Saturday, 24 September 2011
Friday, 23 September 2011
Apparently....
Kenco says knitters are on the rise! - Simply Knitting
They certainly are! I have been trawling through the internet today in search of more Christmas gift ideas. I want to make some nice little gifts for family and friends so I really need to get started. I don't really want to spend lots of money on knitting books (unless a particularly nice one catches my eye!) as that would defeat the whole point of a frugal Christmas. I have found some cute little patterns on the Let's Knit Magazine website (see the link in My Favourite Places).
In other crafty news, my new book is on it's way! Happy face! Since I started baking I have wanted a single baking book that has all types of cakes, bread and pastry recipes from the classic to the unique and I found it.
Step-By-Step Baking (image from Amazon) is that book. I can't wait to get my hands on it and start making some cakes and bread! I already am pretty good at cupcakes (albeit low-faff all in one jobs...they are pretty awesome though if I do say so myself) but I need to practice bigger cakes, victoria sponges, fruit cakes, etc. I also have this urge to practice a bit of cake decorating too.
This is on the assumption that I will have time in my busy schedule for baking! I confirmed my volunteer teaching assistant job today and I start on the 6th October. My weeks from the 3rd October will be as follows:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be work from 7am to 5pm, Thursday I will be in school from around 8.30am to 3.30pm and Friday I will be back at work from 8am to 5pm. Wednesdays I have rainbow meetings from 6pm until 7pm. I need to fit in 16 hours of study a week (mostly on the weekends) and 5 days a week I need to fit in an hour of exercise at the gym.....whew! I am exhausted just typing that. At least I won't be bored.....bring it on!
They certainly are! I have been trawling through the internet today in search of more Christmas gift ideas. I want to make some nice little gifts for family and friends so I really need to get started. I don't really want to spend lots of money on knitting books (unless a particularly nice one catches my eye!) as that would defeat the whole point of a frugal Christmas. I have found some cute little patterns on the Let's Knit Magazine website (see the link in My Favourite Places).
In other crafty news, my new book is on it's way! Happy face! Since I started baking I have wanted a single baking book that has all types of cakes, bread and pastry recipes from the classic to the unique and I found it.
This is on the assumption that I will have time in my busy schedule for baking! I confirmed my volunteer teaching assistant job today and I start on the 6th October. My weeks from the 3rd October will be as follows:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will be work from 7am to 5pm, Thursday I will be in school from around 8.30am to 3.30pm and Friday I will be back at work from 8am to 5pm. Wednesdays I have rainbow meetings from 6pm until 7pm. I need to fit in 16 hours of study a week (mostly on the weekends) and 5 days a week I need to fit in an hour of exercise at the gym.....whew! I am exhausted just typing that. At least I won't be bored.....bring it on!
Thursday, 22 September 2011
Life long learning
 |
| "and let thy feet milleniums hence be set in midst of knowledge" |
I shall be starting my course in the next week so this phrase seems quite relevant now. Especially as it is a Teaching Assistant course so I will be learning how to help impart knowledge on the young.
I love learning. Teaching seems to be a great way to continue learning too. If I am interested in a topic or fact, I feel a need to learn as much as possible about it by reading books or looking up things on the internet; a fact that my family love to tease me about. My shelves are full of books I have picked up about one topic or other. Most of them I have kept up and some I have got bored with but they are all still there as a testament to my thirst for knowledge. That sounded quite deep.... ;-)
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
A long day...
What a day! I love being busy at work because it makes the day go more quickly but days like this are just so draining. I work for a pensions administration company...not hugely exciting but it can be challenging at times. There are many parts to my job so I'm not always doing the same type of thing. Sometimes it's manual data entry, other times it's investigations. Today was a day of too many challenges all coming at once!
We've been going through a period of change at the company too which is often the source of many moans and gripes. We have recently had confirmation of new pay grades and a new position has been created for senior administrators (of which I am one :-) ). Although we have been waiting for this for a while now, as with anything, the final decision never satisfies everyone. Offices are like schools in so many ways and the people never grow up. Don't get me wrong though, it can be fun. There are a lot of great people in my office so it's not all work no play.
Anyway, the day is over now. I am chilling out with my netbook and catch-up TV and I shall be having an early night. I fear I have rambled on too much again! I must start replacing words with pictures....so much more interesting. And yes I know I said yesterday that I would get some pictures of town tonight but my feet were killing me and I didn't fancy walking around town. Pics will come soon, I promise.
We've been going through a period of change at the company too which is often the source of many moans and gripes. We have recently had confirmation of new pay grades and a new position has been created for senior administrators (of which I am one :-) ). Although we have been waiting for this for a while now, as with anything, the final decision never satisfies everyone. Offices are like schools in so many ways and the people never grow up. Don't get me wrong though, it can be fun. There are a lot of great people in my office so it's not all work no play.
Anyway, the day is over now. I am chilling out with my netbook and catch-up TV and I shall be having an early night. I fear I have rambled on too much again! I must start replacing words with pictures....so much more interesting. And yes I know I said yesterday that I would get some pictures of town tonight but my feet were killing me and I didn't fancy walking around town. Pics will come soon, I promise.
Tuesday, 20 September 2011
My epiphany....not really but nevermind
It's amazing what you can get done in such a small amount of time. Quite often, I get home from the gym, cook dinner, wash up, sit down and don't get up until it is time for bed. Then, I get irritated because I feel like I have no time to get anything done of an evening. No bloody wonder if I spend most of the time on my backside watching TV! Last night I made myself get off my arse and do something, I did my food shopping and put on a load of washing, tidied up and sorted my gym bag. Yes, I didn't eat until 8 but I was in bed at the same time and I felt like I had actually accomplished something. Laugh all you like....I know it's not the most shocking revelation but I am quite proud of myself!
This is certainly going to be helpful when I officially start my coursework in the next few weeks. I will have my weekends but it would be good to be able to get some reading done in the evenings after work. My days are going to be long....7am til 5pm at work 4 days a week, an hour at the gym 5 days a week (four of them straight after work), one day of school from 8.30am til 3pm and coursework for a few hours a day. On top of that I have a flat to look after (I am damned if I am going to let it get into a state) and a bunny rabbit to care for. I will fit it all in!!
19:54 by my computer clock and it is dark outside. Gone are the lovely light evenings. No matter, Salisbury looks lovely at night, all lit up and sparkly! :) Tomorrow I will take some photos on my walk home.
This is certainly going to be helpful when I officially start my coursework in the next few weeks. I will have my weekends but it would be good to be able to get some reading done in the evenings after work. My days are going to be long....7am til 5pm at work 4 days a week, an hour at the gym 5 days a week (four of them straight after work), one day of school from 8.30am til 3pm and coursework for a few hours a day. On top of that I have a flat to look after (I am damned if I am going to let it get into a state) and a bunny rabbit to care for. I will fit it all in!!
19:54 by my computer clock and it is dark outside. Gone are the lovely light evenings. No matter, Salisbury looks lovely at night, all lit up and sparkly! :) Tomorrow I will take some photos on my walk home.
Monday, 19 September 2011
Home-made Christmas ideas
Some Christmas ideas. As I'm making my gifts this year, it's never too early! These sites have been bookmarked....
BBC Good Food - Christmas gifts
BBC Good Food - Christmas gifts
Food Channel Christmas Hamper Ideas
I like the idea of doing mini Christmas cakes and some kind of chutney with cheeses and home-made biscuits.
'via Blog this'
Autumn is on it's way
...if it isn't here already! The leaves are not yet falling but it won't be long now. It's certainly darker in the mornings and the nights are closing in. As beautiful as the autumn colours are, soon it will be dark when I go to work and dark when I go home especially when I change my hours to 7-5...how depressing!
That said, I do like the wintertime. I love wearing big jumpers and getting cosy in front of the fire with a hot cup of chocolate by candlelight. I only hope we have a nice crisp cold winter, not a damp and rainy one. There's nothing worse. I love setting up for Christmas too. I have decided to try and make my presents this year so I need to get started on that soon...lots to think about there but that's for another day.
Right now I am waiting on my parents to drop off Buster. He has been staying with them as I had a flat inspection last Friday. Strictly speaking I shouldn't have animals in my flat so better safe than sorry! I like to think of Buster as an autumn rabbit because of his biscuit colour. He goes well with the autumn colours. :)
That said, I do like the wintertime. I love wearing big jumpers and getting cosy in front of the fire with a hot cup of chocolate by candlelight. I only hope we have a nice crisp cold winter, not a damp and rainy one. There's nothing worse. I love setting up for Christmas too. I have decided to try and make my presents this year so I need to get started on that soon...lots to think about there but that's for another day.
Right now I am waiting on my parents to drop off Buster. He has been staying with them as I had a flat inspection last Friday. Strictly speaking I shouldn't have animals in my flat so better safe than sorry! I like to think of Buster as an autumn rabbit because of his biscuit colour. He goes well with the autumn colours. :)
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