Oh my God

Got a message from S re a blog made - seems like many moons ago - a while ago. Thanks S. I will take your advice.

Anyway I just realised how long since I had last posted here. Not that I think any one reads this any way.

Had a fantastic time in Gran Canaria. Hotel was out of this world and weather was fantastic. We will definately go back . We would have liked it to be this year but D is due an operation and would not get medical cover this year so we might try for next year (2009) if we can get Insurance.

Christmas came and went with friends here for a change. Lovely to be under no pressure and everyone mucking in. Lots and Lots of wine drunk. and more and more and more wine drunk. Oh and we had xmas dinner too. Due to not boats, friends trapped for a few days but it was great fun.

New Year was supposed to be quiet- ha ha. Ended up going to a ceileigh. Fantastic night.

Finished my module in time to go out for a family meal ( before they went away). Unfortunately had a horrendous time trying to submit it. Ended up in many tears - and I dont cry gracefully, I do the full red eyes for a week and snot all over the place. Something to do with the broadband link. S, H and others picked me up and sorted me out. I got it submitted next day from the local library. Managed to miss the meal but made it in time for drinks. mmmmm not like me.

Even managed to pass the module - not a great pass bit a pass all the same.

January flew by. maths NABS ( I got 100%) so it looks as if I have a chance of passing the exam in May. Actually I am really enjoying the maths. Not something I thought I would do but hey it just shows that what you were interested in when you were young ( eg boys, drinking and Kissing) might not interest you for the rest of your life. I am not saying what does not interest me now - you guess.

Went to London in February with friends on a girls weekend. Terracotta Soldiers, Tutankamun, London Eye, Mamma Mia etc etc. Apart from the travel to get there which was horrendous ( a very long story) we had a fantastic time. Complained to BA about the outward journey when I got back and we each got £100 compensateion. Not bad considering the return flight only cost £89.00.

Back to work on Uni work. Growlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Had bad news, bad news and bad news. " close friends died. 1 sudenly and 1 expected but still heartbreaking within a couple of days of each other and then D was offered a fantastic job, which would have meant a move far away. After the deaths we decided life is too short to take the "money" option and we decided to stay were we are and D stay working for himself. Many tearful nights later I got back into the Uni mode.

THEN I heard that my frend A who is the other scot on the course had bad news herself and probably has to defer till next year. My thoughts are with her and I miss her like hell but we are in contact most days and things are begginning to clear for her. Hope she is back soon.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

that means I am back to work on the Uni stuff. Counting the days now.

I have done the second cycle and got all the feedback sorted. Just need to analyse it all and put it all in writing. Easier said than done. A few ethical issues have arisen which I have to fend off but all seems to be going okay so far.

Well now I am up to date with things I will hopefully get back to posting regularly.

Always full of good intentions thats me.

Panic Over - well it is now!!!!!

Phewwwww the last couple of days has been a right panic. I am due to fly to Gran Canaria on Saturday as D and I celebrate our Silver wedding Anniversary. Got the holiday booked, got the money sorted and the travellers cheques, did all the arranging and even checked that (laid back ) D has got his passport etc etc. On Monday night I came home after my Tap dance class and got out the passport to take a photocopy of them ( cos that is what you should do) and realised with absolute horror that my passport expired in May 2007. Shock is not the word. Don thought I was kidding till he saw my tears. I ohoned the emergency help number for the passport office and spoke to a lovely guy who sorted everything out. Got the 6.30am boat to the mainland and took three hours to get to Glasgow, was interviewed at the passport office and hey presto two and a half hours later had a passport in one hand and a missing £114 from my purse. I would have paid £314.oo I was so relieved. Thank God for that as Don was working his way through the list of who he was taking instead of me. Phewwwwwwww Big Hip hurrah for the passport Office - my Grateful thanks.

My stress levels are high, with uni, maths, holiday coming up and Xmas. Being super efficient I want it all sorted before I go. Xmas is nearly there. All cards wrtten and will post on Friday before I go. All presents bought and some wrapped - rest to do tonight. Parcels already posted. I had hoped to put the tree up before I went but D has put his foot down and said no. We have enough to do tidying the house for friends who are house and pet sitting. Hope to finish my maths before Friday so I have a clear 2 weeks when I come back to finish all the uni stuff. I hope.
Hopwe the weather here is rotten when I am away but knowing my luck there will be a heatwave here and a tornado in Gran Canaria.

Web site closed tomorrow

Forgot to say that the website will close tomorrow for feedback and pilot exhibition.
Thanks to everyone who helped and I will let you know what is happening soon.

What a bad month

What a bad health month this has been. Had that horrible tooth problem which has now cured up very nicely. Still a big lump there but very much better than it was. I had a wee night out on Saturday with a friend. Nicel Lasagne and a glass of wine at a local pub on Saturday night then another glass in the pub on the way back home and in bed by 10pm. Woke up Sunday as sick as a dog, unable to eat or drink anything. Even a sip of water made me sick. That does not happen very often to me. Of Course, D who was away till Sunday night was convinced it was a hang over. WHAT?????????? on 2 glasses of wine. I don`t think. Surely my street cred has not fallen that low. Was feeling bi better on Monday but have had a sickie week ( at work) but not feeling great. Straight to bed when the children went home and not really eating much. ( A few more weeks mmmmmmm maybe months of this and I might fit in a bikini for my hols). Very very tired . Seems to be lots of bugs going about.

In the meantime, D came home with a bad cold which has developed into bronchitis and also has larangytis. Not that I am sure how you spell both of those but the doc knows and he is now on antibiotics. D not the Doc!!!

I have gotten behind with Uni work but have been catching up tonight and am nearly nearly finished the first module. I would love to have it fdone and dusted on Sunday and maybe even submitted early. We will see.

Reading through some of the stuff from Uni during the week and last week made me even more depressed. According to various psychologists, at my age, I am having a mid life crisis. Actually my family have been saying this for a while and I have poo pooed them but hey, if the psycholgists say it (and have a chart to prove it) then it must be true. Feeling quite depressed that this sense of achievement and fun that I am having is described as a crisis. This kind of means that the crisis will be over soon! Then what? Scary stuff.

I`m not the caped Crusader

Had a few e mails re the last blog and all seem to be in agreement with my thoughts. I am not the caped crusader honest. I just feel really sad that everyone is not enjoying the ultraversity experience to the full.
I think we all did expect this year to be hard and we have not been dissapointed. I am having doubts re my abilities again and wonder if I can really do this after all. I need for something good to happen and I suppose it did with my proposal being accepted. I just hope that I can maintain the standard and get through. Would be such a shame to fall at the final few hurdles.
I think I am needing a good kick up the but. Any volunteers?

Not sure how I`m feeling

Checked into FC this morning and had a bit of a double take. A Researcher had put up work for review and got VERY negative feedback from an LF. This made me think of various things.

1 I don`t think I want to put work in C4 module chat for review. This is very very public and as I am not confident in my abilities anyway, I am not sure how I would take very negative comments so publicly. So definately the learning set for me. Although sometimes quiet it is a bit more private.
2 Just wondered how the others who gave "ok" feedback before the LF felt. Surely they can`t have got it SO wrong? This led me to think that if they can, then so can I. I would feel awful if I said something was fine and an LF slated it. Do I/we really know what is being asked of us or are we/I struggling in the dark?
3 I feel sorry for the researcher and others too but am I being selfish and cowardly just getting my head down and thinking about me?

I posted some stuff last night and will post more tonight in my LS. I am just going ahead with what I am doing and hope to have it all completed in time.

Bit of a downer all this commotion!

And my mouth is still a bit sore and the antibiotics are making me feel sick and I can`t have a glass of wine. Roll on Sunday when the pills are finished.

What a relief

Last night at 8pm my tooth and I finally parted.
After a long struggle with an abscess under my tooth, 3 courses of antibiotics, co proxamol and ibrufen the dentist finally said enough. I had tracks going up and down my face where the poison was spreading and was in so much pain that he took the tooth out.

This is my first ever tooth extraction (not counting the 3 wisdom teeth removed in one go under general anaesthetic). At age 44 I think that is good, however it was a bit sore.

Dentist was wonderful and calming, thank God. But just glad its all over. More antibiotics and salt water mouth washes. Unless of course YOU know an instant cure?????????????? Any suggestions welcome.

All this has kept me slightly behind with uni work as I have been in too much pain. SO as the deadline for the first module is drawing ever closer, my head is down and I am working.

Got lots to type up today and then I can have a look and see what still needs to be done - loads, I am sure.

Thanks for anybody that looked at the site and I am still looking for volunteers to leave me feedback.

At last the Website

At last I finished the website. lots of problems with shuffling pages, moving pictures and text size but I am getting there.

The official launch is tomorrow but anybody that wants a look can use this link

http://www.butebabies.com/

This is very new and will be revamped I am sure a million times, but it is a start and hopefully will provide the feedback mechanisms I require for my Action Inquiry.

Go on have a look and let me know what I can do to improve.

Thanks