...it's been so long since I've last written on here (thanks for reminding me Carl!).  So, while I'm here, I suppose I'd better update what I've been up to...

1: Illness - I've not been in bureau for a month due to me being poorly - the curse of severe anemia (apologies if that's spelt incorrectly) struck me, and really knocked me for six! However, I'm on the mend now, and I went back to bureau a couple of weeks ago, which is good! I'm really glad to be back there as I've missed meeting all manner of people, and I've missed the people I work with, as they're a great bunch of people! I'm initially only doing one day a week, just to ease me back into it - but once Christmas is over and done with, I'm looking forward to upping my hours again. Can't wait!

2: It was mine and Adam's first wedding anniversary in October - I can't believe it' sbeen a year since we got married! Where has the time gone?

3: Back to bureau, I've finally got my generalist adviser certificate!! It's all official now!!!

Apart from that, it's been the usual round of TV watching, visiting friends, friends visiting and running round ordering presents online in the run up to Christmas...

...that I didn't get it. To be quite honest, I'm not suprised - still it's not the end of the world! Onwards and upwards, and onwards with the mental health project!

Sorry I haven't updated in a while but it's been a bit hectic... I've been going through what's felt like the longest job application in the world. The job I've applied for is a trainee caseworker at the CAB. The reason it feels like the longest application process in the known world is because the process to apply has taken over a month. There's been a random check of my case records, I had to attend an assessment session last Thursday, where I had to do four case studies - which if I'm honest I didn't do too well... Then yesterday, I had a formal interview, which went much better.

However, all things considered, I don't think I've got the job. Still, it was a very valuable learning experience, and the whole experience will stand me in good stead if anything comes up in the future.

I've also signed up to help with the Mental Health project at bureau, which involes doing casework. Initially, I'll be shadowing one of the caseworkers as they do thier work, and once I've gained enough experience and confidence, I'll go on to do casework of my own. It's all voluntary, but still it's casework, which is what I want to do, and will stand me in good stead for the future.

We are finally in Norfolk. It was a bit of a trek getting, not so much for me and Adam, but for our friend Andrew, who got stranded in Birmingham, when someone vandalised the cables at Nuneaton. He ended up having to travel via Nottingham, but we met up with him there. We ended up in Norfolk two hours late.

Today, we are going to a friend's for a Doctor Who video session, where it won't really be watched - it'll just be lots of chatting and eating of junk food. Tomorrow, we're off to Great Yarmouth for a mooch and market chips - yum! Tuesday is earmarked for a boat trip, which should be cool.

Three days and counting... 

It's my last day at bureau before my holiday, should be a reasonably straightforward day - staff meeting this morning, and hoping that the weather's putting off people from coming this afternoon...

Then two days of washing, ironing and packing. Then off we go! I can't wait!

It's been a while, I know - but bear with me, I've been doing loads of stuff lately...

Stafford: Me and Adam went down to Stafford recently to see a friend of Adam's, Andrew, who he's known since they were both eight. Stafford's a really nice place with lots of history, and Andrew's really knowledgeable about the history of the place, so we spent a very entertaining afternoon going round the local church, with some shopping and drinking coffee thrown in.

In the evening, we had tickets to see "Hamlet" at Stafford Castle. It was an open air performance, and it chucked it down AND blew a gale all the way through. However, this didn't matter as a: We were under cover, b:it all added to the mood, what with "Hamlet" being a tragedy and all. Anyway, it was absolutely brilliant, the guy who played Hamlet, Joseph Milsom (who if any of you watch the "Sarah Jane Adventures" on Children's BBC, is Maria's father - oh and he had a small part in "Casino Royale" as well) was a revelation! We've already said we're going to next year's play, which is "Twelth Night".

C.A.B: As busy as usual! Been lots of variety, (which I like), more experience in completing DLA forms (which I like), and some more triage (which I don't like quite as much, but only because I'm not that experienced in doing it).

Birthday: It was my birthday yesterday - had a really good day, went for a shop in Manchester, spent my birthday money, (and some of Adam's wages  and then Adam took me out for a meal last night. We went to Taybarns up near Marus Bridge - incredibly busy (we had to wait for a table) but worth it when you're there (lots of choice and you can go back as many times as you like!). Reasonably priced too...

Norfolk: Off to Norfolk next Saturday!!! Me, Adam and Andrew will be down there for just under a week. I can't wait! Just hoping that fingers crossed that the weather will be good when we go!

CAB news - my badge has now been altered to say adviser, which feels dead good!  on Friday I had my first proper taste of triage. To explain, triage is a kind of screening used by the CAB to determine whether a client needs to see an adviser or not. Often when a client comes into bureau, it's for something straighforward like information on where to access a service or a particular leaflet. If it's for this kind of thing, then a client doesn't really need to see an adviser. The person doing triage's job is to work out who needs to see an adviser and who doesn't. Now normally, this tends to be done by an experienced adviser, who can work out who does need to see an adviser. However, this was left to me on Friday. Now considering I've never done this before, I don't think I did too badly. It was completely mental - I lost count of how many people I saw!

On top of that, I was also keeping an eye on reception, which meant booking in people who had appointments with specialist caseworkers, making appointments for people, and making sure everyone in the waiting room was happy. I don't envy anyone who has to work on reception, that's for sure!

Well - I did it! All the paperwork has now been completed in my training, and in a few weeks time, I will be officially a Citizen's Advice Bureau Adviser. I'll get a nice big certificate, a badge and my photo I.D will be changed to say "Adviser"!

Other news: my parents-in-law popped in on the way to see Adam's youngest brother yesterday, was really good to see them.

Brilliant news - I had my final assessed interview at the CAB on Friday, which was probably the most nerve racking thing I've had to do since I started. To explain, I've always interviewed on my own during the training process, but this was the first time I've actually had someone sit in with me on an interview, and for some reason, I just found it really stressful. It also didn't help that the case I was dealing with was quite complex. However, I managed it and passed with flying colours!!

All I have to do now is to complete my assessment book with Dave the manager, then they can send off for my certificate and I'll be a fully fledged adviser!

Other good news is that they've upped Adam's hours at work - as from next week, he will be doing 30 hours a week. I know it's only gone up by 2 1/2 hours a week, but vitally, it's brought us into the realms of Working Tax Credit. Did a quick check and should be much better off!

Today should be fun, I'm not normally in bureau on a Wednesday but they're really short staffed, and I offered to come in, so it should be really, REALLY busy...

I'm THIS close to completing my CAB adviser training! I went to see Eileen, my guidance tutor for the last time on Monday. The only thing I have to do now is to have an assessed interview, which if all goes well, would mean that I will get my certificate, and become a fully qualified adviser - can't wait! It's been bloody hard work, but the hard work doesn't stop there - you're learning every day in this job, which is one of the reasons why I love it.

I've started the housing foundation course as well - I don't know if it's something I'll ever fully get to grips with, but the course up to now has made things much clearer in my mind. The thing that really struck me was that how late you could technically leave it to stop an eviction - sometimes as late as half an hour before the actual eviction! As long as you can get down to your local county court and give good reason to stop the eviction, it can be stopped. We're doing about homelessness next week, so that sould be interesting too.

Adam's job's going well - they've kept him on now till the end of may - after that, who knows? (although from what Adam has told me, they're getting more work in, so there's a good possibility that he'll be kept on again).