So far today I have:

• completed an experiment for my OU course - but I am still running behind on the course work
• cut my dad's hair, designed and printed some Christmas cards for him based on a photo of his neighbours' dogs (don't ask), sold him some eggs (chickens are starting to lay again! Hurrah!) and I helped him fill in a questionnaire about the future of Shetland's school service sent to each household.
• turned a charity shop bought curtain into 2 baby slings made to measure for friends with a new baby, one for her and one for him! They are in the wash at the moment, hopefully I'll get a pic tomorrow when they visit.

Other news - the dental service here is a joke. (OK - that's not news!) Turned up on Thursday to be told the dentist was ill (again) and they would phone me with a new appointment once they had been through the book. Gave them my work number. Phoned them from 9-1 on Friday to get answering machine every time. Eventually they phoned to say they were training on Friday, interviewing on Monday, could I phone them on Tuesday? I've now lost the filling that was in the broken tooth, think I'll have a tooth by the time I see a dentist?

Serves me right!

I'm on a low fat diet (or I get consequences from medication that you don't want to know about) but last night I decided to blow it - I wanted some roasted chick peas. Well I ate them, broke a tooth and suffered the aforementioned consequences. Anyone want the rest of the packet? I phoned the dentist this morning and actually got an appointment this week - Thursday morning. :(

Went to a public meeting tonight about education in Shetland. To say the consultation process is flawed would be an understatement, the questions are really biased. Got to fill in my own questionnaire now, will our small school be considered 'viable' at the end of it? Who knows?

Joined a new craft forum today, which I have on good authority is a nice and friendly. http://www.crafteroo.co.uk/smf/index.php is the url. Somewhere else for me to wile away the time when I should be doing something else! lol!

Got a matching pair!

LOL! That had you thinking!

I got my 2nd TMA back and it's also 84%, not sure I'll keep this level of results up but not a bad start!

Craig got his new script today - it involves him playing a boy who disguises himself as a girl. Here we go again! Brian/Brenda will be taking to the stage in March with rehearsals starting in January.

Oh no it isn't!

Oh yes it is! It's freezing, windy and there's white stuff blowing around - it must be Splinters' panto time! There are sons and there are sons - this one is a son to be proud of ... isn't he? (That's mine in the pink tights!) The only male dwarf out of 7 and the only one not dressed in red and yellow. Hmm. lol!

It was a really good show and the kids did their producers proud. It's a hard working group run by a husband and wife voluntarily - and they've been doing it for close to 30 years! I was one of the originals and there are several other families also into the second generation now.

Another show tomorrow then casting for the drama festival on Sunday before we get 7 weeks off the taxi service.

How long until Friday?

Finished tweaking the school panto script today. Informed heady that we only have 4 weeks until it's on stage and we haven't finished read it through yet!!!!!! Oh well, casting done, props list done, songs written/ adapted, only need 2 backdrops painted - oh and some costumes and 18 pages of lines learnt! What could go wrong? (watch this space! lol!)

I've been asked by a friend to make her a baby sling so I'll have to go through my fabric stash. She's not a pastels kinda girl so will have to find something with some colour. I'm going to use the free pattern from Karma Baby as that is the type she wants and it looks easy too!

There's a first!

Craig made his first lasagne for tea tonight - and it won't be his last - it was very nice! It even kept it's shape when taken out of the dish! No end to the boy's skills - well, there might be - picking up dirty socks from his bedroom floor seems to be a bit tricky for him!

Time for 'me time'

My head is like mush now - I've just sat and finished TMA 02 (tutor marked assessment) for my OU course. For those who don't know I'm doing S104, Exploring Science with the Open University and TMA 02 was on Earth and Space, 01 was on Global Warming and it's Energy and Light next! This is taking me right out of my comfort zone and I am learning lots of new things and look around me with different eyes!

However, a chick lit book and a cup of tea will be my reward. Will look over the TMA before sending it tomorrow - and then it's onto the next unit! Will have to fit some crafting in soon before I forget how - and I have a Secret Santa gift to finish!

Craft fair

Well we're just back from the craft fair - just went for a look, hmmmm! Spent 'some' money which wasn't difficult, there are some very talented people in Shetland. Can't detail what was bought - you never know who might be reading this!

Ordered some stuff from fellow crafters at http://www.craftsforum.co.uk/ last night too - so the Bah Humbug shopping is well underway. I love the internet, no crowds, easy to compare prices, can see if it is in stock and you don't have to carry it home! Just have to try to remember what I've bought for who now!

Kiva

YES!!!!!!!!! We are now reconnected to the rest of the world! 3 phone messages before I got home lol!

Today I signed up to be a Kiva lender, helping people work themselves out of poverty.
http://www.kiva.org/app.php

My lender page:
http://www.kiva.org/lender/julia52643106

Phone angry!

Still no phone - have used £18 credit on my mobile since Friday - most of it on the phone to Tiscali! To put that into perspective, £10 usually lasts me about 3 months! (I know last of the big spenders - and my phone is a brick too, no camera, no colour pics - just phone and text!)

I give up on technology anyway - signed up to a monthly audio books site and then found out the software doesn't work with my Walkman MP3 player - not that I can work it anyway!

Phone angst

Is it too much to want to have a working phone line - when you are paying for the privilege? I didn't think that was an unreasonable thing to ask! Haven't had a phone since Friday which was when Tiscali were supposed to take over from BT. I've made lots of phone calls on my mobile to Tiscali and just needed to go ARGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Added to that my tutor hasn't replied to 2 emails I sent her over the weekend (because the broadband is still working?!?!?!) and I have to start writing my TMA.

Walking the dogs

John and I went for a walk with Jake(springer / jrt cross) and Loki (border terrier) today at Heylor in Northmavine \after dropping Craig off at Splinters. I'd been beavering away at Earth and Space for my OU course and needed a break! We saw this little fellow on the beach. Needless to say we kept the dogs well away! Unfortunately we also saw this one:



Jake and Loki had a great time however and after stopping at the Eshaness cafe for the humans to have afternoon tea, they are now both sleeping! Peace!

Well I decided it was time to do a proper blog - and try to keep it up! ~It is named Jaydee's Ramblings because Jaydee is the name I am known by on the forums I visit and I expect it to ramble!