Sally Frew's Journal

I am going to be made redundant on 31 July, assuming that I can't find an alternative role in the firm by then. Not a complete shock, because we have been going through the consultation process for about a month, and I was expecting to be "at risk". Actually, in some ways it's a relief; at least I now know, and can stop the schizophrenic situation where I have been well aware I may be leaving at the end of the month, but have had to carry on at work "business as normal".

I am intending to make the most of any period of unemployment, splitting my time between getting fit and sprucing up my house. i may even make new kit and some hangings for the guild.

Superior Scottish Genes
I love driving in snow. Or at least I love driving in snow when it is obvious that a large part of the population of the midlands has got scared by the funny white stuff they don't know how to deal with and stayed at home, like this morning. I love watching five different cars struggling up the hill by my house, then driving off with no problem what so ever. I love the guy who is in front of me, who has got stuck at the junction and has resorted to clearing the road with a spade in order to get sufficient grip asking me if my Jag is 4 wheel drive, because I obviously am not having problems. I love having grown up in Scotland, where weather like this happens every year, and so you learn how to deal with it as a teenager.

Dave has informed me that the kids in our Close didn't appreciate his offer to take them to school in the Land Rover, and that he lost the resulting snow ball fight.

Current Mood: Smug

Going to the theatre

Following on from

sdar 's very enjoyable birthday outing we were discussing potential future theatre trips. Dave and I have now got very enthusiastic, and are proposing trying to get tickets to Waiting for Godot (with both Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart) for a Satuday in June. Would any of you be interested?

Some pronouncements
Now I've been home a week, I thought I would update in headlines.

John is probably the best housemate in the world
We Currently have Baby John living with us. When we got back last week, we discovered John had gone to the Jackals event having: tidied the kitchen, tidied the living room, put clean bedding on our bed, and left us a home made cottage pie in the oven. He's teaching us how to be tidy, and is currently organising Dave's entire life. We keep telling him he may not be allowed to move out. He thinks we're joking...

David Tennant is a God
I've been to the theatre twice this week, to see Hamlet and Loves Labours Lost. Both were absolutely superb. David Tennant's acting was brilliant - I think his portrayal of Hamlet just got better and better throughout the play, and he is incredibly funny in Loves Labours Lost. Plus I got to look at David Tennant for hours. And listen to David Tennant - he used his own accent tonight. I took my niece with me this evening; it was the first Shakespeare play she has seen, and given how incredibly funny and well acted it was I think it was a good one to start with.

Exams are scary mysterious things
Last week went. I know I didn't do as well in the first paper as I could have done, due to the terror factor - if I had been given the paper as a mock I think I would have passed it no problem, but for some reason I panicked and a bunch of knowledge that sat at the front of my brain going "I'm the answer, write me down" somehow never made it to the page in the right way. But I came out of the other 2 feeling I had done my best, so at least if I don't pass I don't have to kick myself for not trying harder. The results aren't out for a couple of months, so I can now completely forget about them.

I am going places
Specifically to the Mages event tomorrow and Prague for a weekend in December.

Approaching zero hour
I am currently sitting in the kitchen in my flat trying to cope with the huge knot of nerves in my stomach. My first exam is at two. It's 7 years since I sat a proper exam, and somehow the 16 mock exams that I have sat over the last 10 weeks have not prepared me for the forgotten terror of sitting an exam that actually counts for something.

Still one exam this afternoon, two tomorrow, then Dave arrives and I can relax. So please send me positive tax vibes over the next day and a half

fireworks and feeling old
Studying continues. VAT was fairly intensive, but not as bad as expected - I am expecting to use my legislation a lot if it comes up in the exam, but it is all highlighted in pretty colours so I should be able to find the info I need quickly.

The weekend involved a trip to see my parent, followed by going to Princes Street to watch the festival fireworks. We had a really good view, and they were, as expected, spectacular. A full hour of loud fireworks, quiet fireworks, coloured smoke illuminating the castle, waterfalls of fire tumbling down the rock, spiral fireworks and sparkly fireworks, all set to music.

I have decided that the worst thing about this course, other than missing Dave and having to work in the evenings, is that it makes me feel really old. For some reason this was really brought home to me today, probably because we were doing CGT, and I was finding I knew alot of stuff much better than other people in my class, because they have studied for one tax exam before, and have 2 years experience, whereas I have studied for four tax exams, done lots of post qualified course, and spent 18 months constantly answering questions on a help line, including lots of CGT queries. I have been working in tax for 5 times as long as them. When I qualified, they had just sat their GCSE's. For some reason I find this incredibly depressing, probably because I wonder what I have achieved in the 7 years since I qualified.

After my brief appearance at the G, I'm now more or less settled in Edinburgh. The flat is fine, although I have had abit of an ongoing saga trying to sort out parking - my car is now parked 15 minutes away in the parking space for somebody else's flat who doesn't have a car. I have now acquired most of the basics to survive for the next 10 weeks or so, including a v cheep microwave, although we are still waiting for desks. Pippa, my flatmate, is very fed up working on her bed, although I am working at the breakfast bar, which does have the advantage of being next to the kettle (hmm more tea I think). I have successfully cooked several times for myself, and will shortly go cook haggis and beans. The course is ok so far, but I think we have starteally boring reed with the easy stuff - tomorrow we start VAT, which I am dreading (I expect it to be simultaneously boring and hard). Lunch is going to get very boring very quickly - we get lunch provided, but the choice is limited to soup, jacket potatoes or a couple of types of sandwhich. Still, I get a change tomorrow, as I am meeting Jamie.

I really ought to update more often.

I had a good birthday; Dave bought me a gorgeous pair of earings, and I was taken out for lunch by a couple of work collegues, and we had Dim Sum, which I adore.

I am now mid panic as the G and Edinburgh approach. I only have 2 days left in the office after today, and I'm trying not to look too closely at my to do list in case I start running round like a headless chicken. Packing starts this weekend, and then continues Wednesday and Thursday. I will need at least 2 trips, possibly 3, to Loco, as I have all the usual stuff to take, plus additional tentage, as I have the new 6x10 in my garage, plus some spare poles for the Mages, then I have to pack everything I am going to need for 11 weeks in Edinburgh, including text books etc.

I sat my first exam for 7 years today - luckily it doesn't count for anything, and just a test of how much I know going into the course. I think the answer is "not very much" - I was definitely making up law in answer to one question.

For those that don't know, and are therefore confused by the above, 7 years after qualifying as a chartered accountant, I've decided to do the chartered tax adviser exams. I'm doing an intensive course in Edinburgh for 11 weeks, and sit the exams at the beginning of November. My firm is providing a flat - I spoke to my flat mate for the first time this afternoon (but won't meet her until I move in). The best bit and worst bit is going to Edinburgh; it's my favourite city, and I'll get to see more of my family and friends but on the other hand I need to avoid getting distracted, and I am going to be nearer my mother. Oh, and I suppose I'll miss Dave :)

Very brief update
Had a fantastic holiday in Morocco.
Survived weekend with my parents staying without my mother driving me mad (assuming she doesn't succeed in the next 10 minutes before I go to bed).

Dave and I are having a barbecue next weekend, starting after we get back from the NPC meeting on Saturday. If you can come,let me know, as we need an idea of numbers.

I survived the weekend, even though my parents were staying. Actually my Dad is a very easy guest, especially considering he's disabled, probably because he always appreciates anything you do do for him, so it doesn't feel like any effort, and he is very good company (when Mum let's him get a word in edge ways). He helped me with my garden on Saturday, which involved a trip to the garden centre, followed by three hours of him advising me what to do re planting, pruning etc; I hurt lots by the end of it.

Mum on the other hand... I love my mother best in small doses, and I think Dave was ready to strangle her by Monday.

Going to the theatre on Wednesday, to see "Black Watch", with my oldest friend Thommy, and the Lions this weekend, so lots to look forward to.

Car
When Dave and I got new cars last autumn, we could only part ex one of our old ones. This has left my old Astra sitting at my mother-in-law's house until I find a new home for it. She is now, rather understandably, very keen to regain the space on her drive. So would anybody be interested in an S reg Astra? It is dark blue, 1.6l petrol engine, manual. It does drive well, and has the advantage if you are a larper of being related to the Tardis (as proved by the fact that it transports party tents with ease), but on the downside, it does have a few scratches (partly down to aforementioned party tents). I'm willing to part with it for the cost of somebody taking it away and promising it a home, and possibly a couple of bottles of wine or something. It will need MOT'd and taxed.

My sister has just been to stay for the first time in nearly 6 years along with her son and two foster kids. We've had a lovely weekend; yesterday we went to Warwick Castle, and initially my sister and I did gulp a bit at the price of the tickets (£52 for a family ticket), but it kept two adults and three kids (aged 14, 10 and 4) amused for nearly 6 hours, so in the end we decided it was actually really good value. I think that the day was probably more fun because we had the kids with us. But they are lovely kids - James is by far my favourite nephew (I believe aunts are allowed to be biased) and Aaron and Evie are really sweet kids. And they were really well behaved all weekend.

I think I am getting old - I do housework, I cook occasionally, I get irritated by bad manners, I prefer BBC 4 to listening to modern music, and I have recently realised that there is a whole generation below me in the workplace. And I've just watched Ashes to Ashes, a program who's whole premise relies on laughing at the old days, and thought "wow, I remember this".

Unwanted Christmas Present
My husband gave me his 'flu. I am unimpressed. Still, after 3 days of feeling like somebody has strangled me and beaten me with sticks, I'm beginning to feel better.

If anybody would like a map of how to get to our house on Monday, let me know.

Less than a week left at this house - we're moving next weekend. The work on the new house is nearly finished; the main thing we are waiting for is carpets. Today we are trying to do as much of our pre moving list as possible, but have currently got stuck on moving our phone number - Dave has now been on the phone for over an hour, and is speaking to about the 6th person. We made a deal that if he sorts out phone, internet and sky, I will deal with electricity, gas, council tax, water, TV licence and post office. I feel this is a very good deal.

Work wise, I've been really bored recently, as I've had very little to do. However, this will change from tomorrow, as I'm going to help another department for three weeks. But I also need to look after my own clients as well. Still, I'll be much happier being really busy than having nothing to do.

As soon as we've moved, I really must start doing something about Christmas, as I haven't started my shopping yet.

Stuff
I really ought to update more often; I seem to be managing about once a month at the moment. So, a quick summary:

House: We got the keys to the new house on Friday. We are meeting the builder there tonight to discuss what work needs to be done, and are currently hoping to move at the beginning of December. As our Christmas plans involve feeding eight people for Christmas dinner, followed by a Hogmanay housewarming party, we could really do with moving in on time. I'm frantically trying to decide on what kitchen etc I want.

Cars: David's car is fixed, and I have a new car too. After all my plans to go for a two seater sports cars, practicality won the day, and I have a Vectra, which is lovely to drive, very fuel efficient, and most importantly, I can fit the guild tent poles in.

Holiday: Was lovely; we slept lots, swam in the sea, and had fun pottering around old Rhodes town.

We have a completion date for our new house - 2nd November. We're going to do some work on it before we move in, as I can't face living in two building sites in the space of 3 months, but we should be living there by Christmas. Then I just have to become uber fit so I can cope with a cycle ride to and from the station each day. My parents were down staying at the weekend. They both love the new house, and Dad has promised to come down and help us with the garden.

On the other hand the car situation isn't so good. Dave's lovely new car blew up on the M1 as Sue and I were driving back from the NPC meeting. I think Sue may have jinxed it by commenting how well it ran. It needs a new engine, so we probably won't get it back for a couple of weeks yet.

If anybody has been trying to contact me over the last week, our internet is down at home, and I can't read emails to my yahoo account at work, so it's not that I am ignoring you. If anybody particularly needs to contact me, you can email me at work.

In other news, our house is currently completely covered in plaster dust, as the builders started yesterday. So far, they have completely removed the main bathroom and have put up new walls and a ceiling, have replaced the ceiling in the en suite (so no more hole in the ceiling where a water feature appeared everytime it rained too heavily) and have started on the attic. Soon I will have both a watertight house and garage, along with working lights and plumbing. :D

Update

I really have been rubbish at posting this year. But having just had my birthday, I thought I should update. Well, so far, out of my aims for the year, I've so far just about achieved one; I've given up smoking. I would like to point out now that my version of giving up smoking doesn't include events, so I will ignore any nagging at the G. The house is not yet watertight, although that may change shortly; the builder is due to start work in a couple of weeks.

Yesterday Dave finally received the first part of the settlement from IBM (he agreed the settlement in June, but live has been conspiring against him as usual, and due to a combined effort of the defendants, Birmingham court, Nationwide, City Bank and the Royal Mail, we have waited for nearly two months after we should have received both amounts to receive the first. The other amount now involves a cheque being reissued, so we'll get that sometime. Meanwhile, Dave has had a relapse of glandular fever and broken a bone in his hand. If anybody has ANY suggestions how to improve Dave's karma, let me know.

I went to see King Lear last night at Stratford. Absolutely amazing. Ian McKellen was superb, and even though I thought that the plays I saw with Patrick Stewart in the Autumn were good, this was even better. Trevor Nunn directed it, and it also starred Sylvester McCoy as the fool. That was the last of my tickets for the complete works, and definitely finished the season on a high.

I realise it's ages since I updated LJ. The new job is great, but as I actually have work to do, it does mean that I no longer spend my day reading email and playing on the internet. :)

Life has not been all great recently either. Dave's sister's four month old son died last week. We are currently waiting for the results from the autopsy, a situation which has been made worse by the bloody NHS mislaying his body for a few days. And Dave is currently recovering from glandular fever.

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