18th June 2010

Hello! well today I got my BSAC Ocean Diver qualification!! (so did my OH) we went to Swanage and did a dive under the pier and then did a wreck dive - the Fleur de Lys - which is 13 metres down. 13 metres is nothing for experienced divers but it was out first wreck dive so that was far enough for me!! There have been so many challenges during the training - the first being the theory weekend that we did in March. I thought to myself, a whole weekend for the theory is overkill - surely we'll whizz through it and leave early. Ha! we only just fit it into a full weekend! Then we had 5 pool sessions which were fun and easy and the time flew by, but this time I didn't want it to. The difficult bit was lugging the air cylinder, the BCD (jacket) and your boots, fins, snorkle and mask - as well as towels etc. Its really hard to carry everything as the cylinder alone weights a ton!

Last weekend we went to Wraysbury for our first open water dive. Its a lake with camper vans and helicopters and stuff in the water. The first challenge here was getting kitted up! A wetsuit is sooooo difficult to get on as it is so tight fitting and thick - then I had a short wetsuit over the top and then hood, gloves, mask, boots and fins - it is so restrictive - by the time you have half of it on its really difficult to get the rest on and if I'm honest I was trying to get stuff on like the fins and having a mini tantrum about it, and swearing that I was NOT going to do this again!! It all felt okay once in the water though...

On the Saturday we failed as my ears were massively painful and the OH couldn't breathe...so the group went ahead without us. We were pretty gutted - but we went back on the Sunday and Jon (my boss and the trainer) took us separately from the rest of the group and we overcame our problems and we did 3 dives down to about 7 metres and it felt brilliant! The visibility was really bad but just getting under the water and not dying was ace! getting kitted up also got easier each time as we were getting used to it.

We decided to go to Swanage last night and stay over as our enthusiastic trainer wanted to be there by 7.30am, so we went last night and stayed in a really nice place called Clare House and we went out for a meal and had too much to drink! When I woke up this morning I felt a bit rough, but soon recovered when I had to think about getting all my kit and stuff on!

So all in all it was a very cool experience today! The first dive under the pier was only about 2.5 metres deep but we saw massive spider crabs - as my OH was examining a spider crab I could see that there was another one right underneath him standing on it back legs with it claws opening and closing about an inch away from his erm...sensitive bits shall we say. It looked very comical. We also saw other fish - one was really unusual - I thought it was a snake - it was black and white and I realised it was a fish when I saw it had a long nose, apparently it was a relative of the seahorse.

The dive to the wreck was good - I saw a massive fish and Jon and the OH saw a massive shoal of bib fish which somehow I missed!

ANYWAY....

I have now finished in my current department at work and on Monday I start a week of shadowing people in Guildford - then I have next weekend and then we go to Egypt!! AArrgghhhh....scary!! I always get nervous going abroad - until I get there and know everything is okay it just stresses me out. We are also going to go diving and I cant wait!! (but that's scary as well)

On Monday I met my sister in London and we went to the London Bridge experience which was fun - not as scary and fun as I expected but still fun and really good to spend some time with her. She then came back to Sunbury and we went out for drinkies and a Chinese meal and again it was great to spend some time with her and catch up. I just hope I didn't waffle too much....

so - if anybody actually reads this I am sure you must be bored by now...

until next time...

8th June 2010

Hello!

I am on a training course this week - was hoping it would be fun as Yvonne is on the same course. Its a week long and its like being on earlies as I have to be in Guildford by 8am. I thought it would be fun because I forgot how boring these courses can be. I sat there today sooooo tired and was going cross-eyed trying to keep my eyes open. Luckily we finished at 2pm - and rather than go to the gym with Yvonne I came straight home and went to bed. I don't think Yvonne was very impressed with me and seemed to think that I would wake up once I got home. Basically, I think she thought I was making an excuse not to go, but I was so tired nothing could have got me to the gym!! Even after two hours sleep I felt as though I needed to go back to bed!

I am moving jobs soon - within the same company - but a different role and in Guildford rather than Woking. So this week I have training - next week I'm back in my usual department and the week after I am on attachments - then I'm off to Egypt!! woo hoo! when I get back I am working in Guildford and the journey is going to be a nightmare! I have to drive 20 miles and take my bike cos there is no parking - and I have to park about 1 or 2 miles away...joy. maybe I can jog, although I'll need to be able to get changed. HASSLE

I have my sister visiting next Monday. I cant believe how difficult it has been to arrange being available that day. It's because of this role change and training and finishing up in my current department and staff shortages etc. etc. First I had to get the day off (one of the three days I have left in that department) and I was nearly refused it...then I had an eye test (with work) that I had to have for the driving test I have to do the following day (so I can drive work cars) and I nearly had to rearrange the driving test and the eye test..and its basically been a pain in the butt. However, its all sorted now - which is a good job cos I've hardly seen my sister at all in the last few years and we used to be sooo close. I really miss what we used to have - although it was much easier when we lived around the corner from each other. Her husband went to school with my husband and they were best mates (I met my OH through them). We ended up falling out a few years ago which I was devastated about - and things have never been the same since cos we have all been awkward around each other - although much less so the last couple of times. We have only really met up at family parties and stuff. Anyway - Monday should be good as it will just be the two of us we should be able to do lots of catching up!

The new car we bought got picked up today! we got a Honda Insight - its a hybrid car, so we are very 'green' - with that and a Smart Car. I will probably end up using this car more than the Smart car as my bike will fit in the back...

anyway - this has been quite waffly...

speak to you soon!!!

just a couple o pics

The best 'before' picture I have (it was completely overgrown prior to this picture being taken) followed by the after picture

I'm so attractive!

1st June 2010

Evening!

I am aching tonight...I had a session with my personal trainer today - and it was my OH's first day at his new job and he took the car - so I ran to the gym (a mile). When I got there my PT said...we are going out for a run today! I must admit I was worried! I am not the best at running.

Off we went...we got about a mile down the road when a dog ran after us briefly...I had no control over my reaction and I just grabbed hold of my PT's arm, and if the dog had kept coming I would have used him as a human shield! LOL It was rather embarrassing as my PT isn't really somebody I would grab hold of...and even more embarrassing when I saw that the dog was a tiny little thing that ran off in the opposite direction anyway! Anyway, we ran 2.7 miles, which is a lot for me (and I had already ran a mile) and when we got back to the gym I went on the cross trainer for a while...then, when stood at the little desk trying to figure out our next appointment this old women said to me...I used to do a lot of running, and when I was new and not very good my face used to go bright red too. THANKS A LOT! make me feel good!! lol I then ran a mile home again. I had a shower did some washing then fell asleep covered in all the odd socks I was trying to sort out!

Tomorrow, will be my weigh in day...one week on the weight watchers diet. If this doesn't work I am going to give up and be a fatty. I am hopeful though, as i cant be this hungry all the time and not lose weight!

So, my OH had his first day at his new job today...I made him stand there and let me take a picture of him (like first day at school) despite the fact he's been working for 20 years and has put on a suit loads of times before lol

anyhoo....gonna go - c u soon x

29th May 2010

Well...I have neglected writing on here for some time!

I have been busy and have spent much less time sat at my computer. We decided to do some work on the garden and the sun has been out...we have made it look much nicer and bought new table and chairs. We have dismantled the old shed and today we are putting up a new one.

We found out that a neighbour of ours, whose son is a friend of our eldest, is a landscape gardener so we got a quote for the front garden and greed for it to be done. It took 4 days and was finished yesterday. It went from being really old falling apart crazy paving on one side and weeds and overgrown mess on the other - to the picture that I will post on here soon!. Made me realise that you can do all sorts of cool improvements if you have some money! Unfortunately we don't have the money to do everything we would want to do!

Work has been really busy and a little stressful but I suppose I like it like that - its just nice to have the occasional morning or afternoon where you can a chill-ax a little and I haven't been able to do that for a while. I move roles soon...I am just starting my 5 rest days, then I go back in for 2 days, have 2 days off then have 5 days training in Guildford, then I go back to my old department for a week, then do an attachment (or shadow ppl) with my new department, then go to EGYPT FOR TWO WEEKS (I would have that flashing in colour if I could) then I start in my new role properly. I am really worried that I wont like it as much as I like my current role...but I'll have to wait and see!

My twins left school yesterday...I am officially old!! All my children are no longer at school (my work here is done...) The twins still have revision and exams to do, but they don't have to go to school on a day to day basis any more. They both have places in different collages in September so that's gonna be a whole new load of stress I assume.

I decided to join weight-watchers on Wednesday - the on-line version I don't think I could stomach the group meetings, I've done it before and found them to be patronising and a money making scheme to sell as many weight-watchers products as possible. However, I needed a new incentive on my diet and I wasn't losing any weight and I have a personal trainer who weighs me every 4 weeks and its embarrassing when I don't lose anything! Plus I have just under 5 weeks until I go away and it would be good if I could lose 5-7lb or something (MORE) by the time I go away. However...I am STARVING.......it had better work for that reason alone.

My OH had laser eye surgery just over a week ago. It was traumatic! He has always had bad eye sight and has had to wear glasses since being a kid and its a pain in the butt. I am always worried about his glasses getting broken and him being blind (not literally) and when we go diving he cant wear them so that must be annoying for him, he cant just pick out sun glasses like I can etc. etc. So he was brave enough to go through with the laser eye surgery and it was pretty awful afterwards, he couldn't open his eyes and it was quite painful. The surgery was fine apparently - no pain or anything. Each day got a bit better and now he can see really well and manages without glasses but still has a bit of blurriness, but only because his eyes are still healing. It is amazing really - he had an eye test and has better than 20/20 vision! Cool!

Anyhow, I need food badly....until next time....

16th May 2010

Its my birthday. I am suffering a little from last nights antics! The OH, Yvonne and Stuart and I went to Kingston Upon Thames. We went to an all-you-can-eat Chinese place and then went bowling. The food was good and plenty...Stuart made me laugh afterwards saying you never get enough to eat at these all-you-can-eat restaurants! We went bowling and had a good laugh and dance at the same time. Somehow we made 3 games last all night. I think we were the last ppl out of the place. I think I lost each game, but I can take it! I'm not very competitive...I'm only saying that so that the ppl that know me will think 'yeah right!'

My eldest picked us up from Kingston and put on his booming music in the car - there were no lyrics so me and Yvonne made our own...in gangster style...I think it is safe to safe that we totally embarrassed ourselves in front of my son! Its not very good is it, being a drunkard in front of my 18 year old - I'm not a very good influence! At least we were all laughing lots and not stupidly drunk!

We got home and played cards - I won!! hahahaha!!! - (just pretending to be competitive!) and we went to bed at about 5am!!

Today we all felt a little rough so I made a huge breakfast of egg, bacon, sausage, tomato, mushrooms, beans and toast -which made us all feel a lot better!!

Then I got loads of pressies!! The OH got me a diving watch/computer, and diving weights, and wide angle lens for my camera, jewellery, a very special brandy, and fantastic massage thingy that you put on your chair which is truly special, a tripod and a bag for my camera, and cool bakery book, oh...a puzzle ball gamey thingy - and a sphere experience (where you roll down a hill in a big ball thing!! So basically I was completely spoilt!!!

The twins got me flowers and eldest got me chocolates! Yvonne and Stuart got me a bracelet and books (books that she claims she lent me and I lost - but really she never lent them to me in the first place and we argue about it all the time but I have no doubt whatsoever that she never lent them to me and I could slap her when she claims that she did!!)

My mum got me lots of spices and a container to keep them all in - mainly for Indian cooking cos she knows we love making curries!

Basically everything was ace!!

I went back to bed for a couple of hours this afternoon - and I still haven't recovered properly from last night...Its 20:49 and I am waiting for take-out to be delivered...

So - I now enter my last year in my thirties...sob...I am NOT looking forward to being 40!!

4th May 2010

Morning...well its actually afternoon - but morning to me as I haven't been up very long!

I have had a few busy days...I have been on my 5 days off - I went out on Friday night with my OH and Yvonne and Stuart - I had arranged to go out with the OH to celebrate the job offer he has just got (although not taken as yet) and I saw Yvonne at work who said that she and Stuart would come along although they were both working the next day so Stuart was driving. We had a good laugh and it was great to feel back to normal with Yvonne because last time I saw her at work she seemed like she was having a go at me, she was tetchy, and although I couldn't put my finger on what it was I got the impression she was annoyed at me.

Friday night was just fun and we had a few laughs...so that was great.

Saturday we decided to go to Westfield in Shepperds Bush, which is a massive shopping centre with all kinds of shoe and clothes shops from Gucci to Coast to Bench to Next... we spent a small fortune!! However it has been a long time since we bought clothes, and it was the first time ever we just bought stuff without worrying about how much it cost (although we didn't quite stretch to Versace and Prada - that's just silly money, and pretty yucky stuff if you ask me!!)

I did my usual thing and forgot that I cant whisper, which has got me into trouble a few times - like the time in Manchester when I was very drunk and 'whispered' OMG look at the state of her with all that gold on, she looks pathetic! (or words to that effect) and she turned to me and demanded 'WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY???' and I said....'I said you look very nice....' and I got ready to be battered but my friends managed to get me away.

well, on Saturday we were in the Armani shop, and the OH nudges me and nods towards a couple that looked ridiculous. They were about 60 years old and she had blonde, red and green hair, and fur shawl thing on and all sorts of layers and weird stuff - he had what little grey hair he had left spiked up and looked as bad as she did. You could tell that what they wore was very expensive but they basically just embarrassed themselves...and I 'whispered', "Well they must have won the lottery because if they had been born into money they would have much more class" and then I realised that the man must have heard me...if looks could kill!!! he stared at me without blinking or looking away with this evil smirk on his face - he did this the whole time he was in the shop! I obviously hit a nerve. LOL

I just hope he took a long look in the mirror - I may have done him a favour.

Okay...I sound like a complete bitch now don't I?!

Anyway - we had such a good time spending money and buying stuff on Saturday that we went back and did it again on Sunday!! We wont be doing it again for a while though lol - I'll have to save up!

We went out with Yvonne and Stuart again on Sunday night and they were staying over so it was a proper night out - we only go locally so we can walk home. Yvonne was not herself at all, I think she is very stressed at the moment - she was laughing one minute then getting upset...I'm sure it will pass she just has worries at the moment. If she has a problem with me I'm very sure she will tell me soon...it wouldn't be like her not to. They stayed over and yesterday everything was fine and we had a lazy day and Sunday Lunch.

Today I am thinking Oopps, I haven't been to the gym, I have been drinking alcohol and I have a PT session tomorrow!! So I am officially RUBBISH at staying healthy and not drinking and sticking to my diet and going to the gym...but as usual I will just start over again. I am sat in my gym kit and will definitely go sometime today.

Anyway - gonna have the coffee that my OH has lovingly made for me - then we shall go to the gym!!