My amazing 2012!

What an amazing year. I would not of imagined, sitting here a year ago, the changes in my life. What an eventful, emotional and amazing 12 months! Even looking back now its a major WOW! 

January I decided to go for a career change and applied to do my Adult Nursing! 

February I got an unconditional offer onto the course!

March saw my Husbands 40th and the two of us spend a long weekend in London

April and May I walked and walked and walked because in

June I did the moonwalk in Edinburgh! 26.2 miles! A Marathon!!

July I handed in my notice at work! 

August we spend a few days away as a family

September I started College!

October I went to Africa!

November I went on my 1st placement as a Student Nurse and LOVED it!

December got a job with the NHS and and sitting here thinking.......... WOW......... holy fuck"! 

WHAT A YEAR!

 

My career change

My Newly made office space for my studys!

                                             

                                                       Mikes 40th in London

My Marathon!

My Family time in the Summer

                                      

Us in Africa

Me looking forward to see what 2013 has to offer!

1st week as a student!

Well it finally happened! I became a student. After what seems like forever thinking about it ( well the last 2 years) it arrived. I had my induction days and last week was my first real week. Well though in saying that it was slightly messed up as one of the main lecturers is off sick for a while and the timetable has been changed but still............ after 21 years I got homework once again! 

My "Full time" course has me in college 3 days. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. My "Day Off" on Thursday, I thought I would begin focused on College work so..... Got up and shoved on my scabby old tracksuit bottom and hooded top. Went for the relaxed and chilled look, as a student should be! even managed to verge on the grunge look a bit! No shower so had the right hair too. Did the school run, came home, shoved on the dishwasher and washing matching, made myself a coffee and headed to the computer to get on with my homework before having a nice shower. 
All I can say is F*&K! Looked at the clock..9.25am, looked at the clock...12 noon! Hurried to have lunch, back at the PC at 1pm till 2.50pm. Had to end up just changing and trying to calm the hair till I went for Marcus. 

It seems my days off are not days off. I am glad that I found that out now. I had been warned to keep on top of the work load and I intend to. I want my evenings and weekends to remain my time as much as I can. So in order to do that I have to use my "days off" from college to do all my homework. I am hurriedly trying to finish my ECDL which I want out the way. So far I have passed 2 of the 7 or 8! This one I am on now is on Word Processing. Aint started it yet but have the exam on Monday night!!! The next few weeks may be busy!

Jewellery making begins

WAY back in October last year I got a load of Jewellery making stuff for my "new hobby"! Well I have finally opened it. I figured with my life about to change as I tackle a new career I should use this last 2 weeks of freedom to get my head around it. I sat down, opened the books, checked You Tube tutorials and spoke to a man up the town in a craft shop! Pliers in hand I began. 

The kits and books I got for my 40th. Never opened till yesterday.

Job 1 was to break down all the old stuff and items I did not like. If any friends are reading this and have loads of junk jewellery they can give it to me! I want to recycle. Its my aim to make new out of existing items I have. Or as you will see below add items make matching pieces.

My very 1st earring was a simple drop one.

Used some bits to make a new pendant chain 

started on a necklace but messed up the end. Good thing about this hobby is its not wasted, its just pulled apart and put back in the box.

My 1st real go was to make earrings for necklaces. The brown necklace had one earring left of the original set. I broke it down and made a new pair that still matches.

Same with this black set.I had lost 1 earring.  I reused 50% of it and it looks brand new ( below)

This white set I loved the necklace but never liked the earings so broke them down and made fresh. 

NOW I started a whole new set..I had Black, Brown and white so decided on a blue set.

Spent AGES fannying about with the bead layout till I got it right.

the complete set! From scratch! With earrings! Dead chuffed with myself. Next I need a red set, pink set and green set.

My 1st days work!

I am hoping to be able to repair and reuse from now on

Slimming World Chinese Chicken and Sweetcorn soup

Have to get in to slimming again so started back on plan today. I have gained an insane 7+ pounds over the holidays! I can hardly breath in my jeans so its time to fix it! I follow a few Slimming World blogs and healthy eating sites through Facebook and Twitter and came across this recipe. I tend to copy/paste so can't remember where exactly I got it. I had a huge Roast Chicken last night with loads of left over chicken I decided to give it a try. Only thing that was harder to find was Creamed Corn. Got it in the end. This soup was ace! Just like the Chinese. Never added egg to soup before but it rated with me a 9/10. Is most defiantly on the menu again. 

The ingredients. Pretty simple. Just some stock to add to that.

The end soup with the string bits of egg in it.

Chicken and Sweetcorn soup (Serves 4)

1 bunch of spring onions sliced

Frylight to fry off the spring onions

14oz (400g) can of creamed sweetcorn

4 oz frozen sweetcorn (tinned is fine though)

6oz cooked chicken meat

1+1/4 pints of chicken stock

1 egg, beaten

Method:

1. Fry spring onions for 30 seconds

2. Add creamed and frozen sweetcorn, chicken and stock

3. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 5 minutes

4. Bring almost to the boil, add beaten egg slowly, while gently stirring soup to form egg threads

5. Cook until the egg has set - do not boil

Florence Nightingale take 2......

For as long as I (and most girls at some point) can remember I wanted to be a nurse. I remember having loads of fun with ill teddies and dolls while trying to mostly bandage them up like Mummies. The years passed but I still wanted to be a Nurse. Went a bit sideways as a teenager but still managed to pass Biology and Anatomy, Physiology and Health and went on to study Biology at Higher. I was so sure of my path in Nursing then I changed it.........

I Decided to do Social Work instead!!!. Did 18 months at Moray College( as I was too young to go to Aberdeen (At the time it was 21). Would of continued but the course changed.It was all revamped and It meant a lot of my 2nd year was repeating stuff I had done in my 1st. I was pretty much AFK from college so left and got a job. One thing lead to another, 1st job in a local bakery lead to another job in a Supermarket Bakery, promotion, marriage, kids, a garden centre job which I adored then back to the Food industry to the job I am about to leave...... and here I am at 40 off to begin what I started off wanting to do.

So I am getting ready. Mike made me an awesome desk space in my bedroom. Well out of the way of distractions. I have attended a "kickstart" program at the college to introduce you to studying again. I have it again this week coming. Its been great so far. Have attended a pre- induction meeting so met some of the class mates and got sized up for my student nurse outfit.  The Books in the pic above were given to me from a good friend who is on her 3rd year now and has given me nothing but amazing encouragement to do this. 

SCARY when you see this! This is a list of "Process" words!! It was from a printout we were giving at the "kickstart" meeting. Its meant to help  when we do essays! Its explains what the question wants you to do if it asks you to......Analyse OR Assess OR Compare OR Contrast OR Define OR Describe....... I stuck it up on the wall. I imagine I will need that!

My work area all ready for action. Folders, pens, notepads..

I have 8 more shifts to work in my job then I am done. 2 induction days on the 27th and 28th of August then start on the 3rd of September. 

I HAVE to do this. I have to try. If I was to carry on and never try it I would always regret it. Now is the time. I have 3 years till my eldest goes off to Uni and this is going to take me 3 years. I will have it all done by the time my youngest starts Secondary school so will be around for that. The timing is prefect. I still have at least 25 years to work and I want to spend that years doing something I WANT to do. I want to make a difference. I want to help. I feel that this is my way to give back. My way to make a difference. I don't want to be old and think back with regret that I never tried, that I never did it. 

I AM GOING TO TRY AND I AM GOING TO DO IT! 

If I faint at the first sign of blood at least I will of tried LOL

I just hope I can do it and become the kind of nurse I want to be. I wonder what I will be like.........time will tell 

Diamond Jubilee Celebrations

I am normally neither for or against the Monarchy. This blog is not to discuss or argue whether they should or should not be here its simply some pics of how we as a family got caught up in the Queens Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.  

A lovely fragrant bunch of Stalks wrapped in Union Jack Paper with the flag, I bought these for my Mum as a thank you for the lovely Picnic she made for us to have on the Tuesday. 

Marcus with some cool Union Jack sunglasses on with a plate of fabulous fresh  cream meringues. 

Just too cool!

Paper Doilies! No British home should be without them for everything to sit on at celebrations!

Marcus at the Beacon. Lit in Elgin on the Monday night.

One of the 4000 Beacons lit around the Commonwealth. 

Proud Mother moment as Kelly ( in green holding the sign) lead the WRVS though the town in the Diamond Jubilee Parade. She does volunteer work for them at the Hospital Shop/cafe. 

Finally Myself and Marcus who is devouring a Hot sauage roll waiting on the parade to pass. Old Fire engine below was one that trundled past 

Moonwalk is looming

WARNING THIS POST IS DEPRESSIVE

Looming and glooming is two words which cover my feelings towards this walk. 26 miles through the night in Edinburgh. I have no excitement, no enthusiasm, no get up and go to do this event now it is close. I feel sick when I think of it. It fills me with a feeling of dread. I want to stamp my feet and say " F*%^ off" to it. I think I have maybe sickened myself of walking! Sounds strange I know but the level at which I have been doing it has taken its toll on my time and its pissing me off now. Instead of thinking "oh nice a walk and chat with the girls" Its "Oh god another bloody walk" ( still adore the girls yapping though)  I will be so so glad to see the end of it all. Even having to go get a bra to decorate is a chore now. I am thinking what a waste of money to destroy a perfectly decent bra!! Dear god shoot me with some enthusiasm!! 

I am sure it will be fine! I am sure it will all come good! I know I have the fitness level to do it!  Sponsor me and make this chore worth while? http://www.walkthewalkfundraising.org/karen_odonnell

You never know I could trip and sprain my ankle before then!!! We live in hope hahaha

Slimming World Meat and Egg Loaf

At my Slimming World group they have loads of books on the centre tables. These are older books but I saw this and fancied it. I took a photo of it and made it tonight. I thought it was extremely tasty and will make it again.

Picture from my phone

1st mixed all the ingredients then placed half into a square shape. It is meant to be in a 1lb tin but I don't have one. Mine is 2lb so doing it in foil

2nd I added some boiled eggs,  Recipe said 2 but I added 3 to be a rebel!!

3rd, I placed the rest of the mince recipe on the top and tried to make it square.

Wrapped up and placed in my bigger tin.

an hour later is not the prettiest thing to look at...

but it was delicious. I had it with Chips and Beetroot.

My little baby is 15

Where oh where does the time go! FIFTEEN years old! How the hell did that happen. It truly does seem like yesterday she was born...........

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY.