Wednesday 30 November 2011

A Big Week Part 1

So the noise in our basement from our lounge and dining room is deafening.
This is where G works so he decided that we would need to lay a carpet to drown the sound. Well, you can't just lay a carpet and not paint the walls if you have not painted in nearly 13 years.
So he booked the decorator and we set forth arguing about flooring.

And boy did we fight and battle lines were drawn.

Here are some photos of what the space looked like over the years. I have not trawled through that many photos and there are not that may without other people in them


Notice the kind of white paintwork
Royal Wedding and white floor boards and grey walls
Before children when these was time to do fiddly thing - old fire place - no paint on the floor


Grey walls again with white picture rail boarder
Grey walls and tidy






So he told me Wednesday before last that Toby was coming to paint on the Monday so we had to move everything out over the weekend, secure the floorboards, put in any new sockets and choose a carpet.

Did he forget that the following Saturday (last Saturday) we had invited 13 people to lunch?

More to follow
CM

Thursday 24 November 2011

Waking Up

P waking up can either take a minute or an hour, if its the latter she walks round looking like Gollum.

On this day it happened to be quite nice.





Next week is T's birthday and there is a lot to do but Gareth decided to decorate our living and dining room this week and booked our friend the decorater and I tell you there is stuff every where.

We are exhausted!

CM

Children In Need

This post is a bit rambly but at the time there was a lot of prep to this activity so I am writing about it.

So the school that T is at had a cake and second hand toy sale at the school to raise money for
Children In Need.
This was all last Friday I think
They had to wear uniform on the day but they could wear Pudsey Bear ears etc so I sent her in with big cloth ribbons which I thought looked cute.




So I thought that I (super mum) would make these amazing cup cakes with glorious icing.

But actually I made these huge cup cakes because the recipe called for dividing the mix into 16 and I had only a twelve tin. I used Bill Granger cake for a crowed and it is a bit of a dense sponge but actually it didn't really cook through the middle either. But I think kids like that?




For some reason trying to get the icing to stick to the top proved difficult also and their were no smarties in the shop so skittles had to do, kids like these too I am sure

So when I sent her off to school the plate looked like this and you needed two hands to carry it



I am not kidding six cup cakes weighed more than a couple of bricks!
I supplied a napkin with each cake because I am like that.


In the afternoon the parents were invited into the school to help the children choose things from the toy sale T got really excited so I had to tell her what money was because it's really not her radar at all.
She empitied her piggy bank and brought it all down and put it all in this hideous purse.



She needed about a pound and this thing is the size of a hand bag so I put some coins in this little angel that could fit in her pocket.
I had also spoken to the teacher and asked her to keep an eye on things at the break time cake sale



It turns out she bought one chocolate cup cake 80p!! Bloody Hell.

In the afternoon I bought these.
Clearly a mother thought a trip to the patisserie is easier and she was right.



My cakes were no where to be seen I can't decide if they were thrown away for being under done or an absolute hit.




T also tied her first tie.

I swear school is like a marathon for parents.
Now they are learning Christmas songs and so am I

CM

Monday 14 November 2011

Christmas Is Coming!

Christmas is a round the corner but I have two little girls birthdays to get through first so the next question is really rather stupid.

Do I want to make a Christmas quilt?

YES! but there is no time to make it.

T and I have been curling up under the blanket reading in the evenings, she is getting a bit confused with It, Is and In but we will get there in the end and I was thinking that we have Christmas books and toys that we bring out on the first week of December why not have a quilt.

I just borrowed these pics from Google images sorry if I have not asked permission and I should have.







I thought maybe I could buy some Christmas fabric and make a start in the spring? I am such an Aquarian!
I also thought it might be a nice project to do with some gals round the big table but then that would mean numerous sewing machines in the house and that is a whole lot more equipment than is probably necessary but maybe I could think about a little craft making evening with friends in the New Year.

Today I went to the Dr.
Last week my ankle scar decided to leak so I made an appt. I also found a lump underneath my arm on Saturday so I thought that I would get that checked and as I was there update the floppy neck, a 3 in 1.

Scar is fine.
Lump is probably a swollen sweat gland, Dr. started to talk about ladies shaving their under arms I came clean and said it wasn't high on my priorities this month but I had made an effort for this appointment.
Floppy neck - he had a good feel with gloves on as the original Dr. who saw me for this problem has something funny going on with her neck!! I am so pleased! I am not neck crazy!


What concerned me is that this is flu season and they have bunting in the reception area highlighting that FLU CAN KILL, why would you print that on bunting? Bunting is pinned up for celebration, dying from flu is surely no cause for a party.

Maybe I should write to the practice manager. I think I can fit that in before Christmas.
Nite
CM

Thursday 10 November 2011

Real House Style

So we went to visit a friend yesterday.

I think I have known her 7 years or so where does the time fly she now has two small children
Can you tell?





I now see her maybe twice a year which is dreadful because she is excellent.

After chatting about all sorts of things we got round to talking about all things evil on the internet and she made a valid point, she pointed out that only people who had bad experiences usually posted stuff on the internet because those who had a good out come were off getting on and enjoying life.
Today that reminded me of something I read somewhere once which was 'don't shop for cheaper options where they don't sell them'

I walked into her home these photos were taken before I saw her and it was warm and wonderful and fantastic music was playing and then we had a cuppa, lovely.



I decided to hoover under the bed this morning and P wanted to help with the dusting




Then we popped to play group.
Pens and pencils are her favourite things.



Today is the day she has decided that she will potty train herself. She has not had a success so far.
G has less patients than I

Went to the vet as well, beautiful vet, who asked if I was Old Mother Hubbard?
CM

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Autumn in Town

Today we popped down to the post office in town because we were sent something but had to pay extra postage for one reason and another we have not been able to get there until now unfortunatly I will never know what it was becuase we missed the date and it was returned to sender.

Such a shame.

But the weather was so that the colours of the houses we really rich, and I like anything that looks gloomy or muddy in Autumn









Off to play spelling games with T because I think that the capital letters are throwing her.

She got a bump on her head today at school apparently a boy pushed the door open really hard and she got hit and cried, can't a girl wee in peace.
Poor love

CM

Bonfire Night

G said LETS GET SOME FIREWORKWS!

I thought where will we set them off from and how would I look my neighbors in the eye if our antics had given their tiny dog a heart attack?

Nope

I bought sparklers and they were selling giant ones in the super market on Saturday morning buy one get one free. Job Done
My children can wait a few more years to be exposed to the big displays and processions.

For information giant sparklers doesn't mean giant spark it means longer stick.






Next year I am going to feed, bath and pj the girls and then stick us all in the car and head off to the park and watch the fireworks from the inside with hot chocs and marshmallows.
Maybe  I'll take the sparklers too

CM


.

Who Knows What Day It Is

Our internet has been down for ages that Mr Branson has been working hard to put it right and finally today someone must have put the right plug in the right socket so for the moment we are up and running.

Last Friday we went to a 'bris'.
Welcome Benjamin Fraser, your grandpa would have thought you the cutest button.
Well I have never been to one before and it was wonderful to sit in the kitchen and listen to grandmothers and aunts talk whilst little one worked his lungs in the other room.
You know what memory I take away, when the men came out of the room the women in the kitchen automatically unwrapped the buffet!
So Jewish.

Mazel tov!


So the weather can go form this




to this




We were soaked to the bone but T insisted on yelling I LOVE RAIN!




Somewhere over the weekend we had a playdate with a great little boy from school and we all went to the park to play with G's new obsession RC - radio controlled - so far it is cars but I suppose it could spread to planes or heaven forbid boats.
We also all, except me managed to tread in dog poo at some point but it was only me who dealt with it on the return home.


I washed my hands before I mixed up a big batch of mince pie mix




On Sunday P and I went to a birthday party and brought home the biggest slice of cake and it was eaten after dinner





Today is Tuesday

I have been feeling great all weekend and there has been light at the end of the tunnel but today I think that the goitre is back up again and my ears feels as though I have blown up a really big balloon.

Early to bed with a book I think

CM