New Job.

Several weeks ago I saw a job advertisement in our local supermarket for a place I have been lusting over working in for ages now! It was for a full time support worker in a home for girls with moderate learning difficulties in the same (tiny!) village as me. The advertisement was quite old and I doubted that the vacancy would even still be available let alone that I would stand a chance getting the job. I have no experience in care or with adults with learning difficulties. I've worked in the same tea rooms since I was fifteen (even whilst at university) and after leaving university got the only job I could manage to find with ease as a Kitchen Assistant in a retirement home. So, let's just say I wasn't very confident. However, I thought I'd give it a shot and contact the manager.

A few weeks ago the manager invited me in to have a look around, get a feel for the place and for them to get a feel for me. The 'home' (in the true meaning of the word) is great and the people were so welcoming. We had a nice cup of tea and chat, spoke about the job and the work the company do and the girls within it and then I had a look round. The main house is very homely, in fact, it feels very much like somebody's house, which it is essentially. Downstairs is a large kitchen, dining room and lounge, along with one of the lady's bedrooms and a staff lounge. Upstairs there's a couple of bedrooms for the girls and up further still is the sleep room for staff and the office. Outside is a really pretty garden with a lovely pond, flowers and a laundry area for the girls to do their washing and bits. The outside living areas are great: the girls have their own little 'flats' to enable them to live independently and eventually do so within the community. The house also has five cats, three of which belong to one of the girls the others are shared. After looking around it was safe to say I was in love. The job sounded perfect, the staff were lovely and it was in a perfect location. I was invited for an interview the following week but I didn't get my hopes up as I knew I'd be heart broken if I didn't get the job.

But I did!

As soon as I have handed in and worked my notice at my current job I will be a Support Worker! I am so excited and terrified at the prospect! I can't wait to do a job that is really beneficial to people. One where I can help others and develop myself. The role comes with training which I am really looking forward to getting stuck into as I love things like that and it involves taking the girls to activities such as horse riding, glass blowing, day centre, youth club, parties, cinema, anything they have timetabled really! I will be there to support the girls with their cooking, work experiences and college. I really am so thrilled to have been offered this opportunity and hope I can prove to the company how grateful I am!

Ebbor Gorge.

This weekend my boyfriend and I were stuck on how to spend the day. The weather was beautiful so we wanted to make the most of it (especially considering the unpredictable nature of English weather!). In the end we decided to go for lunch in the lovely little city of Wells and then go for a walk in the nearby Ebbor Gorge.

After we had finished stuffing our faces in my favourite cafe, we set off to find the Gorge. The journey was short but so hilly. My poor metro suffered from the trip, having to go up hills in first gear! In the end we made it. I've had this image in my head for years now and I've always been unsure as to whether it was a memory of a place or somewhere I dreamt up. As soon as we entered the Gorge I knew this was the place I had been thinking of for so long and it instantly became my new favourite place. Ebbor is so natural and untouched, so close to people and villages and yet it seems a million miles from it. I visit Cheddar Gorge a lot and, although it is spectacular and I doubt there is another place like it in the UK, it is far more touristy and a lot harder to get away from the hustle and bustle.

We decided to take the main 'red' clifftop route, so we could explore the gorge as well as wander through the woodland. This walk took about an hour, however, ours took about two as we kept wandering off the path to explore caves!

The whole gorge is absolutely magical. I felt although I had stepped into something from a fairy tale or The Hobbit! 

At the base of the gorge there is a small, pretty stream which we couldn't help but mess around in! I feel so fortunate to have a boyfriend who is like minded. We both can't resist exploring places off the path or sticking our noses into everything.

Following further along the path brings you to the ascent up on top of the gorge itself. It was quite hard work (considering I hadn't quite recovered from several shifts running around at work) but so worth while!

Finally, just as the sun was beginning to set we reached the top of the gorge. The view was spectacular. We really do live in the prettiest place but sometimes you're just so busy with other things to realise it.

After sitting and enjoying the view, the sunset and one another's company, we headed back to the car to get some 'special drinks' (raspberry and ginger for me!) and make some yummy food, but not before leaving a walking stick behind for the next visitors.