Well, it seems that all I need to do to get people to my blog is offer food/sweets!
Waaaawho! Nice to see it so busy here yesterday!
Whole town's been kinda quiet lately. 
Yeah, I noticed that too, but it’s good to see everyone posting here yesterday! However, my two big brothers weren’t tempted by cookies…..perhaps some shirtless men will do the trick next time.
Cookies?
Cookies!!!!
And hello to you too, Sonja!
I’m so glad you’re coming to Boston!
Right here the whole time, Chuck. Just keeping it on the down-low lately.
Life is treating me very well, spring is all around, the birds are singing, and I am almost disgustingly happy these days.
Did you wrap up your bowling season, or does it continue through the summer? Are you enjoying your fancy computer? When's your next trip coming up? Did your workload return to normal this week? Have you spent your tax refund yet?
I just had a handful of M&M's, so you can share my cookies with someone else.
Hiya Mandy! Glad you stopped lurking and joined in today!
Glad you are soooo happy lately! As for your questions….the bowling league runs from September to May, so I believe the season ends the end of May. Loving the new computer! Soooo much faster than the old one! Next trip is Boston in June. Workload has returned to where it should be, thankfully! Tax refund is still in the savings account, where it will stay.
Generous of you to share your cookies, but girl, there is ALWAYS room for a cookie!
Nom nom, can I get some even thought I'm not named?!
Soooo busy at the moment what with work and interviews and so.
Things will quieten down by 4 May because that't the day I finish up for mat leave! Then I'll post more!
That’s the problem with doing a list of names, you always leave someone off!!!
Of course you can have cookies! Sorry to hear it’s sooo busy, but glad it will lighten up soon! You must be getting excited!
Cookies? Did I hear someone say cookies?
I'm heeee-eeere! 
Had a great weekend. I LOVE my father-in-law. Last WE was his birthday, and his grandchildren were the ones getting gifts from him! He made my kids, and by extension me, very happy. Watching the kids, and his own joy, was pure bliss. I came home from the birthday celebration relaxed and so happy, it lasted all the way through Monday. And I hate Mondays.
That man is Gold. Yes, with a capital G!
Hiya Chrissi!!! Sounds like you had a great weekend! Very sweet of your FIL to give the kids presents on is birthday! Sounds like he is a great man.
Kelda, how long a leave do you get in England?
ETA: or maybe that should be Britain.
Heh, good save Sason!
Very much depends on your own employer package but statutory pay lasts for 9 months at £131 per week.
And you are entitled to take one full year off - so 3 months unpaid.
A lot of employer packages are better than that though.
I do my best..... 
131£ per week?? That's not much, is it?!?
I imagine not everyone can afford to stay at home with their baby at that amount.
Just had a quick check and I wasn't quite right.
9 months pay:
For the first six weeks at 90 per cent of your average gross weekly earnings and then the remaining 33 weeks at £131 or 90 per cent of your average gross weekly earnings (whatever is lower).
My employment package is quite generous in comparison thank goodness and we saved deliberately beforehand so I hope to take a full year off.
I'm glad you get more than the minimum, coz it doesn't seem very much.
A year is fine!
Maternity in the US really stinks from what I’m told, it’s not something I’ve had to experience or find out about. From what I know (and I could be wrong) it depends on the company that you work for, but the standard seems to be 6 to 8 weeks (1 ½ - 2 months) of paid maternity leave. After that you can take more time unpaid if you choose, however, your position at your job is not guaranteed at that point. What I mean by that is, if you choose to take the longer leave, and you work for a large company with an office in Bloomfiled, when you come back you could be told “your job here is guaranteed, but not your position. We had to fill your slot at Bloomfield, but there is a position at the office 4 towns away that you can take.” If you opt not to take it, you could get a lesser paying position, or chose to leave the company.
That will be great for you all. If you can take a whole year off. It is so hard to go back to work, when you have a new baby...You want to stay with them. Not give them off to a care giver..
I hope it all works out for you..love Janice
Hiya Janice! Good to see you here too! I hope you’re doing well!
I am still around Chuck so a cookie would be nice 
I have been back in Australia for 3 weeks. Came over for Easter and stayed until today, ANZAC day. Flying back to Dunedin tomorrow and am very glad to be going home. I have had several lunches/dinners with old friends and went to some inland national parks where I hiked in areas I use to take my students. Pleased the 68 year old can still climb some of the higher spots though probably much slower. This morning I went with my sister to theDawn service in the city which is always emotional. We were on the 3.13 am train. There were over 20,000 there. I love singing the NZ national anthem in Sydney, makes me feel the link between my country of birth and the country of choice. I read there were 10,000 at the service inDunedin, a much much smaller city although there are also many other similar services in suburbs throughout Sydney. I will be back in Australia in July/August travelling by train up through the centre from Adelaide to Darwin. My sister is flying to join me and we have hired a campervan to spend 3 weeks touring the north- west of Australia then fly to Perth and I will catch the train right across the country to Sydney. So no trips to Europe or USA this year. Have been intermittently watching the march through the city which took over 3 hours. When I was young the WW1 veterans were in cars or hobbling along, they are all gone now and it is the WW2 veterans now in cars or wheelchairs. The service at Gallipoli is now starting on TV. I was there in 2002.
Well well well, it’s the world traveler!!! ((hugs)) How are you, Brian! I bet you can’t wait to get back home and into your own bed again!
Sounds like you had an amazing trip! Good for you!!! The train trip sounds really cool, how long will it take?
Topic: Cellar Scribblings (Read 8994650 times)