Future plans

Today I have mostly been gathering up paperwork from various sources.

I am planning to go to University next year to study BA(hons) Archaeology and Medieval History, that's if Cardiff University will have me. This means I have rafts of paperwork to sort out for financing the course, tuition fees, maintenance Grants, Benefits, Disability assistance grants....oh and I have to apply to the University as well (thankfully this is done online) through UCAS the University course central application system. Application for the course has to be in by JAnuary 15th 2008, and the initial application for finance has to be in by April 2008. Those dates are not actually as far away as at first glance, so I'm trying to get ahead of the deadlines now.

So what is this course I want to do? straight from the university website... (Full Info CLICK HERE)

The Bachelor of Arts Archeology and Medieval History degree is a three year course which provides a level of training, skill and knowledge that is respected within professional archaeology and which serves students well when applying for postgraduate study, for employment in archaeology and the heritage sector, and for employment outside of the discipline.

Over three years, students take 360 credits of modules and are able to balance the core requirements in both subjects (e.g., excavation) with a tremendous range of period and regional options (e.g., Neolithic and Bronze Age Britain, Egypt, Medieval Archaeology).

In the first year of the BA Archaeology and Medieval History degree, students study three subjects: a general introduction to the human past (Archaeology Part I A); a general introduction to the study of History; and any other subject offered by the university (e.g., Ancient History, Sociology, Italian) which is timetable compatible. Thus, in their first year, BA Archaeology and Medieval History students take the following modules.

I think it sounds good, within that I can take modules to concentrate on my main period of interest, that being 1200 - 1500, and also specialising on the rise of the English Gentry of that period and relations between England and her closest European neighbours; this is balanced with focus on archaeological methods for exploring the medieval period.

I'll keep you up to date with my application i'm sure.

New Blog Title...New Start

It's been all go in the Aginoth Household this last week or so.

Firstly, and at long long last I have won my seemingly endless battle with my employer to be retired on medical grounds. I have in my possession now the Certificate signed by the Ministry of Defence Medical Advisor that I am permanently unable to work for the MoD due to Psoriatic Arthropy (Arthitis).

Offically my last day of employment will probably be 30th November 2007, but I am still torteceive confirmation. So I have today been filling in the forms to claim on my Life Insurance which with great presence of forthought on our part includes critical illness cover for permanent disability certified by an employers medical advisor. With my pension lump sum that means we should hopefully be able to pay of a very large chunk of our mortgage before too much longer, and clear all of our other debts. This will leave us clear to move house early next year to somewhere a bit easer for me to get around now my joints are getting worse (our current house is 3 stories high and I rarely go to the top floor now).

Second. Mrs.A won a car !!! OK so it's a quadricycle really, a REVA G-wiz, and totally impractical for any real use where we live due to Somerset being Mainly Rural and populated by Cows and Sheep. So it's getting deliverd to my mother in law's house in London where it will allow the commuter we sell it to to travel for free into the congestion zone, and be able to park for free in Westminster (I hear Boris Johnson has one!)
Small isn't it?

More details on it here if you are interested. She won it on a webite called My Offers! which is full of competitions every month.

Third. I should finally receive some pay this month, I have been off sick since March, but have not actually been paid any Sick Pay since the end of June, despite my employer agreeing to pay me as if I was receiving my pension already, as you might imagine after nearly 4 months finances are a little stretched to say the least. I am watching my Bank account avidly for the money.

Fourth. Life changing time, I have started my application to study BA Archaeology and Medieval History at Cardiff University from September 2008. I have to do something with all this spare time I have now I am retired, and as I will be receiving my pension we can afford for me to go back to University, this time to study something I'm interested in for myself and not for work.

Fifth. I know I have been neglecting my blog over recent months and I will try to do better ... honest... no I will... probably :o)

PS did you notice The name of the blog changed :o)