Great news

Day two of my new job over and guess what, I've got some sort of cold/sore throat working on me, YAY, not.... I think I need to drink some wine as a cure!? I'm sure you'd agree yes? Out for dinner with friends tomorrow night but I'll need to be a good child as I've agreed to go into school on Sunday morning to meet with my Grade 4 partner to go over some planning! BAH HUMBUG! LOL

Wine is the best cure!
Congrats on the job

Watching 'Five Minutes of Heaven', very emotional, there may be a few tears! I miss Northern Ireland everyday, I don't regret leaving it, but I think about it loads! One thing I'll never miss, is all the cr@p that came with living there! I just feel bad that I am suddenly free from it all, and yet my family and friends are still there putting up with all of it!

For some reason I imagine it is a very tight nit place and must be hard to leave that sort of community.

Are you able to elaborate on "cr@p" you are talking about....from the outside you kind of imagine everyone is just getting on with it these days and life is like life elsewhere in the UK...just interested if it is not too sensitive a topic?

Great news about the job Jen. Mrs C told me but I come here about as often as she gets a Valentine's card

Have to skype soon. Played golf last week with one of your countrymen, hmm, he beat me. Mind you, playing on a course with roos and beared lizards and a choice of snakes made it interesting when you lost a ball

Cooler

Same old same old mate:

2009 - two soldiers and a police officer shot dead in cold blood.

Since then: numerous bombs have been gone off outside police stations, in shopping areas....I could go on but I'm gasping for this cup of tea before going to get ready for work in 10 mins. Let's just say my brother is also in the police, much higher up than I was, and he says things are as bad now, as they were ten/twenty years ago! NOT GOOD!

To conclude, it's far from over...I was a part-time police officer for the past 5 years so I know there is by no means peace, as there will always be a certain element trying to keep it going, it's really quite pathetic.

Anyhoo...check out the BBC NI news website every once in a while and you'll see what still goes on!

Thanks CKC!

Hi Jen - still is a lovely country though and the ordinary person has no need to be afraid. I wonder what the stats are for 'general' crime for N Ireland v's New Zealand and Oz. NZ is currently trying to control a gang arrived from Oz. How do you feel just as a comparison re general crime Oz to NI? Do you feel safer or much the same? NZ certainly has a carefree attitude by comparision to NI. People leave their houses open, cars open. Cheers Karen (Originally from N Ireland

I recall finding an article whilst still at uni back ten years or more ago, that NI had a much lower crime rate in comparison to the rest of the UK! And yes, it's still a fab wee country, but my being PSNI and Simon being Army, we do now feel much more 'at ease' about pretty much everything, very very refreshing when you've spent most of your life 'watching your back'!!!

Yeah I am sure - I grew up in South Africa - I certainly would not like to return there. Also lived in NY (horrible place - sorry to those NY'kers reading this). Have a couple of PSNI buddies so I hear you on that. (Must be nice to have a completely different profession - albeit I would be wary of what was said here if you know what I mean.

Oh I've been a teacher for the last ten years chick, the police thing was only part-time this last five years!

Cool

I wouldn't go that far, but hey, it pays the bills! I've an interesting little bunch in my current class, too many of them like the sound of their own voices, it'd drive you potty!!! lol

Well that day has finally come, we've only waited a year!!! We put a deposit down on our wee Boxer pup Derek today, we will bring him home in 6 weeks, on the 16th April. I can then spend a few weeks off with him, getting him settled during the school hols! Isn't he gorgeous?!