Work really busy and thank you God Kirk was not in as he is attending a wedding. I was able to catch up on lots of things such as making a Christmas shopping list and anti bacterialising my new office.

I rang Rex at the salon and he said in hushed tones that the beauty salon had told him to go to his doctor so in sheer desperation he went to accident and emergency. He said he had waited five hours before the triage nurse told him off for coming to a & e with a glorified spot. He said he argued that it was causing a lot of pain and he thought it may be skin cancer.

The triage nurse advised him that unless he sunbathed excessively with legs akimbo then this was highly unlikely. She went on to explain that people are obsessed with being hairless and that pubic hair is there to protect the genitals. After a lecture she conceded that the carbuncle was in fact an infected ingrown hair.

She said he would have to wait for a doctor to write a prescription out for anti biotics. It was after midnight by the time he got home but he claims he slept like a baby as he had no carbuncle worries. So he said because he cannot drink alcohol he is just having a relaxing get together to watch The X Factor. He said we were still welcome to come so I told him I would let him know.

Manda gutted about party and said she may turn up in outfit anyway. I told her I probably won’t go as I am happy to watch X Factor at Marks.

After much begging I am now going to the get together next week. Manda says it is her last chance to get back with Gus.

Mark took me to the eye infirmary and I was discharged. Am so relieved. I can ease off the drops gradually. I have decided not to wear sunglasses for night out tonight as Mercedes will probably be there and she will have something to say.

Managed to find something fabulous in my wardrobe round at Manda’s and she loaned me a gorgeous necklace so think will make Mark proud tonight.

I have decided to look for a flat to buy and I can hopefully rope Mark in to help me decorate it. So I spent the entire day at work looking at websites for estate agents. Even a flat in this area is about eighty eight thousand pounds so am going to see a financial expert to see how much I can lend. I
don’t have any savings ( not unless you count a fifty pound premium bond and a jar of mixed copper ).

As I have to call in to the doctors to collect mum’s prescription I have made an appointment to see Doctor Bloomfield about my elbow pain. I need to get all these things sorted before he retires.

Manda and I are going out for a drink tonight to celebrate Kirk being off work so I am knocking off early to get my hair blow dried. Is very misty outside so this straightening treatment will be tested to the limit.

After blow dry and glass of white wine with Rex I went to see the doctor. He said it certainly sounded like tennis elbow and has booked me in for physio starting next week. I collected mum’s painkillers then popped in to the bank to have a chat about mortgages. The girl I saw said I can borrow about sixty five thousand but ideally I would need a five percent deposit. So basically I need over three grand deposit and I need to find a cheap place to live. The mortgage repayments would me cheaper than my rent is though.

As I am getting ready I am deciding that as from tomorrow I will save the deposit. No more coffees and cakes and shop bought sandwiches. I will bring my own lunch in and a flask. So straight away I will save about twenty quid a week. I will stop going out for girly nights and just stay in with Mark
wherever possible and once I move back to my rented flat I will walk to work and back and save a fortune in bus fares.

Have to go now as Mark taking me to pick Manda up then dropping us in town. Having to wear sunglasses as eye still half closed so will feel like a prat.

You never know may get mistaken for Anastacia or someone. Out of all the celebrities I suppose I mostly look like her. Trust me to look like a has been.Manda dead attractive and looks like Kimberley from Girls Aloud only an older version. When I think about it Gus is mental as he not that good
looking.

Left to my own devices at work as Kirk has phoned in with Swine Flu. Now that it is October and the weather getting colder, the swine flu has reared it’s snout again. (Please God do not let it re mutate as I could catch it again ).

I used my new found freedom to cleanse the entire office. The girls helped me then I went for cakes and coffees to cheer Manda up. I must admit I felt like a right idiot wearing sunglasses in mid October but if I don’t cover my eye I look horrific and Joe Public may think I am in Halloween fancy dress.

Speaking of which, Rex rang me this morning to discuss a Halloween party at his house and the Gus and Manda situation.

He said Gus had not mentioned to him that he was thinking of ending things. He thinks Gus may be having an early mid life crisis and got freaked out that he had been with the same women for more than a month. I told him Manda a bit upset (decided not to mention the fact that she wanted him to move in with her and that she feels suicidal ). Anyway Rex insists that myself, Mark, Manda and Tracey and Julian come to his Halloween party. We have to come in fancy dress and bring a bottle. Also we have to watch ‘The X Factor’ as he likes to see it live. Apparently he is rooting for Team Cheryl.

He said it’s Gus’s tough titty if he can’t handle Manda being there. I advised him the last time I went apple bobbing I burst my nose ( mind I was severely intoxicated and I was half wearing a Freddy Kreuger mask so I couldn’t quite see what I was doing ).

Mentioned the party to Manda and she said she will definitely go and she has the perfect costume in mind to make Gus realise just what he is missing.

Mark picked me up after work as I had to go back to the eye infirmary for a check up. They said they were satisfied at the rate it was healing and I can reduce the drops slightly. I have to go back in three days.

Called in at mum’s house to check up on her while Mark went home to prepare tea.

She was acting like a complete martyr even though she has Aunty Beryl, dad and Anita tending to her. She said she is worried she will put on weight as she is not mobile so she had a load of low fat microwave meals delivered by Iceland ( the shop not the country ). She said it was nice of me to find time to come and see her. I explained to her about my eye and how busy work is but she said in ‘Lou Beale’ style that family comes first. I had to bite my tongue and couldn’t get out of there fast enough. As I was leaving she asked me if I could pick up her prescriptions tomorrow from the doctors.

Will have to make sure I anti bacterialise my hands at the doctors with Swine flu going around again.

My Landlord rang me to advise me that the flat should be habitable by November. Very vague, when in November? He cannot be sure as builders are letting him down. He did say that because all of the walls have been re plastered and emulsioned, new flooring put in as well as new gas boiler he will be putting my rent up to six hundred pounds a month. That’s a raise by a hundred and fifty quid. My new job barely covers it. What are my options though? I could not go back to mums with scary Tears For Fears poster, Manda is getting sick of me, too early to move in with Mark and Julian’s house a tip.

Mentioned to Mark and he offered to give the extra rent but I refused. It couldn’t have come at a worse time with Christmas around the corner. Will have to increase my overdraft limit and start shopping at Aldi.

I started doing my telesales today and failed miserably. As soon as I told the company who I was they either slammed the phone straight down or said they were not interested. Kirk said I am going to need a lot of work as this is my weakest area. It is a good job I was wearing my ‘Roy Orbison’ shades as he would have been able to see the hacky looks I was firing in his direction.

He said he will not rest until I have secured at least two orders. There are only so many bathroom centres, DIY stores and building sites. He has given me some companies to try elsewhere in Europe. My French, German and Spanish is very ropey and they are the only languages I have ever studied so God help me if I have to phone anywhere else.

I took my lunch hour with Manda and told her of my dilemma. She said she is sure there is software available which translates into different languages in fax or letter. I may have to resort to these methods if my cold calling goes even colder. She seems really happy these days and is thinking about asking Gus to move in with her once I am back at my flat. I told her to be certain that he felt the same way as I didn’t want to see her get hurt.

Anita texted me to say thank you for house warming card (I have not sent one ) so I texted her back and said thank you for my birthday present. She texted me back and said ‘Touche’.

Mum rang me at work as well and I had to pretend she was a customer as Kirk was with me. I said something about chasing up the order for the heated towel rail and mum said “that would be a lovely house warming gift, I am sure Anita and Ivan would appreciate it.” I just hope she doesn’t mention this to Anita. Will have to ring her first chance I get and explain that I will be buying an Argos voucher to the value of twenty quid.

Mark was working late so I rustled up some stir fry for us both then ran myself a lovely bath and lit my Joe Malone candle. I was just settling down when the bloody phone rang. I dragged myself out of the bath but it stopped ringing just as I went to answer it. I dialled 1471 and it was Manda. I took the phone into the bathroom and settled back into the lovely hot water and rang her.

She was in a right state. She was just about to broach the subject of moving in together with Gus when he said “Babe, I’ve been thinking, things are going a bit fast , you know, I am only thirty six and I feel you or should I say we are getting a bit heavy.” Manda said she swallowed hard and tried not to look bothered. He kissed her on the cheek and said he it had been fun and he hoped they would still be friends.

I told her I would get dressed and come straight round.

I left a note for Mark explaining what had happened and told him to get stir fry.

I collected Tracey and a bottle of wine on the way over in a taxi.

She was distraught. She said this had been her most serious relationship since her marriage in her twenties. She said time was running out and that she wanted babies. This shocked Tracey and myself as we never had Manda down as the maternal type. I jokingly told her she could ask Rex to be a sperm donor but she said she wanted the whole package, the semi detached house, car on the block paved drive, cosy nights in.

Tracey said she would have to join the internet dating site like her (I dunno why as she has so far had dates with a vegan, a sex maniac, a mummies boy and a misogynist ).

Anyway Tracey stayed over with her but Mark came and got me as I needed to get home to take my eye drops.

Mark gave me a long soft kiss in the car and I felt all warm inside. I am so lucky that I have found a man who loves me despite all my problems.

Well I don’t know how I survived the day. As well as having to learn about ordering, liasing with customers at management level, telesales (cold calling ) I also had to deal with my eye. I could not open it at all and kept dabbing it with a tissue.

I was close to tears by the time I got to the doctors. Dr Bloomfield said it looked nasty and referred me straight to the eye infirmary. I rang Mark and he came straight to the doctors and gave me a lift there as it is nearly twenty miles away.

Turns out I have a corneal abrasion. The optometrist said it is usually caused by a baby’s nail scratching a parent’s eyeball or sometimes a feather sticking out from a pillow. I know it is neither of these so it will remain a mystery. I have six different types of drops to apply. Some of them have to
be done hourly so I don’t think Kirk is going to be very happy. Still although I am in immense pain ( feels like a razor blade sticking in my eye ) I will have to go to work tomorrow.

Some bloody birthday! I have decided to move in with Mark until my eye is better. Manda seemed relieved as she not much of a nursemaid. Julian called around to Mark’s with cards from him, mum and Anita. He had bought all three as Anita too stressed about move and mum incapacitated. He got me a really funny one from ‘Moonpig’ with a woman looking at google. Can’t imagine why! Anyhow I got fifty quid off Julian and a tenner from mum. Nowt from Anita.

While Julian was still there Rex arrived with Gus and Manda. They brought me a huge bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne. Rex also gave me a voucher for a pamper day so was thrilled. I have promised to have belated night out with Rex once am feeling better.

Was relived when they left so that Mark could google ‘corneal abrasions’ for me. Could be really bad. It can be an ongoing problem which may need laser surgery. I became a bit tearful when Mark read this out and he immediately consoled me and said he didn’t think we should find out any more information about it. Just wait and see what happens. Mark held my hand and stroked me all night and kept telling me he loved me. I must admit it is good for a girl’s ego to have a gorgeous, muscly builder do this.

Could not open my eye this morning. Completely stuck shut with a green gooey mattery type substance. I got Mark to look on Google and it said I would need stronger anti-biotics. In the mean time I have bathed it with cooled down boiled water and used three different cotton wool pads ( as advised by Dr Kaur on google. )

Am really anxious now as I start my training tomorrow. I will just have to go in to work and make an appointment to see nurse after work.

On a more pleasant note, ‘Chicago’ was really good. It was an amateur production and Mark’s brother Mungo’s company was sponsoring it. I found out afterwards that Mark had got the tickets for free. However, he did take me for a lovely Italian meal and we had three courses each.

He gave me my card and present this morning as I am going back to Manda’s tonight. He bought me a lovely silver heart necklace with a diamond on it. Very classy looking. I told him I loved it and it would go with my silver diamante ear rings . He then told me the necklace was platinum and I should put it on my home contents insurance. I was flabbergasted. It’s probably the most expensive item of jewellery I own. He also gave me a small token from Mungo and Babs (Joe Malone candle ) which I know costs about forty quid. Am delighted with gifts.

Mark gave me a lift back home with my bags and then he took me to the hospital to visit mum. I let him come to the ward with me as he was going to wait outside. I had to wear my eye patch in case of infection.

We both applied anti bacterial hand gel before we entered the ward which made my eczema cuts sting.

Mum was over the moon to finally meet Mark and she was on her best behaviour (no swearing ) as she knew he comes from ‘good stock’. Anita turned up ten minutes before it was time to leave. She had a luke warm Sunday roast dinner for mum. Mum looked at at and said she had gone off lamb so she gave it straight back to Anita.

Julian said he would microwave it when he got home so it did not get wasted. He told us on the way out that when he turned his mobile on this morning there were over a hundred missed calls all from office temp, which we now know is called Agatha.

He is bricking it now in case she makes things awkward for him at work and it ruins his promotion prospects. Mark advised him to report her to the police as stalking is an offence. I kept quiet.

Went back to Manda’s. She and Gus were practicing sexual aerobics in her bedroom so I put the television on full volume to let her know she had company.Mark and I watched corrie then he went home.

Early night tonight as big day tomorrow. Have even ironed my clothes for a change as want to make a good impression.

Rex pleased about my promotion but gutted about canceling lunch date as he said he had a surprise for me. He said he will try and pop to Manda’s next week to see me. He said I am now a member of the Bourgeoisie and would have to start power dressing for work. I told him that as I am a midget it is impossible to demand respect (also do not suit shoulder pads as make me look like a hunchback .) Rex said Manda will take the piss so I need to practice my assertiveness.

Anyway Mark brought me breakfast in bed and we read the Saturday papers then went and did a bit of shopping. Mark didn’t want to be dragged around Dorothy Perkins and Next so he said he would go to Starbucks for a while.

When I met up with him he looked as white as a sheet and was physically shaking. He had gone to have a tattoo put on his shoulder of my name but had passed out after the first letter. I thought builders were meant to be strong, macho types! He said he would need me to hold his hand when he goes back to get it finished. I was quite touched but a bit freaked out as is early days in our relationship. He said he thought it would show me how committed he was to me.

Anyway, once we had eaten a sandwich, Mark dropped me at the hospital.

Mum a bit more coherent but still moaning all the time.

She said she did not realise how painful it would be and she has to have the other foot done at a future date. She has a plaster cast on her foot. She said she blamed years of wearing cheap, narrow shoes. Julian said he wondered if they were called bunions because they rhyme with onions? I told him I would look it up on google later.

Julian has dumped office temp and he said she took it incredibly well. Me thinks she may have been putting a brave front on. Only time will tell.

Mum says she cannot stomach the food and that we must bring her food in. I told her I was going to see ‘Chicago’ tonight so it would be down to Dad as Julian is out with the lads tonight. She sniffed and said she would manage somehow.

Went for a coffee with Julian and he saw girl he had just dumped walking past the coffee house. He said it is just a coincidence but I am not so sure. She looked to me like she was making an effort to stride past in a confident manner. I should know. I stalked my ex for three months before he set the cops on me. I used to camp outside his office in the winter with my thermals on. I think it was part of my OCD.

Julian gave me a lift home and I am going to get ready now for big night out. Eye no better. May have to go back to see nurse.