Half an hour ago I was convinced that a blog entry was long overdue and started to put one together in my head. Now as I come to write i can hardly be bothered. Weird, as things have shown so many signs this week of picking up after the doldrums of recent weeks.
We've set up separate bank accounts at the office. The beginning of the end.
We have received more than £15K of overdue remittances which we will meet next week to decide which creditors we should pay first and how much.
Tx and I have discussed our situation and agreed to re-mortgage, which I am going to sign up to next Tuesday. Seems so obvious. Loan half the money to the company and then take loan repayments instead of salary for the next 12 months or so. Reduces to PAYE liability and should restore the Tax Credits that were reduced when I took the unsustainable pay rise in April.
Started at City College on Wednesday, and hopefully by May I will have passed the CMI Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership. Exciting to be back in that environment again and I'm really looking forward to the work, the challenge and the positive impact some formal training and current business practise will have in the office.
AND, T and I signed up on Friday for an IT package with Western Computers that should solve all our networking, remote working, and filesharing issues. Apple 3-Year interest free finance and we are sorted. A big step forward for the company that we should have taken ages ago.
This afternoon, Mum and Dad turned up out of the blue on their way home from Hayling Island, where they have just bought a new caravan! They've been looking to move from the current site in Norfolk for a few months, but have had to rule out sites in the New Forest and Hamble Valley due to high rents.
They are determined to move nearer to us, and Hayling is only half an hour away. The new site is also 20 miles nearer to them than Great Yarmouth as well, so now they don't have to drive both journeys. they can combine trips to us with their six or seven visits to 'the van' each year. And seem very keen to have the kids on a regular basis, which is practically unheard of. Mum seems almost enthusiastic and intent on spending more time with them (and us...!) over the next few years - which can only be a really good thing.
From my point of view, it means that I don't have to think long term about finally closing the caravan chapter which has seemed inevitable in recent years. Yarmouth is nearly 4 hours from here and I don't travel anymore. My childhood memories are full of caravan holidays to Gran's caravan in Cromer when we were growing up - twice a year for most of my first 18 years. Then Mum and dad took it over and moved to Wells - superb for my birding years!!! - and then moved the van to two sites in the Norfolk Broads which was the last time we went as a family in, erm, 1002?
Distinctly remember because it snowed in May and Tx hated every minute of it.
But now the caravan holiday is a distinct possibility again, and a chance to spend more time with Mum and Dad as well.
Seems inevitable now that we can consider inheriting the van ourselves which should in turn provide low-cost and independent holidays for our kids. Its so good to see them looking longer term, and maybe considering some kind of legacy.
Today we discovered West Wood, another beautiful and inspiring environment less than ten miles from home.
Parked on the beach carpark at Weston and walked inland through the woods, up the hill and enjoyed spectacular views across the treetops and the water. Buzzards, butterflies and blackberries everywhere. The kids were on top form and walked the three/four mile round trip very comfortably, particularly exciting when we emerged from the woods into the grounds of Netley Abbey. Hop and a skip from there back onto the beach for an ice cream, a collection of shells, (inc oysters) and crab claws to add to the bag of leaves, acorns and miscellany.
They've spent all afternoon since making assemblages, models collage pictures with all the stuff.
Finished the day off with a third unsuccessful go at the Sabine's Gull which has been spending erratic hours in Riverside Park this week. First picked up I think on Tuesday, this is the furthest inland record of the species in Hampshire for many years, and stands to be only the third one I have ever seen.
In fact, the bird hasn't been reported anywhere along its route all day today, so I suspect the decent weather means it has found its bearings and buggered off. Unless, as some suggest, it has unfortunately died which is all too often the fate of seabirds that find themselves in that alien place called 'inland'.
Its quite surprised me how pissed off I am at having dipped this bird - a the first genuine rarity on the local patch that I can really remember. I feel like a reformed alcoholic, very aware of how ill I can afford to get back into the groove of twiggling again. Its time consuming, antisocial and obsessive - but the spark is very definitely still there. Once a birder, always a birder - it never goes away.
Four Common Sands, a Kingfisher, large female Peregrine and Little Egret picked up just by spending an hour sitting and watching at the place I walk through twice every week during the routine of life.
A case for slowing things down if ever there was one.
Tx is going up to visit her sister in the chapel of rest in Amersham tomorrow to say her goodbye. The funeral is next Friday.