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??