i am such a clutz

I can be a massive ejit at times and I am the sort of person that embarresses myself on a fairly regular basis. I don't plan these things but cringe at the memories!!!

here are a few examples, from most recent, going back....

1) It was a no-news day at the paper that I work for so I decide to shadow the photographer, great learning experience...to be fair it was.
So the first job was to go and photograph this bloke trying to promote a single...I am sure he wasnt the full shilling. So we turned up at this blokes bedsit and it stank of males. We did the photo outside and went on our merry way.
We pulled up to the next job chating and setting the world to right and I nearly take myself out on the paperwork he had in his car.
So we parked and attended the service. Finished it and came back to the car park, which is very busy all the time.
The photographer sees someone he knows and using his ket fob, unlocks the car. I didn't see which car it was because I was looking at my notes.
I then get into his car, a small silver car.
I look around and think ahhh bless he has sorted out all the papers, thats nice of him. Next thing I know he is walking past me in the small silver car appearing to be looking for something...and then it dawned on me, he was looking for me....I was sitting in completely the wrong car!
I got out the car and he said "where have you been?" By now I cant talk for laughing and I just pointed at the other car and tried to say "ive been in that one".
he gets the jist and he then doubles up laughing...someone waiting to pull into our space as seen the whole thing and he is laughing at me.
Please bear in mind that this is the first time that I have ever met the photographer and am still getting to know him...perfect ice breaker dont you think??

2) I worked for a fairly large international company a couple of years ago and was attending an important meeting.
Ohhh I thought, I chance to look really good and professional.
An hour I spent getting ready, doing my hair, getting a face on, I thought I looked really good. I had recently found "lip inks", these are lipsticks which when applied stay put for about 8 hours.
So off I go, I walk Theo to nursery and then on to work....its a very windy day.
My hair is loose, I am wearing a wrap around skirt and because of the wind I am trying to keep hold of it all.
I get to work with about 10 minutes to spare before the meeting, so I went to the loo to "adjust" myself.
The wind and swept my hair across my lips and then wiped round my face, thus leaving the un-removable lip stick in neatlines across my face...shite
I try and wipe the stuff off, the wipes get more vigorous, and now I have red streaks across my face with red blotches...I looked like I had really bad excema...not a good look....please remember that this is on just one side of my face....I did look like a half made up clown and because this stuff stays on for 8 hours, well you can see why it was embarresing.

3) Wearing a short skirt (in my much slimmer days) I sat on the bus on the way home.
It came to my stop so up I got. I swung my rucksack over my shoulder and went on my way...about a mile walk from the stop to get I stopped to chat. I said my good byes and started to walk away....STOOOOPPP shouted my friend and ran up to me and started to try an wrestle my bag off my shoulder, confused and a bit miffed off, I asked why the hell was going on...she then informed me that I had caught my skirt in my bag and could see my bum (it had to be the day I wore a gee string)...I had walked the mile home flashing my bum for all to see.....


So you can see I am a bit of an ejit at times and cringe at some of those memories, well atleast I can smile and cringe, because if your gonna do it, do it in style.

So my question / thought for this entry is, what memory makes you cringe and have you ever told anyone about it?

Getting to know me a bit better

These are things that I really like doing in my spare time...its about as up to date as it can be and fairly honest.These are in no particular order.......

I am loving doing reviews for the paper that I am working for...I don't pay for the tickets and have a good night out!

New information...although sometimes (most of the time) it can pretty overwhelming!

knowing nothing and trying to get my brain to be a sponge.

as you have previously read I am homeworking till about 9 at night and after that I am really enjoying cuddling up with hubby on the couch

I love and cherish those moments that Theo is playing and I just watch him..he doesn't seem to be aware of anything else other than the toy he is playing with.

Interviewing people...so many varied characters, so many varied stories to hear, no one persons life story is the same as the next..wow

Strangely, some kids shows....theo is getting to a really interesting TV stage!!! If he's not here, I sometimes still watch the shows...horrible histories rocks!!

I find it really interesting watching how my life is evolving at such a fast pace and where this path could lead me.

Creating my own news articles and researching them

getting by lines (this is where you have your name next to an article)

As always, my family

As always, my friends...I'm not enjoying the lack of time that I have for them right now...apologies my lovelies

shorthand

the notes app that i have on my mobile, although my moleskin will always be my first choice and is my partner in crime!

addictive games on facebook

writing, writing, writing, reading

Me and music got lost for a while, but now we have found each other again

genuine love stories

auto biographies


things that I don't like or don't appreciate

rude people who couldn't give a toss how the speak to people or don't think before they speak

the colour brown..although I love trees

dog poo on the pavement

ejit drivers who just pull out in front of you or turn with no indication

lies from people who you think wouldn't

people who take the piss for the sake of it when it really isn't an appropriate time

immature people, grow up and act your age...again, time and place

when on public transport and people are talking just loud enough for them to let everyone know what their conversation is about...sorry don't know you, don't wanna know about your life...private conversation

the English language....swear words need not be used when there are soooo many other words to use...expressive?

alas, sorry, kind of guilty...I am one of those people that like gossip, celebrity...sigh, a darker side to my character...it pains me to admit!

every girl needs a pair of red shoes

I have been mentally busy recently, my days are just slipping by and I am struggling to remember what I did 2 days ago. This is not a good thing when each college lesson brings new information that I am supposed to be retaining...hmmmmmm

Good news is that I had a one to one with my tutor today and he said that I was doing really brilliantly and my projected shorthand score is 100 words per minute...you are basically un-employable as a journalist unless you have the magic 100!!...just wondering where they got that projection from but, but hey, who am I to complain!

A typical day for me right now is
7am up to the sound of "need a poo" - thanks Theo, I will sooo remind you of this when you are drunk at the age of 18 and are saying this again.

by 8.30am Up, coffee, Theo breakfasted, dressed, teeth brushed, both his and my lucnhes made, me dressed teeth brushed, comb dragged through my bed hair, some sort of make-up on, check bag make sure have all files and homework to be handed in out the door and into car.

8.50am will have dropped Theo off at school, no time to wait for the whistle to be blown to take him into school, have to dump him in the playground, feel like a crappy mother but lets face it, when I am there he pays me no attention as he is "hanging with his mates"

9.05am have arrived at college and will hopefully have found a decent enough parking space that I can get into.

9.10am in class, have got stuff out of bag...bugger, at this point I always need the loo

9.15am class starts...still haven't landed on planet earth yet.

4pm ish Out of college, drive home and walk down to school, if I didn't park and then go get him I will have had no exercise.

4.30pm cooking dinner

5.00pm Nathan home, eat dinner

From 5-7pm spend time with my son, reading, playing etc

7pm Nath takes Theo to bed, I start homework

9pmish finish homework, can now communicate with my husband

10pm have fallen asleep on the couch and have to be rudely wakened by husband trying to get me to move my ass upstairs and into bed (I can appreciate the kindness now but at the time I really really wanna tell him where to go)

10.30 am in bed and am asleep

so as you can see, every minute of my day now has a structure and is accounted for in some way.

I was soooo highly strung last week that I simply HAD to do something to relax me...ahhh the magic hands of Holly my beauty therapist...god bless facials.

After my facial I felt relaxed and ready to start all over again.

The facial got me thinking about feeling good about oneself as a woman.

Confidence SHOULD come from the inside but lets face it, sometimes us girls need a little extra pick me up.

If I am wearing new under ware, an outfit that I feel makes me look OK, my hair is doing what I wanted it to do and I have shoes that look nice but also don't kill my feet...this combination hardly ever happens all at the same time, this is the a pick me up...so what about one thing in the whole ensemble..RED SHOES.

Red shoes are fun, can be a little bit sexy and always make me feel smiley for the day. I catch them in my perferal vision as I walk and they are a reminder to myself that I am all woman, but with a wicked side too.

I also think that red shoes go with most outfits, you can play them down with jeans, wear them to the office, or dress them up to go out in..they should be girly, if sparkles on all the better (think Dorothy)...but most of all they should make you smile.

This is why I think every girl should own a pair of red shoes...for those times when your feeling stressed, they are a reminder to just chill...if your feeling a little down, red is a great pick me up colour, if your feeling confident, you can stride with pride my friends!!

Above is my latest pair of red shoes...in saying that red shoes go with everything, I may wait to wear these little numbers as I want to wear them with something that will show them off to perfection!!!

SO my question / thought for this entry is, when was the last time you wore a pair of red shoes....or what is your "pick me up" technique?

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh

I have been at college now for nearly 2 weeks and already my head is swimming with writing do's and don't's, the Constitution, the monarchy, shorthand, web design.....as i said aarrrggghhhhh.

But i have to say I am loving it!!! My wrist is really aching today from all the notes that I have taken and there is to be no let up.

I honestly did not think there was soooo much law and public affairs that a journalist have to take into consideration.

I new that newspaper writing is a style all on its own, but there are more rules and regulations than you can shake a stick out...hmmm I think I will impart some knowledge...did you know that the media cannot name a rape victim for their entire life...all the other details are fair game as long as you don't write anything that can be seen as libel or contempt of court by publication and that we have some give in the libel issue because of a "special privilege" given to us by government...ha..get me!!

I can also write all manner of things in short hand like bum, sexy sexy, dick, mum, bum, shall is written with just one letter...oh good times.

So we do all the academic stuff and have a giggle doing it (apparently I ask really good intelligent questions...who new!!) and then for lunch someone has an Ipod with speakers and we all go to the grass area and sit around and have good quality conversation like Fritz and then the price of childcare, to the Beatles..all good with me.

We are such a diverse range of people that we simply just get along and are becoming friends but we are all slightly weird in our own little ways!! I would love to tell tales but I could be sued in a Civil case, which is heard by a jury and then they will get me to pay court fees and a fine laid down by the jury...bad times.

So with all my new knowledge where can I have a right good old English moan...ha fail you I won't....

I am beyond tired, when my alarm goes off in the morning I could swear that I have only been asleep for 5 minutes...I am reading and doing homework till about 8-9pm every night and yet still feel like I am being left behind, My wrist is really aching, notepads are going to cost me so much I may take out shares (have already been through one book), AND I feel like poo, I have the onset of a cold but there is no way that I can take any time off....we cover sooo much in one lesson that to miss one would be severe.

BUT EVEN WITH THE MOAN, I am still loving it. As I said, I really didn't appreciate how much journalist actually needed to know but by knowing gaining this new information I feel my eyes opening to all kinds of things and feel the power of knowledge beneath my wings!!

So my question / thought for this entry is...what was the ultimate piece of knowledge you ever had, do you remember who gave the information and is it something you use on a regular basis???

it's all gone a bit mental and rather sad

RIP Ruby blue, forever in our hearts, forever missed x x


My house, since Friday, has just gone mental. One of more poor feline babies got stung on his paw and was swollen to double its normal size! Straight down the vet who said that he had had an allergic reaction to what ever had stung him. An over night stay later and he was good to come home. Lots of fuss and lovin was made of him and I have to say he was loving it!!

Then on Sunday afternoon the poor thing came in looking, well, high is the only way I can describe it and breathing like he was on 40 fags a day...sooo distressed. We decided leaving taking him to the vets and Nath would do it in the morning.

So Sunday night came and I was very very nervous about starting college the next day. Stress before I even walked through the door of college. I am the worlds biggest wimp when it comes to parking my car, I just don't do it if I can get out of it. Theo's school is on a very narrow street where drop off time is crazy busy and then I had to get to college and park there and so be on my merry way....lost half a stone on sweat!!

Half way through the morning I get a call from nathan saying that there really wasn't anything they could do for my poor cat Ruby. he had been run over and all of his internal organs had been shunted upwards hence the breathing. Right, ok, be strong, get through the form filling at college and then break down.

We decided that we would have a little funeral for Ruby and I got a red rose bush to plant by the grave. You have to understand that Ruby was Theo's cat and I have to admit that I really didn't know how to tell the poor kid. nath came home early and we both picked him up from school and told him when we got back home. It was soooo sad, we all just sat there and wept for him.

Nath went to dig a hole in the garden and then Theo and I went out. Nath placed the cat in the hole, he just looked like he was curled up asleep...totally heart wrenching. We put a rose over him. Theo and I turned away while nath covered him, I thought that was one sight that theo really didn't need to see.

We said our good byes and that was that. We all came in and just sat and balled our eyes out....I never ever want an evening like that again.

The thing is though, He lived in our conservatory and every time I went out there he would stretch out and welcome me with the loudest purr I have ever heard. I find it hard to go out there now, and we still have 3 feed bowls as we can't get rid of the 3rd just yet.

So that's that side of things.

College is all I expected it to be. Yes I am the fattest girl and yes I am the oldest one there, but do you know what, I don't feel out of place as we have all rather quickly made friends and are all on the same path...I am really enjoying it!!
It's full on with heaps of homework (of which I am supposed to be doing right now). My favourite subject so far HAS to be shorthand!!!

Anyways...Hows your week been, any traumas????!!!!

first day of year one

When I decided to take the whole of the summer off with my son I did so with trepidation. How were we going to get on? Did we have enough to fill our time? would we drive each other crazy? could I handle having that much responsibility for all that time? At the end of the day, he's my son, my gold, the light of my life, and with all those questions, one feeling wiped them all out....excitement.
The last time I spent that much time with my 5 year old child was when he was born and I was on maternity leave with him...how crap is that?

We did have enough to fill our days, more than enough even. We seem to have done loads but not done anything!! We had a blast and it was like getting to know him all over again, of course I know him, but now we have this connection...its really hard to explain it!

All summer we have spend messing around and getting dirty and hanging out in shorts, so when a bit of a chill was nipping the air, I put him in jeans...what I want to know is who and when did someone put my son on a stretching machine????
All his trousers that fitted him in July now don't even rest on his ankles...serious shopping time. His feet have grown one and a half sizes...so off we went.

Well, what a laugh we had that day!!!! we spent a fortune on clothes, pants, socks, shoes, jumpers, t-shirts, shirts...you name it, we got it.
We got him a new "Ben 10 Alien force" drink bottle, lunch bag and sports kit bag, so he was one happy bunny.

So today is the day he went back to school to year one.

He has been up since silly O'clock advising Nathan and I of all the things that need to happen before he can go to school...I think the words uttered by us as we lay half asleep was "will that child never shut up" and "oh my lord, help me get through this morning without going mad", you know that sort of thing.
We gave in at about 6.45am, he then proceeded to tell me which new clothes he wanted to wear, what he wanted for lunch, to remind me to get some pumps for his gym bag, also to get a present for a friends birthday party, when is the party....all this was said without taking a breath and all whilst trying to eat breakfast...I didn't need to join the conversation, I couldn't because A) I hadn't landed on planet earth yet and B) It was moving whey to quick for me to respond.

We don't need to leave the house until 8.30, by 8.15 I had spoken just a few words...teeth, dressed, hang on a minute....took my time feeding the animals just for a bit of a break from wired child.

At 8.25 he was running through his checklist of all the stuff we needed to take...hmmpph I thought, and who's going to carry all this stuff?????

When he was in reception, we could drop him off in class, make sure he had someone and something to play with and could go on our merry way with the sound knowledge that he was happy and ok for the day ahead...I liked that, it made me feel at ease.

Today was a different story.
It hadn't even crossed my mind that us parents would not be allowed in the class, so when the whistle went and they marched the children into the school I became rather over-whelmed with it all, much more so than this time last year.

My baby, waved, smiled and off he went with his "mates". "see ya mummy, hope you have a great day", and was gone, just like that.

So here I am, sitting in my toy explosion of a house, all misty eyed and alone with no child to laugh with, no one to watch Harry Potter with and only myself to look after for the next week until I start college on Monday.

I was really looking forward to having this time to myself and now all I want is my son...sniff sniff...when did he get all grown up on me???? (I now have a tear in my eye)

he said this morning that he was a bit nervous but was also excited.

I am so very proud of my son, he is facing this new year with a smile and a skip in his step and whilst other children had a shock when mummy or daddy wouldn't be going into the class room, Theo held my hand gave it a bit of a squeeze and smiled and said "if I can, do you want me to draw you a picture today Mummy because I love you". I love him and already miss him.

All summer, every now and again, he would ask a question about having a new class and a new teacher and I would answer them with the truth. I new to a certain degree he was a bit nervous, but didn't know really what about. So the other day we were playing and I just chatted with him about things and he asked some more questions and asked me if I was going to be alright without him, which I took as is he going to be ok without me, So I answered in a way which was indirectly aimed at him. I think by this point he had had enough of Mummy and wanted to see all his friends again, we had seem them over the summer but they are school friends.

My thought / question for this entry is how have your children handled the new school year and if you don't have any, do you remember how you coped???

I am a very proud Mummy

My son has a fear...of going under water.

From when he was born he loved going in the bath, adored it and he used to shake with excitement when I took him for his bath. However, should i even get close to washing his hair he would have the biggest fit ever.
Even now at the age of nearly 6 I have to hold his head up so that he doesn't feel afraid of getting water in his face.

Earlier on in the summer holidays I booked him in for swimming lessons hoping that this would help gain confidence in the water. He loves swimming and he finds splashing Mummy highly amusing, but should I attempt to splash him he will go mad at me.

The swimming teacher had the children jumping into the water, he wouldn't do it....he was great in the fact that he would do all the other stuff and he came on leaps and bounds with his swimming but still wouldn't get his face or head wet.

Yesterday was a rather boring day so we decided to go swimming, and walk there...its a long way, but its what he wanted to do, so off we went. Along the way he said he was going to go under water...I know its sounds crappy but I really didn't believe him.

So we got there and we were having a nice time messing about and stuff and I gently reminded him that he said he was going to dunk his head. He gave me a look that was pure challenging!!! he slowly got lower and lower in the water until his eyes were covered and jumped up shouting "I did it i did it"...well done said I the encouraging mother that I try to be, and then I just said "but the top of your head is still dry", off he went again, after about 5 times he went fully under...I was nearly crying with pride!!!

What made this even more special was the swimming teacher was there on the side and Theo only noticed her after he had fully submerged!!!

Well that was that, I hardly saw him above the water the whole time we were there!!

What was a bit disappointing though was Nathan wasn't there for that magical moment, but we are going to go swimming tomorrow afternoon so he can see.

I know to some parents, the thought of their child going under water is an every swimming day experience and to others it may fill them with dread, but me...I'm proud of this because it means my son is moving on and won't retain this fear into later life and that to me is worth everything.

So my question / thought for this entry is...how has your child (or other family member) made you proud this week???

an entry (of sorts)

My goodness have I been really really busy recently!!!! Apologies for not adding an entry recently.

So I went to the balloon fiesta and had the best time, I have to say that for the whole day I reverted to the age of about 7...one very valid reason for this...the red arrows.
As a child, every year my parents took my brother and I to a local air show and the red arrows performed the most amazing aerobatics...incredible.
So when the red arrows came whooshing threw the air I almost wet myself with glee. They are everything and more that I remember as a child. This time had an added little touch though, the gentleman on the tannoy system allowed us a treat of listening to what was being said in the actual planes!!! the planes were going straight up in the air and what came over the tannoy was "whooohoooohoooo thems the g-force" I was crying with laughter (from all this you can imagine that Nathan was the parent of Theo and I at this point).
Then came the balloons lift....wow. During the day the arena seemed huge, then the balloons came in and all of a sudden it became rather small...with 98 hot air balloons inflating and taking off, again wow.
Oh and the decorated tent went down a storm.

Then back for a week doing washing and packing for a week down in Cornwall....oh my beloved Cornwall. Now my love for the county was really tested this holiday as the weather was atrocious, wet wet wet...and then some wind for good measure.
I really did pack shorts and summer dresses in the lean expectancy of good weather...foolish I know.
But we had a brilliant week. My sister-in-law is pregnant with her 3rd child and if anyone suits being pregnant, its Kate. To put her life into perspective at the moment, she has sold her house and they move today, they are borrowing an aunts 2 bed flat, they are going to build their own home, her husband has handed his notice in at work and will be doing a change of career as a tree surgeon and then her eldest daughter goes to secondary school in 1 week!! and I thought I had to juggle things!!
We went for beautiful walks, we went to Marizion and had fish and chips on the beach, I met a real life artist and got all star struck (big fan)..Nannette Martin. And we went SHOPPING!!! Theo wasn't going to bed till about 9.30 every night as he was far to busy playing with his cousins...limited child care required!!

Now we are back and I am really trying to concentrate on shedding weight before I start college in 2 weeks...still don't want to be the fat, eldest student.

I also have the responsibility of creating a miniature garden with Theo to enter at the local veg fair!!!

so when I write this all down it doesn't seem to be that much but the time has gone somewhere!!!

So here's to you my friends who read my blog and I hope you are all enjoying the "summer".

MY question / thought for this entry is..what have you been up to recently and did you enjoy it????

Beyond excited!!!

I have been looking forward to this weekend for months.

About 4 years ago, my husband and I became aware of the Bristol hot air balloon fiesta. Its a weekend of hundreds of balloon's in one place taking off twice a day, the fiesta has a massive market, red arrows fly over and in general promises to be a rather brilliant weekend.

So for every year we have known about the fiesta we have deliberated on going, some years we have just plain forgot and since Theo has been able to walk, we decided that he was not strong enough to walk for that amount of time without being picked up (as soon as he could walk there was no physical was he was getting into a stroller).

This year however we are going, and I am like a child. I love the mystical-ness of hot air balloon's, the way they glide across the sky, I adore the fantastical strange shapes that some are and I love the colourful ones best!!

We have a tent and now have all the kit...to describe....
The tent is, I suppose, kind of dome shaped from the outside and is blue. You walk under awning and into a "lounge area" (this my affection name for it) which is about 6ft by 6ft. On either side is a room both exactly the same size and big enough to fit a double air bed in and not much more.
So its a tent.

the kit we have is a double gas burning stove, a fold-away-table, cooking equipment and utensils, red (Theo's favourite colour) plastic cutlery and crockery and of course the air beds with sleeping bags...Theo in his (red) and us in the other room in our double sleeping bag.
A camping excursion right???? wrong.


Aha, this camping trip will be a tent with a bit of fun. I have made bunting to go on the guide ropes at the front, I have made flowers to go round the legs of the table and Theo has put glow in the dark star stickers onto a massive piece of paper which will be hung in his area. I have 2 picnic blankets, one will be used for its intended purpose and the other will serve as a rug for the "lounge area". I have tea light holders that are like lanterns on sticks and, because I always get annoyed at flies getting into the tent, I have 4 citronella candles to light in the evening at the front of the tent!!!! -
I am over excited at this point and have running around all day making sure that we have got everything...and now, as I sit and type this poised on the edge of my seat, watching the clock not moving, I await my darling husbands home coming. The man is not gonna know what hit him when he walks through that door...I want / need / have to be outta here asap!!

I love camping...why should it all be about communal showers and and going for a wee in a bush????

I am sooo excited about the whole experience, the tent decorating and of course the balloon fiesta, I hope to get heaps of photo's with my now dried out camera (a long story which I couldn't tell before as it just made me cry and I may reveal my stupidity another time!)

So my thought / question for this entry is....what did you make fun that should have been slightly mundane???

have a great weekend everyone

and we had a great time

When I decided to quit my job in ready for my course, the decision was made to enhance my summer and spend it with my son.
I had visions of us spending lazy days at the park with a picnic of delicious juicy fruits (to cool us down) and a football and maybe a kite on windy days.
What I didn't foresee was a wet summer...a very wet summer...am not a happy bunny.

We have spent days cutting, sticking, painting, making, baking, and watching dvd's...not the summer sun I had dreamt of, and I am very quickly running out of rainy day activities (all suggestions gratefully received).

Woooohoooo, yesterday was a very nice day, so with my husbands hard earned cash in hand we went to the brilliant Warwick castle.

We ALWAYS have a really great time there. We buy swords as soon as we can and in between shows we sword fight, my knuckles get bruised and I inevitably ask him a million times to be a bit more gentle with Mummy!

We saw golden eagles, vultures, a fire eating jester, 4 knights doing battle for the hand of the princess, he threw rats through a hoop, we saw 2 men trying to kill each other in sword to sword combats, we were entertained by an archer and we watched the worlds largest trebuchet do its thing at 150 mph!. The sun was shining and our smiles were broad.

Theo and I were also knighted. We had to do various swordsmanship and charge and stuff whilst wearing armoured helmets and having fits of giggles in the ahhhhhh of whacking the swords on the post (sure there is a more technical term but whacking it will do for me!) See the photo for Theo doing is whacking!!

This morning however was yet more bloody rain. I mean really, where is it all coming from? It's not as though we have had an amazing dry spell to warrant all the rain is it?

To add to my concerns about the weather, we are supposed to be camping this weekend at Bristol's hot air balloon fiesta. I don't mind camping when its raining, its the getting the tent up in the rain and everything getting wet before you've even begun. I have very attractive wellies which are very comfy and I think will be used a lot this weekend!!

So my question / thought for this entry is...how are you combating the rain boredom with your kids this "summer" holiday?

an un-expected brilliant weekend

Un-expected because I fully expected to spend the weekend on the couch, I have badly bruised the ligaments and tendons holding my right knee cap in place (falling down concrete steps). This was done on Thursday.
Having had swine flu, I can not spend anymore time on my couch!

So with Theo at my parents house for the weekend and with NHS walking stick at my aid, Nathan and I set off for Warwick Folk Festival, my favourite past time was promptly embarked upon..rambling through on old book shop...I love the smell, the feeling and the stock!! Books were bought at extortionate prices, but a smile was playing on my face

We had a fine dinner at home (after the normal specified set time that a child dictates) and had a really nice, if somewhat painful, evening together.

Today we went back to Warwick for hmmmmm brunch. An anti pasta was had whilst watching morris dancers do their thing in the rain..hahaha..smug feeling, warm with coffee, good food and best of all, dry!!

Then we went to go and pick up Theo who was wired with tiredness. most people get grouchy or upset or just fall asleep when tired...not Theo, he goes into hyper mode.
Knowing that we had a "fun" afternoon and evening ahead of us, we decided on a pleasant nature walk.

Home for wet weather gear and our camera's, off we set.

When we set out it wasn't raining, just very windy.

It was the most relaxing walk EVER. We stopped and listed for the wind in the trees and compared it to the noise of waves breaking, we listened to the bird song, we looked at the tracks to see what we could make out in them - birds feet, dog paws, horse hoofs and different sized human treads.
We stopped in the bird watch den and saw a heron feeding.
It started to rain and it was simply glorious. Everything seemed do dive for shelter but the rain soaked leaves glistened and shone, the water hitting the river made ripples in the murky water.

I am a complete amateur photographer and do it for my very own pleasure, I used to take my camera everywhere when Nathan first bought it for me, but somehow I got out of the habit. But when you are intent on taking pictures of small little flowers and trying to get a good picture of the rain in the water...you do tend to see things that you wouldn't if you just went for a rambling walk (well I wouldn't anyway). (for some really excellent photography, please please go to http://www.chookooloonks.com/)

Having a bad knee I had to set the pace and it was a slow pace through the woods.
We got wet through, we got muddy and a little chilly, but we all had a really good nature walk and promised that as long as its not torrential rain, we would come out at least once a week.

Love Thursday - to my friends

Recently I decided that I like who I am.
This may seem strange to some that at the grand old age of 32, I have only just realized it, but there we go!!!..This is what I came up with....I am a nice person, I like who I am and what I do and generally what I am all about, because I know who I am - I don't need someone telling me, I know what I do makes me happy and I don't have the dread of going to work in the morning, I understand me and appreciate my likes and dislikes and I don't need to be a chameleon to fit with someone else - and because I felt the need to scrutinise myself makes me think of all of my dear friends that would say exactly the right thing had I told them the situation I found myself in...so it is for this reason that I dedicate this Love Thursday to each and every friend.

To all my friends out there, I thank you from the bottom of my soul for always being "there" for me.

I adore meeting new people and sharing experiences with them.

Last night I went to a friends house to attend a clothes swapping party. You may have heard of these, basically you grab a heap of clothes intended for the charity shop, take them to said party and literally dump them on a table!! it was such a hoot and came back with clothes that about 7 other women had tried on and some that I would never look at in a shop!

I met some really funny, wity and adorably people last night who just made the evening.

There was an element of frenzy when we all dumped our clothes onto the table, but it soon calmed down and once some vino was drunk we were all trying on things that were too big / too small or just down right dangerous for us to wear!! But it was all done with a lot of teasing a massive dose of laughter.

I hold all my friends on a pedestal for all of their individual perfections, I have a friend who moved from London to little old leamington - she Knew no one and had 2 kids to get into school and take care of...she is now one of the happiest people I know...another friend moved to Spain and is such a dedicated mother that she is coming back so her daughter can do more studying over here and doesn't want to be without her....another friend recently gave up EVERYTHING to follow a dream - and a bloody good life she is leading now...another friend is just perfectly calm in any given situation nothing seems to faze her....so many people, so many personalities I find each and every one of them special and I couldn't survive without all of their gossip!!

So this love thursday goes out to all of my friends that I have known, know now and will know in the future - I take my hat off to you all...and thanks for sharing you life with me.

a homage to my husband

(a corny picture of us - check out the 5 month pregnancy belly!!!)(scanned so please excuse the picture quality!)

We have been married for 6 glorious years today.

Our love has moulded, evolved and grew with us as 2 individual people.

In my previous life, I had a very turbulent time with regards to men and when I moved to London I was basically running away from a bad situation.
I got transferred there within my job and had only ever visited London about 3 times and knew absolutely no-one there. The person who gave me the job advised me to speak to someone called Nathan about finding somewhere to live, so I did and he helped.

So when I moved to London and started work, I obviously wanted to meet him. My initial reaction was that he was very skinny and dorky looking, he says that he thought I had a nice rack and a decent pair of legs!!!
To cut a very long story short, we hooked up about 2 weeks later and when I look back I fell for him hook line and sinker straight away!
I bullied, cajoled and bribed him and eventually we moved in to our first flat together and our relationship has gone from strength to strength.
We have never ever looked back and we have gone from one adventure to another.
Don't get me wrong we have had our moments, but that's all they have been is moments. I pride our relationship on many things and not arguing is a big one. We can talk things out, yes it may get a little heated at times but I cant remember a time that we have had an all out slanging match saying things that we will regret later.
If one of us has done something to upset the other, we don't let it fester, we immediately say something to get it over and done with.
We have sooo much in common, yet still have our own interests. We are both unique yet we are as one. And our love has no boundaries.

I never thought that one person was made for another, now I do.
I trust him, I adore him, I worship the ground he walks on, he is my "sex on legs", in short - Nathan is my everything and I couldn't be me without him.
He doesn't have a romantic bone in his entire body, but he doesn't need to...its the little things that matter to me. He will go to the shops and will bring me back flowers, he will call me in the middle of the day just to say Hi, every morning - without fail, he will bring me a cup of coffee in bed, he will look at me when I am feeling ugly and tell me I am beautiful and he will be really honest when I ask does my bum look big in this!!!

I love him for all that he is and not all that he could be. I think some women try to change their men into not watching the footie as much or to take them shopping and get mad at their man for not having fun. I married the man because I fell for him just the way he is...who has the right to change perfection???

It is with great honour and with a gratified tear in my eye that I say thank you Nathan for choosing me to be your wife, and thank you for the life we have.

forever yours.

love on love Thursday

I have a deep down dark secret that some would say isn't as deep down as I may think....I love, adore and whoop for joy at ....... weddings.
I am one of those sad people that Love looking at wedding pictures and I cry at weddings, be it a family member getting hitched or a friend or even on TV...I cry with proper tears.

So, one might be forgiven if you think that at my own wedding I was a blubbering wreck...on the contrary my dear friends, I laughed, the whole way through!
I laughed whilst walking the isle, I laughed whilst saying the vows, I was almost hysterical when I said my husbands very long name, in fact, the only time I shed a tear is when a very dear friend read a poem for us.

I loved my wedding day for the fact that all of my nearest and very dearest were there to celebrate with us. We had about 30 people there as we only wanted people there who would celebrate our exchange of vows and not just there for a party. It was a beautiful day and everyone says they still talk about it. I was 5 months pregnant and I am thankful that in some small way my son was present.

At the end of the evening, after a large amount of alcohol was drunk (not by me), I was getting tired so went for a little lie down (we got married and had the reception at the green bank hotel in Falmouth), when I got back into the reception the band were doing "you can leave your hat on" About 6 male friends were dancing and parading as though they were in the full monty film!!! classic, we have it all recorded to add to their shame!!

And this is where Love on love Thursday comes in....
I have a few friends that are in serious relationships and I am desperate for them to get engaged so I can start planning!!! I also add that I have never ever been a bridesmaid (being 2 and stumbling up the isle in a very pink and very frilly dress does not count) and so I am desperate to be a matron of honour. I drop subtle hints like, "I would look fantastic in an empire full length green dress" and "I have the best hen days plan", subtle.

So I dedicate this love Thursday not necessarily to those little things that have made ME appreciate life this week, but to all those people that have new love, the kind of love that is all consuming in passion and exploration of a partners mind and sole. The sort of thing that makes your stomach lurch at the very thought and is both exciting and scary all at the same time. The sort of love that I still have for my husband.

Its our 6 th wedding anniversary next week and we have been together for 10 years this week. i love that man more than I care to express, I don't always show it but I worship the ground that man walks on, I love watching him sleep as I know when he is asleep he is care free, I love to have him cuddle me all up as I feel so safe in his arms, I love the way he makes me tingle with desire and I love the way he looks at me....I simply love Nathan.

So this is to your my "in love" friends. For those of you who have never had this love, you will.

i'm being tested for swine flu

Remember the other day when I was bragging and I mentioned that I have a "sniffle"?
well that sniffle has turned into big flu. I ache - everywhere...I would laugh if I didn't think my head would split open in pain.

My husband called NHS direct yesterday to see about the whole swine flu thing and very non committal the nurse said that she would sent out a testing kit - by post, it may get sent it may not!! I wonder how many cases of swine flu have gone un detected because the kit hasn't been sent. Apparently you have to stick some sort of pipette up your nasal canal, take a sample and then post it back...ergh, I have lots of stuff in my nasal canal that I can take a sample of!!!

My symptoms are as follows...my head has a lightening bolt of pain going thru it every time I move my head...I feel like putting a tampon into each nasal passage just to stop the flow of luminous green snot coming out, my shoulders ache, my back feels battered and bruised, i have lead legs and my feet feel like I have walked the length of the UK on them. this is note a good time for me and no position that I sit or lie in is comfy.

I managed to get down stairs this morning on my own as hubby was off to work (after doing the school run) He said that he would only go to work if i could get up to go to the toilet and also be able to get myself a drink and something to eat.

Ha, i love a challenge. needing a pee, I took the opportunity to prove that I am an independent 30 something and so off I went...got half way up stairs and needed to have a little rest, had my pee and was hungry so I decided to make myself some toast, so I managed to get myself down stairs...little rest on the couch...bread in toaster, buttered toast and sat down, this took about 20 minutes or so!

Hmmppphhhh toast smelt lovely, problem was I was too knackered and exhausted from my little escapade that I couldn't summon the energy to eat the goddam toast. Hubby asked for the truth if I was gonna by OK for him to go to work...I cried, like a child...how pathetic is that...then the head splitting pain came back with a vengeance.

the time of writing this is 9.31 and it has already been a fairly hectic day...I'm going to sleep now and will await the postman for my swine flu test kit..damn those bugs.

So my thought / question for this entry is...how are you today?

i'm bragging and I know it tra la la

It suddenly hit me yesterday that I have a damn near perfect life!!! But I must confess that I don't always appreciate it.

This is the list of my appreciation of life, please note that it is NOT in order of importance.

We have enough money to tide us over...don't get me wrong we aint rich by any means, but we are doing ok.
I have a great son who is getting complements from his teachers, admittedly he can be a little bugger at times, but can't we all?
I only work 2 afternoons a week plus one day till 3pm...so I have the work / life balance right.
I have got the whole of the summer off to spend hanging with my son.
I have some really exciting times ahead with training to be a journalist.
My friends that I have around me are honourable, kind and supportive, and ALWAYS know what to say at the right time.
My parents are the best parents that a person could wish for, again we have our moments but it would be boring without them!!!
I adore my husband with a passion and worship the ground he walks on! He is the most sexiest man in the world and understands my little "quirks", for instance, at the moment I have a little sniffle but am convinced that I have swine flu...he knows what I am like and just kind of kicks me up the ass a little. He is also a very kind man (today I received a box of goodies from my favourite spa company!).
My home is not as big as I would like but then I weigh up the house work that would be required for a bigger home...hmmm I'll stick with the size I have for now!
My extended family are all really nice people who I get on with really well and I am proud to be their family from my brother to my in-laws...I hope I appreciate them all in their individual ways (I am sure they would tell me if I didn't!)

But to sum up my life, I am surrounded by love, friendship, kindness, laughter, seriousness when required, comfort and understanding...not bad for just one person eh?

So my thought / question for this entry is...what are you thankful for TODAY?

my big fantastic thrill

At new years I gave myself lots of challenges for this year...some have been gratefully forgotten and the subject of those will never be raised again, and others I am facing the challenge head on.

For example, I said that I really wanted to "try" 3 new sports this year...so far, I have tried jogging / running...it hurt my poor knees, the second one was done this weekend. ANd the third has yet to be explored.

We have lived in our current abode for about 3 and a half years and when drive down the road we see sails...as in sailing boat sails. On this side of them there are allotments and on the other side is a river and a leisure centre. Countless times we have wondered where the heck are those boats sailing? We checked the river and no boats...weird.

We googled all sorts of weird and wacky words to try and find out, and in the end we came across a yacht company within the vicinity of where the sails were. So off we went for a walk one day to see if we could find it...nope...couldn't find a sailing club anywhere and short of climbing over someones garden fence we gave up.

We contacted the club and to get there is basically down an alley way between 2 houses!

So we signed up and became members of said club yesterday (Sunday) and had the best time.

I have probably mentioned my crap driving of a car, but I am a slow extremely cautious driver, but on the water I found that I am an absolute speed freak!!

A very nice gentleman took us out in his 3 man sailing boat and wow!!! You know how you see the crew sitting on the edge of the boat as its nearly tipping up?? never in a million years did I ever think that I would be doing that...too much of a scardy cat...but there I was sitting rather happily on the side of this boat asking the bloke to go faster!!!

Then it was my turn to take a little one man boat out...on my own...before yesterday I seriously didn't know one end of the boat from the other. The only way that I was brave enough to go out was if the safety boat followed me...how kind of another gentleman to do this..he was issuing me instructions and I have to say a massive thank you to all the people that we met yesterday at the club because my son, husband and I had the most amount of fun!!! loved it and can see me seriously getting into this sailing malarkey!!! and I am more than a little proud of myself!!!

so my thought / question for this entry is...what have you done recently that was both new and exciting???

first girlfriend / boyfriend news

Do you remember your very first childhood sweetheart?
Mine was a boy called Jonathon (his surname will remain unsaid). We were "boyfriend and girlfriend" throughout primary school. He was lovely and kind and made me feel very special. I remember him coming to our house for tea and my Dad taking the mikey something rotten...I also think that along with my first boyfriend came my first feeling of embarrassment...thanks Dad.

It transpires that my 5 year old son has a girlfriend...and a really pretty girl she is too..he has good taste, what can I say?!?!

Her mum is the most beautiful woman, very fashionable, very friendly and a singer to boot..the woman has simply everything going for her!! So Theo's girlfriend already has a husky voice, she is so polite and always a nice word to say...she is gonna be a great woman!!

Theo has been doing really well as school so I got him a couple of lollypops for when I picked him up from school today, his girlfriend was there and .... ahhhh bless, he asked if he could give one to this little girl!!!

whats also brilliant is that the girls mum is also actively encouraging the courtship as she says she is in love with Theo as well!!!...so my son is a little flirt!!

So next week there are going on there first little "date" to a soft play area...well that should be good for a giggle...he is about as boyish as they come and she is very girly..should be interesting to see them together.

so my thought / question for this entry is do you remember your first "boyfriend or girlfriend" and how old were you???

Love Thursday very very proud of........me!

well hello there.

Apologies for not writing sooner but I have been writing for a local paper and also seriously concentrating on my little books....no excuse, I know but there you have it!

This year I decided enough was enough and that I was going to get rid of my fatty body for ever. I have played with diets in the last 2 years and to cut a very long story short, I couldn't be bothered and would loose about 2 pound come off the diet and then pile more weight on...a down ward spiral.

The Summer is here and heat we have been experiencing, but what to wear when one feels like an elephant, one can't cover up with big baggy jeans and an over sized jumper anymore....yes there have been tears.

I am not the sort of person that gets down about their weight and then goes to the fridge to console herself, the simple fact of the matter is, I like junk food...love it and much prefer it to a plate of rabbit food (salad). I like the quickness of takeaways.

So anyway, I made a direct decision last week to do it, once and for all. So off I went to what I call "fat club", paid my money, got on the scales and very nearly fell back off them again! I was officially the heaviest I have EVER been in my intire life (apart from when I was growing my son)...disgusted in myself doesn't quite cut it. After the weigh in you have a bit of a chat, as a group, with the consultant. The whole time I was sat there I just wanted to cry.

I went home really rather depressed and then it hit me, like a shining ray of "i get it". If I was feeling so low about being fat and over weight,,,then do something about it!!! and boy did I.

Some situations have arose over the past week that I could easily gone back to my old ways....round a friends house and a pizza was ordered...yummmmm, but I raided my friends cupboards and resisted the pizza by eating healthy food...at a peace festival, everyone had ice creams...I resisted....I took my own lunch instead of getting food there....very very proud.

I have felt empowered this week, I have taken control back.

So last night was my first official weigh in and get this people...I LOST 5 POUNDS...I one week!!!! Again, I nearly fell off the scales but for a good reason.
The trick is now to keep up with it and keep going. Granted I have wanted to eat crisps till they come out of my ears and eat chocolate till I own the Wonka factory, but control is where its at for me now!!!!

So my dear friends, this love Thursday I am dedicating it to ones self. Enjoy all of yourself and if you need to, take back that control and do what you need to do to make yourself happy and satisfied.

Please leave your love Thursday links or comments.

introvert or extrovert???

(my lame photography of a golden statue in Brugge - sorry couldn't resist)


The last week has been manic in my house!!

I had my birthday on Wednesday, which was fantastic and I was very spoilt by my beloved.
Then the weekend bought beautiful weather and we managed to get and about. We went to Mary Ardens house which is part of the Shakespeare trust and had the best day. The trust put on a bit of a Tudor day and with the sunshine smiling down, it was a day filled with smiles.
Now its half term and the weather is turning slightly (apparently tomorrow its going to rain - lots) so I am trying to fit heaps in, things that we have wanted to do for ages but have been too tired to do.

Today we went swimming with one of my sons friends and his mother (of which I get on really well).
Theo is such a cautious kid in so many ways but so extreme in others. He will watch and wait and work things out before, or if, he tries it. Sometimes he has done the thing before but will still get a bit nervous about it.
Take our swimming outing for example, he has never ever liked getting his face wet, hates it and it really freaks him out. He will not, under any circumstances "dunk" his head under water and if he goes down one of the water slides I have to catch him on the way down so he doesn't go under water.
Interesting, the friend that we went with today is exactly the same...and not just with swimming, but his little brother is fearless in the water, throws himself around and loves going under the water...complete opposite.
It got me thinking about how siblings essentially come from the same genetic make-up but have such different personalities.
Me and my big brother couldn't be more different if we tried...I'm rather intense but also (I like to think) extremely loyal, I am fairly out going and will try new things with excitement, I love meeting new people and I put my life out there for anyone to read...my brother on the other hand is a sit at home with his family sort of person, has few friends but has had those friends since school, he holds his cards very close to his chest...intensely private person.
I wonder, if we could have another child, what would their personality be???out extrovert or introvert??

Overall I would describe myself as and an extrovert with slight introvert tendencies!! I like to think myself loyal, I like to think myself as someone who will go to great lengths for those that need it, I do try at these things and yes, sometimes I fail..but don't we all??

So my question / thought for this entry is...what are you..introvert or extrovert and why??

ooohhh its my birthday

tomorrow is my birthday and I feel I need to explain a little about MY birthday.... kind of like the "rules", these are no particular order

Firstly, I have to have presents to open, I need some in the morning to start the day and then I expect some in the evening.

Secondly, I expect everyone that I know to have a smile on there face as I don't want grumpy people bringing my happy mood down.

Thirdly, I do no house work (which is why I am manic tidy person today)

Fourthly, I want cake, with candles, preferably chocolate sponge with chocolate icing with chocolates on top

and the fifth rule of birthdays is to get pampered...big time.

So Tomorrow this is how the day will go...
I will awake to my beautiful wishing me a happy birthday and my husband handing me my coffee.
Open gift/s and cards from my boys
get ready and walk son to school
Home to have a nice long hot bath and then do hair.
Down to beauty spa for a back massage, facial and pedicure
Home for some delicious food
get son from school - play, giggle a lot
husband home from work early
he will cook and then eat more delicious food
play with son some more and open presents - friends will probably pop round, if not see then at weekend
put son to bed and then its time for me and husband to chill out and chat about me me me me me me!!!

I love my birthday, its the one day of the year that is dedicated just to that person, where everyone can make a big fuss of them. I have to admit that I go overboard when its one of my boys birthday - banners and balloons everywhere!!

enjoy tomorrow with me people

So my thought / question for the day is what special things to you demand on your birthday???

happy love Thursday ...this for our small world!!!

Happy late Love Thursday everyone.

This week has been an amazing week for me.
16 years ago I went abroad for my very first time, this week I went abroad again...hmmm constant traveller (this is due to my claustrophobia). My husband had to go to Germany with work so I went with him.

Got the ferry to Calais and then onto to Brugge for a visit and then onto where we were staying....very long journey.

I was like a child saying really mature things like "oohhh a French cow" and "oohhhh look a little French farm house"...after the 3rd country I can safely say that this sort of this was no longer being said!!

5 countries in one day...knackering. England, France, Belgium, Holland and then Germany...wow.

We only got back yesterday so I am still very very tired.

It was a complete adventure for me. I spent the day on my own in a little town where hardly anyone could speak English and I felt very isolated and ignorant at times but was made to feel completely welcome by the town. With lots of hand gestures and miming I managed to do rather alot of shopping and sight seeing!!!

So this love Thursday is to the small world that we live in and also to confidence one gets from doing something strange and rather difficult at times!!!

love Thursday - to my son

Despite being on a high with life recently I have been a tad harsh on my boy, I think slightly hormonal??

You see I haven't been a very good mother this past week and I think I have been a nagging / shouting / he can't do a damn thing right kind of mummy.

For instance, I hate and loath the way he just says yeah instead of yes or lile instead of little...it grates on me when he drops sounds from his vocabulary.
He just drops clothes on the floor instead of putting them where they should go...things like that. But the thing is he is just 5 years old and sometimes, because the child is soooo smart, I forget this.

But, whenever I go overboard on trying to keep him from doing something dumb and shout at him, straight away he just goes back to being his normal cheerful self without holding a grudge.

When I say cheerful self, I feel I ought to explain....the child is hardly ever grumpy and only gets grumpy when he is tired or really really doesn't want to do something. From the moment he wakes up till the moment he goes to bed he is full of energy and life, into everything and is like a little sponge waiting to soak up all the experiences he can.

As an adult, if someone says the wrong thing, or shouts at you for seemingly the smallest thing you get pissed off at that person and will probably react in a stoney silence with them or shout back or anything horrid like that...right?

But with my son, if someone (like me) tells him off he doesn't always necessarily take it on board but he doesn't do the destructive behaviour that adults do, he just treats the person as though nothing happened...or says sorry...he is quick to tell me if he has done something wrong as I have a rule (which is sometimes very hard to keep) that if he tells me what he has done he will not get told off...sometimes if he has friends over he is very quick to tell on them which is slightly worrying for future reference but right now..he is just 5 and cannot distinguish between telling me sonething he has done or telling on someone else.

I envy my 5 year old child. He moves through life without a bad word to say about anyone, he cares for people and their feelings, he tells the worst jokes EVER and is always telling me I look beautiful.
He loves to play at being a super hero or at being Harry Potter and if he is playing at being someone I am not allowed to call him by his name I have to call him by the person he is being. It's so fulfilling seeing him grow and develop and his hunger for knowledge and the ever boring questions "what's that for, what's it do and am I old enough for that yet".
Sometimes as an adult you can get complacent with experiences you can just do like go white water rafting or surfing lessons and it's such fun seeing him want to do this sort of thing (takes after his Daddy in that respect).

He has sooo many facets to his personality of which I would love to take credit for but I think at the end of the day, he's just Theodore.

Don't get me wrong, sometimes he can be a little bugger...but can't they all???

So this is for my son, ever quick to give me cuddles or "sugar" as one of my friends calls it...the every playful boy who I shed a proud tear for and can say "he's my boy".

Please leave your links to your love Thursday or just tell me what you have loved this past week.

some very exciting gossip

Hello my dear friends...I am one excited little bunny!!!

As some of you may know, I don't excel in my job as much as I would like..oh I am good at it and know what I am doing and all that. I Love just talking to people and getting to know them, in my job I can't do this as much as I would like / enjoy.

So with much trepidation I set about putting this matter right...what job could I truly fulfill myself in, one where I could ask questions and poke my nose into other people's business...hmmm hairdresser or something like that???
Then I got chatting with a very dear friend of mine about this conundrum and she light heartedly said...journalism...and so the seed was planted.

I have wanted to be a journalist for as long as I have been old enough to think about jobs in a serious light (not ballarena)...I remember babysitting for my neice when I was about 13ish and looking through a magazine thinking "ooohhh I could wear that when I get a hot new scoop"...but as I wasn't the most accademic person in the world so I never persued this.

I am lucky enough that my very local college runs a journalsim course and its the best course one could go on if one wanted to be a journalist...its run by the NCTJ (national council for trainee journalists).

Me being me, I never thought for a moment that I would get an interview for the course as the application form in itself was pretty long!!! But I did, so off I went with my heart in mouth and I took the interview - 4 hours later and I really thought that I had completely ballsed the whole thing up.
I started to wonder if I could devote that much time to a course / am I too old and will all the others be school leavers making me feel even older / what if I got half way through and the work load was simply too much for me to handle / am I a good enough writer / what if my 'need to survive' love of news wasn't enough???
That was what was going through my mind from the Tuesday when I took the interview / exam until Friday when the gentleman said he was going to call.

I sat on the edge of my seat for the whole of the Friday, every time the phone rang I gulped and thought this is it....it wasn't until 5pm that he called (yes, very long day) he asked how I was and I answered "ask me at the end of the call!", he then told me what a pleasure it was meeting me and what my score in the test was etc etc...this went on for about 5 minutes when I had to say "please, just tell me if I have got onto the course"...he told me I had and I have never felt so proud of myself...I had done it...little me gonna be a bonafidda journalist..who'd have thought!!! I was then able to answer his initial question and told him I was fantastic thank you very much!!

I haven't been able to say anything as I hadn't told my boss, she has been the best boss I have ever had..she is always there for a cuppa and a gossip, gives critism in a way so that you don't feel too crappy about it and is always a shoulder to cry on...so with a heavy heart I told her my intentions today.
My last day will be July 13th as the school holidays start the day after and I really want to spend the summer with my son.

So that's it folks..little old me did it - my advise here is never ever listen to a school careers officer as they generally talk out their arses!!!

I am ever sooo excited and now feel as though I can celebrate.

My thought / question for this blog is what have you done in your life that people or yourself thought you couldn't do but you made a success of / did it anyway????

hmm sunshine and a bit of a moan

I have a confession to make....I love the sun. But this passion is very temperamental.

Right now the sun is shinning but its not too hot. Its the sort of temperature where you can go out and do stuff, like gardening or go for a long walk without feeling like you will get heat exhaustion....my kind of sunshine exactly.

I love the sun but hate having to work in it, I like to sit out in the garden and read a good book whilst lounging around. I hate flies when sitting out reading a good book. I love to get a nice healthy looking tan, I hate getting sun burnt, which I do, no matter what sun screen I use...then go in the shower and feel like a thousand needles are sticking in my skin from where the water hits my tender red bits.
I love to swim in outdoor pools on holiday in the sun, I hate the amount of chlorine they put in the pool and can't stand the thought of swimming in someones pee.
I love lounging on the beach in the blazing hot but hate the way sand sticks to places that you didn't even think you had. I love the fact that the sun naturally bleaches my hair but hate the sticky feeling that you get in your hair line. I love summery clothes but hate the fact that unless you are a size 12 or less you just look like a very white blamonge in said clothes.

So all in all I simply love to lounge in my beautiful back garden where I can wear what I want, do what I want and smell however I damn well please but delight in the fact that if I get too hot or too smelly I can just jump in the shower and get refreshed!!!
A friend of mine said that she is very aware of what she is wearing in her garden as the neighbours might look over, I say sod it...its your land, let em look...they shouldn't be eyeballing you any-way!!!

I feel alive when the sun is shinning and spend luxury time just stretching out my limbs.
People seem friendlier when its nice and warm instead of being cold and rushing to get to their destination and running to get warm again. my husband and I can take our son to the park and spend hours their instead of silently thinking that he will complain he is cold so that we can get back in doors again!!
I laugh at the way ice cream suddenly becomes acceptable to eat again and also becomes a regular in our diets!!!
I love the way the flowers grow from being dormant and I purposely brush pass them so that they release their scent.
But one thing that I do find amusing and mildly affronted at his skinny, ghost white men walking down the street with their shirt off and tucked into their quarter length shorts with socks on and trainer clad feet...please men, I beg of you,only do that if your body is actually worth showing off to the world...the others, only do it in your back garden!!!

A poem I feel is required here...here's a part of a poem by wordsworth:-

The rainbow comes and goes,
And lovely is the rose;
The moon doth with delight
Look round her when the heavens are bare;
Waters on a starry night
Are beautiful and fair;
The sunshine is a glorious birth;
But yet I know, where'er I go,
That there hath pass'd away a glory from the earth...


Oh my dear dear sunishine, please don't leave until the leaves turn golden brown

So over to you, my fantastic readers...give me your thoughts and feeling towards the sunshine.

hair - tis a funny old thing

I had long blonde hair until recently. My hair went to the middle of my back but was in desperate need of a bloody good cut. All I did with it was tie it back.

A friend of mine comes to ones home to cut the hair, so I took her up on her services.
I am a very determined person and once I set my mind on something, its very hard to get me out of what I want to do.

I have what I call baby hair, its very fine and wispy.

All that taken into account I had the lot chopped off. Its now the length of just touching my shoulders and I have a fringe.

I don't like it, my husband in his ever tactful way says that he will "have to spend time getting used to it", or in other words - he don't like it!!

The length I like it's just the fringe. It sort of cuts my face in half!!!!

But it does look healthier (well at least one thing about me looks healthy!).

But don't you think that hair is a bit of an odd one? I mean us girls stress over our hair, does it look good, would it look good another way and if so do I have the balls to go for a complete change? Men on the other hand don't seem to have that much stress do they? I am not including all men into that because I have seen men with more products in their hair than they can shake a stick at...9 times out of 10 they are estate agents aren't they!!!

Come to think of it, when it comes to appearance, men do not stress as much as us ladies, which is weird because with animals its the male trying to impress the females?!?! We watch our weight, how much are our boobs are sagging with age, face creams to keep youthful looks, fashion to make us look nice...all these things add up.
Me, I'm not a trend setter by any stretch of the imagination, I am completely comfortable in a white t-shirt and blue jeans. If I think I look nice I tend to walk with a bit of a spring in my step. I know the critics out there will say "feeling good should come from the inside"...only a man would say that! I do agree with the statement, but in short, if one went out dressed in crappy old clothes then you aren't going to feel like wonder woman for the day!!

SO my thought / question for this entry is....what do you do to make you feel good about yourself, ready for the day ahead???

we are back

I have been at home now for about an hour after a very long and very bum hurty journey.

In order, here is the list of things that I have done since walking in the door.....
Thanked neighbours for feeding are 3 cats and gave them their gift.
Put the kettle on.
Un-loaded the car.
Made tea.
Got some food for child and started him on that.
Logged on.
Now writing blog.

My kitchen looks like a disaster area as this is where we have just dumped stuff until tomorrow when I get round to un-packing it all. We didn't do much shopping but seemed to have come back with exactly twice as much as what we took with us...it knows I am the one who will have to sort it as hubby goes back to work tomorrow, so it has decided to bread in the back of the car...how typical is that?!?!

We did have a great time, as predicted, and when I have my head on the right way round and can see everything and not just tail lights I will tell you all about it.

Tonight's menu for dinner consists of porkpie, fresh white bread, cheese, pickle and fruit...everything that doesn't need much attention or cooking...excellent meal after a long journey!!

So my friends, we are well rested and looking forward to the rest of the Easter break with family and friends.

My question for this entry and with food on my mind is....is there anything that you do to wind down after a long journey home??? for me is to have a cup of tea.

Love thursday...oh my beloved, I will see thee soon.

this is a photo of the last rock off lands end.

Happy love Thursday everyone.

Tomorrow night my husband, child, and me will be travelling down to Cornwall, the land that has captured my heart and sole.

The trip down takes for-ever, approximately 5-6 hours on a good day...and it's boring. The best part of the journey is stopping at Exeter services for snacks as they have a Marks and Spencer there!!.
The journey is packed with landmarks as we make our way down, I look out for them and get ever more excited as I spot them.

I first went to Cornwall with my husband about 10 years ago. We didn't have a car so heavily relied upon my mother-in-law for transport, at this point I didn't really know her that well but soon got to!!! The love affair was instant.

We then had our very first holiday in a cute little B&B in St Ives and the love just grew.

I love the people, the pace of life, the smell of the air, the scenery, the out door way of life, but best of all...some of my husbands family live there and I love each and every one of them.

When we go we normally stay with my sister-in law, Kate. She is a fantastic woman and I seem to laugh the whole time that I am there..her husband is such a hoot and her 2 wonderful daughters just take my son off with them and I never see him!!! he is always playing with "the girlies". He will only get dressed when the girlies do in case he misses something or won't go to bed until they do, the youngest is just 18 months older than Theo and the oldest if 5 years older, so they all get on tremendously well.

We have been counting how many sleeps to go for the past month!!! now it's only one more sleep but he has to go to school as normal tomorrow...god help his teachers as the child is already wired about the holiday!!

I would love to move down there and would move right now if I thought that we could get work relevant to what we do.
My husband once took me for a drive round the none holiday towns once to show me that some parts aren't as nice as the holiday towns. True they didn't have that holiday feel about them but I have rose tinted glasses on when it comes to Cornwall, almost blinkered!!! His trick back fired as the villages were surrounded by breath taking country side, I had visions of 3 of us trekking come rain or shine...that's what wet weather gear is for ...right?

So this love Thursday I dedicate to Cornwall.

Please leave links to your love Thursday.

the first weigh in

(this is a cake that I made for my friends birthday, of which I would love to sink my teeth into right now> I thought the image appt for this entry!)


Over the past week I have had a range of emotions and my body has gone through a state of complete shock!
The emotions have been pride at the fact that I seem to have stuck to the eating plan, grief for the food I can no longer consume, knackered due to all the walking that I have done, and tired...just tired.
My body however, is not amused. So used to crisps and delicious crusty white bread with a very nice coarse pate, that it has been screaming at me. But I do feel better (it may be placebo) on the inside.

This week I have eaten 12 apples, 7 banana's a ton of carrots, a whole swede, broccoli (of which I hate, but apparently its packed with good stuff), an amount of water that keeps me needing a wee, enough fat free yoghurt's to feed a small army, 2 punnets of strawberries, all fat has been cut off my meat....so pretty good for me. I have weighed and measured and written down all that I have eaten...no small task...I have checked and re-checked the fat content and added up what is ok to eat....in short, my food and what it contained has dominated my week!!

The exercise has been fantastic. I am not a lover of the gym, I find it incredibly boring and I am not the sort of person that can really take the elite that are gym goers...they are in a league all of their own aren't they???
I have walked my little socks off this week and feel really good for it. It does seem the more exercise you do the more energy you have...go figure. But when I get into my bed at night I feel as though I am taking a well earned rest...brilliant.

So off I went today with my new hobby (food) and my new priority (exercise) fully expecting to loose about 4 pounds....2 AND A HALF POUNDS...I mean, I have worked bloody hard this week for 2 and a half pounds???? enough said about that.

I think that if I am not careful this week I will be back to square one. Anything less than maybe 7-8 pounds is such a fragile weight loss and go can back on with one binge week.

So I press on and continue with a slightly miffed heart.

My thought / question for this entry is....what in your life have you tried really really hard at but, right at the finishing post has annoyed you???

I am taking action

My biggest thing this year is to get rid of my weight..there is alot of it.
In line with this, I today, joined a slimming club - which shall remain nameless.
It was fun. At the start they introduce new members (me) and ask why are we joining - what other answer can one come up with other than...I'm fat and want to loose weight??
This didn't go down to well, I think she was expecting some sort of explanation like i am loosing baby weight (5 years of baby weight, I think not), or I have a big wedding to attend (already done that this year), but no, I sat there and told the truth like my mamma taught me!

Anyway, I have a 4 different diet, or lifestyle chooses as they call it, to follow. I'm confused as to what I can eat with what and when and how much and of what colour...taking a breath now.

Apparently, on one of the "lifestyle choose plans2 on woman lost 10 pounds in one week - bring it on!! Although I really don't think 10 pounds in 1 week is healthy though do you??

In total I want to get rid of about 28 pounds / 2 stone worth of extra blubber..I know I can do it if I apply myself as I have done it before...something tells me it will be very different this time round though!!
But in saying that I feel good already. I feel good because it means I am taking control of this area of my life...empowered.

So here I go...get rid of 10 pounds first and then go from there is the plan, but if that goes OK then I will go for the 2 stone weight loss.

So my thought / question for this entry is...we are nearly 4 months in to the new year and how is your new years resolutions going???

ooooh ebay

I love ebay, I have bought so much on it and I have to have a laugh at some of the stuff that people list on there!!

The prices vary for similar items wildly but I do, I love it!!

I recently spent about £40 and bought about 3 pairs of shoes and about 3 tops...where else can you go to get such cheap items??

i have rules about it though..If I can wear it it either has to be vintage or brand new, so shoes and tops are included in that. Bags and things have to look semi new and I never ever buy things that I think I can cheaper elsewhere. As some of you know my car was recently raped and murdered and so I am looking for a new one that I can love and cherish - and this is where ebay is crap...cars are soooo out priced on there, having a look in the local rag and on auto trader and so ebay is not good value for money here.

TODAY, my dear friends, I am now selling on ebay!!! laughing as I say this. I never normally sell my cast offs, I tend to take them down to the charity shop, but if I have worn the boots once, why shouldn't I sell em!?!?!
I thought it would need more effort than it did. It only asked for the minimal amount of information on my goods, which is really good news as I tend to get really bored with that sort of thing - being blonde and all.

So I will let you know how my goods sell, I have to admit that it is rather addictive and I now looking around for other things that I can flog - its all rather exciting!!

So my thought / question for this entry is what have you done recently that you have never done before and can see yourself getting addicted to???

factual Friday

I thought that I would create factual Friday. This will either be a single item while the facts about it or a list of facts that I thought you might find interesting. I like what I call crap fact, things that you can just come out with at dinner parties and such!

So here is the first factual Friday!!

SALT

why is salt so bad for us? we are told by the new food labels on packets how much salt is on the products and if its in the green zone or red zone - but do you actually know why it's so bad for us???

so here goes.............

Salt is a commonly occurring mineral, the technical name of which is sodium chloride. It is the sodium part of salt that is important. The body needs a certain amount of sodium to function properly.

Sodium helps to maintain the concentration of body fluids at correct levels. It also plays a central role in the transmission of electrical impulses in the nerves, and helps cells to take up nutrients.

In adults, when levels of sodium are too high, the body retains too much water and the volume of bodily fluids increases.

With high levels of fluid circulating through the brain there is a greater chance that weaknesses in the brain's blood vessels are exposed, and that they may burst, causing a stroke.

Similarly, a greater volume of fluid passing through the heart can place additional strain on the organ, increasing the possibility of coronary disease.

An adult will be able to remove salt from the body through the kidneys into the urine.

Experts estimate that if average consumption was cut to 6g a day it would prevent 70,000 heart attacks and strokes a year.

Reading food labels can be confusing as they often give the sodium, rather than the salt content of food. To calculate the amount of salt in a product, multiply the sodium content by two-and-a-half times.

So there we go - salt in a nutshell - happy eating!!

My question for this entry is what crap fact do you often tell???

happy st patricks day

Not being of Irish descent, I don't celebrate St Patricks day but St Georges day instead.
My husband has some sort of Irish thread to his genealogy somewhere along the way, something about priests coming over - unsure, can't confirm!!
But if you do celebrate, happy st Patricks day.

here's some facts for my Irish friends:

St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is believed that he died on March 17 in the year 461 AD. It is also a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and history. St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in Ireland, and a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Blue, not green, was originally the colour associated.

St Patrick is patron of fishermen in the Loire, where a legend associates him with a blackthorn bush. The saint is said to have slept beneath it, and when he awoke the next day, Christmas, the bush flowered, and was said to have continued to do so every Christmas until its destruction during the First World War.

According to legend, on the day of Judgement, while Christ judges all other nations, St Patrick will be the judge of the Irish.

comic relief

so my son's school sent a memo round last week saying that the kids could wear something funny for money - so he went to school in his favourite PJ's and dressing gown. He does have slippers but they are old and rather manky so I hunted (and I do mean hunted) the shops yesterday for new slippers for him - where do we go now that adams and woolworths has gone???
so I ended up getting him some very plain black plimsolls - remember them from your school years.

anyways. so today is comic relief and out of all the evening long charity campaigns that are on TV, this one has to be the one that hits me the hardest.

I was watching celebrities doing stuff for charity like climbing mountains and doing a bit with Sir Alan sugar and couldn't help but laugh along - my kind of watching. In amongst this fun was the serious side of why they were doing it. There was this one where a baby was dying of malaria and it hurt to watch it. The child was about 5 months old and was just lifeless in its mothers arms and all they need is mosquito nets and some drugs - how hard can that be??

I like the way that comic relief works - they have set up loans where people can apply and then pay them back - instead of waiting for free handouts. A woman in Uganda has 5 kids and had nothing - NOTHING. then she got a loan for just £10 and started to grow coffee. She would take it to market but there was sooo much competition she would often walk 10K with bags of coffee on her back to return home (another 10k back) with all of her coffee.
She then set up a coffee house and now sells it worldwide along with it being fairtrade. She is doing really well and she says that she uses all of her money to put her 5 kids through school so that they can become accountants to help out...how fantastic is that...this woman still does back breaking work but is very happy.

The things that we moan and groan about are relevant to the lives that we lead and especially in todays current climates with people loosing their houses and jobs and having to go to refuge centres. I think, we should look to those people who haven't much but are happy. yes they are living hand to mouth, but aren't we all in our own little way, the difference there is the the distance they have ti travel to get medical help or are sooo reliant upon the weather for their food and they have to pay for education...it all seems a little more than here.
The thing that upsets me most is the medical side of things.
Recently I have been in hospital and got instant test and results - I felt truly humble to the NHS. Over in places with no NHS they still have to pay for their drugs and the god damn government is sitting in their nice houses with food on the table whilst their people are missing meals so that their kids don't die....it makes me sooo friggin made.
I will be an avid watcher and will donate as much as I can afford. If I could drop everything and go ut to help, I would like to say I would but I think I would be become tooo emotionally involved and would need some serious counselling when I got back. I appreciate that sounds selfish but they need someone supportive and not a liability!

So donate and give everything you can for these people and for people here...dig deep and then deeper. It costs just £5 to but a mosquito net - how many nets will you buy tonight - how many lives will you save by picking up the phone and donating your money too???
watch the show, laugh and cry on be on an emotional rollercaoster.
Do it - save a life.

my thought for this blog is how many lives ar you intending to save?