Hi,

I'm Rachel and I live in Norfolk with my husband Andrew and 3 teenage daughters Annabelle, Charlotte and Gabrielle.  We are the happy owners of a lovely black Labrador Retriever called Sasha.  

I have always wanted to start a blog, but if I am honest I have no idea what to write about or where to start  - please bear with me.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  

More about me

I work as an Administrator which if I am honest is really boring!!!  I have previously worked as a restaurant manager (O.K. Mcdonalds might not be what you would consider to be a restaurant) this was my first ever full time job - I learned more about people there than I have in any other job.  I have also worked in a public house - only a couple of hours a week but different to working in an office.  Once I left the restaurant I have always worked in an Office.  The first office job was in a charcoal production company.  I left there to work in a  foreign language school and then moved from there to a marketing role in a Partitioning company.  I left to start a family, moved counties and then found a new job in an Office, working in a Children's Centre.  

Normally as you progress through a Career you see a financial progression as well - I currently earn less now than I did when I gave up work to have my children.  I am expected to gain qualifications I am then not allowed to use,  chop and change my hours to suit others, work alongside less qualified people earning the same and I should be grateful I have a job even though if I was on benefits I would have more coming in monthly. 

That is my frustration and negativity over and done with, now what to do about it.  

Hobbies: 

• Cooking - I would like to be better and am always looking for new ideas as to what I can make to change up the menu at home when time is tight.
• Reading - I love reading but this is usually restricted to an hour every other night in the bath - shorter baths taken on intermittent days.
• Comping - There is something about entering loads of competitions daily in the hope of winning a meal, theatre tickets, book, vouchers.
• Martial Arts - I am currently a first degree black belt in Kuk Sool Won - a Korean Martial Art.  I am not the best, fittest, youngest or by any means can I stretch the furthest but my fitness has improved considering I spend all day sitting down.  I didn't start training until I was 41 so there is plenty of time for those out there who feel they are too old.

I hope to incorporate some of my hobbies as I go along and I am always looking for inspiration for ideas of something new to try.

Rachel