Crepeys of a consistently high standard

[Stropperella]

So there. :)

Just a quick message. Happy birthday to those whose day it is. Good luck, Stropps; thinking about you. Haven't got any more time, but to say we are off to Seahouses with DGS, 4, for our two night holiday. Raining atm, but hope it improves. No wifi, so be back with you on Friday night. Enjoy the rest of the week.

Herbs, where did you get those ear plugs from? Am thinking about the looooong flight in 2 weeks time!
And HB to Herbs junior

I think I bought them in France. But I'm sure I've got some before in this country... They're much better than the foam ones. And comfier!

DP has bought not one but TWO pairs of Boden ‘pull-ons’ on sale. His most recent acquisition in lurid check (and I speak as no stranger to the brightly-coloured garment) as opposed to the stripy pyjamatastic pair. He alleges he’s going to do TMATDNSPIN in them. We have all made it very, very clear that if he appears in them in public, none of us will admit any connection with him whatsoever.

I bet you he cracks them out on holiday, though.

ARGH. Just phoned my parents to confirm hospital visit tomorrow. Apparently mum was 'shivery' all night and has temperature. WHY didn't they call the GP earlier? They're supposed to call them if she has a temp. Not TWELVE HOURS LATER.

Eh, speaking as a long-term user of earplugs - trust me, I have tried them all - the only ones you want to bother with are the silicon ones. Available in Boots. They are the most efficient at blocking out noise (better than the wax ones) and the softest and most mouldable by far. I haven't slept without them for 8 years (many reasons, but mostly dh's snoring). I can sometimes still hear dh's snoring through them, but then I wake him up and force him to drink water and then it's usually all right after that.

The interview was ... a big, long, drawn-out trial. Interesting for someone who hasn't had a 'proper' interview in a school for 19 years. Only 2 candidates for the job I was going for and then someone else for another job in the same dept. There were a lot of different hoops to jump through before we even got as far as the actual interview and I was completely knackered by the time I got in there at 12, having been there and been under the microscope in 72 different ways from 8.30am. I dare say it's all designed to sort the wheat from the chaff and the chaff was definitely blowing around in the room when I was in there. In all honesty, I think I did pretty well for someone who has been completely out of the 'normal' workforce for 17 years, but I do absolutely and completely know that I can't manage a job (and by can't manage, I mean it will make me bloody ill) where I have to work from 8.15 to 5pm every day and then do a couple of hours plus planning every evening and will also have to work at the weekend. Because that would leave me with time to try and sleep and that would be it. And it was entirely clear to them that I had major reservations about the additional hours involved. Sadly, I need a job that just fits into the actual hours stipulated, not one that expands to take over your entire life. Three days a week would have been perfect, because all the planning could have been done on the other two days.
So I think the other person got it - although before I got called into the interview, she was expressing exactly the same reservations as I was. But she was a lot younger and already doing a similar job part-time somewhere else. She jokingly said we should ask for a job-share, but I wouldn't have dared. I need a job, and I would have a hard time wrestling with my conscience if they offered it to me, because the money would basically solve all our financial woes. However, I'd probably be divorced and/or dead by Christmas and my kids would be taken into care. I don't really know if I will find a teaching job that suits now. I may be too old for this :( Anyway, I am confident I won't have to wrestle with my conscience this time, but how to find something I can do?

MI, aaargh indeed. Hope your dm is getting some treatment now?

Many, many thanks to those who have helped me with my fundraising for the local children's hospice. I shall trot proudly round the course on Saturday (having taken painkillers beforehand, because my back is most decidedly not going to appreciate any jogging activity), knowing I have done my bit. I shall just have to hope the whole exercise will not cripple me for too long afterwards. :)

And another thing:

Happy birthday, Rudy!

Happy birthday, Mini-Herbs! (may the force be with you)

Well, Stropps, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they offered it to you, and you could ask for part-time, or job-share. I know exactly what you mean re full-time teaching jobs - I'm about to apply for another one, but it's full-time, half-an hour's drive away, and would mean planning every evening and weekend. For bugger all money.

Stropps, you should have asked for a job-share! Why wouldn't they take 2 decent part-time candidates instead of no-one? If they get back to you with an offer, definitely tell them that you would consider it part-time if that were a possibility. Fingers crossed.

Ha, they did that thing of asking "if we were to offer you the job would you take it" and I hesitated and then more or less said "yes, but if was part-time, I'd be a lot keener" and I think I pretty much destroyed any chance I had at that point. However disappointing and stressful it is not to have something in the job bag at this point, it would be a lot more stressful to take on a job I'd end up resigning from by half-term. Besides anything else, I could sense that 2 of the interview panel quite liked me, but the one with the most power was hugely unconvinced by me. Which was unfortunate. Tbh, by the end, I was thinking "ah, whatever, I've always fancied living in a hole in the ground anyway. No housework. I can probably sell the dcs into slavery on eBay.."

On the plus side, I managed to get into the interview clothes I bought 3 years ago, so I can't have got that much fatter lately.

Update: I didn't get the job because it was very clear that I wasn't comfortable with the demands I thought it was going to place on me. However, I had a full, frank and very useful feedback discussion with the person who badgered me to apply and she immediately asked if she could keep my details on file in case any part-time stuff comes up in Sept. And I have also offered my services on a voluntary basis because I think I need every opp to build up my self-confidence and she is vvv happy with that idea.

Feedback on teaching was v good, and generally everything was good, I just made it obvious in the interview that I thought the job was too much for me. Which she still doesn't agree with, but hey. The post-grad course that I'm enrolled on for Sept would be of great use to them, so if we can manage to scrape by financially, I can do the course, do some voluntary work in exactly the area I'm hoping to work in, hopefully pick up some part-time work eventually - if I can do all that while building up my confidence, I will be in a better place and have more self-belief and then will not talk myself out of the next job I'm offered.

Of course, it may all go tits-up financially. But hopefully we will be able to wing it for another few months.

I would also just like to tell people that I do still work in my old job. And indeed spent a large chunk of the weekend and most of Monday transcribing extremely tedious and detailed interviews. Just in case anyone thinks I waft about contemplating my navel and thinking up reasons to talk myself out of 'real' jobs.

Stropps, you work harder than practically anyone else I know.

GP apparently thinks temp is linked to yet another UTI, dad informs me mournfully so why the fuck is she drinking so little STILL: tomorrow's consultant meeting going ahead.

I skived off and scored freebies attended press shows this afternoon and have a posh new toothbrush as a result.

Stropps, they obviously liked you a lot. And you do need a life as well as a job. So fingers crossed for something part time. If my amazing pay rise materialises at some point, I am seriously thinking about going to a four day week.

I am dithering about going Overseas for work, for about six weeks.

I agree Stropps. And tho confidence building is always good and may mean we get through things a tad faster, it doesn't mean a job with impossible hours becomes doable.

Happy birthday mini herbs and rudy

Strops - I went to an interview once, where they spelled out to me just how busy/stressful the job would be, and how competitive and hostile the environment tended to get. I stuck my fingers firmly in my ears and said "la la la la." Four months later I was sobbing in the toilets on a daily basis, and the day I handed in my notice was the happiest ever. What I'm saying is - you did the right thing being honest about yourself; no point whatsoever in getting the job if it grinds you into the ground. I'm positive the right role with the right balance will come along.

I think you can do busy and stressful on a short term basis, any longer than that and you do become physically ill at some point. When I left a long hours, madly stressful job, I was off sick for two weeks, with raging temperature and vomiting. The doctor told me that it was my body telling me it had had enough.

DH just had a phone call from DD2 who is on a school trip in Switzerland. She was on a zip wire across a gorge, and smashed into another girl, who was supposed to have reached the other side, but hadn't. They are both OK, the other girl was more bashed and bruised and had a bloody nose, but they had to sort of winch themselves back along the zip wire to land. I am glad DH took the call...

DD1 is very much enjoying NCS apparently (phew).

MrsS, thank goodness they were both ok. The zip wire clearly needs checking, that doesn't sound right at all.

Thank you, crepeys. I luffs you all. I have been through the pain barrier and back in jobs before and these days rather value the quaint idea of a work/life balance. I also think I could do this job, or something similar, but only if I work up to it. I don't feel that jumping in the deep end is right for me at this point. Dh, fwiw, congratulated me, and feels that I did the right thing and that the right job will come along eventually as I keep putting myself out there. I hate letting people down, so I only want to take on a role if I can really do it justice without turning myself into a sleep-deprived loon.

Other positive news: dd bought me a new No7 mascara to say sorry for being an arse earlier this week. "Dramatic Lift" - yes, I think we can safely say I need one of those.

MI, I think I know the answer to this one, but can your df not get your dm a special jug of water/other suitable fluids and encourage her to drink a certain amount from it during the day, so they can both see how much she is actually drinking?

Stropps, that is an excellent idea. So the chances of them putting it into practice are approximately zero, obvs.

I suspect he's never realised people with UTIs need to drink.

That gorge story makes me feel quite sick - I'm a bit crap with heights (as in annoyingly phobic). MrsS, do go Abroad. Preferably somewhere sunny with cheap flights for your friends.

Mrs S - do it.

Stropps - sounds like the right thing. Just because one can (take a job) doesn't mean one should.

MI - short of phoning them every two hours telling your mum to drink a glass of water, it's hard to know what to do. My parents hardly drink anything either. A few cups of tea a day, and maybe a coffee, but hardly ever any water, even when it's hot.

I am exhausted from herding two highly excitable boys from school, to the cinema, (which necessitated the usual balancing of popcorn, drinks, sweets, tickets, booster seats, etc), McDonalds, home, performing cake ritual and opening further presents. DS seems moderately keen on his bike, though has somehow got the chain to fall off already.

Well done, Herbs. I feel tired just reading about your ds's birthday treat.

My dm (85 and prone to UTIs these days) was lectured by the doctor about not drinking enough and, having sneered for years at what she considered to be my "excessive water-drinking habits" has now adopted my tactic. Which is to always have a pint glass (or 500ml water bottle, when out and about) to hand and try to ensure it is emptied down my gullet at least 3 times at day. It used to be four times, but even I have decided that 4 is perhaps only necessary when you are living in a hot country.