I thought I was gonna be rich, but seeing as I don't know anyone working for a Nigerian Petrol Company thought instead I'd warn you of this blatant (if well spelt) phishing scam I received by email today!

Dear customer, You have a Package that is registered with us for shipping. However,the content is a Bank Draft worth is $800,000 USD (Eight HundredThousand US Dollars).Reg .Number: P-01-402761625/Your package was registered with us for mailing by your colleague whois currently undergoing survey project with NNPC (Nigeria NationalPetroleum Company). We are sending you this email because your packageis registered on a Special Order. What you have to do now, is to contact ourDelivery Department for immediate dispatch of your package to yourresidential address. Note: As soon as our Delivery Team confirms yourinformation,it will take three working days (72Hrs) for your package to arriveat your designateddestination. For your information, Shipping charges as well asInsurance fees have been paid by your colleague.However, the only payment you are to make is £210 GBP to the FedExDelivery Department being full payment for Customs Duty Certificate.Please Note: All registered package with us have a time limitation and youare to meet up with this payment to facilitate immediate attentiontoward the delivery of your package. Note: Your colleague did notleave us withany further information.We hope that you respond to us as soon as possible because if you failto respond until the expiry date of the foremost package, we may referthe package to the British Commission for Welfare as the package do nothave a return address. Contact the delivery department (FedEx Ship Manager)with the details given below:Contact Person: Mr. Richard RaynorEmail: fedex.nig6@live.comTel: +2348071208793.Kindly complete the below form. This is mandatory to reconfirm your Postaladdress for clarification.FULL NAMES:TELEPHONEOSTAL ADDRESS:Zip/Postal code:CITY:STATE:COUNTRY:As soon as your details are received, our delivery team will give youthe necessary payment procedure for Customs Duty Certificate andTariff. As soon as they confirm your payment of £210 GBP they shallimmediatelydispatch your package to the designated address with the attachTracking Number. It usually takes 72 Hours being an express delivery service.Ensure to contact the delivery department with the email address andensure to fill theabove form as well to enable successful reconfirmation.Yours faithfully,Mrs. .Mary MaxwellAll rights reserved. © 1996-2009 FedEx

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2. "It's too cold to snow!" Do you think it ever is?
the days you wanna crawl back into bed are too cold for snow, too cold for anything other than snuggling and snoozing!

3. Do you feel there is still a place for British Summer Time or should we just stop changing the clocks?
I like the summer ones, and the extra light autumn mornings. but it is a lot of faff! undecided.

4. Are there certain meals you only eat in certain seasons (salad in summer, stew in winter)?
Not any more, used to have casserole winter time only, but now we have it all year.

5. Autumn is...?
The best, run up to my birthday and so full of bright sunshiny days, and crazy rainy days

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Anyway, it seems like it might also double as a leaving party, as neither hubby or I can be arsed to fix up another do so soon. We have no clue whats going on at present, we need to wait for the relocation people to contact us, we've to have the house revalued by the bank, i think a survey done too, but all the essential paperwork has been done.

This weekend we're gonna narrow down the houses and the area we want to live in, then get on the blower to estate agents to book hubby in for some viewings next week. He's got a week off, the jammy bugger. I was supposed to, but had to rearrange with the change in plans. Thank goodness work are fairly flexible. Still, dunno why I'm moaning, I've got 3 weeks at work then almost 12 months off work. Stupid me!

Anyway, back to this party, the house is fairly clean, I've brought some provisions (including a yummy Flake chocolate cake, and I've told Hubby I want the candles. I've still to buy and blow up balloons, but I'm hoping this will be a party rather than an 'everyone sit down and chat in the front room' night. Either way it'll be lovely to see friends, I'll definitely have to capture the evening with some photos. Bump might even perform for my friends.

Ah well, best get on now. Have a great Friday and weekend everyone

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Me? I'd be happy to get an extra £5k a year. That'd keep me plenty amused. Where on earth do the papers/politicians get their ideas from? Do they really think that they work that hard that this is justifiable when so many people struggle to earn this much money in 4 years, never mind having it as an ANNUAL increase?

Who knows?

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Hubby has gone out for a lads night; beer, pizza, films and gaming at a friends. I hope he's home soon as I am tired.

Have read some very interesting posts and comments on bcuk today, has made me think. Too much. I am exhausted, and so I am going to bed.

Good night, and welcome back to dear Usky!

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Then the weekend of the 14th me and him will go back for a couple of second viewings, makes a change its been the other way around down here with me doing the leg work and him playing catch-up.

Anyway, hopefully we'll be able to narrow things down. There were pages and pages of paperwork relating to the relocation, and it all seemed so complex which was why I got so down. I think the fact that the paperwork advocates leaving family behind whilst Hubby searches for homes also had a hand. I mean, how on earth are you supposed to do that whilst also starting a new job? And how can your wife be supportive from 180 miles away?

What I must remember is that We can do this. We will be doing this one way or another. And most importantly everything will work out.

So, hopefully no more tears from me... until the next time!

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The relocation deal looks sweet, if complicated, on paper but in order to keep it simple we need to find somewhere to buy asap. We were gonna go scope the area this weekend, but by the time we get there it'll be mid afternoon, not leaving long at all to view properties, so instead we're gonna go up the weekend after -on the Friday afternoon giving us the whole of Saturday to scope houses.

I am scared. He knows. Knowing how excited he is about the job will make it all worthwhile (and to be honest I'd follow him to the end of the earth) I just wish there was/is a simpler way to do things. Thankfully my car MOT isn't due til the end of November! Father in law is going to come and have a quick look see tomorrow as it wouldn't start yesterday when I went to collect my mum.

Its all too much, perhaps I could get signed off with stress for a week? Although given that I've only 19 days to work it seems a bit cheeky! Oh and I'm hoping to have a 100% attendance as that looks so good and also increases any bonus I get paid out next Spring (bonus is paid the month my salary stops!).

Oh well, lets hope I sleep well tonight. I just want to pass out and snore, worry I can do without!

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Today has dawned bright and clear. I love November, tis the month of my Birthday, clear autumn skies and waterproof trousers!

I hope you all have a good day and week

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Second to give me this impression? The 'planning' behind our wedding. Hubby and I had been engaged a year or two with no intentions of forking out for a big day. Instead we planned to make good our intentions to return to Barbados. After booking the holiday we realised we'd have to wait a few more years before returning. So, having booked the holiday in January for May 2004 we went arse about tit in order to arrange our wedding so the dates coincided. Instead of spending 6 months or more in a fluster, we managed to get it all sorted in just shy of 4 months! Oh it could've been awkward, but the venue we wanted - the Royal Pavillion in Brighton - was available for the 14th May and our flight was the 16th. Could it be more perfect? I doubt it!

Thirdly, with the wedding duly arranged I realised I'd made little no effort to sort out a wedding dress. I ended up taking a random half day of holiday, and going to Pronuptia on the spur of the moment where - alone, and I do regret that - I found the dress paid for it and was told it would take FIVE weeks to be made to my size! Well the wedding was in SIX so that sounded fine to me!

Not wanting to start married life in my bedsit came the fourth thing: We started looking for a home, hoping to complete by May so we could move out shortly after our honeymoon. We found somewhere in time, but the chain meant we weren't moved in until the beginning of September. But not for want of trying. The lady we bought off was pregnant so I think this delayed things somewhat as she'd had her baby before we completed.

Finally? Oh yes, this crazy moving of home and job and the imminent birth of Bump. We now have four weeks til he starts his new job, and I don't think we are truly any further forward than this time last week! Yet we are both chilling out with our books, the music playing and as relaxed as pie! I have faith in him, he has faith in me, and between us WE will accomplish this move. It might be a bit crazy, I may get a bit stressed out, but we will be packed and moving by hook or by crook!

What a mad pair we are

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2. Are you attending or hosting a halloween party this year?
Going to a party, not sure if it's actually a Halloween one, we chose the date coz we were free!

3. What's your favourite scary movie?
The Stand freaked me out.

4. Trick or Treat?
Treatsies please. Chocolate

5. The best Halloween costume is...?
The most imaginative! I went to a party many moons ago where one of the co-hosts was a Mummy - he literally wound rolls and rolls of loo paper around him! Looked so funny!

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Here's my "Happy List"

A sunny day
Cuddling my hubby
A long hot bath
Feeling Bump kicking me
freshly baked cake

So tell everyone what makes YOU happy?

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Please?

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It is too early to go work but I feel like I could quite happily go back to bed. I am more tired now, than when I get up last minute and rush around like a crazy thing. Why did I get up? Still, before I know it today will be over and the weekend will be here.

Has anyone got a good meme for this evening?

Have a good day

x

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It does however leave me not a great deal of time to keep on top of my work whilst whittling down the paperwork and useless crap in my desk drawers. I am counting my blessings though, I've found out that a friend who is a nurse in a hospital gets no maternity leave at all. I don't know if its as she is still studying/training or if benefits for NHS employees are just shite, but it is certainly making me count my blessings. There's me moaning that I will be taking maternity 7 weeks early, losing out on 7 weeks at full pay with the Bump but in fact I am lucky to get what I get at all. Tis crazy!

Saying that, and sad as I will be to leave family and friends, I am looking forward to the challenges my new life will hold. And at least I have the option to move up north with Hubby, and have time to concentrate fully on house searching etc, rather than him being sat in some hotel room night after night, and commuting down south for the weekend. I'm not sure that'd be bearable.

All of my family knows we are going now - well I told my sis today as mum had implied sis wanted to spend Xmas with me. I have politely told her that we wont have room for her until we have a house. And to be honest I was quite looking forward to hubby and me having a relaxing Christmas just the two of us, he will only get the Public Holidays off as we've used our holiday for the year. You never even know, there might be snow in the Midlands. Not sure if Hubby has experienced a white Christmas!

I think the scariest prospect at the moment is the thought of driving my car all the way up North. I haven't ever driven on a motorway and freak out enough on bloody A roads! I'll have to go out this weekend for sure!

Pastures New, Here we come!

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It wasn't even 6pm when I left the office, but it was pitch black outside. Ok, so perhaps pitch black is a slight exaggeration, but still. As I walked home my mood slipped lower and lower, by the time I got indoors (five minutes away) I felt really tearful and low. I ended up following the hubby round our flat, and snuggling up to him lots. I haven't cried yet, but I feel morose. I just need to find a way of picking myself up when i get self centred and miserable. I did have a Pink album up full volume and was headbanging which seemed to work for a bit, but now I'm back to that strange place where I want to curl up under my duvet and hide until next week!

In other news, I had a text message from a friend who was due to be induced on Saturday, she has had her baby - only 3 hours ago - a healthy 8lb baby boy. Congratulations to them.

My keyboard seems to be a bit sticky, wonder if I can wangle in a new laptop for Xmas? Not like we won't have enough to buy then - what with only having one set of curtains! Potentially needing a new fridge/freezer and cooker post move. Oh and nursery furniture and other stuff! Tee hee. New Lappy & mobile are in order I think!

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So, in the meantime I am going to try to be the 'perfect' employee for the next few weeks. I am going to get in early and try to get my head together at work, tidy through all my paperwork (in a paperless office there is a surprising amount) and chuck out all the irrelevant stuff. I've also to write out a handover list of all my clients/contact names/issues so whoever takes over can get going in a hurry.

so, this morning I got up at 7.30 and have had breakfast yet I don't appear to be any further forward than from getting up at 8am. Oh, I did make hubby and me sarnies. Luckily my official start time is 9.30am so I can muddle along and get in for 9am. Always good!

The sun shines today so should keep me in a positive mood

Have a good day everyone

x

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Can't wait to try it. Also might make a sponge, but will have to see if I can be bothered!

Baking makes me feel so contented. I think I've found my calling... except for all the sodding washing up

Suns still shining!

Yay.

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And we could afford this

This time though we ARE going to look at the neighbourhood/schools/hospitals etc before we get our hopes up. But can you imagine? Me? In a 4 bed house? How much cleaning?

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And I did it! At first I went along quiet roads that I knew, but by error I ended up on a road where the turning at the end was left only, and on to a dual fricking carriageway! Aaaaaaah! The dual carriage way went on for ages, I couldnt find a decent road to turn off, so ended up nearing Chicester signposting. I turned off at Ferring and drove I know not where. Then I was on a little windy road, one lane each way, trees each side, up and down hills, all at 60 miles per hour

Coming home I decided to drive through town and eventually made it over an hour after I left. Hair raising, but also confidence boosting. I CAN drive!

Got home and did the dishes, put the washing out and got the kettle on just as hubby came home from his lesson. All that and its only 11.30am! I am going to make Parkin today. Hubbys grandma used to make it and both him and his mum have been on about if for years, so it will be interesting to see how I get on! Apparently you have to leave it to sit for a week before you eat it, so I will be endeavouring to make another cake for this weeks eats.

Have a great afternoon, hope the sunshine holds for you all!

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I had a lovely dream, where I was helping someone to renovate their cafe into a really nice one, and one of the big attractions was a freshly baked cake each day. People were coming to have coffee because they were anticipating that days cake and the place was rammed. We also managed to find some garden (dunno why coz I started off in a town centre cafe!) which we smartened up and had some beautiful wrought iron furniture in, and we were serving cream teas.

I guess i must've enjoyed my cafe work. I've always been of the mind that I'd love my own cafe, but there just isn't the money in it these days. A cafe has to be really good or have a really Unique feature to survive and I don't know that I could think of either.

Anyway, leads me on thinking that maybe when we have our new house I could look into baking courses, and seeing if any local cafes are prepared to buy my baking. That reminds me, must go have breakfast and then bake for Hubby!

Have a lovely day, tis a dry and sunny one here so I hope to get out later.

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Pour some sugar on me!

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I have to work today, I just wanna sleep. Ah well, tis payday so I can do my monthly finance jiggle. This month I am gonna try something different, I'm gonna pay about £400 onto my credit card and try not to use the credit card. See if I can live within my means and maybe reduce my debt!

Saying that I AM cheating, as my birthday comes before the next pay day so I am almost guaranteed some spare cash if I run out

Have a good day

x

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silly huh? I know its no time at all but I feel helpless. And I just want to go bed and snuggle up and wait for him. Must do something more useful than that, there is housework to be done, films to be watched, i could even go to the gym. Or not! We shall see. I've gotta go library as my books are overdue, I think I'll come back via Waitrose and treat myself to some yummy (looking - they never taste as good as they look) ready meal and some scented bubble bath.

Otherwise I'll be on blog for the evening.

See ya when I've stopped feeling blue.

x

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An hour later my mother arrives (again expected) and we sat about for a bit, they both tried some cake and were pleasantly surprised by daughters' baking skills. Even Hubby had a slice and liked it.

We wondered up town for lunch (I try to get my mum over when MIL is over as they get on well and it means they chat to each other), twas nearly 2pm by then, and we decided to go Pizza Express. We had a lovely lunch (despite my mums inability to read a menu - more another time maybe) and my mum picked up the bill, bless her and thank goodness as its the weekend before payday!

Whilst out I realised that today is mine and Hubbys anniversary. It is 11 years since we officially 'got together' and we are still happy, although 11 years seems a mighty long time! After lunch we had a gander around the shops before heading back to mine. Both mothers took the hint when I said I was going for a lie down, and toddled homewards. It was nice to see them but I tend to get wound up by my ma.

Then a scare this evening, realising I hadn't felt Bump moving for most of the day, so I ended up calling the Delivery Suite at the hospital in a panic. The midwife said to walk about, have a drink and a bath and call back in an hour if I'd had no movement. Said hour was horrid. We went for a walk round the block, me practically in tears convinced I'd lost the Bump, got back in and ran a bath but couldn't relax. Thankfully Baby started kicking again once I got out and laid on the floor, so all is well, but I am still paranoid.

Not sure if child was just laying low knowing the mothers stress me out? If it was the shock of me eating a salad for lunch? Or if he was just resting... but I am soooo glad he is well. And I am also glad to have my hubby be so supportive and caring. He stayed with me in the bathroom and kept me sane.

What an evening. And I am thankful for every kick I get now.

Happy

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I will not feed their fire by responding to their comments or posts except in three ways:

1. I will choose to delete their offending comment if I can
2. I will ignore their comments/posts on another blog
3. And then, I will move on.

I will not give them blogging space or another thought for there are many other people here that deserve my energy and attention.

May this blogging community regain its blogging spirit and take back this community from stalkers and claim it as their own.

If you believe this as well, then copy and post this on your blog with your user name.

That is all.

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I guess that's my theme then. Wasting our energy resources. Using all our natural resources to do things that we now feel are important which ten or twenty years ago hadn't been invented or become common use. How much energy would we save as a nation if we had one day a week where personal equipment was left switched off?

Fifteen years ago hardly anyone had a mobile phone. Now how many households have two or more phones charging up? As well as the cordless phone? Maybe a Blackberry for work or a handheld console for gaming?

Central heating on at the flick of a switch when the temperature drops off just a little. What happened to bundling up in layers? Using thicker blankets and duvets?

When was the last time that you wrote a letter instead of emailing someone? I know I'm guilty of taking the easy route. How many hours a week am I online for pointless reasons? Blogging, checking email, facebook, surfing: when I could be reading a book, playing cards with hubby or a board game perhaps? Do children even play board games any more?

Ok, this post is disjointed as hell and I can't think of a way to streamline it, so without further ado I am going to switch off my laptop and go snuggle up in bed.

Good night

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But the bottom line is the house is sooo clean, I don't recognise it, and it doesn't feel like home without my clutter everywhere. I just hope someone takes a fancy to it. The last bastions of messiness are the kitchen table (loads of junk to put away), the bedroom floor (some bits of clothing) and the sofa arms (covered in paperwork).

I've even swept the back stairs, and put out my towel bale in the toilet and bathroom to co-ordinate the room and try to stop it feeling too white. Cripes - just remembered i need to wash the stairs and the bathroom sink too.

This intense cleaning has left my eyes sore from dust and grit, my nose dripping (again dust) and my hands drier than a bone from washing bits and bobs. Hubby has been a star, putting all sorts of crap in the shed and hoovering everywhere else. But... we are almost complete.

I still maintain that cleaning sucks. But there is a time when regardless it has to be done! Now to pop a bottle of wine in the fridge and go and put my feet up. The casserole I stuck in the oven an hour ago should be nearly ready.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSXa9eHjaVU

What made me mad this morning though, was the bloody press. Instead of allowing his family and fans to mourn for him in peace, leaving alone the reports that he died peacefully in his sleep - OH NO, the bloody journos HAD to dig deeper! Now apparently he was off on some mad binge drinking session, no doubt by this afternoon he'll have been off his head on drugs and tomorrow they'll be pointing the finger at his whole life.

Why oh why can't the press just leave him (and all the other celebs this happens to) be?

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Blog Action Day is Next Week!‏

Blog Action Day is October 15th every year, it is a chance to air your views along with people across the globe on one subject which this year is Climate Change.

So far more than 4000 people from 122 countries have registered to participate by posting about climate change on October 15. Today we crossed the 10 million expected readers mark and we're still going strong.

It isn't too late to register your blog and help make a difference.
(I only registered today!)

Register at: http://www.blogactionday.org/en/blogs/new

When you sign up, you'll be joining some of the most prominent and respected bloggers, organizations, and media partners in the world.

In addition to 11 of the top 100 blogs in the world, we have just formed partnerships with the blog platforms Blogger, blog.de, and BlogHer. The UK's government and the ruling party of Spain (PSOE) are both joining in and nonprofit organizations from around the world including Oxfam, 350.org, The Nature Conservancy, Greenpeace, The United Nations Foundation and more than 40 organizations affiliated with the TckTckTck campaign are participating.

The bottom line?

Blog Action Day 2009 is on its way to being the biggest social change event on the web. But we can't do it without you.

It all starts when you register to participate: http://www.blogactionday.org/en/blogs/new

For those of you who have already signed up, we hope you'll consider posting a Blog Action Day badge on your site and help us spread the word: http://www.blogactionday.org/badges/en

You can also always get the latest information on the blogactionday.org site and at twitter.com/blogactionday.

Thank you all for adding your voice,

Robin Beck
Lead Organizer
Blog Action Day 09: Climate Change.

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