Day One to day ninety!

Started a New Job!

Day one of my new job blinked and I've been there 3 months.  Lots of new things to learn and lots of question that needed answers. It is weird being in a new job meeting more new people to meet and become friends with. I have been there 3 months and I still finding my feet. I think my boss does not like me and some of the staff think I speak funny.

I have tried to get my work in life balance in a good routine. This has not worked! I have only got back to dancing twice. I have not made it to the swimming pool to do laps and getting fit. 

I find myself once again thinking about work all the time and not sleeping. I think I am broken. I can not go into a job half-assed.

Things I have done other than work:

• Had a great Christmas
• Went to Sydney to see the New Years Eve fireworks
• Had a family weekend away at the beach

Made Food Hampers Presents!

New Year at Sydney!

At the Beach finding my inner peace!

Follow-up: No hot chocolates for months. It has been too hot, I have had iced coffee (no sugar) and lots of fruit. I have hidden food around the house which is bad - sometimes in the middle of the night I wake up and go eat the snacks that I have hidden... but it tastes so good. 

Hi Ho Hi Ho - it is off to work I go!

Back to Work

I have been unemployed or semi-retired for 4 weeks, it has been good but I wanted to do more.

Week One

• I had a friend pass and had the funeral. That week was emotional and spent the latter half curled up on the sofa watching movies. I was technically still working as I was taking it as a holiday.

Week Two

• I started with the lists of lists of lists ..... this was all I seemed to do, did not get many things done on the lists. 

Week Three

• I was asked if I would cover for someone in another department for the full week - that was working more than I normally did. 

Week Four

• I have spent the first half of the week looking after a friend who was in a car accident. Also preparing to go back to work as I was offered a job today.

I guess you can imagine that not a lot of things have been done on all those lists that I made in week two.

Things not done:

• Run away to the beach and read books
• Work on my book, that I have been trying to write for years
• Go through all my photos from my holiday (approximately 7000) and get them printed to hang in the hallway
• Swimming in the morning, this is a great way to start the day but I do find it takes it out of me a bit
• Volunteer at the local radio expanding my skills and learning more about my local community. 
• Do lots of yoga to find inner peace
• Find myself... I am not sure I was lost - just misplaced.

Well, none of that has been done but I can still work on them and try not t lose myself in my work...

I have been doing a photo challenge for the month of October, to take a photo every day and post to Instagram and FB. This has kept my creativity side of me very busy and I have really enjoyed the distraction. I have also started a new # for me which made me very excited #scottishgirlintas - got to love random #'s.

Some of my favourite pictures so far:

Chicken Foot - "The Horror!"

Leo - my dog "Sniff"

"The Wood Pile"

There are some that are not so good but it has been great fun.

Follow-up: I did not eat great the other day, too much Pizza - got to love pizza. 

Spring! Flowers in the Garden.

Spring is in the air!

What can I say but Spring has Sprung! I spent a bit of time today wondering around the garden just taking pictures of all the blossom that is out.

Since we have a few ducks that always seem to be hungry they spent the time following me around as waiting for me to give them more food. That has only happened that one time when I thought they had not been fed so I fed them. They ended up with two feeds that day... and let me just say, they do not need it.

 I am not good at recognising the flowers or plants in the garden but I do know which ones I like because they look pretty.

Little Purple Flowers - that has a lovely smell

Just starting to blossom

Open for the world to see

Blossom

 During the photographing section, I was concentrating on the getting some good shots. I had not noticed the massive slippery poo at my feet. I managed to slip and slide my way through the poo with the ducks looking at demanding that I feed them.

Duck - The Poo Machine

Follow-up: Been busy around the house, cleaned out Narnia and I can now see the floor. I have also sorted out some clothes to sell at the local second-hand clothes market. 

Not Working!

Not Working or Semi-Retired.

I have finished the contract that I was working on and I am now sitting at home working out what do to with my career.

I have been applying for jobs that I find that might interest me or keep me out of trouble. There has not been very many.

The other things I have been doing is writing lots lists. Lists of things that I am not doing. 

• Put up new curtain rails
• Clean out the spare room - Narnia - things that go in there get lost
• Clean out wardrobe 
• Tidy the deck ready for the summer
• Clean all the cobwebs from our entrance way
• Write my book - work on chapters 1- 4 
• Do spring cleaning around the house 
• Register to volunteer at local radio

Succulent Heaven!

Things I have done:

• Filled in form to register as volunteer - not handed it in
• Added more crap to Narnia 
• Pulled all my scarfs out my wardrobe and put them in a pile
• Opened book to read - decided to read the new Dan Brown book instead
• Started a photo challenge - posting a photo a day on FB and Instagram 
• Made more mess on the deck by spray painting glass jars to put wee succulents in
• Spent loads of hours looking up ways to clean and organise things on Pinterest 

The lists are getting longer instead of my usual which is ticking off everything on my list. This break is good for me it is showing me even if I do not get everything done, some things will get done.

Follow-up: I have not had a hot chocolate - I think it might have broken my addiction it was so horrible. Although I do have a new addiction online shopping.... make me stop. I order stuff then forget I have ordered.... not good. 

Older But Wiser

Another Year Older - but am I wiser?

I have a turned another year older and not feeling like I should be this old. Birthdays are always a great time to reevaluate your life... or is it called to look back and see how quickly time has passed.

Over the last month, I have tried to have fun and not to act like grown up, but life makes that hard sometimes.
I have eaten more than I needed and enjoyed every mouth full. Scones made with cider - I think I might have to try and make them someday but for just now I enjoyed some else making them.

Afternoon Tea - Scones, Jam and Cream

I went on trips on a boat to enjoy the sunset and take in the serenity!

Sunset over the Houn River in Tasmania

Trying to work out life has been hard, I am 46 years old and I have still not figured how to be a grown-up. I am not a career person and I think one day I will find a job that I love.... until then when I am not at work, I will act like a teenager. I do not think I am any the wiser!

No one needs to grow up and act like an adult!

Follow-up: Had a hot chocolate the other day and it was yuk.... what a waste of time. I hate it when you get a hot chocolate and it is horrible. 

Eliminated from The Isalnd

Elimination!

After my three rejections from my job applications, I decided it was time to remove myself from the Island for a while and see the bigger world.

Girls weekend in Melbourne was called for and I was excited but exhausted before I even started.

My main objectives:

• Shop until I could not shop any longer
• Eat 
• Be merry
• and more shopping

So let the fun begin.  I started o my journey and headed strait to the shops to find some clothes and I was not disappointed. I got some nice work tops and also some lovely skirts. I was in my element. It was time to grab that bargain.

While I was in Melbourne I manged to take in a few sights that the city has to offer.

Love old buildings!

Coffee in the alley, very Hipsterish. 

I am not sure what I like more the hunt for a great bargain or getting new clothes. The best fun I had was going around IKEA. Although I could not buy much as I could not fit into my luggage.

Wigs at Ikea... got to love that.

Follow-up: Well had an amazing hot chocolate when in Melbourne. I have not been doing exercise... I ended up with the dreaded lurgy instead. Stuck in bed for 2 weeks and had the most stunning scabby nose. Got to love winter. It must be time for Spring!

Three Interviews and No Plan

Three Interviews!

The three jobs I applied for, I got three interviews.
The first one as you know went very bad and I know the shock and surprise to find out that I did not get that one.

The second one was with the accounts, the interview went so much better. I think that was because I kinda knew that it was not really what I wanted to be doing.

I did get a lovely call to tell me that I had not got the position but they were very impressed with me. It was such a relaxing and there was no personality test. Yeah.

The third one was the job that I was drawn to. I wanted this job but my life plan... that I was doing said it was not for me.

Yes. I am doing a life plan - have not got far with it. I started to write the plan down.

The Question was asked "What are you main priorities in life?".

I scribbled down things that I could think of:

• Work
• Husband
• Dogs
• Socializing 
• Friends
• Family
• Photography
• Being Creative - writing, drawing

I sat for a while looking at the list thinking that something was missing. Then it hit me - my health - the reason that I am doing the life plan because something needs to change as I am over working and getting sick. I deleted that list and time to start again.

Back to the third interview. It was amazing, the women interviewing me was so lovely and when I left I thought. I might not have the job but I have a new friend.....
Did not get this job either, it was three for three. My confidence was cracked and I was feeling a bit low. At least I might have mad a new friend. looking on the bright side.

Sunset on a Rough Week!

Follow-up: Have been doing the Yoga but I need to do more to loose weight. No Hot chocolates I feel that I am wasting my winter.