Friday, October 27, 2006

Quickie!

I am in the middle of dying my hair right now, so this has to be a quick post. Anyway, there's not much to say even if I had the time.

Martin is at his monthly work activity. I took a bath and read my book for like an hour and am doing self indulgent things and NOT doing any housework! Life doesn't get any better than this.

My second interview for the spa job isn't until December 4th, but it's ok. My job at Hewden looks like it could be continuing for another two weeks, and I want a couple weeks off anyway. I am exhausted. Besides, I'm pretty confident about the spa job.

Had the week off school since it's half term, and it was so nice to be able to come home in the evenings. We got some more stuff done in the front room--I put up dry wall adhesive until I almost had a blister, but the long wall is half done now, and it looks great. We won't get much else done this weekend though, as we are both working tomorrow and Martin is playing football (of course. I hate that game sometimes!). Will probably post if something exciting happens, but it's not likely.

Time to rinse.

Can't wait to have "plum" coloured hair!

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Almost Legal...

I am almost legal to drive over in England now. As long as Martin is with me, I AM legal. I got my provisional driving license in the mail on Thursday. Quite a relief, as I had to send my passport away with the forms in order to get it. I don't like to leave the house without my passport, so having it in bureaucratic hands for 4 weeks was a little bit nerve wracking. Martin is so happy that I am almost legal! I have another two lessons to take, and I'll be doing those on the 4th and the 11th of November. Then I just have to pass the test. I'm not worried though--should be just fine. I am an excellent driver!

Things are good in old Blighty. The weather has officially turned nasty, and we are only getting about 7 1/2 hours of sunlight a day now. I'm afraid winter is upon us. But, uncharacteristically for the area, it rained all week long and now that the weekend is here, the sun is out. Usually happens the other way around. Martin is playing footie in Holton-le-Clay, and I am going to drive down with him and sit outside working on my course work for the massage thing.

Yeah, massage. The class is going well. We had our first test in Anatomy and Physiology last week, and I'm pretty sure I aced it. I hadn't taken a test in about 8 years, and it was kind of surreal. Everyone seemed nervous about it, and I was like, whatever--no big deal. They go SO SLOW in that class, I don't see how you could NOT pass the tests. It's interesting though--more so now that we are delving into the skeletal system. I'm learning all kinds of cool things. My new favorite part of the body is the radius where it meets the humorus. It has this cool little bit by your elbow that is shaped like a wheel, which makes it so you can actually rotate the bone in your arm. Genius, really, the way the human body all fits together. Talk about form and function blending perfectly. Except for male genitalia--that's just strange!

Still no word on the Day Spa job--they should be calling me some time in the next week to arrange a second interview. I called them late last week and they said they were running a bit behind because of construction on their new building. I'll keep everyone posted. I'd really like to get it, since my job at Hewden is over in about a week's time. I was going to apply for the full time position, but there's a new manager there and I dislike him intensely. He has a mouth like a sailor, and uses nasty language that is degrading to women. Plus he calls me "doll" and "sweetheart" and (my least favorite) "chuck." He does it to everyone, but I dont' know him well enough for him to be that familiar with me. I want to punch him in the face every time he calls me "chuck" and remind him that I DO have an actual name!

Anyway, enough negativity.

Martin and I went to the ward's James Bond night last night. It was good fun, but hard work for us. We were asked to do "mocktails" for the occasion, so we bought a whole bunch of supplies and tended bar for a large portion of the evening. About an hour and a half, all together. The drinks went over really well though, and the relief society president asked if they could get a couple of the recipes for the monthly newsletter. Plus, we got to get all dressed up. That doesn't happen very often, and Martin likes it when I do my hair and makeup at the same time!

Anyway, must go. I have tons of stuff to get done today, and I have to leave to pick Martin up for work in about 30 minutes. One of our cars, the Ford, failed it's MOT (safety inspection, basically, only a lot more strict than the US one), and so we have declared SORN (Statutory Off-Road Notification) and are down to one car now until we can afford to get it fixed. Blech!

Love and miss you all!

Sunday, October 08, 2006

So Proud of Ourselves!!!

We got some serious work done on the house this weekend. I am about half done with the dry wall adhesive, and we got some insulation up above the window in the front room. Martin even got some plasterboard up, so it actually looks like a wall now instead of a work in progress.

In other good news, I got a second interview for this job at the day spa that's opening up here in Barton. It is literally just down the street--it would take me about 5 minutes to walk there instead of 25 minutes to drive! I went to the first interview on Monday, and really felt like I connected with the woman interviewing me. It was mostly just a great chat, and I had a lot of fun. Then, when I got the letter inviting me back for the second interview, I found out it was the spa OWNER who interviewed me! Glad I didn't know that in advance!

So anyway, if I get the job we will be selling one of our cars. It's been a long time since we were a one car family, but it is so incredibly expensive over here. We can make do with just the one car if I don't have to drive to work--we'll just have to juggle a little bit while I am doing my massage course!

Church was good, though exhausting. It was fast Sunday, and Maritn and I actually managed to fast for the whole time. We actually ended up fasting for 26 hours--accident! We honestly just didn't have time to eat lunch yesterday. The Primary kids are doing their sacrament presentation next week, so we spent two hours practicing that. Trying to keep 25 children quiet and sitting still for two hours isn't exactly my idea of a good time, but the program should go OK.

Drove down to Mablethorpe to see Martin's Nanna after church. We had a good visit, and I got some seeds from her garden. I also got two plants that she was splitting and getting rid of them. I got a big clump of irises and also a glossy green plant called "bear's britches." They are already planted out in my flower beds in back. I can't wait to plant some of the seeds I got.

Anyway, must dash. I have steak pie to finish making for dinner!

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

We are Uncle Martin and Aunt Jamie, again!

My older sister Velecia just had her baby--a girl--on Sunday. Martin and I have a new neice. I just wanted to tell the world, and tell Velecia CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Sunday, October 01, 2006

General Conference

Conference weekend is much nicer in Utah than it is in Lincolnshire! I miss waking up late, stumbling into the family room, and watching General Conference in my pajamas. Last year we watched it all at the church. This year we went to the Mundays' house and watched it via the internet. Hooray for BYU TV! We haven't watched all of the Sunday afternoon session, as it is bed time over here, but we watched all the other sessions.

I love General Conference. What a great opportunity to learn and grow--and to make any course corrections that may be needed. What a great opportnity to actually get something out of my Sunday activities other than a huge headache from all the Primary children.

Things are going well at our jobs--especially for Martin. He finally made it onto the front page of top performers in total revenue and excess protection sales, which gives him "Matrix Points." He may also make the Elite Club, which doesn't mean anything much to people who don't work for Enterprise in the UK, but basically means he is now eligible to apply for a promotion. He was sort of eligible before, but not really. Hard to explain, but whatever. The important thing is, there's nothing holding him back from a promotion and (hopefully) a little more cash!

We got some work done on the house this weekend, even though most of it was just tidying up. I did some more dry-wall adhesive on the bare brick in the front room, and so we have another bit of the house that looks more like a house and less like a cave. I did about 1/3 of the south wall of the front room, and it looks GREAT! It is nearly ready to plaster. It's hard work though, and I have to be very careful not to over-do it. Last time I really went to town with the plastering, I tore my hands to pieces. I just get so involved. It's incredibly satisfying to make the bare brick into a proper wall!

Massage is good. On Wednesday we had to massage each other for the first time. It was just the front of the leg, but we actually had to get undressed. Stranger than that was touching someone's bare skin--someone we barely knew. It was awkward, but now we have done it once, each time will be easier. And I'm even more glad I chose to do the course, because it really is soothing to give someone a massage. All the family should be really sad they are not here, because I will have to get tons of practice and everyone could have been getting free massages.

Martin and I both went for seperate nights out on Friday--both of us with work--and were both really glad (once more) that we don't drink. There are some serious alcoholics over here. My boss, Alison, is a lovely person, but I lost a lot of respect for her when she actually sat down and planned what she had to do in order to get completely trashed. Martin's work night out ended in a trip to a lap-dancing club which he mised out on because he came home to me. Interesting!

Anyway, doing well. Our finances are more under control now, and that feels good. We are making progress on the house. Martin is doing good at work. I'm enjoying my class. We're actually DOING stuff, which is strange, but nice. How are all of you???

Miss my American friends and family! Come and see me!!!