Thursday 25 August 2011

The joy that is the School holidays!

I have just noticed what a poor month I've had blogging wise, just 9 posts well 10 now and the only difference this month is school holidays! I never quite realised how much time is taken up by the children I know that sounds a bit weird parenting is a full time job after all but what I mean is when they're at school you manage your time better or at least I manage my time better, how presumptious of me to assume it's the same for you, please tell me it is the same for you? Please? I would hate to think that I'm the only one who struggles with time and routine during the holidays!

The thing is apart from the little one the others are teenagers they should be entertaining themselves surely?

It just seems all routine goes out the window and twice as much work for me happens, something not right there, I may go on strike, mums have rights too! I may make a placard and a picket line across the kitchen door chanting, "what do we want? A clean house! When do we want it? Now!" that would get their attention or perhaps just sit and watch the washing up pile up no one seems to have figured out how to load and unload the dishwasher I think they still believe in the cleaning fairy!

But it's not just the added cleaning and shopping because you're constantly running out of bread, milk and cereal (or is that just my house?) its that they all hog the computer, laptop, iPads etc etc when they're indoors and as we haven't had the best summer we've been indoors a lot! So finding a time slot for me to do anything has been difficult to say the least!

Still back to school soon then I'll be moaning about the early mornings and getting them out of the house on time, oh the joys!

Well, I'm off now to make a placard and perhaps a banner if I can just find the time and a marker!




Wednesday 24 August 2011

Well it is 3 F's I suppose!

So a while ago I set myself this challenge to be Fit and Fabulous by Forty and that time is almost here 4 days away in fact and I have achieved 3 F's! That's right I'm Fat, Fabulous and Forty! (well almost!) I know not quite the 3 F's I was going for but in the immortal words of Meatloaf (The singer that is, not the food, that would just be weird!) "2 out of 3 ain't bad!" and I have dropped a dress size.

But through all this my aim really was to get out of that rut that most mothers seem to end up in especially when you have a toddler of jeans and t shirts day in day out and saying that I am sat writing this in jeans and a t shirt! But they are a little more stylish and a size smaller so don't judge me!

All that being said I have learnt that a little time spend on myself does make me feel better, I now remember to brush my hair every day (if you know me you know what an achievement this is!), I wear make up more than once a month and I have a fabulous new hair cut and colour, I even shave my legs when I'm not getting them out in public!

And the end result is I feel more like 'ME' not just someone's mum, ok the diet never quite worked out, what can I say, I love to cook and I love to eat!

I have exercised more, feel a little healthier and intend to carry this on and if I lose a little more weight along the way that'll be great too.

So on Sunday I shall be just fabulous and forty and I'm ok with that! So now let's see if life really does begin at forty!



Wednesday 17 August 2011

Some things I've learnt!

I thought I would share with you a few life lessons I've learnt over the years otherwise known as 'sods law' in no particular order

1. If you have actually manage to clean your entire house you will get No visitors

2. On the day your house is a complete pigsty, clothes and toys everywhere and you're still wearing your pyjamas, hair unbrushed and spilt coffee down your front everyone will turn up for a visit!

3. If you want your children to be quiet well behaved little things, say at a wedding during the speeches they will announce in their loudest voice "I need a poo now" (happened last week)

4. Likewise when you're bragging about your child and how clever they are they will choose that moment to forget every damn thing that you've just told the person they can do!

5. If you are in a rush to leave the house you will lose your keys, purse, hairbrush or shoes or as quite often in my case all of the above!

6. That one pair of shoes that you've had your eye on for ages but couldn't justify spending that much money will go on sale but they won't have your size!

7.The doorbell/phone will ring just after you relax into the bath

8. Your toast will land butter side down

9. You will miss your mouth spilling hot tea down your best outfit just before you leave for that important meeting

10. If you have to get somewhere quickly there will be a traffic jam

11. Your child will be fine at home and then the minute you get in a packed supermarket throw up everywhere! (happened yesterday)

These are just a few to be getting on with, I will add more as I think of them or more likely as they happen to me!

So please tell me yours




Tuesday 16 August 2011

Reincarnation, My only hope for a peaceful life!

In my next life I'm coming back as a dog!

Not just any dog a male pampered pooch, perhaps even American, they seem to really go a bit crazy over their pets!


I made this decision after the day from hell yesterday , I did not get a break! by time eveyones elses needs were met and everything was done my only me time was sleeping! In short yesterday sucked!

I decided it has to be an animal as I definitely don't want the life of a person, whoever coined the phrase "it's a dogs life" obviously never thought about the fact the dogs have it bloody easy fed, walked, all they have to do all day is decide who or what to bark at, chase their tails a little, maybe dig a hole or 2, sleep, eat and occasionally lick their balls! I'd say a dog has a pretty good life!

Me on the other hand had to put up with mess, 6 loads of laundry, fighting kids, toddler going through terrible two's, cooking, cleaning, dishwasher loaded twice not to mention going shopping then back to do pretty much all of the same again!

No I do not want to be a woman having to deal with children or men all that whining! then theres the children!

So the way I look at it right now my only chance for a peaceful life is what I come back as in the next one!

so what do you intend to come back as and why?

Wednesday 10 August 2011

Oh London my home

I started writing this post yesterday and so far I have changed my mind, re-written, scrapped completely, felt like I was exploited a situation to my advantage f you know what I mean? and now I feel able to try and start again.

My initial thoughts were obviously about the riots, the impact on our communities, the mindless violence the excuses offered, then I thought I would write from my perspective, what I saw, I live in Peckham about 2 minutes walk from the front line of the violence and looting, I felt scared, I felt threatened and I couldn't comprehend why these people would do this especially on their own doorsteps.

Then I thought about the reasons, the initial trouble started in response to the death of a young man, It started as a protest, people wanting answers, It escalated and people took advantage of a situation and used it to benefit themselves and get 'Free Stuff'.

Then violence and mindless destruction started all over London, then other cities followed it wasn't for a cause it was about greed! they saw people get away with it and they thought I want some of that!

I'm not saying that all involved were merely out for what they could get, I'm sure some felt that this was a way of getting back, a way of venting mass frustration but on the whole it was GREED and a total lack of humanity, I wondered about pack mentality as opposed to the individual actions but that's not what I decided to write about it this is........

Messages of love and support for Peckham


They may have destroyed our shops and left our communities confused but people care, I walked through Peckham today and the shops that were still boarded up damaged beyond believe had signs on the boards saying 'Business as usual' they had opened regardless in what must be a climate of fear for themselves and their shops, their livelihoods and I felt pride , I felt really emotional after all this devastation Peckham stood up and said you can't shut us down!

Peckham was quiet, people still nervous I'm sure but it was open! all except those shops that sustained serious damage.

And for what I think is the first time I felt truly proud of the area that I live.



Friday 5 August 2011

Hello

Hello , Just wanted to let you all know that I am still here but I'm having a particularly stressful time and not quite sure what I want to write about as there is just so much going on for me right now.

So for right here, right now I'm off to have a bottle glass of wine, watch some mindless television and try to calm down and relax!

Oh and I have a wedding to go to tomorrow so may not get on here then either


So Bye for now and if you feel like a chat please say Hello! I really could do with a friendly ear or even just a chat about complete nonsense!

Wednesday 3 August 2011

The incredible bearded lady!

I woke up this morning to find one solitary long black hair growing out of my chin! MY CHIN! Seriously is it not bad enough that I'm turning forty this month, do I have to turn into the incredible bearded lady as well! I suppose at least it would keep the children entertained if you read my previous post you'll understand! They could charge admission to see me it would solve the whole spending money issue too!

Why aren't we told these things as young women, why aren't we warned that unless we take care of our bodies we will develop bingo wings, crepey skin, stretch marks, saggy boobs seriously forget telling kids not to eat crap because of obesity play on their vanity just show them a picture or me and and that'll scare them in to healthy eating and exercise!

I can't help but wonder if no one tells you about these things as a kind of revenge for losing their young agile facial hair free bodies, I can picture my mother now smiling to herself as she watched me smiling and laughing, happily getting ready to go out thinking " ha you're all smiles now with your toned legs, boobs on your chest and hair free face but just wait 25 years from now when your boobs hang like pendulums, have stretch marks that look like a road map and a full circus beard, we'll see who's smiling then!"

Ok, I'm sure that's my mind doing that thing it does but seriously why aren't we warned? perhaps all of you were? perhaps it was just me who was kept in the dark about all these lovely side affects of ageing, you tell me? Were you warned? And do you tell your daughters about the possible perils of ageing?

Please let me know!

Well I'm off now to shave and buy my daughters waxing vouchers for when they turn 40!

Tuesday 2 August 2011

Summer Holidays

So the summer helidays holidays are once again upon us and so far I've had a barrage of I'm bored from teenagers

My responses "clean your room, it would be nice to know you had a floor" apparently that's not entertainment! "Ok, how about you entertain yourself then?" apparently this is not actually possible and the parent is supposed to entertain at all times! I did offer to dance or juggle perhaps but was told that I was just being silly now!

Seriously I can't win!

The other problem I have is because I have a broad age range to appeal to and appease it's difficult to come up with a one activity/day out fits all so, so far there has been a lot of swimming and sending teens off to friends so they can be bored at someone else's house, cinema, always a winner and of course when they've whined enough or done enough to earn some money, shopping! The teenage girls favourite but it would be nice to find something that we can all do together that everyone would enjoy, is there such a place? If so then I need to know about it! Oh and it mustn't cost a fortune, in fact preferably it must be free!

So what do you do with your brood?

Can you please everyone?

So if you'll excuse me until you all bombard me with ideas, PLEASE BOMBARD ME! I'm off to don my jesters hat before I hear "Muuummmm!!!!!" again