New Week New Start

We have had an absolutely horrendous few weeks and it's got to a point now where it has just got to get better.

Financially we where finally on top of things but at the end of the day things where still VERY tight. Bills all paid and provision made for future expected expences like Car Insurance, Car Tax, House Insurance, Xmas and our Holiday.
But as always, the best laid plans never go as expected. I could say they went down the crapper but at the time we didn't even have a crapper!

Here goes.....

My car failed it's MOT. Suspension springs and shocks - £120

Ian desperately needed to go to the dentist - £50 and then ended up having to go back to have a tooth pulled after five days of pain ridden hell.

Ian's car died. I mean it actually died. It had to be replaced. Luckily his mechanic brother had a car that Ian could have. It cost us £250 and to be completely honest it's a piece of crap but what do you expect for £250. It will do until we can find something a little more permanent.

Bathroom was then being ripped out. Landlady has promised for a couple of years and finally got round to doing it with a week's notice.

Then on the Thursday after this, I was working 12 - 8 and decided to go to Tesco before I popped round to Mum's for a shower and then work.
Unfortunately my car decided to break down in the Tesco carpark! This was 11am and I still hadn't had a shower. Luckily Ian was home and after a major panic I actually got to work at 11.45 stressed but showered but it turned out to be a day at work that I couldn't wait to get away from. Doesn't happen very often but it happened that day.... typical.

The car needed a new alternator £160 which Ian's brother would get and fit for us over the weekend.

The next 2 days I had booked as annual leave, Friday and Saturday, so that I could be in the house when Martin the infamous builder was fitting our bathroom.
It was a lovely day Friday so I did some gardening. It was such a lovely day we decided to BBQ for dinner. I set the BBQ up ready to light in the back garden and my Mum came round so that me and Ian could go and get a shower and freshen up.
I was in the shower when I got a call from Mum to say that we needed to go home because Murron needed to go to the hospital!
She had come off her bike and anihilated her thumb.

GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!

3-4 hours in Bedford A+E on Friday night only to be told that she needed surgery at the Lister on Saturday.
Just to rub salt into the already open wound, my car with my Bedford Hospital car parking pass was with Ian's brother so we had to pay for our parking!  
My parent's had their weekend shattered because they had to take Marjorie and Dharma while we concentrated on Murron.
We sat around all day Saturday waiting for a surgery that never happened and were told to go home and come back on Sunday.

We woke up on Sunday to a lake in the kitchen...... the new toilet had leaked overnight.
We sat around all day Sunday for surgery that again, never happened and were told to come back on Monday.
It was at this time we found out that my car would be a little longer because the alternator that arrived was faulty and needed to be sent back.

Surgery finally took place on Monday at 10am. £40 pound in petrol, £18 in parking and £20 in food.
This happened to be the most fabulous weekend's weather's we have seen so far this year and we saw none of it!

I had to add the Sunday and Monday as annual leave and Ian took Tuesday and Wednesday. To say that we both hated doing this is an understatement. My ward is struggling for staff as it is and this didn't help them one little bit and Ian has only just started his job so time off is not really a good thing to do.

Anyway, things finally settled down. The bathroom was finished. I got my car back. Murron is fine.

I got back to work only to find out that the 'proposed' change in hours at work that everyone opposed are actually going ahead from July 1st.
This would mean my earlie's will start at 7am and end at 3pm. This is only a half our earlier than normal and not a problem.
My lates however will change to 1.30pm to 9.30pm! 1 and a half hours difference and it would mean I wouldn't get home until after 10pm.
To say I am not a happy bunny about this is an understatement.
My kids will all be in bed when I get home.
I am also still expected to do an early shifts right after a late shift which would mean only 9 hours between shifts but it would also mean that I would say goodbye to my kids at 8.30am on one morning and not see them again until teatime the next day!
I will of course give it a go and Julie is doing her best not to give me lates followed by earlies but if it doesn't work for me then the ward will be losing yet another member of staff. 

Yesterday was Dharma's birthday and she wanted to go out for Dinner with Edward.
So Murron and Marjorie got packed off to Mum's again and I took Dharma and Edward to Kid's World and then a MacDonald's.
We came home and watched a movie before going down the river to feed the ducks and play at the park.
It was finally a good day.

So! Monday morning, new week, new start. £660 over budget for the month (dipping into Xmas savings.... grrrrrrr)
It has got to get better.    

On the upside we are at least having a better month than Gordon Brown and the Labour Party!! but only just!