New header picture!

Me at Grays beach, sat on a rocky piece … it’s in the blog below as well

I’d better update …

 

Well what a few weeks it has been! I’ve been so busy job hunting … still haven’t found one, but have one lined up for September so decided to go and volunteer instead. I’m now on my second week at an infant school and am loving it. I’m working with the reception and Year 1 children (so ages 5 to 7ish) and never thought I’d enjoy it, but have ended up loving it all. I help them with reading, spelling, games and general activities … I must say I do love art! Although I don’t think my clothes do, hehe.

So far, since I’ve been home I’ve been on two camps, one was the Guiding Division Camp at Thriftwood for which there were about 30 girls and 20ish leaders … good odds. The last camp was last weekend. It was 1st Grays Scouts’ Troop centenary celebration camp. That’s the group Alex is a leader at, so we went to Thriftwood (stayed on the site next to the one I was on with the Guides so I kept walking the wrong way ooops). It was a good weekend. Not too hot and only rained once when we were all in bed, perfect There were Beavers, Cubs and Scouts at that camp so it certainly kept us busy.

Above: Beautiful day at Thriftwood campsite (with the Guides)

My next camp is tomorrow (yes two weekends in a row … have another next weekend too making it three!) I’m off to Leeds for a selection weekend. I’m hoping to be part of the media and PR team at the Guiding Centenary Jamboree next summer … so watch this space. The weekend after is my last camp until August and that’s GiGA camp (weird spelling) … kind of like a mini jamboree for all the Guides and Scouts. Both my Guide group and Scout troop will be there, so I’ll be plenty busy running between the camps. And its at Skreens in Chelmsford …. a huuuge site that I’ve never been to, so should be good.

Other than camping and Guide/Scout meetings I haven’t been doing too much. I’ve handed CVs all around Grays town centre, but it’s just impossible to get a job at the moment … no one is hiring. I’ve also started to go swimming on a Tuesday night with mum as her support to keep her going. That’s been really fun and keeps me active as well.

More social things I’ve been up to include Bingo a few times (absolutely hilarious when we took our friend Darren), met up with Yaz when she came back from Germany for the weekend, and went to La Tasca (my favourite restaurant here) with Rhia when she arrived home from a year in France. I’ve been to see the new part of Camden market in London after it burnt down and have also been to see a band called Torus in Brentwood … one of the band members was my mums boss … I also went on holiday with Dad just 2 weeks after being home. We went to Allhallows Haven … so only the other side of the Estuary but it was wonderful and we had a great time.

Above: Sunset at Grays beach

Above: In the Thames at Allhallow with Sue (Dad’s wife) … yes I had alcohol in my system to actually do this and did go deeper as well.

Above: Guides do a chip walk to raise money for Breastcancer

Above: The lovely Camden Locks by the market

What else have I been doing? Err … nearly done my scrapbook for Canada … up to about day 100 on that so not much more to go, but other than that … I’ve not had much time to do much else. Can’t complain though, it’s better than sitting around bored all the time.

Above: Grays beach and me sat on part of an old pier or loading area for the factories to the left of this shot … (we think)

Bye for now, going to Condovers (local and small campsite in West Tilbury) with the Guides tonight for Archery