 Yesterday, Thursday 21st August, was GCSE results day, Elizabeth got the results she needed, and then some, (2 Cs, 6 Bs and an A), so she starts Art School next Wednesday. She's very happy, I'm very proud.
A few days ago she won the Olympic 400m Freestyle Gold medal, a few minutes ago I watched Becky Adlington obliterate the rest of the competition to take her second Gold in the 800m Freestyle race, and in the process breaking one of the longest standing world records by something like 2 seconds. She was amazing, I am in awe.
I reigned myself in and didn't get the 6" heels, but they're high enough, I have no justification for buying them and I loves them. 
 And as for this week's Picture Perfect theme of '10 minute walk', well as the song goes - In these shoes, I don't think so!
 I was pleased to receive an email this morning informing me that one of my photos has been included in the latest edition of the Schmap online guide to Bristol. (I also have a photo of the Clifton Suspension Bridge in the previous edition). http://www.schmap.com/bristol/events_sporting/#p=96366&i=96366_23.jpg
My youngest son, Dominic, celebrated his 11th birthday today, all day! It makes me feel old.
Dominic is by far the easiest going of my 3 children, he gets along with everyone and ambles gently through life, rarely fazed by anything. He's just finished a fantastic last year at Primary School, having always been slightly behind his class, due to being almost a year younger than most of them and having slept through most of his first school years, he has just taken his year 6 SATs and gained mainly level 4s, considered to be the average for his year group, but also several level 5s, considered to be above average. He will be joining his brother, Simon, at senior school in a few weeks time, the same media arts college that his sister, Elizabeth, has just left. I have no doubts that he will settle in quickly and soon make lots of new friends.
Dom has had a lovely day, and is the proud owner of a new Nintendo DS games console, plus the Lego Indiana Jones game.
Dominic thought long and hard about what sort of Birthday cake he wanted and chose Banana and Cream slices, a recipe that I have previously posted here on Multiply. I stacked them on a plate and decorated them with candles spelling out Happy Birthday.
 NB: Dom's teacher assessment marks and test marks matched in all subjects, so I don't think his good results were a flukey result of inaccurate marking of the SATs papers
It would have been very easy to post a picture of my children, or of my dear little step grandchild. It would have been very easy to post a picture of my great grandmother's pearls. It would have been very easy to post a picture of my darling mobile phone. However I have decided to post a picture of a place that is very very precious to me, and to many people living in my town:  This is the Old Pier (or Birnbeck Pier) in my hometown of Weston-super-Mare, it was opened in 1867 and is the only pier in England to link the mainland to an island. Some of my most precious childhood memories are of Saturday mornings spent with my Dad on this pier, riding the little train along to the end, having an ice-cream, playing in amongst the buildings, admiring the gypsy caravan that was on display, (and wondering what it would be like to live in such a confined space). My Dad is no longer here, this is where I go when I need to feel close to him. The pier is no longer accessible to the public, the only people able to use it now are the crew of the lifeboat which is still launched from the slipway. I was there the other day, in less than a year since this photograph was taken the pier has deteriorated further, I fear that one bad winter storm could see it disappear into the sea. My town was saddened a week ago when our other pier, (yeah we're greedy, we have 2), was badly damaged by fire. The future of that pier seems assured though, it will be rebuilt, bigger and better than before. This one seems to have no hope at all. This is my most precious place. http://www.birnbeckpier.org/
.....to wear 6" stiletto heels?
I want them sooooooo much.
Can't believe it's been 2 years already, lots of changes in that time Dad, but not how much I love and miss you, that will never change x
 I watched the news in tearful disbelief this morning, as, within an hour, my town lost one of it's major landmarks to fire.
I can't believe it.
 | Insomnia | Jul 26, '08 6:21 PM
for everyone |
I've been awake since Thursday, and I'm so caffeined up it could be Tuesday before I sleep.
| Relieved | Jul 24, '08 3:41 AM
for everyone |
After 6 and a half very long, very skint, weeks I am pleased to be able to update you with the news that I have finally received back payments for both housing benefit and tax credits, with regular payments due to follow.
The child benefit hasn't quite been sorted yet, but a lady phoned me last week and it is being processed and hopefully won't take the 11 weeks originally stated.
The council did see sense in the end and have included the boys on my housing benefit claim.
It is a much happier Vivienne writing this blog, I finally feel like I have gained my independence from JK and can move forward, and with the school holidays starting at lunchtime tomorrow the backpay couldn't have arrived at a better time.
At least let them break up from school and enjoy a day or so of the holidays before you start sending emails advertising your 'Back to School' brochure, and while we're talking could I just request that you don't send me anything mentioning the 'C' word until at least mid November.
Thank you.
 This photo of my daughter Elizabeth, on the right, her boyfriend Tim and her best friend Steph appears on our local newspaper's website today. It was taken as they arrived at their Prom last Friday.
My ex ex husband rang me this evening, not for anything in particular, just to say hi and have a chat - we haven't 'chatted' for 15 years!
A couple of weeks ago Elizabeth came home from visiting him and said, 'Dad asked how you are, and said to tell you he still loves you'.
It's so not mutual, and so not needed right now, so why did it bring a little smile to my face?
If you've read my blog before you'll know that I have recently separated from my husband. I've also increased the hours I work to 16 a week in order to be able to claim tax credits in my own right. I rang the tax credits office 3 weeks ago to tell them of my change in circumstances, they won't let you tell them in advance. Within a matter of days they managed to finalise our previous joint claim and stop any payments related to that, but my single claim is still 'awaiting award'.
I also need to claim housing benefit. As low earners we have had a small amount of housing benefit for the last few years. I wrote to tell them that my circumstances would be changing and giving them the relevant dates etc. They immediately suspended my claim, not even paying the amounts due for the last couple of weeks that JK was living here. I have answered all their queries, supplied all the documents they've requested and still the claim remains suspended. One thing that has arisen is the fact that JK has always claimed child benefit for our 2 boys, we were advised to do this when Simon was born as a person in receipt of child benefit has Home Responsibilities Protection and therefore if they are ever out of work it doesn't effect their future state pension. I was already claiming for Elizabeth so we were told that JK should claim for Simon, and later on Dominic, so that we both had HRP. That child benefit has always been paid into a bank account held solely in my name. However, because I don't claim child benefit for the boys the council's housing benefit office will not now accept that they live with me, and therefore I can't claim housing benefit for them. JK phoned the child benefit office and surrendered his claim, and I have submitted my claim, but I've been told it will take up to 11 weeks to process, yes you read that right, 11 weeks, (until then neither of us gets the payments). In the meantime my housing benefit claim remains suspended and I won't be able to pay my rent when it falls due in 3 weeks time, and I still won't be able to pay it when it's due again 4 weeks after that.
All 3 offices, (tax credits, child benefit and council), cheerfully tell me that all monies due to me will be backdated to 16th June, when JK left, in the meantime my children and I will be living in a box and eating bread and water.
One story that stuck out from the crowd in today's paper was the tale of one very happy little shopkeeper in old London town.
The American Embassy won't admit anybody carrying a mobile phone, or any other electrical device, or sometimes even a bunch of keys, or a tape measure. All of these items have been deemed as being a risk to security.
In the past any such highly dangerous items could be left in the 'screening pavilion', watched over by highly trained Embassy staff for signs of terrorist activity, but now it has been decided, following a security review, that looking after these items 'impeded the guards' ability to perform their primary function - providing security for the Embassy', so now they have been completely banned.
Step forward Mr Patel of the Gould Pharmacy, a nearby Chemist's shop. For a small fee of £10 he will look after mobile phones etc whilst their owners visit the Embassy. He has even taken on some extra staff, and is opening his shop at 7 o'clock each morning, 2 hours earlier than his previous opening hours. He is making around £1000 each weekday, about £250,000 a year, just from his new caretaking role.
The picture btw is of the model of mobile phone I use, for purely non terrorist activities such as texting, talking to people and taking photos, pretty isn't it?
I've posted this photo before, fairly recently, but when I saw this week's theme it was just the obvious choice.
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