Updates and the cause of the pain in my neck!

Dael is holding his own at his new job. Although his main aim is to work the night shift eventually he has been training during the day shift which has been quite tiring for him as it means being on your feet the whole day from 7.30am until 4pm with half an hour for lunch from 12 to 12.30pm and one other small break. He was borrowed by the stock room manager to help clear out the stock room. Now the manager has asked Dael if he wants to work with him and apparently this manager has the say over wage increases. So he seems to be keeping in with the right people. Dael tried to fill in the information on his contract. His handwriting is very bad and the lady in admin wanted to know what was wrong with him and is he dyslexic (?). From his interview the company are aware that he was at The Brown School (a remedial school) for a couple of grades when he was younger as he was diagnosed with ADD and always battled at school. I wrote her a very terse little email about the ADD diagnosis and that he is actually very bright and resourceful and also technically minded. He has already bored Bradley with a long winded explanation of the work he does accompanied by a drawing of the machine that he uses and this after only 4 days on the job. We are going through to the bank on Saturday to open his bank account and he will get paid this weekend - so he is thrilled about that.

In other news, Bradley started Grade 7 this week. And I was fighting with book covers and sticky tape this morning trying to get some of his books covered. I think the teachers expect the children to get all books covered with paper and plastic on the first night but I can tell you this ain't going to happen. Bradley is walking home now instead of going with the transport and he had to carry home his bag full of books plus another bag of books. By the time I got home at about 6pm he was fast asleep on the couch and didn't wake until 11pm not even when I tried to wake him for supper. He was exhausted. On the learning side he wasn't enthusiastic with his teacher or happy that his friends weren't in his class but I think he is resigned to the school year having begun.

Me ex and his g/f in Gauteng haven't budgeted to next payday and are without money for basics and necessary medication. Between the two of them, my ex and the mother of his kids, they are hopeless at budgeting and I unfortunately feel obliged to try and help them out. I forwarded some of my last funds to help out but I cant see my boys short! My daughter in Cape Town is unsympathetic and in fact is better at looking after herself than her own father is! She just tells me to cut the apron strings. This whole situation has caused me some unwanted stress this week.

I don't know if the problem people in Gauteng are responsible for this sharp pain in my neck that has developed today but I am prepared to blame them for it for giving me all this stress. Go away pain in the neck people!!! Grow up and start living within your means! Okay - I feel a bit better now - thanks...