Day 11 (31)

So tonight I sat down to watch ‘our’ team play football in the premier league. By half time (actually sooner than that), I’d lost the will to live, as had much of the team unfortunately.

So instead of suffering further, I peeled my eyes from the tv screen and instead moved them to the much smaller screen on my iPhone. I thought I should try to work out how this bloomin’ blogging process works.

I think that idea was as successful as our team’s defence, thoroughly trounced. My excuse, that I don’t know the system, can’t be said for our back four.

My problem is that I think I’ve now created a new site for my blog. It’s entitled, ‘Mountfordwife: and in other news…’

I thought this an apt name for a blog sharing the daily trivia that makes up my life.

Anyway, I was given a bit of advice about sharing the blog on my Facebook page only not the one I currently have. No, a new one. So I could have a private site for my actual friends and the new one for my virtual friends! Well, working out how to achieve this bit of technical wizardry had me totally stumped – my husband actually thought my whimpering was in sympathy with the woes of the football and my son seemed unusually unwilling to leave the match to help his old mum (which is just simply rude).

So now it’s after midnight and I haven’t as yet worked out if I’m coming or going, with a site, the timing and with who sees what, when and where.

And what’s all that ‘domain’ stuff all about?

Confused? You betcha!

Oh well, just like our team, I’ll just have to learn from tonight’s debacle and move on to the next match between technology and my woolly brain!

Day 12 (32)

Couldn’t sleep last night so ended up sitting in bed moving all my Day 100 posts to WordPress.

I’m new to writing things down – not a natural diarist of my daily ‘doings’. As a child I received numerous diaries, many with a gold clasp lock with a tiny key that was always misplaced within a few days. That would be about the same number of days I’d write about my mundane life as a schoolgirl.

Around five years ago I tried writing blog posts but this lasted as long as the original diaries. Coupled with my fear of technology and a rather aimless idea of what to share that might be interesting enough for someone to want to read and it’s no wonder I published around five or six posts before giving up.

Now, I seem to have overcome the ‘what to write about’ obstacle. Having been challenged to write something about each day in the 100 days before my intended retirement date of February 9th this year, I seem to have found a topic for each day. And I’ve beaten all previous records for keeping on with keeping on.

These posts from Day 100 all the way to Day 13 have been shared on Facebook and happily seem to have been generally well received.

And now, spurred on by friends who think I may have something that others may enjoy reading, I feel I’ve come to a crossroads. Do I continue sharing among FB friends or do I share via a blog which is open to people in the wider world?

I could do with some advice from those who’ve gone before. I read daily (or at least regular) blogs from a small, select group of the most interesting women. Their blogs are variously funny, insightful and full of the joys and pains of daily life. These three women are my inspiration to write and hopefully in turn I might inspire someone else to have a go too. Lofty expectations!

But for now, I’ll say that I would like you to read my post and tell me honestly what you think.

Also, should I set up a new ‘Mountford wife’ Facebook group in which to share the blog or should I just continue sharing on fb? Should I even keep writing about my day? Do I have something others might want to read?

Or is it just all in my head?

If you like it, please will you press that ‘follow’ button? Please and thank you.

In other news – this morning, we met and interviewed some interesting candidates for my job.

Maybe I’ll be able to retire after all…

Day 13 (33)

I have failed on several occasions to write a blog – now faced with a new set of opportunities opening up, I’ll try to understand how WordPress works…

As the expression goes…’Bear with…’

Day 14 (34)

Instead of writing a post last night, I slept.

Perhaps I slept because I’d had a burst of activity in the morning and did something unusual for me.

I did ‘housework’.

I used to be quite good at it but a combination of full time work with a life spent accommodating the fatigue foibles of Martin Sheen resulted in more sitting down than moving. This tradition started somewhere around 2005.

Since Thursday though I’ve had a surge of energy that rendered me uncommonly sprightly and keen to clean!

I know; no one is more shocked than me but determined to go with it, I sprang into action. Now when I say ‘sprang’, don’t imagine me jumping up and rushing round. Martin would never stand for that!

But I made a passable attempt at cleaning, dusting, polishing and tidying up.

It was the toughest ten minutes of my life.

Day 15 (35)

I’ve had a weird week, mainly full of good humour and rather a lot of tea.

Isn’t it lovely when you can say how much you’ve enjoyed your working week?

I’ve never forgotten the words said to me in Belfast, “The money’s no good, but you get a laugh.”

I was 16 when I received that wisdom; and it’s just the same today. Different organisation,

same sentiment.

The joy of work isn’t about the money, but about the people you spend such a huge portion of your life with.

And the tea of course.

Day 16 (36)

By jove, you have to be good at thinking outside the box when you’re a nursery manager.

Working all day on room lists for upcoming summer and autumn terms.

Trying to squeeze a particular person into a non-existent place and in the end came up with, “I know, we’ll employ them as a play consultant!”

Brilliant!

Now to read up on the law about employing a 4 year old…

Day 17 (37)

Gosh 20 days difference between days 17 and 37…seems such a lot especially at night when I feel so tired.

It’s quite a weird week; I don’t think in my head, I’ve realised I actually have to leave this place that’s been my work home for so many years.

I keep thinking (about projects begun by me), “Oh it’s alright, I’ll just pop back and finish that off.”

Except it might not be alright; the new manager might not want me to pop in and finish anything off. It won’t be ‘my’ nursery any more.

Oh cripes…

Day 18 (38)

Well I’m not sure what I can say about today; perfectly ordinary day at work.

Everyone happy, no problems, visit from a special person this afternoon and then off to my GP surgery to make a simple request for some information to be printed so I could take it to CX in the morning – that’s when it all went down hill with the pretty young receptionist. No common sense or understanding of life, people or customer service.

So, like anyone of my advanced years would, I stood my ground and – having failed to impress on her the urgency of the matter and that it was her own colleagues who’d asked me to pick up the papers this afternoon – told her how upset I was; that I could do something and that was by not leaving until she organised what I wanted as “nothing I can do about it”, doesn’t wash with me. I told her I didn’t want to hear what she couldn’t do but what she could do to provide a solution.

I really am turning into an obstinate old lady!

The receptionist would probably say obnoxious more than obstinate.

But I did speak in a calm and quiet voice. Honestly…

Day 19 (39)

As a person who likes to be the one in control of what’s going on around them, I must admit to feeling a tad freaked out by the amount of ‘surprises’ being planned around me but of which I’m to have no knowledge other than ‘keep the day/date free’.

Oh gawd…call me when it’s safe to come out again.

Day 20 (40)

Last Sunday my dearheart and I planned a long morning walk but instead went to the cinema to watch the fabulous film, ‘Darkest Hour’ about the great wartime strategist, Winston Churchill who was superbly characterised by Gary Oldman.

Today we planned another walk but it snow-rained and so yet again we ended up in the cinema – this time watching, ‘The Commuter’ starring the ever young, Liam Neeson. He had to resolve a difficult task during a short train journey so yet again a film with strategy at it’s heart.

In both films these superb actors portrayed fascinating protagonists but who would I rather have dinner with?

Hhhmmm…