Well here it is

2010. A whole new year full of promise. Happy New Year to you all. I hope you saw the new year in with more cheer than I did. I'm currently coughing lots and my poor chest is so sore. I should have been working a day shift New Years Eve but as I'd spent most of the previous night awake coughing hard my Mother and wee one took the decision that I was NOT going into work. Just as well as I slept for pretty much the rest of the day. I just know my name will have been mud for phoning in sick the morning of my shift but I am soooo fed up of my job just now that I'm past caring.

I've actually come to the decision that once I've had my week's leave (the week after next) I'm handing my notice in. I really don't earn enough for all the hours I do to put up with all the rubbish I have to. It's minimum wage and maximum stress. A friend told me that me being ill and worrying about there being no one to cover my shift was the manager's problem and not mine. I actually laughed, then coughed for several minutes, as that is pretty much the main problem. There is no manager. It is a family run pub and it all seems to be done on a wing and a prayer. I work 4 day shifts a week, not finishing till at least 6pm at night. My tag team partner then takes over from me and does the opposite shifts. Then the rest of the shifts..... well whoever the boss can get to fill the spaces seems to do it and they just seem to do what they feel like doing while they're there. Me and my ttp do all the cleaning, stocking, ordering etc etc etc.

Sorry I'm just moaning. I've been there 3 years now and have just burnt myself out I think.

I need to take some time out and spent it with my small people, see my friends, deep clean the house and spend some time just catching a breath.

It's probably not the wisest thing to do during a credit crunch but we will manage. Me and me small people need some us time and not them coming home to an empty house waiting for Mum to get home in the dark.

So New Years Eve I sat up on the sofa trying to stay awake while the smalls played Just Dance on the Wii - fantastic game! I can't recommend it enough for fun value and exercise, my arms were killing me Christmas Day night.

Christmas Day and New Years Eve the former him indoors was here to spend it with the smalls. I've also had my mother here for nearly 3 weeks now slowly driving me insane. She won't be leaving just yet as it's my 40th birthday next sunday so wants to be here for that too. Just keep smiling Taz, all your washing and ironing keeps magically disappearing!

So that's been the end of 2009 for me. Not one of the best years but certainly one that has given me the kick up the backside that hopefully will propel me into 2010 with determination to make things better. Plus turning the big 40, well they say life begins at 40 don't they?

I don't do resolutions but things I'm hoping for this year are.

• More quality family time.



• Making this house a home.



• Getting my crafting mojo back.



• Living frugally but bountifully.



• Nuture my important friendships.



• Have a holiday even if it's only a weekend in a tent in a field with a campfire.

I have nothing planned for my birthday, sad but true. I did book a party but then decided that I didn't want to spend my birthday at my place of work and paying for a party that I really wasn't bothered about having. Maybe if someone else had organised it for me it would have been fun but there was no chance of that. Ideally I would love to have spent my birthday in New York, I just love New York. But that too is just a pipe dream.

So I'm guessing my birthday will be what it will be. I didn't have anything 'big' for any of my other landmark birthdays so nothing new there then. As long as the small people spend the day with me then I'll be happy.

God I'm a right whinge aren't I? First post of 2010 and I'm moan, moan, moan. Oh did I mention we've had snow, snow, snow and lots more snow? Ok I know you're not shocked, I live in Scotland LOL