Today I've got a day off where I don'™t have anything to do or anyone to see until the early evening, so I took the opportunity to stay in bed till 12:00, bliss. So later tonight I am helping with a summer party at G-Force. G-Force is a childerens play group for children aged between 6 and 10, and is run by a group of ladies from the church over the road from me. My mum being one of them, I get roped into helping now and again, which isn't so bad.

So I Thought I'™d take the time to write in my blog on The Spoke, seeing as it's always nice to look back on what you've done in the past. I know some of the people who read this use RSS aggregators, which rules, what programs do you use to read them with? Just curious really. Let me know.

So the last couple of weeks have been hectic to say the least, working two jobs has taken its toll on my and I'™m now always tired. I kind of feel the need to push myself this hard sometimes, lets me know what I'™m capable of sometimes. So, I've found another job in Ripon at a cafe called Dishes (no link), which is really nice. I've worked with the chef there before so we get on really well. He's got some nice lunch type food on the menu as well as stuff like sandwiches, jacket potatoes, takeaway salads and burgers. We've also got a few vegetarian dishes on and vegan dishes, which is going down really well so far. The hours are to suit at the moment, with no evening work until they open a bistro for the night. But for the moment I'm happy with 6 out of 7 days of just day work. The hours I'™m guessing will average out at 8am-4pm, which is a nice 48 hours a week. The timing on this job couldn't be better as I have 2 possible website jobs to finalize, one for The Three Hares and one for the restaurant manager at the three hares, who is a chocolatier and wants to run a chocolate and confectionary training service. I am very eager to finish these both before the new uni semester starts and build my portfolio and my cash up.

I will miss everyone at The Three Hares, especially the head chef Nick who i have become very good friends with over the past 2 years i've know him. I have learnt alot from him and am gratefull for his patience in teaching me. I do think that working in a kitchen at the level I have has really taught me a valuable lesson about who i am and what i can do, i know it all sounds very philosophical but it's true. A kitchen is a very hard place to work and anyone who doesn't appreciate the effort that goes into a meal they eat when they dine in a restaurant cleary has no knowladge of what it takes. Chefs work long and unsocialable hours, a common week for a chef is 5/6 days out of 7, working 14 hours a day. I don't know about anyone else but I couldn't do that for the rest of my career!

So, on Monday it's mine and Claire's 4th year together. Anniversary sounds too official to say we've been going out for 4 years. My god, going out what a 12 year old thing to say. What's a better phrase? Seeing each other? I don't know! Anyway, I have a surprise for her and haven'™t given anything away, so that should be great. I'll let y'all know how it went. Anyway, must tidy my room and wash my white for work 2moro. Catch y'all later!

Peace and Carrots!