1 Year!

It was mine and Mike's first anniversary on Friday, and boy did he spoil me . I cant believe it has been a year, it has flown by! Some days don't feel that way but it really has.

He told me he hadn't had time to buy me anything because he had been super busy at camp which was fair enough. I completely understood and didn't mind. But the little tinker had flowers and chocolates delivered to my house and bought me the nicest necklace and earrings. They are lush, I love them. I'm one lucky lady.

I bought him a basketball jersey of one of his favorite players. He had said he wanted it before, so I made a little mental note . I'm quite surprised I managed to remember the right player. I did have a few challenges buying it though. I didn't know if basketball jerseys were like football/soccer jerseys which change every season. So I was trying to search online if they had a new kit and old kit, but realised after a hour or so of searching that they pretty much stay the same for ages. And on the order form they wanted an American phone number, just in case something went wrong with the order. The only American number I know is Mike's so I didn't want to put that down just in case they text him saying 'Thank you for your order from NBA' which would have completely ruined the surprise . I was so close to asking his family for one of their numbers to put down but then I found my old number I used when I was out there last summer, so problem solved!! I think he liked it, he said he did. I'm not the best present buyer in the world I must admit. But I told him that from the beginning so he knows whats in store :)

I'm the happiest I've ever been, and hopefully it'll continue for many many more years. I might run out of present idea's very very quickly though :s

My Gorgeous Flowers.

I love love love these

One very very very happy girl

I think I've found myself a keeper :)

Flossy x

Gone to soon

These last few days have been full of sad news. While I was out on Saturday I heard the news that Amy Winehouse had passed away. I wouldn't say I was her biggest fan in the world but I loved her songs. She had one of the most interesting/unique and soulful voices I've ever heard. It's sad that drugs and alcohol had taken that much control over her life. There are so many groups on Facebook making jokes about her death, and saying how it was inevitable. But people don't quite realise how bad addiction is. I'm sure if you had asked her, she would of done anything to have been clean. But its not that easy. I've seen first hand on placement just what drugs do to people and the extremes people will go to to get their next 'hit'. Its such a loss of raw natural talent, and a shame we'll never get to hear more of her amazing songs.

The other shocking news is about the attack in Norway. 76 people were murdered by a man who decided to go on a killing spree as a way of demonstrating his anger against the apparent 'muslim takeover over Europe'. The story is horrible and unreal that someone is able of doing such a inhumane act. He even dressed as  a policeman so that he could lure the children into a false sense of safety by going to him for help, before turning on them and killing them from point blank range.

Such a waste of so many lives. My heart goes out to all the family's and friends of the victims.

Flossy x

Half way there.

I PASSED MY FIRST YEAR OF UNI!! :D

 I'm so happy, I had the result of my last assignment for the year, which was my reflection essay, I got 75%!!! That's a first! It's the highest mark I have ever had on a essay. I really didn't think I had done that well so I was over the moon. And there was me thinking I wasn't deep and meaningful. That means I have passed everything I needed to for my first year. It has been totally worth all the stress and crazy shifts. One more year and I'll be let loose on the public! GULP! So you may now call me a Para, seen as I'm half way there. Right?

Two boys decided to do an awards ceremony for the class too. There were various categories, ranging from 'best dressed', to 'cutest couple' and 'person you would most like as your crew mate'. I won the 'Biggest Blonde of the Year' for my increasingly frequent embarrassing blonde moments. I filled out an exam paper in pencil after having a discussion before hand about how we weren't allowed to use pencils, I've come out with quite a few silly comments and always find myself lost in uni and turning up at the wrong time or to the wrong room or even the completely wrong location. It was really nice of them to put the time and effort into it. I also found out today I don't actually get a graduation ceremony :( I've always wanted a picture of me throwing up one of those hats in a robe. So me and one of the boys have decided we're going to organize something for everyone, maybe we can just hire one robe and hat then we can take it in turns for our pictures :) GENIUSES! Even thought its a year off  I'm sure it'll come by fast enough.

Flossy x

Roger that.

This last week I've been doing shifts in Ambulance Control. It was a real eye opener. I spent the week wearing a Britney style headset, I had to fight the urge a few times to jump up and start singing and dancing, but that wouldnt of gone down very well.They have such a hard job. The demand for ambulances is so great and they have to ensure that there is always an ambulance within 8 minutes of any one place. Obviously they cant always do that but boy do they try and they do a great job. Its so high tech there. Each part of the country has its own allocation desk, and they have 8 computer screens around them. It would be any computer lovers dream!

I was allowed to listen into 999 calls and see how the call takers interact, deal and process the call. I listened to them give advice on how to help treat people before the ambulance arrived. They have an emotional job. Some calls I listened in on were quite distressing, but they are not allowed to deviate from the script on their screen so cant even offer reassurance unless they are told to. They have to put up with a lot of verbal abuse too which I found shocking. Even if someone is calling them every name under the sun they are not allowed to hang up, and if  the caller hangs up they have to then ring them back. They must have very thick skin.
I'm very glad I had the opportunity to go and witness what they do, I have so much respect for what they do.

The biggest tip I picked up is if you ever have to call for an ambulance the first thing they ask for is the address, as soon as you give that the ambulance is on its way so don't feel like they are delaying any help when they ask questions about what has happened. They are just trying to gain as much information for the ambulance crew and help you treat the patient if possible.

I realised I could never work in an office, all I do is eat. I was constantly munching on something, it wouldn't have been so bad if it was fruit but no it was biscuits, crisps and chocolate. Not good for my diet! Next week i'm in an office again so i'm going to have to be a whole lot better otherwise ill be the size of a whale soon.

I've been doing Zumba quite a lot lately. I bought the game for the wii and I love it! Its such a good workout, you can really feel it in your stomach and hips. The first time I did it I was absolutely shattered after 12 minutes, but now I've managed to work my way up to doing 2 20 minute lessons. I freestyle for most of it and just end up shaking my butt to try and get more points :) You can do it at your own pace and you can learn some new dance moves too. I don't think I'm quite ready to bust them out in a club yet though, would probably result in getting a few funny looks.

It was one of the boy's birthdays from the swimming pool I used to work in last night, so around 20 of us went for a night out to celebrate. It was a really nice night. I hadn't seen some of them in so long so it was a good giggle. Shame it rained all night though. I had bit of a hair nightmare. I've stopped doing a side parting now I'm saying goodbye to the fringe after a good 6 years. I'm trying out a middle parting now, not sure how successful it's going to be.

Me- Pre hair nightmare

                                                                                     

Gareth, Me and Sam. This picture makes me giggle, they look like my bodyguards.

                                                     

Flossy x

Spoilt Rotten.

Even from 5326.4 miles away, Mike still still knows how to make me feel like the luckiest girl alive!


Today he organised a surprise for me. He just told me to go to an address at a certain time. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought it would be him waiting there for me, but I know he is hard at work at camp so that was never going to be the case. He had booked me in for a Indian Head massage. I have never had a massage before and after today I have no idea why its taken me so long. It was amazing! 


The address was to a place called The Lazy Frog Flotation Centre. They have special pools that have salts in them that allow you to float weightlessly. One of my friends tried it before and she said it so relaxing. I think I might have to try it one day. They also had a masseuses there who does all different types of massages from sports massage to reflexology. I had a 30 minute head massage. First of all he massaged my back then my shoulders, neck and then my head. If it had been one minute longer I would have fallen asleep. 
It was the perfect surprise to the end of my last day of lectures for year one of my course. 


I highly recommend the man who did the head massage today, if anyone fancies treating themselves, or treating someone they know, its the perfect gift, here is the man's website:  http://www.thenatural-touch.co.uk/
This is the website for the floatation pools: http://www.lazyfrogfloatcentre.co.uk/


Its amazing how Mike has managed to make these few months apart go so quickly and as easy as possible. I really am one lucky girl. So for everyone who thinks long distance relationship don't work, we're proof it can, and hopefully I'll be sat here in years down the road continuing to write about how well it is going. 


Today was my last day in University for my first year. I now have 4 more weeks placement and then I finally get my 3 weeks summer holidays. This placement is different to all the others. I'm not out on a ambulance I am going to NHS Direct and to Ambulance Control to see how they work and then I have 2 weeks up in training school working on scenarios. 


My three weeks summer holiday is going to be a very welcome break. Not that I have anything planned. I would love to go on holiday, but I just dont think I can. I would jump on a plane and go to America if I could but it's just not possible, so I think I am going to try and find a job to try and get some pocket money. 


The last 10 months have flown by, even though some days didn't quite feel like that. I'm so excited for the next 10 months, all my dreams and plans are getting closer and closer :)


Flossy x