Not saying Stu orders a lot but I know that Peter Parcelforce's wife gets in at 1.30pm and puts their heating on. And it's run on Calor gas. And a bottle lasts around 3-4 weeks and costs them about £40 a go.
(Today's delivery was mainly No Nails and wood glue. We're finally putting some spindles back on the first floor landing. ) Our heating comes on at 4pm. Unless Stu sneaks it on a little earlier. Ours runs on oil. It's not cheap. And as we have a little oil level monitor in the kitchen, by the kettle, we can increase our anxiety whenever we make a cup of tea. In other news:
[Panic over - it's just one of the hens doing the 'laid an egg noise'. It sounded strange as it's echoing all around] And now I've lost my flow. Today's photo is of Leah from yesterday's snow day...
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I might have mentioned that we're off to Iceland in February.
As we now live in the back of beyond with two dogs, an indoor cat, an outdoor rabbit and three hens going on holiday is not quite as simple. The animals can't fend for themselves and I'm pretty sure Stu's Dad and sister wouldn't be overly impressed if we dropped the whole menagerie on their doorstep en-route to the airport. So we had to find someone to come and live-in. I joined Trusted Housesitters - a site matching people who like to housesit with those who have a need. Simples. Simples if people apply to your advert. We had one applicant initially. He came to visit us before Christmas. He was scared of a wasp that had somehow found its way into one of the bedrooms. He didn't seem to be listening when I explained (several times in a this-information-is-important voice) that George is not allowed out. So - what do we do? One applicant who is scared of his own shadow and is looking forward to a holiday ("and how long can we leave the dogs alone in the day?" and "if it snows obviously we won't be able to make it). So we tentatively discussed him, and his wife, looking after our most precious possessions - for nine days. Then - earlier this week a 40-year old Communications / Marketing person got in touch. Could she sit for us? Do we have good broadband? We spoke via Skype. She made notes. She listened. She understood. She wants to make sure she knows all the animals names before she comes. She is perfect. She's got the job. All sorted. But being me....my mind is now on the house:
Also on Skype she was wearing a big fleece - she looks used to a cold house. She'll be reet. Today's photo: Stu, car, snow - Iceland November 2015 This post is not related to Life in Wales. If you're looking for sheep updates - move along.
Last year I commenced a six-month, seven-days-a-month, contract for a charitable organisation with its headquarters in Germany. That's the background. And the basis of this post. Seven days a month was never going to make me a millionaire. And money does not come into this. So we'll move past that. Working seven days a month (mainly from home) would be a challenge. The main consideration being:
That has proved to be harder than I'd thought. I am a hands on communicator. Trying to find the balance between advising and 'doing' has been so hard. I need to own the communications - I've discovered that I'm not happy to just throw them a strategy, stand back and advise. I might have been ok with that if they hadn't ignored pretty much every bit of my advice - or that's the way it seems to me. And that's the crux. Why pay for a consultant then completely ignore every bit of advice, keep them out of the loop and carry on regardless? (Remember this is my perception and I'm a little loony so not always to be trusted). I'm cross with them. They're wasting money. So there. (I've also just realised that those six months are probably up). If you made it this far looking for sheep...here's a tiger from my archives We're in our tenth month in the new house and work has started on the front guest room (Jess and Felix's room).
Sitting upstairs in my office I can hear the woodchip paper being scraped off. It's a messy job - every time I nip in to see him I get woodchip stuck to my socks. As it's now 2019 - some 2018 thoughts..: Family
Life in Wales
Work, life and sleep balance
This year things will have to change - I really need to earn some proper pennies. I guess I'll just have to start practising setting an alarm. And try and motivate myself to the idea of looking for a contract. And wearing something other than farm fashion. And dig out some bras. That sounds completely shit. I can do most of that if I put my mind to it - but digging out bras is a step too far. But I can't find work until after lambing. I need to be around for that. On a completely different note: Anyone got an iPhone X? I have several hundred screenshots on mine - all done in error when I try to lock the screen. Anyone else have the same issue or is it just me? Today's photo - just another sunset over the paddock |
DebbieMe, my life, my family and my travels Archives
November 2022
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