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As you know, I am out of work at the moment. I did have a really good job in a charity shop in the next town, but not driving meant I had to rely on lifts and buses. This was not only expensive, but sometimes I was out of the house from 7.30am until 7pm. Not ideal when John starts work at five! So I had to hand in my notice and I haven’t worked since July.

This was ok for a while, it meant I could gain experience towards getting my dream job of a ranger or field tutor. So I’ve been doing that, learning how to be a guided walk leader, leading guided walks aimed at pre schoolers, doing practical work and attending college. The only thing that is holding me back really is my lack of a driving licence and a car. Plus we’ve been eating into our savings to pay the bills, which isn’t ideal. So once the season was over, I started looking for work. I really want to learn how to drive now, I’ve got so much more confident about giving it a go after spending two days whizzing around on a quad bike! But it’s going to be expensive. I applied for my provisional licence last week. It’s been so long since I initially applied that my old one has expired!

A few days ago I applied for a job in a National Trust property in this town. The job entails dressing up in period costume and giving educational talks about William Wordsworth. Two things I really like: dressing up and the sound of my own voice! ;) I applied for it last year and was unsuccessful, this year they got in contact the day after it closed to invite me for an interview! I’m so happy about it, it will look so good having it on my CV when I apply for the field tutor course next summer.

As part of the interview process, I have to give a talk on something that interests me, so I’ve decided to talk about spinning wool. It’s something I can waffle about all day. I posted it to a spinning group I’m a member of, hoping for a bit of inspiration, and someone mentioned that Wordworth actually wrote Song for the Spinning Wheel.

SWIFTLY turn the murmuring wheel!
Night has brought the welcome hour,
When the weary fingers feel
Help, as if from faery power;
Dewy night o’ershades the ground;
Turn the swift wheel round and round!

Now, beneath the starry sky,
Couch the widely-scattered sheep;—
Ply the pleasant labor, ply!
For the spindle, while they sleep,
Runs with speed more smooth and fine,
Gathering up a trustier line.

Short-lived likings may be bred
By a glance from fickle eyes;
But true love is like the thread
Which the kindly wool supplies,
When the flocks are all at rest
Sleeping on the mountain’s breast.

Not sure if I’ll be able to remember the whole thing, but I really like the last verse and it would be rude not to use it as part of my presentation!

Also, I got a phone call from the shop I mentioned in my last entry this morning, she wants me to start tomorrow morning! Not sure how many hours it is yet, she asked me the other day if I could be flexible, saying “so if we need you to work 8 hours this week and 30 next week, could you do that?” I said yes I could. I’m guessing they’re going to be really busy over Christmas. It’s kind of hard to describe, it’s like a gift shop, but it has a few departments, selling Pandora, kitchen stuff, posh teddies, scarves and smellies. Plus it’s only 400 yards from my house! It will be nice to get back to work. And even if I do get the other job working for the National Trust, it doesn’t start till February anyway and is only 5.75 hours during term time, so it will be easy to squeeze around the shop work, which will be quiet in February anyway.

So yeah, I’ve been a busy bee!

This afternoon I’m taking the girls to meet Blue, my mam and dad’s new dog, for the first time. I’m a bit nervous because he’s still only a pup, albeit a big one, and he hasn’t really been around children, so I don’t know how he’s going to be. Eleanor is wary of dogs anyway, after she got bitten by one in the summer, but she’s going to have to get used to Blue and he’s going to have to learn some manners around new people too. He’s very clever, he only needs told once before he’ll do as he’s told. I taught him to fetch yesterday, took him about 30 seconds before it sunk in!

This photo makes me laugh, he looks like Scooby Doo! He’s really tricky to take photos of because he won’t stop moving, so I had to hold his ball next to my phone to take this picture. You can just spot it bottom left.

My dad bought me some new headphones for my birthday, they’re ace!

Last updated December 04, 2014