Life Circle: Introductions

This is my second attempt at joining in at Kate's Life Circle as she has re-started for 2012. So time to re-introduce myself!


So I'm Becky and I am now 41 years old (where do all those years vanish!). I live with my 2 children, my daughter who is 8 and my son who is 5, in Kendal, Cumbria. We came up here 18 months ago after my now ex-husband left the country and I wanted to be nearer my family.


Despite graduating with a BA in Geography and an MA in Human Geography I spent 15 years working in IT. I only stopped 2 years ago when balancing a job and raising my children single handed became a bit too much. So I now have various little pots of self employment:

• I sell Usborne children's books as Becky's Books
• My blog earns me money for paid posts
• Kendal Family History Services is my genealogical business

I am trying to find another employed position but so far nothing has come up that I have either managed to get or that is suitable to fit in with the children.

For me LifeCircle is all about continuing me on my journey to be self sufficient again after divorce. I also need encouragement to ditch the excess weight and this time keep it off. So a bit of coaching to get my head in the right place is just what I need.

This is a linky so check out Kate's post to see everyone else.

Save the Children: Fuel Poverty Campaign

An e-mail popped up in my inbox today that I have to share with you:

Dear Becky, Children shouldn’t need to wear hats, scarves and gloves in their homes just to keep warm. But this winter, hundreds of thousands of children could be left in the cold if we don't act now. Tell energy companies it's time for them to do their bit. Here in the UK 1.6 million children are living in severe poverty. They’re going without basics like heating because their parents simply can’t pay the bills to keep their homes warm. We’re asking all the big energy providers to give the poorest families with children under five a Warm Home Discount (a £120-a-year payment). Add your voice to our fuel poverty campaign now and tell energy companies they must put money aside so children in the UK aren’t left in the cold. Thank you, Sacha Anthony, Campaign Manager, Save the Children

This is a cause that is close to my heart. Last year in the bitterly cold winter I was very lucky as:

• I qualified for winter fuel payments
• the house I rent is modern with good insulation (improved by a council scheme)
• Being able to pay by direct debit and use an online discount means I'm not forced on to the most expensive tariffs or a pre-payment meter

This meant that unlike many families I didn't have to choose between feeding my family or putting on the heating.

I was concerned at the start of this winter that as I no longer qualified for winter fuel payments that I would struggle more as my income has not increased. It has been a relief that so far its been mostly mild.

Just before I switched suppliers I was informed about the Warm Home Discount Scheme. It turns out that I qualified for this as the birthdate cut off for the youngest child is slightly older. Luckily as well my new supplier also subscribes to the Scheme - not all of them do! It may only be a £120 payment but it does mean that I don't have to worry about heating bills going up if the temperature drops over the next few months.

For other families who are being denied access to this scheme as their suppliers have not signed up to it they are still having to worry. So please sign the petition to end fuel poverty and change this for good: Add your voice to the fuel poverty campaign now

My blog year in review: Part 2

Time to finish off what I started in Part 1 with the second part of the year from July to December 2011:


July


This was the month I spent an awful lot of time getting my benefits re-instated after they were incorrectly removed! I made good use of my MP Tim Farron to get a resolution - eventually... In contrast to this my children had some ideas for a future new husband for me. I also got a chance to showcase my grandparents in The Gallery.


This was the month of the first Cumbria Twitnic and I hope to repeat it again. There was a brief foray into a Saturday Recipe Swap and I ought to try that again. I also joined in the Love a Read Book Group a few times over the year. 

View from Loughrigg

Hopes for 2012

Looking back on 2011


Before I set these out for this year I guess I ought to see if I managed the ones I wanted for 2011:

I will get into better shape!


Yes I am slimmer, lighter and healthier than a year ago so that's one tick!




I will finish moving into my new home!

Well this is still a work in progress but we have swapped all 3 bedrooms round instead..

I will encourage my kids to be tidier - by leading by example!

Think we have had some progress but we all have lots of years od bad habits to lose...

I will start working out how to get myself off benefits and self-sufficient!

Well I've got a few little businesses ticking over but still not quite enough to be self sufficient. With government rule changes I'll have to see what happens next.

100 Books in 2011

This was the gauntlet I threw down to myself back in December 2010 thanks to Book Chick City. If my records are correct I read 90 books but I didn't log all the ones I read with my children so I may have managed it!

Looking forward in 2012

So what shall I challenge myself to do this year? I did post some resolutions on Twitter on New Year's Eve after a few glasses Prosecco so guess I have to stick to them:

Lose 2 stone

Learn to finish one job before starting another

Learn to knit

Read 100 books in 2012

So let's see how those ones go!

#SilentSunday 1st January 2012