Coming back down to earth...!

themaccas

Today I had a really great day with DD (aged 8) we had our 'Girl Day' where we do a bit of shopping and go out for lunch. We just had a few bits and pieces to buy her for school - scissors, ruler, socks etc I bought her a book too and could have gone mad, I really wanted to buy her a gorgeous pair of slippers but in the end £20 didn't seem very DFW style so we didn't get them! Had a really nice lunch at Cafe Rouge courtesy of Tesco Vouchers - very MSE and finished up having coffe and cake in Starbucks.

Anyhow when DH got home he told me he was told at work that the rumour is he will not be getting his current contract extended after April 2008. He is in the Forces and although it is a rumour he has been unable to establish whether it is fact and he is gutted to say the least. Fortunately he has been making prepartions in the event he was going to leave and is completing his OU degree next month (in fact he has just won an award for that and will be getting his prize soon). Last year he made preliminary enquiries about becoming a teacher and is all set to apply for a PGCE course. So in the grand scheme of things it's not so bad, he probably won't be signed on and he is gutted about that, he loves his job, however we now even more so need to buckle down and get rid of our debts as the wage he would earn as a teacher won't be anywhere near what he gets now. Snowball says March 2008 and his discharge date will be early April 2008 so we should be able to do it then we won't need to use his lump sum and pension to pay off our debts and we'll be able tostart our new life debt free. There are a few 'perks' we will lose though, our children are in private education which the Forces pay for (90% of fees) and we will miss that although our eldest son will have finished 6th form by then.

SO it's been a bit of a kick up the backside and becoming debtfree is very much in both our minds and I felt we were beginning to slacken off a bit too!!:o

CAFCGirl

Its a shame to hear that Maccas.

However try to stay positive, at this stage it's still only a rumour. But it helps to have a plan set in place for should things like this happen.

I'm not really aware of how things work in the forces, so cant comment too much, so just wanted to say think positive, keep upbeat. he's obv got a good head on his shoulder i.e the OU course.

And I thought it was really nice to hear you had a lovely day with your daughter......... although now I do fancy a starbucks coffee......... and some cake..........

Chrismojam

I am sure you have said before...but what forces is he in ...army or RAF?....I take it he will be offered resettlement courses if he is to leave?..... know he is doing 'his own' course for his own benefit...but you make sure he gets everything offered to him coming out the forces....whatever job he has done he has served his country in some way.........there's plenty of us out here who wouldn't be so willing........

Saying that...I do know how the services can poo on their service men and women from a great hight.....one of my bro's came out of the RAF last year....he had been put up for promotion by his bosses year on year (by last year he had served 23 years...can't remember what the promo was to...think he was a sergeant or corporal...)...the year he decides and tells the bosses that he will be leaving.....he is offered promotion............at the very last minute.......he decided to leave as the promotion meant it was very likely he would be posted away from his daughter who he dotes on...he had recently split from the mother (her decision.......) so he was already having his world ripped away from him.....

The forces may offer a 'good life' in one hand.....but they take it away in another...you make sure you get what you are entitled to...