A fresh start

taxi73

Well done on the figures...they are coming down.
Sweden sounds fantastic...I also hope you get some time for visiting x

boredofbeingathome

Sweden sounds great- have a good time. I am having a tough month too- but it will be ok, i am sure..just notching the belt in a bit.

Seaxwyn

Thanks all! I'm kind of looking forward to Sweden. The first 3 days are meetings that I am dreading, as I have to give presentations but also am responsible for the arrangements, and I know that things will go wrong and people will complain. Then I have a day off and then the next four days are a bit easier. I certainly hope I get time to look around. I will be in Gothenburg so if anyone has been there and has travel tips, please share them.

taxi73

Sounds great xx

Karmacat

Don't know anything about Gothenburg, sadly, but the trip sounds brill, Seaxwyn - and nearly £300 of the debt in one month is not to be sneezed at, well done you. I like the £6.50 shoes too

chevalier

Hi Seax I keep losing your diary, i really must subscribe lol.

Well done on the reduction. What a pity about the pay rise not really materialising. On the other hand in what looks like the second dip of the recession, any pay rise must be a plus and show that they are really happy with you, so big pat on the back Mrs!

I too know nothing about Gothenberg. And don't do yourself down about the arrangements. I am sure you will have done your best, and will tackle any issues, with calmness and efficiency! I have asked the universe so it better happen lol!

I am pleased to hear about OH and the college, but I agree that is a very weird letter to get. nice that it was followed up with some actual information though.

I am now waiting to see whether I get my visa soon. Fingers crossed it will not be long now. Then i get to relaaaaaxxxx!
cheers
chev

Karmacat

How's it going, Seax?

Seaxwyn

Hello Chev! A blast from the past, I deleted all my thread subscriptions a while back and then never found your diary again. Hope you are doing OK? And the boys?

Hi Karma, are you well settled in the new house? I feel all out of touch.

I'm OK. Back from Sweden, that was full on workwise but interesting and not without fun moments. Everything went OK, even my presentations. I've had lots of freelance work since I got back, which will be good when the money comes in but means I'm working night and day and getting very frazzled.

Sadly my dad has been very ill and is now recovering but has lost his sight and is very frail. He is still in hospital but will be coming home soon and will require lots of support and care. So I think my life is about to change a lot. Luckily they live nearby, and my mum is pretty capable, and dad is in very good spirits considering his physical condition. I am going to weigh up the pros and cons of keeping my job. It's financial security BUT means I'm out of the house from before 8 til after 7 every day, and it's not that well paid. I will investigate if i could earn as much closer to home or by freelancing again.

I haven't digested the financial news of today, but I know life is going to get tougher for most people, so giving up a job is not a decision to be taken lightly.

Karmacat

More big decisions needed from you, Seaxwyn - I remember when my dad got so ill, my sister and I were travelling up once a month to do the cleaning and shopping for my mum, she couldn't manage that as well. But it was all compressed in a very tight timescale for us, we had so far to go. Its obviously not going to be like that for you. What are your thoughts on job vs. looking after parents after a few days have passed?

I'm so sorry your dad has lost his sight - trying to think of anything that might help, even back in the 1960s, there were lots of aids that the RNIB would lend you, to have in your own home for as long as you needed - my grandad had a braille wristwatch, even then. And there were lots of other things, less noticeable to a child....

How are things today?

Seaxwyn

Thanks Karma.

Dad is being discharged from hospital today. Mum and i are going to get him at 1pm and will get a visit later in the afternoon from a social services team who will assess what help they need. At some point they will also be visited by the visual impairment unit, so should get help with that as well. We have already got him a talking wristwatch (with a horrible voice like a barbie doll!).

Once he has been home a while we can judge how mobile he is and how capable of doing things like dressing and washing himself.

Until his recent illness, dad was very active in various societies and was also a keen local historian, who published various articles and books. He wants to continue these activities as much as possible so I hope we can get some kind of voice activated computer package. It would have to be very easy to operate as he was not good with technical gadgets even when he could see. But I would like to help him as much as I can, not just for him but also because when he's gone, lots of valuable knowledge will go with him so I want to help him finish the articles and other projects he is doing.

This has reinforced my feeling that full-time work is not for me. It takes up too much of my precious time! At the same time, I need to be earning more, not less, than at present so I can't go back to disorganised freelancing. I need to look really hard at my options, and take things like pension contributions into account as I never have before.