I know it's been around two months since I updated the blog.  I hadn't forgotten about it, life just happened to come first.  And what a turbulent two months it's been.  Victor's house is yet to sell, and he's still in the process of trying to sort out money that previous tenants owe him, so that's causing him great stress.  Then, worse news struck, as we found out his mother has lung cancer.  Finally, I was under a lot of stress at work, due to life events and also all the bad stuff happening at work.  This culminated with my frankly rather shocking and unexpected dismissal BY E-MAIL on (and what other date could it have possibly been, in this great freak show we call life) Friday 13th, nonetheless.  The good news is that Victor's mother has a good prognosis, and they're operating very soon.  She may, unfortunately, have to miss the wedding, but of course her health is paramount and it's going to take her a while to recover after such a hefty operation. 

The bad news for me is that I'm finding it very difficult to find another job that's willing to take me on and then give me a month's holiday almost instantaneously.   Having been to the CAB and spoken to ACAS, I have no employment rights, it seems, as I've been there almost a year, the key word being almost.  I was always under the impression that once you passed three months probation at any place of work, you were pretty much safe, but, as I've found out the hard way, this is categorically untrue.  I can only hope the horse faced bitch (with matching horsey whinney laugh) that's somehow managed to go from lowly PA at another company to Operations Director at the school in about three months gets her day.  They say every dog has its day, and I'm counting on this.  I choked up when I went in to get my things and say goodbye to my students, who weren't aware of anything.  They've flooded me with hugs, messages and texts with lovely (and good English!) words expressing their sorrow and regret.  They're pretty shocked and angry, as are all the staff. 

It's incredibly hard to think ahead when everything seems to be falling apart around you.  I just keep wondering what the next thing will be, to be honest.  I've been trying to focus on the wedding and of course, my MA, the impending deadline for which is only six weeks away.  Haven't been sleeping well, but trying to feel better with each lonely day at the moment and keep busy, even if I can't focus on the important stuff like my MA.  I had my introduction back from Roger, with some really nice and useful comments, so it doesn't look like that needs much re-working, and I've got a good start ahead of me.  I'm also entirely up to date with True Blood, which I'm now also quite obsessed with.  I love it! The series is going to form the majority basis of my second chapter, with some Buffy and Angel weaved in.  I also went to see cult figure Kim Newman give a talk alongside two other boffins whose names I forget, all about the immortal appeal of vampires, which was illuminating and insightful.  Even Victor enjoyed it! I've been watching more of the idiot box than I should do lately, but there's been some good stuff.  I've thoroughly enjoyed Sherlock on the BBC, and also The Great British Bake Off, also on the Beeb, with the queen of baking, Mary Berry.  Victor also enjoyed it, and has dubbed it 'Cake Porn', on account of his near dribbling as he watched it.

I baked some cookies this week to try and alleviate all the over-analysis and thinking going on in my head, so I made some peanut butter and chocolate cookies, that weren't dry at all for a peanut butter enriched recipe:



I also found some greengages, which have such a short season, and made lots of greengage jam with it.  I'm planning to do some baking to take to Weymouth with me tomorrow, as I know it'll all get eaten then rather than just by myself and Victor.  I've deviated from the diet quite a bit, as it's hard to stick to it when you're out and about.  We went to Latitude festival, which was amazing, alongside the Isle of Wight, and also to the Eden Project in Cornwall, which was beautiful.  That said, I've lost just over two stone, so I'm pretty happy.

The wedding is almost upon us, and the invites have been sent out, so RSVPs are starting to come in.  Had a cock up with Montezumas though, who we ordered the favours from.  They ran out of black favour boxes and aren't producing anymore.  Bugger. So we're still trying to find black boxes to sort that out.  Everything else seems to be going well, I've got a hair trial this Sunday, and the weekend after, Victor and I are going to Birmingham to meet the photographer and have our free engagement shoot.  We're also going to visit Rugby whilst we're there, as that's where he grew up, and hopefully Blists Hill Victorian Town, which I saw on Victorian Pharmacy on BBC2.  I love quaint villages, and a whole recreation Victorian one sounds uber-quaint and interesting!  The headdress arrived today, and it's very pretty, but I'm not too sure about the big clear crystals on it, so will possibly get Janice to change those.

Also, here are the shoes, possibly the cheapest part of the whole outfit!

We also sorted the Bridesmaid's dresses out this weekend just gone, and I had a lovely time with the Flounders, who helped me temporarily forget about the events of Friday 13th.  I think that's more than enough blog for one entry.