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A quote by Deborah Kerr.
I have to say I tend to agree with this quote. I married when I was only 19 of course I thought I knew it all and my husband, who was 12 years older seemed mature, had his own house, car and a job...all I needed, I felt!
Now looking back I'm horrified to think that, at the time, and for a long time afterwards I had no aspirations other than to get married. I believe I have always had a competitive streak in me and somehow this 'streak ‘was willing me to be the first to get on with the 'race' that I felt life was, to be the first to do....well everything and anything really; let's waste no time thinking too much let’s just get on. I was 19 years old and old enough to be called Mrs someone/ anyone really I suppose.
How ridiculous that sounds to me now. It seems like a different person's thinking and actions and that's the truth of it. It may as well have been someone else getting married and thinking those thoughts because as you 'grow older' you become someone almost totally changed from when you were younger. I tell myself I feel the same as I did when I was 20 but in reality I feel happier, younger, more in control and I know who I am and what I am capable of... I have aspirations and dreams which I intend to do my upmost to fulfil before getting to the 'finish line of life' and now I don't want to rush to be the first to get to that finish line where I know there won’t be anyone handing out medals for doing everything first!
Having daughters that are now at the age I was when I was going down the path of marriage makes me look at them and realise just how much living and growing, of themsleves they have to do before they can possibly know who they would like their life partner to be. I hope, for their sake, they do take their time to choose wisely.
Thursday 4 February 2010
Monday 1 February 2010
My pledge for dressing
Now that I spend most of my time working from home I have found it increasingly easy to fall into the habit of not getting dressed until lunch time. Having spent a number of years going to work in a business suit I didn’t think this would ever happen to me.
It is so easy to do, you get up see everyone off to school or work, get on to the computer and start your day and before you know it, it's lunch time!
The thing is I remember once when I was working as an Estate Agent we were allowed to come to work in our casual clothes and for a charity day .They had to still be smart but no suits were required, this felt liberating however I soon felt that I wasn't working as well as I could do, strange I know but it was like my uniform and without it I wasn't 'The estate Agent' I was just me..
Last week I was called to see if I would do an interview for the Daily Mail on divorce I said yes and a little time later a journalist rang and carried out an interview with me. All was well until she said she would be sending a photographer around very soon, ‘ARRRGGG’ I thought because I was still in my dressing gown so wasn't prepared for the day in front of me and what that might throw at me.
So my pledge for February and the rest of the year is to go back, not to the business suits but to getting up and properly dressed in smart casual wear that should see me through most things!
The last thing I want to happen is that I declined further with my non dressing until I end up being interviewed as this Welsh lady did recently after going to Tesco in her pyjamas!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8485559.stm
It is so easy to do, you get up see everyone off to school or work, get on to the computer and start your day and before you know it, it's lunch time!
The thing is I remember once when I was working as an Estate Agent we were allowed to come to work in our casual clothes and for a charity day .They had to still be smart but no suits were required, this felt liberating however I soon felt that I wasn't working as well as I could do, strange I know but it was like my uniform and without it I wasn't 'The estate Agent' I was just me..
Last week I was called to see if I would do an interview for the Daily Mail on divorce I said yes and a little time later a journalist rang and carried out an interview with me. All was well until she said she would be sending a photographer around very soon, ‘ARRRGGG’ I thought because I was still in my dressing gown so wasn't prepared for the day in front of me and what that might throw at me.
So my pledge for February and the rest of the year is to go back, not to the business suits but to getting up and properly dressed in smart casual wear that should see me through most things!
The last thing I want to happen is that I declined further with my non dressing until I end up being interviewed as this Welsh lady did recently after going to Tesco in her pyjamas!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8485559.stm
Sunday 31 January 2010
One for everything happens for a reason, perhaps?
Last year I took my youngest daughter to the doctors because of numerous persistent nosebleeds. My eldest daughter had suffered similarly but Kate seemed to be having worse symptoms and also hideous periods. She was tired and her joints ached. The young female Doctor said she would run some blood tests, which she did and continued to do for the next few months. Kate was anaemic with a blood count of 4, not good apparently and no surprise that she had been so tired and generally feeling under the weather. Kate has recently been diagnosed with a blood clotting condition called Von Willberbrands Disease which is hiredarty. Since then my Eldest daughter has been diagnosed and last week myself and my middle daughter.
This has probably proved fortuitous for me because I found out at the beginning of January that I need to have a Hysterectomy and I suppose if I hadn't have known about the blood clotting condition things may have been a little difficult. I hadn’t really had symptoms, no nose bleeds etc but when I had Kate I needed a blood transfusion due to a difficult birth. Having never heard of this condition before I realise now it is quite common and today I noticed this BBC news article on the condition.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8458455.stm
We all need further tests to see if we can be given blood clotting factors to help if we are in an accident or need an operation.
This has probably proved fortuitous for me because I found out at the beginning of January that I need to have a Hysterectomy and I suppose if I hadn't have known about the blood clotting condition things may have been a little difficult. I hadn’t really had symptoms, no nose bleeds etc but when I had Kate I needed a blood transfusion due to a difficult birth. Having never heard of this condition before I realise now it is quite common and today I noticed this BBC news article on the condition.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8458455.stm
We all need further tests to see if we can be given blood clotting factors to help if we are in an accident or need an operation.
How important is Customer Service?
Yesterday I went out for lunch something I don't get chance to do every week because of the family and work so I look forward to it went I do get a chance, as I suppose do others?
I was meeting with Claire Young who you may know from the TV show The Apprentice and although Claire is familiar with York she isn't as familiar with places to eat so I said I would book us in somewhere.
I was there first so I sat at the bar and got a drink and when Claire and her friend Wendy arrived we asked to be seated at our table. After sitting we waited for someone to come back to ask us if we wanted a drink and to give us our menus...and waited. Eventually we had to ask the waitress to come, she did and took drinks orders and then went to get the menus. We decided what we wanted and waited for someone to come back to take the order...and waited. We again asked a waiter to come over to take our order which he did but had to explain that what we wanted had sold out, so we quickie re-thought and gave our order and we were served with our starters a short time later....then we waited. After around twenty minutes we asked the waiter when our mains would be coming, he did answer us but none of us actually understood what he said as he walked away whilst talking to us, so ....we waited. They did turn up around ten minutes later. We enjoyed our food and then asked a waitress to bring our bill over. We all quickly decided not to tip as the service had really let the place down.
Good food and great company was spoiled by the customer service, the place wasn't incredibly busy and even if it had been a quick explanation would have been enough to help us understand.
It left me wondering how important customer service is because I was always taught it was key to everything? In my world even when my parents had the Guest house we were taught to say hello, please and thank you and do our utmost for the visitors. I suppose you could say its inbred in me but surly after spending so much time on making a place look fabulous and the food good customer service should be a priority to keep customers coming in? Or doesn't it matter anymore?
I read this article which talks about the real cost of customer service to companies; perhaps our chosen restaurant should read it? http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/business_money/poor+customer+service+costing+firms/3505467
If you are interested as to where we went for lunch, just let me know.
I was meeting with Claire Young who you may know from the TV show The Apprentice and although Claire is familiar with York she isn't as familiar with places to eat so I said I would book us in somewhere.
I was there first so I sat at the bar and got a drink and when Claire and her friend Wendy arrived we asked to be seated at our table. After sitting we waited for someone to come back to ask us if we wanted a drink and to give us our menus...and waited. Eventually we had to ask the waitress to come, she did and took drinks orders and then went to get the menus. We decided what we wanted and waited for someone to come back to take the order...and waited. We again asked a waiter to come over to take our order which he did but had to explain that what we wanted had sold out, so we quickie re-thought and gave our order and we were served with our starters a short time later....then we waited. After around twenty minutes we asked the waiter when our mains would be coming, he did answer us but none of us actually understood what he said as he walked away whilst talking to us, so ....we waited. They did turn up around ten minutes later. We enjoyed our food and then asked a waitress to bring our bill over. We all quickly decided not to tip as the service had really let the place down.
Good food and great company was spoiled by the customer service, the place wasn't incredibly busy and even if it had been a quick explanation would have been enough to help us understand.
It left me wondering how important customer service is because I was always taught it was key to everything? In my world even when my parents had the Guest house we were taught to say hello, please and thank you and do our utmost for the visitors. I suppose you could say its inbred in me but surly after spending so much time on making a place look fabulous and the food good customer service should be a priority to keep customers coming in? Or doesn't it matter anymore?
I read this article which talks about the real cost of customer service to companies; perhaps our chosen restaurant should read it? http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/business_money/poor+customer+service+costing+firms/3505467
If you are interested as to where we went for lunch, just let me know.
Saturday 30 January 2010
A very brief history
I thought I would begin with a very brief history about me and what I've been up to for the past 41 years. However 41 years is a long time to be brief so I am going to bullet point my life up until now and then in future blogs I am sure I will expand futher.
- Born 1968 in Pontifract
- Moved to Bridlington aged 4
- Younger sister and younger brother
- Excellent hard working Mum and Dad
- Left school at 15 went to Hairdressing college
- Married at 19
- Eldest daughter born aged 20
- Middle daughter born aged 23
- Youngest daughter born aged 27
- Divorced aged 34
- Meet new partner aged 35
- Work as estate agent
- Made redundant due to property market decline
- Dad dies due to Cancer within 5 weeks of finding out
- Start Confident Ladies business September 09
- Go to Downing St Xmas Party December 09
- Find out need a Hysterectomy Jan 10
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