Working on the DP World Tour

I started volunteering with the DP World Tour in 2018 whilst living in Dubai and have had a variety of roles from marshalling to Anti Doping and spotting.  I've also been fortunate to have been paid for some of this work with the TV from sound recording, scoring and more recently driving the camera crew around, making sure they get dropped at the action on the course, then getting out the way of all the other cameras and photographers.

There are loads more opportunities for work, however, it is salary only, no travel or accommodation provided (apart from during covid when working in a bubble). It's also Thursday to Sunday and now I'm working in a school I'm not able to either do the whole weekend or I can't get back in time for work on the Monday morning.

I'm on he tour list for Dubai in November, so watch this space. I'd love to go back out for this event.

In the meantime here are the photo's from the Cazoo Classic this weekend in Southport.

Clothing from previous events, plus waterproofs.

Fairly easy to operate

Sheltering from the rain

Keeping out the way of the cameras

My view on most holes

Hiding the cart from the cameras, between green and next tee

Week 29 One Daily Positive and Project 365 Summer

We really enjoyed the hot weather at the start of the week, it was nice to have the doors and windows open, enjoy a cool breeze and benefit from the temperature difference in the shade and not be blasted with cold air from the air con.

Although temps did equal those in Dubai, the biggest difference was that ours were only for 2-3 days, not 2-3 months and the temperature in Dubai doesn't drop below 30c during the night. It's nice to experience though, but not to live in those temperatures full time, like we did.

196 Saturday Up early, dog walked and off to Bath for the day collecting MIL along the way. I was surprised at how quiet the M5/M4 junction was and Bath City Centre itself. Home around 5pm and evening spent watching the golf on TV.

197 Sunday We had a lie in till 8am which is good for us. I finished booking all our upcoming trips and sorting insurance out and did some general tidying up. We went out for coffee and a food shop. A friend came round in the afternoon/evening for a BBQ.

198 Monday A day of just pottering around and another BBQ for tea. I read a book and had a few cat naps. Took Bob down to the local stream in the evening.

199 Tuesday More pottering, packed for my trips away, started a new book, some blogging and was looking forward to the light rain in the early evening, but we only had 12 rain drops in an hour.

200 Wednesday Back to work via the swimming pool. It was enrichment day and I ended it doing some Bollywood dancing in the hall. Went to opticians for hospital referral for double and blurred vision. Evening spent round the neighbours folding their washing and popping balloons with the kids, then home to do the ironing and watch the tv.

My uniform for the Commonwealth Games arrived.

201 Thursday Last day of term and the whole school walked the Malvern Hills, I walked with a colleague, chatting to students along the way. We covered 20,000 steps and it took 4 hours. Home to collect bags and a 4 hour drive to Southport for the golf. I wandered down to the Pier and bumped into a guy from Dubai who works with the tour over there. he wasn't here for the golf but with his family on a day trip, small world. I ate fish and chips for tea and bought some fudge, was asleep by 10pm.

202 Friday  Woken at 4.30am by the seagulls, reminded me of living in South Africa with the Ha De Da dawn chorus. Back to sleep, then showered, out for a walk and coffee. I headed off to the golf early to collect my accreditation and sat and read my book until TV call time at 2pm. I finished at 8pm, soaked through and cold and had dinner at Wetherspoons, then back to the B&B showered and bed.

On the blog this week:

How much spare time I have and what I do in it.

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Week 28 - One Daily Positive and Project 365.

It was 5 years on Monday since my father died. I think about him all the time and often quote him when things are happening in the world, such as Boris, the war, football, things the kids/grandkids do. I'm no longer sad, he would be 84 this year, I doubt he'd have still been with us, it was his time. I still struggle with the helplessness of that night, just watching him die when he collapsed. I hope to god I never have to go through anything like that again.

Onwards and upwards though. He'd love the fact we're going to Australia soon to see our middle child. He'd love the two great grandchildren he never got to meet and he'd be telling me what I was to do when I work at the English Open Golf in Southport next week, mansplaining my job to me, then watching it on the TV to try and get a glimpse of me. We used to face book mum from sporting events around the world (Dubai, South Africa, Hong Kong, Wembley) telling her where we were sitting at the rugby, cricket or football or which hole we were on so he could try and spot us. He often did and he'd press record to show us when we visited him next.

189 Saturday Off to Gloucester to spend the day with child 1, did some shopping, had coffee and cake out and home around 4pm. We had a BBQ in the evening and watched TV. 

My first attempt at quilting.

190 Sunday I went off to the shops early and bought a few gifts and some new bedding. Peter walked Bob up the Hills and went to the pub and I cleaned the house top to bottom. Late afternoon I went next door for their daughters 1st birthday for cake. Their son came round when parents were putting the bins out and let himself in and shut the door on them. He sat on the sofa to watch the TV, joined us for dinner, watered the plants then just said 'thank you, go home now' and I took him back. I sat in bed watching Ghostbusters and catching up with blog comments.

New bedding.

191 Monday Swimming before work, I left early with a migraine and home to get meds and sleep. I decided in the evening to pop to see a friend to take my mind off the anniversary.

Getting warmer and whilst car temps were 36c, it's nothing compared to Dubai where I'd previously registered 57c in my car.

192 Tuesday Cycled to work, bloody hot on the way home. Sorted out my accreditation for the golf and accepted a last offer as a volunteer in the Commonwealth Games Village.

193 Wednesday Lift to work and home, sorted out holiday insurance and looks like the flat sale will fall through unless I reduce the price by 5k, 6 months after accepting the original offer. If the buyer pulls out, my costs of 1k will be covered and I will remarked the flat at a higher price anyway. Watered the garden, blogged and did the ironing. I brought a cushion from school home to finish stuffing and sewing for a student who ran out of time to finish his project in and did some more work on the neighbours daughters quilt made from old baby clothes.

never too old for bubbles.

194 Thursday Lift to work and back via the Doctors for a blood test, out in the evening to the local youth club, then watched TV and did some more blogging and finally got the ironing done.

Quilt finished made with old baby grows from the 1 year old next door.

195 Friday Swimming before work and a lift home. Evening spent with friend, chips and wine. I had my 6 monthly check with the consultant who said whilst iron is dropping it's not enough for an infusion and will review again in 6 months.

I lovingly brought 2 'leaves' in damp tissue paper back from our balcony garden in Dubai. They survived 3 weeks in temporary accommodation and 11 days in hotel quarantine in the UK and are now sprouting babies in the bathroom in the UK.

On the blog this week:

Our English Garden in July 

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Post Comment Love - 15th - 17th July 2022

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I. Lovely to see you back and great to have any newbies join us. 

I've finally caught up with commenting and sharing the love. Don't forget to retweet us and leave a comment or two also.

It looks like the sale of the flat has fallen through, if it does, I'll be recovering costs. The buyer has changed their mind on the price they're prepared to pay after I accepted their offer back in February.

On a positive, I've been accepted as a volunteer at the Commonwealth games in the Athletes Village, training is booked and I'm looking forward to receiving my uniform.

I'm in Southport next weekend working at The English Open Golf as a TV assistant. I used to be involved in Dubai and Abu Dhabi with it and I'm sure this will be a very different experience on a links course, with the British weather and a whole new group of people to work with, but I will probably know a few camera operators and the Production Crew, will be interesting to see if any of the golfers and caddies remember me.

I've got a lot to pack in over the coming weeks with golf and the games, before we head off to Australia.

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Our English Garden in July

Since planting a hedge row and doing some thinning out and weeding back in June, the garden hasn't had anything done to it other than daily watering, a new shed/summer house erected and plenty of BBQs and just sitting in it to enjoy in the evenings and on weekends.

The other 2 sheds won't come down now until September/October and then we'll start building the raised beds, vegetable patch and herb garden. We're still waiting for a quote on our planned extension, but that won't interfere with the garden plans as we're replacing the old conservatory.

There are plenty of herbs, tomatoes, radishes, peas and beans growing. The strawberries and raspberries were eaten by the dog.

The front garden is south facing so ideal for these plants.

Tomatoes, chard and strawberries.

Repurposed dust bins for growing chard, pumpkins and sunflowers.

Radishes

The lawn is suffering with the sun, but the new shrubs are doing well.

Lots of pots of herbs dotted around the garden.

Loving the new summer house/shed.

Current storage of tools and bikes down the side of the house.

The conservatory will be replaced sometime with an extension, but for now, it's filled with bubbles and a reading nook.

How's your summer garden doing? Are you at the stage where you can just sit and relax in it, or os there always work to be done?
 

Week 27. One Daily Positive and Project 365

I don't know where the time is going these days. It all seems to be merging at the moment.

We've booked our flights to Australia, going later than intended but the cost is astronomical. Everyone is blaming it on the school holidays. I went to Australia in July/August 2019, the flight cost me £750. The same journey in 2022 has cost me just under £3000. Worth every penny though as we get to see our middle child. Peter's flight was around £2200 as he's coming back the middle of September. I'm out there just under 3 weeks as I have to be back in work on the 5th September and I will need time to adjust to the time difference.

We've also discussed Christmas in South Africa, but that will mean inconveniencing our neighbours again with cat and dog sitting, so we'll have to think about that. Flights for both of us are around £1500 each which about £500 more than we've paid in the past for that time of the year.

I'm loving this heat wave, just to be able to sit outside or in the house without cold blasting from the air con like we had in Dubai. We do have several fans on the go though to make it a bit more comfortable.

182 Saturday got my hair cut then drove into Worcester to get a refund on a pair of shoes, had a coffee and home to do some gardening, we planted a hedge in the front garden. In Dubai Bougainvillea grew everywhere, adding a lovely splash of colour to the beige scenery.

183 Sunday Off early to Monmouth to check on the flat, met DIL and grandchild for a walk around the Castle and a coffee and called in briefly at the twins. home to spend the afternoon cooking and baking and popped round the neighbours. 50 shades of green.

184 Monday Swimming before work and home to sort some bills, paperwork, washing and cleaning upstairs. Video call with Grandson.

185 Tuesday Cycled to work, spent the day on the field for sports day, late afternoon spent gardening and evening spent in front of the TV. I also finished reading my book. Jane Eyre, I picked it up in school for the daily 15 minute 'Drop Everything And Read. Shed base ready and waiting.

186 Wednesday Cycled to work, borrowed the neighbours 2 year old to water the garden, we both got drenched. Evening spent booking our flights to Australia for August 6th. Pet sitters sorted, I have the BEST friends and neighbours. Washing and ironing done and put away. My little helper from next door.

187 Thursday Lift to work. Peter collected me and I dropped him and the dog off to walk home and I went into town and to meet a youth worker to sort out a holiday club for 3 of the students I support. Evening spent cleaning upstairs, sorting out birthday gifts for August while we're away. Grandson home from hospital. Local Youth Cafe.

188 Friday Swimming before work. An unexpected fire drill in school. New summerhouse delivered and erected. Evening spent in the garden, blogging, drinking wine and having a BBQ.

On the blog this week:

My job as a Teaching Assistant

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8th-10th July 2022 - Post Comment Love - a busy week.

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I.

I apologise for the delay in commenting and sharing posts, it's been busy 2 weeks with work, selling the flat in South Wales and a visit to clean, booking flights to Australia, organising additional work projects, my birthday weekend and the worry about our Grandsons surgery, which all went well and he's back home now. I just haven't spent much time on social media. I'm spending this evening online to rectify this.

The summerhouse is being delivered and erected today, so hopefully next week I'll be able to update the garden posts and we can start work on the rest of the garden. I've spent a lot of time in the front, which is south facing and I've planted a hedge along the boundary with the pavement.

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My job as a Teaching Assistant.

I returned to full time work in March this year, after an 11 year break, minus 18 months 2016/2017 teaching in a school in Dubai. I've had other jobs from volunteering in townships to working in a covid vaccination site to working as a TV assistant on the European Golf Tour.

My last teaching job in the UK was delivering and assessing NVQ III students in the work place as Teaching Assistants. It was a role I wanted to return to initially, but with such a long time since I'd taught, getting interviews was difficult. I saw a post advertised at child 4's old school and was offered the job.

I arrive in work on my bike, in the car or on foot, via the swimming pool at 8.30am and leave at 3pm. I have no planning, no marking, no assessments.

I have 2 lessons, a 15 minute break, 2 lessons, 30 minute lunch, 2 lessons and home. I rarely stay past 3pm unless I want to, to send emails or updates students notes.

In interview when asked what my career progression was I replied that I didn't have one. I'm more than happy to do this role until I retire. I have all the school holidays off, other than 2 teacher training days, in which we can travel, visit our children and grandchildren in.

It's perfect.

Apart from the standard English, Maths, Science, Geography and History, I also support students in Home Economics, Design and Technology, Music, Art and Drama. We've been doing Performance Poetry on stage, I've been helping two classes with making a bottle opener from metal and plastic to baking, making hats, gloves and cushions

I have 2 regular students I support for around 12 lessons a week and around 10 other students I see on a regular basis and randomly cover other students if I'm needed. I work with years 7,8 & 9.

I love the variety of lessons I'm involved with. I have a good relationship with the students and the class teachers. I regularly support the rest of the students in the classes and often have to deal with behaviour issues when it disrupts me or my SEN students from working.

Most of the teachers are happy for me to do what I do in addition to the SEN students, handing out books, ensuring students have the correct equipment and supporting them with behaviour in the classroom to enable learning.

A couple of teachers have their way of doing things and quite often in my opinion have little control over the class and it can be very chaotic with little learning taking place. The same students work really hard in other lessons, despite being generally noisy regardless.

In addition to the SEN with my allocated students, I find myself dealing with bullying, safeguarding and injury during lesson change over and on my way to and from work. I've broken up fights on my way home and dealt with incidents on the way into school. I have a strong duty of care when I see someone in trouble and have an overwhelming urge to help. Some may say it's interfering or being a busy body, bt I can't ignore acts of unkindness, injury or safeguarding concerns.

I'm refreshing my knowledge, I'm recalling my own education and I'm learning new things everyday. I'm confident to say to a student or teacher, I don't know something and we will find out together how to work the answer out, which to me is the whole point of being a teaching assistant, to facilitate learning.

I supported a year 8 student with working out a maths problem, when the teacher asked him the answer and how he worked it out, he replied with '4' and 'Miss told me' 

I enjoy spending some of my break time playing table tennis, jenga and supporting students with their homework, not just the SEN children, but anyone who asks me for help.

Do you have experience as a teaching assistant? Does or did your child have support in school? 

Week 26 - One Daily Positive and Project 365

It was the 30th anniversary of my 21st birthday on Sunday as in I turned 51. It sounds older than it feels. I've never really bothered with age related numbers, but over 50 now makes me think of anyone aged 50-65 as if it's just one age band, before one just becomes 65+.

175 Saturday Had a lie in, finished making a balloon arch and then we went out for a coffee and collected our food order for the afternoon. Friends and family arrived from 2pm for tea, wine and food. The weather stayed good but we mostly stayed indoors. There were 5 kids aged 11 months to 5 and 14 adults, last one leaving after 6pm. We had a quick tidy round and watched Glastonbury. Child 2, his wife and their child stayed over. Birthday A video for todays picture.

176 Sunday Another lie in and with DIL and grandchild we took the dog to the park and had coffee out, we kicked them out at 2pm as we were going for lucnsh, which we ended up rescheduling and having dinner instead.

Part of my birthday gift from my mum.

177 Monday Up at 6.30am, drank tea and straight out the door to the pool. I had planned to go straight to work but had to return home to collect underwear as I'd forgotten to pack it. Did some washing, cooked dinner and fell asleep on the bed from 7pm-8.15pm. Was back in bed at 9.30pm, absolutely exhausted.

I'm fed up of our drive being blocked, BT have been coming and going here for months and if it's not them, it's usual the school run.

178 Tuesday Cycled to work and back, cooked dinner, watched TV and an early night.

Bob has been playing with his rope for days.

179 Wednesday Grandson had his surgery today, 6 hours and so far all is good. Drove home via the supermarket, collected new glasses, evening spent in front of the TV after cooking dinner.

Thank you notes.

180 Thursday Up early and a few jobs done. Cycled to work and back, walked the dog to the laundrette to dry the bed sheets, cooked tea, watched TV, sorted out some blog issues. The dog snook out, it was raining and for an hour he was digging in the garden, he came in absolutely filthy and we had to scrub the kitchen floor.

Knee tea, left overs straight from the pot.

181 Friday Work via the swimming pool and home at 3.15pm. I cleaned our bedroom and evening spent with a bottle of wine and chips with friend.

The cats morning pose.

On the blog this week:

I don't want to look 10 years younger, but I'm fed up of people 10 years older than me trying to look like they're 50, when this 50 year old doesn't have a style and is fed up of being pigeonholed. 

There's more to being 50 than the menopause and grey hair.

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Post Comment Love 1st-3rd July 2022

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I. How did it get to July already?

An exciting month for us as we're off to Australia to visit child 3 who I haven't seen since July 2019 and Peter hasn't seen since March 2018. It's too long, we hope to make the trip alternate years from now long for as long as he's out there.

I had family and friends round for my birthday last weekend. I was 51. I'm getting fed up now with the assumption all I want to talk about is the menopause and constantly being informed by the media, blog posts and other 'well meaning' folk that 'I too can look 10 years younger' I'm more than happy looking like a woman in my 50's. how do you feel about all this?

Anyway, pop over, link up any post you've written this week and we'll leave you a comment and share the love.

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  Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Lifeat139a and I.

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There's more to being 50 than just the menopause and grey hair.

Not in denial, not even sure if it's happening or whether it's happened and as the GP pointed out 'it's not helpful' 

In 2015 I had a cancer scare, with a high white blood cell count that was picked up during a migraine through routine blood tests.

Since then I've been under the care of an oncologist, had a bone marrow biopsy, diagnosed as Iron Deficient and received regular iron infusions. no cause known, blood test results still haphazard. I've had a coil fitted to stop my periods to see if it made a difference to my inability to produce ferritin, but it hasn't made a difference at all and I've still needed infusions.

I have few symptoms other than severe fatigue and breathlessness (can't walk upstairs without having to lie down) when my ferritin stores drop. It's the blood tests that keep calling me back into the GP to have further tests or medication adjusted. I've developed two new symptoms of double vision and pins and needles and numbness in my hands that are being investigated.

When I went to see the GP to ask for a new prescription of my migraine preventative medication for which I've been having since I was a small child, she informed me that they'll get better once the menopause is over, she then pushed me to accept I'm menopausal, told me about hot flushes and insomnia that she could prescribe medication for to help me with. I didn't mention hot sweats and Insomnia as I don't get them. Sometimes I don't sleep if I've been travelling, am unwell or my husband is snoring, but otherwise, if left in peace in a darkened room, I can sleep for 10 hours solid. I get at least 8 hours sleep per night.

Then there's the media, TV advertisers and Davina McCall 24/7 telling me I'm menopausal, promoting medications and lifestyle options, telling me how I must be feeling, how I must be thinking. It's not me. It doesn't represent me.

Then the worst is the people who are around my age who say to me when I sneeze 'oh that's a menopausal symptom' and go on to tell me how surprised I'd be to learn that any illness, any symptom, anything and everything is now actually a symptom of the menopause. If I yawn 'that's the trouble at our age' if I make an 'ooh' noise when I stand up, if I pop a tablet for my migraine. It's all menopause, full stop.

I know a lot of people have symptoms that interfere and effect their everyday life. I know for many that finding out it is the menopause, being treated and listened to has been a great help and relief both physically and mentally. But it's not me. There's more to me than the menopause, just because I'm 50.

I had my hair dyed grey in 2016, it's since grown out to be natural grey now. I go to the hairdressers and they cut it every time in a certain style, for women my age. A neat bob with it tucked behind my ears or a pixie cut. The same hair cut given to every woman between the ages of 50 and 70 who has grey hair. The same happens with clothing and shoes. I don't want to dress like I'm 30 so I end up with a choice of shoes and clothing the the over 70's wear asa uniform. So in an attempt to be different I clomp around in DMs and wear jersey dresses, jeans, trainers and hoodies.

I have kids in their 30's, I'm married to a 64 year old, I have grandchildren. I automatically fall into the discussion about perimenopause, about colon cancer screening home tests with the assumption I'm actually older than I am. Mid to late 50's and constantly told I look good for my age. I'm 51 this month.

Apart from my chronic migraines and a 26 year old neck injury from an assault which causes chronic pain flare ups and does interfere with my sleep, as it always has. and my iron deficiency anaemia I'm fit and healthy. I work full time, cycle to work, swim and go on long walks with the dog. The hot weather isn't a problem, but then neither is the cold.

I'm sure there will be quite a few of you reading this who sigh 'of course you're menopausal' I probably am, I'm not in denial. I just don't want to talk about it every day (oh the irony of writing this post) I just don't want people thinking it's ok just to start a conversation with me, assuming my only topic of interest is the menopause. I just don't want the assumptions made I'm menopausal. There's more to me and every other woman than just that.

I know there is nothing to be ashamed about, we should talk more, we should be more open. We shouldn't be embarrassed to discuss this issue in front of both male and female colleagues of all ages, but I just don't want it to be the only topic of conversation. 

Does it define you? Is there more to talk about?

Week 25 One Daily Positive and Project 365 - Migraine and double vision

I've been experiencing double vision since February when I have to focus on anything. General glancing around is fine, but I'm struggling with reading. Opticians said there was no cause for the double vision and sent me away with exercises for 4 weeks before they can make a referral. I've been doing the exercises for a couple of months after googling how to help with this issue, but because the optician didn't formally tell me to do them they can't make a referral, so frustrated. 

168 Saturday Dog walked and we collected child 1 and took her out for coffee and cake and to do some shopping. Toilets in the supermarkets were absolutely disgusting and no hand soap available. not acceptable in a first world country for a global company. Visited grandchild, took mum along for a ride and to do her food shop, then home for dinner and to watch the TV for the evening.

169 Sunday Peter off to play golf and I went to the Three Counties Summer Show. I was dropped off at 8am and it didn't start to fill up till 11am. I was able to walk round in peace and everything was open. By midday though I was home after experiencing the weirdest loss of sensation in my hands and a serious migraine kicked in. I caught the shuttle bus to the train station for one stop, then a short walk home and to bed and sleep for the rest of the day.

170 Monday Off to work via the pool and into Worcester in the afternoon for a bit of shopping and dinner. I baked some cakes for a bake sale at work.

171 Tuesday cycled to work and home, did some washing, placed a click and collect food order and had a company round to measure up for an extension, new doors and fascias. We won\'t be getting the work done until the New Year. Cakes were decorated.

I'm loving these car temps, compared to 57c in Dubai in previous years.

172 Wednesday I took the car to work and had my nails done on my way home. I took my glasses back to the opticians as they've not resolved the issue with the double vision, back tomorrow for a referral to the hospital which is what my Dr requested earlier this month. In the evening I did some cleaning and started preparing the house for a party on the weekend. Video call with friend.

Shed base.

173 Thursday Went swimming on my way to work and took my cakes in for a bake sale. Back to opticians on my way home and evening spent cleaning the conservatory. 

9.40pm, just chilling.

174 Friday Up early as Peter was snoring, watched TV whilst I ironed.Cycled back and forth to work, home to tidy the garden up and get it ready for tomorrow, fingers crossed we don't get any rain. Chips and wine with a friend as usual for a Friday night.

On the blog this week:

What I need from a disabled toilet when out with child 1.

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