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RE: Dancing to a different drummer - 2/21/2008 6:16:11 AM
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agapetos
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Well, I looked through the prospectus of courses and saw several that I'd like to do. Most of them have just begun, and the next start date is May. However, I called them yesterday and for the science courses, I can apply up to 2 weeks after the start date  so I've been busy planning what courses I want to do. I've decided to apply for 2 courses now, and a further 2 in May (which I can put off, depending on how I do with the first 2).
Course 1 is called 'Understanding human nutrition' and course 2 is 'Studying mammals'. The courses that I'm applying to do in May are 'Start listening to music' and 'Digital photography: creating and sharing better images'. I'll send the forms and necessary documentation off today, so hopefully it shouldn't be too long before I get it.
Naturally, I'm already impatient for them to get here . The courses are structured and provide most of what is needed (except computer, calculator and cd/dvd player) and offer online contact with students and tutors and telephone contact with tutors as well. Neither of these courses have an exam at the end, but they do both require some coursework.
I've also contacted the university that I went to years back. I started the first year of a degree (and completed it) but didn't finish. The credits that I received from that year could count towards a degree with the OU, if I chose to go that far. My old university is going to look into seeing whether they can provide me with proof of what I did and they will get back to me. I think I had a certificate at one point, but I haven't a clue where it is now  . It would be good to have a copy.
My mother said that my aunt's funeral was well attended and even some of the other patients from when she was in hospital attended because they got to know her and like her.
The appointment with my psychologist went well. I have 2 more appointments left with her. One will be at the beginning of April and she suggested that what she's done with other patients is leave the other as an 'open' appointment for 6 months or so (a flexible date) to see how things are going etc. I think the sessions have been incredibly beneficial to me and I'm glad that I did them, though they were very difficult at times. I shall miss her though. I'm really glad that I've had such a gradual ending and not a sudden one. It's been reassuring to see that I've been able to make changes in my life but still have her to offer me some support. I'm sure it will make the final ending (which I'm really seeing as happening in April) much easier.
I have to get library books back, get documents photocopied and post a couple of letters ~ including my OU one
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The loose cannon inside the ship is far more dangerous
than the storm that rages outside the ship.
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RE: Dancing to a different drummer - 2/25/2008 9:46:47 AM
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agapetos
Posts: 5314
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: This side of the lil duck pond!
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Well, my application has gone off for the OU, so I'm just waiting for the material to turn up now .
I received a whole load of seeds today for part of an experment that I applied for and whill need to start some of them off soon. Tomato seeds, lettuce seeds and winter salad seeds. The tomato and lettuce seeds are for a comparison ~ I have 2 varieties of each, 1 old and 1 new. The winter salad are (I think) more to see how they grow, the conditions, the taste etc. It includes pak choi, rainbow chard, purslane, leaf beet and endive so it's a good mix.
I've been doing some cooking over the w/end and really enjoyed it. Some of the recipes are a little quirky though (celeriac in the pastry for an apple and raisin pie) but they taste good! I also want to go into the next town and see if they have any blackberry and blueberry plants left ~ but that's going to have to wait until tomorrow or later in the week.
I've ordered my grow bags for my potatoes (and some for my tomatoes too! Hopefully they will deliver to my back door and not the front! If they haven't unloaded, I can ask them to take it to the back, but I feel guilty if they've got them out of the lorry.
_____________________________
The loose cannon inside the ship is far more dangerous
than the storm that rages outside the ship.
My blog
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RE: Dancing to a different drummer - 2/27/2008 7:00:11 PM
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agapetos
Posts: 5314
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Well, I guess you heard about the earthquake huh? I didn't feel a thing, didn't feel anything last year either. This is probably just as well because way back when I did experience one (the epicentre was about 3 miles from my house) it woke me up (it was about 3am) and I thought I'd put a can of food in the oven, turned it on and gone to bed and it had blown up. I can recall thinking about getting up to see if that is what I had done, but reasoned that the roof was still on the house, so it could wait until morning I went back to sleep!
I heard from the university I studied with before and they've found my records. I have to pay to get a new certificate, but that's fine. I shall do it in the next week or two.
I also spoke with the OU. I was able to access one of the courses I applied to do online, but there was no record of the other one (although the two I've registered for starting later in the year are there (though I can't access them yet). Anyhow, I looked through the prospectus and noted down a couple of courses that I'd like to do instead, then called. The original course I wanted to do is full up, and this is the last time they're running it  . I spoke with the lady (who did experience the earthquake!) and gave her the other codes. There is space on both of them so I have to fax the registration form to her tomorrow. The course I'm going to do (along with 'Understanding human nutrition') is 'Human genetics and health issues'.
This afternoon, the other course information arrived so I've been excitedly looking through it all. I do have some catching up to do according to the timetable, but there is a free week so I'm not too stressed about it ~ and there is the option to take it over a longer period of time too.
There are a lot of courses that I'd like to do, but I'm conscious of wanting one that goes somewhere (where I'm not sure) instead of just doing courses here and there (she says with 2 totally unrelated courses later in the year!).
Not sure if I'll be on for a few days, as I'd like to get stuck into this course and catch up before the next one turns up (next week sometime).
_____________________________
The loose cannon inside the ship is far more dangerous
than the storm that rages outside the ship.
My blog
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RE: Dancing to a different drummer - 2/28/2008 6:41:17 PM
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agapetos
Posts: 5314
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I went to the stationers this morning and sent the fax, and then phoned to find out if it had got there. The first lady I spoke to wasn't terribly helpful so I phoned back a bit later and spoke to someone else who was brilliant. She checked to see if anything was on the system (it wasn't) and then put me through to the lady I spoke to yesterday. She had a hunt round and couldn't find the fax, so had her manager authorise it over the phone (given the cut off date is tomorrow) which he did ~ so I'm all sorted and should get the course next week.
I said a couple of posts back that my aunt had died. She was an interesting lady who managed to bring her children (she had 3 boys, 1 of whom died after being hit by a lorry) up on her own after her husband left, and bought her own house. One of her surviving children married and had 3 children (he's now divorced from their mother) and the other one pretty much lived with his mother for most of his life.
After my aunt died, she left her home to the 2 boys and her 3 grandchildren. At the funeral, both boys said that they didn't want to sell the house (it was their childhood home). Alan is able to get a mortgage if the others wanted to sell or offered to pay a reasonable rent if they didn't. The others (and Jimmy's ex-wife has joined the fray) don't want to sell ~ but they also want him out of the house so that one of the grandchildren can move in.
Jimmy shut a door on Alan, trapping some of his fingers in the process, and refusing to open the door immediately. Alan has spoken to a solicitor who's advised him to report this as an assault. Alan doesn't want to do this, given Jimmy is his brother and the only family he has left. The solicitor pointed out that he'd seen many cases like this and Alan would need to get tough because it would be an ugly fight.
Alan really feels as though everyone has turned against him. My mother has tried to reassure him that she hasn't, but it's been very hard for him. My aunt and uncle (mother's brother) live near him and I have suggested to my mother that she talk to them and (hopefully) reassure him that they aren't against him.
My aunt has a dog (Ben) who's very old now. He can't get around much, and can't be left alone all day. Alan is off work at the moment but is dealing with the prospect of having to have Ben put down before he returns. Ben really misses my aunt too. Jimmy wants Ben put down now.
(As a sde issue, my mother is having a tough time about Ben because when my gran died she went to the funeral and came home to find her dog had had a stroke and had to be put down.)
Jimmy has threatened Alan that they will have him out of the house and if he doesn't leave, they will tell everyone he takes drugs. He does take drugs, and I'm not condoning it, but he also holds down a responsible job and helped support his mother.
Alan has always had his salary paid into his mother's bank account. Why, I don't know, he just has. Jimmy has had a card to that account (again, not sure why) and knows the number. Before their mother's death, there was around £2,000 ($4,000 US) in it and Jimmy withdrew it all ~ he said that his mother wanted the children (his children) to have £200 each. Alan was paid today and Jimmy withdrew his salary.
The solicitor said that the £2,000 shouldn't have been withdrawn as the estate hasn't gone through probate, so the salary shouldn't have been withdrawn either (and Jimmy knew this on both accounts). My mother has said she's going to send Alan some money.
There are legal steps that Alan can take to stay in the house, and to get the money back, but it's very hard on him, given that he's fighting his brother.
I'm not really close to my cousins, but this has and is affecting me greatly. Not just because I know that my aunt would have hated it, but I know my mother is affected by it, and I believe that it may come close to what will happen (between my sister and I) when my mother dies. Not that I want it to.
_____________________________
The loose cannon inside the ship is far more dangerous
than the storm that rages outside the ship.
My blog
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RE: Dancing to a different drummer - 3/7/2008 9:01:27 PM
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agapetos
Posts: 5314
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I feel as though I've been very busy doing very little this week. Not quite sure what I've achieved really .
My second course arrived and I happily got stuck into that ~ it's pretty much all stuff I've done before so is much easier for me than the human nutrition course. I'm trying to catch up with both still. The OU has a forums site for students, but it's not nearly as much fun as here 
I was invited round to some friends for a meal on Tuesday and had a wonderful time (as always). I left having actually won a game (can't remember what it's called) which was a first! They gave me a beautiful ceramic (frost-resistant) planter and a strawberry plant
Today I went into the next town and bought some plug plants basil, sage, oregano, strawberries and then some more strawberry plants (though not plug plants) and 2 fruit bushes (a tayberry and a blueberry, I bought a blackcurrant bush yesterday) that were half price. I also picked up a large rosemary plant that was reduced.
I repotted most of them when I came home. The sage had looked very sorry for itself, but seems to have cheered up (I suspect something to do with the fact it needed some water!). I have put some tomatoes and lobelia in compost to grow, together with a 'mixed' collection that climbs ~ this year I shall use it on the arch I have (if they grow of course!).
It's going to be stormy in the next week, so I've heard, so I don't think I'll put anything outside just yet. We had high winds last w/end and I found the lid to my compost bin in my neighbour's garden
My gardening stuff arrived, in 2 different deliveries. He came to the front door with the first one and told me the next would probably arrive in a day or so. I asked if he'd deliver to the back door, and he said he would (if he remembered!). He remembered 
_____________________________
The loose cannon inside the ship is far more dangerous
than the storm that rages outside the ship.
My blog
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RE: Dancing to a different drummer - 4/15/2008 6:38:50 AM
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agapetos
Posts: 5314
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I saw my psychologist for the kind-of last time last week. I have one more session with her in regard to the number of sessions she offered me although there is no appointment booked. That session will be a sort of review to see how things are and to see if there is any other work that she can help me with, or if further work needs to be done ~ it is good to have a break so that I can reflect in this way. I am free to contact her whenever I need to make the appointment and if she doesn't hear from me, she will contact me!
I've been busy planting up strawberries and tomatoes (though the tomatoes are still indoors at the moment). I gave some tomato plants to a friend at the w/end and have a bunch more to get rid of. I'm growing basil from seed and they've just begun to emerge ~ though the pot slipped in my hand this morning and shook some of the compost loose , the seeds seem ok. I dug up a veronica plant yesterday and divided it (hacked it more like!) and gave half to my neighbour. The books make it seem so easy to do ~ much harder in reality though!
I babysat for a friend at the w/end. While I've babysat for them before, I've never been responsible for getting them all to bed. It was highly entertaining. Their oldest boy is always pretty good for me and can sort out his own bedtime routine (he just needs to be told when!). The younger 2 were ready for bed (except for teeth) and I took the youngest (a little girl) to bed while I told her brother (middle child) to find a book to have a story. Had a discussion with the little girl about what toothpaste she used (she wanted to phone mummy to ask, but I asked one of her brothers and she was happy with that) and she seemed to settle pretty quickly.
I went downstairs to find the front door open and the middle child gone! He was next door, playing football! He came in as soon as I asked and while I read him a story, asked for a biscuit (he didn't get one). Took him up, he cleaned his teeth and went to bed, announcing that I wasn't to worry but he'd been feeling sick that day so he might get up to be sick! (Feeling sick, but well enough to play footie and ask for biscuits!) They both decided that they wanted to have some water, so I got some and put an audio tape on for both of them and left them. They came down once but went back to bed pretty quickly again. It was good to be able to look after them so my friends could go out and I'm hoping they'll trust me to look after them more in the future ~ though I may be inclined to lock the front door in future to keep a certain footie-mad boy in!
The oldest boy played a game on the computer and I watched and we discussed how to do parts of the game which was rather fun. He'd been digging a hole in the garden earlier and I told him that if he found a big wooden box filled with money, it was mine and I'd dropped it out of my bedroom window when I'd lived there (he didn't believe me!).
_____________________________
The loose cannon inside the ship is far more dangerous
than the storm that rages outside the ship.
My blog
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RE: Dancing to a different drummer - 5/1/2008 7:45:38 PM
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agapetos
Posts: 5314
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This week has seemed busy for me. I have had various appointments and caught up with a friend I hadn't seen in a while today. While I was there, another friend I hadn't seen in ages turned up so it was good to chat. I gave one friend a bunch of tomato plants (some for her grandmother).
I've also been doing some work in the garden, between the showers of rain and appointments. I will be doing some more gardening in the next few days. I still need to get the basket stand together. I am going to try planting some beans under cloches (now that I've put some nemaslugs down ). Hopefully I'll have more than I did last year . I bought another strawberry plant to replace one that had died and planted it today. I found out that I hadn't pruned my fuchsia enough so cut them back some more The things you learn!
I went into the next town yesterday for an appointment. Afterwards I looked around the town a little and ended up in the supermarket. It was kind of weird because that store has just been taken over by another chain and they are closing for a refit in the next week (though they didn't seem terribly sure when exactly). As a result, much of their stock was greatly reduced, so I managed to buy a few bargins . I've mentioned it to a couple of people, warning them it's probably not good if they're looking to do a weekly shop, but if they happen to be passing, it may be worth them looking in! None of the staff are being made redundant, which is good. My local store has possibly been sold too, no one seems very sure about it! Rumour has it, that it's been sold to a different company though ~ and a far better company than the one that is there are the moment!
_____________________________
The loose cannon inside the ship is far more dangerous
than the storm that rages outside the ship.
My blog
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RE: Dancing to a different drummer - 5/3/2008 3:09:00 PM
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agapetos
Posts: 5314
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I went into Bath yesterday, specifically to go into one store (was all I really had time for) and buy something. I went upstairs first (which is where the item I wanted was, if they had it ~ it was in their bargin dept) and saw part of a different item that I'd been thinking of getting for some years. I debated whether to buy it or not (and buy the product itself next month) and left it where it was while I wandered round the store (upstairs and down). When I'd picked up what I wanted to buy, I went back to the bargin dept and found, not only the part of the product, but the complete item ~ both were reduced (box was damaged) considerably so I grabbed both before anyone else could!
This is what I've bought. I haven't used it yet as I've had no need to cook (I had some foods in the fridge that simply needed reheating) today, but shall look forward to it soon. I spoke with my mother yesterday evening ~ she had the little one and raved about it (I have the biggest) and said that she'd give me hers if I liked it (which will be useful) and is going to send me the cook book down (hmmm, I've heard that before, about something else!).
I asked her about my cousins (Alan and Jimmy, who I mentioned in an earlier post) and she didn't really know much about what was going on there still. Alan has changed the locks and taken the dog to the vet (the dog is doing pretty well according to the vet, but on meds) and Jimmy is spreading rumours about Alan, sigh...
I phoned my father yesterday too. I'd tried earlier in the week but he didn't answer. He spends a lot of time with his neighbour so I presumed he was there. Last night, my step-mother answered. My father is in Belfast ~ his sister, who's had cancer has gone downhill very quickly and his brother told him so he flew over on Tuesday. He's going to stay for another week or so and see how things are. His sister is in a coma (and has been for several days) but didn't really know anyone (family) for a little bit before that. She's in a really nice hospice and has one2one care from a nurse. When she was conscious, she said how comfortable she was there.
_____________________________
The loose cannon inside the ship is far more dangerous
than the storm that rages outside the ship.
My blog
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RE: Dancing to a different drummer - 5/10/2008 1:50:14 PM
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agapetos
Posts: 5314
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: This side of the lil duck pond!
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Just a short post...
My father came back from Belfast on Wednesday as there was no change in my aunt. His brother phoned him early this afternoon (Sat) to say that she had died peacefully today.
_____________________________
The loose cannon inside the ship is far more dangerous
than the storm that rages outside the ship.
My blog
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