Childcare
Petition launched to exempt nurseries from business rates
An official petition asking Government to exempt all early years settings in England from...read more
Stress and cars
Another bad car day…
Ok – another bad start to the day. My partner couldn’t fix the passenger door on his car so he couldn’t shut it. He got very stressed out as he had an important meeting to go to and we live in the back of beyond so it’s hard to get anywhere without a car. He tried all sorts of ropes, but it just looked so obvious that the door wouldn’t shut. He works in outer London. It would have been a total theft magnet. I took pity and offered him my car and took the girls to school, walking – oh guilt. I know we should do it every day. There are no excuses, really, except having to get to work on Thursdays and Fridays. At school a friend said she had had a similar problem and thought she might know the answer so she walked home with me, but she couldn’t fix it. Work were lovely and said I could work from home. Of course, the alternative was for me to drive like a bat out of hell up the M11 with the passenger door flapping in the wind. I took the car to the garage with my friend holding the door shut. It’s going to cost around £100 as the catch has gone. Hooray.
At home, I covered a lot of ground – an article on sustainable architecture, organising some speakers for a festival, writing a press release, etc. I’m ashamed to say it was my third day in a row for a tuna melt sandwich – one of the perils of homeworking. I had a couple of cherry tomatoes to make me feel it was a healthy option. I then rang my mum who normally does the school run on a Thursday to swap for a Friday so my partner can take the tube to work and pick the car up on the way home when it is ready [he normally picks up on a Friday, but wouldn’t be able to get there in time on public transport]. I headed for school. The girls’ faces dropped as they saw it was me and not their grandmother. Bonkers daughter dissolved into sobs when told she had to walk home. I think she has been staying up too late! She perked up on the way home after pulling up some weed and was very excited about the possibility of transforming the garden with it. We met a neighbour’s puppy and everyone collapsed at home with a film while I finished work. Today is the long-awaited 1940s trip for rebel daughter…
Related
Employment Rights
Does taking a consultant job after being made redundant affect my payment?
Based on what you say about the role being offered separately after you were made...read more
