No make up selfies??!!

It's not often I blog twice in one day.


................But I feel a bit of a rant coming on............................


My Facebook page tonight is filled with friends doing 'selfies' of themselves without any make up on.  Apparently this has got something to do with donating to a 'cancer' page.


To be honest I haven't delved very deep into what exactly is going on.


From the brief look that I've had, and remember I am not a very techie middle aged spinster, it seems like its a bit like 'Nek nomination'.  You pay £3 to a 'just giving' site, take a photo of yourself without make up and then nominate 3 other people to do the same.


I think I've read somewhere that one million pounds has been raised in 24hours???  Surely not??  That must be an exaggeration???


If it has, then that's fab.


I'm not adverse to taking photographs of myself without make up.  Though I actually haven't a clue how to take a 'selfie'???


I am a middle aged ranting female - I don't do 'techie' things??!!


However, much as I think this 'selfie' thing is a good idea..................  I'm still a bit worried about posting a photo of myself on the internet for everyone to see.


So for that reason I won't be posting a 'selfie' of myself without make up.


I do however, support all the work that all the 'cancer' charities do.  And I will continue to support them in whatever way I can.  As long as it doesn't involve posting selfies on FB?!

Getting Old

It was my birthday the other day.  I've now reached the ripe old age of 55.


55 is definitely 'middle aged'.  In fact 55 is probably just OLD?!!  I can now join the U3A (University of the 3rd Age).  I've been able to go on SAGA holidays for the last 5 years but haven't.


I look old.  My 14 year old niece asked me the other day how long I'd been dying my hair for.  I've been dying it since I was 14.  I don't even know what colour my real hair is???  Probably very grey!!!


The trouble with being in ones' 50's is that from now on it's all doom & gloom.


These days when I go out with friends we don't discuss who's getting married or who's had a baby or who's got a fab new job with fantastic career prospects.


These days we discuss ailments & illnesses, who's become a grandmother, who's died, and if any of us oldies have got a new job we compete with each other as to who has the 'easiest' time at work.  We no longer want a career.  All we want is to make a bit of money, do the job without any responsibility or hassle and go home.


I guess there are a few good things about getting old..............................


By now we've realised what is important in life.  We value our health, our family & our friends.  We've learnt from experience that happiness is what is important.  No amount of money is able to buy that.  We've realised that 'academic qualifications' that our parents pushed us into achieving in the 1970s are not the bee all and end all in having a successful career.  We've experienced life and we know what we want and what is important to us.


.................But by now a lot of us do have a 'disposal' income.  Our mortgages have been paid off 'cos we've had them for more than 25 years, our car insurance is lower because we've been driving for years and have 'no claims' bonuses, and we only have ourselves to look after.  OK I do because I'm a middle aged ranting single female spinster.  Those of you with kids will probably disagree 'cos you'll be paying for them forever.


I guess getting old is like everything else - there's advantages and disadvantages?????


And to be honest - the majority of us oldies love our lives!!!!

Dyslexia

What is dyslexia???


'Dyslexia' is (according to an online definition) - a general term for disorders that involve difficulty learning to read or interpret words, letters and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence.


At the ripe old age of 55 - I've just done two online tests for dyslexia.  Both have come up with the comment - 'Your answers show a likely indication of dyslexia.  You may find it helpful to undertake a fuller assessment'.


I don't think so..........................


Why on earth would I want to have a fuller assessment to find out how 'dyslexic' I am.  If  I've survived 55 years without any 'extra help for being dyslexic' I'm sure I can survive another 55??


Anyway the reason for this RANT is because my sister was having a bit of a rant at the weekend because my 17 year old nephew's teacher hadn't been checking his notes??!!  And according to my sister he's dyslexic??


Notes???  Kids make notes about whatever they make notes about.  Should a teacher really have to check a 17 year olds notes.  I thought the whole point about AS/A levels was to train the kids up to work independently.  If my nephew was at a 6th form/higher education collage and not a school, would his mummy even be invited in to meet the teachers (or tutors as they would probably be called at a collage?)  Probably not.


My sister was having a right old rant at the weekend about the fact that one of my nephews teacher's wasn't checking his notes.  Why should he???  I'm sure the teacher was marking the finished assignment.


My sister tried to argue that because my nephew was dyslexic his notes should be checked.


Fair enough.  Good point. 


Unfortunately she followed this argument up with the fact that my nephew had worked really hard when he first went to secondary school and now didn't need any 'special help'.


I used to be an exam invigilator so I know that when sitting exams, the dyslexic kids either get extra time or they get a reader/scribe to help them.


I will freely admit that my nephew has problems digesting and organising information that he is reading.  However, whoever it was, that decided that he could be placed back in mainstream schooling, without any extra help, must have decided that for a reason.  And my sister must have agreed that.  My sister is not a stupid person.  I'm sure the school would have consulted her before they did this.  And if they didn't - then yes, she probably has got a fight on her hands.


Anyway the fact of the matter is - my nephew is no longer getting support for his dyslexia because he has been assessed and has been considered not to need it.


.....................So is my sister really within her rights, when my nephew is considering dropping a subject, to say to the teacher, 'Have you checked his notes because he's dyslexic?'  How on earth would the teacher know that he was dyslexic if he had been taken off the 'dyslexic register' when it was deemed that he didn't need any more specialist treatment????


My nephew isn't stupid.  But he doesn't want to go to university and why should he?  I'm not even sure if he wants to do 'A levels'??!!


My oldest nephew is very clever and always wanted to go to uni - so off he's gone.  Which is fine.


But everyone is different.


I don't know what my nephew wants to do.......................  I don't think he knows what he wants to do.


My sister wants him to do some sort of apprentice if he's not going to uni.................


Maybe he has got dyslexia, maybe he hasn't.  I really don't know?!!


What I do know though - is that he's not being allowed to just do his own thing - he hasn't a clue what he wants to do at this stage but my sister is trying to push him into an apprenticeship (because he doesn't want to go to uni) because it is the 'middle class' thing to do.  She doesn't want him just working in the bar/restaurant where he works at weekends for minimum wage and how much would he get as an apprentice???


OK - this was supposed to be a rant about dyslexia - I'll do a rant about a load of other stuff that I'm really mad about at a later date.


I'm just really worried that my nephew is being pushed into something he doesn't want to do because he has parents that want him to have a 'career' from the minute he leaves school??


.......................Or perhaps he's happy to do whatever his parents guide him towards??!!


 As a 55 year old 'ranting spinster', I can still remember what I wanted to do when I left school, & I can still remember doing what my parents wanted me to do when I left school.  My parents won!!


OK, OK, I must stick to the script - I didn't realise I have dyslexia??!!


Fortunately I love my life - dyslexia or not!!!


Every set back makes you stronger.
Every failure makes you strive more.
Every negative comment makes you fight to prove you're right
Every bully is a sad lonely person.


Live your life, laugh every day, love every moment.


xxx

Affordable walking

OK, so this weekend I am in the Lake District on a 'walking' weekend.






I love walking.  At home I walk for a couple of hours every day with my very gorgeous little collie dog.






Walking (according to all the government websites to entice the great British public into doing more exercise) is a free form of fitness that can benefit us all?????






Unfortunately these days if people want to do serious walking, it is no more affordable than any other sport for the majority of the great British public.


OK, so we can all have a little trek around the local park wearing no more than a pair of cheap trainers...................  But what if people want to do more.


Today I walked for 12 miles in the Lake District.  I am fortunate enough to be able to afford all the proper gear - walking boots, walking trousers, anorak, waterproof trousers, 'thin with all the warmth' walking top, gloves, rucksack, etc, etc, etc.


I buy most of my walking stuff at 'Mountain Warehouse' in the sale.  Even so, I estimate that the clothes/equipment I was wearing today cost £350. 


..................I don't wear 'proper walking socks' (mine cost £1.50 at Peacocks), I haven't got a proper waterproof bag to go inside my rucksack if it rains (I'll just use two Tesco carrier bags), I haven't got a zig bottle for water (a plastic one will do), & if I'm taking a sandwich for lunch I just wrap it up in a bit of cling film and throw it in my rucksack - I don't need to spend £10 on a sandwich box so that it doesn't get squashed.................................


............................I could go on..................... and on..................... and on.......................


Walking is no longer 'affordable'?!


One cannot just trek up a mountain wearing a pair of trainers, jeans & an anorak.


This whole 'walking thing' is making me rather mad.  Well I am a middle aged ranting spinster??!!


Today I had a little bit of a mooch around Keswick.


Keswick is (in my opinion) an up market walking hub.  It's full of shops selling 'walking stuff'.


I honestly do not consider myself to be 'poor' but to go into a 'walking shop' for a little browse about, see a nice pair of trousers, and then look at the price tag..................  £300?????  Just what does a pair of £300 trousers have that is so spectacular?????


My walking trousers cost me £40 (half price) & I thought that was expensive - They're comfortable, if it rains they dry quickly, they've got lots of pockets - what more does anyone want?????


£300 for a pair of walking trousers???  That's hardly 'affordable walking' for all???


Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr........................................


.............................I feel another rant coming on!!!!!

Orange Cones

Whoever invented the orange cones are probably by now millionaires.  In fact I might just google 'orange cones' and see if I can find out exactly who is responsible for the millions of orange cones that are lining the M5 today?!!


What is it about British road workers that make them want to cover a 20 mile stretch of motorway in orange cones, disappear, not do any work on the road for ages, and cause congestion for everyone???!!!


OK, I guess we can't actually blame the 'road workers'.  The people who put the orange cones in place, the people who actually dig up the roads, the people who probably get all the abuse - they are not the ones to blame.  They are good honest people who are just doing a days work.


So who should we blame for miles and miles of orange cones on the M5?


Today I travelled from Cornwall to Derbyshire.  A journey that should take 5 hours.  Today it took 5 and a half hours. 


OK what's half an hour in a long journey??  Half an hour, that's what! 


If there'd been an accident or a hold up for any other genuine reason that would have been fine.  Travelling 300 miles one expects to have hold ups. 


However, to be held up by miles & miles & miles of orange cones, sectioning off lanes on a motorway, when no-one was working there............................  that to my mind is not a genuine reason.


When I lived in America 20 years ago - any work that had to be done on the motorways (can't remember what they're called in America - oh yes I can - highways I think?!) was done through the night.  The road was closed between midnight & 6am and a team of people just came in and did the repairs.


Why doesn't the UK adopt this policy???


I travel around the UK a lot and I frequently see miles & miles & miles of orange cones.


I think it's about time to just start using these orange cones where people are actually working.....................  Instead of just spreading them all over motorways with no intention of anyone doing any work for weeks on end???!!!


OK so I'm a 'ranting middle aged spinster' but I'm well angry tonight.  I actually don't want a 5hr journey to take 5 and a half hours because I've been held up by some orange cones.


If the 'orange cones' are actually there for a reason then that's fine.  Today they weren't.  There was no evidence of anyone working anywhere near any of the orange cones.


Orange cones???!!! - I hate them - Grrrrrrrrr..............................

One day beginners jewellery workshop

So today I went to my 'LEA college' to do a beginners one day course in making jewellery.


Clutching my letter of confirmation I arrived at the campus.  Didn't really have a clue where to park, whether I had to pay for the parking, or indeed if there was any parking.  However being a very 'savy' middle aged ranting spinster, I'd done a bit of online research so thought I knew where I could park.


So I parked in what I thought was a free car park at the weekend (and couldn't see any signs to say it wasn't) and then off I went to one of the 3 buildings that my confirmation letter had told me to report to.  Receptionist at the building that I went to hadn't a clue what I was going on about??!!  It took 3 phones calls to actually tell me where I should be.


Fortunately I'd allowed time for not being able to find my way around so I wasn't late for the class.


Arrived in the class to be met by a very lovely young (OK a lot younger than me) tutor.


At least half an half of H&S stuff followed.  I didn't sign up for this??  I'm probably being a bit critical here, but to spend half an hour on a 6 hour, one day course, telling us (the average age was probably about 50??!!) where to get contraceptive advice, careers advice, where the STD clinic was, where to go if we were looking for accommodation, etc, etc, etc. was to my mind a total waste of time.  After all we'd paid more than £50 for this course.  I for one do not want to know, or care, about any of this information????  If I've paid to do a course for 6 hours I want to be taught for 6 hours.


I don't even want to be asked the question - 'how long would you like for lunch?' 


On a course which is running from 10 - 4pm I want to be told in advance what the 'lunch arrangements' are.  I want to know if one has to bring a packed lunch to eat while one is working, or whether the 6 hour course includes a lunch break and if so for how long.  I want to know if there is a college canteen.  I certainly don't want to be asked at 12.45pm, 'What time would you like to break for lunch and how long would you like.  And then when I said I'd brought my lunch with me and could I eat it in the classroom to be told no because 'very young tutor' had 'prep' to do for the afternoon, well that just made me mad.  It would have been nice of 'very young tutor' to tell me where exactly I could go to eat my lunch.


Arriving back in the classroom in the afternoon 'very young tutor' had not actually done any prep. 


In fact, I'd gone searching for somewhere to eat my sandwich and 'very young tutor' had actually arrived at my sandwich eating spot with a guy who was on the course who I then summarised was 'very young tutors' boyfriend??!!


Very  'young' tutor was OK but obviously did not have the skills, knowledge or experience to lead a one day course with 'middle aged' people.


I have to admit I made a very lovely bangle and ring.


But.........................  could I make anything by myself, have I retained any of the information that I was taught today, were we told at the beginning of the course what we should achieve by the end, were we even told the tutors name???????


NO...........................................................................


This course was crap not very good, on so many levels.  I could RANT forever about this.


.................And the sad thing is.....................  We were given a feedback form to fill in at the end of the course.  I left most of it blank.  Because the questions didn't actually ask what I wanted to say and I didn't actually have a problem with the very young teacher.


I did however have a problem with the course today.


* Didn't have a clue where the class was being held.
*The tutor didn't introduce herself
* Wasn't told what we would achieve by the end of the class
*Weren't told where the toilet was, lunch arrangements, etc, etc
* The course confirmation hadn't told us that we'd have to pay for materials.
*There wasn't enough equipment for everyone on the course.
*The tutor assumed that we knew what a lot of the technical terms meant


I've made a lovely bangle and ring.  But would I go back to this college and do another course???  Absolutely not.

Phoning the tax office

Have you ever tried phoning the tax office??!!


.................If you haven't - don't bother.


Phoning the tax office is an impossible task.  I know.  I tried to do it today.


The reason I was trying to phone the tax office was because they sent me a letter saying that I owed them £122 for the tax year ending 2012.  I was well cross about this because at the end of January I had sent them a cheque for £1600 (which apparently was what I owed them for tax year 2012/13 and what they thought I owed them up to July 2014.  And when I got my wage slip for January I had, had a tax refund of £110.


Do none of the different tax departments talk to each other?  Honestly, one would have thought that in this day and age of computers and technology, everything would have been cross referenced.


I'm really honest - but how the inland revenue people actually manage to catch anyone who is cheating the system is beyond me??!!  The saying 'couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery' springs to mind.


Anyway in an effort to get some kind of answer I decided that I would phone the tax office................


..................NOT a good idea.


Phoned the 0845 number provided on the top of my letter which was immediately answered by a machine.  The 'machine' was a robotic voice asking me stupid questions which I had to answer.  Voice recognition and all that?????????  After seven and a half minutes of answering robotic machines questions, swearing a lot and listening to robotic machine saying that a lot of the answers could be found on the website, robotic machine asked me five questions and established that my query came under the 'something else' category. At which point 'robotic machine' told me that my call would be answered shortly and switched on some music.  Every half a minute, 'robotic machine' said, 'Sorry for the delay, an advisor will be with you shortly'.


Well, after almost 5 minutes I heard 3 pips, robotic machine said, 'Sorry we cannot connect your call' and the phone went dead!!!!


To say I am furious is an understatement!!!


Do the tax people think we have nothing to do all day but hang around waiting for them to answer their phones?


So then I went onto their website to look for more contact details.


I'm not a stupid person I don't think but could I navigate my way around their website?  I could not.  The only phone number I could find was the one that I had just phoned, there doesn't seem to be any email address and the only postal address appears to be a PO box in Wales???????????


No wonder people have problems understanding the tax system.


They haven't even told me how or where or who to make a cheque out to, to pay the £122 that they say I owe them.  All the letter says is, 'For more information about how to pay go to hmrc.gov.uk/payinghmrc/selfassessment.htm


.................Well I went there and I couldn't make head nor tail of their complicated website.  In fact from what I could gather one can't pay on line unless one registers but how you do that is beyond me.  And anyway there's still quite a few people who don't have computers so what are they supposed to do?


All I want to do is speak to a real life person.  Is that really to much to ask???