Anyway, yay for useful internet!
Now time for pictures. I shall post again soon.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
I just ditched IE for Google Chrome. How totally liberating!
I love Netty, but she was a bit slow before... turns out it was just retarded Windows IE. But to their credit Windows 7 did offer me alternative browsers which I actually want to use, such as Firefox and Google Chrome. My internet is now significantly faster. I think I will cry when I go back to IE on the work computers. Oh and it has actually taken me an entire week to even notice that I could choose to have a different browser! How depressing. All this time I've been blaming poor coverage from Vodafone but actually it was IE stomping all over my little Netty. I've tried to download both GC and Firefox a couple of times at various points in order to make things go faster, but Windows kept eating them when I tried to download and they would fail to install for some reason... presumably because they were secretly already there or something.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Two days off in a row!!
How exciting, I can something more than just keeping up with my washing! I think I shall go for a walk in the hills tomorrow, assuming it doesn't rain. Otherwise... well I've got some shopping to do so I guess I could go and explore Worcester. They make sauce there, right?
Hmmm not much else to report on really, but hopefully I will have some pretty pictures to put up here tomorrow, once I've got my camera going again (I have lots of batteries now!). I joined the local library last week, admittedly most so that I could use their free internet service, but I may use the books too. Assuming I get a chance. I still haven't finished The God of Small Things which I read quite a fair way in to before I left London. It's a slow book I have to say. Interesting ideas, but very slow, not what I could call a page turner. I could read it before going to sleep and not end up staying up all night reading. It's an interesting style, but... I'm just not quite convinced yet. Maybe it will have an amazing twist in it, but I have a feeling not... they tell you the end and then rewind and tell the story of how it got to the end. At least I'm pretty sure thats what is happening. Otherwise I'm just terribly lost.
In other news having a backspace key smaller than you are used too is exceptionally annoying!!! I keep going to correct my typing only add lines of equals symbols instead. But I seem to have come to grips with the @ key now, which is good.
Oh and I don't think I'm ever going to catch buses in this country. Honestly I looked at the ones in London and decided to accept the significantly higher costs of the tube for the sake of my sanity. Today I tried to catch a bus to the train station as I was feeling lazy. Looked at the journey planner online which told me there was one leaving Hales Lane at Pear Tree Rd (yes that's actually what the street was called) which was an 89. So I head down to the bus stop and wait for about 20 minutes watching multiple buses stop across the street going the other way. Eventually one turns up and when I ask the driver if he is going to the stop I need he informs me that I need the stop across the street. Great. So I go and wait. For about another ages because lots had gone past while I waited at the other stop. Finally an 89 turns up. Upon asking the driver informs me that he isn't going to my stop (not an out of the way place, a railway station, if you ask me!). So I wait. A different bus turns up so I ask the driver if he is going in my direction. Nope, about the dead opposite. So. I begin waiting for another bus. Not due for about 15 minutes. Then I realise that they don't give change on the buses and I only have about 60 pence. Not enough. And I'm sure as hell not paying £10 for a bus trip, a taxi would only be about £3.5. So I went back to work. My workmate was due to finish in about 3/4 of an hour and she agrees to drop me off at the train station.
God damned buses. Never again!!! Ohhh apparently work are looking at getting bikes for us, I am very keen on this plan, although I think I am going to attempt to fit driving lessons in to my schedual somehow. I don't fancy biking places in the rain in winter. I'm such a sissy!
Gah time for dinner and maybe the pub. Yay pub!
Hmmm not much else to report on really, but hopefully I will have some pretty pictures to put up here tomorrow, once I've got my camera going again (I have lots of batteries now!). I joined the local library last week, admittedly most so that I could use their free internet service, but I may use the books too. Assuming I get a chance. I still haven't finished The God of Small Things which I read quite a fair way in to before I left London. It's a slow book I have to say. Interesting ideas, but very slow, not what I could call a page turner. I could read it before going to sleep and not end up staying up all night reading. It's an interesting style, but... I'm just not quite convinced yet. Maybe it will have an amazing twist in it, but I have a feeling not... they tell you the end and then rewind and tell the story of how it got to the end. At least I'm pretty sure thats what is happening. Otherwise I'm just terribly lost.
In other news having a backspace key smaller than you are used too is exceptionally annoying!!! I keep going to correct my typing only add lines of equals symbols instead. But I seem to have come to grips with the @ key now, which is good.
Oh and I don't think I'm ever going to catch buses in this country. Honestly I looked at the ones in London and decided to accept the significantly higher costs of the tube for the sake of my sanity. Today I tried to catch a bus to the train station as I was feeling lazy. Looked at the journey planner online which told me there was one leaving Hales Lane at Pear Tree Rd (yes that's actually what the street was called) which was an 89. So I head down to the bus stop and wait for about 20 minutes watching multiple buses stop across the street going the other way. Eventually one turns up and when I ask the driver if he is going to the stop I need he informs me that I need the stop across the street. Great. So I go and wait. For about another ages because lots had gone past while I waited at the other stop. Finally an 89 turns up. Upon asking the driver informs me that he isn't going to my stop (not an out of the way place, a railway station, if you ask me!). So I wait. A different bus turns up so I ask the driver if he is going in my direction. Nope, about the dead opposite. So. I begin waiting for another bus. Not due for about 15 minutes. Then I realise that they don't give change on the buses and I only have about 60 pence. Not enough. And I'm sure as hell not paying £10 for a bus trip, a taxi would only be about £3.5. So I went back to work. My workmate was due to finish in about 3/4 of an hour and she agrees to drop me off at the train station.
God damned buses. Never again!!! Ohhh apparently work are looking at getting bikes for us, I am very keen on this plan, although I think I am going to attempt to fit driving lessons in to my schedual somehow. I don't fancy biking places in the rain in winter. I'm such a sissy!
Gah time for dinner and maybe the pub. Yay pub!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
I have a dongle...
Ah the joys of portable internet. I am happy :)
And likely to blog more now.
Dongle you say? I have no idea either... but it gives me internet.
And likely to blog more now.
Dongle you say? I have no idea either... but it gives me internet.
Monday, August 9, 2010
On the topic of mad Brits...
I cannot comprehend the geography in this country. I just can't. I don't dare to try and take a short cut, it is guaranteed to lead me somewhere behind where I started. We have two houses on the same street, and I've looked at a map... the road just goes in the wrong direction. Almost the dead opposite of what you expect. No kidding. I actually turned left in to it thinking that was the end of the street I needed to be heading to. Nope. Needed to turn right. Up the hill. Which totally goes away from the direction I came from on the map. It doesn't in real life, it just doesn't. It doubles back on itself, I'm sure of it!!!
Ahem. The roads in this country are just phenomenally incomprehensible. I dread the day somebody asks me the fastest way to somewhere. I know how to get places, by only because I memorise the route, not because I know what direction it is in.
I do love the fact that practically the only place open on a Sunday to get lunch is the pub. No cafes, bakeries or anything like that, it *all* shuts on a Sunday (as I found out last weekend when I was hungry). Except the pub. They have a special Sunday lunch menu. Which I totally ignored for the £2.99 menu which has perfectly reasonable food on it too although I won't bother with the bangers and mash again, the sausages must've been more bread than sausage. But the steak pie was good, I'll definitely do that again... I think I have a local pub! I haven't even had a pint there yet, only food. What's got in to me?! This responsibility thing... I'm just not sure about it yet... no beer!
Ahem. The roads in this country are just phenomenally incomprehensible. I dread the day somebody asks me the fastest way to somewhere. I know how to get places, by only because I memorise the route, not because I know what direction it is in.
I do love the fact that practically the only place open on a Sunday to get lunch is the pub. No cafes, bakeries or anything like that, it *all* shuts on a Sunday (as I found out last weekend when I was hungry). Except the pub. They have a special Sunday lunch menu. Which I totally ignored for the £2.99 menu which has perfectly reasonable food on it too although I won't bother with the bangers and mash again, the sausages must've been more bread than sausage. But the steak pie was good, I'll definitely do that again... I think I have a local pub! I haven't even had a pint there yet, only food. What's got in to me?! This responsibility thing... I'm just not sure about it yet... no beer!
Hey everyone :)
Ahh long time since my last update. Or it feels like it anyway. I've been working pretty much flat out, double shifts almost every day, four, five or six days in a row. Off today, tonight and tomorrow morning. Yay!!! I can do some washing, make my own dinner and possibly even get eight hours sleep. That'll be novel!
I am enjoying it though, very interesting work, and I have really lovely workmates, I like all of them! It would be a very difficult job without them I can promise you that.
I'm juggling money at the moment, I think I can make it work, if only I could remember or reset the pin on my credit card!!! Hahaha who else would go to the other side of the world and not remember their credit card pin... ah well. Hardly anything on my credit card so I can use it fine most of the time, only problem is that only some places will let you sign for it! They've mostly moved to having a chip in the cards here, which I don't think mine has. But even if it does I don't know the number, so I can't get cash from a money machine, only pay for things in shops! Lol ah well. They let me pay for my train tickets with it, and my shopping, so there isn't much I really *need* cash for. But having said that I will now inevitably find I need cash on a regular basis for something. I can tell! The reason I am lacking in £'s by the way is that they think paying on a monthly basis is sensible. Bloody Brits! If I had all the money I've earned from the hours I've done I wouldn't be feeling broke at all! But hopefully will have my money situation sorted soon, I think I should have a UK bank card at home, when I finally get there.
Speaking of home, I'm really just about ready to go. But felt it was time to give a brief update before I disappear back to the black hole of work tomorrow morning! I don't even know when my next day off is, but Monday at the earliest by the looks of the rota! Oh and I'm doing two waking night shifts this week. Joy. The world can meet caffine-hyped Sam at 4am! This should end well... or at least end. Ohhh I'm so sleep deprived, listen to me babble! I slept on a two-seater couch last night, a family who don't usually have supervision at night had to have someone last night, and I didn't realise that the other couch in the office was a fold-out couch... Le sigh! At least I did sleep, I was so tired it didn't *really* stop me sleeping. I didn't even fall off it, which surprised me. Probably the last time I will sleep there though, until we get a new family in anyway. No more couch sleeping for me. *remembers my bed at 'home'* I think I shall go and put some washing on, then I can crawl in to bed earlier. I am *so* sleepy.
*loves and hugs*
I am enjoying it though, very interesting work, and I have really lovely workmates, I like all of them! It would be a very difficult job without them I can promise you that.
I'm juggling money at the moment, I think I can make it work, if only I could remember or reset the pin on my credit card!!! Hahaha who else would go to the other side of the world and not remember their credit card pin... ah well. Hardly anything on my credit card so I can use it fine most of the time, only problem is that only some places will let you sign for it! They've mostly moved to having a chip in the cards here, which I don't think mine has. But even if it does I don't know the number, so I can't get cash from a money machine, only pay for things in shops! Lol ah well. They let me pay for my train tickets with it, and my shopping, so there isn't much I really *need* cash for. But having said that I will now inevitably find I need cash on a regular basis for something. I can tell! The reason I am lacking in £'s by the way is that they think paying on a monthly basis is sensible. Bloody Brits! If I had all the money I've earned from the hours I've done I wouldn't be feeling broke at all! But hopefully will have my money situation sorted soon, I think I should have a UK bank card at home, when I finally get there.
Speaking of home, I'm really just about ready to go. But felt it was time to give a brief update before I disappear back to the black hole of work tomorrow morning! I don't even know when my next day off is, but Monday at the earliest by the looks of the rota! Oh and I'm doing two waking night shifts this week. Joy. The world can meet caffine-hyped Sam at 4am! This should end well... or at least end. Ohhh I'm so sleep deprived, listen to me babble! I slept on a two-seater couch last night, a family who don't usually have supervision at night had to have someone last night, and I didn't realise that the other couch in the office was a fold-out couch... Le sigh! At least I did sleep, I was so tired it didn't *really* stop me sleeping. I didn't even fall off it, which surprised me. Probably the last time I will sleep there though, until we get a new family in anyway. No more couch sleeping for me. *remembers my bed at 'home'* I think I shall go and put some washing on, then I can crawl in to bed earlier. I am *so* sleepy.
*loves and hugs*
Friday, July 30, 2010
Just a quick update
Hey everyone. This will be fast, this net cafe is twice the price of London ones!!! Totally outrageous.
-Taken the job in Birmingham which is working with vulnerable families to bring their parenting up to a standard where they are able to continue having care of their children. In a nutshell thats what the company do. I'm a live-in worker, so I'll mostly be doing sleeping night shifts and some split shifts in the day- I might start at 10.30pm and stay till 10.30am. Seems to be average for my first week of shifts.
-Time off in this gorgeous little English village, it's everything that a old English village should be, I love it! Stone houses everywhere (you should see the place I'm staying! :O), everyone goes to the pub in the evening, they all know everyone, oh I just love it!
-Can stay in Birmingham in empty company houses for time off if I want to, but I think I would rather stay out in the countryside, it's too nice there!
-I think I will like the job, I can tell it will be really rewarding. Maybe tedious at times, but mostly *really* interesting!
-So long and short of it all, not a nanny!!! Haha best laid plans huh? I had a lovely sounding woman on the phone yesterday doing her best to persuade me to come and work for her and her little girl, lots of travel etc. But I'm too far in to this now, I love it! I don't think I've been this keen to start a job before! Strangely not nervous, even though it's important and all our records have to be perfect for court evidence etc.
Thats all for now I think. I may not get to post much for a while, I don't want my blog showing up on the work computers, I do try to keep it fairly anonymous, so there won't be vast amounts of content till I get my own laptap (given the salary I'll be getting that shouldn't be long!).
Love you all!
-Taken the job in Birmingham which is working with vulnerable families to bring their parenting up to a standard where they are able to continue having care of their children. In a nutshell thats what the company do. I'm a live-in worker, so I'll mostly be doing sleeping night shifts and some split shifts in the day- I might start at 10.30pm and stay till 10.30am. Seems to be average for my first week of shifts.
-Time off in this gorgeous little English village, it's everything that a old English village should be, I love it! Stone houses everywhere (you should see the place I'm staying! :O), everyone goes to the pub in the evening, they all know everyone, oh I just love it!
-Can stay in Birmingham in empty company houses for time off if I want to, but I think I would rather stay out in the countryside, it's too nice there!
-I think I will like the job, I can tell it will be really rewarding. Maybe tedious at times, but mostly *really* interesting!
-So long and short of it all, not a nanny!!! Haha best laid plans huh? I had a lovely sounding woman on the phone yesterday doing her best to persuade me to come and work for her and her little girl, lots of travel etc. But I'm too far in to this now, I love it! I don't think I've been this keen to start a job before! Strangely not nervous, even though it's important and all our records have to be perfect for court evidence etc.
Thats all for now I think. I may not get to post much for a while, I don't want my blog showing up on the work computers, I do try to keep it fairly anonymous, so there won't be vast amounts of content till I get my own laptap (given the salary I'll be getting that shouldn't be long!).
Love you all!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Pictures!
Well here is Trafalgar Square in all its glory (ie pidgeons and hoards of tourists).
The view from whatever that monument in the middle of the square is called back to the National Gallery. Seeing as I couldn't take a picture inside.
A squirrel in Hyde Park (they're totally adorable, I want one!).
And finally my new dress. I do love it. Sorry quality isn't the best, places to put camera vs lighting in the room made it difficult indeed. But you get the idea!
The view from whatever that monument in the middle of the square is called back to the National Gallery. Seeing as I couldn't take a picture inside.
A squirrel in Hyde Park (they're totally adorable, I want one!).
And finally my new dress. I do love it. Sorry quality isn't the best, places to put camera vs lighting in the room made it difficult indeed. But you get the idea!
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