Where One Vents One's Spleen

Dear To School Mother,

The school holidays cannot come soon enough. If I have to look at your self-righteous, smarmy face one more time, I think I might have to grab that pole that lives up your backside and beat you with it.

Jealousy oozes from your every pore.

You small-minded pathetic, misguided woman.

You bore me.

However, as I am sure you are now aware, I don't suffer fools gladly.  Cross me again at your peril.  I may be a fraction of your size but I will wipe the freakin' floor with you.

(Up) Yours,

Me xxx

Phew, that's better!

;-)

Hx

Works In Progress!

Good morning, good morning.

Normal chirpy chicken service is resumed!  ;-)

Thanks so much to you all for your wonderfully encouraging and empathetic responses to my last post.  It would seem that the men folk in our lives have a lot to learn about romance and definitely need a little coercing!  I have also come to the conclusion that I frankly don't like men very much when there is a World Cup on.  They seem to go all alpha male and one-track minded.  So I, for one, am glad the England team are on their way home.  Sad but true.

Also, a big "hello" to my lovely, lovely followers.  I had a bit of a start when I realised the number of people interested in my blog had jumped since I last looked.  When time allows I shall be coming to visit you all and, if you lurk, well, "hello to you too".

xxx

It's my niece's 11th birthday tomorrow and, since she has shown an interest in art, I have bought her some 'proper' watercolour paints, brushes and paper.  She is going to come round in the school holidays and, together with blondie daughter, we're going to have a 'painting day'.

Well, of course, simply going to the shop, smelling the paints and fingering the brushes got me well and truly in the mood for painting myself.  So, last night, I bribed Bertie with a treat so I could paint him!  He, however was certainly not in the mood to stay still and was being totally insubordinate.  Hmmm, note to self, work from a photo next time!

Do you paint?

I thoroughly enjoyed it but ended up feeling frustrated that I couldn't put onto the paper what I saw in my head.  Because I am a sporadic painter, it takes me a while to get back into it again.  Anyway, I don't like it - not only have I made him boss-eyed (!) and furious-looking, but it's too tight and overworked.  I'm going to try again tonight so I'll let you know how I get on.

I think it can be the same with any craft though, don't you?  I guess part of the fun is trying again and again until you're happy with what you've produced.

One thing I am happy with is my latest crochet project ...

I've photographed it on my bed so you can see how I've picked out the colours from the duvet cover.  Lovely aren't they?  It's going to be a simply striped huge snuggly cushion.

 When you're a creative sausage, there always seems to be a never ending list of works in progress but, let's face it, we none of us would have it any other way would we?!

Hx

A Few Random Self Indulgent Sad Thoughts At The End Of A Thursday

I feel a bit sad.

It's probably hormones.

Do you ever get a 'poor me' thought in your head and then can't let it go?

My sad thought ... I can't remember the last time HH and I went out, on our own, for a simple pub meal.

Seriously, I can't remember.  Was it for his birthday in April?  Aaah, possibly our wedding anniversary in February?

I love the time we spend together in the evenings, especially drawn out summer ones with a bottle of wine. 

There's lots of stuff.  We entertain friends, we go to 'dos'.  But, just once, I'd really, really love him to say "Guess what, I've arranged for your Mum to babysit and we're off out for a romantic meal."

Don't get me wrong, we have a wonderful marriage and fancy each other like mad but does the courting have to stop after 12 years of marriage and two babies?

I still want him to woo me a little bit.  Is that naive?

Hx

Word Of The Week

Fillip (fil-lip) noun

An embellishment or item that excites, stimulates and/or adds enjoyment.

Hx

Me And My New Top!

Happy Monday everyone!

Hope you all thoroughly enjoyed your weekend and greet this new week all refreshed and recharged.

I want to show you my new top ...

There's a lovely (read expensive) little shopping area less than half a mile from where I live.  Nestled among the designer boutiques, wine bars, delis and beauty salons are two of my favourite shops - Artifact, a gorgeous gift shop (which now sells a few CK bits) ...

 and Polly's (no piccie I'm afraid), a mother and daughter-run clothes boutique, which sells the likes of Noa Noa, Avoca, Fransa and Sandwich etc.

My willpower always seems to desert me when I'm in Polly's so, unless particularly looking for something, I try and avoid the area!  In fact, I've not been there for quite a few months.

Friday, however, having picked the children up from school, I decided to take a little detour home past Polly's, telling the children I'd just have a quick glance as we drove by.  I don't know why, it was almost instinctive.

Well, my top was in the window!  It was love at first sight!  It's a one way street and parking spaces are like gold dust so I had no choice but to carry on going past.  But I needed that top.

Pause, deep breaths.  Get a grip girl, it was only a top ...

... a really, really pretty, floaty top that I could already picture myself in and, quite frankly, wasn't prepared to face the summer without!  Oh bloomin' eck!

"Right children, I'll just drive past one more time and only if there is a parking space will we stop and go inside."  Cue very loud blondie sighs.

You know what I'm going to say next, don't you?

Yup, there was a perfect space right outside!  Please remember, parking in this area is normally an absolute nightmare.  It was meant to be!

So I bought my top (£40) and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! :-)

There's only one teeny tiny problem ...

The same top was also available in pale blue with pink roses which I might actually have to go and buy too!!!  Aaagh!!!

Do you ever have similar 'meant to be' purchase experiences?

At this point, just in case Handsome Hubby is reading, it's 11:00am and, since getting up five hours ago, I have done the following:-

Showered and washed my hair.

Ironed school uniform.

Fed and despatched two blondies to school.

Done a week's shopping.

Hoovered the entire downstairs.

Mopped the kitchen floor.

Stripped my bed and put the covers in the wash.

Filled and emptied the dishwasher.

Watered my garden.

Planted some Sweet Williams.

Sprayed weedkiller on the front drive.
Roasted a chicken.

Drank two cups of tea and one cup of coffee.

Only now am I sitting down at my laptop with cup of coffee number two to catch up on emails and blogs.

Little bit of self-justification! ;-)

Hx

A Rambling Recap On The Week's Events!

Hello girls!

I can't believe it's over a week since I last posted.  Echoing the lovely Ali's comments, it's just such a busy time of the school year - there seem to be a squillion things to either remember or attend every day.  How all you 'go-out-to-work-mummies' cope with it, I have no idea.

Last night I went to blondie daughter's summer concert - she sings in the choir.  It was very sweet and the children sang beautifully.  I have to be honest though, I always squirm my way through the recorder recitals.  I'm sorry but, in my honest opinion, recorders are never anything but painful to listen to unless played by a professional.  :-}

With three weeks of term left, we still have a swimming gala, Sports Day, Speech Day, a Pinafore Pirates play, School Fete and the Year 6 Leavers' Party to shoehorn in ... phew!

Today, however, I can afford myself a little blogging time!  Blondie son has gone on a Latin day trip and blondie daughter has an afterschool club which means I have 'til 4:30pm!!!  Yay!!!  Ooh plus, we have a huge bag of fresh mussels for supper so very little to do!

Since we last spoke I have ...

*  Been on my future sister-in-law's hen night where we drank wine through pink willy straws and danced on tables to a Take That tribute band!

*  Had a lovely boozy alfresco lunch at my Mum and Dad's.

*  Hired a carpet cleaner and nearly broke my back cleaning most of our carpets and upholstery.  Ashamed I tell you - I emptied out seven buckets of what looked like coffee down the sink!  The carpets look so pristine I have gone all anal and fashioned us each footwear out of tie-handle food bags!  It won't last.

*  Had an ickle charity shop foray.  Not extremely fruitful - I'm convinced that most people take things to car boot sales at this time of year and then dump the tat that doesn't sell at the poor old charity shops.  I did manage to find three Anthony Horowitz books for blondie son and a huge pack of coloured paper strips for paper chains for blondie daughter (definite mummy bonus points), this vase which I am utterly in love with ...

and something equally as pretty which I can't show you as I'm including it in my Boudoir Swap parcel to Alison.

*  Been pottering in the garden and tending to my vast veggie patch!

You know, I don't think I have ever seen broad bean flowers before ...

*  Been ploughing my way through 1500 photos to select 100 or so to include in the Year 6 Yearbook which a couple of us parents have offered to create!  Hmm, I wonder if that's why my poor little laptop is a bit slow at the mo?

Frustratingly, crafting has taken a bit of a back seat.  I ordered a variety of fabric gorgeousness from eBay last week, from which I'm itching to make some cushions and bunting.

I did make this practise envelope style cushion last weekend which I am really pleased with ...

At this point, I will confess - I'm not the most adept sewer.  I am a raving perfectionist so sew very neatly but extremely slooooowly.  It's a bugger really because I'd love to make my own clothes.  I have all the ideas but not enough ability to create them.

As for teachers' pressies, I'm afraid they'll be bought this year!  So, courtesy of Ms Kidston, Mr F, you're getting this ...

and Mrs W, this is for you ...

Well, bless you and a big cuddle if you've stuck with me and reached this point!

I'm going to leave you with my absolute favourite quote of this week ...

"Don't you just hate it when there is too much month left at the end of the money?"

No truer word ...

Love Hx

Special Day

17 years ago today, I realised I was falling in love with my handsome boss.

17 years ago today, my handsome boss told me he was falling in love with me.

And who says office romances don't last?!

Hx

Sweet And Sour!

Two things struck me when I opened the door to our smiley postman this morning:-

1.  He wasn't wearing his cream handknitted beanie hat.  He ALWAYS wears his cream handknitted beanie hat, searing heat or no searing heat.  I had wondered if it hid a secret but, no, he has hair - albeit a little wispy - and a normal shaped head.  So taken aback was I that it took me a moment to realise that ...

2.  He was holding a big squashy parcel for me!  Only my Strawberry Swap parcel from my uber-organised partner Vanessa of Hapi-ness!  Such weekend thrills!

QUICK, CHILDREN, GO GET THE CAMERA!

Special mention needs to be made of the badge holding it all together ...

It's a Pink Milk badge!!!  Vanessa, how clever are you??!!  I LOVE it!

Just the prettiest wrapping paper ever ...

My wonderful, wonderful swap goodies in all their sweet glory ...

The dearest little ornament, stationery, exfoliating gloves, nail polish, face pack, sweeties, a gorgeous strawberry keyring and, of course, the little badge.

I love it all Vanessa, it's the most thoughtful parcel of goodies - thank you sooo much!

I promise to reciprocate soon!

Now, Saturday in our house is 'sweetie day'.  I have always been a little bossy over the blondies not having too many sweets and 'sweetie day' is a tradition I have carried on from when my brothers and I were young.

I used to buy 2oz of pineapple chunks, rosy apples or even the odd packet of Space Dust (remember that?) with my 32p pocket money.

Anyway, it seems that the sweets of choice at the moment are these awful things ...

No kidding, they are HORRIFIC.

They are so sour that your face almost implodes.  I have never in my life tasted anything so bitter.

And the children say they enjoy them.  Well, judge for yourself ...

If you are passing a sweetie shop and these nasty little tubs are sitting menacingly on a shelf ... go on ... I dare you!!!  :-)

I'm off to have another poke through my lovely Strawberry goodies and enjoy the nearly-sun.

Have a wonderful weekend girls.

Hx

The Dress

Phew!

I've finally found it!

The dress I'm going to wear to my little brother's wedding in Poland, in July.

I love you Noa Noa!

Now, one of my favourite bits - the accessories ...

I'm thinking floaty boho rather than Old Macdonald as the picture suggests so perhaps light cobwebby wrap, flowers in hair and jewelled sandals?

Naturellement I shall be making my own jools so ... long lariat style necklace and tinkling charm bracelet?

Ooh, I love being a girl.

Now all I have to worry about is not snagging it with said charm bracelet, not getting jewelled sandals caught in the hem and not spilling beetroot soup down the cleavage!

Hx

PS. Do have a peek at http://www.inisonline.com/ - I could happily remortgage the house and spend a fortune on their yummy clothes!