Where: Place the code in between the Writer, Mother and Reviewer: October 2013

Wednesday 30 October 2013

Woohoo! a bit of good news

I was shocked today to receive a letter inviting me for an interview for the job I applied for last week.  I wasn't expecting to hear anything from it at all.  I actually spotted the job the night before the closing date and having not filled in a job application form for almost 12 years, it was all done in a bit of a rush.  I just kind of waffled on a bit and hoped for the best.

The next scary past is the interview.  I haven't had to go through one of those for 12 years either so I'm sure nearer the time I will be pretty scared.  Oh well, deep breath.

There's a slight hitch with the working hours, which may make it all a bit difficult when it comes to childcare but hopefully if I do get the job (Oh I really hope I do,) It should be something I can resolve.

It's all pretty exciting.  A new challenge.  A fresh start.  A time to finally walk away from my past and move onto a brand new chapter.

Tuesday 22 October 2013

Time for change

I feel stuck in a bit of a rut at the minute particularly at work so I've decided it's time for change.  I've taken the first steps tonight by completing a job application and sending it off.  So fingers crossed.

This year hasn't been the best and I've had lots of personal challenges to deal with.  To make matters worse the job has just gone from bad to worse to almost intolerable. So, what's the point in sitting here moaning about it? I asked myself.  I'm taking the bull by the horns and I've given myself a good kick up the bum and I'm going to do something about it.

I should have done it a long time ago but job security nowadays is a thing of the past and I think it's time I took a risk. I certainly don't want to be sat here in a few years time doing the same old thing day in day out and hating every minute of it.

As they say a change is as good as a rest.

Saturday 19 October 2013

Review of To the Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

This is a brilliant book of love and loss.  From chapter one you can't help but fall in love with the perfect couple Ellie and Jamie.  The young couple are newly weds and obviously so much in love.

When tragedy strikes and Ellie is left alone she brings back the image of Jamie to help her through the tough times.  When Jamie's father sees the state of the run down flat she's living in he offers her a life line and the chance of a new start.

There Ellie embarks on a new life, meets new friends and starts a new job.  Little did she know that Zack her new boss is desperately in love with her but Ellie puts so many obstacles in the way, that he begins to think he will never get the girl of his dreams.

So many other characters lives intertwine in this book, each dealing with a personal turmoil, that all fit so perfectly together.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting a heart warming story to cuddle up with on these cold Autumnal nights.

Thursday 10 October 2013

Review of The Hidden Cottage by Erica James

I've read many of Erica's previous books and enjoyed them enormously and this one did not disappoint.  Another cracker.

This is a sprawling tale of love and loss covering all emotions, love, hate, anger, lust, weakness and strength. 

A dysfunctional family is at the heart of this book.  Jeff the tyrant father who's controlled and made his family's life a misery.  Mia his wife whose suffered but just gets on with things determined to do the right thing by her children.  Daisy the youngest daughter, who idolised her father but is determined to put distance between them.  Eliza the middle child who is damaged by her fathers cruel words and believe herself not good enough and Jensen the eldest with his wild ways. And not forgetting the village Putin peacock who saves the day.

However, when a stranger appears in the village things start to change for the family.  He instantly falls in love with Mia but will Mia take the steps to change her future.  Can she admit to the feelings she has for him.

Each of the children has finally found love and their lives are finally on track, or are they?  Nothing ever seems to go right for poor Eliza and her taste in men leave a lot to be desired.  Daisy has fallen in love with her older flatmate and plans to move to Australia whilst has Jensen met the woman of his dreams.

A tragic accident blows everyones lives apart and it's then that tough decisions are made and live's are changed forever.

This is a real page turner and you can't help but fall in love with each and every character,  Even Jeff, who is not a nice man gets his comeuppance and you can't stop your heart, despite everything, going out to him.  A real emotional roller coaster of a read.

Tuesday 8 October 2013

Bad start to the week!

It's only Tuesday and already I'll be glad when this week is over.  It's been a bad bad start.  I walked into the office yesterday not to be greeted by a, "Morning" or a "How's your weekend been?" Nope, the first words said to me were, "ooohhh, your ex is in the Hull office today.  He's sat down there, look."  Just brilliant.  Monday mornings are bad enough without that to add to it.

For the rest of the day people went out of their way, people I might add that never usually say a word to me of saying, "Oooh, your ex is in today" or "What's he doing working here today?  Is he back to stay?"  Arggh.  I have no idea.  If you really want to know go and ask him.  I'm his ex remember. How would I know what he's up to.

I don't know what people wanted me to do.  Maybe burst into tears in the middle of the office and have a meltdown.  Go over and slap him across the face or maybe go and snog him and declare my undying love.  I had no desire to do any of the aforementioned.  I just gritted my teeth and counted down the hours until going home time.  It was a very long and unpleasant day. 

Today didn't get much better.  The office excitement had died down and he wasn't there thankfully.  But it was MOT day.  Dropped my car off this morning I waited for the dreaded phone call. and, Yep it failed.  Not to badly but £150 worth of stuff that I could well do without paying out.  Still, "whatever needs doing just do it," I told the garage.
" Be ready about 3.30 - 4ish" they said.
No problem.  I leave work at 3 so I'll have a browse in a few shops and have a leisurely stroll down to the garage.

3:40 I arrive at the garage and there's my car on the forecourt.  Nice one, I though, all done.  Wrong.  The work hadn't even been started.  It won't be long they assured, half an hour. 
"I'll wait," I said.  Made a quick phone call to sort childcare and plonked my self down.  It's then I noticed a big sign, "We are no longer able to accept card payments.  cash only." You have got to be kidding! This was going to be out on the emergency visa card.  Fluff, fluff, fluffing, fluff.

With all of about £3.50 in my purse it was a walk to the nearby garage and the cash machine.  Did I have enough money in my bank account,  Ha, yeah right.  I couldn't withdraw the needed amount as I was about 93p short.  By this point I am a woman on the edge.  The joy of Internet banking.  Dug out my phone.  I'll sort a little transfer.  Wrong again,  the bloody Internet just would not let me log into my accounts.  There was only one thing for it.  A phone call to mum who saved the day and lent me the cash,  Hurray!

She arrived and handed over the money and the kids! I then had to try and cross a majorly busy road with my two devils in tow armed with all kinds of school bags and paraphernalia.  And then occupy them in the waiting room until 10 to 5.  By this time I had steam coming out of my ears and I still had an asda shop to tackle because the kids don't like the school dinner menu tomorrow and I haven't any pack up stuff in.

As for tea there was no way I was cooking tonight. "Fancy a MacDonald's tonight kids?" I have had enough. Roll on tomorrow.  It can't get any worse, can it?

Saturday 5 October 2013

Biggin Bear comes to stay!

Charlie hasn't had the easiest start to his school life and it's been a rocky few weeks.  He's got himself into a few scrapes and been in and out of time-out on a fair few occasions.  We've had words, tellings off, tantrums and tears but we, fingers crossed, may have turned a little corner.

He skipped out of school yesterday clutching not only his school bags but a tiny little suitcase containing Biggin Bear.  He's been chosen to look after him for the weekend on account of his excellent behaviour this week.  He was thrilled and I am so proud of him.

It's been tough and he's been having a problem with one child in particular.  I actually witnessed the child approach Charlie on Thursday, during our parents play and stay session, and proceed to put his hands around Charlie's neck and start to try and strangle him. All of this was totally unprovoked by Charlie.  I was livid but Charlie handled it really well and instead of hitting back he stayed calm and didn't lash out.  I'm not sure I could have done that.

Anyway, I'm sure it will all get sorted and I know that Charlie will make good headway now.  So we now have to document Biggin Bear's weekend.  It all started with a trip to MacDonald's for tea last night and the pair of them have gone off to their dads today to firstly make toffee apples with nanna and then a trip to the park is on the cards for this afternoon. 

That's my next problem to tackle.  Charlie no longer is happy to spend time with his dad preferring to stay at home with me.  I've encouraged him to go today but he's adamant that no way is he sleeping over tonight.  Still one step at a time.

As for Faye, she's always a good girl and school and is mortified when Charlie gets into trouble.  Her reading has hand me in hysterics this week.  She no longer follows a reading scheme and now just brings home a run of the mill paper back to read. This weeks is called, 'Star pets make it big'.  It follows a group of pets wanting to make a pop group.  One of the pets is a gerbil and she's having real problems with the word.  Each time we come across it she looks at it for ages before coming out with, the gibler.  It's really ticked me to the point now where when I see it about to appear on the page I start to chuckle and she's started to get a little annoyed with me, bless her. 

Tuesday 1 October 2013

Review of Facebook Jeanie


My heart goes out to Clara as we meet her aged 31 with another failed relationship behind her. She spends her evenings consuming capacious amounts of ice cream and trawling through facebook. Her favourite pastime is gazing at the profile of her college boyfriend, her true love, the one that got away and who is annoyingly still fit and has it all.  The glamorous wife, the big house, exotic holidays and a bank balance of millions,  whilst Clara is stuck in her mundane nine to five job and living alone in her tiny flat.

When Clara is visited by Jeanie and given the chance to take part in a top secret trial of a new app - the facebook reset button - after a particularly bad day she takes the plunge.  When nothing happens Clara falls asleep only to awake with the hangover from hell and back in the college dormitory, ready to correct the mistakes she made.

However, for poor Clara things don't go according to plan and she begins to see that maybe breaking up with her boyfriend Brad was in fact the right thing to do and the path of her life could have been even more catastrophic.

Clara has three chances to press the button and she soon realises she's probably better off back in her own world, back in her own flat with the cat she hates.  However, for Clara this is just the beginning of the story and a new start on the right path is just around the corner.  I must add here that Clara is easily distracted throughout the story by one sexy scientist by the name of Aleksander.  The man she loves to hate.  Well he hates her back, doesn't he?

This was a great book that made me laugh out loud, gasp in horror and even at times make me want to cry. After all, who wouldn't like to have a re-set button on their life.  A chance to go back and correct their errors and do things differently? I know I would. But, would things really have turned out differently? Or would a whole new set of dilemma's and disasters have awaited me, as they do for Clara.

I would like to thank the author Addison Westlake for providing me with a copy of her book to read which is available to buy as an e-book today.  To find out more about Addison please click the links below.


http://addisonwestlake.blogspot.com