Well, Friday is my last day at my old job. Can I tell you, I have never been so excited to be leaving a place!
When I worked on Monday, my boss did not talk to me all day. Strangely I do not feel a loss. I figure he deserves all he gets if he cannot stand up to his own wife, about his own business in which she has no part in running other than the book-keeping and payroll. Sure, I am a book-keeper myself, and I do think that it gives you a wide scope of the business and you can see things that go wrong, but I do not have a say, and would never even dream of intruding on, my husband and his dads staffing choices and arrangements, especially in a business where there is some level of skill involved in producing a product.

Anyway. Their loss, is all I can say. I am looking forward to hearing about their discovery of all the little things I do every time I work. I like to be organised, and I think that I do a lot which they don't notice. There are things that I do that other staff do no know how to, or just do not do because they are lazy. They have not asked me to tell anyone how to do anything, so I figure, why worry? They will find out soon enough

I start my new job for real next Tuesday (I have done three days of training so far).
My first day is 9am-6pm. I think it will take me a while to get used to a full working day, as my shifts at my old work gradually reduced from 8 hours a day, then to 7.5, then 7, now 6.5 hours...

While I was doing my last bit of training yesterday, I mentioned to one of the area managers (who was initially going to hire me and then passed me on to another manager, who then gave me a permanent contract). I mentioned how I had gotten fired for not being able to work on Fridays anymore, and immediately the woman got excited and said she would definately be able to give me more work in her department. So now I have one day a fortnight in another area as well. That was easy!

This whole experience has soured my future working opportunities for small, family businesses. Just comparing the way I have been treated so far with my old work and the new work, they are outrageously different. You would think a huge company with stores in nearly every town would be inflexible and expect you to do what they want - but it's the complete opposite. When I first started at my old job, I was told right from the start if I could not fit in with the days they wanted, I could not have the job. With the new company, my area manager was willing to re-do her entire roster if I couldn't get Fridays off. WTH?

On another note: after Friday I can THROW OUT my old work clothes. I have never been so excited in my life to throw out clothes before.

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My little sister has moved back in with us and is now paying rent, which helps a bit too.
On Saturday night she fell off her skateboard. A kind lady drove her home and when I looked at her knee, I knew I could not dress it. I had to take her to the hospital. We were in the emergency ward until 3.30am before we were seen by a doctor, and she ended up having to stay the night, and the next night! She had to have surgery on her knee. EW. Is now at home, laying on our daybed watching television.
I think she thought at first it would be all fine. Asked me if she could go to the beach (not to swim, obviously) with friends the day after getting home from hospital! Well! Wasn't that a different story after her pain medications wore off!

Unfortunately she had just gotten herself a job the week before and was due to start the day she got home from hospital. Her boss seems like a nice lady and just said to get better, so I am assuming that means she still has her job!

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Offspring update (yes, that is what we're calling the baby until we know the sex): felt a little nauseous this morning but so far haven't had any throwing up mornings. Am only 7 weeks though, and have heard that it starts at 8 weeks typically. I am still keeping my fingers crossed and hoping I don't get it. (On another note, I have also heard that when you are having a boy you don't get as sick). I wonder...? LOL. Only time will tell.

My area manager noticed my wedding ring and asked how long we'd been married, and if we had any kids. I was vague. 'Oh, no kids. One day in the future we would like to.'

It's a tricky situation. My probation ends in February, but by then I will be about 20 weeks (I think). But, apparently because I'm signing an employment contract I don't think it's as easy to get fired as if I was casual. Also the woman I'm replacing is going on maternity leave - I met her yesterday and she is 35 weeks along. This is proof that I should be able to do the job then, as well.

DH and I talked and agreed its best to make out as though Offspring wasn't planned and that we only found out weeks after I got the job there - even though technically the baby WAS planned and we knew at 2 weeks... I have a friend who did not find out she was pregnant until she was 5 months along (while it DOES sound a little farfetched, she swears it's true) so I know it can happen!

I don't want to lie, but I would like to return to my job after offspring is born, if I can, even if it means going through the recruitment process again.

Am I doing the right thing? I will probably tell my new work in mid-January.

Also, I am telling my dad this weekend. It is a little nerve-wracking because I think he'd rather I finish my degree and get a job in my field before starting a family. But then again, he was DH's age and mum was my age when they had me So neither of them can comment!

We did tell some close friends of ours a couple weeks ago. I can't be certain but I think they want to have a second child fairly soon. That would be kind of nice. All of our friends children are around 2 years old now - will be 3 when Offspring is born.

I am *dying* to find out what my old boss says when he finds out I am pregnant (my best friend still works there - no doubt once I tell her it's safe to tell our mutual friends, she will tell people at work as well). Also wonder if they will feel bad at all that they fired me while I was pregnant. Not that it had anything to do with it, but still...

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It has been UNBEARABLY hot here lately. 35 degrees C in our house and it is only November. Typically December/January are the hottest ... I am NOT looking forward to it!

It makes it hard to study too. My brain power seems to be nonexistent, along with my concentration. The only thing I seem to be able to focus on is daytime television (although, I haven't watched television in general in about a week!)

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Well, that's all my updates for now. Hope everyone else is well!