What's where?

Why hello dear blog, yes it's been a while. Up to much?

Time to give my 3 readers (feeling optimistic tonight) a wee snapshot of where I'm at today, this very evening.
I started the blog to tell you all about my adventures in a caravan surrounded by ducks and pine trees. I'm now sitting looking at a very dehydrated Norway Spruce Christmas tree with a rubber duck for an angel. Today is the 6th, and my late Granny will come back and belt me one if it's still up at the end of the day. 12 days of Christmas and all that. Getting it down is likely to involve hoovering the needles straight off the branches and cutting out at least some of the carpet hoovering. Maybe we should take video it?

I started a blog, yes. Then I spent three months doing what I proposed to be blogging about and even very occasionally blogging about it. It was a good summer. Cold, but good. I'd do it again, but maybe on slightly different terms. I finished up an elbow to fingertips, knees to ankles, neck upwards tan, a very shaggy haircut and a little bit fitter and stronger than I started out. And returned to Real Life.

I have since spent a week and a half on Jobseeker's allowance before finding two part-time jobs. Job number 1 started at about 14 hours a week, and turned into 34 before November was up, becoming 40 hours a week through December. Job number 2 has ticked along since the end of October at 6 hours a week, becoming an interesting juggle in December. So I've been working, and juggling, and trying not to think about it too much. There will be a nice paycheque coming my way at the end of the month if the company survives that long (the companies behind the shops either side of us in the shopping centre that is Job number 1 both announced last week that they had gone in to administration).

Christmas happened. I drove the best part of 500 miles in a week and drank a lot of port (although not at the same time, I might add). It was Christmassy and nobody cried so was therefore declared to be a success. But now it's not Christmas any more. As from tomorrow it will definitely not be Christmas any more; my Norway Spruce will have been chopped up for kindling. And me, well I will get to start to notice the lack of forest smell from my living room as I'll be here a bit more. Job number 1 have offered me a permanent contract, but as it's not December any more the new contract will be for 6 or 8 hours a week. 6 or 8 plus 6 when multiplied by four does not come to a total large enough to accommodate the rent and council tax.

This means, dear bloggosphere, that I'm on the move again. Semi-un-employment has begun. Time for a plan, kid. Here goes.

Money coming in is still money coming in. Being paid in arrears means there'll still be some coming in at the end of the month, nice. Job number 1 comes with a 1 week notice period. Job number 2 is flexible and mine for as long as I want it and don't screw up too badly. If job number two stays fixed I need around 17 hours at job number 1 to make it on a week by week basis. Having been doing more than that of late I have a tiny little cushion.

Start to job search is the next part of the plan. The CV has been updated and 5 precious printed copies delivered thanks to flatmate with printing access. 1 is to be handed in tomorrow.

I'll keep you posted, and I may even have the time to muse and blog.

Coming up next. What to do when two men you don't know show up and take away your bed?