Blog update – March, April & May

I’ll just give a few highlights – which gives me a chance to add some photos!

May

• 22^nd - Midnight 10km charity walk. Liddi & I walked from Sewerby Hall, Bridlington right down to South Prom and then back again in 2 hours for medal, bacon buttie and hot tea. Never tasted better. Many thanks to all those who sponsored us.
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• James microlight flight. This was his birthday gift from me from last summer. What a fantastic experience. Not sure I could do it though. Scary!
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• I’ve started a 10 week photography course for digital photography. It’s mostly aimed at SLR cameras, but I am learning more things I can do with my Lumix digital although it has made me want a digital SLR camera. However, I will have to clean quite a few more ovens before that happens. Last week’s ‘composition’ class was really useful.
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• Ovenu: marketing continues. Lots more leaflet delivering. This job is getting me fit!
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• Waco: I’ve been in to my old company for a couple of days of consultancy work (can’t believe I’m some sort of marketing expert – now I’ve left!!). It’s useful money and reminds me why I want to work for myself!
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• May Day Bank holiday – historic Beverley. James & I visited the friary & the Minster – saw antique murals & grafitti. Also climbed the 165 foot Minster clock tower for fantastic views & then a quick trip to Beverley Races. Shame it was so cold and windy!

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• I’ve been blogging less as I’m concentrating more on my business (and not got time in the office to waste!), and because Liddi usually has the laptop in the evening (since boyfriend Ben has gone to Japan). However, I have been using facebook more (thanks to iPhone) – should I twitter?

April

• Ovenu marketing - took a stall at Beverley’s Saturday market on 24^th to raise local awareness and managed to book some appointments. Also joined “Meet!” local businesswomen’s networking group. Ooh, get me!! First meeting attended was ‘speed networking’. Good to hear what other women are doing and managed to book 2 oven cleans!

• Ovenu (Beverley) - my business started on 22^nd March, and April saw more appointments, more ovens cleaned. It’s really hard physical work and I’m aching a lot. I’m also pretty slow as yet, and still find responding to enquiries and getting to an appointment pretty daunting. I’m getting support from a couple of the other Ovenu franchises (mostly Christine in Northumberland – 2 years experience; and Matt in Richmond, Surrey – just 4 weeks ahead of me) which really helps. I can see it’s a great business and it’s very satisfying to get to the end of a job and see a transformed oven.
• Easter - Liddi’s friend, Braggi, visited. I had arranged some Easter fun. First Liddi & Braggi made masks with materials I provided. Then, Liddi, Braggi and James wore their masks whilst they searched for clues which I placed around the house the day before as part of their treasure hunt. They had great fun, and all ended up happily with a choccy egg. Then, Liddi, James and I went Ovenu leaflet delivering for a few hours whilst the slow cooked lamb did it’s stuff. Yum.

March

• 21^st – Manchester MEN Arena: Four Tops, the Temptations, Drifters, Three Degrees. Wonderful concert. Lots to sing along to!
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• 15^th - Get van & do Ovenu training in Wokingham for a week. Intensive, informative and exhausting.
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• 13^th – a full day of intrigue, mystery and information. Ovenu AGM in the East Midlands followed by Derren Brown in Hull.
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• 4^th – 6^th: Short break to Cheltenham: James and I met up with my old school friend, Jo for lunch. Hadn’t seen Jo for several years so good to catch up. The evening was spent with James’s sister and her family who also live in Cheltenham. Then we dropped in to see my cousin Chris his family in North Leach – to catch up with over 25 years gap!
• In preparation for starting my new business I indulged myself in an iPhone – oooh. Most of the deals are the same price, so I managed to persuade the Vodaphone saleman in Beverley to throw in a free Bluetooth headset. The iPhone so lovely. It’s pretty. It’s easy to use. It does lots of great things and has fun apps. In fact you can’t stop using it. You’re never alone with an iPhone!