Lovin' being self-employed!

We have been working very hard since I last updated - but we're enjoying it very much. I have been concentrating on marketing and advertising, while Pat has been schmoozing with the clients as word of mouth is the best advertisement of all! And I just LOVE the freedom of not being tied to particular hours and being able to come and go as I please! excellent!

The dogs have been coming to work with me as well and they are both enjoying it and are also really popular with the clients - expecially the children. I'm also happier with them coming with me because I always felt very guilty leaving them alone all day and going out to work. I know that we were both able to come home during the day and they had access to the garden through the cat flat, but still, it's nicer for them to be with us.

We're loving living here - there's so much to do! For example, today the weather was really nice and sunny (although cold) so we took the dogs to the New Forest and had a lovely walk. It was really enjoyable.

This week hasn't been all good, though. On Wednesday evening, I was sitting there feeling crap as AF had started and we got a phone call from one of Pat's uni friends and they were phoning to deliver the good news - they are expecting a baby in May. So that's it - every one of our friends are now on the baby trail - except us. We might be winners in the business stakes, but we're still losers in the baby stakes :o(.

The news has hit me hard, and I don't know why because everything else in life is going really well. Maybe it was just timing (with having af at the time) or maybe while we hadn't heard from them,. there was still someone else who wasn't pregnant as well, but we are now very definitely LAST.

Pat has also been affected by the news, but we've talked ourselves round and become re-focussed on the goal. We are going to have the FET as soon as possible and then start adoption proceedings at the end of this year.

And to end on a good note. I have just found out some amazing news - our receptionist, Sadie, who is really nice and who I like a lot, told me something. Apparently, she used to go out with Colin Firth!! Can you believe it..??? He is the most gorgeous man alive and I have always maintained that he is also the only man for whom I would leave Pat if I got the opportuniuty (not Brad Pitt or Keanu Reeves) He was so gorgeous in Pride & Prejudiuce and Bridget Jones Diary (first one) I love the posh, haughty - type character - I WANT HIM!! So you can imagine how jealous I was to hear that she'd been out with him!!

I will leave you with a couple of pictures of him, so you can join in with being jealous of her!! :o)












Sarah
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Our first week as business - owners

Our first week went really really well! The clients all love us and (hopefully) were impressed with our professionalism.

It was very hectic, especially for me, because not only did I have to get to know the way it runs at the surgery and get to know the clients, I also had to learn the job because I've never worked in a vets before. The pressure was on because the 2 staff members weren't going to be there on Thursday and Friday afternoon, so I was running reception. Therefore, I had to get up to speed very quickly! Luckily I managed fine and didn't make a dick of myself!

On top of covering reception when the staff aren't there, I am also running the practice and doing all the paperwork, vat returns, accounts, payroll, etc. And I'm LOVING the challenge.

Pat has worked very hard this week working from 8.30am to 7pm without a break. Whereas he would normally have a break between 2 and 4pm, I made him stay with me because I didn't want to be left on my own and not know what I'm doing. But long-term, although it's from 8.30 to 6.30, he will get time off during the day.

And we still had time to look at houses this week as well! We had originally decided to leave it for a bit but we're not very settled in our rented house. The main problem is it's not ours and we can't do what we'd like to make it more comfortable eg put in a cat flap (Lottie is driving us mad asking to go in & out all the time!), put up pictures, etc. So we've been looking with a view to move out of here by June. One house we looked at gave me a really creepy feeling and our receptionist told me a man had died in there - that didn't surprise me in the least. We have also looked at another house and the location is perfect (only 5 min walk from the surgery along a nice path next to a stream and away from the road) but it needs quite a bit of work. We're going to go back and have a 2nd look and then might make an offer.

Sonia came down for the weekend and we went shopping in Southampton. I thought I was bad the first time I went, but Sonia got almost hysterical with all the gorgeous clothes shops!!!! ;o)) There was one shop - Kew and we wanted to buy everything in the while shop! Shame we can't afford it!

Last night, we went to the local pub and had a meal. We drank 2 bottles of pinot grigio and were rather drunk! ;o) had a really good laugh and Sonia commented how wonderful it is to see me happy again. And I am happy, despite the infertility. But by the end of this year, hopefully, something positive will be happening with that as well. Wouldn't that be wonderful??

Bye for now

Sarah
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Still in Limbo Land

I haven't updated much because, quite frankly, there hasn't been much to report. We are still waiting for the purchase of the practice to complete - which is scheduled for Monday. We've been doing as much as we can in advance eg marketing, meeting with bank, meeting with suppliers, etc, but we're just itching to get started.

As we were at a loose end, we popped over to High Wycombe to visit friends and relatives, which was nice. We stayed at my mum & dad's and from there visited other friends.

We went round to see my brothers who are fine. Mo Fo has settled in well and Alice (Paul's girlfriend) says he's now to be called Morris - but he'll always be Mo Fo to me, I think.

Then we went to Sonia's and had a games night. Both Sonia and I noted that Pat was the most relaxed and fun that we've seen him for YEARS! - I hope it continues once we take over the practice. We had a fab time and I laughed so much I thought I would have a seizure!! :o) The only down side was that on the way back to my mum's we dropped off Helen's sister and husband and Pat got flashed by a speed camera (doing 36 in a 30). We haven't had the letter yet, but I'm sure it's on the way....

Sunday morning, I went up the stables with mum and rode Paddy - who was a good boy (as usual). I did a bit more canter schooling with him and Mum is planning to do some very easy dressage competitions this year with him.

For Sunday lunch, we went round Lynsey and Mark's and they did us a lovely roast chicken dinner. We haven't seen them for about 3 months, so it was lovely to catch up. Pat thinks that their impending marriage (on 1st September) won't last because Mark is so domineering with Lynsey. I think he's being negative and if Lynsey had a problem with it, she would say. Personally, I think she likes it ....

And that's about it for our news. Pat is at the moment, down the surgery finalising some bits & pieces and we'll be moving our stuff in tomorrow in readiness for Monday. Very exciting!!!

Sarah
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Pat's Birthday

Monday (2nd January) was Pat's 37th birthday. Being married to someone who is 37 makes me feel really old, but as Sonia said, I should be lucky that I have a husband at all - whether he makes me feel old or not!! I suppose she's right!!

We're really enjoying ourselves here in Hampshire. We keep feeling like we're on holiday as it's such a beautiful part of the country and there's so much to do around here.

As it was Pat's birthday, I said we could spend the day doing whatever he wanted. So, we went to the New Forest (only 30 mins away from us) and had lunch in Lyndhurst and then a lovely walk throught the forest. We really enjoyed ourselves!!

I expect that this feeling of being on holiday will all stop once we start working!! But we'll enjoy it while we can.

Sarah
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Looking forward to the New Year

Never have I looked forward to the new year as much as I'm looking forward to 2006. I know that it'll be hard work but I think that this year will be the first year of the new millennium that will go right for us, because, quite frankly, these last few years have been HELL.
By the end of 2006, we will have reached the following goals -
1) The business will be running well and making a very good profit
2) We will have bought our new home (which will be something really nice, but within budget)
3) We will be well on the way to having a family by either a) being pregnant after having the last frozen embryos implanted or b) we will have started adoption proceedings.

All of the above are making me feel very excited again about life.

Sarah
xx

The nightmare of the mooncup

You may remember that I mentioned some time ago that I purchased a Mooncup (www.mooncup.co.uk) a menstrual cup as an alternative to tampons. Being environmentally conscious, I thought that the theory of a mooncup was a good one, but was put off by the idea. However, some time ago, I was pursuaded by the girls on one of the message boards that I frequent that a mooncup was easy to use so purchased one. It's been sitting in my drawer for about 2 months and I've not had the time/inclination/courage to use it. But when AF arrived during this quiet time, I thought "it's now or never" and gave it a go.

I think there might be something wrong with me is all I can say because getting it in and out was a nightmare! It's much bigger than you would imagine (a bit bigger than a golf ball) and to get it in, you have to fold it up and push it up, but every time, I pushed, it snapped open and boy, did it sting!! ;o) After about 10 tries, it finally went up and I was really pleased! It was quite comfortable (but not as comfortable as a tampon I must admit!) But later, I realised that it would also have to come out!!! And that was the tricky part because try as I might, I couldn't get that blighter out! I could grasp the end, but it had caused such a tight seal that I just couldn't get it out!!! Boy, was I panicking! I had visions of having to visit A & E - how embarrassing would that be???

Then I thought "Pat's a vet - he'll know what to do!" and called him up to the bathroom for "assistance" Luckily he did something better than actually "assist" - he calmly read the instructions to me through the [closed] bathroom door and I did what he said - and hey presto! It came straight out! It was definitely me panicking that was the problem - NOT the mooncup! I intend using it again, but I was so sore afterwards, that I think I'll leave it until next month and try again - this time using the "techniques" that I finally learned this time around. I am yet to pass judgment on whether it will ever be as good as tampons, but the fact that so many women swear by them and the fact that has cost me nearly £20) will spur me on to keep trying!!

Sarah
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Spending time together

For the first time ever, Pat and I have had a large amount of time to spend together. In the 14 years we've been together, the only time we spent a lot of time together was when were traveling round Southern Africa, Malaysia, Australia and Fiji (but even then, Pat worked locumming in Fiji and South Africa so overall, it wasn't for that long). Pat did a week at the surgery as a locum before Christmas but since Christmas, the vendors have been back and are working there until completion. Therefore, Pat & I are officially unemployed and have all this time on our hands all of a sudden! - and we've been loving it! it's been like we're on holiday! We've been for long walks (we're near to the coast, the South Downs and the New Forest here - excellent walking country) and we've done lots eating out and staying in TV watching! Absolutely wonderful. A lot of couples would be at each other's throats by now, but we're very happy with each other and there's been no arguing at all!! :o)

Sarah
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Mo Fo

A few days before Christmas, a lady brought a stray black & white cat into the surgery. She said that he's been living on her front lawn for 2 weeks. She'd been feeding him, but couldn't keep him because her dog was a cat-killer. We asked around locally to see if we could find an owner (as sadly he had no ID on him) or someone who might want to adopt him, but there was no-one. So the poor thing spent Christmas in a cage at the surgery (but at least he was warm and comfortable and fed) Then, on Christmas Day, I was talking to my brother, Paul and suddenly I realised who could have him - my brother!! He'd been wanting a cat for a long time and so had his girlfriend, Alice. We introduced them and Paul decided that this was The One and on Boxing Day, the lucky pussycat went home with Paul and Phil. They have decided to call him Mo Fo and apparently Mo Fo is very well settled and happy. I think it's true that strays are often easy to adopt because they are so grateful for a warm loving home - and that's definitely true of Mo Fo who is one lucky boy!

Sarah
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A wonderful Christmas was had by all

We had a lovely Christmas. In the past, the tradition was always for us to spend Christmas Day at my mum & dad's. As we thought that Pat would be on duty (he wasn't in the end; the vendors were doing it) we arranged for everyone to come to us. My parents stayed for 3 days and my brothers stayed for 2 and we had a really good laugh. Every year I hear about families who don't get on and have a horrible Xmas with everyone arguing. We're never like that. We all get on really well and never fall out. Now that they've all gone, the house seems really quiet and empty.

Sarah
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PS Am now off to watch more of Nip/Tuck - which I got for Christmas. Julian McMahan - phoar!!!

At last! We are back online!!!

You never realise how much you rely on something until it's gone - and that's what happened about having the internet. We always knew we used it a lot but it was only while we didn't have it - for nearly A MONTH that we have really missed it. And the most difficult part was not being able to keep in touch with my internet friends and keep up to date with the news on the message boards. But here we are - back in the 21st century and boy, am I glad!! :o)

Since my last (hasty) entry that I did at my mum's we have settled into the new house really well and aren't missing our old town at all. I didn't have any friends to speak of back in Hertfordshire so don't really miss anyone there at all. (How SAD is that??)

Pat started work at the new practice the week before Christmas as a locum because the vendors were going on holiday and needed cover. As far as we are aware, all is ready with the completion of the business but with the vendors going away and then the solicitors (the cheeky gits) being closed until 2nd January means that nothing can happen until new year. Working at the practice went really well and we can't wait until it's all ours! They were really busy and the clients were very friendly - and we were very pleased with the level of takings - soon to be ours - hurrah!!

Sarah
xx