BBS

I do love an acronym. You can’t really live with a police officer and not love an acronym. They use them all the bloody time. Sometimes they are obvious and make complete sense and other times they’re just downright silly. But I still love them. And I love this new one that I learnt last week the most. It stand for Boots Beauty Adviser and that is what A will be from next month!

She had an interview last week (the appointment I mentioned in Strictly Confidential) and clearly she absolutely smashed it as she was offered the job the very next day. It was not an easy interview – two hours long, with 3 other candidates, and involved talking about her favourite beauty product and why it’s her favourite; going to the shop floor and choosing 3 products from different brands to research and then “sell” to the interviewer (apparently she was the only one not to make notes and read them aloud, she just kept it all in her head); followed by a one-to-one chat about her experience and goals etc. I can’t begin to explain how proud and pleased I am of and for her. She’s loved working at Ashridge for the National Trust but it’s time for her to pursue something more in line with what she really loves and is training for. She’ll do 2 shifts a week and it’s more money per hour so she is really happy. And as an absolute bonus (for me) she can get the bus if I can’t take her. Hopefully, this is the start of some real independence for her.

In Strictly news, A had an amazing week – I got a personal video message from one of the celebs – and on the last day, the lead makeup artist told her that she wanted her to stay on for the rest of the series! She was beyond thrilled and emails were sent to try and get it set up. We had a long, stressful weekend and all of Monday waiting to hear if it was going to be possible, but alas it was not to be. Policies and procedures meant that she couldn’t do it, but she is going to keep in touch with the make up lead and who knows what may come up in future? She is hugely grateful and pleased to have been asked. A real achievement.

She is now working on an in-house short film as one of two heads of make up and is currently practising making her hands look like she is dead. Nice. Apparently there are going to be a lot of dead bodies to make up and other gruesome stuff. I really hope I don’t have to watch it!

I am still taking each day at a time. I’ve been off for two weeks now and I am gradually getting my head around stuff. It’s going to take a lot more time but I WILL get there. I’ve booked myself onto a Forest Bathing walk next week which could be interesting. I saw a bit about it some time ago at the end of an episode of Countryfile (I was waiting for another programme to start, although I’m not averse to a bit of Countryfile) and saw an advert for a local place last week. It took me a while to sign up – not really wanting to go on my own and have to talk to other people – but I’ve given myself an A-style talking to and am booked on. I’ll let you know what it was like.

In other news, I’ve read another book; I’ve finished my to-do list of niggly jobs; and I have a lovely jigsaw waiting to be started and another hat to knit with wool courtesy of Mrs F. Slowing life down where possible. It’s a start.