*sigh* this may take a while

savingholmes

You are doing so well. It will be lovely too when you get the work done. Glad that you are enjoying your new job.

lucielle

Pleased the new job is going well.  Bathroom plans sound exciting
L

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Can't believe it's the end of February already!  Both got paid and the short month made life easier financially, especially with no council tax or childcare costs
We've booked the bathroom refit for July, we didn't want to rush getting the design done and choosing fixtures/fittings.  Plus the plumber we use is mega busy and it's the earliest he could do it He project manages too and will arrange the other trades needed, so will be relatively stress free hopefully.
Have just signed up to a free trial of smol, have heard good things, so we'll see.  Can't see that it'll save any money, but looks to be better for environment etc.  I don't go overboard with worrying about our environmental impact, but I don't mind making small changes where I can.

savingholmes

Glad things are going well for you. Lovely to have something to look forward to as well.

Onebrokelady

Hi hope you don't mind me commenting,I've read your diary over the last week and really enjoyed it. First of all I can't believe someone complained about your name, I would changed the word to poo 😀and speaking as someone else who works for the NHS I am astounded at how badly your former employer treated you and I don't blame you for leaving, when someone said the whole "this isn't a job it's a vocation" thing to me I relied that that's all well and good but vocations don't pay the bills. I have to say though that my trust have been very good through the whole thing, some staff did offer to cancel AL but were told not to because they would need the time off and that it was important to make sure they all took their allocated time off. My managers have been very good with extra breaks and lots of verbal support in handover every morning. We have also had lots of counselling sessions made available to us from the trust, the chaplaincy and our psych doctor. I do moan about my job sometimes ( HCA so not as far up the food chain as you 😀) but having read how you were treated I'm feeling lucky with where I work 😊

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Onebrokelady said:

Hi hope you don't mind me commenting,I've read your diary over the last week and really enjoyed it. First of all I can't believe someone complained about your name, I would changed the word to poo 😀and speaking as someone else who works for the NHS I am astounded at how badly your former employer treated you and I don't blame you for leaving, when someone said the whole "this isn't a job it's a vocation" thing to me I relied that that's all well and good but vocations don't pay the bills. I have to say though that my trust have been very good through the whole thing, some staff did offer to cancel AL but were told not to because they would need the time off and that it was important to make sure they all took their allocated time off. My managers have been very good with extra breaks and lots of verbal support in handover every morning. We have also had lots of counselling sessions made available to us from the trust, the chaplaincy and our psych doctor. I do moan about my job sometimes ( HCA so not as far up the food chain as you 😀) but having read how you were treated I'm feeling lucky with where I work 😊

Not at all, always nice to hear other points of view ... your trust sounds really good!  My new trust is much better, they still expect you to suck it up, but they seem more grateful and they acknowledge that the situation sucks.  They also allow breaks and AL, so it's much more pleasant 

mark55man

I found that a little bit of recognition that the company/employer is asking you to go above and beyond, and there's not much they or you can do about it but get it done, does go a long way.  conversely just saying JFDI and employing guilt does go a very long way in the other direction - as you showed!!  but will they take responsibility for mismanaging - I don't think so 

savingholmes

Glad your new employer is more people focused... 

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Thank you
Kids are all back at school today.  Was lovely for the first hour or so, but now seems eerily quiet!
We're getting our wills updated tomorrow... long overdue as last time we did them was 15 years ago and guardians/executors that we'd choose have changed!  We were debating doing POA at the same time, but it's mega expensive, so we're holding off for now.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

In other news, I've finally streamlined my working hours to 3 weekdays!  I've worked my last weekend shift and won't book anymore.  The hourly rate was lovely, but we're in an ok place now financially and I want to simplify life a bit.
Looking back on earlier posts, I had 3-4 different roles on the go to fit round childcare etc.  A couple of years on, with all the children at school and only two needing childcare, I am earning £1700pm for 3 days work after childcare costs.  That can be enough for now
I may revisit increasing hours once my youngest two are at secondary school too