Word of the Week - Ferry

I took the camper van on the ferry from Birkenhead to Belfast this week to visit child 4 and family. Usually I fly when I go on my own, but this time I needed transport to literally ferry the grandchildren around.

I booked an overnight crossing after work last week. I drove up with a stop on route for coffee and arrived 2 hours early at the port.

Loading of vans was delayed until after all the freight lorries were on board and we didn't sail until gone 11pm (half an hour late)

There were no cabins available, but with Stena we have gold membership and I had free access to the Stena plus lounge.

It was packed, but I managed to find a seat and armed with my blanket and pillow I did manage a couple of hours sleep on the floor.

I had a 45 minute drive the other end, so I was able to manage.

Coming home, there were no cabins available again so I booked the day crossing as I wasn't sure I'd manage a 3 hour drive home after a night with no sleep.

It's only the 2nd time I've done a day crossing, I get sea sick and the last time was not a good trip.

This crossing was nice and calm and I bagged a sofa in the lounge again and got my head down for the first couple of hours and had a nap.

I had a packed lunch with me and I bought some chips and took advantage of the free soft drinks, tea and coffee and I'd also had some breakfast, including gluten free flap jacks.

I had a couple of walks around the ferry and I took some photos of the boat for the grandchildren.

The weather was really nice on the way out of Belfast, I sat in the sun until we reached the open sea.

The rest of time I caught up with the soaps on my phone, did some blogging and sorted through some diary appointments.

I had a 3 hour drive home, still in daylight, with a coffee and wee stop, unpacked the van, had a bath and went to bed.

We'll probably travel over again in July for a few days. The next trip after that won't be until October/November for eldest grandsons 4th birthday.

Post Comment Love - 30th May - 1st June 2025

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

I'm heading home today after a fab week visiting my two grandsons in Northern Ireland. The eldest was in hospital over the weekend (Friday - Sunday) but bounced back and has been running me ragged with playing with his cars, reading stories and baking cakes. 

I bought a slide over with me and despite the rain he's had a fun time playing on it.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

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My Garden in May 2025

I'm not at home this week so the photos are all from the first 3 weeks of May.

There's been a lot of growth in the garden, despite the lack of rain. 

There's also been a lot of things that haven't grown, but I suspect that has something to do with very old seeds and not preparing the ground properly before planting. 

Root vegetables seem to be growing the best.

The tomatoes and chilli are taking their time but I don't have a heated greenhouse or anywhere inside to germinate seeds.

The peas have surprised me the most, planted 5 days earlier after being soaked in water for 24 hours, they popped through the soil in the morning and 12 hours later were like this.

I'm half expecting a giant to be in the garden by the time I get back (Jack and the pea stalk)

I realised that the brown bin was being emptied on Wednesday last week and there was nothing in it, so a mad flurry of activity and lots of pruning took place after work on the Tuesday.

A good job really if I'm away for a week.

We still haven't moved this soil.

We still haven't sorted out the front garden.

And I doubt this side of the house will ever be used for anything other than a dumping ground. However there some old bits of wood that can be chucked and I can dismantle the cold frame now.

The one raised bed only has beetroot growing in it and 1 cucumber plant as well as a raspberry bush. So I've decided to let all these seeds and weeds grow in it while I work out what is what. I know there are poppies and cosmos in there.

I've been using Plantnet app to identify everything.

Week 21 One Daily Positive and Project 365

Can't believe it's half term already, only 4 weeks this term due to a late Easter. How does the weather know it's half term? Typical!

I'm in Northern Ireland helping out with son and his family and getting loads of new born and 3 year old grandson cuddles. 

I've had a couple of headaches this week, but nothing requiring anything stronger than paracetamol. This new migraine drug is so far working, however the nausea as a side effect really isn't pleasant.

Day 139

A very quiet day in work, walked to fetch a student from home and caught up with year 7 assessments and a last minute Lord of the Flies revision session ahead of tomorrows GCSE. Charged the car at work then met Peter for coffee, watered the garden, watched Mastermind Finals, bath then Lockerbie and bed. These 2 photos taken 12 hrs apart.

Day 140 

A good sleep till the alarm and tea brought up to bed. The whole day has been stress free, work was good catching up with assessments and my last GCSE English tutoring session. I am glad to see the back of Macbeth for now. Sorted out car insurance and van windscreen repair, then into town for some shopping and a coffee and home for dinner. I bought and wrapped birthday presents and made cards for the month of June whilst catching up with the soaps.

Day 141

Took the car for a charge and Peter went for a coffee and I went for my medication review before work. A full day of organising and supervising assessments. Home for an hour then out to meet a friend for coffee. A late dinner, I packed for my trip on Friday, did the washing and tidied up my school paperwork.

Day 142

Windscreen repair done and Peter cleaned the van for my trip to Northern Ireland tomorrow. Bags and car packed and I found some time to fill up the new flowerpot Peter made and get round to planting the azalea we bought a couple of weeks ago. Evening spent in front of the tv.

Day 143

A day at work which went well. I then popped in home for a cuppa and swop cars before driving up to Birkenhead to catch the overnight ferry to Belfast. It was a long drive but passed without incident. No cabins available so I got my head down in the lounge and managed a few hours sleep.

Day 144

Arrived off the ferry after a couple of hours sleep. Eldest grandson had been taken into hospital on the Friday night, so plans all changed. I unloaded the car which included a Little Tykes slide one of our neighbours was giving away free. Walked the dog and fed the baby while DIL got ready for the hospital. Spent midday till 4pm at the hospital. I was exhausted so came home to rest. Outlaws collected DIL after their visit and I had baby cuddles when son returned for the night shift.

Day 145

A long day starting with baby duty which I bloody loved, walked the dog, made dinner for the evening and headed off to the hospital to spend the day with our 3 year old grandson. We read books, went for a walk, got him off to sleep for an hour, did loads of colouring in and played with his cars. He was discharged early evening and we came home for dinner, a play on the new slide and lots of bedtime stories. I watched TV and went to bed around 10pm

Things to make you smile:

Grandson telling me I'm not his favourite anymore when I told him off. I was no longer his best friend either when I said I wasn't reading all those books at one bedtime.

I was being tooted at on the ferry but the cars behind couldn't see the vehicle in front of me was driverless and they park us so close on the ferry there was no way I could get past.

Things that made me happy:

Thank you cards from my students ahead of their last day in school for their GCSE's. Memories, gluten free cakes, the ferry trip, dog walks (in the dry), baby cuddles (photo captured by 3 yo) decent hospital car park charges.

On the blog this week:

Post Comment Love - Link up with any post written this week.

Word of the Week - Battery

What I'm reading 2025

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Word of the Week - Battery

We bought a new car on Saturday, it's a hybrid, it needs charging and we don't have a charging point fitted at home yet (one has been ordered)

In our quest to charge the car, we've ended up with so many apps for different places around the town.

We've got 2 charging points in work so all I have to do is book a slot, then email whoever is in the space to remind them move their vehicle before lunch so I can fetch the car from the car park and plug in.

We also investigated the local supermarket where we took the car on Wednesday for a charge. I went onto work and Peter went for a walk and a coffee.

We also own a camper van and we have to keep a close eye on the leisure battery and make sure we charge it once a month.

We're obsessed with the battery life of both the vehicles, checking them daily, reporting in to one another and ensuring we haven't accidentally knocked a light switch on in the van (me) or forgotten to switch the fridge off after a food shop (Peter).

We were warned once we owned a campervan and an electric vehicle we would become obsessed with the batteries, we just didn't realise how much.

Post Comment Love - 23rd to 26th May 2025

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

I'm making my way to Birkenhead after work this evening for a 7 hour crossing to Belfast. There are no free cabins, so I'll be taking my pillow and a blanket out the van to make myself comfortable in the lounge.

We dock at 7am and it's a half hour drive to my son's house where I'm staying for the week, I can shower when I get there.

Super excited to be spending the week with my son, DIL and 2 grandsons.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Week 20 - One Daily Positive and Project 365

The week started with raging toothache. Give me a break.

Had a meeting with the head today about my role, won't be renewed in September but I knew that already. I was thanked for what I'd been doing and was continuing to do and he said how impressed he was after a shaky start but it all came down to budgets. I gave some pointers as to how I felt the role could've gone better and he has welcomed me to reapply for jobs at the school in the future adding they would welcome me back.

Compared to last year's email 'contract ends August' and no feedback, I was very happy with the meeting. My shaky start was our daughter dying, funny how some people find it hard to say. He did say he couldn't image how hard that must've been. My feeling good didn't last long though.

Day 132
Peter drove to Plymouth to test drive a car and he put a deposit down on it, to collect on 10-14 days. A massive thunder and hail storm just as I left work, then home via a coffee and some blogging to catch up. Dinner cooked, TV watched and a chilled evening.

Day 133

New students today, I had GCSE tutoring and year 7 assessments to supervise. Met a former student and her mum after work for a coffee and a catch up, Peter joined us, then home and apart from watering the seedlings, nothing else got done. Bed by 9pm still under the weather. I had my end of contract meeting which went well, compared to last year.

Day 134 

Had a good sleep but woke up very upset thinking about Stephanie. Not a good start to work either, my formal letter arrived about my dismissal. I hit the roof. My temporary contract ends August 31st. I marched into HR and demanded it was reworded to reflect a no renewal and not a dismissal. Rest of the day passed smoothly with tutoring and assessments. After work, I chilled out for a couple of hours then went to a friend's for the evening for dinner and to watch Barbie the movie.

Day 135 

Crap start to the day, got upset during the day and came home and got more upset. Then wasted the whole afternoon and evening being upset and angry with myself for wasting time. Didn't have any tea, had a bath, sat outside then went to bed, still upset.  I did get some reading done and packed for our over night stay.

Day 136 

General feeling of just being sad. Work was ok, more GCSE English revision with a focus on poetry. Peter picked me up and we drove to Cwmbran to visit nephew, fiancé and great niece for the evening. We stayed in Malpas for the evening with a view of the M4.

Day 137 

New car day. Drove from Newport to Plymouth to pick this up. I drove it back to Bristol so we could drop the other car back to Peter’s sister. Home around 7pm via the fish and chip shop. Watched The Game on C5 then the golf and bed.

Day 138 

A lie in, popped into mums, afternoon with grandchildren. The park was closed but we still had our ice creams, then the layer in the garden in the pool. I slept in the van on the way hone. Evening spent watering the garden, blogging, watching tv.

Things to make you smile:

Peter kept taking the baby from me. Our granddaughter told him off for not sharing.

Things that made me happy:

Gardening, the weather, gluten free fish and chips and the grandchildren.

On the blog this week:

April - Days out in the campervan

Word of the week - Upset

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Word of the Week - (Uneccessary) UPSET

Many would say I'm always upset. Life is full of upset.

In general I always feel that just when life is ticking along nicely, something comes along to upset things.

However when you're general level of life is GAD and depression with a touch of PTSD thrown in, a little upset causes a major disturbance.

I'm looking for a new job. My current role has come to an end. I started work at a local secondary school as a Teaching Assistant in February 2022. 

In my interview when asked where I saw myself 5 years from now, I replied 'working as a Teaching Assistant in this school' 

7 months later there was a change to role and with this change I was required to terminate my full time permanent contract and accept a 2 year temporary one. I did this willingly with full knowledge that there was no guarantee of a job at the end of the contract. 

In the months leading up to role ending 'yep, there will be plenty of work in September for you' and then came my letter saying goodbye.

Well I didn't take it lightly and I fought bloody hard to keep working at the school and I was offered a new role as Alternative Provision and Academic Tutor, on a one year temporary contract.

In February I was warned this role was unlikely to be renewed. So looking at booking a trip to Australia and realising we could save over £2000 on flights alone by going August-September instead of July-August, we went ahead and booked.

So there we were in March/April before my formal letter arrived knowing I wouldn't be back at the school in September anyway.

I'm very sad to be leaving, I'm very disappointed there is 'no suitable alternative employment' on offer.

But this week when I got my letter to say my temporary contract was ending it read: 'dismissal' (when challenged this was retracted) but it has left a very bitter taste in my mouth. It caused a lot of stress and upset and has set me back several months in terms of not wanting to leave the house and go to work anymore.

It's been a very tough 7-8 months. Our daughter died 6 weeks into the start of the school year. I was off for 7 weeks and then returned part time for 7 weeks. I've also had a 2 week period off just before Easter with ill health and ended up in hospital, but I've given my all to my job, I always do and it's not just a case of working somewhere else.

When you work in a school you belong to a community and it's going to be hard to say goodbye. 

16th - 18th May 2025 - Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

The weather has been glorious this week. I've made the most of being out in the garden and not just gardening, but sitting and reading and enjoying the summer evenings. I love this little area we had added when the extension was built, no need to rush indoors when the skies open and it's great for all year round use.

We were supposed to be camping this weekend but Peter took a car for a test drive on Monday and they called midweek to say it was ready for collection on Saturday. The car needs collecting from Plymouth so a full day out and we need to drop the second car at his sisters, so it was getting a bit tricky with logistics, thankfully I'd not booked the camp site yet.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

Want to find out more about Post Comment Love #PoCoLo? 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Week 19 2025 - One Daily Positive and Project 365

I've had a stinking cold all week and been really nauseous and dizzy especially in the evenings, but sussed out the nausea was linked to withdrawal from the previous migraine medication.

Work has ticked along, the garden is being sorted bit by bit, jobs in the house are being tackled (well talked about) the weather is glorious, family are well.           

Day 125 #onedailypositive #project365 an easy morning of play and cuddles, then off to the park for play, picnic and ice cream. A few chores in the afternoon via a quick food shop and back to the airport. Sad to go home but back again in a couple of weeks.

Day 126 #onedailypositive #project365 Woke with migraine took rescue meds felt nauseous all day in work. Home and liberated this ‘free’ slide from a neighbour. Did a little bit of weeding. A restful evening bed at 9.10pm asleep within 10 mins.

Day 127 #onedailypositive #project365 Woke at 2am cold just staring no thoughts till 5am made tea and went back to bed. I’ve got a heavy cold right shoulder pain when coughing. After work I planted out some seedlings, finished book and evening spent on sofa watching tv. Got to bed around midnight

Day 128 #onedailypositive #project365 Slept till 7am woke briefly at 5am. I tidied some photos after work and got caught in a rabbit hole. I was late meeting my friend for the cinema. We watched David Attenborough ‘Ocean’ home for a bath and bed at 11pm.

Day 129 #onedailypositive #project365 cat and I did some painting after school, then an impromptu quick drink with work colleagues to a local pub, ended up in a missed train and getting Peter out to give colleague a lift home.

Day 130 #onedailypositive #project365 woke late rush to get the cat to the vet’s, followed by a food shop. Home to chill in the garden and started a new book. Out with a friend for afternoon tea and a couple of gins. Evening spent reading in the garden. Bed around 10pm

Day 131 #onedailypositive #project365 a lie in the off to the three counties RHS Flower Show for the day.. the weather was gorgeous. Had coffee, a snack and bought some truss and an azalea. Home mid afternoon and I spent the rest of the day in the garden, weeding and rearranging the over cover area, just in time for the rain. I also had a little snooze in my hanging chair and finished by book. In bed by 9pm

Things to make you smile:

5 middle aged women running down the road at almost midnight to help a friend catch a train that already left, on our way home from the pub. Peter gave her a lift.

Things that made me happy:

Getting ahead with my planning in work. Using an app to identify weeds/veg/flowers. Rainfall. Being able to drink alcohol again.

On the blog this week:

Post Comment Love

Word of the Week #WOTW - Cat

My Garden in April 2025 - Flowers for Stephanie

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