and in the end there were only a couple of really bad days.  The big boss came back on Thursday and we had a bit of a chat about things and got things straight.  I had made a couple of small mistakes but nothing vital and to be expected as no one is perfect.

Anyways onwards and upwards - no more talk of work as I am boring myself with it now.

I have a free weekend as Thomas is in London for the weekend with his dad again so I might take myself off somewhere tomorrow for something to do but no idea what yet (as long as it involves spending no money).

Today meanwhile is the usual weekly chores - gosh my life is so exciting !

I want to try and contact no 1 son at some stage this weekend as I would really like to try and arrange to spend a few days down there soon.  I might just go off now and look up the cheap £19 travel lodge offers they keep sending to my inbox seemingly every other day and see if I can come up with a few days away that are "within a budget of pretty much nothing" lol.  It will be good to see Adam again as he didn't come home for the summer, so apart from his birthday weekend I haven't seen him since he was home in the spring, and I still miss him being around.  He just seems so far away sometimes and I feel dreadful because I haven't made it down there more than the once when I took him! 

Have a fab  weekend whatever you are doing x

as in the weather - after that lovely sunshine as well over the weekend.

Had two small wins on the lottery over the weekend (just before anyone starts sending begging letters - £6.50 in the Euromillions and £10 in the normal Saturday lottery ).  So at least if nothing else it pays for the next few goes.  You never know one of these days!

Spent a lot of time this weekend going through old photos (and I mean very old - dating back to stuff my grandparents had) that I had collected from my parents.  Suffice to say I ended up doing a whole stack of scanning and now need to get myself organised and get them posted onto my photos page online.  Its something I have been meaning to do for ages (and in fact I bought my mum a scanner a couple of years ago for this very project, although she claims she has never had the time to do it - oh to be retired ).

You should see some of the pictures of me, they are a riot, talk about dated!!!  (In fact if you are on facebook you have probably already seen them!)

I also managed to get on top of the laundry mountain (I seem to have washed every item of clothing Alistair owns since he came home, I guess he saved it up specially for me).

Just had a lovely spaghetti bolognese that Tom made at school today so at least I didn't need to cook when I got home. 

Feeling very tired now though so don't think I will be having a late night tonight so I had better get on with my uploading or I could be here for some time.

Hope everyone is well - take care x

so I am halfway through the stress.  Today was pretty bad and suffice to say a mistake was made caused by stress and pressure to do the impossible.  Not fun and of course now they owe me even more time.  I really don't need this.

Looks like the big boss will be back early from his jaunt in America - he has changed his return ticket to Tuesday night so allowing for the time difference etc hopefully he won't be back to work until Thursday!

Still I am not even thinking about work again until Monday morning.  This weekend is going to be spent chilling!

Without my colleague, fingers crossed it will be better than yesterday (could hardly be worse) although I did leave on time for a change - I was determined not to give them any more of my time since they owe me over 3 hours already!!!

I already have more than enough work to last me at least this week with what was left behind for me let alone what comes in.  They should realise that my colleague doesn't have time to fit in everything she needs to do when she is here full time let alone with doing my own job too!

is it just me or has anyone else noticed how less and less people are using their journals, in fact how less and less people seem to be posting altogether.  I wonder if its partly the new layout of the site or whether people are just naturally moving on - god forbid anyone has managed to find a life away from the computer!!

I have to admit to feeling less involved with the site since I haven't been attending the meets, I feel somehow distanced from people and what is going on, perhaps its just a perception thing, as I certainly never felt that before I attended any meets!

Although strangely I have noticed that there don't seem to be many meets arranged over the next couple of months either, at one time it was difficult to find a free space to fit one in if you wanted to create one!

I do miss that aspect of feesch and I miss having contact with my friends I met through feesch - I really ought to kick myself up the butt and try and get more involved again, but as I guess it is with everyone its making the effort to get involved and finding the time to fit things in.

I'd offer to arrange a meet but I know from experience its not as easy as it sounds, although we did say we would try and arrange another Nottingham meet sometime, perhaps we should investigate if it would be viable.

Anyways enough of my random thoughts I should away and start the tea as number 2 son will be home shortly - what fun!!

Up early for a Sunday as the aerial fitter was due at 9.00 although he actually turned up at nearer quarter to.  So we are now the new owners of a new digital TV aerial so we can finally watch terrestial TV in all of the rooms again.  Took them a couple of hours to dismantle the old aerial and the bodged job of wiring to all the rooms and installing the new digital connections.  Luckily Alistair had organised the whole lot once he realised that when he moved back home he wouldn't be able to watch TV in his room - he sold his 40 inch flatscreen to pay for it as a) he doesn't have room for it in his new room and b) he needed the money to start sorting himself out again financially.

Spent a bit of time since then cleaning up downstairs as I hadn't realised how dusty the house is (but then of course it wasn't done while we were away so its three weeks since it was done). 

I have managed to clear a whole load of stuff out of the wardrobe in what was the spare room (now to be ali's again) but I have run out of space in the two suitcases that we had used for our hols (we never bothered putting them back in the loft as I knew I needed them this weekend).  I will need Phil to get those up in the loft and get me the other empty cases down so I can fill them with the rest of my stuff.  I really have been spoiled having a spare wardrobe for 6 months lol.

Wanting to pop out shortly to have a look at a couple of things and do some pricing up.  But then I am back with a vengeance to cleaning upstairs.  Great isn't it I spent all of yesterday washing and shopping (of the food variety) and will have spent most of today cleaning and tidying - what a great supposedly restful weekend!!

At this point I am still not sure if Ali will be back here to sleep tonight or will be back for good tomorrow after they have done the inspection on his flat.  I have tried offering to help, nagging, threatening but all to no avail.  To be honest I don't think he will be anywhere near ready for the inspection but I can't do any more than I have.  He is insisting it is his problem and not mine so there you go!  If he loses his deposit his dad is not going to be pleased but then again like he says that is his problem not mine.  I have laid down some ground rules though to him being home and I am sure the next few weeks are going to be testing times.  Not that I don't love him and am happy to have him home, but its going to be difficult as we are used the peace and space and he is completely used to his independence!!!!

Looks like being fun over the next couple of weeks ....

Seems that when you get to my age, missing one whole nights sleep buggers you up for days.  Although I guess you could say its partly still being under the weather too!!

Been doing some catching up with school pals and old work mates through face book, so its been a period of reminiscance. 

Need to talk to my mum about getting hold of some old pics and getting them scanned in - should be a laugh if nothing else.

In other news, Ali's 6 months in his flat comes up on Monday so he will definately be back with us from Sunday or possibly Monday depending on how soon he sorts himself out and they do the check on the flat so he can hand back the keys.

I know it sounds awful but I am not particularly looking forward to having him back as he is going to find it hard living with house rules again after having been so independent for so long.  Ho Hum.

In other news - Tom has finally had the resuts of his maths and science SAT's (he still has to find out his English) and he got a level 8 for Maths (he took the higher paper) and a level 7 for science which has meant he can take the triple science GCSE and double maths.  This now means over the next two years he will be taking a total of 12 GCSE's (in my day you only took 8 or 9 at the most).  Phil has promised him £20 for every A or A* he gets, so if all goes to plan it could end up being very costly lol.

Right I am supposed to be having an early night tonight so I better be offski. 

Hugs x

back at the funny farm wasn't so bad in the end so fingers crossed the two weeks when I am on my own will be reaonable too.  I heard today that the big boss is out at a conference then seeing clients over in America for most of the two weeks anyway which usually means a quieter time as the trainees can't do anything much whilst he is not around to supervise them and I understand they all have exams during this period too!

The day went by in a daze pretty much - still feeling the after effects of the chest infection and coughing like a good en.  Was supposed to be out with the coven tonight but to be honest didn't feel up to it so soon after the holiday and anyway I want to watch the Murray/Federer final of the US open lol.  Turns out I wasn't the only cancellation so we are going to reschedule anyway.

Hugs x

Had a lovely peaceful holiday with plenty of much needed RNR and didn't miss anything about not being at home (particularaly the weather), I could quite happily have stayed permanently (maybe one day I will just up and go). 

I did manage to have a serious cold and chest infection for most of the holiday but luckily it didn't spoil things too  much.  The few photos I took are on my photopage if anyone is interested!

Now back down to earth with all the chores, although I have managed to get through three washer loads already and done the shopping already lol.

Back to work tomorrow which I am not looking forward to, although at least this week there will be three of us, after that I have a fortnight of coping on my own again and seriously not looking forward to that!

Am I glad to be home - not in the slightest!

Well I thought I had done really well in being really selective about what I am taking with me for the two weeks, but we have still ended up with two suitcases, where I had hoped to just take the one big one.  Still never mind, its all packed now and we are just waiting on it to be time to set off for the airport.  I shan't be sad to leave all this rain behind, although you will probably have a heat wave the minute we set foot on foreign soil lol.

Hope everyone has a great weekend and those who are going to Mandi's party have a great time, someone please pass on my best wishes.

All that it remains to say now is see you on 6th September x