Just Thanking My Lucky Stars

Hello all! I've been reading a lot of blogs this week. I have come across so many lovely ones while scanning through my Twitter feed, and as I had a few spare minutes, (by avoiding washing the pots,) I sat with a brew and my phone and scanned away.

There were a lot this week with a similar vein running throughout them and the general feeling is that a lot of mothers out there, don't think very highly of themselves and are very lacking in self confidence. It is really sad seeing women in these down trodden attitudes when I'm sure the families and friends surrounding these lovely ladies think very highly of them indeed. My life story is far from perfect and I often have the very same fears and anxieties as the rest, which is obviously why a lot was ringing true with me, and why I chose these particular ones to read.

There are many mothers who seem to aspire to completely unattainable targets by looking at others who are far further on in their own personal journey, Mumpreneur's, blogging and  PR experts etc. We tend to look at the end product of these people and think to ourselves 'I could never do that' and 'why can't I have an amazing idea like that?' The thing is, I bet these people started out with a fair few ups and downs and a few less grey hairs! Great success doesn't come over night for the most part in any case, and I'm pretty sure a few mini or indeed epic failures, occur in the middle of each and every journey.

I read a quote earlier in the week which read

Don't compare your chapter 1 to somebody else's chapter 20.

and this is absolutely paramount to realise if we want to maintain even an ounce of sanity!

Fortunately I have a fairly lighthearted attitude towards life and I feel my ability to laugh  at myself has steered me clear of alcohol and happy pills. As I mentioned before, my fears are the same as most but I can laugh most of them off. We are who we are and we can either accept it and roll with the punches or curl up in a ball, call for a straight jacket and sob away in a dark corner of a padded sell. Personally I've tried both, but the aforementioned has better end results in the long term.

May I just say without even a smidgeon of self pity that like most of you, my life is far from perfect. I'm a mother of two which is hard work. Even though my kids are generally good and well behaved, parenthood is never without stress. I live in a small town, three story terraced house, filled with damp, clutter, loose laminate planks, frayed carpet and an undecorated bathroom which has been that way since I was pregnant with my first child. (6 years!!!) I have no money to put any of these imperfections right so I have come to terms with the fact I shall be living like this for a while. And to top it off I work as a cleaner from 6:00am until 9:00am so I can help provide for my family and still have the full day to look after my children, be for there for them at all times, without smothering and spoiling them of course. 

But, I have a great husband who fills my life with hilarity and has done for close to fourteen years, and I am happy. So I thank each and every one of my lucky stars daily and without fail because even though I'm not a fabulous Mumpreneur or Blogging superstar, and I'm still waiting for that all important lottery win, (should really start buying tickets!) I'm doing OK and I sincerely hope you all are too. Don't let your self esteem be kicked to the gutter because you don't feel the best at anything. The only thing we need to be is the very best version of ourselves possible and that's all we can do on our one time visit to this mortal coil.

Lots of love x

Mean, Green, Cleaning Machine.

You know when you just have one of those day's? Well this morning was ridiculous! The first incident was I was on the machine at work, it was a nightmare. Brief explanation of 'the machine.' It is a big green cleaning machine which lets out water onto rotating pads, cleaning the area. A rubber blade with a hose attached, scrapes the floor behind and sucks up the dirty water. That simple. We had a new one delivered this week and I was all excited about having a smooth run. Yeah right, too much to bloody ask obviously. Now what was I saying about simplicity? Here's what happened, cue bullet points if you please:

1. I had to move loads of crap out of the way to even move it to the trough. (to fill it with water.)
2. I put the wrong bar on and the water sucker hose wouldn't fit.
3. I put the right bar on and the hose wouldn't fit! I had to call upon a colleague with a penis (previous hose experience) to help put it on.
4. Went on the shop floor, forgot the blue roll to clean the bar.
5. Loads of giant pallets in the way, had to keep making intricate turns all over the place.
6. The bar fell off.
7. The bar kept getting little bits stuck to it leaving streaks all over the floor.
8. The bar fell off again.
9. The machine was letting out too much water.
10. The machine was not sucking up the water but instead, smearing puddles all over the floor causing hazards everywhere!
11. The bar started going down too far making the smearing worse.
12. Run out of time to finish job and had to come off the shop floor.
13. Couldn't get the hose off. 
14. The cleaning pads wouldn't come off the machine.
15. Left machine unclean for tomorrow.
16. Expecting a telling off in the morning.
17. Expecting to pop my top in the morning.

All that and it rained and made my fringe look like a moustache. One word for you people....NIGHTMARE!

Stupid Moustache Fringe!

I'm pretty much expecting more of the same tomorrow as my boss is never in the best of moods on a Monday, and she's going to walk into my list of the million things that went wrong. I just hope I end up still employed!

All that after I left my house in such high spirits this morning too! Well as they say, tomorrow is another day so fingers crossed that the boss is in a better mood than usual, at this moment in time that is all I can hope for. Fingers crossed for me folks! 

Another ridiculous day in the life of a cleaner, one good thing though, I came home and my husband had cleaned the kitchen for me so at least I didn't have to don the marigolds and get scrubbing at home! Oh he's a good'un my fella bless him. Just a nice little thing that brushes all the other crap under the carpet. 

Happy Days people and I shall be back soon for another episode of Wife, Mother, Disaster Area.

Unclog the Blockage!

Hello! And again it appears it has been rather a sizable period since my last entry and for anyone who care's, I do apologise. Unfortunately I have had a number of excuses, some among them being

• I forgot how to turn on my computer.
• I have no life to write about.
• I have too many unfinished task's... still remaining unfinished.
• My dog ate my computer.
• I had a clog in my brain that no plunger could unblock, inhibiting my writing efforts.
• I'm lazy.

I think that's enough to be getting on with. Now I have officially excused myself, I believe I shall begin an entry. Please, If I may be so bold, read on.

Just plunging back in.

As I previously mentioned it's been a while since I sat down at the keyboard. A number of seasons have passed, I returned to work after successfully weaning my son off the boob. I  sent my daughter off for her first day in Reception class, had a first Christmas with my son, made the decision to not have any more children, (still trying to get the husband to agree to the snip!) and waved goodbye to the allotment. (Still reigning as Queen of all unfinished.) 

I have however become a slightly more organised version of myself. My husband brought me the most fabulous Filofax for Christmas and it's just so bloody wonderful. I have planned and dated and booked holidays. I have remembered birthday's, (some, not all. Don't be silly.) sent cards and gift's in the mail almost on time.

My biggest achievement however is more of a reduction. Since the knicker drawer debacle I joined slimming world and lost a stone in five weeks! Mega impressed with myself and I feel my knickers are quietly thankful. On a serious note, one stone loss is a massive milestone and I feel that the all important size 14 is in the near future. I must stay away from Morrison's bakery section!

Well, I do believe that a quick catch up is just what I needed to get the ball rolling again. Be prepared for more day to day disaster's of the working class wife as, thanks to my fabulous Filofax, I've pencilled you in for an update at least weekly. So if you like what you read stick with me and join me on my incredibly normal life with some incredibly ridiculous happenings and my incapability of completing anything without at least a six month gapping period. Most of the time....longer.

Goodbye for now!

Happy Fecking Birthday!

Ahoy there! And what a fecking hilarious welcome into my 31st year. 

Here's the gist, not in any particular order, but all happened today.

• Bubbles thrown all over the kitchen by a hysterical 4 year old with a phobia of ants. Ant on the bubble tub, daughter saw the ant, screamed and launched the bubbles. Cue frothy mess all over the kitchen. Granted, it needed a scrub anyway, but I did not want to be forced into it on my birthday!
• Crushed globe jig-saw by the same daughter. After being told "don't roll it or throw it treasure it'll break." And "It's not like a ball, it won't bounce." Daughter pretends it's a chair instead (naturally!) and caves it in with her petite little bum. Repairable but a serious pain in my own arse to get the last piece in. Still not succeeded.
• Nappy water bowl launched across the bedroom by me, accidental, not temperamental, fecking king size duvet on a double bed! Too much swishing about and SPLASH!
• stubbed toes from myself and my daughter on the ladder in the bathroom, (of course, where the hell else do you want me to keep my ladder?)
•  and finally I forgot to put the effing jeffing bins out this morning so that will be nicely festering by next week especially if the weather hots up.

However, I did get to see the whole thing through wearing a brand new pair of Converse All Stars (apart from the toe stubbing where i was going commando,)  and with a belly full of KFC, Thornton's Moments and brews in my very own 'Star Mum' giant mug. Yummy! I also had a little surprise birthday cake which was great. Lets face it, what is a birthday without cake? Oh, and family of course ;D

A Fairy Tale Moment

All about the Khaki

Once upon a time there was a 16 year old teenager. She was average looking with braces, black and red hair and a penchant for hanging around pub's. One chilly night, this teenager decided to go and watch a few local bands play at one such pub. She arrived nice and early (7:30pm, only 16 remember,) wearing khaki combats, a khaki vest, a baggy knitted jumper with holes in and some Dr. Martens, and went to the bar to order her favourite tipple. This tipple was a raspberry Panda Pop as she was too scared to order alcohol for fear of a) being refused and b) going home drunk. (Parents would be furious!)

So there she was, Panda Pop in hand, when she noticed a long haired gentleman sat at the other side of the bar. Being a little bit ballsy (though not enough to defy the parents and get drunk,) and slightly hyper off the ridiculous blue colouring of the Panda Pop, she decided that she would go forth and introduce herself to the stranger sat among his friends. She did it, they laughed, they went out for a while and she ended up marrying......... his friend.

The one I married

And they are currently living a happy existence with their kids and their cat, in their castle 3 story terrace which never gets hoovered.

Not The End.

P.S. This would be one of those moments I refer to in  my very first post,  The Beginning for you, not for me. where i mention that when events dry up I shall dig up some history. Consider some history dug. 

Oh Knickers!

Hello there one and all!

I was getting my little girl ready for school this morning when suddenly she said "Mummy, I've got a wedgie!" Obviously it's time I bought the girl some new undies, she's growing up way too fast for my liking. Then I thought to myself, I can't even remember the last time I had a wedgie and then I looked at the contents of my knicker drawer.

Just a little sketch to put the point across.
Well, I wasn't taking pictures of my knicker drawer!

Well it's no bloody wonder I don't have wedgies any more, you should see the size of my crackers!  Parachutes and tall ship sails as far as the eye can see. It's a wonder I haven't been carried off whilst blow drying!

   The reason? Well that's it isn't it, since having my babies I appear to have been purchasing yacht sails and wearing them as underpants. As a parent I do have to go for comfort as I'm sure a lot of you are aware, walking along on the school run picking lacey knickers out of your bum is not something your kid's want to be associated with. And no child  needs "Oh yeah, that's knicker picker's son!" being shouted at the school gates about them. School's hard enough! 

   I did however find 4 pairs of pretty patterned things obviously acquired before I started buying underwear from bosun's locker, and before baby number 2, when I had time to practise the art of seduction. All that's gone to pot now of course, the best we can hope for is a quick "are they asleep? Quick get naked!" and away we go! I mean, planning a lace encased evening of passion is nigh impossible! So alas I have become the queen of the cotton gusset. Practical, comfortable and minimal chance of a yeast infection. (We've all had 'em, and we know it ain't good!)

   I digress, the point is I'm utterly shocked about the size of my 'smalls' because this lead me to thinking at great length (or rather width) about another thing. Good God, you should see the size of my arse! Yes, not rocket science I admit.  Maths tutorial

                             large knickers = lard erm I mean, large arse.

   I shall HAVE to do something about this! I'm not completely massive but I could certainly do with losing a few pounds, to stop the chaffing if nothing else. I'm thinking about Slimming World. I managed to lose a stone and a half last time, put a stone back on like, but kept the half off. Now I think it's high time I re-tackled it! I don't mind being buxom, but for the sake of my health, and my knicker drawer, it's time to fight some flab! I'm going for it, lose 5 pounds and treat myself to a new pair of satin knickers. 

   With a cotton gusset of course!

  

 Is there anyone else who, with parenthood looming over you, have opted for the cotton? Can you be bothered donning silk G-strings instead of Bridget Jones' style bloomers? Do share, but not with too much detail please.

Thrill Seekers!

   Hullo there reader! After doing a spot of cleaning the other morning -nothing major just pots, ironing, squirted a bit of polish so it smelled like I'd done some- I decided to phone sister number three of the first batch to see if she and the kids wanted to meet me and my brood for a wee wander. The answer was positive and the plan was to walk and meet up half way. We stuck to the plan and did indeed walk and meet halfway, the halfway line being The Dock Museum of Barrow in Furness, Cumbria. 

    We said our Hello's, and complained about the heat as we trundled along Channelside walk. We admired the lavender which smelt lovely, as we approached Jubilee Bridge. All very tame and normal until.... there came the simply WILD behavior.

  Well my family are obviously adrenaline junkies. We have clearly set a new bar on devil-may-care activities. What did we do? Be patient and I shall tell you. Bungee jump? No. Sky dive? No. Waiting on Jubilee Bridge for a bus to come and make it jolt? Abso-bloody-lutely!!! We take it to a new level of thrill seeking. I should have been more careful of course, involving my offspring, sibling and niece and nephew-ing, in such a reckless activity but hey, I've used it before and I'll use it again, that's just how I roll. 

Oh Look! I actually do bake bread.
Just absolutely not first thing in the morning.

   Nothing else of great importance has been happening over the past couple of days, just the normal day to day malarkey. You know the sort of stuff, waking up get the kids fed, washed, dressed. Put a wash load on, peg the wet stuff out, make pack ups, bake fresh bread and cakes etc. Hahaha! I'm obviously lying through my teeth here, I think we can all safely say that I'm a bare minimum kind of woman. And talking of teeth, I'm lucky if mine get scrubbed before 9:10 a.m! If they don't, I just have to make sure I don't smile or chat on the school run. (Cue thoughts of "ignorant, sour faced cow.") I then have to make time for chin wagging on the pick up,  (cue thoughts of "weird, schizophrenic cow") to catch up on the parent gossip. I have to say though, I've never been to school in my pj's, I mean, you've got to set some standards for the children haven't you haha!

   That my friends is about all I have to share at the moment. I'm off on the hunt for some other Mum and craft blogs.

   Toodleoo!

    

I'm going Bald!!

   That's right people, I'm losing my hair. I'm telling you, it's not like I haven't got a high enough forehead to begin with, I've now been graced with an extra half inch for goodness sake. It happened after my first baby too. Everything is great for about 3 months, then suddenly the bath water drains a hell of a lot slower and you start picking rather long hairs out the crack of your butt. Oh believe me, it's every bit as attractive as it sounds.
 I googled it, (postpartum hair loss, not hairy bum picking) something about your follicles going dormant because they don't rest while you're pregnant, hence the luxuriant locks you get during pregnancy. Children have a lot to answer for, it's a good job my boy is cute bless him.

   Mind you, it's probably a good thing this hair loss malarkey, it's prompted me to get a long overdue haircut. (Just trying to find the silver lining here!) It's about time I had a spot of pampering so I have booked in for the weekend. A cut and colour with a compulsory fringe to camouflage the receding hairline. They better do a good job as well, they're charging me 70 quid! Still at least it only takes about 8-12 months to rectify itself and start growing again. I can then go back to not bothering with haircuts and looking like a bedraggled, land bound mermaid, with only hair and shells to cover my lady lumps. Oh yeah, that's how I roll!

   Well readers, that is about the gist of today's session. Short and sweet, much like my hair will be after the chop! 

    If this is happening to anyone else.... just thank whatever gods you believe in that it isn't your teeth! That's what I'm doing.

Toodleoo!

Clear Out the Crap!

The computer and General Crap

Hello there! Sort of following on from my last post, I've decided to make some big changes to help get things moving along. For starters, clear out the front room. Heavens above! It is a mess and I'm not just talking about a few toys on the floor. I'm talking about toys, play dough, guitars, and general crap ALL OVER the whole room. I would take a before shot of the room but frankly, I'm actually embarrassed, so the before shot is out. I have however stretched to some 'after the before, but before the after' shot's, which still might be pushing health and safety and Environmental Health rules of some kind. 

Some Guitars and General Crap

And now I've got the 'I'm a slovenly minger' point across, lets move on to the plan.

As I was saying, when the front room is cleared of garbage, I should like to turn it into an office come library come crafty area sort of thing. A sort of room of concentration, creativity and business. I'm very exited about it. Once I have at least one room of the house cleared and functional I can then begin formulating a plan for the rest of the house. Mostly one big plan. Ie, Rid the house of shite! But lots of mini (clean the sofa.) and maxi (Career change.) plans will also come to pass hopefully. 

Unfortunately everything that I can plan for has to not involve funds of any kind at all. Me and my little family are completely skint. We have a lot of love under this roof but zero cash. And that takes me stupendously onto my next point. Selling crap.

A BIT OF CLEAR FLOOR!
And Some General Crap.

Anything and everything that I do not need, wear, use etc. Shall be sold or given to charity, depending on the quality of the items or whether or not I can be bothered packing and posting. May as well try to earn a few bob, you know, what with the whole skint thing I mentioned before. I may well earn enough for a new craft table. Oooo that would be nice. Stop daydreaming KYLA! 

Maybe this is it. Maybe it's taken me until my 30th (nearly 31st) year to gain a bit of ambition and motivation! Maybe I might not be such a disaster area after all. Although taking a look around my front room, I may already have bitten off more than I can chew. And I'm a porker, I can chew a lot! 

Wish me luck!

Good Clean Fun

 After functioning on very minimal sleep yesterday, I'm actually quite proud of myself. I managed to get nothing done which is what I set out to do.
 I nearly had a parental blip though. I bathed and dressed my little girl, dried and plaited her hair, breakfast ready then remembered that she needed to be wearing black. Queue massive hunt for some form of mini goth clothing. Fortunately my mother had just brought her a black top the other day, and girls of all ages own a pair of black leggings, especially a girl like mine who happens to be a dirt magnet. So after a mild panic we still managed to get fed, watered and changed, ready and out of the house on time. Hooray! Other than the mini 'drama noir' nothing at all eventful occured.

 Today after I took my girl to nursery, I had a big ol' ring round to see who will be paying my maternity pay. I read a work letter through only to find out that I'm earning £7.00 less than I should be in order to get SMP but I'll still be entitled to maternity allowance, I know I'll be getting paid just not who by just yet. Midwife appointment has been booked to obtain the wondrous form that everyone seems to need a copy of, my stomach is in a mini knot and will be until I've got it in black and white exactly how much I'm entitled too, and who I shall be receiving it from. I felt very grown up researching on the net and making phone calls to my firm with my special new laptop in front of me.

I realise this is the wrong angle.
Does it make the pile smaller?

 After doing all my business like grown up stuff, I had to face up to another grown up task...... the dreaded CLEAN! I've been so good today you wouldn't believe.
 I went for a wander up town to get some money, and formulated a plan of action. I was probably talking to myself in the process. After i went to the bank, i trotted off to Wilko's to get myself a new mop and bucket, I'm just thoroughly spoilt aren't I?! Now my bump is getting bigger I just can't face getting on my hands and knees to scrub my laminate throughout the whole bottom floor so a mop and bucket is definitely the way forward. My bottom floor is now tidy, extra clean and smells absolutely wonderful. I even bleached my kitchen bin. Next step.....ironing. (yawn.)

 Back to work tomorrow boo hoo. Still it's only for a couple of weeks then I'm off again. I've got loads of hols booked for this time of year which is brill because it's my fave. Autumn walks in the forest, finding leaves and doing sticking with my girl, visiting Blackpool lights and getting chips on the prom, Halloween, Guy Fawkes Night and finally Christmas. You're off your rocker if you don't love this time of year, even the air smells better. It's just the best.

 Well, I'm off to bed shortly as I'm up at the crack of dawn. My husband has gone out for the evening and so he shall find a wonderful surprise in his side of the bed upon his return, in the shape of a 3 year old girl. Sleep tight one and all.

I Love It How A Plan Never Comes Together

 Well here I am typing at 5:15 in the morning. My little girl woke me up from a not so deep sleep at 3:30 for a wee, then she went back off only to wake again from a bad dream at 4:15 bless her. I went in her bed with her for about 30 minutes but you just really cannot get comfortable in a single bed at my age, so I crept out of her bed and came down stairs for a brew. Then I spotted our new family laptop and decided to have a wee shot on it, hence finding myself on my blog.

 With the early rise and all I've been having a think about the baby coming and such. I have absolutely nothing at all ready and I'm not even sure If I'm on the right pay level to acquire maternity pay, obviously I'll be getting it from somewhere but it's a form filling nightmare which I really need to look into. I'm halfway through the pregnancy now and I haven't got so much as a baby grow out the spare room. (Inner scream! far too early to subject the neighbours to my neurosis yet.) If there is anyone out there who is as completely unorganised as myself, please let me know. I need tips on how to become mother number 1! Well, we all know there is no such thing as that, but I'd like to improve nonetheless.

 (Another wake up from my daughter, not having a good night bless her.)

 I had a little flick through Emma's Diary, but that's really just list upon list of things that I need, haven't got and got no cash to buy. I really should've been more prepared for this. You think, "well I managed last time, we brought everything we needed." Yes, but we didn't already have another mouth to feed! Holy mackerel this is a pickle but the main thing is not to panic. (Queue panic attack anyway!)

 I think I'm going to have a scan through the spare room and see what unisex things I can salvage from my girl being a baby. That shouldn't be too much of a problem because I know I saved all the white's, the things that weren't stained with poo anyway. And there is definitely my lovely moses basket that I can freshen up. I'm definitely going to get a new pram/travel system because our old one is knackered. I'm not a driver so it was very well used. It was a pram/buggy/car seat, the works and I used every attachment to death.

 As far as feeding goes I'm going to breast feed, I did with my first and I shall with this one. It's cheap, always on hand, (or boob!) and I make it so I may as well use it for as long as I can. Well, six months anyway, when I wean onto food, I wean off the boob.

 This shouldn't be too hard to accomplish should it?

 Famous last words! I am the original disaster area so I'll keep you posted as to how my plan comes together, and it doesn't always, I'm not the bloody A-Team after all.

 

Two Times With Three Results!

 For the first time for a long time the husband and I had a night to ourselves on Friday. My girl went to my Mother's for the night and I can't tell you how weird it felt. Having said that, I quickly got over it and managed to eat my way through 3 platefuls and a pudding at our local Chinese banquet which was absolutely delicious.

 The husband and I were enjoying our rather yummy grub and talking about intellectual subject's such as politics, (I don't get most of it,) phonics, (I just don't see the point of the added confusion,) and phonic tests on "made up" words. (I mean really?) I actually had to point out the fact that we were being very grown up, discussing things that affect the growth and development of our child. We are actually good parents, (toot toot goes my trumpet) we love our girl and our foetus and obviously want whats best for them both, but it's just as surprising watching ourselves grow up and develop as much as our young! You just never stop learning in this lifetime.

 When we got home after intellectualising, I called my mum just to see how my wee'un was, if she'd gone to bed OK etc, and of course she had, and been as good as gold about it bless her, she just couldn't wait to go and see her Auntie and Uncle's who are much younger than myself, and obviously loads more fun, queue sad 'put out' mother face.

 After the phone call which i knew wouldn't behold any bad news, but us mothers just like to check don't we, myself and the ball and chain sat down to some word games on our phone apps, and laughed at words we'd found such as 'fart' and 'shite,' our level of maturity is quite frankly astonishing, but I love our relationship and wouldn't change anything at all about it. We then went on to have sex...... TWICE! With THREE reslults, if you know what I mean wink knudge. Not something i usually like to discuss but I'm a bit smug about it to be honest. 13 years together and we can still manage twice in a night, I may live a sheltered life but I happen to think that's awesome!

 

 My holiday from work started yesterday and my plan was that during my 5 days off I'm going to try and make my house a little less of a junk yard, so my teenage brother has been bribed round to help me do the heavy lifting bits and my mother has been roped into doing the driving to the tip bits, I may finally have a front room free of crap tomorrow woo hoo! I'll let you know how that little venture turns out tomorrow.

 If anyone has any views or props to help me get a bit more on board with Phonics, I'd love to get a better understanding of them, especially seeing they are a masive part of my child's learning development, please give me a clue. Books, sites, cd roms, anything that has proven useful to you would be a great help, cheers!

Long Time No See....

Well I can honestly say that's it's been a long time since I last blogged and I apologise to anyone who gives a monkey's. Nearly 3 months have passed and so much has happened and yet I can think of nothing to type! I'm gonna carry on and see if anything comes to me.

Not my husbands best swimmers, but you get the picture.

 First thing's first. I'm PREGNANT! Woo hoo! That happened shortly after the last blog entry actually. (Not the conception, but the finding out.) So that took up a lot of my thought for the first few weeks of July and pretty much the rest of the time too, apart from the time my daughter commandeers. (I'm gonna go 80% daughter, 20% baby at the moment.) 

 

 After I found out I had been impregnated, I then had a  bleed, I wasn't too worried as it wasn't heavy and the same thing had happened with my little girl, still, I obviously had it checked out, went for an early scan and saw the wee flicker of life that my womb held within. It was so cute. The 16 week scan followed, we got a couple of pics, only two mind at £2.50 each!!! No, I'm not a cheapskate, just skint. If I had cash I'd buy more. The husband and the daughter came to the midwife at 18 weeks and we all heard the heartbeat. I cried like a baby myself, my daughter told it promptly to "shut up, it's making too much noise!" (she's in for a rude awakening, and NOT just metaphorically!) and my husband just sat there looking slightly bewildered. The midwives smiles at me and passed me a tissue as I took full responsibility for being an emotional female, it was all very action packed.

 The summer holiday's have also happened and thankfully, Cumbria has had some warm but wet weather, but as my daughter and I are firm belivers in walking in the rain, we donned our waterproofs and away we went to the park, to the Nanny's, to the forest, to the Great Nanny's, and even just playing with the snails in the garden. Plenty of fresh air for us girlies.

 

 And that just about brings us to now. The Autumn has just about kicked in, time for making stew's, hot puddings, forraging for berries, making jam's etc. (I'm not of course talking about me.) I've had the heating on twice, but I'm not quite at the stew and dumpling phase yet. I'm gonna get the knitting needles out soon though, I'm certainly not about to go out drinking so I'm gonna try my hand at a little cardigan for my unborn. I shall certainly let you know how that goes, or not, this is me I'm talking about, Goddess of the unfinished task. I'm off now to not finish something else.

Teapots!

Another fulfilling day in the life of moi! My husband has a few holidays in this week so we can spend a bit of time together, and so he could take me out for some grub which I told you about yesterday. But first things first, the first morning with just us two, (our girl being a nursery for her morning session,) and the hubster gets called in for some blinkin hearing test, I wouldn't mind but I'm the one with tinitus.... not him. Never mind though, I took that time to have a lovely relaxing bath, which I promptly tweeted about, slapped a bit of make-up on and felt perhaps not a million dollars, but I reckon at least $48.

The hubby came home in time to watch me struggle with the stupid buckle on my new wedge sling backs, and then we went shopping. Not boring shopping for sprouts and yoghurt, but the good kind where I get gifts. Yippee!

I seem to be having a bit of a crafty type phase at the mo, so I decided that I wanted to go and get supplies, so what d'you think happened? Well I had free reign of the hubbies wallet and could I get inspired? Could I buggery! Highly irritating I have to tell you. I did however come out with a nice new orange teapot! I got a teapot for christmas, a fantastic pumpkin one, but I obviously can't use it because it's far too special. So this super functional one, an by "super functional" I mean a teapot with normal teapot abilities ie: it brew's tea and water, is orange and I just need to tart it up with a pumpkin tea cosy. I love pumpkins. Something groovey about the shape and the ringlety vines, I just love them.

After the shopping, we went to collect the girl and went out for my birthday meal. We went to the local italian restaurant and as usual is was delicious! (Was going to do a review but decided that wasn't for me.) As we waited for our food my girl was watching nursery rhymes on the hubby's phone and started growling out death metal renditions of 'The Grand Old Duke of York' and 'Humpty Dumpty,' not quite sure the table next to us thought they should call a doctor or an exorcist. I assured them neither was needed.

The service was great and I'm always pleased with the food from Salvana's Ristorante, and today was no exception.

What follwed the lovely dinner was my child screaming in the middle of town for no apparent reason, she obviously thought it was the perfect place to let off some steam. I (pause for emphasis) didn't. What a little monster! Then she kept standing in front of me so I couldn't walk without tripping over,  she tried to pull me into Toy Master, (I think NOT!) screamed "stupid man" at the fellow who pressed the button before her at the crossing, and presumed to walk back into our house like nothing had just happened! Shall we play Mickey Mouse game Mummy?

WHAT?

Unfortunately I continued to have a face like the proverbial slapped arse for the remainder of the afternoon only to be cured by remembering I had been bought a birthday teapot. Tea and cake followed this revelation.

This evening I had a lovely time unwinding with my best buddy, my Mother and Sister Number 3 of the first batch with her baby boy. Mother was doing a spiritual reading for my pal, (my mum talks to the other's, she's a bit spooky and uncommonly accurate.) and then she did a spot of Reiki on her aswell. I sat quietly, took notes and ate chocolate biscuits, I felt it was the appropriate thing to do.

Well I'm off shopping again in the morning, I've had a quick scan for some craft ideas but if anyone knows of any good crafty type blogs/sites please clue me in.

Clinging to My Youth!

What a blow! Tomorrow I reach the big 30! No grey hairs yet but the wrinkles are etching their way onto my forhead, around my eyes and on my filtrum believe it or not. I haven't stooped to buying any "miracle" creams yet, and I'm far to fraidy cat for botox. I'm doomed to grow old gracefully and look whatever age I look.

My husband and I have decided to try for another baby, 30 is still a good age, still got a good bit of spring in my step. My Mum was popping out children until she was 45 (I think) and she's still coping. I think 2 is going to be my limit though. I come from a massive family myself, I'm the eldest of 8. I have 4 sisters and 3 brothers and there is never a dull moment! I have to say I love it. I was thinking the other day how nice it is just having my girl but then my head clouded and i got a bit deep. I started asking myself questions like "When I die who will help her with the funeral?" and "Who will she talk to? I can't let her do that all on her own!" Good God, parenting can be so morbid at times. Obviously I don't think she's going to grow up a total loner recluse, my Dad's an only child and he's the worlds best host, he has loads of friends and will laugh and joke with whoever but I just don't know what I'd do without my brothers and sisters. If I have problem's, need a baby sitter or just want a good gossip, there's always one available on the end of the phone. I need to give her somebody to grow up with I think, it'll be good for her. Oooo! Is this my wisdom coming to me because I'm closing my 30th year?

Another celebration subject..... Christmas! Yes I realize it's only July, (I know that because it's my birthday tomorrow whoop whoop!) but I'm going for an amazing fully hand crafted room this year, and I need to plan early if I'm going to get all the tinsel, card and sticky backed plastic that I'm going to need for this seasonal wonderment! I can't wait for me, my girl and my husband (under protest) toget stuck into salt dough stars, popcorn garlands and gingerbread angels all on the tree. Been looking at some lovely retro Christmas books from the library with things in it like sewing your own stocking, making dried fruit baubles and things, really lovely. I now the net is a fountain of information, but sometimes a book is just.... better. The Ultimate Christmas by Jane Newdick has some lovely ideas. My head is obviously seasonally pickled. All this weird weather has my inner calendar confused. OR IS IT MY AGE??!! Well, at least I'll be full of idea's for Yule and if I find some crafty bargains, I'll be sure to let you know. If I get around to doing any of these things is a story for another day.

A Happy Moment

I've had such a wonderful coulpe of days. I can't really recall the order in which most of the events took place but I have a general Idea.

On thursday I recieved a message from an old friend saying;

  "Hello Kyla. I passed you before with your gorgeous little girl, holding hands and skipping at the bottom end of Greengate street. You made my day mate, you both looked so happy and carefree, it brought a smile to my face and a lump to my throat. Had a tough week work wise but you brightened my day so thank you you lovely mummy you xx"

   It was so lovely it brought a tear to my eye. My friend works as a social worker, mostly with children and I appreciate that it must be quite hard to stay positive at times dealing with the things that she has to, and even knowing that such horrible things go on in the world, so I'm glad I could brighten her day. There are some good parents out there, I'm certainly not saying I'm the best but I do try to be good. We may not have all the money we'd like but you don't need money to have a good skip to the library hey?! Loads of fun.
   Talking of skipping to the library, when we arrived there needless to say, we picked out some books. Little'un opted for a story about peas and I opted for a one pot cookery book, this suggests the truth about the family....we all have a good appetite!

  
  On saturday my husband had gone out from early afternoon until early hours of this morning. He's in a band and so gigs fairly regularly, last night was one such gigging night.

   My little woman and I had a whale of a time and didn't miss him one bit! Well maybe a little. We started off with dancing, my daughter's music of choice is a bit of metal especially anything by early Sepultura, whenever i put 'Roots' on, she goes absolutely crazy and I tend to follow suit. After a spot of groovey moving, it was finally decided that we should have hotdogs, fries and baked beans for tea, but sit on our new picnic blanket in the lounge with it to make it that extra bit fun.
  After that heavy bout of decision making, we then played ball rolling in the living room for a while and I have to you that I find that one of the most therapeutic games ever! No stress just pure fun and I don't know what's so funny about it, but me and my girl don't half giggle. While we were playing that, (with me darting back and forth to the kitchen warming hotdogs and buttering bun's etc.) there was a knock on the door, a bit of a random really. Some fella had moved in two doors down from me, and asked if he could borrow a pint glass?! A strange request, one which I had to decline as I don't actually own one. I have plastic tumblers, halloween tankards, and a few crystal wine glass', which were one of my wedding pressies, so I'm not lending them out to strangers. So I had to send him on his merry way without one.
  Well, me and the girl had our fabulous hotdog indoor picnic and loved it. This was follwed by a desert of buckaroo, frustration, many of our library books being read and a very late night! Extremely bad parenting at 9:45pm, but we were having too much fun to be bothered by such trivialities.

  This morning was also doubly good. Not only was it the first day of my holiday, not having to get up at 4:45 in order to get scrubbing a supermarket, it was also seen in by my husband whipping down to Morrisons for all ingredients needed for a good full English, we are not a vegetarian household so it involved lots of meat! Sausages, bacon, eggs, black pud, mushrooms, hashbrowns, beans and a slab of bread and butter. Lush! He was promptly forgiven for having a social life the night before.

Let It Pour!

Thunder and lightening in the North West today!

 I'm definately not whinging about it because it's my favourite weather of all! I love the sound of the rain hammering down on my kitchen roof. I used to go outside in my nighty and get soaked, because it's still so warm in June, and consequently, the rain is also. I can't really do that anymore however, I'd probably end up being committed which I've got to tell you, I don't really want to happen. Nevermind, when I win that lottery and buy my magical farm house in the middle of nowhere I'll be able to do it again, until then however, I'll stick with going out in my wellies and brolly!

  Thursday is my least favourite day of the week. I have a split shift at work, which is highly annoying. First shift 6:00am-9:00am then another at 6:00pm-8:00pm. I'm a cleaner at a large supermarket, high class I know. It's better than my last job though...pub toilets! Lovely! Fortunately I have an iron gut so not much phases me at all.

  I digress, so Thursday is poop. I just can't get motivated at home throughout the day, I worked until 11:00am this morning so I have even less 'get up and go' than usual. I got home at 11:30 after a dawdle through town, came home took my coat off and sat down for approximately 3 minutes before going to pick my girl up from school. Home again, made sarnie's all the while chatting to the wee'un about her day. Her day apparently consisted of riding bikes and scooters, and painting a picture of stars, infinitely more interesting than mine. We ate out sarnies, got changed into comfortable joggers and chilled out, read books and listened to the thunder and rain. This is where I have stayed for the remainder of the afternoon.

 At the moment I'm typing amidst a mountain of ironing, card crafting stuff strewn accross the table, last night's tea and breakfast pots still in the sink and playdough in a variety of shades, all over the floor. (Laminate, thank the gods!) Do I care? Nope. There are more important things in life than being house proud let me tell you, and personally I think sitting in your pj's, listening to the rain, reading books to my daughter and blogging are definately more important. To name but a few.

  Enjoy your day, don't polish too hard, you'll only make me feel bad for being a slummy mummy.

Piggy Goes Pop!

Oh dear! I think I spoke too soon when I put 'working' in the title. Just had a rather unexpected call from my manager telling me that there will be some major hours cut at work! I have to tell you that I'm slightly worried about the whole ordeal. I'm only a cleaner at Asda, but that job keeps budget meals on my family's table! (Well, laps on the sofa, we're not at all conservative.) I'm having a one to one meeting in the morning so I'll find out more then. Fingers crossed for me not getting too many hours knocked off. 

On a slightly more uplifting note, my husband has just whipped off for some ear bleeding doom guitar practice and despite me spending 2 hours playing buckaroo, frustration and piggy goes pop, (which looks remarkably like myself upon entering a restaurant of any kind,) my daughter still cries for her daddy. She's such a daddy's girl bless her, it's really quite heart warming.

The Beginning For You.... Not For Me.

Hello and welcome to my wonderful blogging experience. To the left you have a daughter of three years old, cheeky, blonde, and full of attitude. To the right you have a husband. Long haired, guitarist of a signed doom band and seriously grumpy due to giving up smoking, and then there's me. (Pause for dramatic inhalation...... go!) I am a woman with;

• a thousand idea's but no drive to follow them through.
• a house with loads of potential but no money with which to fulfil it.
• a great mind full of stories untold but no attention span to sit and write greatest novel ever! (I feel confident in saying this as I know it will never be written.)
• a reasonable talent for baking, yet I'm too lazy to get round to doing it.
• a desire to be self employed, yet undecided as to how I should employ myself.

As you can see, I'm like a (nearly) 30 year old teenager who still has no idea what she wants to do when she's all grown up.

There is one thing I am confident in however, and thats that I am a good Mum. My imagination is great, so me and my daughter have a wonderful time making up games in the tunnel and tent in her room, or playing pirates on the ship down at the local playground.  I realize that I'm tooting my own horn about this but hey, you've just got to sometimes. As my girl is only three, I'm making the most of her enjoying my company. I'm under no dillusion at all that she'll think I'm a 'cool' mum when she gets older, I think all parents realize that title is completely unattainable. If not, then it must be a hard lesson to learn.

As the title suggests this is the beginning of the blog, not of my life and so I may revert back to past events from time to time, or if nothing interesting has happened in a while, I'll just dig up some history. And so, if you care to stay with me on this un-magical flight that is my life, please feel free to take a seat in 'economy.' If not, exits are here, here and here for you, but I'm stuck here! And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way.