Sunday, February 24, 2013

A weekend of computers..

The home pc has finally given up the ghost and no longer works. Luckily I had some software installed that enables me to dial into it externally and I spent the whole of Saturday downloading all the photos and files from him onto an external hard drive before we send it to the bin!

Bought a new pc on Thursday from HP this time, not a Dell for once so hopefully it’s okay. Should be arriving tomorrow which means my life will be lost for ages now as I get this up to speed with everything to make it run as I want and install all the new apps. Bit worried as it’s got Windows 8 on it and I’ve not read any articles yet that have something positive to say about this Operating System. I tried it in PC World and it seems okay, just something new that people don’t like I hope!!

What else over the weekend? Jack played Greater Leys this morning and same as we did a few weeks ago we completely bullied them off the park! Surprised me that my lads could be so dominant, prompting me to add this as a Facebook status update:

image

Jack was prepared for this match and had initially felt-tipped a 6 pack on his stomach but changed it to “Why Always Me?” on it instead. He scored a decent free-kick so had the opportunity to show off his masterpiece!

Jack played okay, but it was nice because Cian and Wynn both scored really good goals, they have both worked really hard and it was pleasing for me to see them score well deserved (and well taken) goals.

We have Oxford Irish in the Quarter Finals now, they’ll be far too strong for us but we’ll try and keep the score down…it will be that hard!

Anyway, early start tomorrow so best get some sleep.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Skiing in Sainte-Foy…no broken bones

Over the half-term break last week we went to Sainte-Foy skiing and took Wayne, Kerry and the girls with us. What a fantastic week it turned out to be.

Travelled down on the Saturday getting up at 4.00am to get to the airport in time and then picked up cars from Grenoble before driving for a couple of hours. Made it to Maurice St Borg which is where the supermarket was and stocked up for the week before driving up the winding roads to the resort.

We had apartments within a complex this time and it was right on the nursery slope which made life so much easier throughout the week. We well remembered the long walk to the apartment last time we were there, this was total bliss! Picked up our skis and re-acquainted ourselves with the resort and then went swimming and used the facilities and then cooked dinner and had one or two beers before bed!

Next day we were good to go but it took an age to get the ski passes, hour and a half in the  and then we were off. Spent an hour with Wayne & Kerry to help them get to grips with some of the basics and then had a go ourselves. Didn’t take long to get back into the groove and were soon zooming around.

I won’t bore you with details but thankfully the week turned into such a success. We’d spend the morning with Wayne, Kerry and the girls and we’d coach them whilst taking them to harder and harder slopes which they were able to cope with, and then go back to the apartment after 2 hours to get some rest and something to eat and then in the afternoon we’d be out by 2.00pm where we’d go off and they would have their lessons. We’d all get back when the slopes closed at 5.00pm, go swimming, have a sauna and then have something to eat with beers, suited us right down to the ground!

Went out one evening to the local bar and also went sledging and on the last night we treated ourselves to a lovely meal, that was a laugh when I asked the bill and she brought us cream instead! It’s been amusing Charlotte and her friends she tells ever since!!

In terms of the skiing all the kids have come on leaps and bounds, they were brilliant, me less so! I couldn’t keep up with them and was often in so much pain from being so tired and aching, I am not fit at present…shame! We would go off-piste as much as possible and that was such a buzz, I really enjoyed that. We didn’t make a black run but that’s for the next time I reckon… Loads of crashes and lots of cups of coffee and hot chocolate at intervals on the slopes, god knows how much we spent on those hot chocolates, well actually I do know and it was over £100.00. Ah well!

During the week I did some work and get up to date with things, I obviously needed to because of being self-employed and I think that paid off because I think I got a couple of jobs as a result of doing so, that will pay for the hot chocolates..

We didn’t want the week to end, I’d happily have stayed there longer, 10 days would have been great, perhaps 14 would be too long.

Anyway, it was another early start to come home so we were up at 4.00am and drove back to Grenoble without incident, although it was surprising to see how busy the roads were. Back to Gatwick and home all too soon.

Another wonderful holiday though with fantastic memories and will start saving again to try and go again within the next two years instead of three. I think Wayne and that would be keen to go again asap and we’d be more than happy to go again with them, it worked out really well and we’re well suited to go together as we all get on really well and seem to have the same ideas/principles which is obviously important.

Some photos below…

Saturday, February 02, 2013

Flaw R Tists Audition

Sat in a studio at Brookes University whilst Jack is auditioning for the dance crew Flaw R Tists who he’s been practicing with a few times and now wants to join the team for shows and also they got to Got To Dance this year and are planning to try and do the same again this year.

Will see how he does throughout the course of having this laptop open. Mind you, he has the Murray boys ‘judging’ him, he’s a better dancer than them so it’s a bit rich to be honest!! Anyway, if he doesn’t get in then there’s something fundamentally wrong there!!

Well, got a phone call later and he’s in the squad. He’s delighted and it sounds like there is a lot going on and plans for the team so that’s great. Things such as busking in town and performing in events and also at Cornbury so we’re looking forward to it

Friday, February 01, 2013

One month of Self-Employed status…so far so good.

So, January has been and gone and did I work bloody hard or what?!?! It’s been great though, I’ve been very committed to the work that’s coming in and been getting it completed. It’s been a bit of a strain already as I have been working away, late nights and also at the weekend, but I’m getting paid to do the work I do so can’t complain. Sent off the invoices last night so will have to wait on those being paid without being queried…we’ll see!

What’s been great is the variety and the positive response I’ve had from people. Andrew Adkins during the Consortium training I did was pleased with my work, Science Learning Centre are interested in my services as are Peters Books. OUP have been using me for Data Mining and training, EdCo work has been coming in and the weekly visit to Raintree has been great. It’s been really good to get them up to speed and deal with issues that haven’t been addressed for such a long time. Bit of concern when a change in role for Teresa happened but Claire Dowse has said she wants to keep me on board, would have been surprised had she said no because they definitely need me. I get a lot done in a single day compared to what they’d pay anyone else.

Finally I am up and running with LifeCycle, that’s been a steep learning curve, I did a couple of visits and then was dropped into it and did a couple of training sessions. I had a few sticky issues but have got through it and they’re delighted with what I’ve been doing for them and were offering me full time employment. It was tempting but at the same time I want to retain my self-employed status for now and have the flexibility of other work coming in. Will see if I come to regret it…they’re reducing the money but it’s to a level that will be okay in that it will be regular work for 8 days a month. Just waiting on sign-off on Monday, fingers crossed!

February is already fully booked up and 12 days in March are too so it’s looking good. Hope it continues along these lines and I’ll be very happy indeed!