So much for the city

Back living in the suburbs now, after my short life as a city dweller.

It’s a shame it came to an end, but being able to afford things now is something I didn’t seem to have in Sherwood. Plus I got out at the right time, with Iain due to jet off to China soon and Jim & Sian finding a place of their own, even if I could’ve afforded it I’d have only been there until next spring.

I’ve starting keeping my eyes on any potential jobs at places other than Royal Mail. It’s not that there’s uncertainty over my job or anything, more that sorting mail isn’t a long term thing, the plan was always to use it as a springboard to something else. Jim has mentioned to me that there’s always jobs going at Experian, something worth keeping my eye on.

Forest managed to beat Yeovil 3-0 at Huish Park yesterday, despite being sub-standard again. No problem though, Agogo’s goal looked worth the admission price alone!

Just turn around and I’m gone again…

It’s strike time again at Royal Mail.

The union have announced two 48-hour strikes in two weeks. It’ll be the weekend of the 5th of October until Tuesday the 8th. A long weekend awaits! But not a fun one for me. This time off will no doubt be spent moving stuff to Radcliffe, if there were any doubts in my head about moving back home (which there haven’t been), then the announcement of these strikes have confirmed what I’m doing is the right thing.

I had intended to last out another month here in Sherwood, but things changed so quickly with the announcement yesterday that the sooner I move back the better! I have my credit card bill and phone bill due soon, so I need every penny I can get!

I’ve also started to tire of the whole gym thing. I’ve been going to the gym, on and off, for about six months. And while it’s helped me no end losing weight (6 stone and counting!), I want to try different forms of excercise. I feel I need to walk more, probably learn how to ride a bike, and most importantly - start swimming.

Problem is, swimming pools are always heavily booked up when the kids are at school. And the pools I’ve looked at in Nottingham all have public swimming hours that start while I’m at work! The search goes on…

Back to Reality

It’s one month on from my move to Sherwood, and the financial reality of living away from home is beginning to bite.

I have a part time job where I earn £150 a week. A chunk of that goes on rent and, depending on what week it is, there are credit card and phone bills to be paid - as well as food shopping, not to mention spare cash for any emergencies or birthdays or suchlike. After all that I’m lucky to be left with a tenner to my name.

Which isn’t good.

The whole point of moving out was to enjoy myself, not make myself poor! I could do overtime to rectify this situation, but all I’ll be doing is extending my already unsociable work hours and for what? I barely see my flatmates because they work normal 9 to 5 hours, and starting earlier wouldn’t make it any better.

I’ve given up and decided to move back to Radcliffe. I fucking tried, but until I have a full time job, with normal hours, I can’t see the point in moving out and making yourself skint. About a week or so after Goose Fair I’ll be on my way ‘back to reality’!

Port Vale 0 Forest 2

Forest get their first win of the season!

Not very pretty, or interesting, but a first three pointer of the season for the reds. An own goal and another Luke Chambers strike (turning into quite the hitman!), sees Forest pick up the points but have the moaning continue around them.

I’m not fussed to be honest, the knobhead element of Forest fans only seems to rear its ugly head in the comment pages of the Evening Post and, of course, the internet - and I rarely take notice of it. A win is more importance than a performance.

I went to the Soulville Steakhouse on Queen Street today. Along with Iain, Jim, Sian, Darren and Katie, we intended to go out for a sunday lunch, though for everyone bar me and Katie it proved impossible, with Iain having a 8oz steak and Jim going for the surf and turf.

I went for the Roast Lamb sunday dinner, which was gorgeous - as well as being fucking massive! For eight quid, the Soulville Steakhouse is certainly worth a reccomendation!

Nawphuck

Nawphuck is how I’ve seen Norfolk spelt on letters coming into the Mail Centre. My guess is that people have given their details to overseas telephone operators who haven’t a clue on how to spell it.

Norfolk is also where I was yesterday!

I rarely have anything to do on Wednesday’s, so when my parents let me know they were planning on visiting the seaside village of Hunstanton, I went with them.

I’ve been to Norfolk before, Great Yarmouth and Norwich are nice places - but I’ve never gone to North Norfolk, which apparently is designated an area of natural beauty (or so the map says). We went to Hunstanton, a sleepy seaside ‘town’ that is about as far away from Nottingham as Skegness is, and a whole lot nicer.

The late summer sun ensured it was a good day, with the resort quiet and pleasant with it. It’s sleepy nature was probably the reason why there were a very many old people there. It could also be that it’s now safe to return to seaside resorts now that the new school term has begun.

I enjoyed myself, and it’s pleasing to know that there are alternatives to Skegness/Mablethorpe/Ingoldmells for those based in the East Midlands. It’s just a damn shame that the main routes down there are the utterly boring A17, or the always congested A1!