A New Year!

My OU course starts in just 4 weeks time. Getting excited now! I'm going to have to work really hard over these next few months to get ahead of the course as our baby is due at the end of July so I won't be able to do much for the first few weeks after it's born.

So this year is going to be a busy one, that's for sure.

SJB x

Yesterday...

Monday 14th December was the day when my auntie 'Ness died. My step-dad rang me at about 8am to let me know. The funeral is next Tuesday, but I'm not going to be able to go because there isn't any way that my mother-in-law would be able to look after Marena for the whole day, and seeing as the travel alone would be about 7 hours there and back, it's not possible. I feel terrible that I don't get to say a last goodbye.

It's the only thing I can think about at the moment.

SJB x

OU & 6 weeks 'til Crimbo

I've got some funding from the OU!!! They've given me £481 this year, so my first course of £360 is covered. So pleased. I've sent off my signed registration documents, so I just have to wait until February now. Feels ages away now, I wish I'd done it for October start. I have £121 left which will have to be used on courses that start before September 2010, but it's doubtful that I'll be able to register for anything, as the next course I want to do starts in Feb or Oct, and I know that I won't have the time to study 2 courses at the same time, not to begin with anyway. So it looks like that funding will disappear, which is a real shame. I hope that the application for next year's funding is a bit simpler now that they already have my personal details.

Only 6 weeks to go until xmas week! I've already got our turkey, in the freezer waiting for it's debut on our table. Yes, I do like to get organised ahead of time, I'm a little sad like that!

SJB
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7 weeks until Crimbo

Where has this year gone? It's quite scary actually.

Only 7 weeks to go now, I've got one of Marena's presents so far. I have a weekend booked off work in a few weeks for Marena's birthday, which is on the Saturday, and I may ask the in-laws if they can have her for a couple of hours on the Sunday so that we can get the rest of them. That's the problem with working opposite days, you find it difficult to do things that need to be done.

I've got a feeling that I'll end up using my bonus at the end of this month for Mark's pressies as I haven't been able to put any extra aside recently. Bloody bills, they seem to be creeping up!

SJB
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How spooky! A few days after I wrote my blog, and moaned about not having heard from OU, I got an email from them basically saying that they are still having to go through applications for the October starters and would process mine in time for the February start, most likely by the end of this year. How weird is that?! Is someone from the OU reading my blog? LOL

Well, with only 9 weeks until Christmas, I'm pleased to say that I've got most of the gifts already. Just a few left to get, and of course Marena's and Mark's.

Santa, I would like to be pregnant for Christmas please.

SJB
x

Had a lovely long walk to the bank today to bank some of Mark's wages into my account for the bills. Marena picked up a load of leaves on the way back, to make a picture with as I promised her that she could do 'cutting and sticking' pictures today. She's currently lining them up on the floor along with the 2 pinecones we found. She's quite methodical really, she does the same with her cars.

I have to ring up the nursery (before I forget to do it), as they claimed back money from me because Early Years had overpaid the other nursery she goes to, blah blah blah, huge cock up, but I'm owed around £250 for the pleasure.

On the OU front, still haven't heard back from them yet, I sent the financial support forms back over 2 weeks ago. I appreciate that they may not have processed it yet, but a confirmation that they've received it would of been nice.

Everything's ticking along nicely at the moment, and is 'normal'.

I like it that way.

SJB
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I went into the city centre with Marena this morning to go to the library, but I also ended up being coaxed into Early Learning Centre. Where I ended up buying a load of painting stuff and a few bits for crafting (glue, scissors). Cost me just over £20. Then I went into the shop next door that sells cheap stuff and bought some craft bits like glitter, 'googly eyes' etc which was a couple of quid, then onto 'The Works' for a bumper book of coloured paper, another couple of quid, and then got dragged into the Disney Store! I had to get her a plate anyway, as her last one broke, and ended up spending £3 on a Lightning McQueen one.

Bloody parking cost me nearly £6. I'm not parking in the centre again! Although, to be fair, I thought I was only going to be there for an hour at most. We ended up being there nearly 4 hours.

Still, the trip to ELC gave me some ideas of what to buy for her birthday, so I suppose it was a good thing.

SJB
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