There will be another post after this one, but this is just a Fill In the Blank Friday post!
Something I am very proud of is how much I have grown as a person over the past year. The challenges I've dealt with and the personal work I've put in with the help of the wife is huge, and when I think back to how I was this time a year ago, I'm really pleased at how far I've come.
My favourite thing about myself is my brain, because that's where I spend most of my time! I really enjoy thinking, strange as that may sound. I love working through things in my mind, sorting through the huge bog in there.
My favourite colour for fall is red, or orange, or yellow... I don't know! I love fall colours in general, they're so warm and earthy!
Something I've been learning lately is that I can be okay - even when I don't think I am.
A book I am reading now/have read lately is Memoirs of a Geisha. I really enjoyed it; it was brilliant!
My favourite pandora station is non-existent, since I don't know what one of those is!
This weekend I will be doing lots of socialising, in various forms. Hopefully I'll sleep okay too, though.
Love love xx
Showing posts with label Fill in the blank Friday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fill in the blank Friday. Show all posts
Friday, 21 September 2012
Friday, 14 September 2012
Fill In the Blank Friday
Looking forward to a chilled weekend before I start placement on Monday... In the meantime, Fill In the Blank Friday:
Right now the weather where I live is clear skies and pretty sunny during the day. It's dark now, but so far the weather in bath has been rather glorious!
The best piece of advice I've been given is not advice, exactly. It's from when I went up to see the wife near Easter and we were at her church. Someone there received a message from God that was really specifically related to me, and made me really emotional. And the wife put her arms round me and just said, "You are so worthy. And so, so loved." I often remember those words - that day was really healing.
My most favourite person in all the world is God. Beyond that I don't have favourites, exactly. The people I care about most are my family, the wife, DT. But I love them all differently, so I couldn't say that I had a favourite.
If I were to have a "mission statement" for my life, it would be "trying to help others to see the world with the same awe I see it." this world is so, so amazing - there are so many aspects of it that make me gasp with wonder at how incredible a thing they are - like the ability to have children: a whole new life can be brought from almost nothing inside you!!
My favourite item in my closet is my stilettos. There are no shoes that can make me smile like my heels! I've never thrown a pair away, nor have I ever grown out of any of them.
The best cure for a bad day is chocolate, a duvet and a snuggle with a best friend. The wife always makes it better!
Today is Friday, obviously. It has been my last induction day at college. Today is almost over. Tomorrow is free for me to do whatever I may choose. But for now, today is a chance to relax and get a good night's sleep!
I know it's not all that late, but I'm headed for bed! G'night people!
Love love xx
Right now the weather where I live is clear skies and pretty sunny during the day. It's dark now, but so far the weather in bath has been rather glorious!
The best piece of advice I've been given is not advice, exactly. It's from when I went up to see the wife near Easter and we were at her church. Someone there received a message from God that was really specifically related to me, and made me really emotional. And the wife put her arms round me and just said, "You are so worthy. And so, so loved." I often remember those words - that day was really healing.
My most favourite person in all the world is God. Beyond that I don't have favourites, exactly. The people I care about most are my family, the wife, DT. But I love them all differently, so I couldn't say that I had a favourite.
If I were to have a "mission statement" for my life, it would be "trying to help others to see the world with the same awe I see it." this world is so, so amazing - there are so many aspects of it that make me gasp with wonder at how incredible a thing they are - like the ability to have children: a whole new life can be brought from almost nothing inside you!!
My favourite item in my closet is my stilettos. There are no shoes that can make me smile like my heels! I've never thrown a pair away, nor have I ever grown out of any of them.
The best cure for a bad day is chocolate, a duvet and a snuggle with a best friend. The wife always makes it better!
Today is Friday, obviously. It has been my last induction day at college. Today is almost over. Tomorrow is free for me to do whatever I may choose. But for now, today is a chance to relax and get a good night's sleep!
I know it's not all that late, but I'm headed for bed! G'night people!
Love love xx
Friday, 17 August 2012
Weekend at my sister's with lots of knitty things, The week since which involves some Sewing and Baking, a haircut briefly mentioned, this weekend in London and the sudden future, Fill In the Blank Friday
Wow - it's been a busy week!
So I spent last Saturday to Monday at my sister's, which was really nice. Whilst I was up there she passed a knitted hat:
and scarf:
and shawl:
onto me, which was really lovely. Aren't they pretty?! But then she also passed a whole bag of different yarns to me to take home and use if I could find a use for them! They're really gorgeous!
It was a fairly quiet weekend, which I really liked. We spent Saturday afternoon and evening at her flat, and as far as I remember we cooked supper then knitted and watched the film Wanted - a fairly terrible film, but amusing and easy to watch; happy stupid!
Sunday we went to Edinburgh in the afternoon, as my sister had a show to go to at the Fringe. It was mad busy there, which I didn't like. But we escaped into the calm of Edinburgh museum, which was kind of awesome and very interesting. I saw the Chronophage, which I really liked. It was enjoyable to think about, because it has these LED lights in it which denote the hours, minutes and seconds. The second lights would flash up all around the circle every second, moving one full revolution and one extra light forward so that it stopped on the next light every time - like a hand on a normal clock. But this means that it had to travel faster than one revolution a second. Isn't that geekily interesting?!
We also saw the animals room, which was amazing! I didn't grasp the full height and size of animals like giraffes and elephants until I was stood right next to the taxidermied bodies of them. They're huge!! I wouldn't even come up the entire height of the elephant's leg. I found it really interesting, and I found out that they don't taxidermy fish, as their skin is too fragile. Instead they make casts of them.
So that was really fun, and once the museum was closing we went with a friend of my sister and had supper in a little bar/cafe type thing. I finally had the fajitas I've been craving for about 3 months, and they were delicious! Then we walked along to the road my sister's show was on, and said goodbye to her friend, then told me how to get to the train station if my sister wasn't back in time for the last train, then plonked me down in Beanscene, and entirely scottish train of cafes. It was lovely in there. I sat and drank some tea, and knitted and people-watched. And, bizarrely, I saw the wife! I knew she was in Edinburgh that weekend, but it's a big place, and I didn't think we'd see each other, so I didn't tell her that i would be there. But there she was, walking straight past the window! I saw her at the last minute, and did a double-take. I realised she would be headed for the train station to go back to Newcastle. So I didn't call to her. I guess it just felt a little too much like a scene from a storybook. And my life isn't a story.
Anyway, my sister didn't seem as though she would be back in time to catch the last train, so I set off for the station without her; but she did make it after all, so we headed back to Stirling and collapsed into bed. Monday she was working, so I lazed around in bed in the morning and read a Batwoman graphic novel, then made cheesecake brownies. My sister's SO fried some potato scones for me - I don't think I've ever had them before, but they were oh so very good! Then I packed all my stuff up, and went to Beanscene in Stirling to wait for my sister. We had a drink in there, and we got a full free drink card because they forgot to make my drink at first. Then we went to a little sweet shop and I bought some rosy apples and 'soor plooms'. We walked to the station, said goodbye to each other, and I got on the train and came home. Not altogether that exciting a weekend, but comfortable and relaxed, and the kind I like!
Since then I've been to the dentist, and she proclaimed my new false teeth beautiful; I've baked some, and I've sewed a lot. I finally made the pyjama top to go with the bottoms I made a while ago:
and realised I loved the top and thought it so gorgeous on that I was a little disappointed that it was going to be a pyjama top. I might wear it during the day sometimes!
And I made the same pattern in another fabric:
I love this on too, but not as much as the other! But I love them both very much, and feel good when I wear them! I made a huge batch of cheesecake brownies to use up some of the glut of cream cheese we had at home:
I love the cases! See, they're all spotty!
And I followed a recipe for Angel Layer cake. It wasn't very successful, in truth. It's basically like 2 giant meringues in different colours:
It's lovely meringue, don't get me wrong. But it's not Angel Layer Cake. Back to the drawing board!
I got my haircut today - no pictures, sorry! And I also dyed it this evening. See, told you it's been busy! And I still found time to put laundry through, do the dishwasher, eat, sleep...!
Tomorrow I'm going to London to see Les Mis with the wife - can't believe it's finally here! I'm very excited to see it, and looking forward to seeing the wife again! I miss her when she's not with me. And then next week is majorly busy too - meeting up with my high school form tutor and a friend; childminding; visiting another friend; and then there's less than a week before I leave! I have barely a handful of free days left before I go. nanny college was so far away when I first applied, I thought it would never happen. And now it's swiftly becoming a reality!
So last for tonight: Fill In the Blank Friday!
The best thing to do on a hot day is open all the windows, wear as few clothes as possible, drink cold drinks and lie around in the half dark with a book. Alternatively, carry on as though it's any other day but complain about the heat a lot!
The best place to be on a hot day is somewhere cold! Maybe swimming in the sea? Otherwise outside in the shade, assuming there's a strong breeze.
The best thing to eat on a hot day is fruit - watermelon, if possible. And salad.
Hot days are few and far between in England. They're good for ripening fruits and vegetables, and can make going for a ramble very enjoyable.
My go to uniform on a hot summer day is a loose cotton dress - and underwear, obviously - and nothing else. No tights or socks or shoes, no cardigan. Just a nice dress to let any cool breezes flow through and over my body!
The scent that reminds me of summer is the smell of Asda's giant M & M cookies. Weird, I know, but they smell warm and slightly spicy, and always remind me of how it smelt out in the middle East when we used to live there. Specifically, it makes me think of the evening walks we used to take. And I vaguely remember some kind of droopy tree which dropped lots of leaves and these long seed pods. Couldn't tell you any more than that, though; I was only 6.
My favourite thing about summer is the time I spend with friends in it. The planned excursions and fun we get up to in summer is brilliant!
And that's all. Well done if you managed to get to the end! See you in a few!
Love love xx
Friday, 10 August 2012
Fill In The Blank Friday, Visiting
Just a quick Fill in the Blanks!
The age I will be on my upcoming birthday is 20. Shock horror! No more teenage years!
The best birthday present ever would be harmony between all magical and non-magical peoples... oh wait. No. That's Gilderoy Lockhart. My favourite present is seeing people I love. But not for so long that I start wanting to tear my hair out and scream!
My favourite birthday to date was last year's, my 19th. I don't have the best track record with good birthdays, and last year all my friends were going to uni so there would be nobody around to celebrate it even. But the wife invited me up to Newcastle to spend it with her, so I had a glorious birthday with her, and we went out and explored a bit, and bought cupcakes which made awesome birthday cake substitutes; and we watched some Tribe and just generally had sweet sexy wife time! (in which nothing even remotely sexual went on, as usual).
Birthdays make me feel miserable, usually. Because I know I should be happy because it's my birthday - and yet almost nobody ever makes any effort with my birthday. In fact, almost all of my friends tend to forget it. And then when they realise 2 weeks later, they say, 'why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?!' As though I should feel bad for them making no effort, even though it's my birthday! Sorry, it's something I find really annoying! And I guess that's why I always try to make an effort for other people's birthdays. I would hate for anyone else to feel the way I do on my birthday. I would hate for anyone else to feel that there are so few people in their life willing to make an effort.
The worst birthday I ever had was ummm... I don't know. Birthdays are so often filled with good and bad, and any that are particularly unimpressive I don't bother to remember. I don't remember very many birthdays - 2 or 3 of them, that's all.
When I was born my mum was relieved, I think, since she started labour the week before! I was also a little blondie from birth to about the age of 7 at which point my hair darkened into a fairly standard brown.,
So far my favourite age has been this age. Life is so content right now for me - I have people that I love and who love me, I have my studying and then career to look forward to, independence coming, and a strong faith in a loving God. Otherwise, I would have gone with anywhere between baby and 5-year oldness, since I'm pretty sure they tend to be easy, worry-free years for most people!
And that's it! I'm spending the weekend at my sister's, so no promise of any posts during that time. Maybe, but unlikely. Until Tuesday!
Love love xx
The age I will be on my upcoming birthday is 20. Shock horror! No more teenage years!
The best birthday present ever would be harmony between all magical and non-magical peoples... oh wait. No. That's Gilderoy Lockhart. My favourite present is seeing people I love. But not for so long that I start wanting to tear my hair out and scream!
My favourite birthday to date was last year's, my 19th. I don't have the best track record with good birthdays, and last year all my friends were going to uni so there would be nobody around to celebrate it even. But the wife invited me up to Newcastle to spend it with her, so I had a glorious birthday with her, and we went out and explored a bit, and bought cupcakes which made awesome birthday cake substitutes; and we watched some Tribe and just generally had sweet sexy wife time! (in which nothing even remotely sexual went on, as usual).
Birthdays make me feel miserable, usually. Because I know I should be happy because it's my birthday - and yet almost nobody ever makes any effort with my birthday. In fact, almost all of my friends tend to forget it. And then when they realise 2 weeks later, they say, 'why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?!' As though I should feel bad for them making no effort, even though it's my birthday! Sorry, it's something I find really annoying! And I guess that's why I always try to make an effort for other people's birthdays. I would hate for anyone else to feel the way I do on my birthday. I would hate for anyone else to feel that there are so few people in their life willing to make an effort.
The worst birthday I ever had was ummm... I don't know. Birthdays are so often filled with good and bad, and any that are particularly unimpressive I don't bother to remember. I don't remember very many birthdays - 2 or 3 of them, that's all.
When I was born my mum was relieved, I think, since she started labour the week before! I was also a little blondie from birth to about the age of 7 at which point my hair darkened into a fairly standard brown.,
So far my favourite age has been this age. Life is so content right now for me - I have people that I love and who love me, I have my studying and then career to look forward to, independence coming, and a strong faith in a loving God. Otherwise, I would have gone with anywhere between baby and 5-year oldness, since I'm pretty sure they tend to be easy, worry-free years for most people!
And that's it! I'm spending the weekend at my sister's, so no promise of any posts during that time. Maybe, but unlikely. Until Tuesday!
Love love xx
Friday, 3 August 2012
Fill In the Blank Friday
My actual post will come later!
I am proud of how well I've kept up with friends this year, despite the distance between us all.
This weekend I will try to do some sewing, some knitting, some baking and some walking.
A secret dream I have is to create a business selling things I've designed/made.
I can't handle people who don't know how to be honest with themselves. You know, those people who have 'the best of intentions' and promise they'll say/do things that they're never actually going to make enough effort to do. By promising that they'll do whatever it is, they're lying both to me and to themselves, even if they don't realise that they're lying.
The most annoying thing in the entire world is when you notice a really irritating habit in someone and then can't focus on anything else when they're around! Like nail-biting, or really noisy chewing.
The most relaxing thing in the entire world is reading a good book in bed with a cuppa next to you.
I think everyone should have more compassion. I think we need to remind ourselves that everyone is a person, a whole and entire, complex person. All too often we see people as one single categorisation or aspect of themselves - like seeing criminals only as their crime, or overweight people as their weight. If we all thought a little more, and tried to care more everyday, I truly believe the world would be better. In fact, I think that's the only way we could ever have a utopia on Earth!
So that's this week's. And I will definitely update you on what I've been up to tomorrow!
Love love xx
I am proud of how well I've kept up with friends this year, despite the distance between us all.
This weekend I will try to do some sewing, some knitting, some baking and some walking.
A secret dream I have is to create a business selling things I've designed/made.
I can't handle people who don't know how to be honest with themselves. You know, those people who have 'the best of intentions' and promise they'll say/do things that they're never actually going to make enough effort to do. By promising that they'll do whatever it is, they're lying both to me and to themselves, even if they don't realise that they're lying.
The most annoying thing in the entire world is when you notice a really irritating habit in someone and then can't focus on anything else when they're around! Like nail-biting, or really noisy chewing.
The most relaxing thing in the entire world is reading a good book in bed with a cuppa next to you.
I think everyone should have more compassion. I think we need to remind ourselves that everyone is a person, a whole and entire, complex person. All too often we see people as one single categorisation or aspect of themselves - like seeing criminals only as their crime, or overweight people as their weight. If we all thought a little more, and tried to care more everyday, I truly believe the world would be better. In fact, I think that's the only way we could ever have a utopia on Earth!
So that's this week's. And I will definitely update you on what I've been up to tomorrow!
Love love xx
Saturday, 28 July 2012
Fill In the Blank Friday
Just a post for Fill in the Blank Friday!
I am short and brunette. I'm a friend, a soon-to-be student again, a daughter and granddaughter and a sister. I'm a sewer, knitter, baker, reader. I'm chatty and open-hearted.
I have always been a willing eater - never fussy. There are almost no foods I don't like.
I hope to see the Aurora Borealis for real with the wife one day.
I can be very moody at times, and want to spend a lot of time alone. I need a certain amount of time on my own!
I dream of a family of my own - husband and children to love. And I dream of carrying a baby inside me, my body sheltering that growing person.
The way to my heart is through vulnerability. By listening to me and my problems, and talking about your own whilst I listen. Sharing honest worries or insecurities and seeking solutions together brings people closer than almost anything else, I think.
I am passionate about morality and compassion. I truly think that they are absolutely necessary. It cuts me deep to hear people speak cruelly or angrily through ignorance. I feel strongly, even for people who have done something wrong. They're still people, and they are not just their crime. Same goes for every person in the world. We are so much more than we are often taken for. And we are all flawed. We all make mistakes, and do things we regret.
I will update tomorrow about what I've been up to in the past few days!
Love love xx
I am short and brunette. I'm a friend, a soon-to-be student again, a daughter and granddaughter and a sister. I'm a sewer, knitter, baker, reader. I'm chatty and open-hearted.
I have always been a willing eater - never fussy. There are almost no foods I don't like.
I hope to see the Aurora Borealis for real with the wife one day.
I can be very moody at times, and want to spend a lot of time alone. I need a certain amount of time on my own!
I dream of a family of my own - husband and children to love. And I dream of carrying a baby inside me, my body sheltering that growing person.
The way to my heart is through vulnerability. By listening to me and my problems, and talking about your own whilst I listen. Sharing honest worries or insecurities and seeking solutions together brings people closer than almost anything else, I think.
I am passionate about morality and compassion. I truly think that they are absolutely necessary. It cuts me deep to hear people speak cruelly or angrily through ignorance. I feel strongly, even for people who have done something wrong. They're still people, and they are not just their crime. Same goes for every person in the world. We are so much more than we are often taken for. And we are all flawed. We all make mistakes, and do things we regret.
I will update tomorrow about what I've been up to in the past few days!
Love love xx
Friday, 18 May 2012
Absence and apology, Fill in the Blank Friday, walk
I've been absent for a long time. Sorry, laziness got the better of me. I'll try to fill in the big space of time steadily. For now? Fill In the Blanks Friday!
Something that is very near and dear to my heart is the wife. It's a friendship the likes of which I'm not used to. Actually, I'm not really used to friendship full stop. I know plenty of people, but none of them make enough effort to be called friends. more acquaintances, I think.
Contentment is good cause to celebrate.
The most fun I ever had was spending the weekend in newcastle with the wife. We went for chinese, and the Chinese waiter asked her if she was chinese (which she isn't, she's polish). And we celebrated one of her friend's birthdays, and I found her friends surprisingly easy to get along with.
True friends are people to whom you can tell anything, and who can do the same to you. People you trust completely, and communicate with openly. People who make the effort for you, and are there when you need them.
Something that makes me terribly happy is my job. Weird, I know, but looking after B and BB brings me much joy!
A good way to spend a sunny day is to go for a walk. preferably with friends, but on your own can be lovely too.
My favourite celebratory food is truffles. Especially homemade ones. After a meal that someone else has cooked!
So that's my incredibly short post for today! I promise, I will catch things up! Oh, and I went for a nice walk today. It gave me time to think and talk things over with God. Very helpful! And peace restoring.
Love love xx
Something that is very near and dear to my heart is the wife. It's a friendship the likes of which I'm not used to. Actually, I'm not really used to friendship full stop. I know plenty of people, but none of them make enough effort to be called friends. more acquaintances, I think.
Contentment is good cause to celebrate.
The most fun I ever had was spending the weekend in newcastle with the wife. We went for chinese, and the Chinese waiter asked her if she was chinese (which she isn't, she's polish). And we celebrated one of her friend's birthdays, and I found her friends surprisingly easy to get along with.
True friends are people to whom you can tell anything, and who can do the same to you. People you trust completely, and communicate with openly. People who make the effort for you, and are there when you need them.
Something that makes me terribly happy is my job. Weird, I know, but looking after B and BB brings me much joy!
A good way to spend a sunny day is to go for a walk. preferably with friends, but on your own can be lovely too.
My favourite celebratory food is truffles. Especially homemade ones. After a meal that someone else has cooked!
So that's my incredibly short post for today! I promise, I will catch things up! Oh, and I went for a nice walk today. It gave me time to think and talk things over with God. Very helpful! And peace restoring.
Love love xx
Friday, 9 March 2012
Friday, other people's problems, walking and baking, recipe, visiting, new teeth, Fill In The Blank Friday
It's Friday. I was meant to be doing fun things with my very screwy friend, BM. But she cancelled on me by saying that she 'thought it was next Friday' I had suggested. I smell bull. Because when I say 'shall we do something next Friday' on a Monday I'm talking about the next Friday, not the one after that. But I'd never really expected her to do anything but come up with a reason why she couldn't meet up today. And if I'm really honest, I wasn't particularly in the mood for doing anything with her either considering how she's been recently. I know it's selfish of me - she has depression, and so can't help being how she is, really - but I'm just a bit worn down by other people's problems right now. There are so many people coming to me with their problems and inability to cope. And whilst I'm glad people feel they can do that, I can only take so much.
On the other hand, I went for a good long walk today, through the fields and across the train track and along the field paths beyond it. I saw many trains, and waved to one. The driver waved back as well! And then I came back and baked cookies and made another batch mix ready for when the trays come out of the oven. So I'm going to put that batch in soon and make another batch, and then I'll have done all the cookies I'm doing. It's a really simple recipe, from the Good Housekeeping Cook Book, but I vary what I add to the basic mix. Their basic mix is for chocolate chip and walnut. I don't think I've ever added chocolate chips or walnut to it. I have, however, added pecans, macadamias, hazelnuts, cranberries and cherries in various combinations. Here's the recipe:
3 oz butter
3 oz white sugar
3 oz brown sugar
drop of vanilla/almond essence
1 egg
6 oz self-raising flour
pinch of salt
4 oz whatever you're adding.
Cream butter and sugars. Add essence and egg and mix. Add everything else and mix. spoon onto baking sheets and cook for about 15 minutes at 180 c or gas mark 4. Eat them all. Start again.
See? Simple! Once I have done my third batch of these cookies I will pack for going to my sister's tomorrow. I'm just a little bit very excited! I haven't been up there in ages, so it should be really nice. I need to decided what knitting project I want to start, and she'll help sort me out with yarn and needles. And we're going to go and see the new Muppet film on Sunday, which should be lovely - I haven't been to the cinema in ages, either. My life is so sad! But I am really looking forward to seeing my sister.
Next week, can I just say, is so exciting for me! I finally will have my new teeth fitted!! as in permanently! Having worn a denture for a year, I am so excited to be getting rid of it for 3 new teeth. Yesterday I had them checked at their halfway stage of making, so they were matte and didn't look like real teeth yet. But the dentist was able to check the colour-match, shape, size and fit of them. The new teeth are made of two sort of screw-in centres which are hollow and pale white. The teeth will, I think be glued onto these. But when the dentist was screwing the centres in it was really painful, because they're flared to give a more natural look; and the 2 holes that have been made and formed and maintained by healing caps are narrow and cylindrical. So the dentist didn't screw them all the way in; and she changed my healing caps for some which were marginally bigger and flared to reduce discomfort when the teeth are fitted fully next week.
Finally, today is Friday! Here are my Blanks:
My favourite room in my home is the bathroom. It is the one place where you can have absolute peace - and where you deserve peace! With the job I do, I often find I can't even get a few minutes' peace to wee in the day. So the 10-20 minutes in the shower every morning is absolute bliss to me.
My current decor style is only based on my own bedroom. But light and breezy, I would say. Lots of white!
I wish I could redecorate the kitchen in my house to make it more interesting. My parents have very bland, safe taste; and I like to experiment a bit more with colour!
My dream house absolutely has to have a lot of quirks, like reading nooks and a door hidden behind bookcases and a swing sofa.
One house item I am willing to splurge on is doors and window frames. Weird, I know - but all too often they look shabby or mismatched to the house or just plain grubby.
A decor trend I just don't get is bunting to decorate random bits of house. I just can't see a point to it?
So! That's this week's. I hear cookies calling me; and I have some letters I need to write as well, so I'm going to stop here for now.
Love love xx
On the other hand, I went for a good long walk today, through the fields and across the train track and along the field paths beyond it. I saw many trains, and waved to one. The driver waved back as well! And then I came back and baked cookies and made another batch mix ready for when the trays come out of the oven. So I'm going to put that batch in soon and make another batch, and then I'll have done all the cookies I'm doing. It's a really simple recipe, from the Good Housekeeping Cook Book, but I vary what I add to the basic mix. Their basic mix is for chocolate chip and walnut. I don't think I've ever added chocolate chips or walnut to it. I have, however, added pecans, macadamias, hazelnuts, cranberries and cherries in various combinations. Here's the recipe:
3 oz butter
3 oz white sugar
3 oz brown sugar
drop of vanilla/almond essence
1 egg
6 oz self-raising flour
pinch of salt
4 oz whatever you're adding.
Cream butter and sugars. Add essence and egg and mix. Add everything else and mix. spoon onto baking sheets and cook for about 15 minutes at 180 c or gas mark 4. Eat them all. Start again.
See? Simple! Once I have done my third batch of these cookies I will pack for going to my sister's tomorrow. I'm just a little bit very excited! I haven't been up there in ages, so it should be really nice. I need to decided what knitting project I want to start, and she'll help sort me out with yarn and needles. And we're going to go and see the new Muppet film on Sunday, which should be lovely - I haven't been to the cinema in ages, either. My life is so sad! But I am really looking forward to seeing my sister.
Next week, can I just say, is so exciting for me! I finally will have my new teeth fitted!! as in permanently! Having worn a denture for a year, I am so excited to be getting rid of it for 3 new teeth. Yesterday I had them checked at their halfway stage of making, so they were matte and didn't look like real teeth yet. But the dentist was able to check the colour-match, shape, size and fit of them. The new teeth are made of two sort of screw-in centres which are hollow and pale white. The teeth will, I think be glued onto these. But when the dentist was screwing the centres in it was really painful, because they're flared to give a more natural look; and the 2 holes that have been made and formed and maintained by healing caps are narrow and cylindrical. So the dentist didn't screw them all the way in; and she changed my healing caps for some which were marginally bigger and flared to reduce discomfort when the teeth are fitted fully next week.
Finally, today is Friday! Here are my Blanks:
My favourite room in my home is the bathroom. It is the one place where you can have absolute peace - and where you deserve peace! With the job I do, I often find I can't even get a few minutes' peace to wee in the day. So the 10-20 minutes in the shower every morning is absolute bliss to me.
My current decor style is only based on my own bedroom. But light and breezy, I would say. Lots of white!
I wish I could redecorate the kitchen in my house to make it more interesting. My parents have very bland, safe taste; and I like to experiment a bit more with colour!
My dream house absolutely has to have a lot of quirks, like reading nooks and a door hidden behind bookcases and a swing sofa.
One house item I am willing to splurge on is doors and window frames. Weird, I know - but all too often they look shabby or mismatched to the house or just plain grubby.
A decor trend I just don't get is bunting to decorate random bits of house. I just can't see a point to it?
So! That's this week's. I hear cookies calling me; and I have some letters I need to write as well, so I'm going to stop here for now.
Love love xx
Friday, 2 March 2012
Fill In the Blank Friday
The highlight of my week was seeing BB looking through books by herself, and listening and repeating each letter as I spelt out 'daddy' for her. Also seeing her able to climb the rope ladder on the climbing frame by herself; the same one she couldn't climb last September. She's just getting to be so big!
If I had to classify my interior design aesthetic it would be bright, colourful, eclectic. And fresh.
My first vehicle was a black moped. It got me from A to B. And was incredibly cheap to run!
An item I need to have in my day in order to function is the shower. It's not just the place where I get clean; it's ultimate privacy, fifteen minutes at least where I get to luxuriate in the warm water and think lots of things whilst enjoying the peace of it. I really hate it when the phone rings and I'm showering. Cruellest thing ever!
My favourite way to waste time is on pinterest with a bowl of soup in front of me! Or sometimes watching weird documentaries with that same bowl of soup in front of me.
Right now I could really go for a sleep - and I will be, as soon as I've finished this!
This weekend I will be going for a walk with KT, then looking at which church I want to try next near me. Oh, and doing lots and lots and lots of cleaning ready for the parents coming home.
Love love xx
If I had to classify my interior design aesthetic it would be bright, colourful, eclectic. And fresh.
My first vehicle was a black moped. It got me from A to B. And was incredibly cheap to run!
An item I need to have in my day in order to function is the shower. It's not just the place where I get clean; it's ultimate privacy, fifteen minutes at least where I get to luxuriate in the warm water and think lots of things whilst enjoying the peace of it. I really hate it when the phone rings and I'm showering. Cruellest thing ever!
My favourite way to waste time is on pinterest with a bowl of soup in front of me! Or sometimes watching weird documentaries with that same bowl of soup in front of me.
Right now I could really go for a sleep - and I will be, as soon as I've finished this!
This weekend I will be going for a walk with KT, then looking at which church I want to try next near me. Oh, and doing lots and lots and lots of cleaning ready for the parents coming home.
Love love xx
Friday, 17 February 2012
brief update, Fill in the Blank Friday, chlminding, the wife, baby games, a crazy long essay on why I wouldn't have a baby right now.
I'm tired. Not ill any more, but tired. It's been a long week. My grandpa's been in and out of hospital a coupla times - once for scheduled surgery, and then again via A & E - the wife's been down, I've had work, and one of my friends is playing a dangerous game.
I will update you on all of that, but not yet, because this is my Fill in the Blank Friday:
1. The love of my life is not here yet. I don't know them yet. Although I do love my family incredibly much, and the wife as well. It would be fair to call her the love of my life, but it would be a different kind of love to the one meant here.
2. Falling in love is scary and dangerous and exciting and fun and not what life with a partner is about as far as I know. Falling in love is the really fun bit at the start before you get used to them. The real challenge for life is enjoying being with them for the rest of your lives and getting through the tough bits and the boring bits.
3. Marriage is important to me. I find it to be very significant, and not something I would consider lightly. My mum always told me that when she agreed to marry my dad, she did mean forever absolutely seriously. And I would want to as well.
4. The longest relationship I've ever had was not very long in the grand scheme of things. But then of what relationships I have had, I've never bothered to time them, really. I was too busy enjoying spending time with the person.
5. The key to a good relationship is communication, honesty and trust. People in a relationship need to talk to each other. Honestly! About the things that are bothering them, or any issues they feel can be put right. And they need to trust each other, too, that they are both being honest about what they need to know.
6. I feel loved when people remember me. When they do those little things that show they care, like sending me the link to a video that made them think of me. Or even just a text where they ask if I've had a nice day, without me having to text them first necessarily.
7. My favourite quote about love is non-existent. As soon as I read this my mind blanked on any quotes that contained the word 'love'. The only one I can remember is from Twelfth Night - 'If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it-' It doesn't have any significant message for people, and it doesn't even make so very much sense out of context. But nothing else springs to mind; and even if it did, it would probably be corny.
Sot hat's this Friday's Fill in the Blank. And to recap the week... I worked, as per. BB seemed strangely ill yesterday - I mean, rather than it being an obvious illness, or her putting it on, she suddenly turned quiet and couldn't focus on playing because of a pain on her tummy. Normally she's easily distracted even if she is ill. But this time just seemed different. And I wasn't sure what to do. So I ended up ringing the parents, and her mum spoke to her on the phone (good phone skills for a 2-year old!) and suggested that it could be eczema on her belly which she occasionally got. So we rubbed some cream on it and that kept her going until her mum got home from work.
The wife was down last weekend. She's majorly busy now with assignments and people visiting her, so she wanted to get one last drop in at home before she was too busy. It was lovely to see her, mainly because she's the one friend I have who always remembers me. Most, if not all, of the others don't really care about staying in contact that much, and I'm always the one having to make the effort. And that leaves me feeling very lonely and isolated sometimes. But the wife didn't even stop in at her own home on the way down. She just came straight to see me. And that let us have a catch-up and a giggle. And then we ate supper at hers the following night with another friend, BM. we didn't stay the night at hers, as she was leaving again the next day so it was a little hectic for her. I really hate saying goodbye. I know it's not forever, I know she's back down over Easter. But it is hard to say goodbye to someone you're close to - and someone to whom you're close because they care and make an effort where others don't.
I was meant to be seeing BM again on Wednesday evening, but she cancelled because she wasn't pregnant and was miserable about it. She's the friend who's playing a dangerous game. There are positives to having babies and children, I know that. They are a joy, and they will teach you a lot about the world and other people. But there are also a lot of sacrifices to be made if she is determined to go down this route. Ultimately I can't stop her trying, and it's clear she wants a baby very much. If she gets pregnant, I will of course support her as much as I can and as much as she needs me. But I also wonder if it wouldn't be better if she didn't get pregnant right now, but focused and prepared for an interview she has for university studying nursing, which is what she wants to do. She still doesn't know if she's going to India this September, but if I were her I would look into that too, as a possibility. But I'm not her. And she has to do what is right for her. All I can do is pick up the pieces at a time like this when she's miserable about not being pregnant, and support her in the path she takes her life down. It isn't easy.
I can't write any more. My brain is too full right now.
Love love xx
I will update you on all of that, but not yet, because this is my Fill in the Blank Friday:
1. The love of my life is not here yet. I don't know them yet. Although I do love my family incredibly much, and the wife as well. It would be fair to call her the love of my life, but it would be a different kind of love to the one meant here.
2. Falling in love is scary and dangerous and exciting and fun and not what life with a partner is about as far as I know. Falling in love is the really fun bit at the start before you get used to them. The real challenge for life is enjoying being with them for the rest of your lives and getting through the tough bits and the boring bits.
3. Marriage is important to me. I find it to be very significant, and not something I would consider lightly. My mum always told me that when she agreed to marry my dad, she did mean forever absolutely seriously. And I would want to as well.
4. The longest relationship I've ever had was not very long in the grand scheme of things. But then of what relationships I have had, I've never bothered to time them, really. I was too busy enjoying spending time with the person.
5. The key to a good relationship is communication, honesty and trust. People in a relationship need to talk to each other. Honestly! About the things that are bothering them, or any issues they feel can be put right. And they need to trust each other, too, that they are both being honest about what they need to know.
6. I feel loved when people remember me. When they do those little things that show they care, like sending me the link to a video that made them think of me. Or even just a text where they ask if I've had a nice day, without me having to text them first necessarily.
7. My favourite quote about love is non-existent. As soon as I read this my mind blanked on any quotes that contained the word 'love'. The only one I can remember is from Twelfth Night - 'If music be the food of love, play on. Give me excess of it-' It doesn't have any significant message for people, and it doesn't even make so very much sense out of context. But nothing else springs to mind; and even if it did, it would probably be corny.
Sot hat's this Friday's Fill in the Blank. And to recap the week... I worked, as per. BB seemed strangely ill yesterday - I mean, rather than it being an obvious illness, or her putting it on, she suddenly turned quiet and couldn't focus on playing because of a pain on her tummy. Normally she's easily distracted even if she is ill. But this time just seemed different. And I wasn't sure what to do. So I ended up ringing the parents, and her mum spoke to her on the phone (good phone skills for a 2-year old!) and suggested that it could be eczema on her belly which she occasionally got. So we rubbed some cream on it and that kept her going until her mum got home from work.
The wife was down last weekend. She's majorly busy now with assignments and people visiting her, so she wanted to get one last drop in at home before she was too busy. It was lovely to see her, mainly because she's the one friend I have who always remembers me. Most, if not all, of the others don't really care about staying in contact that much, and I'm always the one having to make the effort. And that leaves me feeling very lonely and isolated sometimes. But the wife didn't even stop in at her own home on the way down. She just came straight to see me. And that let us have a catch-up and a giggle. And then we ate supper at hers the following night with another friend, BM. we didn't stay the night at hers, as she was leaving again the next day so it was a little hectic for her. I really hate saying goodbye. I know it's not forever, I know she's back down over Easter. But it is hard to say goodbye to someone you're close to - and someone to whom you're close because they care and make an effort where others don't.
I was meant to be seeing BM again on Wednesday evening, but she cancelled because she wasn't pregnant and was miserable about it. She's the friend who's playing a dangerous game. There are positives to having babies and children, I know that. They are a joy, and they will teach you a lot about the world and other people. But there are also a lot of sacrifices to be made if she is determined to go down this route. Ultimately I can't stop her trying, and it's clear she wants a baby very much. If she gets pregnant, I will of course support her as much as I can and as much as she needs me. But I also wonder if it wouldn't be better if she didn't get pregnant right now, but focused and prepared for an interview she has for university studying nursing, which is what she wants to do. She still doesn't know if she's going to India this September, but if I were her I would look into that too, as a possibility. But I'm not her. And she has to do what is right for her. All I can do is pick up the pieces at a time like this when she's miserable about not being pregnant, and support her in the path she takes her life down. It isn't easy.
I can't write any more. My brain is too full right now.
Love love xx
Friday, 10 February 2012
mini update, poorly sick, wife, Fill in the Blank Friday, maybe's
So I went swimming like I'd planned to. And I made cookies. I didn't sew. I have all the pieces cut out for another square, but I haven't done the actual sewing. Maybe today at some point. I did laundry too.
I'm rather tired today. I'm not sleeping well, as every time I lie down my nose blocks up and so I have to breathe through my mouth which doesn't feel right and leaves my mouth dry and awkward and my throat really dry and sore. Add to that all the pain in my right wrist, and you've got yourself a bad night's sleep. I don't know what I've done to my wrist, but it hurts like anything when I try to move it. It's something that's gradually appeared and then got worse, and I now find even lifting a cup or plate in that hand too heavy and really painful on the wrist. Very frustrating!
The wife's coming down today - yay! She told me yesterday (I think that was when she actually decided to do it at all) that she had been going to surprise me but then she realised that I might go out or something and miss her. I am incredibly overjoyed though - it's so thoughtful, and I do miss her something awful.
And of course, today is Friday! So here are my blanks filled in:
I started my blog because it seemed like a good idea at the time? I'm not really sure if I'm honest. I think I wanted somewhere to document some of the more interesting things that had happened to me. It was kind of meant to be an online diary but I realised I was screening the most emotional stuff from it, so I started a paper diary for myself. And then this carried on going anyway.
One thing I love seeing on other blogs is pictures. I love seeing the pictures of what people have been up to, and the stories that are completely relatable. These are also the things I worry that my blog lacks.
Something I love about blogging is the let-out. You can put things up that are too small and petty or too hurtful to say to an actual person. But you can write them in your blog and feel better for it.
A favourite blog post of mine is this one. Because it really feels like it was at a turning point for me - I was on the verge of changing jobs, everybody had left for uni, and I had made that frickin' awesome quilt for the wife. Okay, so it's the quilt stuff that really makes it for me - it just meant so much to me to do it; and having pictures up of it makes me feel really fuzzy and warm inside! It was also a time when I was sad because everyone was leaving, but in myself I felt truly content and positive. I can spend a lot of time feeling sort of vaguely miserable and tired and it can be hard, because there's often no real reason. But when I wrote that blog post I was feeling really happy in myself, despite my sorrow at people leaving for uni.
Something that my friends in real life know about me that I've never before mentioned on my blog is that when I'm really angry I become much politer in my tone. The words coming out will include swearing, which is something I avoid on my blog; horrible clipped insults which leave people without a leg to stand on; and a tone of voice that makes people step back - I don't yell at people. When I'm angry, my voice is lower, and quiet, and slightly slower because I speak clearly. The none thing you do not want when you're speaking to someone angrily is to have to repeat yourself. I don't get angry very often, in truth. But I don't get angry on my blog at all.
My new favourite blogs to read are My Milk Toof, which is an awesome blog that creates stories about two little milk teeth with models and photographs. And The Bloggess. I guess she's not so recent for me - but she is more recent than a lot of the other blogs I follow. And she's hilarious, so I always feel the same as I did when I read the first post by here - the one about Beyonce the big metal chicken. Beware, by the way, as that link is really slow to load for me now, it has so many comments!!
Some things I tend to avoid doing on my blog are swearing and naming people. I want to talk about the other people in my life, but I'd rather not have to ask them if it's ok. So I make them anonymous instead. Then I can be as rude as I like!
So that's that! I don't have much else to say today, really. Maybe another day. Maybe I'll bake today. Or sew that square up. Or just go back to bed with a book. I don't know.
Love love xx
I'm rather tired today. I'm not sleeping well, as every time I lie down my nose blocks up and so I have to breathe through my mouth which doesn't feel right and leaves my mouth dry and awkward and my throat really dry and sore. Add to that all the pain in my right wrist, and you've got yourself a bad night's sleep. I don't know what I've done to my wrist, but it hurts like anything when I try to move it. It's something that's gradually appeared and then got worse, and I now find even lifting a cup or plate in that hand too heavy and really painful on the wrist. Very frustrating!
The wife's coming down today - yay! She told me yesterday (I think that was when she actually decided to do it at all) that she had been going to surprise me but then she realised that I might go out or something and miss her. I am incredibly overjoyed though - it's so thoughtful, and I do miss her something awful.
And of course, today is Friday! So here are my blanks filled in:
I started my blog because it seemed like a good idea at the time? I'm not really sure if I'm honest. I think I wanted somewhere to document some of the more interesting things that had happened to me. It was kind of meant to be an online diary but I realised I was screening the most emotional stuff from it, so I started a paper diary for myself. And then this carried on going anyway.
One thing I love seeing on other blogs is pictures. I love seeing the pictures of what people have been up to, and the stories that are completely relatable. These are also the things I worry that my blog lacks.
Something I love about blogging is the let-out. You can put things up that are too small and petty or too hurtful to say to an actual person. But you can write them in your blog and feel better for it.
A favourite blog post of mine is this one. Because it really feels like it was at a turning point for me - I was on the verge of changing jobs, everybody had left for uni, and I had made that frickin' awesome quilt for the wife. Okay, so it's the quilt stuff that really makes it for me - it just meant so much to me to do it; and having pictures up of it makes me feel really fuzzy and warm inside! It was also a time when I was sad because everyone was leaving, but in myself I felt truly content and positive. I can spend a lot of time feeling sort of vaguely miserable and tired and it can be hard, because there's often no real reason. But when I wrote that blog post I was feeling really happy in myself, despite my sorrow at people leaving for uni.
Something that my friends in real life know about me that I've never before mentioned on my blog is that when I'm really angry I become much politer in my tone. The words coming out will include swearing, which is something I avoid on my blog; horrible clipped insults which leave people without a leg to stand on; and a tone of voice that makes people step back - I don't yell at people. When I'm angry, my voice is lower, and quiet, and slightly slower because I speak clearly. The none thing you do not want when you're speaking to someone angrily is to have to repeat yourself. I don't get angry very often, in truth. But I don't get angry on my blog at all.
My new favourite blogs to read are My Milk Toof, which is an awesome blog that creates stories about two little milk teeth with models and photographs. And The Bloggess. I guess she's not so recent for me - but she is more recent than a lot of the other blogs I follow. And she's hilarious, so I always feel the same as I did when I read the first post by here - the one about Beyonce the big metal chicken. Beware, by the way, as that link is really slow to load for me now, it has so many comments!!
Some things I tend to avoid doing on my blog are swearing and naming people. I want to talk about the other people in my life, but I'd rather not have to ask them if it's ok. So I make them anonymous instead. Then I can be as rude as I like!
So that's that! I don't have much else to say today, really. Maybe another day. Maybe I'll bake today. Or sew that square up. Or just go back to bed with a book. I don't know.
Love love xx
Friday, 3 February 2012
Childminding, roads, safety, temper tantrum, month of letters, London and Les Mis, Fill in the Blank, soft box, ballet
So! Through another week of childminding! It's certainly been interesting, and a little stressful if I'm honest. Tuesday and Wednesday were fine, although BB's been more challenging recently. This is mainly because she's so tired - she's getting up in the nights for her parents, and really early in the mornings too; and she's basically standing at her gate yelling at them. They keep trying to leave her to yell until she gets bored and goes back to her bed - but she's stubborn! She's always been much more of a firecracker than B, who was born with a laid-back personality! But we've had a couple of naughty steps recently, which is unusual, because normally I don't have to ask her to do anything more than twice - twice is when she wants to do something else first. But now she's being a bit pushy, and trying desperately to manipulate me with whining and telling me that she 'wants mummy' or 'feeling poorly', and the bottom lip comes out and she looks up at me to make sure I'm watching. Which I'm not, I'm afraid, because with BB the best thing to do is ignore her until she's either done what was asked or calmed down so you can tell her again.
But basically, come yesterday she must have been quite tired - and recovering from a cold, too. So she was dosed up at lunchtime with calpol, and we made the afternoon school run to pick up B. We were most of the way home, and stood at the edge of the pavement waiting to cross the road. B took a slight step back away from the edge of the pavement, and BB decided that that was the moment to run into the road. Right in front of that oncoming car. I swear, my heart stopped for a moment. Thankfully the driver was paying attention (and I cannot stress how much this demonstrates the value of the rules against using a phone in the car or other distractions!!) and he stopped. I had leapt into the road as she ran in, screaming her name. I'm not sure why - I think my first reaction was just to try and grab her out of the way of the vehicle, maybe. But I did grab her and brought her back to the pavement.
We got home safely, and nobody was injured, thank goodness. But I tell you, I have never been so scared before. I've suffered a road accident myself, and suffered the terror of operations from the dentist (which are far scarier than anyone can truly understand). But seeing BB run into the path of an oncoming car beat all. It would be devastating enough if she were my child - but she's not. I didn't want to have to imagine telling her mum that I'd let her child get killed whilst in my care! So from next week we're reinstalling the wrist-strap for a fortnight or so. Because none of us can afford to risk her getting killed. It would be too much. And you don't take chances on a child's safety. For the past 3 months, I have enjoyed having a toddler who knew about roads, and would stop at the end of the pavement if she ran ahead, and would wait for me to tell her it was safe to cross the road. And now we're going to have to rein her in. It's a little bit gutting.
So there was that major incident which rather tore me up. And then, when the girls' mum got home, BB - being tired and grizzly from everything - decided to start crying loudly, which her mum ignored (good policy on attention-seeking behaviour usually!), and it soon escalated into a full temper tantrum violence accompanied by hysterical screaming. I have never seen that from BB before. I've seen her cry, both for real and for attention. I've seen her sulk. I've seen her hit her sister occasionally when she's angry or frustrated, and I've seen her hurt people by accident when she's got carried away in a game. But I've never seen a temper tantrum like that! She calmed down eventually, and her mum then dealt with it and spoke to her. But Thursday was not the best of days overall.
But it is a Friday today! I'm going out with some friends later today, which should be nice - it's been a while since I've had the opportunity to enjoy company above the age of 5! I've also begun my Month of Letters positively, with a letter going out to I, my friend from Malvern, on 1st; and a letter going out to a theatre on 2nd. I feel this was a bit sneaky, as I had to send the tickets back so they would send me the ones for the new date I'm going - but I did include a note to say thankyou to the Customer Services team for being so brilliant!
They truly were. What had happened was that the wife and I were due to go to London and see Les Mis on 4th August this summer. Being as dumb as I was, I was the one who had booked it, and I'd forgotten that the Olympics were on. So trying to sort out accommodation was next to impossible and way out of our price range. So I rang up the Customer Services for the Delfont Mackintosh Theatre group, and a brilliant young woman helped sort me out so that we could go 2 weeks later, which would have us going down to London in the time between the Olympics and Paralympics instead. She really was lovely and helpful, and she even waived the fee for changing the tickets and talked me into a cheaper postage option. She just went above and beyond, and made me feel so secure about rearranging the tickets. So now we're going to see it on 18th, instead, and we have our accommodation booked and paid for! And going a fortnight later more than halved the price of it! So now all we have to sort out is the train journey down, and that would be better to be done nearer the time.
Last thing of note - it's a Friday! Which means I will finally be able to Fill in the Blank on an actual Friday! So here goes:
1. If money wasn't an issue, the first thing I'd cross off my Life list is to go to New Zealand with the wife. There are lots and lots of things I would love to be able to do with that money, but the most expensive and unlikely thing on the Life list I share with the wife is a trip to New Zealand and a tour of The Tribe sets, so that would be what we would do! And of course we would tour Hobbiton too...
2. The idea of adopting asian babies is something I like that other people think is weird.
3. If my life were a movie right now, the title would be Until she burst. This is in reference to the stress I've been feeling recently, and also the amount of chocolate I've been consuming. My hips have disappeared into rolls of fat. Ah well!
4. Three things I am looking forward to this month are the possibility of house sitting in a house my parents bought, doing a bit more exercise, and doing lots of fun, crafty things!
5. My favourite song to sing in the shower is currently the theme song for 'Charley Bear'. I know. This is what happens when you're introduced to children's television. you develop favourite shows and theme songs. And this one is really good! Otherwise I'm loving Fredrika Stahl's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
6. If I found out that the production of Quavers was ending this month, I'd go out and buy as much as I could tomorrow.
7. One thing I'll never grow tired of is the wife. I'm pretty sure, anyway. I worry sometimes that she'll grow tired of me. But I don't think I could grow tired of her.
So that's this week's done, and on the right day, too! I'm going to stop now, as I could do with showering before tonight, really!! Plus I have little else to say... oh! Here's the picture of the soft box I made:
Not too bad I think, for something that asks you to sew round the corners of a box!!
What I like best about these pictures is that you can't see that it's filled with chocolate in various forms! It's my chocolate box, and I love it very much. Now, if I could create a lid to hide the contents, I wouldn't eat so much of them. But it is demonstrative of my positive change in attitude towards unhealthy foods!
So that's all! I will try to post soon - like, when I've made the other box. And I'll update you on where I have sent letters as and when I do. Today's letter is to Norland College with some of my forms, tomorrow's is (hopefully) to my friend E, since she's way overdue one.
Love love xx
PS. I forgot to tell you about the ballet my mum and I saw. It was Beuaty and the Beast by Birmingham Royal Ballet, and it was excellent - the choreography and casting were ideal, and the dancers did it true justice. It really was enchanting! Also I made more soup and it was yummy.
But basically, come yesterday she must have been quite tired - and recovering from a cold, too. So she was dosed up at lunchtime with calpol, and we made the afternoon school run to pick up B. We were most of the way home, and stood at the edge of the pavement waiting to cross the road. B took a slight step back away from the edge of the pavement, and BB decided that that was the moment to run into the road. Right in front of that oncoming car. I swear, my heart stopped for a moment. Thankfully the driver was paying attention (and I cannot stress how much this demonstrates the value of the rules against using a phone in the car or other distractions!!) and he stopped. I had leapt into the road as she ran in, screaming her name. I'm not sure why - I think my first reaction was just to try and grab her out of the way of the vehicle, maybe. But I did grab her and brought her back to the pavement.
We got home safely, and nobody was injured, thank goodness. But I tell you, I have never been so scared before. I've suffered a road accident myself, and suffered the terror of operations from the dentist (which are far scarier than anyone can truly understand). But seeing BB run into the path of an oncoming car beat all. It would be devastating enough if she were my child - but she's not. I didn't want to have to imagine telling her mum that I'd let her child get killed whilst in my care! So from next week we're reinstalling the wrist-strap for a fortnight or so. Because none of us can afford to risk her getting killed. It would be too much. And you don't take chances on a child's safety. For the past 3 months, I have enjoyed having a toddler who knew about roads, and would stop at the end of the pavement if she ran ahead, and would wait for me to tell her it was safe to cross the road. And now we're going to have to rein her in. It's a little bit gutting.
So there was that major incident which rather tore me up. And then, when the girls' mum got home, BB - being tired and grizzly from everything - decided to start crying loudly, which her mum ignored (good policy on attention-seeking behaviour usually!), and it soon escalated into a full temper tantrum violence accompanied by hysterical screaming. I have never seen that from BB before. I've seen her cry, both for real and for attention. I've seen her sulk. I've seen her hit her sister occasionally when she's angry or frustrated, and I've seen her hurt people by accident when she's got carried away in a game. But I've never seen a temper tantrum like that! She calmed down eventually, and her mum then dealt with it and spoke to her. But Thursday was not the best of days overall.
But it is a Friday today! I'm going out with some friends later today, which should be nice - it's been a while since I've had the opportunity to enjoy company above the age of 5! I've also begun my Month of Letters positively, with a letter going out to I, my friend from Malvern, on 1st; and a letter going out to a theatre on 2nd. I feel this was a bit sneaky, as I had to send the tickets back so they would send me the ones for the new date I'm going - but I did include a note to say thankyou to the Customer Services team for being so brilliant!
They truly were. What had happened was that the wife and I were due to go to London and see Les Mis on 4th August this summer. Being as dumb as I was, I was the one who had booked it, and I'd forgotten that the Olympics were on. So trying to sort out accommodation was next to impossible and way out of our price range. So I rang up the Customer Services for the Delfont Mackintosh Theatre group, and a brilliant young woman helped sort me out so that we could go 2 weeks later, which would have us going down to London in the time between the Olympics and Paralympics instead. She really was lovely and helpful, and she even waived the fee for changing the tickets and talked me into a cheaper postage option. She just went above and beyond, and made me feel so secure about rearranging the tickets. So now we're going to see it on 18th, instead, and we have our accommodation booked and paid for! And going a fortnight later more than halved the price of it! So now all we have to sort out is the train journey down, and that would be better to be done nearer the time.
Last thing of note - it's a Friday! Which means I will finally be able to Fill in the Blank on an actual Friday! So here goes:
1. If money wasn't an issue, the first thing I'd cross off my Life list is to go to New Zealand with the wife. There are lots and lots of things I would love to be able to do with that money, but the most expensive and unlikely thing on the Life list I share with the wife is a trip to New Zealand and a tour of The Tribe sets, so that would be what we would do! And of course we would tour Hobbiton too...
2. The idea of adopting asian babies is something I like that other people think is weird.
3. If my life were a movie right now, the title would be Until she burst. This is in reference to the stress I've been feeling recently, and also the amount of chocolate I've been consuming. My hips have disappeared into rolls of fat. Ah well!
4. Three things I am looking forward to this month are the possibility of house sitting in a house my parents bought, doing a bit more exercise, and doing lots of fun, crafty things!
5. My favourite song to sing in the shower is currently the theme song for 'Charley Bear'. I know. This is what happens when you're introduced to children's television. you develop favourite shows and theme songs. And this one is really good! Otherwise I'm loving Fredrika Stahl's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
6. If I found out that the production of Quavers was ending this month, I'd go out and buy as much as I could tomorrow.
7. One thing I'll never grow tired of is the wife. I'm pretty sure, anyway. I worry sometimes that she'll grow tired of me. But I don't think I could grow tired of her.
So that's this week's done, and on the right day, too! I'm going to stop now, as I could do with showering before tonight, really!! Plus I have little else to say... oh! Here's the picture of the soft box I made:
What I like best about these pictures is that you can't see that it's filled with chocolate in various forms! It's my chocolate box, and I love it very much. Now, if I could create a lid to hide the contents, I wouldn't eat so much of them. But it is demonstrative of my positive change in attitude towards unhealthy foods!
So that's all! I will try to post soon - like, when I've made the other box. And I'll update you on where I have sent letters as and when I do. Today's letter is to Norland College with some of my forms, tomorrow's is (hopefully) to my friend E, since she's way overdue one.
Love love xx
PS. I forgot to tell you about the ballet my mum and I saw. It was Beuaty and the Beast by Birmingham Royal Ballet, and it was excellent - the choreography and casting were ideal, and the dancers did it true justice. It really was enchanting! Also I made more soup and it was yummy.
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