Part IA, Part UP

UP: I sold my house!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yay!

UP: I spent an amazing 3 weeks with my family and friends. Spent SO much time with my mom and dad and we had a great time.
IA: I'm home now. Really feeling discontent today. I didn't get out of bed until noon (very unlike me) and haven't showered, changed, or even brushed my hair today. I also keep randomly bursting into tears when I think I'm doing fine.
UP: I'm going to see everyone again either at Christmas or in February. DH has agreed that I can't go another year without seeing them, so I'm going to take a trip on my own.

UP: I'm going to see everyone again either at Christmas or in February. DH has agreed that I can't go another year without seeing them, so I'm going to take a trip on my own.

Aww, yay! Bummer that V can't come, too, but at least you'll get back sooner. (I vote February - airfare is nice and cheap then!)

Aww, yay! Bummer that V can't come, too, but at least you'll get back sooner. (I vote February - airfare is nice and cheap then!)

Yeah, I know... I have to take a week unpaid leave if I do February though, and I'll have to write to the governors to get the time off approved (we only have 1 week off in February and that is too much travel for me in such a short time). BUT, my SIL is due to give birth mid-January, so I'd get to go meet my niece or nephew, so that's what I'm leaning towards!

IA (really more of an inconvenient disappointment rather than an annoyance):  My little harp student's dad just emailed me and said she won't be having lessons anymore.  He did say he was impressed with her achievements, but I can't help wondering if my tuition was not good enough.   

UP:  I'll get my weekend mornings back again.   

That's a shame Andee. Did he say why? If not, would you feel comfortable asking him for feedback so you could better prepare for the next student?

That's a shame Andee. Did he say why? If not, would you feel comfortable asking him for feedback so you could better prepare for the next student?

No, didn't give a reason, just said thank you for guiding her and that he was impressed with her development.

I could ask for a bit more feedback, that's not a bad idea.

It could be completely unrelated to you. Something like- "do you mind if I ask why so as to better improve my teaching in the future" sort of thing. It sounded like it was fun while it lasted though.

I agree with Courtney, do ask for some feedback Andee.

My parents ran a music shop and lesson studio for 30 years and you wouldn't believe what people would quit lessons for. 

She was quite young, so maybe she wasn't into it- or they didn't think she was mature enough yet, etc.

Could also be maybe they didn't want to pay for lessons anymore- economic hardship or they couldn't justify the cost of music lessons or frankly didn't really have their hearts into their daughter learning and thought it was a waste of money (lame in my humble opinion)

Or maybe wanted a different day or closer to home or whatever.

Or lots of parents try to limit what their kids are into so they can only focus on a few key things. So maybe this girl has decided that she wants riding lesssons and girl guides, rather than harp.  (For a few examples)

Hard not take personally, I know.  Hopefully you'll get some feedback though!     

It could be completely unrelated to you. Something like- "do you mind if I ask why so as to better improve my teaching in the future" sort of thing. It sounded like it was fun while it lasted though.

True, and yes it was! 

I agree with Courtney, do ask for some feedback Andee.

My parents ran a music shop and lesson studio for 30 years and you wouldn't believe what people would quit lessons for. 

She was quite young, so maybe she wasn't into it- or they didn't think she was mature enough yet, etc.

Could also be maybe they didn't want to pay for lessons anymore- economic hardship or they couldn't justify the cost of music lessons or frankly didn't really have their hearts into their daughter learning and thought it was a waste of money (lame in my humble opinion)

Or maybe wanted a different day or closer to home or whatever.

Or lots of parents try to limit what their kids are into so they can only focus on a few key things. So maybe this girl has decided that she wants riding lesssons and girl guides, rather than harp.  (For a few examples)

Hard not take personally, I know.  Hopefully you'll get some feedback though!     

Thanks pb, all very valid possibilites. 

A bit worse than IA -- FIL owns two small retail properties in Norfolk, one that he leases out to a major supermarket chain & one to a chemist.  In the wee hours of Tuesday morning, some idiots stole a digger & ram raided into one of his retail property premises (the supermarket one) in an attempt to rob a cashpoint.  MAJOR structural damage.  The criminals are still on the lam.

Even worse -- It was touch & go for awhile, between FIL (the landlord), the supermarket (the tenant), and everyone's insurance (vague clauses therein that don't spell out what is covered, what is not, etc) - who was liable for what damage, blah blah blah. At the the end of the day yesterday, it was looking like FIL was going to be out of pocket for £20,000+ for the building's structural damage, he was consulting his solicitor...

UP aka RELIEF!!!  After much kerfuffle back & forth on the the terms of the lease, the supermarket today admitted they are liable & their insurance is going to cover it.  FIL said he didn't sleep a wink last night, and today he feels like he is suddenly £20,000 richer.  WHEW!

There's been a spate of these stolen digger ram raids on cashpoints around East Anglia lately - only thing is, they haven't been successful in getting away with any money -- just causing LOTS of damage. WTF?!

Mrs R, that sounds horrible!!!!    I'm glad there's at least a happy ending!  People are amazing..............  (in a bad way)

There's been a spate of these stolen digger ram raids on cashpoints around East Anglia lately - only thing is, they haven't been successful in getting away with any money -- just causing LOTS of damage. WTF?!

  

In Cambridgeshire a lot of places have stopped having cashpoints, which is a major pain. 

The P&R used to have a change machine, but they got rid of it after the third smash.   

In Cambridgeshire a lot of places have stopped having cashpoints, which is a major pain. 

The P&R used to have a change machine, but they got rid of it after the third smash.   

Yeah I was seeing where just in the last month or so, it's been done in Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire & now Norfolk. But what I can't figure, it doesn't seem like they are getting away with any money, just crashing & destroying buildings/property. Whazzup with that?!

 

UP: BF and I planned our (hypothetical/still unofficial) wedding for next summer, using my friend's wedding last weekend as inspiration.

UP: Also went window-shopping for engagement rings.

IA: Made an off-hand comment about this to my dad, who then called my mom freaking out about who would pay how much for a wedding. Nothing's official (and isn't likely to be for several weeks/months), and why he decided to go behind my back rather than raising any potential financial concerns to me, I don't know. I don't really mind who pays what, though last I heard on the subject (8+ years ago, granted), he would write us a check for 1/2 the average cost of a wedding, so if that deal has changed, it'd be nice if he would just tell me.