Monday 21 September 2009

Scott James - Autism & X Factor

Well I've just watched the recording again from last night (on X Factor site) and even while sitting at work I felt quite emotional.

Scott James' audition was brilliant and the way everyone was behind him especially touched me. I wish him well as he progresses to the next round.

Don't know if I ever mentioned it before but my brother, Andy, is Autistic, but unlike Scott, Andy cannot communicate with us or talk or hear. However some of the mannerisms are the same and I just wish I knew what went on behind that closed door!

Scott's wish is to break down the preconceived ideas people have regarding Autism and he certainly did that last night.

So even if Scott does not win X Factor he has already had his dream come true.

Bless you Scott.

Thursday 17 September 2009

Online Store

Well I’ve been unable to update on my blog for the last few days as I’ve been progressing with my creation of an online shop.

Whether it will work or not I don’t know but as I pondered on the future (retirement in 8 years) I realised I had to do something if I still wanted to have any type of life apart from just plain existing.

So after researching and studying other online shops I started to create my website store; find a manufacturer and all the other multitude of things you have to do – alongside working full time!

Well it’s almost there. The site is up and running (almost – it’s still “under construction”) but it is live and I can see how it works. I have found a manufacturer and have ordered my first supply of stock; have organised the checkout procedure with Paypal and Google Checkout and all I need to do now is finalise the selling price once I know if there is any import tax.

It’s all new to me and I am under no illusions. As I’ve already said, I have 8 years before I retire, and I plan on using that time to slowly build up an online business. If all goes well it will be my ‘retirement plan’ and enable us to enjoy our retirement. If it doesn’t take off – well then I’ll just sell it cost price on eBay and think of something else.

So much to learn…. But at least I still have the time.

Sunday 6 September 2009

Watercolour

Ordered some more brushes tonight. If I can't sit outside I can at least sit inside and do my coursework.

I've been doing acrylic painting but have decided to have a go at watercolour too. There are just some things that need the delicate touch and I think I can get it with watercolour.

I'm no budding artist but I enjoy it and find it very relaxing. Had a little play around with my paints today and I was surprised. I always associated watercolour with childhood (you know the little paint sets you had as a child) but they are in fact quite different and I liked the feel of it.

Keep you updated.

Where does time go?

Well it's almost time for bed - as I have to get up for work at 5.30 - and the weekend has just disappeared.

Good moments were when we drove to Andover in Hampshire to get a mountain top for our Navara (I love that truck) and another good moment was when our friend Millie Skyped us. She's back from Alcudia for a week then dashing back out there for the remainder of the season.
She can't wait to get back there as she says it's so cold here (20 C).

Hopefully she's taking her new laptop with her so she should be able to Skype us from the bar and we can see and chat to all our friends :-)

Sadly the nights are drawing in and it gets dark much earlier. I also saw the first browning of the leaves on some trees yesterday. Oh dear autumn is coming....

I say it all the time, I know, but I hate winter. I hate the dark mornings/dark evenings, the cold and the wind and the rain. I don't like walking down the road from the bus stop at night as it is quite threatening walking passed the little gangs that hang on the corners (always seems worse in the dark) and I think I should have been a bird so that I could fly south in the winter.

Saying that, knowing my luck, I'd have been a robin and had to stay here in the cold :-)

Tuesday 1 September 2009

Spanish Withdrawal Symptoms

It’s two months now since we returned from our annual holiday in Spain. Once again I’m getting the withdrawal symptoms! For 24 years we've been getting them :-)

It was a bit better when we first returned this year because one of our friends had Skype set up on her laptop and we were able to chat and see our friends but unfortunately problems with the laptop have meant that even that is not possible now (no picture and sound cracking up).

So we’ve now got to settle back into living in England for another 10 months…

I have to say that it’s not the ‘holiday’ that I miss, after all I start to get bored and fidgety after a fortnight, but I certainly miss our friends and the Spanish lifestyle.

I know England has a lot to be grateful for, but it’s not the lifestyle that we feel comfortable with nor do people have the attitudes that we admire and appreciate in our Spanish friends.

So I’ll continue to learn Spanish each day; watch TVE International each evening and try and keep myself occupied for another winter.

Hasta luego….

40 Years Working!

Well this year I can say that I’ve been working for 40 years. In fact all those years ago I left school in the June and started working straight away so I’ve been working just over 40 years.

At that time my teachers wanted me to stay on for a sixth year (something that was not done that much in those days) and then to go on to become a teacher.

Now you’re talking about the late 60’s – a time when the last thing I would have imagined was that I would be working for the next 40 years! No, my little dream world consisted of getting an office job, working for a while, getting married and having children – and living happily ever after :-)

Funny how life turns out…

Sure enough I got married (at 18) and had two children but that marriage didn’t last and I needed to get straight back to work and have been ever since.

So the point of this reminiscing – well, what I’m wondering is – does everyone reach a point where they feel that they’ve had enough?

I listen to the 20-30 year olds at work and they are enthusiastic and motivated. Well my enthusiasm and motivation seems to have got up and gone!

To me work is just that, a necessity to pay the bills. There are far more important things in life.

So do we all reach this stage… and if so, how do I cope with another 8 years of work???