Crazy Cat Lady Chapter 2 - Groundhog Day

crazy_cat_lady

Evening everyone :hello:
Excuse mistakes as I'm typing from my phone whilst ds is at his swimming lesson. I'm utterly exhausted today- we've already had 1 member of the department off on the sick today and we were 2 short anyway. Plus head of department is out tomorrow so I'll be in charge - of a seriously failing and understaffed department - ah well - I can only do what I can do....
Not much else to report, bagged a bad yesterday and today. Finished a baby blanket and got some school work done. Busy, and I've already forgotten the summer hols - little pool of joy I am. :rotfl:

crazy_cat_lady

Oh my goodness. I can't believe that I'm this tired and it's only Tuesday :eek: I feel really worn out. Work went as fine as work ever does at the moment but there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. I have a full day on a Tuesday plus all of the other joyous things I'm meant to get done in the time I'm at work. Plus I had to leave early tonight to come home and meet the man that is going to fix the outside of the house.
I didn't post this, but when I got home from my mam's on Sunday, one of the drainpipes and some of the guttering at the back of the house was hanging off - so I found a man online to come and quote me to fix it. He's also a self employed window man, so I've asked him to measure up and give me a quote for new windows and doors. We have needed them for the whole 13 years we've lived here, but never had the money. I don't really have it now, but I think it may be way past time. We're still single glazed and very draughty round the door - and winter is coming in... I'm looking for excuses, but I'll see what the quote says when it comes in. I feel reluctant spending, but I know it really needs doing...
Diet going ok - Mediterranean this time and much more enjoyable than anything I think I've ever done before. Meals are quick and easy.
Open evening tomorrow so 12 hour day to do - don't expect too much from me tomorrow night

PurpleFairy26

Cat hope the quote is acceptable and the drainpipe got fixed. The disruption was minimal when we had our windows done, couldn't believe how little time it took, albeit we only had 2. Can't wait to have the rest done, we really notice the difference between the rooms with newer windows and those that are 25 years old :eek:

Hope open day goes well.

SpekySquarehead

CCL - i'm sure you don't need me to say it, but it's perhaps worth getting a couple of different quotes to compare prices and ensure you're getting the best price.

crazy_cat_lady

Quick check in from me... The window quote came in at about half of what I was expecting it to be. And he fixed my guttering and drain pipe for £30. Brilliant! I'm meeting with him next Monday after work to discuss next steps.
Other than that I'm just shattered. I did a 14 hour day yesterday, and a full day today. I'm on my way to bed now, but I promise/threaten to catch up properly tomorrow.

crazy_cat_lady

Another week done and dusted, with just a bit of work to do over the weekend. It's hard. I can't remember if it's always this hard at the beginning of term, but I feel exhausted and I'm starting to wonder if I did the wrong thing taking the promotion. I thought it was just that I'd be getting paid for stuff I was already doing, but I have been given way less time to do it in which is already piling the stress on. Plus we're still massively failing and way understaffed. And strangely enough recruitment and retention is a particular problem in science... Ah well. I'm always ok, and I'll get back into the swing of things. This week has been long and tiring and I'm still getting to know my classes so I'm sure it will be better next week. Just need to keep on.
There's nothing much else to report really, just work and being too shattered to do anything else at all. I'm planning to flake out on the sofa and have an early night and hopefully make the most of the weekend ahead. It's freezing here - been cold enough for the heating to kick in - and I have it set at 14 degrees...
Decided that we can scrape the money together to get the windows and doors done before the weather gets too bad. Meeting the man on Monday to choose designs etc - quite exciting, but quite scary at the thought of handing over that much cash that I haven't had to borrow or anything. But on the other hand, it's cash that I have to pay for it.

lcc86

That's fab that a. The windows came in cheaper than expected and b. That you can pay for it outright. Hope you have a restful weekend!

louby40

Enjoy your weekend. I too am exhausted after only 2 weeks at school.

Our new head seems to be ok, in fact he's introduced a few positive changes!

crazy_cat_lady

Evening all :hello:
Louby, I'm so pleased to read that it's so-far-so-good with your new Head. Long may it continue.
Apologies for the lack of updates over the weekend - I had a fantastic, but a bit busy weekend, and in spite of all that, my mental health is quite poor at the moment and I'm struggling a bit. I'm way more anxious and emotional than I usually am, which isn't great. The good news is that I'm aware of it and I know that these things just come and go and I need to ride it through. Bad news is that it's a struggle at the time, which is now. And I feel guilty that it was a lovely weekend but I still feel a bit rubbish, but I can't help it.
Work is stressful. There seems to be an awful lot riding on just 2 of us in the department, which doesn't feel fair - and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight or a solution to the problem, which has been going on for years. That's the majority of the issue. I had so much faith in the new Head that things would improve - and without a doubt they have school wide, but in our department, it's still as bad as it ever was - if not worse. I'm seriously overworked already and run down... and my head of department is equally demotivated, so we can't really encourage each other along because neither of us are feeling great.
Home is fine, but things aren't great with dh. Not bad, by any stretch - I still love the bones of the guy, but we really don't do much as a family. It strikes me that we are basically living alongside each other rather than together, which I find sad. I know that a relationship requires effort on both sides, and I think that we're perhaps both guilty of not making the effort. Sometimes it bothers me, and sometimes it doesn't - tonight it does... along with all of the other stuff I'm bothered about.
Caught up with a friend I'd not seen for ages on Saturday. It was lovely - and I wish we were closer so that I could see her a bit more often. She's head of department at her school and has tried to poach me once - I may not say no if she asks again. I could be working in a more complete department, and earning more money for doing the same job I'm doing now. I'm going to make the effort to see her more regularly if I can because she really helps me feel better (as do most of my friends).
Sunday went out with bestie and dd to the Metrocentre :eek: My idea of hell but dd and bestie love a bit of shopping as they are both skinny and beautiful. DD conned me out of a fortune on new underwear (it's her birthday and that's what she wanted), and I also spent a reasonable amount of £ in Primark as well. It was a lovely day (again) and nice to be out and about, which is why I feel so very guilty that my mood is so low at the moment.
Went into work today, nearly in tears and really had to psych myself up to go in. It got better as the day went on but it was a real struggle. Came home early to meet the window man. We've chosen our new windows and they are now on order. He reckons it'll be done in a month, so I'm quite excited about being double glazed and hopefully draught proof before the winter arrives. It'll be lovely getting up on a cold morning and not having to wipe condensation off mouldy windows. Small pleasures :rotfl:
I've had to do a couple of hours of work at home this evening as I left so early, which I also haven't fancied doing but it is at least done now.
Gosh I am a bundle of joy and a barrel of laughs at the moment. Sorry people.

Eager_Elephant

(((CCL)))

Sorry to read things aren't great - I echo your point about accepting the lows and riding with it. I think if you didn't you would get worked up about it and that would lower your mood even more.

Sorry that work is no better - is it teacher sickness or are posts unfilled or do they think you can manage with just a few staff?

Yay to the new windows - hope you will be cosy all winter.