April Fools!

Day 281.

Received an email earlier on to say I haven’t been selected for an interview for the permanent job I put in for 👎. Oh well, I am still a firm believer in “everything happens for a reason”! I can’t help but think though, that there is still some discrimination when one gets to a certain age in life.  I mean 40 years of office experience, most of which in a professional capacity at that! To then not to even be offered an interview for an A.O position! 🤷🏻‍♀️. Worse things happen as I well know 💔.

No gambling, no thoughts of gambling. Yuk!

That’s it for tonight folks.

Good night god bless all.

”April fools - no more the fool”!

Pink Lady 🩷🍎.

Day 286.

Update on me not getting offered an interview for the permanent job! After initially being fed back that I had completed the first phase of the selection process and had done better than 79%% of the other candidates, I was then told by my colleague who sits facing me (who is already permanent and been there a number of years), that his initial feedback, was that he had done better than 91% of the other candidates, yet he wasn’t offered an interview either!🤷🏻‍♀️ I do think lots of civil service jobs are “rigged”??.  

My friend told me that her friend worked for the department I had applied for and like me, initially started out there as an agency worker, adding that it had taken her five attempts until she finally got an interview/was successful. My thoughts……… civil service are getting the staff but don’t have to contribute to paying out any pension for them as they are employed by an agency 🤔.

Like I said in my previous post however, I am still sticking to “everything happens for a reason”. I really like the department I am currently working in and when I told my line manager that I had not secured an interview, her reply was, “I am happy that you will still be working in our department”!🥰.

On Friday when I left work for the weekend, I was singing and thinking to myself, “I really like it here, doing the job I am doing, now that I am getting into the stride of it all” 👍. Especially, initially knowing absolutely zilch about anything passport related 🙃. So I think this stands for something when I am thinking/feeling this way and again, maybe me not getting that interview/having to think about being trained up in a completely new department, learning a whole new job again, after only just getting to grips with this new job, was meant to be!

Had a lovely day yesterday. My sister had treated me and my late nephew’s two daughters, to an afternoon at the pantomime and then early dinner afterwards at a lovely restaurant 😇. I bought all the goodies and paid for the taxi home!😆. It felt so nice to just not have to think, “do I have enough money in my bank account to do this”? Just another perk of no longer being on the “gambling destruction train”👌💪.

It’s a lovely bright, cold but sunny morning here - just how I like it. My sister and I are off out for a walk after lunch and then back to hers for a g.o.w and later, dinner 👍. The weekend seems to go in a flash and I am no sooner back to work but I am still looking forward to going in tomorrow 👍. For now however, I will just “be present/live in the moment” and just concentrate on enjoying the rest of my day off. Oh, and put my new floor lamp together that I bought - just another perk of no longer gambling 👌.

Take care all and enjoy your day.

”April fools - no more the fool”!

Pink Lady 🩷🍎.

Well done in finding the positive in a negative moment. It is great that you have colleagues that think highly of you 🙂

Hey Pink Lady.

Really sorry to hear about the job situation. That really is rubbish but the "everything happens for a reason" approach is definitely a great one to have.

Great to see you doing so well.

Jay. 💪🏾

@hit0f4l2rn Than you Eden. Yes, it is nice when you are appreciated isn’t it!👍.  Hope all still going well with you 🙏.

🩷🍎.

@g4pv3yauqm Thanks Jay 👍. I have just posted on your diary too!😆.

🩷🍎.

Day 291.

Have had a lovely lazy morning, watching the Australian Open tennis in bed!👌. My son is here for the weekend but doing his own thing today.

I am taking my sister out this afternoon, for a couple of spritzers and then an Indian for tea 😋. It’s just so nice to be able to treat her and know that there is spare money sitting in my bank account to pay for it 👌. 

More Homeland to watch with my son this evening, with a cuppa and some chocolate goodies 😋.

Have a lovely weekend everyone and make it even better by not gambling 👊💪🙏.

”April fools - no more the fool”!

Pink Lady 🩷🍎.

Correction!! - Todayis day 292 😆

🩷🍎

Day 293.

Another lazy morning in bed, watching the Australian Open 🎾👌.

Had a nice day yesterday with my sister (in between her tears remembering her son)💔💙. Still, it felt nice to be able to treat her without it affecting my monthly budget. Our Indian food was delicious too!😋

Weather pretty miserable here this morning but will still get a walk in with my sister to M&S, buy a couple of their lemon curd Belgium buns, walk back home to hers and have them with a cupper 👌.

My son is heading home at lunchtime so will drop him off at the train station before I go on my walk. We got a couple more episodes of Homeland in last night. I must say, some of it, just goes right over my head!🥴. My son is able to explain it to me though, thank goodness 💙.

Take care all and choose to remain g.f today 👊💪🙏.

”April fools - no more the fool”!

Pink Lady 🩷🍎.

Hey @pinklady - Not checked in for a bit. Just hit 300 days gf which means you are almost at that milestone too. Next stop 1 year. Crazy to think we joined this mad ride almost a year ago. We’ve both seen some big changes in our lives. Both of us have become much better people and we should be proud of that. I love seeing you say things about being able to spend money. It’s my biggest joy now, just having money to spend. Not splash about, I still have debts to pay, but to be able to look back 300 days and neither of us having money for a proper meal, to now, is amazing. 

Super proud of you and thank you so much for the support you’ve shown over the last 300 days. I might even give abba a go to celebrate 😂😂

Stay strong 💪 

@p6z38njbqm Awh thanks Fish 🐟💙.  I have just commented on your diary for your amazing milestone 👏👏👏👏. Well done.

Maybe you could buy the “ABBA Gold” cd for you 300 days treat to yourself?😜.

🩷🍎.

Day 299.

A nice lazy morning before I go and prep my homemade lamb, spinach and feta pie!😋. My sister’s daughter and family are staying at hers for the weekend so I told her I would prep a meal for this evening and desserts. Tomorrow, she is going to cook a roast beef and Yorkshire pudding Sunday roast!👌.

It feels nice that I can do this without worrying about the cost.  I must say though - gone are the days where people would cook/bake to make ends meet. This pie has cost me around £24.00 for the ingredients ! 🙈.

Food prices now are just ridiculous. Just one pack of minced lamb was £6.50 and I needed 2! To justify the cost, I broke it down into six portions. I also enjoy cooking/prepping and I know that it will be received well and very much appreciated by all so this more than makes up for the cost.  Plus my niece and her young family are undergoing a house renovation and all that goes with it so it will be a nice home comfort treat for them 👍.

Take care all and have a lovely g.f weekend.

”April fools - no more the fool”!

Pink Lady 🩷🍎.

Loved reading your thread Pink Apple, thank you for helping to inspire others, including me! You have done tremendous 👏 👏 Its lovely to see your recent posts where you are proud to treat your family and cook for them etc.  

If there's something for me to focus on right now it's for me to focus on being where both you and weirdfish are. 👏 

Dazza

@dazza85 Thank you Dazza 😊. It’s comforting to know that when we ourselves put in the hard work on here, this can actually benefit new people like yourself just starting out on here 👍.

Keep going and I will look forward to reading your upcoming diary posts.

Take care.

Pink Lady 🩷🍎.

300 days Pinky! You've not posted this yet, but I know you got there. Huge congrats. You are an inspiration to me, and many others on here. You're determination and strength has always shone through.

I've not treated myself to a 300 day gift yet, but I will. You should to. Well deserved.

Congrats again. Stay strong