Unbelievable...

She didn't show up today either!
She called at 10:30 this morning and said that she was still feeling ill and won't be in.
Now maybe she really is feeling sick - I don't know but I just find this whole situation funny now - I feel like I should start a betting pool on when she may actually come back to work.
Granted she works hard and deserves a bit of a break but I'm seriously running out of work to do - it may be hard to believe but I occasionally do work at work and now that work is just about all done. I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't come in tomorrow. Actually I don't know what I'll do tomorrow even if she does come in.
Uh oh - have I just worked myself out of a job?

So my boss has stopped coming to work...

As of today my boss has had a FIVE day weekend!
She is supposed to have Fridays off and therefore only have a 4 day work week but I've noticed that since I came back to work here in September that she has started taking both Monday and Fridays off.
She generally calls on Monday to say that she won't be coming in because she thinks that she will have to work Friday - fair enough she's only supposed to work 4 days - but when Friday rolls around she calls and says that she isn't coming in because she has some things to do. Fine whatever - but today she called to say that she wasn't feeling well and won't becoming in.
Now today is Tuesday and she pulled her usual Friday and Monday stunts so she has had FIVE days off in a row - for crying out loud!
Thankfully the girl that I took over for has come back from her NINE WEEK holiday and is helping to keep me sane since when the boss is absent she works in the office with me - but I will laugh so hard if my boss skips work tomorrow too because seriously what kind of example is she setting for the other employees?
I have a feeling that she is avoiding me and the other girl because we don't want to keep working here. I came back with the understanding that I would only work here for 2 months and this girl back from holidays came back saying that she would only stay on for 1 month. So essentially this absentee boss of mine needs to find someone else to work in this office fulltime by the end of October.
She's already been trying to talk the other girl into staying and I have a feeling that I maybe next. Since I've booked my trip for December I may relent and tell her that I'll stay on till then but after that I don't think so.
I am so bored today I could just cry! The weather is absolutely miserable and I am totally not looking forward to my hour long commute home. I need a challenge and I don't want it to be here.
I feel very cranky - I want a 5 day paid weekend!

I'm SO Excited...

I planned a trip today.
A girl that I work with told me about this tour company and I signed up for the 'Winter European Discovery' tour so...
On December 11 I leave from London and travel to Amsterdam
From there I go to the Rhine Valley, Munich, Innsbruck, Venice, Rome, Florence, Lucerne, Paris and then back to London on December 22.
I'm so psyched - I'm finally going to do something other than work and visit family - it's not cheap but it'll be worth it!

Note to self...

*When putting pasta in a pot of boiling water do not put fingers into pot with pasta.
*When using a metal fork to cook ground beef do not leave the fork leaning on the frying pan and then pick it back up.

NIN has arrived...

My NIN arrived yesterday and apparently the card should come in the mail within the next 8 weeks - so I guess the 9 month timeline I was given was a bit off. I've now informed my agency and so hopefully 50% of my paycheque will stop being taking off as taxes.

It's 9:45am and today already sucks!

So I woke up today at 6am feeling really nauseous - so when my alarm went off at 7:10am I didn't bound out of bed. When I look at the clock again it's 8am - I usually leave the flat at 8am having had breakfast, made my lunch, gotten dressed and done my hair and make-up - obviously that wasn't going to happen today. So, I for went breakfast and lunch and was able to leave the flat at 8:05am - not bad eh? It's pouring with rain outside - no problem I figure since I have been carrying an umbrella in my bag since I was caught in a storm without one a month ago. Unfortunately, this umbrella of mine is broken. I didn't realise this until it closed over my head when I was half way down the street. No time to run back for another so I just had to make do with holding it up. I get to the stop down the street get denied entry to one bus but get on to the second. Then get off at Camberwell and wait for my other bus. It arrives I get on, go up stairs and start to read my book. All is well until I hear shouting down stairs. From what I gather the bus driver had been instructing the passengers to move down and I heard some man shouting back "There's NO ROOM! Stop letting so many people on you IDIOT!" Then some more words were exchanged which I didn't quite hear. I was worried the bus driver might get fed up and kick everyone off the bus - they are so touchy. But he didn't and I arrived at my destination 15 minutes later than usual. Now what I usually do is get off the bus at the top of the street that the Hospital is on and then walk the rest of the way - about a 15-25 minute walk - stopping on the way at a coffee shop and picking up a 'Skinny Latte'. Today I did that but also picked up a chocolate croissant and a banana. I knew I couldn't wait till 1pm (my lunch time) to eat. I will never do that again, especially after being naseous. I did, however, end up arriving 5 minutes late for work but whatcha gonna do?
My boss just called to say that she won't be in today which is actually a good thing for me. It means my stress level today at work will be 0 and as I look outside it has stopped raining. Maybe today isn't such a write off after all.

The water...

Ok - I have kept quiet about this issue for long enough. I absolutely refuse to drink tap water here in England. Once you see what it does to kettles, dishwashers and washing machines you will see why. There is something wrong with it - I swear. No they try and tell you that it's perfectly fine to drink this stuff - it's not like it's diseased or anything but they amount of limescale and build-up that amounts - geez - I can't imagine that it is good for your body!
So like all (most(some)) English people I have responded by buying cases of water. Now I have no transportation other than my own two legs so I am looking forward to a very trim body because of all the walking up the hill and stairs with cases of water - my own little work out routine - haha!
Now with that said I am going out to buy another case.

So I applied for my NIN...finally

Yesterday I went a VERY sketchy part of London and had an interview to get a National Insurance Number. Even though I'm working right now haven't had a real NIN and therefore been taxed under the "Emergency" tax bracket which means that just under half of my wages have been deducted. Once I get my NIN I should get a refund and taxed properly. When I first got here I wanted to get a NIN right away but there are several things you need first.

1. Employment
2. A letter from your employer detailing your employment.
3. Official mail with you current address ie. Bank Statement or Utility Bill
4. Paystubs from your employer
5. Passport

When I arrived in June I had only one of the above requirements. Then I got a job and a letter but then my Grandfather took a turn for the worse and I quit my job. Then my grandfather passed away and I got my job back.
I've been working for a total of 8 days since coming back so I called the Job Centre Thursday and set up an appointment. The earliest they could get me in was October 22/07 that was a long time to wait but I was prepared to. I happened to call back later that day and they had had a cancellation and said I could come in Friday (Yesterday) at 3pm. So I took a whole bunch of time off work and went in and had the interview and I should be getting my NIN in the mail in 4-6 weeks.
It took me forever to find the place and so I am so glad I was my usual over anxious self and gave myself plenty of time to find it. I did end up arriving half an hour and they didn't end up seeing me until half an hour after my appointment was supposed to be. But that's their perogative if I had been late they wouldn't have seen me at all.
The part of town I was in totally freaked me out. It was SO run down and people were just standing on the sidewalks looking at me walk by. I ended up walking down all these alleys and I swear I must have had "Stupid Tourist" stamped on my forhead because I kept getting turned around and having to look at the map I printed off. (Thank God for maps!). The streets weren't properly marked and I kind of lucked out finding the place. But I found it and I didn't get stabbed score one for me.
I hope everything goes through ok because I definitely do not want to have to go back there I was luck once but...anyways it should go through fine but you never know with these things it's all red tape.

So now I have job...again

So I got rehired at the place I was working before as an accounts assistant before I quit because my grandfather got really ill. I did not want this job back because when I had it the first time I hated it - it was way too stressfull and my boss treated me like an idiot. The second time around is going much better. Since I don't really care about this job and the worse they can do is find someone else to come in and temp I am much more relaxed and cheerful - it's money and it has a time limit. I told the temp agency that I would go back to the ACU under the condition that it would be for a maximum of 2 months and that I was totally NOT interested in a permanent position.

I only want temp work for several reasons:
1. If you are temping then you get paid every Friday - When you are permanent you get paid once a month!!!!
2. I don't want to do accounting work while I am here but it's money so I can't really say no but atleast I can be happy that it won't be for too long.
3. Working as a temp means that I can have as much time off as I want - all I need to do is give a weeks notice and I am free! Hint hint - anyone want to come for a visit?
4. I get to meet lots of people and hopefully make lots of friends and work in lots of different environments.
5. I'm hoping that eventually I will end up at a gallery or a newspaper or a TV Station or something cool like that.
6. My hours are regular and I have weekends off so I can do fun things with my new friends.

So for whatever reason I am not totally despising this job anymore and I feel happy - the only real bummer is my laptop killed itself and I think I'll have to get a new one - but hey I'm working now so I can afford it - yeah for good money!

Grieving...

So while I was enjoying a movie with my friends my Grandpa Cherry passed away. My uncle Ashley called and left a message on my cell and one on the machine at the flat - lucky me I got the news twice. I also got to tell my sister-in-law and my sisters the sad news. Thankfully my sister-in-law told my brother and my mother. It takes a lot out of you telling people that someone they love very much is gone and they will never speak to them again. I'm still in shock myself - it was expected but it's still very much so shocking. Death is so final it's the only thing that truly lasts forever - at least as forever as the human mind can handle. Thankfully my grandfather was a Christian and I am too so I can rest assured in the comfort that I will see him again - just not on this earth. It's just so sad for me to know that he will never meet my husband, he will never see his great-grandchildren - there are so many things that he will never do but he was content with his life and he was ready to go. That's all that you can ever hope for a person - that they be truly content with their life and be ready for it to end. At the ripe old age of 24 I can't imagine being ready to go on to my heavenly father but that's because I haven't done any of the wonderful things that my grandfather did yet. I can only hope that once I have then I too can pass over with peace in my heart.

Back in London

So yesterday my aunts decided that I deserved a break and have shipped me back to the flat.It's nice to have some time to my self again and I will enjoy it while it lasts - I should only be here for a few days.

Thursday

So today I am going to try and care for my grandparents while my aunt takes a break she has been staying with my grandfather 24 hours a day since we arrived in Lymington on Monday. Wish me luck! I have started using the internet in the Lymington library but it won't let me use facebook so if you want to get a hold of me please send me an email as opposed to a facebook message thanks!

So now I quit my job...

I had my job for less than 2 weeks and I have already quit it - why you may ask - because life is too short!
I got a call Sunday saying that my Grandfather had taken a very serious turn for the worse and I guess we all knew this was coming but everyone likes to tell themselves lies every so often.
I called my boss that day and told her thanks but no thanks (she wanted me to come on permanently.) She of course didn't want to let me go. I don't know what it is but none of my bosses ever want me to leave - I guess I am just too wonderful - haha.
I came here to help out with my grandparents and that is what I am going to do. It's funny how helpful you can be when you try. With my grandfather being so ill I've just been mainly keeping my grandmother occupied so my aunt who is a nurse can care for my grandfather. My grandmother has advanced alzheimers and tends to wonder away and really needs someone to keep an eye on her.
I also decided that while I am in England even after my grandfather has passed on I don't want to be stcuk doing some stupid nine to five job - that was what I was doing in Canada I sure as heck didn't come all the way to England to fall straight back into that rut.
I want to do something that I love to do - something that I am passionate about. Hopefully I'll be able to find something like that but even if I can't atleast I now know that if I become desperate for cash I can easily find a temp job in accounting.
So yay for that.
My grandparent's pastor was by today and we had communion with him - it was something that my grandfather really wanted to do so I am glad that that was able to happen. My uncle Graham my grandparents eldest child was able to come over from the IOW with his wife and join in in that so that was good too. My cousin Steve came over yesterday to spend some time with my Grandfather and my cousin Simon and his wife are coming over Friday to see him too.

So now I have job...

My Mom and Sisters left last on July 23/07 (last Monday) and then next I got a whole load of calls from this one agency and the next thing I know they're asking me to go for an interview in an hour. I did it but I was 15 minutes late, however being the responsible adult that I am I called them and told them that I would be late. Long story short I got the job and cancelled my temp interview for the next day (Wednesday). I was trained for the rest of the week and now on my own. eeek! The girl who was training me is off travelling and I don't think my boss likes me much :( I think that she thinks I am an idiot but that's her problem I can only do the best that I can and with so little time spent with my predcessor this is all she can expect (this is what I tell myself). What sucks is that feeling inadequate for my job makes me hate my job! Today my boss took the day off - she only works 4 days a week - yay! I'm hopping that if I stick it out for a bit longer I'll get the hang of it and not hate it so much but I get a feeling that this is not why I came to England. Sure it's nice to have money coming in but I don't think God has me here just so that I can work at some office job - I was doing that quite happily in Canada.
On the plus side I went to Hillsong last Sunday and met tons of people and I plan to go have coffee tomorrow morning with one of the girls I met. So yay for me I can still make friends - haha! (I only say that because most of my friends I've known for a ridiculously long time)
We shall see what happens next in this saga of mine.

I've done it!

So, finally after years of thinking about it I have finally done it. I have moved to England. I got here June 21/07 and I did all the rounds. I visited all my cousins (except one) and all my aunts and uncles. So that means that I have been to IOW, Bath, Portsmouth, Gosport, and Lymington. I have also been to half a million other places just to visit.
I have seen 3 movies since arriving (Oceans 13, Lucky You and Pirates of the Carribean 3) I went and saw 'Stomp' and I've been to Hillsong London. Ok, I gotta tell you that Hillsong likes to pretend that it is just a church service but that is not a church service it is a freaking Christian Concert. They hold it in the Dominion Theatre in West Central London. The Theatre seat 2500 people, they have 3 services and the place was packed. That's going to be my home church while I'm here. Well that's the plan anyway. I was invited to go out for lunch after the service with some YA's but I was with my Mom and Sisters and we were going to see Stomp that afternoon so I had to postpone till next Sunday so we shall see what happens.
I've been to a recruitment interview and I have a temp interview set up for Wednesday. My next step is obviously getting a job. I have the full use of my Aunt and Uncle's flat while I am in London as they are in Lymington taking care of my grandparents.
It's all falling into place - so far.
Wish me luck ;)

I'm outta here!

So Friday was my last day at work and I was able to sell my car the same day too! In one week today I will be leaving for England. Friday I have a going away BBQ and Saturday I have a going away party. I went shopping yesterday and today for bits and pieces and I will need to go shopping at least one more time for more stuff - so much to do and so little time!

England bound...

I've booked my ticket - it's a one way and I leave June 20, 2007. Stephen and Emma are coming with me. They return home July 8, 2007. I can't believe I am actually doing this. I even quit my job today - eeek...It's really happening.

Grandpa Cherry Is dying

I found out yesterday that my Grandfather in Enlgand (My Dad's Dad) is dying of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He has between 2 months and 2 years left to live. His doctor is amazed that he is doing as well as he is considering how far along the disease is. Thankfully my Grandfather is a Christian so we can rest assured that he is going home to meet his eternal father as well as his son who died so many years before him. Unfortunately not all my grandfather's children are Christians so they don't see things the way the rest of us do. My Grandfather is reportedly in good spirits. He and his doctor have decided to forgo treatment and simply work towards making his last days as comfortable as possible.

I am moving to England June 20, 2007

Grandpa Cherry

I found out via email Saturday night that my Grandfather in England may have leukemia. He's been taking care of my Grandma who has Alzheimers. It's kind of scary - but once again we don't know anything for certain yet. He went for a blood test last Wednesday and his White blood cells were low (?) so they gave him 3 units of blood and sent him home. He needs to come back to the hospital this Wednesday (Tomorrow) for a Bone Marrow test to see what the deal is. Please pray for him and my family in England as everyone is stretching themselves pretty thin to ensure that my Grandparents are never alone.

Thanks.

Good News/Bad News

So for about a month now I've been dealing wih a bit of a stressful situation. But now we have answers and I feel that I can explain what was going on.
My Mom went to the Doctor and was told she needed to go for testing for Cancer, Diabetes, and High Blood Pressure. My Mom never goes to the Doctor unless she is sick so the Doctor had never run any routine wellness tests on her. The results have finally come in and she doesn't have cancer but she does have Diabetes and High Blood Pressure. She is going in to see the Doctor on Tuesday to discuss what she needs to do now.

I received my UK Passport yesterday and I've gotten the go ahead from my aunt to fly over whenever I want. So now all I need to do is get there - haha - yeah that's ALL need to do.

I have finals coming up, a trip to Alberta, and we've moved offices at work and everything is a total mess.

To top everything off I've been fighting a cold since Monday thank goodness it's a long weekend - woohoo!

So you see Good News/Bad News.