Snow Driving!

WOW! I made it to my horse and back in very silly conditions. I really should have just left him out in the paddock and I am sure he would have been fine but I wanted to make sure he was ok and came in and had some grub.

How I made it up and down those hills in my measly Ford Fiesta GOD KNOWS! Thank goodness for ABS and sheer goddam luck and ability! Ha Ha!

Well George is happy as larry with a pile of hay in his rubber matted stable.

Poor fella has been stuck in traffic for over 4 hours in Hull trying to get home. Hopefully he'll be back soon.

I love the snow but it really does snarl things up on the roads and make driving tricky.

2010

Well hello 2010!

Right, update time on the old hip injury. Been to see an orthopaedic consultant who thinks it is a cartilage sports injury and I'm now waiting for an MRI appointment - yay :-S

Apart from still being slightly fooked because I'm lame I *AM* still planning and plotting on going freelance. I am looking at the prospect in a practical manner and am hoping to get a part-time job doing anything really to keep the bank (boyfriend) happy while I'm building up a client base and harassing oops I mean asking local riding schools if they need an instructor/coach.

In the meantime, I'm trying to do my physio exercises to build up strength in my hip muscles and am really rather enjoying being at home to look after the house and be around James a lot more.

Gosh I am really looking forward to this year - I can feel it is going to be OK :-)

Toodle Pip for now.

Fail to Plan and you Plan to Fail

Well, I am quite excited that I got myself some free business cards to motivate me and realise that I can have my own business if I really want to. Thanks Vistaprint :-) I even got some free post it notes with my name on too. I love all things stationary and marketing/promotions so this was a nice Christmas present to myself.

I've been researching and planning quite a bit, thanks to Business Link and their Start Quest email course that helps you plan starting your own business. It has been very helpful and I've been looking into what grants are available for me to set up a little office at home or to help with marketing etc..

I'm hoping to meet up with the owner of a local equestrian centre to have a chat about teaching there a couple of days a week to get started and then build up my own client base in the area. A few friends are going to spread the word for me still which is very kind of them.

I'm a little stuck at the moment as I am currently lame and been off with a hip injury - typical, but at least it is giving me time to write a few plans down and get some ideas for a business plan sorted. I am lucky to have a very supportive boyfriend who has told me not to worry about finances at the moment while I'm not working.

Well, I had really better get on with the last of the Christmas present shopping and attempt a few of my physio exercises at the same time - hilarious if you saw me!

~* Merry Christmas *~

Decisions

Right then - the time has come to make some decisions. I am going to go freelance. As a riding instructor that is. I think it is the right thing to do. It is certainly something I have pondered for some time and it should provide me with more flexibility than my current job - driving 80 miles a day there and back. I am sure there are some grass-roots riders in North Lincolnshire that I could help improve their riding and partnership with their horses? I already have a few friends that I teach with mates rates at the moment and they have all said to me that they would pay me properly if I could teach them more regularly. They have also kindly said that they would be willing to spread the word as to my services. I can but take a giant leap into the abyss of self-employment and see how it goes. My boyfriend already does and he manages so why not me as well hey?

I have had a good read of fellow Blogger Wiola's blog and she has inspired me a little to go for it. I know it will be hard and I will have to be incredibly organised. However I am a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual (nickname is Jodibonkers) and feel I can do this if I really want to and I want to.

So, let's see what happens.