashes, does not have a working select button, has a broken hinge and several buttons missing would not only be infuriating, but also very embarassing when I lugged it into work. Don't ever let it be said that I am frivolous however, I make sure I wring the life out of my possessions before making a new purchase. The fifteen year old items of clothing in my wardrobe are just testament to that, although they are now iterspersed with new clothes that haven't been worn yet (a result of the poor weather)
So the money I put to one side from my January exam marking has now been spent, the puppy having tried his best to use it all first, I did still manage keep some.
Did buying the laptop make me happy though? Not so much. The buying experience was not without its issues and I can safely say that British sales assistants have no customer service skills, where as the two non-British sales assistants that eventually helped me buy something were excellent even though English was there second language. I'm not sure if it was the sales process that dulled my excitement or just that material possessions don't mean so much anymore, but it didn't make me happy. Yes I was excited to get it home, set up and play, but having done that for a couple of hours, the novelty wore off quite quickly. I am pleased however that it should make the upcoming exam marking a little more efficient.
So what did I wish for when I started this journey? To be honest I had to remind myself! Well here's the list:
1. To travel - trip to France and plans for a late deal holiday in July tick that box.
2. To visit nice restaurants - Retaileyes are making this very achievable at the moment.
3. To beable to cover unexpected bills without stressing - I have a back up fund which has so far paid for the new laptop and the car insurance which was going to cost an extra £100 to pay monthly so not quite unexpected bills, but it was nice to have the money there ready and waiting.
4. To be able to treat myself now and again (posh food, nice flowers, clothes and shoes) - A purchase that has made me happy is a couple of bunches of roses (silly I know) they cost £2.50 from the local market (much cheaper and prettier than Tesco's offerings) and are yellow, orange and red, nice and bright and cheery and orange roses always remind me of my nan and more recently my wedding having had orange roses in the bouquet as a tribute to my nan. I excitedly brought the two little bunches home and arranged/stuck them in a vase and now everytime I see them it cheers me up. Proof I think that my desire for the goodlife does not hinge on the desire for money and expensive things.
5. Not to work my contracted 37 hours a week and bring home the same amount of work to do or worry about in my own time. - I still bring a little bit of work home especially at this time of year when mock exams are essential, but it is not keeping me awake at night and certainly doesn't come close to 37 hours a week.
6. To take long walks with the puppy - every day he either gets a long walk of a game of frisbee (if the weather isn't so good) and sometimes both.
7. To take time to look around and take a breath (corny I know) - I have found myself doing this more and more even on the rainy days under the safety of my umbrella and things don't look so bad despite all the doom and gloom reported on the news.
8. Not to be stressed and miserable - I'm not stressed and I don't think I'm miserable, having seen an old friend yesterday for the first time in months he said I seem really happy and I know its not an act and my friend having known me for a long time now can read me fairly well. I don't feel the need to put on a brave face or make things out to be better than they are. Life might not be how I expected in terms of my career, but its turning out pretty well and I'm realising there are more important things in life.
I have had quiet a lucky couple of weeks, besides my two pruchases I have eaten out several times, mainly thanks to retaileyes, which ranged from local pub to more Frankie and Benny's visits.
We also had a free spa day on the bank holiday which was excellent although on enquiring about membership fees we found that the joining fee alone was £200 for a couple! I think I'll stick to the freebies :-)
I've also continued the clothes shopping and bought a couple more items, but its got to stop, despite relegating some items to the charity shop that are two sizes too big for me (I can't remember being that big, I've clearly wiped it from my memory) I still feel guilty for buying new things and I'm fretting over how much I've spent, wondering how I can possibly afford it on a part time wage, but I'm not using the overdraft or the credit card so what's there to feel bad about? Don't worry the bills are not going unpaid either.
Although all of the good has to be balanced with the fact that we live with two practical strangers (lodgers) who are nice and polite and considerate, but is it on any newly married couples wish list to share their home in this way? I can't complain though, even though I grumble a little when sometimes I would just like the house to myself, at the end of the day they are the ones helping to pay for this new life and so I will smile and be gracious (most of the time)
In other news I finally got a result from my grievance! Having just returned from a meeting at the citizen's advice bureau armed with key phrases to put in a snotty letter to HR requesting a speedy resolution, I drafted my letter, checked and double checked and logged into my work email to send a copy via email not only to HR, but also to the principal for added emphasis. I was thwarted however by an email at the top of the list from HR with the conclusion of the grievance investigation. Needless to say that after 7 weeks of investigating, they did not find the case in my favour, nor did they answer the points raised in the grievance. My appeal letter has already been delivered by hand to the HR department, not that I expect that to be a very fruitful endeavour and a week later I have not had a response.
My colleagues however have also been sticking up for themsleves and have arranged a collective consultation meeting for the department, which the principal has been invited to, in order to discuss the lack of communication and support that has been demonstrated so far (now being halfway through the 90 day period) The meeting went well (we congratulated ourselves as we returned to the office) we got some answers and promise of more next week, but the issue seems to be that legally HR have to consult with the collective representatives which in this case is UCU and Unison, and as only one of our department is a union memeber it means that our little group has not been represented at all. We're are on to it now though and our one union member has offered to put forward all our questions and concerns. The principal did not attend by the way, actually she read the emailed invitation and didn't bother to respond - how rude!
And so the situation so far:
Employment: Still part-time 0.33 of a fulltime contract (exam marking starts next week)
Lodgers: 2
Eating out: 6 times over the last couple of weeks thanks to retaileyes, a treat from hubby and a treat from a friend (I'm a very lucky girl at the moment)
Hubby: 1 (7months of married bliss minus one argument)
Dog: 1 (still in very good health and looking beautiful and shiny after a recent bath)
Stepson: 1 (coming to visit for a few days over half term)
No Spend Days: few and far between after all my treats, starting next week I plan to be well behaved though.
So the money I put to one side from my January exam marking has now been spent, the puppy having tried his best to use it all first, I did still manage keep some.
Did buying the laptop make me happy though? Not so much. The buying experience was not without its issues and I can safely say that British sales assistants have no customer service skills, where as the two non-British sales assistants that eventually helped me buy something were excellent even though English was there second language. I'm not sure if it was the sales process that dulled my excitement or just that material possessions don't mean so much anymore, but it didn't make me happy. Yes I was excited to get it home, set up and play, but having done that for a couple of hours, the novelty wore off quite quickly. I am pleased however that it should make the upcoming exam marking a little more efficient.
So what did I wish for when I started this journey? To be honest I had to remind myself! Well here's the list:
1. To travel - trip to France and plans for a late deal holiday in July tick that box.
2. To visit nice restaurants - Retaileyes are making this very achievable at the moment.
3. To beable to cover unexpected bills without stressing - I have a back up fund which has so far paid for the new laptop and the car insurance which was going to cost an extra £100 to pay monthly so not quite unexpected bills, but it was nice to have the money there ready and waiting.
4. To be able to treat myself now and again (posh food, nice flowers, clothes and shoes) - A purchase that has made me happy is a couple of bunches of roses (silly I know) they cost £2.50 from the local market (much cheaper and prettier than Tesco's offerings) and are yellow, orange and red, nice and bright and cheery and orange roses always remind me of my nan and more recently my wedding having had orange roses in the bouquet as a tribute to my nan. I excitedly brought the two little bunches home and arranged/stuck them in a vase and now everytime I see them it cheers me up. Proof I think that my desire for the goodlife does not hinge on the desire for money and expensive things.
5. Not to work my contracted 37 hours a week and bring home the same amount of work to do or worry about in my own time. - I still bring a little bit of work home especially at this time of year when mock exams are essential, but it is not keeping me awake at night and certainly doesn't come close to 37 hours a week.
6. To take long walks with the puppy - every day he either gets a long walk of a game of frisbee (if the weather isn't so good) and sometimes both.
7. To take time to look around and take a breath (corny I know) - I have found myself doing this more and more even on the rainy days under the safety of my umbrella and things don't look so bad despite all the doom and gloom reported on the news.
8. Not to be stressed and miserable - I'm not stressed and I don't think I'm miserable, having seen an old friend yesterday for the first time in months he said I seem really happy and I know its not an act and my friend having known me for a long time now can read me fairly well. I don't feel the need to put on a brave face or make things out to be better than they are. Life might not be how I expected in terms of my career, but its turning out pretty well and I'm realising there are more important things in life.
I have had quiet a lucky couple of weeks, besides my two pruchases I have eaten out several times, mainly thanks to retaileyes, which ranged from local pub to more Frankie and Benny's visits.
We also had a free spa day on the bank holiday which was excellent although on enquiring about membership fees we found that the joining fee alone was £200 for a couple! I think I'll stick to the freebies :-)
I've also continued the clothes shopping and bought a couple more items, but its got to stop, despite relegating some items to the charity shop that are two sizes too big for me (I can't remember being that big, I've clearly wiped it from my memory) I still feel guilty for buying new things and I'm fretting over how much I've spent, wondering how I can possibly afford it on a part time wage, but I'm not using the overdraft or the credit card so what's there to feel bad about? Don't worry the bills are not going unpaid either.
Although all of the good has to be balanced with the fact that we live with two practical strangers (lodgers) who are nice and polite and considerate, but is it on any newly married couples wish list to share their home in this way? I can't complain though, even though I grumble a little when sometimes I would just like the house to myself, at the end of the day they are the ones helping to pay for this new life and so I will smile and be gracious (most of the time)
In other news I finally got a result from my grievance! Having just returned from a meeting at the citizen's advice bureau armed with key phrases to put in a snotty letter to HR requesting a speedy resolution, I drafted my letter, checked and double checked and logged into my work email to send a copy via email not only to HR, but also to the principal for added emphasis. I was thwarted however by an email at the top of the list from HR with the conclusion of the grievance investigation. Needless to say that after 7 weeks of investigating, they did not find the case in my favour, nor did they answer the points raised in the grievance. My appeal letter has already been delivered by hand to the HR department, not that I expect that to be a very fruitful endeavour and a week later I have not had a response.
My colleagues however have also been sticking up for themsleves and have arranged a collective consultation meeting for the department, which the principal has been invited to, in order to discuss the lack of communication and support that has been demonstrated so far (now being halfway through the 90 day period) The meeting went well (we congratulated ourselves as we returned to the office) we got some answers and promise of more next week, but the issue seems to be that legally HR have to consult with the collective representatives which in this case is UCU and Unison, and as only one of our department is a union memeber it means that our little group has not been represented at all. We're are on to it now though and our one union member has offered to put forward all our questions and concerns. The principal did not attend by the way, actually she read the emailed invitation and didn't bother to respond - how rude!
And so the situation so far:
Employment: Still part-time 0.33 of a fulltime contract (exam marking starts next week)
Lodgers: 2
Eating out: 6 times over the last couple of weeks thanks to retaileyes, a treat from hubby and a treat from a friend (I'm a very lucky girl at the moment)
Hubby: 1 (7months of married bliss minus one argument)
Dog: 1 (still in very good health and looking beautiful and shiny after a recent bath)
Stepson: 1 (coming to visit for a few days over half term)
No Spend Days: few and far between after all my treats, starting next week I plan to be well behaved though.
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Guilt
Who says we have to work 5 days a week? Who says life can't be fulfilled by staying at home with the kids, being a housewife or working part time? Well me actually. I have always believed that if you don't work fulltime you are less of a person, I think the belief developed from being left on the 'girls' table at posh dinners in my late teens and finding myself surrounded by girls of the same age as me or a little older who had no ambition to have a career or those that did just assumed they could buy their way into it, non of them went to university or worked fulltime, I was doing both at the time and as a result could not find any common ground. I could not involve myself in their conversations because I only felt disgust and bitterness towards their view of life. I would sneak away and join the male element of the party all of whom had worked hard since they left school and some of whom had even gone to university (for a farming community university is not necessarily an expectation)
So it is my own fault that I feel guilty for not going to work every day, it is not because I can't afford to pay my mortgage and bills (even if the hubby leaves me I'd be ok financially) or go out for meals and buy new clothes. I can afford at least two holidays this year (not to the carribean obviously) I think I might have enough money saved to finally get the kitchen done up or at least french doors put in and the room properly insulated. I have bought new clothes and shoes having relegated several elements of my wardrobe to the wheelie bin or the loft (incase one day its back in fashion or fits) And nobody is pointing and laughing or sneering in disgust at my new lifestyle (not openly anyway)
I have maintained this preconception about women that do not work or have any real career ambition throughout my life and have bowed out of social events and conversations because I believe they will have nothing interesting to talk about (conversations solely about children do not interest me especially as they usually result in the question of when I will have one) and now I find that I am scared that I will have nothing to say anymore, no interesting view points or anecdotes other than to express my devotion to the puppy and relay stories of how cute he is when he rubs his face with his paws (it is an adorable sight!)
Will hubby and I have anything to discuss once he's told me how his day was and I've explained how dirty the floors were even though I only mopped them a couple of days ago and asked what we should have for tea?
So ultimately I feel guilty for not working full time, I feel even more guilty for going on a mini shopping spree earlier this week. Having picked up several items that looked lovely on the hanger, but couldn't possibly look that nice on me, I dragged hubby to the changing rooms so he could be judge. I tried on, I twirled in front of the mirror, I twirled in front of the hubby and I loved every item/oufit. Having chastised hubby for allowing me to buy them all we left the shop, happy but guilt seeping through and me justifying in various inventive ways why I should have bought 2 skirts, a dress and jacket (for £65!) when I might not have a job come September! Hubby reassured me that I deserved a treat and that the pain and suffering (I am still having physio) I have gone through as a result of some silly bint running into us before Christmas should be treated with just this kind of retail therapy. Obviously I decided on this occassion that hubby is right, but I haven't worn the outfits yet and may still return an item or two to ease my conscience. The payout for my injuries came through today however and made my bank account look healthy for the first time in months, but I'm being sensible, I paid off my credit card and put the majority safely in a savings account, I may need it come September so no more treats for now.
On the subject of work and September, I am no further along in the 90 day consultation period as HR have said that nothing can be done until me grievance is setttled. Conveniently for them they are still 'investigating' my complaint, it has been 6 weeks! So I can not apply for voluntary redundancy, I can not apply for the available posts that after 37 days of consultation they still have not identified and they cannot say whether ultimately I will have any future at the college.
Yesterday however I had a little epiphany, having accompanied a colleague to her grievance appeal hearing (we made quite a good team, we certainly fought her corner) I was determined to work out what my employer was gaining from postponing the inevitable, they are clearly going to find the 'investigation' in their favour not mine so why take so long about it? Having done a little research into time limits (we love google) I found that if I wanted to take my calim to a tribunal I had to do this within 3 months of the event I am complaining about happening, panic very quickly set in! I phoned ACAS, very useful people when it comes to employment law issues and free of charge and I am arranging another appointment with Citizen's Advice Bureau (again a free service) so they can take as long as they like concluding my grievanace I now know I can't afford to wait for them and will be putting a claim into the employment tribunal as soon as I can.
The whole episode has provoked my fighting spirit and for that reason my guilt has subsided or at least been masked by determination not to let my employer 'get one over me' As my colleague recently stated 'we are intelligent people, why do they treat us like idiots?' It true, surely they wouldn't have employed us in the first place if they didn't think we had at least a modicum of intelligence? They seem to hope that no one in the building has any employment law knowledge (they clearly do not share my fondness for google) but besides my limited and somewhat out of date knowledge from my business management degree, consequent managment experience and my expertise in google based research, they employ law lecturers! Surely they expect someone is going to question their methods eventually? Having said that the union reps who are allegedly employed and paid to do such questioning have done very little despite weekly meetings with the HR department. The phrases jumping through hoops and ticking boxes springs to mind although the rumour is they have employed the highest paid employment law specialists in the land to fight their corner. Money to blow on fancy lawyers, but not pay fair redundancy kind of sums up the ethical stance of the place.
So it is my own fault that I feel guilty for not going to work every day, it is not because I can't afford to pay my mortgage and bills (even if the hubby leaves me I'd be ok financially) or go out for meals and buy new clothes. I can afford at least two holidays this year (not to the carribean obviously) I think I might have enough money saved to finally get the kitchen done up or at least french doors put in and the room properly insulated. I have bought new clothes and shoes having relegated several elements of my wardrobe to the wheelie bin or the loft (incase one day its back in fashion or fits) And nobody is pointing and laughing or sneering in disgust at my new lifestyle (not openly anyway)
I have maintained this preconception about women that do not work or have any real career ambition throughout my life and have bowed out of social events and conversations because I believe they will have nothing interesting to talk about (conversations solely about children do not interest me especially as they usually result in the question of when I will have one) and now I find that I am scared that I will have nothing to say anymore, no interesting view points or anecdotes other than to express my devotion to the puppy and relay stories of how cute he is when he rubs his face with his paws (it is an adorable sight!)
Will hubby and I have anything to discuss once he's told me how his day was and I've explained how dirty the floors were even though I only mopped them a couple of days ago and asked what we should have for tea?
So ultimately I feel guilty for not working full time, I feel even more guilty for going on a mini shopping spree earlier this week. Having picked up several items that looked lovely on the hanger, but couldn't possibly look that nice on me, I dragged hubby to the changing rooms so he could be judge. I tried on, I twirled in front of the mirror, I twirled in front of the hubby and I loved every item/oufit. Having chastised hubby for allowing me to buy them all we left the shop, happy but guilt seeping through and me justifying in various inventive ways why I should have bought 2 skirts, a dress and jacket (for £65!) when I might not have a job come September! Hubby reassured me that I deserved a treat and that the pain and suffering (I am still having physio) I have gone through as a result of some silly bint running into us before Christmas should be treated with just this kind of retail therapy. Obviously I decided on this occassion that hubby is right, but I haven't worn the outfits yet and may still return an item or two to ease my conscience. The payout for my injuries came through today however and made my bank account look healthy for the first time in months, but I'm being sensible, I paid off my credit card and put the majority safely in a savings account, I may need it come September so no more treats for now.
On the subject of work and September, I am no further along in the 90 day consultation period as HR have said that nothing can be done until me grievance is setttled. Conveniently for them they are still 'investigating' my complaint, it has been 6 weeks! So I can not apply for voluntary redundancy, I can not apply for the available posts that after 37 days of consultation they still have not identified and they cannot say whether ultimately I will have any future at the college.
Yesterday however I had a little epiphany, having accompanied a colleague to her grievance appeal hearing (we made quite a good team, we certainly fought her corner) I was determined to work out what my employer was gaining from postponing the inevitable, they are clearly going to find the 'investigation' in their favour not mine so why take so long about it? Having done a little research into time limits (we love google) I found that if I wanted to take my calim to a tribunal I had to do this within 3 months of the event I am complaining about happening, panic very quickly set in! I phoned ACAS, very useful people when it comes to employment law issues and free of charge and I am arranging another appointment with Citizen's Advice Bureau (again a free service) so they can take as long as they like concluding my grievanace I now know I can't afford to wait for them and will be putting a claim into the employment tribunal as soon as I can.
The whole episode has provoked my fighting spirit and for that reason my guilt has subsided or at least been masked by determination not to let my employer 'get one over me' As my colleague recently stated 'we are intelligent people, why do they treat us like idiots?' It true, surely they wouldn't have employed us in the first place if they didn't think we had at least a modicum of intelligence? They seem to hope that no one in the building has any employment law knowledge (they clearly do not share my fondness for google) but besides my limited and somewhat out of date knowledge from my business management degree, consequent managment experience and my expertise in google based research, they employ law lecturers! Surely they expect someone is going to question their methods eventually? Having said that the union reps who are allegedly employed and paid to do such questioning have done very little despite weekly meetings with the HR department. The phrases jumping through hoops and ticking boxes springs to mind although the rumour is they have employed the highest paid employment law specialists in the land to fight their corner. Money to blow on fancy lawyers, but not pay fair redundancy kind of sums up the ethical stance of the place.
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Contemplation Time
Its strange to think that when I was a teenager (a decade or so ago) coffee culture did not exist in Yorkshire. Yes, yes I know many of you will think that ten years ago electricity and the internet didn't exist in Yorkshire, and yes you'd be right about broadband perhaps, but other than that elements of this great region are just as civilised as those south of Birmingham and to my knowledge the popularity of coffee shops was low in all aspects of the UK in the late 90's.
Now however it seems to be the cool hang out for anyone aged 12 and over. Yes I said 'cool' which is probably very uncool, but I'm an eighties baby so I grew up saying things were 'brill' and 'ace'!
My geekiness aside, how do these children, and the ones on the table across from me are definitely only children, afford it? A drink and snack from any of the main coffee brands would have used up a whole weeks pocket money for me when I was 16, prior to that I would have been lucky to afford a biscuit. Even now I count it as a treat, although Cafe Nerro is definitely cheaper than Starbucks and Costa and their Milano Hot Chocolate is my new addiction, hence I've had 3 this week (Its Easter Holidays, I'm allowed!)
Having gulped down my latest Milano I'm left with a smile on my face, aided by the sun shining through the window (I think I suffer from SAD) The shopping trip that prompted the coffee shop stop has added to my contentment today, a new jacket bought with 35% off thanks to signing up for the H&M newsletter and I've still got a 10% off voucher to use online. And for this evening a free three course meal at Frankie & Benny's courtesy of a mystery visit. Free food in exchange for filling in a questionnaire? I'd do them every day if I could find them within a 20 mile radius, I think being on the edge of the country on the way to nowhere limits the availability somewhat.
Before the food we are heading to Primark, Hull has the biggest one I've seen and its guilt free shopping, I can satisfy my need to shop without spending very much at all, another thing that when I was a teenager couldn't have been further from cool. If you were seen in or wearing Primark it was social suicide, I like that society has evolved.
In other news, I received the minutes from my intial grievance meeting. although its taken them 15 working days which was actually the deadline for the investigation to be complete. There were many mistakes and omissions in the minutes, considering the meeting lasted nearly 2 hours, the write up seems incredibly brief, I quickly amended the important bits and sent it back. Needless to say the investigation and subsequent decicion will clearly be taking longer than 15 days.
In the mean time however I am learning (slowly) to enjoy the freedom of not working full time, although some of my spare time is still spent finding resources for the students revision, the exams looming closer, rather than finding new hobbies for myself.
I have entered another 10k race though. Prior to the trip to France I was impressed with my stamina and speed and was regularly running 10k, on my return though I had lost the ability to run, much to my distress running or rather jogging 1.5 miles nearly killed me and the subsequent two runs weren't much easier although I managed to get to 3 miles. Hubby has now been enlisted to train me in preparation for the race, he did after all get me ready for a half marathon in a measly 6 weeks last summer so 10k should be easy right?
I am finding it difficult to go from a life where I had to fit things in to a busy schedule, without really having enough time for anything, to having so much time I don't know what to do with it. Doing nothing was never an option before, although teaching was a huge slow down from the hospitality industry that used to be my career, I filled the spare hours with extra exam marking and bringing work home. Now the extra exam marking isn't extra at all its just a fulltime job for a few weeks and in the other weeks I find myself struggling to write a to do list to fill my days. My diary is evidence in itself of this new life, the pages used to be filled with scribbles and reminders and ticks to show I'd completed some tasks, the remaining ones (and there were always ones not finished) were transferred to the following page which quickly filled. This process simply repeated and repeated, now the pages on some days are entirely blank, only on the work days is there a noticeable list which I actually manage to complete.
As a result I can't help having moments when the hubby is at work and I'm at home with the puppy that my life is a little empty. I have always been a career girl, movng round the country for the next job, everything else came second to work. I admit this changed when I met the hubby, my priorities altered and I realised that work wasn't worth ruining a relationship for (some ex-boyfriends will be suprised to hear that) and so we both agreed that if work got in the way we would leave (we both worked at the same hell hole at that point and place does posion your entire life not just the time you spend in the building) I just have to keep reminding myself that there is more to life than work, but when you spend most of your adult life working its a difficult habit to break and I started fulltime work at 16 so its firmly engrained that you get up and go to work at least 5 out of 7 days a week, you stay there all day and when you get home you try to squeeze in the rest of your life and the people in it.
I have good days and bad days and I think the good days are getting more frequent, the news that my department will cease to exist after the summer did open up a huge gaping hole labelled September though. I have the next few months to work out what I want from life, I know I can live on a drastically reduced wage, I'm doing it and still buying new clothes and as many hot chocolates as my conscience will allow, so what else? I will return to the wishlist and work from there.
Now however it seems to be the cool hang out for anyone aged 12 and over. Yes I said 'cool' which is probably very uncool, but I'm an eighties baby so I grew up saying things were 'brill' and 'ace'!
My geekiness aside, how do these children, and the ones on the table across from me are definitely only children, afford it? A drink and snack from any of the main coffee brands would have used up a whole weeks pocket money for me when I was 16, prior to that I would have been lucky to afford a biscuit. Even now I count it as a treat, although Cafe Nerro is definitely cheaper than Starbucks and Costa and their Milano Hot Chocolate is my new addiction, hence I've had 3 this week (Its Easter Holidays, I'm allowed!)
Having gulped down my latest Milano I'm left with a smile on my face, aided by the sun shining through the window (I think I suffer from SAD) The shopping trip that prompted the coffee shop stop has added to my contentment today, a new jacket bought with 35% off thanks to signing up for the H&M newsletter and I've still got a 10% off voucher to use online. And for this evening a free three course meal at Frankie & Benny's courtesy of a mystery visit. Free food in exchange for filling in a questionnaire? I'd do them every day if I could find them within a 20 mile radius, I think being on the edge of the country on the way to nowhere limits the availability somewhat.
Before the food we are heading to Primark, Hull has the biggest one I've seen and its guilt free shopping, I can satisfy my need to shop without spending very much at all, another thing that when I was a teenager couldn't have been further from cool. If you were seen in or wearing Primark it was social suicide, I like that society has evolved.
In other news, I received the minutes from my intial grievance meeting. although its taken them 15 working days which was actually the deadline for the investigation to be complete. There were many mistakes and omissions in the minutes, considering the meeting lasted nearly 2 hours, the write up seems incredibly brief, I quickly amended the important bits and sent it back. Needless to say the investigation and subsequent decicion will clearly be taking longer than 15 days.
In the mean time however I am learning (slowly) to enjoy the freedom of not working full time, although some of my spare time is still spent finding resources for the students revision, the exams looming closer, rather than finding new hobbies for myself.
I have entered another 10k race though. Prior to the trip to France I was impressed with my stamina and speed and was regularly running 10k, on my return though I had lost the ability to run, much to my distress running or rather jogging 1.5 miles nearly killed me and the subsequent two runs weren't much easier although I managed to get to 3 miles. Hubby has now been enlisted to train me in preparation for the race, he did after all get me ready for a half marathon in a measly 6 weeks last summer so 10k should be easy right?
I am finding it difficult to go from a life where I had to fit things in to a busy schedule, without really having enough time for anything, to having so much time I don't know what to do with it. Doing nothing was never an option before, although teaching was a huge slow down from the hospitality industry that used to be my career, I filled the spare hours with extra exam marking and bringing work home. Now the extra exam marking isn't extra at all its just a fulltime job for a few weeks and in the other weeks I find myself struggling to write a to do list to fill my days. My diary is evidence in itself of this new life, the pages used to be filled with scribbles and reminders and ticks to show I'd completed some tasks, the remaining ones (and there were always ones not finished) were transferred to the following page which quickly filled. This process simply repeated and repeated, now the pages on some days are entirely blank, only on the work days is there a noticeable list which I actually manage to complete.
As a result I can't help having moments when the hubby is at work and I'm at home with the puppy that my life is a little empty. I have always been a career girl, movng round the country for the next job, everything else came second to work. I admit this changed when I met the hubby, my priorities altered and I realised that work wasn't worth ruining a relationship for (some ex-boyfriends will be suprised to hear that) and so we both agreed that if work got in the way we would leave (we both worked at the same hell hole at that point and place does posion your entire life not just the time you spend in the building) I just have to keep reminding myself that there is more to life than work, but when you spend most of your adult life working its a difficult habit to break and I started fulltime work at 16 so its firmly engrained that you get up and go to work at least 5 out of 7 days a week, you stay there all day and when you get home you try to squeeze in the rest of your life and the people in it.
I have good days and bad days and I think the good days are getting more frequent, the news that my department will cease to exist after the summer did open up a huge gaping hole labelled September though. I have the next few months to work out what I want from life, I know I can live on a drastically reduced wage, I'm doing it and still buying new clothes and as many hot chocolates as my conscience will allow, so what else? I will return to the wishlist and work from there.
Sunday, 8 April 2012
En Francais!
Firstly apologies for the delay, French life is so laid back it practically stands still so my week away caused me to lose track of time, not because I was relaxing in the sun of Southern France, more because my mind was consumed with the frustrations of being faced with a world thats does not seem to be open for business and the stresses of being on best behaviour for the in-laws.
I know I should have appreciated the slower pace and taken the opportunity to chill, but its not in my nature or the stepsons (he bores easily if things aren't happening) and despite the in-laws best efforts to welcome me I feel that I've been holding on tight all week, with my stomach in a knot and my shoulders up by my ears.
I have worried about everything from whether I locked the door at home, to how much the motorways in France cost (£11 each way from Bordeaux to Aulnay) and whether we would manage to return the hire car in exactly the same condition we picked it up (800 euros to pay if not) and of course whether the inlaws like me.
This was intended to be a budget holiday, accomodation was free, the inlaws being very hospitable to hubby, stepson and I, but France generally is expensive. The supermarches are full of amazing foods that in England are only stocked on the tiny speciality shelves and the out door markets are full of colour and bustle, but the prices are high and even with a slight improvement in the £ to Euro rate (we managed 1.14 Euros to every pound) it still meant I was watching every penny.
These concerns were not helped by news from home that my little car had a massive crack all the way across the windscreen (possibly caused by a faulty fitting of a new screen after a pigeon fell off a lorry and cracked the original screen last summer)
It wasn't all bad I had a personal tour guide (the hubby grew up in France and is fluent in the language) we toured Chateau's (those that were open) shops, markets, beautiful countryside and the hubby's childhood memories including the baby photos. My own French was also tested and not found lacking (I understand more than I can actually speak)
One of three prison towers in La Rochelle (once owned by the English)
The Roman Ampitheatre at Saintes
Chateau at Crazzanes (can be hired for weddings and is truly beautiful)
The hire car we were given (a little Chevrolet Spark) was incredibly economical with only a 30litre tank it lasted all week and we covered a lot of miles (the South of France is very sparce) unlike the car I borrowed from a friend to get down to Luton which cost £73 to fill up!
I have to say despite the worries I slept incredibly well, the bed was soooo comfy, my dreams however were bizarre, ranging from adopting one of my students to heated debates with my so called boss. I'm guessing these were provoked by the news a couple of weeks ago that my department will close in September. Having already felt that I lost my job before Christmas when my hours were so vastly reduced this didn't have as much of an impact on me as it did on some of my full time colleagues. It was gutting though when many of my students said they would not be returning after Easter as they didn't see the point since they would not be able to finish their course the following year. Each name added to the list wrenched my insides, it means a lot to me to see them succeed and on a more selfish note my track record of results has been excellent for the last 3 years I don't really like the idea of it being tarnished.
The announcement also means that voluntary redundancy is an option again, but while my grievance continues with no update as yet, I cannot make any decisions, so again we wait.
Employment: Parttime 0.33 of a fulltime contract
Lodgers: 1 (new lodger moving in at the end of the month)
Eating out: all week in France! (we have eaten well)
Hubby: 1 (9 months of married bliss minus one argument and survived meeting the inlaws)
Dog: 1 (bathed and clean in honor of his holiday at my friends while we were in France and still smells good a week later)
Stepson: 1 (After a week on a family holiday it has been confirmed that I am not a natural stepmum, I like my hubby to myself although stepmum was chosen over dad to sit next to on the plane home!)
No Spend Days: I admit I have no idea (nobody's perfect)
I know I should have appreciated the slower pace and taken the opportunity to chill, but its not in my nature or the stepsons (he bores easily if things aren't happening) and despite the in-laws best efforts to welcome me I feel that I've been holding on tight all week, with my stomach in a knot and my shoulders up by my ears.
I have worried about everything from whether I locked the door at home, to how much the motorways in France cost (£11 each way from Bordeaux to Aulnay) and whether we would manage to return the hire car in exactly the same condition we picked it up (800 euros to pay if not) and of course whether the inlaws like me.
This was intended to be a budget holiday, accomodation was free, the inlaws being very hospitable to hubby, stepson and I, but France generally is expensive. The supermarches are full of amazing foods that in England are only stocked on the tiny speciality shelves and the out door markets are full of colour and bustle, but the prices are high and even with a slight improvement in the £ to Euro rate (we managed 1.14 Euros to every pound) it still meant I was watching every penny.
These concerns were not helped by news from home that my little car had a massive crack all the way across the windscreen (possibly caused by a faulty fitting of a new screen after a pigeon fell off a lorry and cracked the original screen last summer)
It wasn't all bad I had a personal tour guide (the hubby grew up in France and is fluent in the language) we toured Chateau's (those that were open) shops, markets, beautiful countryside and the hubby's childhood memories including the baby photos. My own French was also tested and not found lacking (I understand more than I can actually speak)
One of three prison towers in La Rochelle (once owned by the English)
The Roman Ampitheatre at Saintes 
Chateau at Crazzanes (can be hired for weddings and is truly beautiful)The hire car we were given (a little Chevrolet Spark) was incredibly economical with only a 30litre tank it lasted all week and we covered a lot of miles (the South of France is very sparce) unlike the car I borrowed from a friend to get down to Luton which cost £73 to fill up!
I have to say despite the worries I slept incredibly well, the bed was soooo comfy, my dreams however were bizarre, ranging from adopting one of my students to heated debates with my so called boss. I'm guessing these were provoked by the news a couple of weeks ago that my department will close in September. Having already felt that I lost my job before Christmas when my hours were so vastly reduced this didn't have as much of an impact on me as it did on some of my full time colleagues. It was gutting though when many of my students said they would not be returning after Easter as they didn't see the point since they would not be able to finish their course the following year. Each name added to the list wrenched my insides, it means a lot to me to see them succeed and on a more selfish note my track record of results has been excellent for the last 3 years I don't really like the idea of it being tarnished.
The announcement also means that voluntary redundancy is an option again, but while my grievance continues with no update as yet, I cannot make any decisions, so again we wait.
Lodgers: 1 (new lodger moving in at the end of the month)
Eating out: all week in France! (we have eaten well)
Hubby: 1 (9 months of married bliss minus one argument and survived meeting the inlaws)
Dog: 1 (bathed and clean in honor of his holiday at my friends while we were in France and still smells good a week later)
Stepson: 1 (After a week on a family holiday it has been confirmed that I am not a natural stepmum, I like my hubby to myself although stepmum was chosen over dad to sit next to on the plane home!)
No Spend Days: I admit I have no idea (nobody's perfect)
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Bathrooms & Budgets
The bathroom is complete! And yes it has taken nearly two weeks thanks to paint that takes 24hrs to dry between coats, and the need for three different types of paint depending on whether my brush is aimed at the ceiling, the top half of the wall or the bottom half of the wall, I have turned into some kind of mad obsessive when it comes to my bathroom and driven the hubby mad with colour charts although I think he enjoyed the many trips to B&Q.
The best news is I managed to come in under budget! £85.24 total cost which included new bath mat, shower curtain and mirror. It has to be said however that buying the cheaper B&Q paint rather than splashing out the extra £7 for Dulux was a false economy. B&Q took three coats before the walls stopped looking patchy, whereas having used Dulux on previous, less stingy occassions covers perfectly well with just one.
Before After
The time involved has kept me occupied and out of reach of boredom, along with the continued good weather and subsequent runs to the seaside or round the woods, now the bathrooms finished though what am I going to do? My £100 budget won't stretch to refurb of the kitchen which requires new doors, plastering, flooring, cabinets and paint.
The next project is making a bathroom cabinet, although my belief that it must be cheaper to make my own than buy one is being thwarted by the cost of wood which seems ridiculously high, is there a shortage of trees that I haven't heard about?
Having stuck to my own budget this week, I watched George Osborne's Budget for the 2012 with trepidation, but was very relieved to hear that there is a commitment to keeping interest rates low, with two mortgages both on variable rates even a small rise would be hugely detrimental on my new vastly reduced income. My hope for a lower fuel bill was not answered however and as such we will still be limited to local acivities for entertainment.
It seems that if my income stays the same next year I will no longer be a tax payer thanks to the new persoanl allowance increase, which is nice, but gave me a peculiar feeling as though I am no longer a contributing member of society, having worked fulltime since the age of sixteen I never thought or planned to be a part timer let alone someone who didn't pay tax!
In other news my grievance at work continues, having had the first meeting earlier this week the case is now being investigated with an outcome expected in 15days although I suspect they will take their time and drag it out. The meeting took two hours and although not as unpleasant as expected it was emotionally draining and clear that my employer will use any loophole they can find to ensure that they come out on top. So now we wait.
The best news is I managed to come in under budget! £85.24 total cost which included new bath mat, shower curtain and mirror. It has to be said however that buying the cheaper B&Q paint rather than splashing out the extra £7 for Dulux was a false economy. B&Q took three coats before the walls stopped looking patchy, whereas having used Dulux on previous, less stingy occassions covers perfectly well with just one.
Before After
The time involved has kept me occupied and out of reach of boredom, along with the continued good weather and subsequent runs to the seaside or round the woods, now the bathrooms finished though what am I going to do? My £100 budget won't stretch to refurb of the kitchen which requires new doors, plastering, flooring, cabinets and paint.
The next project is making a bathroom cabinet, although my belief that it must be cheaper to make my own than buy one is being thwarted by the cost of wood which seems ridiculously high, is there a shortage of trees that I haven't heard about?
Having stuck to my own budget this week, I watched George Osborne's Budget for the 2012 with trepidation, but was very relieved to hear that there is a commitment to keeping interest rates low, with two mortgages both on variable rates even a small rise would be hugely detrimental on my new vastly reduced income. My hope for a lower fuel bill was not answered however and as such we will still be limited to local acivities for entertainment.
It seems that if my income stays the same next year I will no longer be a tax payer thanks to the new persoanl allowance increase, which is nice, but gave me a peculiar feeling as though I am no longer a contributing member of society, having worked fulltime since the age of sixteen I never thought or planned to be a part timer let alone someone who didn't pay tax!
In other news my grievance at work continues, having had the first meeting earlier this week the case is now being investigated with an outcome expected in 15days although I suspect they will take their time and drag it out. The meeting took two hours and although not as unpleasant as expected it was emotionally draining and clear that my employer will use any loophole they can find to ensure that they come out on top. So now we wait.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Good vs Bad
Thursday demonstrated the advantages of working part time gloriously well. With the assistance of some gorgeous sunshine I got out of bed at a decent hour (a downfall of not having to get up for work every day is that it is all too easily to stay in bed for most of the morning) took the puppy for a long walk and then went for a run to the seaside and back (its quite nice having the beach only a couple of miles from home) The run and the sunshine really boosted my mood and kept me motivated through work in the afternoon and beyond. These are things I would not have had the opportunity to do while working fulltime, by the time I'd have been on the way home from work the sun would have been fading and I certainly wouldn't have had the motivation to go out for a run (the puppy has ways of dragging me out for a walk however) The other benefit is that it didn't cost a penny!
The weekend brought rain, persistent rain, and a reluctance to do anything outdoorsy. The problem being that anything indoorsy costs a considerable amount of money or is at least an hours drive away (as is everything from here) which means costly petrol and with hubby still only working a few hours a week and my wage so reduced I managed to talk him out of every suggestion based on the costs involved. I worry that the goodlife can only really exist as long as the sun shines and in Britain that isn't all that often. As a result the weekend time was used up with DIY, cleaning and snuggling on the sofa, not bad, but not ideal.
This weekend we're going to redo the bathroom (on a budget of £100, I'll let you know if we manage to stick to it)
Picture of bathroom as it is now and as its been since I moved in 18months ago, could be worse as I'm sure my best friend will tell you, green suite and orange walls are a little more difficult to live with!
I have just put a coat of primer on the window having spent many, many hours stripping the old paint off. Admittedly we started stripping the paint at the end of last year, but soon got bored.
So far though it has not cost a penny just a lot of elbow grease, some leftover paint stripper and the primer I used on my bedroom drawers.
I don't mind DIY its quite therapeutic and when the local decorators quote anything from £90 upwards just to paint the hall and landing (which with the right equipment would probably only take half a day) I find spending the day doing it myself very satisfying, although it does make me question whether I should have been a painter and decorator rather than a teacher as I know I have never been paid £90 for a days work despite being required to have a degree and a teaching qualfication!
The sun returned yesterday though and having walked the puppy I put my trainers on and returned to the sea front, much quieter than Thursday and I am definitely getting faster. Hubby's work has also picked up a little and hopefully will continue to do so, for this reason we are treating ourselves tonight with a date to the cinema (Orange Wednesdays of course!)
Employment: Parttime 0.33 of a fulltime contract
Lodgers: 1 (potential lodger viewing this week)
Eating out: 2
Hubby: 1 (8 months of married bliss minus one argument)
Dog: 1 (all healed and fur growing back nicely)
Stepson: 1
No Spend Days: 6/14 (must do better!)
The weekend brought rain, persistent rain, and a reluctance to do anything outdoorsy. The problem being that anything indoorsy costs a considerable amount of money or is at least an hours drive away (as is everything from here) which means costly petrol and with hubby still only working a few hours a week and my wage so reduced I managed to talk him out of every suggestion based on the costs involved. I worry that the goodlife can only really exist as long as the sun shines and in Britain that isn't all that often. As a result the weekend time was used up with DIY, cleaning and snuggling on the sofa, not bad, but not ideal.
This weekend we're going to redo the bathroom (on a budget of £100, I'll let you know if we manage to stick to it)
Picture of bathroom as it is now and as its been since I moved in 18months ago, could be worse as I'm sure my best friend will tell you, green suite and orange walls are a little more difficult to live with!
I have just put a coat of primer on the window having spent many, many hours stripping the old paint off. Admittedly we started stripping the paint at the end of last year, but soon got bored.
So far though it has not cost a penny just a lot of elbow grease, some leftover paint stripper and the primer I used on my bedroom drawers.
I don't mind DIY its quite therapeutic and when the local decorators quote anything from £90 upwards just to paint the hall and landing (which with the right equipment would probably only take half a day) I find spending the day doing it myself very satisfying, although it does make me question whether I should have been a painter and decorator rather than a teacher as I know I have never been paid £90 for a days work despite being required to have a degree and a teaching qualfication!
The sun returned yesterday though and having walked the puppy I put my trainers on and returned to the sea front, much quieter than Thursday and I am definitely getting faster. Hubby's work has also picked up a little and hopefully will continue to do so, for this reason we are treating ourselves tonight with a date to the cinema (Orange Wednesdays of course!)
Employment: Parttime 0.33 of a fulltime contract
Lodgers: 1 (potential lodger viewing this week)
Eating out: 2
Hubby: 1 (8 months of married bliss minus one argument)
Dog: 1 (all healed and fur growing back nicely)
Stepson: 1
No Spend Days: 6/14 (must do better!)
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