Home! Just over a week ago!

Put some new colour on the blog because the old colour reminded me of the rain in early new year and I wanted something with a bit more summer time in it but actually this orange and grey feels more like a German 1950's tin pencil case, you know utility, engineering........labels.
You never know what you are going to get when you start something and have no idea what you want to do.

I noticed I have a new follower, Hello lucky number 7!

So the French Trip we went to a caravan in Frejus after landing in Nice, no problems with flying out but on my return I did convince myself that there was someone with evil on his mind in the departure lounge much to my horror we were seated behind him on the plane so I tried reading his text messages to determine our outcome but was unsuccessful so kissed my children and told them I loved them and hoped for the best.
I was wrong of course he was probably a brain surgeon and am duly sorry but I haven't learn't any lessons and will probably put my system through similar terror on my next adventure.

In the meantime here are some photos

Our hutch for the week

View from the front - I really liked it

Bit of Pink

Deep in thought

Not too many of these eaten surprisingly

It really was this busy

She's grown so much and I love her in sandals

The heat was uncomfortable at times

She was actually rather happy

Constant exploring - NEVER still

So I came back with a bag full of pine cones and a bit of a soap shower gel face cream collection from the supermache.

It was nice to get away despite one trip to the crazy French Dr Sabine de Flores for a sore ear for T.

I quite like a water park that stays open when the theme park next door is on fire and is being doused with water from helicopters. I have never been to one before I did a couple of mild adventures - probably the best way to describe it.

I only lost the temper once when trying to retrieve a screaming child in the middle of the night who had fallen out of bed and I couldn't navigate the cramped space and slim doorways without scrapping the back of an arm or stubbing a toe and screaming the F bomb and cursing the quarters.

It was really hot I don't know how I feel about it all I know that holidays with small children are not relaxing at all and I am grateful for the input from all the family. I wish you could click your fingers and just be there.

I also know that T is really travel sick and needs a paper bag stolen from the plane on any journey more than twenty minutes.

I quite like self catering on a grand scale. I am crap at applying sun block to myself. When will I learn I never wear my contact lenses when I am away so why take a weeks supply of this and other things I don't need

John Roche was also on our Easy Jet Flight home although I didn't think he was the bomber or did I think for one moment that he too had spent a week at the Holiday Green Caravan Park!

More news another time
CM

Day Six - Day Before Take Off

OK, so tomorrow we go!
Everything is where is should be packed and on the dinning room table, seems like quite a lot.
This morning it didn't seem that much.

So managed to put the cat in the holiday home, clean the kitchen and the girls room, took delivery of their mattresses which are huge and I am not sure if they are ready for them but....... the lounge and kitchen are also clear and it feels like its seven o'clock but actually its half past nine gone. Penny was playing the chimp and refusing to go to bed.
She likes to do a late poo and it can often hold a schedule right up.

Also in other news we went to look at a house which has come on the market which we have always loved, there is a story to it and I'll share another time but I managed to get some photos

Even if I had the best camera in the world I don't think I could improve on these photos the light is just as it looks.

Its a large house with lots of rooms usually you can find a big house with not so many the space here has really been well thought about. Any how, its beautifully musty inside it really is like the old book that you don't know what to do with.
I am so sad that the lovely lady who doesn't live there any more didn't get to say goodbye to it but apparently she is happy where she is now and I would visit but I think that would confuse her more as she only knew me over the garden wall so to speak.

Anyway, tonight the only reason to buy this house is to save it from being carved up by the developers because despite appearances it really is rather lovely.

So tomorrow I am going to try T in some travel sick wrist bands and see if we can get to the caravan park without puke on our clothes because the smell will be with me all week.

Stay tuned I have technology with me and will update if there is a signal
Happy holidays
CM

Day Four and Five

The sun seems to be coming out again which is good as I only have one more wash to do before we go away.
I have cancelled the milk I know all the meals I am cooking between now and lift off. I just scrubbed the floors downstairs and they are all clean and shiny. There are no pics of this as the light in the house is rubbish and it is after all only boards painted white.

I think my 7 day challenge might slow as the anxiety of leaving home is beginning to set in and I am feeling sick and faint with worry, why is it that others don't panic at the thought of getting on a plane and enjoying themselves relaxing round a pool? 
I am not scared of flying I just think that it will be the plane that I am on that will go down, then I tend to enjoy the holiday because I think well at least I am off the plane safely.
To be honest if those Icelandic volcanoes went off I'd be really happy at this point.

I have got all the clothes folded and ready to put into cases, just the tail ends of armbands and mascara to find and then I am done. But really I could throw up whilst I type this.
It is at this point of prep that I start to fall apart and G will have to pick up the pieces I think that is why I wanted to be ready on Sunday because now I can only stomach peppermint tea. I will have to go to bed at 7.
I can't wait to come home.
I think I will need to be edged out from the house.

I looked like this when I was little

Cute Feet

I think P can read my mood because we spent most of the morning in this position watching chicken little which meant not thinking about all that had to be done.

If I can tidy my room and the girls room tomorrow then I will have a nice happy home to return to, which I am looking forward to more than the holiday!!
What is wrong with me?

Watched the best F1 race ever yesterday well done Gentle Buttons as he is known in this house.
CM

Day Three - Nothing Today So Far

Picked up dress and top form Jaegar, trying not to buy too much cotton jersey. Both items are silk and were greatly reduced in the sale, but this will most probably be my last purchases for a while.

The blue top seems so flimsy it doesn't feel like it will last long and the black and white will be great for work in the spring, I don't have a job! but will take both away with me a road test them in a caravan park!!

Dress

Top

Then we went to buy shoes for the girls came back with six pairs of everything and afterwards bought them strawberry milkshakes. Whilst Gareth ordered they played on the Night Garden ride. They were so good at getting out when a little boy wanted a turn no freaking out at all, which surprised me as I thought P would not let go of Iggle Piggle

Have a nice evening
CM

Day Two - Getting There

Had a great day yesterday meeting twins, who are utterly lovely and chilled and their mum looked a natural at managing two baby girls at fourteen weeks old despite the rough ride they all had on entry.
I also ate loads of cake and pasta salad.

I did manage the bathroom. photos are such bad quality. must do something about this

BEFORE

Filled with toys and crap from the other room

 AFTER

Usually the bathroom is stacked high with every kind of toy that the girls can get into water. It's still not decorated. 10 years since we ripped the old one out I think that the plaster is holding up well.

 but at least its clean.


Girls started to scrap over a single stupid sticker so I gave them a strip of ring enforcer sticker thingy's and that shut them up for a good 10 minutes.

Lovely day out there today, washings on the line getting a hair cut bought a sale dress at Jaegar have to pick that up and will try and wrap up those little gifts that I bought to keep the girls occupied on the plane maybe an afternoon nap

A plan surely?
CM

Day One - Pre Holiday - Get It Together

 BEFORE

Oh Dear!

Not much creativity happening in here

AFTER

I am not that much of a speed cleaner
I only managed the one room

This will be nice to work on

Bedding and frames for the girls room

Nice place to sit and some storage

Zimmer is the only outstanding item

All clear so the girls came in for a play

Just woke up - not happy

I've got wood worm which is not surprising the amount of knackered wooden stuff I've got. So the vintage family garden chairs are back in the garden, those and all the basket baskets will have to be treated.

Full of bugs

Where did I put all the junk? I moved it to the bathroom of course!
Show you that later.

We hung out in the garden after and got some more late afternoon sun and picked some fruit from our bushes, they are in the second year

All gone

Early harvest

Searching

Just to let you know that if you think that you will be picking fruit from your garden with your children, watching them stuffing their faces and making fruit pies its not really like that.
Last year we harvested 4 raspberries! this year it looks a lot better but you pick a few maybe 4 again then you have to wait a couple of days till more ripen.
Better off in the hedge rows I think, such a shame!

Off to tackle dinner and the kitchen
CM

7 Day Challenge

So next week we go on a family holiday, G's family and some other family/inlaws. I am not looking forward to it as I hate leaving home especially when you have to relax and enjoy yourself there is too much pressure on the whole situation and of course there is always the possibility of the plane crashing to the ground in a hundred million pieces

So I have set myself a challenge, the dream getaway, pack by Monday and have a clean house on my return. Usually I pack on the morning, not because I am disorganised but because its the fear of leaving, and the house usually looks like I've fled.
The airline have changed the flight time to unheard of early so there is no other option but to put a plan into place.

So this is what home basically looks like from top to bottom.
It's like I'm showing you my dirty laundry but I am sure follower number 6 will tell you it's healthy to drop the smoke and mirrors!

Kitchen

Spare Bed or The Packing Station

Craft Room or Dumping Zone 1

T and P's Unfinished Bedroom

Recently I have managed to keep a really clean kitchen hall and living room, everyday just repeating the cycle getting further into the house 1 meter at a time but today the whole lot has gone off so there is no other way to tackle it than all at once, like a whirl wind.

7 Days, its a big thing

The ankle will be like a balloon when we leave.

There are other things on the list, like cancel the milk, pick up insurance get new shoes for the girls as they have suddenly grown in the foot.

Will keep you posted
CM

What to Wear? Watch Iris Apfel.

Today the sun came out and I walked T to preschool. It doesn't get much better than that for me.

Loves this old ballet skirt

Teaching me hop scotch

Strike a pose

It was our first walk together and I loved it, didn't love the walk home so much but I quickly recovered so might attempt it again tomorrow with P and the buggy. I can always phone G if I get into trouble.

So a while ago when watching something I spied a New York lady who was talking about style and  culture and she was adorned in just years of collecting and embroidery and print. She wore the most amazing spectacles, big round frames (I want a pair so badly but everything is still rectangle), and she was just so interesting. There was no information as to who she was so for a while I have been searching the internet looking for anything today I saw a picture of her giving an award to a designer and there was her name. IRIS APFEL.

If you want to see some one talking passionately about how to wear clothes and where style comes from with a wealth of knowledge watch this.

It's like looking into a box of jewels. I think I'll add her to my files of interesting women there is space next to Grace Coddington.

Have a great day, off to hang out the washing and make huevos rancheros for lunch, which I know is technically breakfast but I am running late.

CM

Saturday Scorcher

It feels this hot today

Popped into town today and bought stuff, lots of stuff.
Thought that I would start early at Boots, 8am, and then do the twice yearly pop into Primark, once to shop and the other later in the week to return half the haul.
Going away on a big family holiday soon, dreading it, and needed some pool side gear so went to pick up some things for me and the girls.

An hour and a half in Boots gets you this

in the pic you will see

Orange box is the same ingredient as Anthesan bug and bite cream and cheaper

Blistex tube has an angled head which makes it great to apply, and its sort of medicated and sorts out dry chapped lips better than anything else on the shelves

Yellow shampoo and conditioner is the stuff I took to the hospital when I had T and reminds me of that time so its a treat once in a while

Ruby and Millie make up, the brand must be folding which is a shame because its such lovely stuff, so its 75% discounted and I think I made a £50 saving how lucky am I!

Dioralyte - miracle for those of us who get dehydrated and sun stroke

Dr. Organics Rose Otto facial serum - bought this in Holland and Barratt - but its amazing and soothing and shifts your wrinkles

Underwater camera is on BOGOF

Estee Lauder SPF Daily Wear! apparently I'll be putting this on top of the Rose Otto I never spend my points so this was a £32 freebie - I'm gonna have skin like a toddler

I also bought some sale clothes, socks, hats and a dress for the girls
It was a bit packed in Primark too many bunions crammed into gladiator sandals with very very bad polish.

Got a taxi back at lunch time, the ankle was screaming GET ME HOME NOW.
It will be near Christmas before I return again, or maybe next week when I realise I have forgotten loads of stuff

Bought Hats

Then spent a bit of time with the girls in their new paddling pool in the garden
Take out tonight I think

CM