Rambling woman

Off I go again!

2008-09-19T07:04:00.003+01:00

They're howling because I'm off again! Just for the weekend, to Carcassonne, where it's currently 25 degrees! Yeah baby!

Coooeeee

2008-08-25T09:41:00.016+01:00

Hello!

Back from our extremely last minute holiday to the Sarf of France!

When I say last minute it more or less was.....First there was the drip drip water torture on the husband....'oh, this English summer is so awful, if I don't get away, I'll get clinically depressed'

Then the surreptitious buying of cheap pool toys such as blow up doughnut rings and lilo's in the shape of a flip flop.

The secret calling of dog kennels to provisionally book our dog in for three weeks.

Then the trawling of French holiday home websites for last minute gite availability!

Then, the looking at tents for the journey up and back (budget you know)

The secret purchasing of camping stoves/picnic ware/etc

And suddenly we were on the boat to Calais - just like that! Hardly any effort involved at all (said Andy! - tsk!)

We had a wonderful time, my parents joined us for the gite bit of the holiday down near Carcassonne. We visited friends who are resident down there, and friends visited us who have a holiday home down there - all very very sociable. I could go on, and on about my holiday actually...here are some pics!

Only one person in our family is able to eat Moules frites and she's nearly 14 - but even this amount she found rather scary!

No such trouble with Iles Flottante! (that wonderful french delicacy! NOT!) (can you see the sea in the background? That's the Med! That's where we lost our first blow up doughnut ring thingy as it blew away in an offshore breeze - the lifeguards whizzing up and down in their boats refused to retrieve it for us, how bad is that! (heehee) We watched it disappear off until it was a pink spot on the horizon.

Lots of messing about in the pool! (with the one remaining ring!)

Visiting 'long standing' friends. Yes, that's me grinning wildly in a pink way next to the brown and distinctly smaller Tat! (as in LilyandAgathe.blogspot.com Tat - really, I don't have the time to remember how to do links!)

And friends come to visit us!

Ewww, scary!

And their dog!

And then, a complete change from Med to Mountain! Andy got some Tour de France climbs in - we followed in the car!

Lots of this for two days - then off to the Atlantic Coast for three days.

We stayed on one campsite ( a municipal one) which had mainly French people in. We loved the campsite but it was situated amongst miles and miles of pine trees (Les Landes), which could turn a person mad if you had to live there permanently! (well, me and Therese Desqueroux (Yes, I remember my French A level literature)).

Our last night was spent in Chinon in the Loire Valley - the campsite was next to this river with the Chateau of Chinon overlooking us.

The next day, our final day, we had to drive five hours to Calais. It rained all the way, but when we arrived at the Channel the sun came out. We had a few hours to kill so we went to Wissant (20 minutes down the coast). We used to go to Wissant a lot when we lived in London, for the day.

And, so that was our wonderful holiday!

Now, I'm back home (and glad to be) but am thinking about going back to work next week and how I have to teach (TEACH!!!) GCSE English to Year 10's and 11's. I'm thinking I'd better get on and read 'Of Mice and Men'!

Hi!

2008-07-17T13:13:00.005+01:00

Hi there, just thought I'd put some more photos of my garden up for my own records really!

I think the washing airer on the right really makes this picture don't you?

Two days ago I found a tiny weeny baby hedgehog wandering along the pavement in town. Thinking that this poor hog wouldn't last an hour with all the traffic I rescued him and he's living in my shed in a shoe box, living off cat food. I will release him today probably in the depths of the countryside but we are really enjoying having 'Hodge' as a guest. He's SOOOO cute. Here's a picture of him!

Who isn't so cute are the students we currently have residing with us. Two fifteen year old girls, one from Italy and one from Barcelona. The one from Barca doesn't speak much English but she is clearly a city girl and knows her stuff. However, the one from Italy is quiet fluent but also rather arrogant. She is from the very bottom of Italy and though her family are rich and she is well educated you can tell she hasn't experienced much in life. She likes heavy metal (AC/DC) but dresses in the typical European uniform of skinny jeans and nice Pepe t-shirt and trainers. I would have thought she was OK but for the fascist tendencies she displayed yesterday at the table while we were introducing her to the delights of the Chinese takeaway. Here are a few quotations from our meal!

"The Chinese are stupid, they cannot speak English or understand anything" (referring to the Chinese on her course)

"They take photos of everything and they can't dance"

"When I told my Dad I was having Chinese tonight, he said 'poor you'" (her father refuses to eat anything other than Italian food).

I asked her what she thought of the tiny amount she managed to put away and she replied;

"I prefer Italian food, my father says Italian food is the best in the world why would we want to eat anything else?"

Oh dear. When she complained about our weather and the fact that the sea round here isn't blue like it is where she lives, I HAD felt quite envious of where she lived but now I know that if I lived in a town where probably the majority of people have the same small town mentality then I would never be happy. Amazing isn't it?

Garden Update

2008-05-18T06:27:00.007+01:00

It's been a long while since I posted anything here, but my garden is looking so lovely compared with last year that I've been taking loads of photos and feel the need to post them here!

In fact since I took these photos even more stuff has come out as the wallflowers (yellow) and forget-me-nots are nearly over. I have roses covered in buds just about to burst! I can't wait!Every morning I wander up with my coffee and my dog and inspect the flowers and the pond which is currently full to bursting with fat tadpoles and quite a few large frogs!

Ah. We still have the dog, yes. I still love him and he still disgraces himself occasionally by chasing sheep (only the once and NEVER again), and even cows with newborn calves in full view of Sunday walkers - why does the countryside have to be full of livestock???

My dogwalking sometimes stresses me out, the fact that I have to go everyday when I could be doing other things such as hoovering all the dust up that seems to reappear miraculously every morning. (sad person that I am). But, at this time of year, the countryside is absolutely magnificent and my dog walks have become longer and longer every evening (sometimes over two hours!). But I just delight in the wonderful scenery around me - in the last couple of weeks I have seen carpets of bluebells, herds of beautiful deer and listened to cuckoos.

So, I'm now a complete and utter country girl, I'm afraid. That urban lass that moved up from London two years ago barely gets time to read the Review Section in the Sunday papers anymore. I realise that my cultural life is lacking at the moment, but that is soon to be remedied with a trip to Sadlers Wells and a visit to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in a few weeks.

Hot diggety dog! Remedy for mad dog? Turn the sunshine up to 26 degrees and voila! - a dog that can't be bothered to move, how simple is that!

Catchup!

2007-09-18T07:25:00.000+01:00

Our house is coming along slowly but surely. We still have the decorators in....I think we've got him booked until 2012! Mind you, if you want a great decorator and you live in Suffolk then he's your man (if you don't mind a long wait).

Alice's room is now more or less completely done - all she needs is some pictures on her wall. But her blinds came at the weekend and it all looks wonderful! I will post some pictures another day. But today I want to talk about the GARDEN!

Here are some before pictures followed by the 'after' pictures!

Undergrowth and falling trellis.

Large areas of concrete where sheds once stood, and then covered over with dodgy decking.

A circular 'lawn' of pea shingle and loads of overgrown bushes.

Here's the 'lawn' without the shingle but before the grass.

We had another circular lawn put in at the top of the garden too (the two lawns are divided by that trellis you see there.

My new shed! Which has now been painted black.

Where that wheelbarrow is, we now have a pond (and four fish).

The circle going in.

That bit of hardstanding with the shed on was already there in a rectangle and the guys anglegrinded it in a semicircle to fit the edge of the lawn.

And now the finished thing:

Well, the pond needs to 'bed in' and more rocks and plants and things (hey isn't that a song by 'America'?)

Originally the trellis was covered in jasmine and a rose which I think was Rosa Albertine (for those that are interested) but they were so overgrown I cut them right (right)back but they are sprouting again so we should get flowers where we can see them next year. I've put plants in those spaces now (must take some more pictures).

The view from our patio. That is the side of another house at the end of our garden. It seems a bit close but actually none of their windows look over us so the garden is extremely private. I've now put in all my plants that were living on the allotment waiting for a garden. I now can't wait until the spring to see the garden come to life.

Oooh oooh

2007-08-01T08:38:00.000+01:00

Just when you thought I'd gone....

I was looking at the new Boden catalogue on line todayand saw that my dog is in it! I'm on trend! (as they say) (in a middle aged, middle class, predicatable, Sunday Times sort of way).

I wish that was me in the photo though with legs like that. Oh, and my dog wouldn't sit that still, he'd be off like a shot, just a blur.....

Now that I've said goodbye for the summer I feel the need to post something on my blog. Typical eh?

So it's goodbye for the summer

2007-07-30T09:50:00.001+01:00

This blog is coming to it's natural end.

Summer is here, I have a dog to exercise, a garden to do, an enormous dog hair covered house to hoover and dust and an older daughter that hogs the computer.

I won't be here for a while.

But it's been fun, this blog.

Bye everyone.

xxx

The British Summer

2007-07-26T22:51:00.000+01:00

We have been teaching our dog useless but diverting tricks.

Today Alice, a friend (Georgie) and I went for the windiest and muddiest picnic along the river. We took our crabnets but the tide was out so we collected jellyfish!

Upside down

2007-07-19T07:43:00.000+01:00

Hello!

I only have access to this laptop and that's if I fight my way over boxes and piles of 'spong'. A word that has become commonplace in this house now. (Thanks Lettie)

It's amazing the amount of 'spong' one carries around. Bowls of 'crap' were emptied into boxes and now sit there in our new house with no proper home to go to. Should I just empty everything into the bin? Would I miss it all?

The camera is temporarily lost under 'stuff' so I can't take any photos of our chaos. I feel almost snowed under by the amount of stuff that needs sorting out, on top of going to work, sorting out the kids and walking the damn dog (who is ruining all my plants by walking along the back of the borders and knocking down stuff). Sigh. The only thing keeping me going right now is the thought that next week the school holidays start and that means I don't have to go to work for SIX WEEKS and ONE DAY! Oh joy.

I haven't even thought of our 'upcoming' holiday to Spain in two weeks. Last night in the wee small hours Andy nudged me awake and said 'When do we have to pay the balance on our holiday?' I do not appreciate being woken up to answer Andy's night fears! The other night he woke me up when I was really deeply asleep to say he couldn't find his mobile phone and could I ring it with my phone - I was in deep slumber and made me get up to find my own phone to ring his bloody phone! The poor guy is suffering from anxiety - I think it's only a matter of time before he drops with exhaustion. He spent all evening, and I mean all evening, in the shower cleaning off all the black gungy crap that the previous owners left us with. We didn't see him until after 10pm. He had a small sit down and then bed!

Anyway, our bedroom is nearly finished (tomorrow hopefully), Holly's room will get new carpet tomorrow so we can move her up into it. Alice's room is finished and she's in it surrounded by 'spong'. So we should be able to take our clothes out of boxes at the weekend.

Well, that's it. Day off today - back down to Ikea to find those elusive shelf thingies.

2007-07-07T08:10:00.000+01:00

Saturday and there' no let up! (I'm not complaining)

My day off on Thursday didn't finish until after ten if you know what I mean. I had to go down to Blue Water (John Lewis) in a near fruitless search for curtain material and blinds. After that I went to Lakeside to Habitat and Ikea. I think they liked me in Habitat because I went in and bought the shop (nearly). I like spending money but the way I'm spending it at the moment is making it difficult to sleep at night!

After that I went to Ikea - how civilised that they don't close until 10pm - it was quiet (for once). Have you ever, ever known a relaxing browse in Ikea - a relaxing browse - that's an oxymoron if I ever heard one. Well, it was relaxing apart from the fact that I was becoming more and more anxious about the time I'd been out and really should be getting back to my family. Anyway, I chose what I needed - two white table tops and four leg things (with shelves in to go under for the girls' desks), and two lovely white wall shelves for Alice's room. I get to the warehouse bit to make my choice. Did they have any of that in the warehouse? Did they buggery! What a waste of f**king time! (say in Catherine Tate old lady voice).

Anyway, got home and unloaded the Habitat shopping (the rest comes on a lorry next week!) into the new house. Kevin, my brother in law (that' s Richard Stilgoe to Pod) had been round with his chainsaw and trailer and applied the 'scorched earth' technique to the front garden! Oh dear. Remedial work is necessary to make it look less like the aftermath of a nuclear attack.

I have to go up to the house this morning (at 8.30) to let the plasterer in, the decorator in, and the floor man, who has now varnished all the floors and is finishing today. I will take my camera up.

Bye for now, more later!

Blogger won't let me move my photos so scroll down for text!

2007-07-04T05:37:00.000+01:00

The new fireplace in the 'front room'.

The new fireplace going in.

I just had to put my plants in!

New fireplace in back room - note the painted floor! That'll be gone today.

Better pic of new fireplace.

These were the sort of people who painted their floor AROUND the rug! WTF!

Once again, Rambler makes her mark!

Back view...that tree on the right'll be gone today.

The back bit of the kitchen after the floor sander had sanded off the tribal rugs! It looks much better already!

The tree that's going and blocking all the sun (sorry, rain clouds).

Rather overgrown dontcha think? Brother in law coming round with trailer and chainsaw in next few days!

Can you see our house under all that undergrowth?

Note to Self: Never get a new house when you have PMT!

We got news in the morning that we had completed, the house was ours and that the keys were with their solicitors.

At lunchtime I went to the solicitors to be told all they were all at lunch and the secretary was on her own and didn't know anything about any keys. I had to go back after 3.30pm when they had finally been located.

Anyway, got myself into the house past the full skip they had left, overflowing with rubbish and mattresses and office chairs and 'spong' and into the house. My god, they had left it filthy with a note saying how the tenants should have cleaned it before they left but hadn't, they hadn't had time to clean it and so, basically, tough shit. I was so mad (and had PMT) I just couldn't be happy/elated/relieved that we had finally got a house.

The next day, yesterday, much much better. (Auntie Martha arrived, as my friend Elen would say, (hi Elen)) and I was feeling more positive. Not only that, the fireplaces went in as planned and the floor sander is on the job!

Today, the tree surgeon is coming in to cut down the big tree at the side (see picture) which should allow much more light into the place. Also, the decorators are coming.

Here are some pics I took earlier. Note that all the floors were painted with 'tribal' rugs painted on! It was nice to see them go!

2007-07-02T06:06:00.000+01:00

Today's the Day!!!!!

I'm off to work today so won't see the NEW HOUSE until 4pm!!! (That's if we get the bloody keys). I'm going to load up the boot of my car with plants before work today in readiness. It's going to be my first act of moving in!

Still can't quite believe it.

Off to walk the dog. (I think he's eaten something stringy and it's caught in his throat - he keeps making strange hiccuping noises as if he's trying to clear his throat)

One day More

2007-07-01T07:56:00.000+01:00

I CANNOT listen to that without crying my eyes out. I just can't control myself when I hear anything from Les Miserables. I don't know if it's because of the memories it has for me or just that the melodies are just so sweet, when they hit that 'sweet' note, tears come.

Recently, I have been to two concerts, both of them Flamenco guitar, singers and dancers. The first was Juan Martin - only one of the best flamenco guitarrists in the world! As soon as he started, and his swarthy singers did the clapping and that very distinctive singing, the tears started streaming. Both concerts, the same. The second was a troupe from Seville who spoke no English and just rambled on in Spanish. I was transported. I took Holly along to try and instill a love of Spanish Flamenco. I did wonder whether she might be too young for this type of music, it might have put her off Flamenco for life, but she loved it! But, how can I stop this crying when I hear music from my past?

When I was sixteen I spent a month on the Costa Del Sol on my own. Well, my parents were somewhere but I didn't see much of them for the whole month. They'd just bought a house there and were busy furnishing it etc and I was busy going down onto the beach and getting brown. A lovely guy asked me 'Tienes fuego?' Luckily for me, I smoked back in them days so I lit his fag and we made friends. He was English but lived in Spain and played the Flamenco guitar for a living every night. There followed a month of hanging out with this guy and all his Spanish friends and his 'troupe'. What a great summer that was. I'll never forget it. For a sixteen year old girl from a village near Swindon, this was Nirvana. Now though Flamenco makes me cry. It's not that I mind getting old, it's not even that nostalgic button being pressed, it's just my subconscious doing something odd.

Anyway, back to Les Miserables, I went to see the first production of this at The Barbican many moons ago with my friend Caroline. We had front row seats, we were so close to the 'action' it was wonderful. At the end we cried so much (it's very sad) that we had to stay in the auditorium until everyone had left because our faces were puce with crying. It was like the floodgates had opened - that cathartic blubbing you do when you just can't stop and if you don't get a grip you'll become hysterical. Ah, yes, that's maybe what it is, hysteria. As I write this I'm crying, I'm not sad, I'm probably stressed, so yes, I'm hysterical. Thank you, I've just analysed myself! What a great thing a blog is.

Well, back to the title of this post. ONE MORE DAY until we become the owners of our new house. The current owners had a party there last night, I drove past on my way back from 'Shrek 3' (not as good as the others) and saw all the lights on and a skip in the drive - I wonder what they are throwing away - I don't mind as long as it's not my plants! Every time I think about tomorrow my stomach does a flip. We still don't know how we are going to get the keys to the place, they are ignoring our emails and the solicitor can't get hold of them either. I'm not too worried about it, we'll get in somehow.

This is a long post and I've just about stopped crying now.

SEVEN DAYS!

2007-06-25T07:05:00.000+01:00

EXACTLY SEVEN DAYS UNTIL WE GET OUR NEW HOUSE!

I didn't think I'd ever reach this point. And now, only one week until we get the keys and kick the previous owners out if they haven't left the very minute of completion! I shall kick them out and throw their furniture after them shouting "Get off my land!"

Andy and I have very sensibly got a budget so we know how much we have to spend on making the house our own.

We move in on the 12th and if, all going to plan we will have; newly sanded floors on the ground floor, two new Victorian fireplaces in the reception rooms (at the moment there are none), newly decorated bedrooms, new carpet in the bedrooms, a newly plastered utility room, a pump on the water system, a new shower in one of the bathrooms....phew. The organisation it has taken to find people to a) quote for these jobs and then b) be available for the time we wanted them has been a mammoth task, which still isn't finished.

So, I shall try not to focus on the 'owners' of the house this week despite the fact that she has not answered my email enquiring as to where we are going to pick up the keys/the exact time they will be out of the house!! (I asked these questions some time ago and she is studiously ignoring me). I think she's in denial that she is going to have to move out of her house. I know it would be nigh on impossible for them to pull out of the sale now, but I have an awful niggling fear that the next email I get will tell me they've changed their minds! (It couldn't happen, it would cost them too much, but even so.

*******************************

So at the moment Andy and I are choosing rugs and dining chairs. Thank heavens for the internet is all I can say. Otherwise think of all the time trawling the shops - not that there is much choice in this town!

********************************

We spent the weekend at Lettuce's and all went to a mutual friend's party round the corner, kids and all. It was lovely to see all the old faces. It all felt very normal and comfortable to be amongst people I have known for a long time. Sadly, we had to come away long before the party had finished because of our youngest practically being asleep on her feet. But we managed to drink cava for a good seven hours anyway! (4pm until 11pm! - heehee)

*********************************

Ah, well, it's Monday morning, back to work. Oh, and I have to collect my doggy who's been in kennels all weekend and wondering where I am! (NOT)

Bye!

2007-06-18T22:34:00.000+01:00

Hello,

It's been a while since I wrote anything here.

Well, it's exactly two weeks until we take possession of our new house. As it is empty I have been popping up and tending the garden. A neighbour saw me today carrying out sacks of prunings. We stopped and chatted for a while, I introduced myself, he introduced himself, he was very friendly. Four hours later when I logged on to the computer an email popped up from the 'owners' saying 'friends tell me you have been doing extensive work in the garden, ...the bins are full....we are informing our solicitor.....please do not go in our garden again!" I feel sick when I get emails like this! They are never going to live in this house again. Really, does it matter if I clear up the garden? These people live in Dubai. They will return for two days. I think I made the mistake of being friendly with this man and telling him that although we 'compete' on the 2nd July we won't be moving in until the 12th because we are having work done. No doubt this has been passed on already. The bastard! He seemed so nice! Well, I suppose his loyalties lie with his old neighbours. Only to be expected. Harrumph.

I'm upset now, so I won't go on about how busy I have been trying to get decorators/plastereres/plumbers/floor sanders/fireplace fitters to do work before we move in.

....................

I've been losing weight with all this dog walking. Which is nice. I'm not as 'thin' (hahah) I was last summer when I lost some weight, so I have to get some 'will power' from somewhere so I can reduce for our holiday this summer. SOON!!!

.....

This is a highly boring blog post....I'm upset (not about the boring post!). I have to apply some 'cognitive therapy' to my horrible email. Right, I'm off to try some....

Happiness is...............

2007-06-03T23:13:00.000+01:00

A very early morning in early June..... on the England/Welsh borders in the sunshine...and a lovely Welsh river.

A very happy, smiley dog who loves life, (and loves me) and makes an early morning walk wonderful......

Oh yes, and cow parsley....I love cow parsley, it makes me feel happy!

Oh yes, happiness also is.......

We've finally exchanged on this house! So, 2nd July, we'll be in!

2007-05-08T06:10:00.000+01:00

Hello,

I was going to post about the classic car rally we watched and how Ziggy had settled and show you a picture of him quietly sleeping in his bed but I might have to do this another day because this morning I just have to unburden myself about my father in law.

Regular readers will know about my father in law and will remember last year's 'critical bread incident'. Not sure if that links you directly to the day but certainly to the month (just scroll down to the post!)

Having told oldest daughter that she had to be in on Monday 'because Grandad is staying and it would be nice to do something together as a family', Grandad announces that he doesn't want to do the day out that I had tried to plan - first I suggested Gainsborough's house in Sudbury, then the seaside, then a walk in the country (to which he said 'I live in the country' - yes, Graham but you live inthe country in SPAIN, which is quite different to ENGLAND!). So as we were getting ready to go out somewhere for the day and have a nice lunch 'all together' he announces he didn't feel like it and he would take himself down to town, wander about and then have a pint in a pub somewhere. Well! As he left the house he said 'Don't worry, I won't be long, about two hours'. Six hours later he pitches up! Drunk as a skunk, having been in the local pub all that time. I think the guy is an alcoholic. I didn't witness the home coming because I was in the cinema with the girls (Spider Man 3 actually, too long, not really my kind of film, thanks for asking). So, according to Andy, he pitched up, slurring, helped himself to loads of bread and cheese, leaving crumbs and cupboards open as he went, ate them, sat on the sofa with a blanket over himself and promptly fell asleep.

The film went on for ever and we didn't get in until half past eight, by which time I had decided not to bother cooking any supper - the girls had gorged on pop corn (and I'd had just a handful or two too!). So, I got in, the girls disappeared to their various spots inthe house and I sat with Andy at the kitchen table with a bottle of vino tinto between us. Andy said 'when my dad reappears he'll say he didn't have any lunch in the pub because he thought you were cooking tonight - that's how he'll turn it around and justify his tightness'. Ten minutes or so later, Graham enters and sits down with us. 'Aren't you cooking tonight?' he asks. 'No, it's a bit late don't you think?' I said. 'Oh, I didn't eat in the pub because I thought we were having a meal at home' he said. 'Oh, Andy said you'd had a couple of sandwiches when you got in are you still hungry?' said I. 'Yes' said he. He was still drunk. I asked him how his day had been 'Oh marvellous, I met lots of people, blah blah blah'

What I just can't understand is that we see this man once a year, he comes over every May for four weeks (luckily just three this year). He never has any contact with his only grandchildren (ours) or gives them presents or anything. And now, on the one day his only son has off he doesn't want to spend it with us. I'm feeling like a bit of a hotel actually. He's manipulative to the extreme. Yesterday, (this is a small point but they all build up) the butter ran out in the morning - the shopping is ordered for tonight so I don't like to go out and buy stuff I'd rather just make do without butter for 24 hours - I buttered his toast at breakfast and then said 'That's the last of the butter until the shopping comes tomorrow afternoon'. Last night when he was making himself yet another sandwich, he said 'where's the butter?' I said 'It's all gone' He said 'Oh why didn't you say I would have got some FOR YOU when I was out'. 'I DID say, Graham' I said. He does this ALL the time. He drinks the beer in the fridge (all 20 bottles) saying each time 'I'll get some more when I go to town'. When he comes back he says 'I forgot to take my rucksack so couldn't get any' or some other lame excuse which he has done deliberately.

I know this all sounds so petty, but these things build up. The worst thing about him though is that he does NOT take a blind bit of interest in us. He has not asked Andy about work, about his cycling, about our last holiday, about our NEW house or expressed any interest even in where our house is! Nor has he asked the children about their lives. He just sits at the table wittering on about what he's done. The sad thing is, is that he is telling us the same stuff as last year as if these things have happened in the last year, when I know that they didn't. So in reality the poor guy has got nothing to tell us, nothing has happened to him in the last year. He gets up, he goes to the bar, he comes home, he falls asleep in front of the telly. That's his life.

I feel sorry for him alot but my patience is wearing thin.

2007-05-06T09:52:00.000+01:00

I took Ziggy to the vet yesterday morning to be weighed and checked out. Ziggy was very stressed out at the vets and barked the whole time he was in the waiting room and then when the vet asked me to put Ziggy on the table he kept trying to 'mouth' me when I tried to pick him up. The vet kept saying 'oh you're going to have to be careful with this one, he wants to dominate' which worried me somewhat. She said she could refer to a behaviourist if I wanted. Well, that got me worried.

Then to make matters worse, we took Ziggy for a walk across the fields yesterday and met a country couple with gun dogs who had owned a pointer. They told me that they had a friend with a pointer that was untrainable and had a hell of a time with him for four years until they contacted the German Pointer Gun Club for advice (not to have him shot!). Lo and behold they discovered that these dogs need specific training, blah blah, very intelligent, blah blah, need to be stimulated the whole time.

Another problem, my husband thinks he can dominate a dog by shouting at him even though the dog has a) no idea why he's being shouted at b)not understanding what Andy is trying to get him to do. Hence the dog put his head in the bin, Andy shouted and tried to get the dog into the utility room, the dog cowered under the table and put his hand out to grab him while shouting and got bitten. Andy then kicked the dog told everyone in the room to 'eff off' that he didn't want the dog in the first place, he was a dangerous and aggressive dog. I, on the other hand tried to tell him that a big threatening hand coming down on his head from a stranger threatened him and he was cornered. Andy won't have this, refuses to listen to me and is in a steaming bad mood. Things aren't so good in this household right now.

Not to mention the father in law, who, after Andy had sworn and gone off told me 'you're an intelligent woman but you rely too much on the book'. What? 'Of course I rely on the book, books are written by experienced people who know about things'. 'Ah, but you shouldn't rely on the book, you need to rely on experience'. 'What? I'm not experienced so I turn to a book for advice'. (and you 'eff off, I thought).

Big sigh. I have to admit, I'm slightly wary of my own dog now. The vet told me that I have to be able to touch him all over (the dog, not the father in law), look in his mouth and be able to pick him up. I have to keep my dominance over him, in a firm way.

He's having his cojones cut off on Thursday, which should help.

2007-05-05T07:20:00.000+01:00

Well, here he is! He's gorgeous don't you think?

I think I'm in love!

Having a dog when you 've never had one before is like bringing your first baby home from the hospital! There is a feeling of mild (extreme) panic. What if I don't feed it properly? When does it need to poo? How do I discipline it? What if it turns into a mad, untrained dog and it's all my fault?

I've been reading things up on the internet. Things like 'how to be the alpha male',and 'how to make your dog do what you want!'. By way of bonding with the mutt I've been walking him four times a day so that he thinks this is a 'fun' household that he wants to stay in, instead of the 'completely stressful, father in law visiting, we're hoping to move in eight weeks, untamed children' kind of household. Father is bad enough without a dog but suddenly is a the font of all canine knowledge saying things like 'I've had a dog you know, I know, you don't'. Unfortunately, his school of thought is the 'let's just shout at the dog and scare him into submission'. So much so that when Ziggy put his nose into the bin, Graham shouted at him and tried to get him to go into the utility room as punishment, the dog cowered in fright under the work top and barked at Graham when he approached him! Alice keeps coming to me and saying 'Grandad's shouting at the dog, stop him!'. Oh dear.

Anyway, I'm happy to say that Ziggy seems happy (notwithstanding the father in law). My energy levels have increased with all this dog walking. I feel better in two days actually. My legs are aching from walking so much! I've met loads of new dog owners in the park and discovered that some of them are the parents of my oldest daughters' friends!

I could go on....about how the owners nearly wanted him back and it was a bit touch and go as to whether I would have to hand him back over, but they've decided they can 't have him, so he is now, officially ours. Hang on, do I need a dog licence? That's just occurred to me? Better go and check that out...

Calm, Calm, Calm

2007-05-02T06:37:00.000+01:00

Thought I'd post a picture of one my 'Morning Glories' today I'm not feeling very glorious today.

Things have taken a turn on the house front. The owners emailed us on Sunday to ask us if we would put all the utilities in our name after the tenants move out at the end of May to save THEM (the owners) of putting it all back into their name for just one month and so that they have electricity and gas etc for moving out at the end of June (for just the four days they would be in the house). We thought this sounded like a bad idea. Take on the utilities of someone else's house before you own it? We don't know these people and frankly, I think that's just laziness on their part. So,we politely refused.

A day later, another email came saying that they had wanted to be friendly but as we now weren't (WTF!), they no longer want us to work on the garden and would I not go to the house? And that they would be taking legal advice as to their next step!! I just can't believe the pettiness of some people, I really really can't.

---

On another note. Regular readers may remember the dog we had for a day back in the spring (there's a photo of him on Lettie's blog!). Well, the owner of this dog wanted to get rid of him back in spring because he was too much of an untrained puppy for her three young children. I said we'd like him (that's the Royal 'we'. Andy doesn't want a dog.) But we can't have a dog in our rented accommodation but she couldn't wait to get rid of him so he gave him to the police to be trained as a drug sniffer dog (he's a pointer). Yesterday, I got a phone call from my friend saying that 'Ziggy' (for that is his name) has failed to make the grade (due to the fact he likes to sniff food more than drugs) and they want to get rid of him immediately. My friend wasn't prepared to have him back so she phoned me. The dog handler police man phoned me and I phoned the landlord. The landlord said 'yes' and so did 'I'! I presented this to Andy as a 'fait accomplit'. Well, I know of old that if I'd discussed this with him it would have been a 'no' because 'we just can't take this on before a move' is what he'd say. I don't agree. We have a opportunity of a young and (now) very well trained dog that is past the puppy stage, is a pedigree and is free! Not an offer to be passed up on in my opinion. Better still, Andy's dad arrives today for three weeks (which isn't so good) but he will be able to settle the dog in while we are all out at work and school!

We might not have a house to move into and my marriage may be over but we've now got a dog! (Nearly)

2007-04-27T19:37:00.001+01:00

Well, it's friday, 7.45 in the evening and I find myself alone apart from four excited children, two of which want to sleep in the garden tonight. (!!!!) We don't have a tent, they don't see this as a problem! I've just stopped them from laying down our duvet's on the lawn which is covered in rabbit and guinea pig droppings - not to mention all the damp that comes up in the night - I've said no to that. So they are on Plan B phoning their friends to see if they can borrow a tent for the night. This should be fun. Two girls trying to put up a tent - I'll try and take some photos.

Husband is in the garage climbing a mountain on his bike trainer. I am eating crisps and drinking wine. And now I've had so many crisps I can't be bothered to cook tonight. Luckily the girls have all eaten. But hubby'll will just have to have whatever he can find.

I recently got an upgrade on my mobile phone. As I was setting it up, I changed my SIM card over but didn't copy the numbers from my old phone. So when I turned on my new phone it was like going back in time. It was bizarre. 'Home' was our old London number and our 'doctor' was our old London doctor. Aquaintances and parents of our children who I no longer have any contact with were on there and all my new contacts were missing. Suddenly, it was like being in a parallel universe for a moment. Luckily soon remedied - phew! I felt suddenly cast adrift!

Our house purchase is going through well. The people who are renting it (The BBC) are very laid back and allow me to into the garden whenever I want to dig, weed and plant new things! The garden is walled and faces West! Even if the air is cool the new garden is warm with all the warmth in the brick radiating out. It's just wonderful going there, even though I feel like a bit of a mad woman furtively planting and examining the plants. When the renters are out I peer through the windows and imagine us in there!

Well, he's now in the shower and I'm on my second glass of wine. Two little girls are toasting marshmallows on a candle ( under adult supervision) and the other two have disappeared to get a tent.

Have a great weekend!

2007-04-24T07:01:00.000+01:00

I'm feeling in need of some parenting advice.

In this wonderful unseasonal weather we've been having, oldest daughter has been out with her friends every evening after school and everyday in the holidays. It's very hard to get her to spend any time at home now. If I ask her to stay in with us she asks me why. And I agree with her, in a way. When I was her age I would get home from school, dump my bags, eat some bread and jam and then head on out again until night fall.

Except in my case I was out up the local farm, cleaning out the rabbits and goats and getting to ride their ponies in exchange for manual labour. However, truthfully I must say that the farm was next to a house which had three teenage brothers in - I fancied them all and would 'poo pick' the front field of the farm (which was across a lane from their house) and peer through the hedge to catch a glimpse of them.

The two oldest boys had their own cars and I knew the sound of their engines a mile off. My heart would leap in my chest when I saw any of them with their friends. All this started at the age of 12. I fancied practically every boy in the village and at weekends my best friend Sue and I would wander about on ponies or bikes going past the houses of these boys' friends. So, innocent but not so innocent. As the years went on I would go to the 'Young Farmer's Disco' at the Village Hall. Oh, such excitement! I had my first 'slow dance' there. A while later, my first kiss to 'Three Times a Lady' - a song that still gives that 'frisson' of excitement when I hear it. I can't remember how old I was, perhaps thirteen or fourteen? I'm not sure.

My parents had no interest in what I was getting up to, not that I was getting up to anything, just wasting my hours peering through hedges! I came to no harm.

I'd like to say, dear reader, at the end of this that 'I married him!' And I nearly did! I went out with the middle brother for three years (from 16 to 19). In a strange twist of fate my husband comes from the next village and was a friend of these boys, but I didn't meet him properly until I was 23 when we both lived in London.

Anyway, I'm digressing. Why, then do I think it's not a good thing that my daughter is doing something similar? And how do I get her stay in more? Pray for rain and a bad summer? I don't think so! Hmm.

Gardening gets (more) interesting!

2007-04-18T07:00:00.000+01:00

!

On Monday the whole family had to go to sign up with a new doctor. We had to take 'wee' samples and general have a check up. I just hate going to the doctor. I almost have a panic attack when I see the blood pressure machine. I'm practically phobic about it. All day on Monday I kept getting that tightening knot in my stomach/bowel region when I thought about it! The funny thing though was that we had to go in two at a time (me with one child, Andy with the other). Comparing notes afterwards Andy and I both discovered that we both lied about our alchohol consumption and even after lying the nurse said we should both cut down! I fear she might be right. We drink like fish.

Andy was complaining about our money situation yesterday, saying 'where does it go, I can't understand it'. I replied 'do you think there might be a corollation between our money situation and the amount we spend on alcohol?'

So, we are going to cut down, only this might be difficult as our 'fish like' niece turns up to stay on Thursday and she might be a bit miffed if alcohol isn't offered. (I can't offer alcohol and not partake, can I? can I?)

My legs ache

2007-04-12T07:56:00.000+01:00

(That's Andy up there in front!)

As our twelve year old daughter is practically feral nowadays, roaming round the local park in packs of youths clad in 'skinny' jeans, stripy tops and floppy fringes, Andy and I found ourselves unexpectedly free when our youngest was invited out for a sleepover on Monday! Well, what would YOU do if you found yourselves alone in a house for an afternoon? Well? Yes, that's right we went for a four hour bike ride!

For the first three hours I enjoyed the views and the sunshine - taking great pleasure in observing all the signs of the emerging season.

The last hour was sheer hell as my poor atrophied legs nearly gave up the ghost. Boy did they ache - and only ten miles before home! Luckily, Andy is a fit as a flea and he pushed me up the hills!

When I got in I practically crawled around for the rest of the evening. I'm OK now (just) and looking forward to repeating the ~~ordeal~~ lovely afternoon sometime soon!

Digest

2007-04-11T08:13:00.000+01:00

Hello,

Lying in bed this morning thinking about getting up I reflected on a conversation I had recently with two colleagues who are in their twenties. We were talking about fancy dress parties They said they'd love to go to a 'nineties' fancy dress party - they'd know exactly what to wear. They both waxed lyrical about the fashions from the nineties in some misty nostalgic way as if looking back on their long lost youth!

The nineties! Wasn't that just yesterday?

To my mind it's too near to have a 'nineties' party. Added to that I just could NOT tell you what the fashions were like in the nineties. The two of them reeled off fashions just like that. I can't remember everthing they said apart from 'doc martens' (I was wearing them in the 80's) and Naf Naf clothing (I'm sure I was also wearing that stuff in the 80's). Anyway, I think the 90's clearly passed me by despite only feeling like it was yesterday. I must have been too busy having children and being 'mumsy'.

I suppose the 80's was my era - awful fashions as they were. I should find a picture of myself from that era and scan it it (if our scanner wasn't in a box in the garage!) (phew, got out of that one). But the music was fantastic! (especially the music that started in the 70's!). And that reminds me, I've just booked tickets to go and see the reformed 'Police' in September! I CAN'T BLOODY WAIT! I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT IT! (not a tribute band, the real thing!) The tickets cost an arm and a leg but I wasn't going to let that stop me! Andy was umming and aaahing about me buying the tickets (cost mainly) and he's not good at snap decisions so I said 'I don't care, Andy, I'm not going to lose out of seeing The Police, if you don't want the ticket I'll go with my brother', to which he said 'Oh no, I'll come!' Sometimes I think that if it wasn't for me Andy would do nothing with his life apart from the odd bike ride of a Saturday.

The mornings after the nights before!

2007-04-04T09:12:00.000+01:00

If you are a fan of Pink Floyd I urge you to go see 'The Australian Pink Floyd' Tribute band (who are currently touring the UK). We had such a fabulous night. It was exactly like the real group, right down to the light shows and the voices. The women singers were particularly fantastic. The funny thing was that I think the men outnumbered the women by about two thirds and apart from the parents who brought their teenage children, the majority of people were well over forty! I was looking at all their faces and imagining them all in their late teens being into Pink Floyd. Some were attempting to be trendy and missing - one middle aged man was dressed as badly drawn boy and a lot of people had those brightly coloured 'ethnic' baggy trousers that people at music festivals and Germany wear. But, I'm sure I too looked like the same to them, and what does it matter anyway! We're all old and still into Pink Floyd (tribute bands!).

********************

Alice's party went (is still going well). Six children for a sleepover - not so much a sleepover as a stay and make lots of noise all night -over. Today I feel rough even though I had nothing to drink last night (makes a change - perhaps it's the lack of alcohol that makes me feel rough? Hmmmmm....

****************

I'm off to Lettuce's tomorrow for a couple of days. It will be lovely to see her, we plan to visit the Renoir exhibition at the National Gallery!

I've just heard this song on the radio and it reminded me of this:

Going Out!

2007-04-02T19:09:00.000+01:00

Andy and I are off out tonight (woo hoo!). We are now 'officially old' because we are going to see a Pink Floyd Tribute Band (The Australian Pink Floyd Tribute Band - this makes it better (or not so bad) because this band is supposed to be really good!)

I'll let you know how it went tomorrow if I can. Alice's birthday and birthday party are tomorrow. The fridge is currently full of jelly! (my favourite actually - three flavours!)

Laters!

xxxx

House Update

2007-04-01T08:17:00.000+01:00

Hello,

I thought I'd just post a house update (thanks Dons for asking!).

Well, it's been a very frustrating time recently. I don't know how much I've said before but here goes.

Back in December when we met the owners of the house and they showed us round we all said how mutually beneficial it would be to move at end of May (their lodgers will be out and we have to be out of our rental) (I've told you all this haven't I?). Anyway, to cut a long story short they are now saying we can't move in until the 1st July because that's when they will be back from Dubai and they don't want to have a storage company move them out when they aren't there. So, the lodgers leave on 31st May, we have to be out on the 31st May, the house will be empty for a month, but hey ho - they've said what they want and we can't say otherwise because they know we don't have a choice in the matter. Even though Andy and my brother in law keep banging on at me saying 'it's a business deal, say what we want - they can't do this to us' (humph....why Andy tells me this but lets me do ALL THE NEGOTIATING AND EMAILING ETC). Andy says 'you need to be more assertive that's why people walk all over you'. Well, it's true I could never be a business woman because I'm far too nice. As much as I would like to be in by the 31st May, if they say they can't/won't do it then what do we do? They did (nasty horrible people) say that if we paid for them to move out on the 31st they would!! Can you believe the cheek of some people? I've heard on the local grapevine from people that know them that they were very much the sort of people who only did something if there was something in it for them! I think I can understand that!

Well, so now (finally) after many emails to them asking them to give us their solicitor's details it is in the hands of the solicitors, we have agreed the 1st July, fingers crossed.

We've had the survey done and that was OKish....lots of work needs doing but we were aware of all that. One thing the survey did say was that there is a large tree in the back garden that is too close to the house and needs to either be reduced or removed. I spoke to the 'lodgers' who were happy for me to show tree surgeons the tree and just come into the much neglected and overgrown garden - (lodgers don't DO gardening do they?). The last two Thursdays on my days off I have gone to the garden (mad woman that I am) on the pretext of waiting for tree surgeons to quote on the tree (should I be challenged) and I've weeded and tidied and pruned and raked! (am I mad?). Being able to do this makes me a bit happier about the wait for the house. At least I can get my hands on the garden. I thought that I'd better ask permission from the owners just in case and they agreed that I tidied up their garden for nothing (well they would!). Even if the sale falls through they've had their garden 'done'. It won't fall through. It won't!

The week after we move in, Holly has a day trip to Boulogne with the school and Alice is going away on an outward bound three day trip with the school (her first time away). My 'pessimistic little voice in my head' keeps thinking 'what if we move in on the Monday and Holly dies in a coach crash on the Sunday and Alice drowns in the Norfolk Broads? - after just moving in?' (that's my very very pessimistic voice talking there).

Last Friday was Andy's birthday. We had my sister and brother in law over for the evening and we had a curry. Cath and Kev (brother in law and sister) brought round loads of booze because they said 'we usually drink all yours' . I said 'we'll never get through all that!' Six hours later there were two extremely drunk men in the house. Andy's eyes were open the rest of him was unconcious. He went to bed, got up the next day at 8 to be sick down the toilet, went back to bed for a bit, got up again to be sick, and so the day went on! I think he actually got up at about 6pm, had a shower came downstairs, watched the new episode of 'Doctor Who' and then went back to bed. As I write this he is still in bed! It's 8.40am on Sunday 1st April! (what a fool! - haha)

My brother in law staggered back home with Catherine. Apparently he weaved his way home and at one time fell down in the gutter! Oh dear, grown people eh? (They might be assertive, but they certainly are stupid).

My weekend

2007-03-29T15:46:00.000+01:00

Our very good friends El and Rog and boys (men really) came last weekend and we had a really lovely time. Chatting, eating, drinking, laughing, and singing! At the boys' request we went to the seaside. It was a lovely day, the sun shone, we found a great pub for lunch and those that weren't driving enjoyed a hair of the dog.

More Grafitti from Bruxelles

2007-03-28T07:36:00.000+01:00

Cool Vid!

2007-03-26T10:14:00.000+01:00

Rambling does a Pod

2007-03-26T07:40:00.000+01:00

I had a really really lovely weekend and when I have downloaded the pics I will blog about it!

Meanwhile here is some great 'art' I saw in Brussels the other week.

Noooooooooooo!

2007-03-20T09:40:00.000Z

Woke up to this, this morning! How can it be? I was on the verge of getting out my linen and waxing my legs last week. Snow in winter is great, snow when you are expecting summer is pants.

I am stuck at home today, youngest has the lurgies. I just hate not going into work when I'm not ill. It feels like I'm skiving. I have a vague sense of unease when I'm off work.

I have a very definite sense of unease anyway at the moment. Our house purchase has hit a hiccup can you believe? I am so pee-ed off with the owners. We had all agreed happily to an end of May completion date. Now we have had the survey done and have committed money to this, they now say they won't be back in the UK until the end of June and we can't have the house until then. Our rental here finishes on June 14th (though we have said end of May to them so we can get some work done before moving in). They are saying that it's not an insurmountable problem and surely we can extend our rental for a month.

I was very upset that I have to delay having a house for an extra month, mainly because of my gardening passion....the difference between having a house in May and having a house in June, gardening wise is the difference between getting a garden established for the summer and not getting the garden established for the summer. I know, I could be very Zen (is that the word?) about this and think that I've waited this long, why not another month? But quite frankly I DON'T WANT TO! I have been striking out the weeks on my calendar. My mum thinks we should 'stand firm' and tell them what WE WANT. I am very cross they chose this time to tell us and not before. I think that is exceptionally conniving and manipulative. I have written back to them and told them it's not possible, our landlord won't allow it. Huh! Why do I have to resort to lying and conniving? Even a private sale, without the evil Estate Agents, is not without it's EVIL houseowners.

new additions to the family

2007-03-18T09:30:00.000Z

When I got back from Brussels last week I discovered that Rocket our lovely, but ageing guinea pig had shuffled off his mortal. I was sad. I loved that pig. When I used to come into the garden and call 'Pii-ggs', he would run up to me and squeak.

Anyway, our poor other pig was left alone and looked so lonely in her run that yesterday, Alice and I went out to a pet shop and bought a new friend for Nutmeg. Meet Feisty

But mother got carried away (that's me) and came home with something else;

He's a Rex rabbit, and his fur is so so soft, but his claws are so so sharp! At first his name was 'grey' but this morning he's been renamed to 'Smoky'. He's very cute and very inquisitive.

***********

By the way, on Friday I went to the Tate Modern. Those pipes were an Art Installation! Apparently the art is the appreciation of it when you go down the pipes, or somefink.

I met up with Moonwalker (a regular commenter on this blog). We hadn't seen each other for about four or even five years. But the years don't matter, there's never any trouble picking up with true old friends. We had a lovely time, a lovely catch up and we're definitely NOT going to leave it so long next time!

*********

Well, they say we're going to get snow next week. I can't believe that...all the trees are bursting into bloom three weeks before they should so I'm told. All the bees and caterpillars and things are going to die and this summer (which will be hotter than any ever) will be infested with bugs that should have been eaten by other bugs that were killed off in the third week of March. Well, lets see shall we?

guess where I went last night?

2007-03-17T10:46:00.000Z

aaaaahhhhhhh!

2007-03-12T17:20:00.000Z

I had a fab time in Bruxelles with my two 'long standing' friends Bridget and Caroline!

This is what we did!

After a two hour, champagne filled Eurostar trip, we took a taxi to our hotel. We did a little unpacking etc and then we walked into the centre of Brussels and found a sports bar where we watched the last of the Ireland/Scotland Rugby match! (WTF!) Bridge and Caroline only happen to come from Irish backgrounds and are a bit partial to a spot of Rugby. One large 'pression' later, we carried on into town to a lovely 'arty' antiquey part of Brussels called 'Sablons' whereupon we had another two grand pressions! When was the last time you saw the black and white minstrel show? Still going strong in Brussels!

Apparently it's some festival for charity where they dress up as African kings!

Then we went and ate in a local restaurant, and had vin rouge. After that (hic) we wandered around the centre of Brussels enjoying the sights. After a while we came upon a fantastic bar called 'La Mort Subite' (which means sudden death). More pints later- along with free tastings of the Belgian specialities beer 'Lambic' and 'Gueueze' we made our way back to the hotel for a drink at the bar!!!!

The next day, we got up late, unsurprisingly. It was a gorgeous day so we went to the park in town by the Royal Palace and ate hot waffles and drank coffee. More cultural walking....

And of course 'le mannekin pis'

We came upon a flea market and stayed for a few hours and more beer!

Back on the Eurostar with more champagne and more tutting from the business people on their laptops.

I have taken some photos of some great Belgian grafitti - I will upload them another day.

And finally.....

It's climaxed!

It's the weekend! Brussels here I come

2007-03-09T18:07:00.000Z

Brussels tomorrow - yippee!

I had my hair cut and coloured yesterday! I'm pleased with the results.

It's nearly there....just one or two more days....

amyrillis watch

2007-03-07T17:03:00.000Z

Nearly there. If I stood and just watched it all day, I swear I could see it growing - it's THAT fast!

amyrillis watch

2007-03-06T16:16:00.000Z

Oh dear, I think that needs lancing!

Actually, the flowers should be out, um, just in time for mother's day on Sunday (it IS mother's day isn't it? Have I got it right this year Dons?).

They are supposed to be white....but who knows, let's wait and see.

I've been on a course today. My work life is definitely looking up. Having EAL qualifications and experience puts me as one of only two people at the whole of my school who can deal with the ever increasing number of EAL students coming through our doors. Which mean that I might (in the future) become the coordinator for the school and and instructor! Being an instructor means I get paid more than I do now, but less than a teacher..... This is all in the future. In schools, things go very, very slowly.

***********************************

Our move is still going along. We should have the survey done this week. I just CAN'T wait to get in that house. The owner is being a bit (sorry, A LOT) money grabbing over the fixtures and fittings and that's after I agreed to over see all her furniture going into storage for her on the move day (because they are stuck in Dubai!). I should charge her! harrumph.

****************************************************

Today, when I got home there was a parcel waiting on the doorstep from Boden. This dress! These shoes, (but not in green, red) and these shoes.

I wish the dress looked like that on me! I look like Gilbert Grape's mum in this at the moment.

I think it's time I started another spring diet... (sigh)

For Bangla Jess

2007-03-04T16:59:00.000Z

As Bangla Jess has not seen a British spring for eight years I am sending her a wet daffodil and some hyacinths. It's a lousy day here in blighty, windy and rainy but the blossom is out...it was too wet for me to venture up the road to take a picture for you...maybe tomorrow...

Enjoy - sorry we don't have smellovision.

And the forsythia is poised to come out..

And finally...... AMYRILLIS WATCH!

My goodness matron, that's a large one!

Muted 'Yay'

2007-02-26T17:52:00.000Z

Our new house! (well, fingers and toes crossed) Hopefully ours by the end of May.

Those twigs on the outside on the house is wisteria. Ahhh I've always wanted a wisteria clad house.

All offers have been agreed. Unless it is falling down, it should go through.

**************************

In our house we have quite a lot of wildlife:

Next door's chicken pops over the fence every day at 8am and stays nearly all day.

And this rat appeared on the bird table! Eekkk ! Luckily only seen once.

************************************

Today, a beautiful thing arrived in the post from Dons.

My camera isn't working very well and no matter how many times I took this picture, it still didn't come out very well. But it's gorgeous, green and pink and blue and red and lovely.

And finally Esther (and finally Cyril)

Amyrillis watch.....

All I can say about this is 'ooh er missus'

2007-02-25T17:34:00.000Z

Today, Holly invited her boyfriend round!

There's a first for everything. He didn't come in saying 'hello Mrs Spencer, hello Mr Spencer, I'm Ed'. But he DID take his shoes off before he ran upstairs. I think he must have been nervous because he brought his friend round for moral support.

Holly seems to have more friends who are boys than girls. She says it isn't the case but she seems to hang out with boys and it's always boys who call. Maybe boys have more freedom. This morning, a Jonny and an Alfie came by. This afternoon, it's Ed (short for Edmund) and Harvey. All of her friends have interesting names - last week we had Ollie and Ayrden! Don't make me tell you about Ollie and Ayrden. Lovely boys. One of them is super super clever and the other has grade eight in guitar (and is only 12). However, both of them are silly boys who think looking at porn sights on our computer is funny! I wasn't laughing when I checked the computer cookies I can tell you! The next day at school (lucky for me, unlucky for them, I work at their school) I called them over and gave them a very stern telling off coupled with a threat to phone parents/tell the Head of Year. I have never seen two lovely boys look more frightened.

But, on a serious note, parental control - what with this internet, what parent knows what their children are looking at! It's a portal to all sorts. I'm sure Ollie and Ayrden's parents think their lovely little boys are all innocence. Goodness knows what other sites they visit. I often feel guilty when I check Holly's chat logs to see what's been going on in her life. I only do it because she is twelve. Her Head of Year told me to do it, so I do. I do feel guilty actually. When I was young I kept a diary and my mother never ever looked at it (maybe she did?). But chat logs are interactive and all sorts of bullying and stuff can go on. Kids get addicted to it, they worry that they are missing out if they aren't online, monitoring what's going on. We try to keep Holly's MSN time down, but she does spend an inordinate amount of time sitting at the computer. (mind you, so do I!)

(PS: No definite house news yet!)

Stuff

2007-02-23T06:57:00.000Z

Well, I think this weekend will be quite interesting, house wise at least.

There's been a development!

We discovered that the people in Dubai (with the house for sale) haven't been receiving our emails! So, we've made the offer that's not a million miles from their asking price and they've told us they will reply today.

Now, on top of this there's been another development! I leafleted houses in a street that I like and I had a result! A family have moved out of their house to rented in another town and are looking for a quick sale. This house is interesting! It's a double fronted Victorian house with relatively small rooms (but quite a lot of them), it's in perfect condition, it has a 100' garden with a 'home office' at the end of the garden. And, it's got a swimming pool! The girls are wildly excited at the prospect of having a swimming pool! I must say the thought of hopping into the pool on a hot summer's evening is very tempting........

The other house is bigger - well the rooms are much bigger but it needs quite a lot of work done on it.

Well, Andy is going to view the house either today or Monday (depending on the builder who is currently on site - redecorating the house). The owners are poised to put it on the market but really want to avoid going through an agent (who doesn't?) - so one way or another we'll have something sorted next week!

***********************************************

Yesterday, on my day off, I had to go into work for a meeting about the school's policy regarding English as an Additional Language. During the meeting I had a moment of happiness. (I haven't had many of those recently). My job has been a bit 'nothingy' up to now, but now it looks like it might be becoming a bit 'somethingy'. I am now going to be responsible (along with two other members of staff) for the EAL policy and putting it into place and possibly becoming the centre for offering the International GCSE in English to foreign students, of which we have more and more in the sixth form.

************************************************

So, things are looking up jobwise and housewise - fingers crossed.

HELP

2007-02-15T08:45:00.000Z

It's been so long since I posted a blog that when I went on blogger today it switched me over to the new blogger. I suspected nothing until I posted my blog and it took me to a completely new template and instead of my name being www.aluceproduction.blogspot.com it had somehow changed the address to www.gardeningpassion.blogspot.com . How has this happened? Who made this new address for me? What shall I do? I have a new post over at my gardeningpassion blog!!!!!!

Advice please.

White Out

2007-01-27T08:58:00.000Z

All week I've been a blank. Literally. Where have I been? Perhaps that's a metaphor for my life?

What should have been a busy week wasn't.

Tuesday I went to tennis in the evening and played mixed doubles. Men hit balls really really hard. The man opposite (who is new to the club) hit a really fast ball at my feet and tried to slice it back to him and instead of the racquet ending up behind my right ear it ended up smacking really really hard into my mouth. The result? Spurting cartoon blood!! At first I thought I'd knocked my teeth out, but phew I'd only split my lip open (wide). So, I refused the offer from one of the tennis players who is a vet to sew me up from her kit she had in the car she keeps for roadside injuries, and was taken, bleeding profusely to the 'minor injuries clinic'. We waited, and waited, and waited. Finally, I was sewn up, without anathesia (as this would have made my lip swell more) and am just beginning to be able to drink from a cup now! Talk about a trout pout! It was worse than Leslie Ash! (just where IS Leslie Ash now?)

So, that was Tuesday out. Wednesday was my book club, which I didn't go to because I could neither drink, eat, laugh, nor grimace without splitting - so I gave that a miss.

Thursday, nothing.

Friday, I WAS going to meet my friend Sue in London but I cried off.

And tonight Andy and I have been invited out to dinner at a friends. But she phoned to say the other couple she'd invited had cancelled due to illness. So, I'm not sure if this is going to go ahead tonight or not.

Not a very successful week. But it could have been worse.

I DO hope this post publishes and I'm not a white blank!

ADDENDUM!

How could I have forgotton what I did on Thursday! But I did. See, my life is a blank!

I went to my new evening class! Painting and drawing.

I had no idea what this would involve (apart from painting and drawing). It was very technical, the teacher went on about stuff that I didn't understand. But anyway, I just got on with painting the pot that she'd placed there. She wanted us to paint it in such a way that it merged into it's background and was 'interesting'. I was reasonably pleased with the results. I will post a picture later when I can get near the family computer and upload my photo!

I've been Tagged

2007-01-23T15:54:00.000Z

Well, first time I've ever been tagged! So thanks to Donna! Actually, it's quite fun - certainly makes you think!

Here are the instructions - The Rules: Each player of this game starts with "6 weird things about you". Each person who gets tagged needs to write a blog post of their own 6 weird things as well as clearly state this rule. After you state your 6 weird things, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave a comment that says "you're tagged" in their comments and tell them to read your blog for information as to what it means.

Well, initially, I couldn't really think about what exactly made me weird, even though my children are constantly telling me I'm weird, my husband gives me askance looks and some of blog land think my watching of World Champion Darts is decidedly weird. But, after some consultation with those that know me here goes. Six things.

1. When I go to the cinema I am CONSTANTLY looking for errors of continuity. Particularly with regard to seasonal and botanical things.

2. I have a total and utter crush on Boyd from 'Waking the Dead'. (weird AND freudian)

3. I love shaking out our Super KingSize duvet - it gives me a tingle that verges on the sexual. Something about the weight of it!

4. I could weed or dig a garden all day without getting bored (knackered but never bored).

5. Sometimes if the mood catches me I could cry and cry and cry and then cry some more to 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond' by Pink Floyd or nearly ANY song in LES MISERABLES and ALWAYS to Christopher Plummer singing Edelweiss (in fact just thinking about these songs brings tears to my eyes).

6. Oh yes, I have Lettuce's husband 'm' to thank for reminding me that during the year I note which gardens have interesting Christmas foliage and then in December under cover of darkness I cut pieces of these gardens to decorate my home!

Now, I've started I'm finding it hard to stop!

I should now tag some people but quite honestly everyone I know in blog land has been done!

My week.

2007-01-20T09:47:00.000Z

1. Travelling in a mini tornado is NOT good.

Poor Lettuce had to wait hours for me on Thursday as the train had to go slowly in case of trees lying across the track or something. On the way home the train journey took three hours instead of the usual one and the train was packed!

On the plus side though - I got a seat and spent my time doing the hard crossword in the paper. I managed half before I was forced to text my parents (who do it every day) and ask them for some help. The reply I got back from my dad was "Your mum is having a gin and tonic and doing the Sudoku, try later" Hmmm......

2. I like red wine far too much to give up. I'm a bit worried about my drinking. I've become quite good at red wine. We get ours delivered from a wine company and every bottle we get from them is so drinkable and never rough. They do say a couple of glasses a day is good for you. But could I stop? I have no desire to, yet I think I should - at least to see if I could.

3. I need to start painting again. Going to the Art Show on Thursday was so inspiring.

4. I love London. There's no place like it. I still feel like a Londoner. I lived there for
twenty years - half my life and I do miss it and need my fix every so often, but I don't want to move back (yet) - not until the kids are grown up. In an ideal world it would be nice to have a flat there and spend my days going to the theatre and art galleries in the winter and spending the summer in our villa (mwahaahahahaha AS IF!).

5. I need to get up earlier (it makes me feel more in control if I have more time in the
mornings).

6. I'd like to drop some hours so I have more time to play tennis.

7. Sometimes I feel like an outsider in this town.

8. But that's me not the town.

I have to share this website with the world

2007-01-17T10:55:00.000Z

OK, so some people have been talking behind my back and some directly to my face about my newly discovered love of 'the arrows'. Well, worry not, I will not be revisiting any more darts matches (now that the World Championships are over) and, rest assured, nor will I be watching late night Snooker on BBC2 - heck I'm old but I'm not THAT old.

Anyway, forced (once again) to take the day off work because youngest just can't shake this awful cough she has I was browsing for pink reading lamps for her room - I googled and I found this website. Well, there are loads of websites like this around but the descriptions of some of the products just had me in hysterics...for example

Birdie Hot Water Bottles Lovely large softy knitted hotties with bird appliqué. Looks like you could have made it yourself if only you weren't working all hours to feed the bloody kids and pay the bastard mortage and you could knit and sew. Choose from brown/pink or green/coral£14.99
which?b/pg/c

and

Weirdest Doll Ever Doll with four different faces for four different moods. This is something that your child's psychiatrist probably has in his/her office so that your little bundle of neuroses can point out how they are feeling today without speaking because they are so traumatised by their upbringing they are completely mute. What's that? You'll take 5?£18.99

***********************************************************

We have no house news. We went to see the much cheaper house twice. I tried and tried to like it. I dragged the girls round and made them imagine themselves there. The house was beautifully maintained with lovely decor but 'at the end of the day' it was just too small. Small, narrow corridors, bedrooms that would just hold a wardrobe and bed with no floor space for anything else (!!!) (yoga mats for example....tch...what were you thinking?)

We are waiting for the Dubai people to get back to us with their decision.

Tomorrow, I am off to the London Art Fair with Lettuce. I'm looking forward to it. I'll take me camera.

My Guilty Secret

2007-01-14T21:15:00.000Z

I am an addict. I am addicted to Guitar Hero! If you are sad like me you should get this game! My youngest got this for Christmas but her MOTHER is the one who can't stop playing it! I'm now on EXPERT - which is no mean feat I can tell YOU!

My other guilty secret is that Andy and I watched WORLD CHAMPION SHIP DARTS today and actually got excited watching it! OMG OMG OMG!!! Andy said he was reverting to type - I think I was too! In our youth we both used to play and watch darts! (shameful isn't it!). However we watched today's darts with an ironic eye, laughing at the commentary and the guy shouting the numbers - 'let's play darts!'. Holly has a song on the ipod by the Long Blondes called 'Let's play darts!' - Hey I'm down with the kids!

STRANGE DREAM

2007-01-13T08:36:00.001Z

Last night I had a very odd dream. I think it might have been because I'd had a chicken
Jalfrezi for dinner!

I dreamed I went to a party and spent the evening talking to Boris Johnson and Amy Winehouse. Boris Johnson fondled my boobs (over my top) and Amy Winehouse talked
boringly about cake baking.

The party wasn't a wild London party but a very countryfied affair in a village.
Amy Winehouse had a passion for baking and biscuit making and in real life was
really normal.

Boris Johnson by all accounts was himself!!! But in my dream he wasn't quite so
blonde, more ginger and slimmer and actually quite good looking! Oh dear, do I
need therapy? I mean dreaming about Boris Johnson is bad enough. And maybe
it's the mother in me wanting Amy Winehouse to be normal and settle down!

We have some news regarding houses (groan, say you all).

Over Christmas my friend Nicola told me about a friend of hers who moved to Dubai
last year and is renting out her lovely house to the BBC (whilst they make 'Jimmy's
farm' programmes - just thought I'd drop that in case you thought my name
dropping days were behind me). This woman came over for Christmas and stayed
with friends and during the Christmas festivities met up with Nicola at a party where
she told her they had decided to sell their house. Nicola told her about us, she was very interested, we went to see it twice - once while she was in the country and once when
she'd gone back and Callum the produced showed us in!! The cellar has been turned
into a room very nicely and the BBC were using it as an editing suite - screens
everywhere. Callum told us that Jimmy's cows had pneumonia and they'd to go film
them, he said it made good TV!!!!! So while we were examining the house all we could
hear were cows 'in extremis' mooing and groaning from the cellar.

Anyway (my rambling ways are not behind me either are they?), we like the house
but it's hugely expensive and in quite shoddy condition actually and now the interest
rate has gone up and is going to go up again. It's a bit worrying. Do we really need all
that space? We only have two children.

Anyway, we made an offer and the Dubai people are thinking about it. Meanwhile,
yesterday another house came on the market which is similar to the other one but
on a smaller scale without the cellar. It's much much cheaper and in excellent condition.
We're going to see it today in an hour and a half. I feel much happier about going for a
cheaper house. I think the dreams I had when I moved to Ipswich of living in an
enormous house have gone and I don't mind. I'm far too lazy to look after 'land' let alone
the cost of furnishing great big houses, or indeed heating them!

So there you are, you are all up to date. Same old same old eh?

Tonight we have a 'quiz' at the school where I work. We have formed a team with my workmates and by all accounts these nights are taken very seriously with the teachers
forming teams. The deputy head's team apparently wins every year by all accounts. I
(not we) intend to beat him! He's got very blue piercing eyes which he uses to intimidate children and other members of staff.

Right, I'm off.

Ah, it's nice to be back.

Bye.
xxx

Yoo Hoo! I'm back!

2007-01-11T13:18:00.000Z

We had a lovely Christmas.

See the groaning table?

Groaning table - GONE!

I have no idea just WHY people started wearing fancy dress? Could it have been the overimbibing of alcoholic beverages?

This is my sister after her botox has worn off!

2006-12-04T09:15:00.000Z

I've always admired those trendy film directors that film everything in grey monochrome and then every so often you get flashes of red or green! Well, over the weekend I discovered how easy this was to actually do!

Recently I have been feeling like my life is rather like the picture below!

These are just some of the Christmas window displays at Fortnum and Mason this year. And here is my own Alice in her own wonderland!

This Alice is currently off sick today with an awful cold and cough - so I am forced to take a day off work myself! The upside is - I finally have a few minutes to upload pictures and write a blog (albeit a small one!)

2006-11-24T08:02:00.000Z

Gon out, bak son, Wol.

2006-11-19T10:32:00.000Z

Hello,

I've had a difficult and testing time of it recently, I think that's why I haven't really been blogging. I've been doing quite a lot of soul searching and that makes me introverted and quiet! (which for those that know me is unusual!). I've just hunkered down and haven't been good at keeping in touch with anyone.

Not only did our house fall through last week, and the one we wanted come back on the market, we were also informed by our landlord that we have to be out by January as he's sold the house. So, we went to see the house we originally wanted last Saturday. It's a lot of money and they have told us they wouldn't take less than a certain amount, which we thought was too much - especially as the market has been falling. On top of that there was water dripping through the roof!!!! An ongoing problem they said that they were having fixed! We made a slightly lower offer on the monday which was rejected. (I don't understand it - we have nothing to sell, that's worth a discount at least - people are so money grabbing!). So, we've left it. We don't want to overstretch ourselves. So, when my friend Nicola phoned to say there was a house opposite hers that's been on the market for a while and why don't I ask if they'd rent it instead (it's empty, the old man had died and his son had put it on the market). Nicola saw the son and his wife emptying the house last week and asked them if they'd be willing to rent it out. They said yes as the house wasn't selling and they would like it lived in for the winter. So, there you go - we have a house for the winter. Here's a picture of it!

It's not beautiful, but it's big and won't cost the earth to heat! (unlike our current one)

The other stuff (and the stuff that's been worrying me) is about my oldest daughter and her life - but more really about the way I deal with things and my parenting skills. I've been given some good advice from friends with older kids, who tell me that the main thing in parent/child relationships is trust. Being ultra strict won't work - they just look for ways to get round your rules and then dishonesty might happen. So actually it's been good that I've been thinking about my parenting skills rather than just drifting along.

I have a friend who is looking for a house and she wanted the 'big and lovely' house and was upset that we got it first! When it came back on the market last week she emailed me to ask why it had fallen through. I told her the reasons (rotten roof, fungus and damp all over). She emailed me back the next day to say that the dirty stinking estate agent has been telling people that we couldn't get the mortgage!!!! WTF! She questioned him closely about the survey and if there were any problems to which he said none that he was aware of and that he hadn't seen the survey! WTF again! I would like to put this estate agent out of business. It's unlikely as they are the biggest estate agent in Essex and Suffolk! But still, I might cause some redundancies in the sales office of Ipswich! I think I have managed to spread the word about how bad they are around the place - news travels fast in a small town like Ipswich. The thing is, how did the agent think that I wouldn't know any one? He is SO STUPID, DISHONEST AND EVIL! (in my opinion, alledgedly!)

I just feel so dull at the moment. I have lost the urge to write blogs. I think I might disappear completely. Except for the fact that I know it's a good way to keep in touch with friends - bit like a round robin letter I suppose! So I will continue with my dullsville blog until I have the head room for more creative writing.

our year at the cemetery

2006-11-17T21:43:00.000Z

Well, our time is up. We will be out of our pet cemetery in four weeks. Luckily, and thanks to a very useful friend we have found a new house to rent in a part of town that we love and where we will be able to walk to town and school and work - just a stone's throw from the park and cheaper rent than what we are paying now! It's not a gorgeous house - a 1980's detached house. But beggars can't be choosers - and it means we won't be homeless this winter!

But we've enjoyed our year in the cemetery!

Oh no, I feel all sad now! We'll never have a garden THIS big again. Ever!

WAKE UP CALL.

2006-11-12T11:14:00.000Z

I'm going on a short blogbatical while I sort my life out (and my family's).

Realised that oldest daughter is not in control of her school work and is unable to self regulate her time spent on MSN/myspace/bebo/piczo and all those other places young people go. I thought that she would be old and mature enough to manage her time but she patently is not. Her life revolves around friends and boys to the detriment of all else. Today, we had words and tears. Mother and father have reasserted their authority when they really shouldn't have let it lapse. This internet is a double edged sword - great but only when some self regulation is exerted. Both Andy and I sit in front of laptops when we get in. I for the past year have been checking property websites, blogging and chatting to friends on MSN. Andy goes on his cycling websites and downloads music. Holly goes on all her websites as soon as she gets in and it's only eight year old Alice still draws and plays. Sad isn't it? Well this is NOW going to stop. So I won't be around much for a while, I'm going to concentrate on family life.

2006-11-11T00:03:00.000Z

Well, what a busy couple of days I've had and no mistake.

I start with what I've been up to tonight! I went to see Jools Holland perform with his band. Wow, such a great night. He played for hours and lots of guest singers such as Ruby Turner and Lulu. One of his guitarists lives in Ipswich (I see him at all the gigs I go to) and tonight he was up on stage with Jools. It was such great fun. I think Jools Holland must have the best life! He is 'self actualised' as my brother in law says (my brother in law is David Brent personified).

Yesterday I spent the day in London with Lettuce (and Tanya and Donna) at the Country Living Fair. (more of that another day).

House news?

We no longer have the big and lovely house because it turned out to be a not so lovely house. I won't bore you with the details but suffice to say it had large fungal growths in the roof and needed a new roof. We decided it was an expense too far and so we pulled out.

However, the house we wanted about two months ago, which was large, lovely and in the RIGHT area is back on the market - it came on yesterday and the vendors told the estate agents we could have first refusal at the price we offered. This might be ideal. One might say it is a wish come true. BUT, the market in Ipswich has dropped a bit and a lot of stuff isn't selling. I'm now beginning to think that the high price we offered then isn't something we'll offer again. Oh, how the estate agent will HATE us when we make yet another low offer on a house he KNOWS we want. But not at any price.

I should write more but this is just a small digest of stuff that''s happened to me recently.

Oh yes, one more thing - our landlord has sold this house that we live in now and we HAVE to be out by January! Hmm. I am in a surreal place. Thank goodness for good friends and music.

Update:

We went to see the house again today. The owners are moving to Dubai and would be willing to go by the end of January, which would solve our impending homelessness issue. We love the house, it's a large comfortable family home. But it is very very expensive. Can we afford it? This is the question. We will make an offer on Monday.

My baby is twelve today

2006-11-06T21:31:00.000Z

Today, my oldest daughter turned 12! (going on 15). I asked her weeks ago what she wanted to do for her birthday. She couldn't decide. She couldn't decide and she couldn't decide. So nothing happened. Then she started saying "Noone's saying anything about my birthday" with a glum face. As we are a small extended family - and the extent of my family quite often forget birthdays, so, me in my wish to prevent my children from being 'disappointed' on their birthdays I decided to arrange a 'surprise' party for her. I printed out some invitations (10) and distributed them to her friends, telling them that if they 'blab' then they won't get pudding! Unbelievably, NOONE blabbed and Holly had absolutely NO idea that there was a party planned for her.

When she got back from school we opened her pressies and had a cup of tea. Then at about half four I said, "Oh let's go and have pizza or something" . We all jumped in the car and drove down town. When I pulled into the cinema multiplex/restaurant area/carpark Holly said "Why are we here? Why aren't we at Pizza Express? I want to go to Pizza Express". I played along and said "Oh, we haven't tried any of these restaurants yet, let's just have a look at them".

As we pulled into a parking space, we saw Holly's friend Eleanor going into the restaurant. Holly looked at her and said "There's Eleanor". I said "Let's go and look at that restaurant she's gone in". We went in, at the back all her friends were ducked down and then jumped up shouting "happy birthday". Holly's face was a picture. She told me afterwards that she actually thought all her friends were out without her and she hadn't been invited. It took a minute for her to register that they were there for her!

That's her on the left with her head above the other's.

I'm very proud of her. She's becoming a lovely young woman.

Have Mother in law, Will discover Suffolk

2006-11-05T08:28:00.000Z

Hello,

We've been busy with Andy's mum for the last couple of days. Although she's no trouble, no trouble at all. In fact, she's spring cleaned my kettle (!), coffee machine (it needed it), my draining board (!), all the mirrors and all the windows she can reach! I think we'll have her back! Not being a very house proud sort of woman, I don't take offence that she cleans like crazy when she visits - some people might take it that she can't stand to look at the filth but I just sit back and let her.

She has other great uses too. Here's one of them:

Silly hat games with grandchildren!

Yesterday, we went to a beautiful part of Suffolk, called Orford. It was such a lovely day. We walked, we talked, we had lunch in a fantastic pub. Altogether, a real holiday feeling.

Orford castle.

Today, we went to Felixtowe to see the biggest ship in the world.

But they'd hidden the biggest ship in the world, we ended up in the biggest traffic jam in the world. EVERYONE had gone to see this ship and everyone then had to turn round and come back along a small road.

Eventually, we made it to a lovely pub for a very very large lunch paid for by the lovely Grandma. (no photos sadly).

I feel like I've been on holiday this weekend. Grandma leaves tomorrow. I'll miss her.

halloween

2006-11-01T07:34:00.000Z

All these witches turned up at my house last night - must be because we live in a cemetery!

more pics

2006-10-31T06:08:00.001Z

It was still hot enough to sit out in the evenings with our drinks.

I think Alice was impressed.

More morning 'steam'. One night we had a thunder storm. I have NEVER, EVER heard anything as loud with the thunder reverberating around the mountains, it was incredible. I think this cloud might have been the morning after. We only had all this water vapour on one day. Because there was a main road at the bottom of this valley (way, way, down) we could hear all the cars hooting as they came up the various roads on each hairpin bend as the visibility was zilch down there in the depths. The problem for the people on the other side of this mountain was that they were in the shade for much of the day. There was a reasonably large (three shops and a supermarket) town about half an hour along the valley. We went there one day for a mooch around and although the sun was shining on the mountains, the town was in a shade, bizarre. I think it would be depressing to be in the shade for most of the year.

More views.

To be honest I was quite surprised by the ruggedness of the moutains. I was expecting more 'Sound of Music' - vast green valleys with lush grass and stuff. None of that. Though there were lots of goats, sheep and cows with various sizes of bells around their necks jingle jangling around the place.

Blogger's had enough now - maybe you have too.

2006-10-29T23:20:00.000Z

I'm back! Boy, the Alps are high.

That 'steam' is the cloud coming up from the valley in the morning!

There was a lot of 'support vehicle' work on this holiday.. ......

Driving to the beginning of significant rides to drop Andy and his bike off.

And here's the man himself after doing the 'Col de Galibier' (the highest Col in the Tour de France) - I touched snow!

Alice took this photo through the window of the car as we went up the col 'croix de fer' to pick Andy up. The colour of the lake was so amazing.

Holly standing in front of our village. It was lovely but I could never live in the mountains! Half an hour down and half an hour up to the nearest shop! Luckily we had a fantastic auberge only two doors up the road which served fabulous (and not too typical 'assiettes de viande' food).

I want to post some more pictures....but blogger isn't having it. Perhaps I will try again tomorrow!

Bye for now folks

2006-10-19T14:43:00.000+01:00

Hi folks. Sorry to frighten you earlier with my half finished post! I'm not leaving, I'm just off on holiday tomorrow for a week. Off to the French Alps. Andy is going to climb 'cols' on his bicyclette while me and the girls sing 'Climb Every Mountain' and make clothes from our curtains. Hang on, that's Austria. Oh, so we won't be doing that then. Maybe just enjoying the mountains, visiting Italy (yeah!) and Grenoble (I've never been there) and looking at high mountains and eating fondue or raclette. Actually, I'm not exactly sure what the regional dish is there. I DO know that Heidi enjoyed toasted cheese - so it's likely to be something like that with a little Gewurtztraminer (sigh, perhaps I SHOULD do my regional cooking and drinking homework before I write my posts). It's not a million miles from the Rhone, so possibly some nice Rhone wine....oh actually I have no idea. I'm sure there's a supermarket nearby that sells wine from all over the place! (Sorry, I'm rambling).

Well, that's where we'll be going tomorrow after work and school. Hopping into our car, driving to Dover, taking Le Tunnel sous la Manche and wending our way down through France and hopefully arriving at our Chalet on Saturday evening. Would you like to see a picture of our chalet? You would? Then here it is: Except it won't be snowy (we hope).

I'll be pleased to get away. It'll be nice for us as a family to have some time together. We just seem to be SO busy these days. I can't understand it!

As for the house purchase. That is all going along nicely. We have appointed the same solicitor who was dealing with it before it fell through last week so she's got all the papers in place and is ready to exchange contracts. All we are waiting for is our mortgage application papers to come in the post for us to sign. Typical, they were sent on Monday and still haven't arrived. We are going on holiday tomorrow - the vendors are pressing for an exchange date next week when we are on holiday, so that won't happen! Andy's panicking that the vendors will change their minds! Somehow I don't think so. But he does worry!

Finally, here is a picture of the fruits of my labours, or something like that

PTB Blogger isn't having it...well imagine a table top of potatoes, sweet corn, carrots and courgettes and then divide it by about 10!

Here's a funny video

I'm outta here......see you next week. Have a great week you lot.

2006-10-15T08:30:00.000+01:00

Hello,

Well, I can finally direct my energies to something else - well soon anyway, got to move first - and all that entails. The vendors want to exchange contracts in fourteen days, not sure if this is 'do-able' given the fact that we are going to France next Friday for a week, but still it's a starting point. If it happens we will be in before Christmas. My parents are coming for Christmas (bringing the turkey, the trimmings, the wine, the everything as we will be completely borasic (sp?)). If all goes to plan it will mean that we've been in this house exactly one year and have witnessed all the seasons, which has a kind of synchonicity about it. (is that the right word? I have another word in my head but it won't come out).

But what a relief eh?

What I'd really like if anyone is up for it (Geena?) is a revamp of my blog! I tried to change my profile picture but couldn't - it wouldn't accept the photo. I'm thinking if I can't even do anything as simple as change my profile picture how can I change anything! Well, I suppose I should try..... does one just lift html from other people's blogs? Is that how it works? Or from dedicated websites for bloggers? I need a masterclass!

Someone asked for more pictures of THE house.....well, there are n't that many. However, (Dons) I'd love some advice on interior decoration - one of the owners of the this house is in the pub trade and some of the rooms have got pub carpet which is just hideous as you imagine - they must have got a job lot. Also, lots of the rooms have pub chandeliers in them too! Yuck. I suppose we could just turn the place into a pub if we get too short of money.

The next hurdle we have to cross is the 'dog' hurdle. I've promised the girls a dog. Andy's been keeping quiet - he really really doesn't want one. We really really are going to get one. He's now saying that if our mortgage is going to be so horrendous we can not possibly afford a dog!

Anyway, here's a picture of the dog we are GOING to get!

2006-10-14T10:23:00.000+01:00

It's OURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(well in principle anyway...subject to status blah blah blah blah)

2006-10-14T07:01:00.000+01:00

Hello!

It's the morning after my birthday and I'm up at 6.30am! How is that? Am I now officially an old person, the sort that gets up early on a Saturday? No! But I just woke and couldn't get back to sleep again......thinking, thinking. No news about our house situation but there will be news today because I've set an ultimatum to the estate agent who's trying to play games. I told him that I can't be playing a waiting game, we've made an offer on this other house (the semi) and will make a decision on it today so the people in the BIG and LOVELY house will have to get back to us today instead of 'waiting to see what offers come in', which is what he told us they were going to do. Well, I told him, I'm not going to lose both houses. We made a good offer (not the asking price, but then we are in such a fabulous position - nothing to sell, blah blah, and offered to take the same solicitor as the previous buyers to hurry things along).

Sadly, Andy and I have decided that if we don't get the BIG and LOVELY house, we don't want the SEMI either and will pull out of that because we can't live with the small kitchen/garden. Sigh..... please think positive thoughts everyone for the BIG and LOVELY house....

I will try and post a picture up of it now. Here goes.

YES! It worked. And here's a picture of the kitchen.

And now the coach house:

Pure torture really! Anyway, change the subject.

I had a really really lovely birthday. In the morning before I went to work I had loads of texts messages, emails and blog wishes from friends which buoyed me up for the day - not to mention Kitty's story.

At work they gave me a card they'd all signed and I'd taken in a big tin of chocolates (so that was nice). Straight after work Nicola had invited me and the girls over for a cup of tea and she'd made a birthday cake and put my name and my age (cough) on the cake and lit some candles. Another friend, Louise was there and so were Nicola's children so I got 'Happy Birthday' sung to me and I had to blow out my candles (which was lovely). Nicola bought me a lovely pressie, really thoughtful for a gardener such as myself - she got me two big clay pots and filled them with compost and wallflowers (for next year).

After this I had to take Holly to her swimming lesson. I have a friend at swimming (just the one!), called Caroline, her daughter swims too and she has a younger one just a bit older than Alice - Alice and Emilia just run about and have fun, Caroline and I talk the hind legs off a donkey for an hour and a half every Friday evening! To make it festive I'd bought two tiny bottles of champagne along for us to drink! - some pink lemonade for the girls and some nibbles. Sadly, we were shoo-ed off the poolside, glass is banned so we had to go outside and sit on the steps - but it was a lovely evening, the weather was so warm and the pool is at a private school in the countryside, so the setting is glorious.

Then, home to hubby who'd tidied up (of course) and set all my pressies and cards out on the table with a bottle of cava, nibbles and chocolate cake that he'd bought in London and carried home in his rucksack on his bike unscathed!

I opened all my cards and my pressies - a wonderful pressie from Lettuce! A peg bag (at my request - good memory there Lettie) woven by the talented woman from plastic bags. The wonderful Lettie had also put some pegs inside (as I only have about three). Thank you Lettuce. A wonderful, wonderful, pressie. There were other presents, but I won't go into those - apart from a watch that Andy got me - an exact replica of the one I lost on a Brittany beach this year!

I think we were all a bit tired so we retired to the sofa at about nine and watched Galapogos with the children - and here comes the sad bit - all four of us fell asleep, me, Andy, Holly and Alice!!!!!! How's that for a birthday rave! hahahahahha. I have to point out that last Friday when our friends came to visit we were still sat at the table chatting at drinking at 2am in the morning (ah, that makes me feel better).

So, perhaps that's why I'm up early. I've had plenty of sleep!

Well, so long. If there's news later (and there will be) I'll put in up here....fingers crossed.

HELP ME I'M MELTING!!!!!

2006-10-11T16:55:00.000+01:00

Help me everyone. I need advice and I need it QUICK. (PTB BLOGGER ISN'T UPLOADING PHOTOS)

Last night in our desperation to be in a house by Christmas we revisited a house that we'd seen about six months ago. We decided to make an offer on it because

a) it was in the right area, on a lovely friendly road of semi detached Victorian houses in a prime location near the park, walking distance to both schools. The reception rooms are of a reasonable size but the whole house needs updating - the bathrooms are a bit manky, you know ordinary family bathrooms but even so, they need updating. It has five bedrooms and three bathrooms. It is near the top of our budget but not quite. They did not accept our offer but came back with a counter offer that we are considering.

The down side of it is that is had the tiniest of kitchens (see picture),the most hideous conservatory and really not much garden to speak of (once Alice has her trampoline in it!). I was willing to put up with this though.

However, something has just happened. The agent has just told me that the BIG and LOVELY house with the COACH house (see pictures) has only a few hours ago come back on the market!!!!!!!!!! Now, I don't know what to do! The BIG and LOVELY house is near town but on a busy road, one could walk to the park and to the schools but it would be quite a walk (about 1.5 miles). Since we lost that house Andy has been kicking himself he didn't offer more and now it's back on I'm in a total quandary. I made the mistake of phoning a friend - Nicola. Who clearly wants me to live near her (the other house is on the same road as hers) but quite apart from that she argues that I like living around people in a neighbourly area which I wouldn't have in the other house (well I might but it's different).

Please don't tell me to draw up the pro's and con's - my rational self says to go for the semi detached smaller house in the right area but my heart says "I want a walled garden, a 30ft kitchen and coach house, even if it does mean driving the kids to school (heck I've done that for a year already and they won't be so near their friends (but still pretty near, heck this is Ipswich not London)

I'm going to take a vote - voting closes at 4pm tomorrow. Please leave your vote and I think you don't need to put your reasons because in my heart of hearts I think I prefer the BIG and LOVELY house over the SEMI in the RIGHT area even though that one might be BETTER. That's why I can't decide.

VOTE NOW:

2006-10-09T17:45:00.000+01:00

I'm being mentally tortured by my estate agent. I would be no good in an interrogation situation:

Gestapo officer: You do want to live in a too expensive house in a style you don't really like
Me: No, no I don't, ........do I?
Gestapo officer: You DO want this house, the market is going up, you are being silly about your needs.
Me: No, I'm not.... uh....am I?
Gestapo Officer: I already have a lot of people lined up and interested in this house but I'm offering it to you, you would be a fool not to have it.
Me: Oh, I'm flattered, I'll certainly think about it, I'm such a fool dithering aren't I? It's just that the house needs so much work and we won't be able to afford it.
Gestapo Officer: But you have to look at the big picture, you'd never lose with a house like that!
Me: Oh you're right of course, we will certainly look at it again.
Gestapo Officer: (Thinks : "hahahahahahahahhahahahahaha, we SO need to make a sale on this house, we are SO not doing very well, this will make me a tidy profit, it's in the bag.
Me: (Thinks: "I'm not such a mug you stupid effing 'been on too many 'how to sell to women' courses' - they won't wash with me you smooth talking bastard!)

2006-10-05T06:46:00.000+01:00

Hello, I've posted the picture as everyone is interested but just to let you know - we went to see it last night again and decided it just needed too much work and we couldn't afford it - after all you're paying for the location and the garden more than the house, so we've left it (unless the price comes down by about 50,000!!!

Morning all,

I've been a bad bad blogger recently. Life has been busy but busy with nothing much happening, if you know what I mean. I've woken up really early today (AND it's my day off - tch) - actually saw my husband this morning before he disappeared off into the darkness on his bike to the station - blimus it was cold this morning - time the guinea pigs came in from their semi feral existence in their run and back into their hutch.

Well, I have some house news but don't get excited. The BIG and EXPENSIVE house that we wanted decided to remove itself from the market. (After they had accepted our offer, because they couldn't find anywhere to buy that they liked).

But the agent phoned me the day before yesterday with a house for us to view, before it actually comes on the market - first look if you like. It's so difficult this house hunting lark. This house is on a massive, massive plot yet it's in a prime location, has a garage, and in and out drive, a summer house, a garden the size of a field - everything we want. The house itself is a 1930's job - has the sort of metal windows with curves on - the sort you'd see in Poirot. The big downside of this house is that it doesn't have a kitchen as such - the owners who've only been in the house one year have moved out - all very suspicious and it looks like they've shoved a kitchen in the utility room quickly to get a sale. I can't get to the bottom of why they were only in the house for a year, should I be suspicious? So basically, the house is, once again at the very top of our budget and it needs a large kitchen extension and new bathrooms and a general freshening up of the decor. Otherwise it's a nice house - not massive though - you don't get that feeling of palatial grandeur. Wish I had some pictures but it's not on the market yet. (Is this really really boring for you reader? - it certainly is for me!)

So, the long and short of it is, this house is perfectly located with loads of outside space but is too small inside without an add on at the back - which we couldn't afford. However, you'd never lose on a house like that, so putting up with a kitchen the size of a utility room - could we? Andy can't. PTB PTB PTB.

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UPDATE UPDATE! Pictures have arrived. I just posted them to blogger, it's says they're on but they are not showing! PTB. Maybe they'll update themselves later...that happens sometimes.

2006-10-03T16:56:00.000+01:00

Hello,

I took a couple of pics down at my allotment on Sunday. The sunflowers are really wonderful and make excellent cut flowers.

The pumpkins, I feel will never get eaten - but carved for Halloween - which is this month! Blimus.

I was given some of these: Can you guess what they are? Answers in any language (I'd like to know what they are in German - I think I know them in French and Spanish! - The spaniards eat these in another form (hint).

That's all folks.

headbanging

2006-09-25T17:25:00.000+01:00

Do you ever feel like banging your head against the steering wheel of your car through sheer frustration at your inability to change your situation and your lack of control over your life? No? Oh, then that must be me then.

Never in a million years did we think we wouldn't be in a house by now. And never did we think that we'd ever be priced out of the Ipswich market! But we have been. We spent the weekend looking at houses that were too expensive and not very nice! I've just spent a good half an hour on the phone with the estate agent discussing the TOO EXPENSIVE house that I thought we'd walked away from but find we just can't. HE believes they've over priced their house and really wants to get it for us, but THEY want to hang on and see if they can find some MUG who's prepared to pay the overinflated price they have it on the market for! GRRRRRRRRRRR BANG BANG OUCH.

Coupled with that I had a BAD day at work. This boy that I seem to have been saddled with kicked off in a big way and I had to get him taken to the withdrawal room, which shook me (as he was throwing things) and shook my confidence with my inability to deal with him and having to recourse to senior staff. GRRRRRRRRRRR BANG BANG OUCH.

I left my car at my sister's last night as we'd been round there for SUnday lunch and to celebrate my neice's 21st (again) and this morning had to walk the girls to schoool and me to work - we all looked like drowned rats. GRRRRRRRRR BANG OUCH.

I just have this urge to go to bed and stay there.

Can A Woman have Too Many Bags?

2006-09-23T18:09:00.000+01:00

In the absence of anything constructive to tell you about homes or jobs I have decided to blog about my handbags. Andy thinks I have too many, but hey, a girl needs to coordinate her wardrobe!

1. My trusty Kangol bag - good with jeans but now sadly covered in oil and scuffs where it got caught in my bike wheels on holiday!
2.
3 My very much admired green 'grown up 'bag complete with Lily and Agathe doggie
4 My Patrick Cox handbag
5 My 'rag' bag woven for me by Lettie! What a clever woman that Lettie is.
6 My hippie chick Monsoon bag from a few years ago. It reminds me of Barcelona because I took it there!
7 My 'free with a magazine' bag, which I love.
8 Yet another Monsoon stripy leather bag. A trusty favourite.
9 Haven't used this for a long time...a bit old lady.
10 My very very cheap H&M summer bag - already a couple of years old.

And finally..... my favourite new bag on the block, my slouchy suede Boden bag which I forgot to photograph earlier and so had to do it in the dark .

Aren't you just loving the eighties exposed brick work going on in our house?

Three things

2006-09-20T21:45:00.000+01:00

Holly has been learning German for three weeks.

Today in German her teacher set up role plays in which one person asked the other where they were from and the other had to say they were from a country that the teacher had named. THe teacher told Holly that she (Holly) was from France.

Girl: Wo wohst du?
Holly: J'habite en France

Teacher: (apoplectic) Was? Vat ist dis? Dis ist ein German lesson, nicht ein French lesson!
Holly: But you said I was from France.

(how I laughed when Holly told me this) Holly can't help it if she's too clever for her own good.

A PRIZE FOR THE FIRST CORRECT ANSWER

2006-09-18T17:04:00.000+01:00

Can you recognize the famous painting in the background? (Well it was famously painted) The answer is here

It's the way I was dragged up!

2006-09-16T08:24:00.000+01:00

Hello,

As much as I love my parents I do feel that they slipped up on their child raising in one area. They never taught me to be a guest. I had no idea that when you go to someone's house you take something and when you've been at someones house you always phone/write to thank afterwards. It's something I learned in adulthood. Now I think they should have spelled it out to me, because as an adult I notice that my parents do ALWAYS turn up with something in hand and ALWAYS ring/write to thank afterwards. I was too busy being a child to notice such things, so my mother should have sat me down and told me!

Last Friday I was invited to my (newish) friend Wendy's with the girls after school to swim in their pool. Nicola was also invited. She phoned me before hand and asked me what I was taking - it hadn't occurred to me to take something, as it was just a swim in a pool, no meal or anything - I mean how far does one take it? So Nicola kindly bought some posh biscuits from both of us!

On Thursday, I invited Nic and Wendy round to lunch. They both turned up with lovely gifts (posh balsamic vinegar and a lovely bottle of Rose wine). They were clearly brought up well! And after lunch, two texts thanking me for a lovely time.....

My two oldest and best friends Bridget and Caroline are the best guests ever, always have been. Caroline turns up for our weekends with a whole Tesco shop! Bridge brings heaps of booze!

Now that I'm grown up I (nearly) never turn up anywhere without something and now I tend to bring more to overcompensate.

When my father in law, came to visit for a month earlier in the year he brought nothing by way of a token gift, or at least something for the children. He claimed he had no luggage space for gifts - hmm. Modern etiquette eh?

I think I have to go now, I have to tell my children something.....

Try THIS QUIZ ON MANNERS!

2006-09-13T07:12:00.000+01:00

Well, it's not like me to be so miserable so I'm vowing to be a happy bunny from now on! But hang on, I've just to complain a bit more....

My job....not sure about it. Don't want to say too much just incase - and my photo is up on my blog so it wouldn't take much to find it....

I hardly ever seem to be in the classroom, but I'm either in this room where some kids come for extra help, or in a room called the Isolation Room for kids that are internally excluded (there has been no one in there yet). This is what the LSA's did in my last job. They would go round with the kids that needed special needs etc. All very good if that's the sort of thing you like but I don't like it...I feel guilty saying it but it's not what I like doing. (I wrote a lot more and then removed it). I'll hang on and see what transpires, I might be able to ask for more classroom time further along the line.

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Houses - huh, who needs them. We have a lovely pet cemetery here, trees, grass, a sunken bath and mock tudor firplace in a 70's bungalow - lovely!
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Oh yes, some good news.....my brother's new baby was born on Sunday! So welcome to the world Ferdinand! (with a name like that, he could start a war - geddit?!) (He is half Austrian - so you never know!)

2006-09-11T22:19:00.000+01:00

Hope deferred sicketh the heart.

We didn't get the house. Worse things can happen. But for a while my heart is sick.

Yet another tiny tiny update

2006-09-10T15:18:00.000+01:00

The BIG house in the WRONG area isn't on the market - it was a mistake. But we are still awaiting the ANSWER from the vendors of the EXPENSIVE house. Was a very silly girly and drove past twice today and had a good look at the house we may or may not have by Christmas. Ever the optimist, there is champagne in the fridge - I think we'll drink it whatever the outcome!

(and if we don't get it something else'll come up!)

tiny update

2006-09-09T08:21:00.000+01:00

Hello,

Yesterday evening at 6.20 (when estate agents are usually in the pub) I got a phone call from the agent saying that the vendors of the EXPENSIVE HOUSE in the RIGHT area are going to see a house today and if they like it and want to make an offer they will accept our offer because the house they are seeing is cheaper and therefore they can take the reduction on their house.

However, this morning I got up and checked the internet to find that the BIG HOUSE in the WRONG area is back on the market - it might just be a computer mistake not showing the SOLD on it - but it was showing sold yesterday and the agent told me it had gone. Andy wants the BIG house in the WRONG area more than he wants the EXPENSIVE HOUSE in the RIGHT area - ho hum.......we're going to see the BIG HOUSE again today if there has been a mistake.

PTB bollocks.

Yawn...not houses again

2006-09-08T07:03:00.000+01:00

Hello,

I'm in a bit of a state today. The reason is this:

After my busy day yesterday I got in and immediately looked on the internet to see if there were any new houses on the market. To my dismay the BIG house in the WRONG area has now been sold! I was SO pissed off. Then I did something really naughty because I'm so fed up with this house business, I phoned the estate agent (and spoke to the partner of the company) and told him I would increase the offer on the other house we have an offer in on by a very small amount and if they say no again then we will withdraw all offers and look elsewhere. Although I really want the house, the cost of the mortgage we will need will be very very scary.

Day Off

2006-09-07T07:22:00.000+01:00

Hello,

Got a day off today! Got to fit alot in now in one day off per week....allotment, tennis, coffee with tennis women, haircut, TK Maxx, read 'Saturday' by Ian McEwan for tonight's Book Club! How much of this will I fit in?

Well, I'm glad I didn't write much about my new job at the beginning of the week as to be honest I was feeling distinctly underwhelmed by it all. Now, though, the children have entered the equation which makes all the difference. It feels like such a natural milieu for me.

Compared with my last job though this one is completely different. They seem to have conflated the special needs department with the teaching assistants. Special needs has a very large umbrella (of course) and so coming through our special teaching room are children of all ages and abilities. What I find so notable compared with my last job is that in this school there appear to be hardly any behavioural issues and because of an abundance of resources and budget there is the time/staff/etc to help the children with mild SEN problems. It's great that these children aren't falling through the net, but it also highlights the discrepencies in what's happening nationally. Also, in this school there are only 11 children with English as an additional language!

I suppose I shouldn't say too much about my job (you never know who's reading), but in my experience of two days' I am of the belief that some of the teachers wouldn't last two minutes in a school where behaviour is an issue!

Shall I have a radical haircut like the lovely, famous Tat?

Phew What a scorcher!

2006-09-06T07:37:00.000+01:00

28 degrees here in East Anglia. Shame I have to go to work!

2006-09-04T07:23:00.000+01:00

Steve Irwin is dead!

Sunday

2006-09-03T13:54:00.000+01:00

Hello,

I've got a hangover today. It's quarter to two and I'm still in my dressing gown! I'm trying all cures known to humankind.....lemon and water, loads of vitamin C, flopping around, lying down, saying 'oooooh' alot. So far, I still feel hungover.

Went to a party last night! It was good fun. Funny how time flies at parties. You arrive at 9 and when you next look at the clock it's 2 in the morning! And it's not until you go to the loo and are sitting on there all alone with a bit of time to reflect that you realise quite how drunk you are!

Have to report, though (shhhhhh) that the hostess' husband also got drunk and invited me upstairs to see his guitar collection, a rather sizeable collection at that. He kept putting different guitars around my neck and encouraging me to strum the three chords that I knew! I felt a little bit uncomfortable to say the least, don't know why, all probably very harmless, but I don't know the man, only met him twice.

Anyway, that aside, I cemented some new friendships, which was nice.

Bye, going to lie down again.....

saturday

2006-09-02T09:04:00.000+01:00

Hi there,

It's Saturday. Work was fine yesterday. Lots of nice people to meet, a free lunch and lots of sitting around being told stuff! Same again on Monday before the hordes of kids arrive on the Tuesday! That's it really. Nothing more to report.

House update: The actual partner of the estate agent that we mostly deal with spoke to me yesterday in a 'let's get you a house' sort of way. We have two offers in on two houses. One offer is for the big house from a while back which is in the 'prime' residential area and therefore too expensive for us. BUT it isn't selling and we have an offer in which is the HIGHEST we can afford. The other house is the one I recently put on which we increased our offer on. We aren't prepared to go higher because the area isn't as good, neither is it in the right school catchment area. BUT the agent yesterday said "why don't you raise the offer on the W house by x amount and your offer on the N house by x amount and I'll get you one of them! " I said to him "I wish we could but raising our offer on the W house is a step too far we just can't afford to" to which he said "oh come on, it's only a term's school fees" (our children are not educated privately, although he clearly thinks they are!). The offer on N house is quite a bit lower and he just couldn't understand it. He said to me "Well I don't know what your budget is because of the differing offers" - SO I HAD TO EXPLAIN TO HIM IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE AREA. Why do they play it so thick sometimes. BUT, I have noticed that THAT particular agency isn't getting many houses to sell at the moment and must be desperate for a sale. We really do like the big house on N road, but we don't think it's worth upping our offer by quite a lot to get it. But, I don't know what to do. There's nothing else to buy, it's getting to me. I want a garden, I want the kids to have nice bedrooms and a feeling of being settled. I don't want to be poor though. I'm pissed off about it all really. I really thought they would accept our offer. PTB PTB PTB

2006-09-01T06:47:00.000+01:00

Hello,

Look at this. I got it from him - who is a link on Molly's blog. (Hmm this blog slutting!)

Well, I'm going to admit now that I have some 'meed-ya luvvie' friends at the mo. This is a hitherto unheard of thing, unless you count the time Ben Von whatshisface from Curiousity Killed the Cat (that band in the eighties - nothing on YouTube yet though) came to my party - when I lived on the Fulham Road and had friends that went to The Wag on a Friday night!

Firstly, the lovely Tat has a three page spread in the new magazine Tonic Can you believe it? Well done Tat. Go see Tat's blog to see more details.

Secondly, the lovely Lettuce's hubby has had a book published and will be seen this Sunday on BBC1 (I'll let her give you the details, as it's her hubby, and really I shouldn't be telling you this! hahah, but you know how impressionable I am!). And I've just noticed as I've linked this that Lettie has done a THING on Tat!

Thirdly, my friend Mick (he who ran the marathon) has also had a book published which is being serialised in the Independent! and will no doubt be all over the 'meedya' soon.

So there you go, fame awaits! Only a matter of time before the fame stick tickles me by association! I could sell some of their drunken stories to the News of the World! (but I never would, and I'll wait until they're more famous)

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It's very early in the morning, I have to go to work today! WTF - work! I have NO idea what I'm going to wear, or do, for that matter! More later!

So the holidays are over (for me) - another few days for the children - who incidentally won't be home alone today, they have an eighteen year old neice waiting for University to start in three months time (!) stepping into the breach. I had a lovely 'fin de vacances' in the form of a couple of days at Lettuce's (and her famous husband! - who wouldn't give me a signed copy of his book, incidentally because, he said "you wouldn't read it"! - huh). We went to the pictures (a Scanner Darkly, with my lovely Robert Downey Junior, who I LUUURRRVE), we went to the London Aquarium and ate lovely food on the South Bank, drank rather a lot with the wonderful Molly, and had a long (two hour) visit to TK Maxx!

On the way back me and the girls (bad grammar tch) went to Blue Water and, complete excitement for yours truly - Yo Sushi has returned to Blue Water! Sadly, I wasn't hungry enough to partake but I intend to revisit soon with a rumbling tummy!

Well, finally, if you've clicked on the all the links in this post you're either bored and got nothing to do, or highly interested in the ramblings of an impressionable person!

Bye for now (I think it's the early morning and the very strong coffee that's done it!)

2006-08-29T08:35:00.000+01:00

Well, September is nearly upon us and I have a feeling that my blog world is returning to normal. Tat's back, Trac's back, Geena's back - yippee. Now, all we need is LeChat to come back....hear that Kitty?

Normally, the arrival of September makes me a feel a little bit sad for a while before I get my head around the arrival of autumn. There is that feeling that the garden is closing down, and we won't see fresh growth for months. However, this year it's a bit different. For a start I don't have a garden! But I have an allotment and as all veg growers (and flower growers too) know, there are things to be put in at this time of year. I was too late for leeks sadly this year, but have broccolli, sprouts and cabbage to look forward too. Also, the allotment trees are hanging with plums of all varieties, apples and walnuts too! (they aren't my trees but I can help myself!) Rather excitingly too I have squashes of every shape and hue ripening nicely, and a pumpkin which is obscene in its tumescence! My sunflowers due to the lack of sun are not flowering yet so I look forward to a later summer flowering. So, it's not all about things finishing. I've also planted some perennial flowers which are sprouting nicely - delphiniums, sweet williams and hollyhocks.

Also, September gives me hope that the housing market will pick up and we will find a house before Christmas. I've been having second thoughts about the BIG house with the coach house. While it is really nice, it's really quite a long way from oldest's secondary school and where she wants to be with all her friends. I'm not saying I'll say no though if they accept our offer!

I read in the paper at the weekend that East Anglia is the only area in England where the house prices are rising at a high rate! Typical eh! We move to East Anglia and everyone follows! It's the fastest growing town in Europe apparently. It also has the highest number of Eastern European immigrants in Britain - so no shortage of plumbers then!

I'm off to London later to see Lettuce for a few days. (with a small detour to Ikea on the way and another to Blue Water on the way back!).

I'm back Thursday and then I start work on Friday! I feel sad, nervous and weird all of a sudden...... nothing like a new term eh!

2006-08-24T22:54:00.000+01:00

A little light relief while we await the answer to our offer.....hmmm de hmmmm, twiddle twiddle.

I just HATE, that's H A T E the estate agent we have to deal with. They/he is so manipulative. A while back he gave us first look at a house he was SURE would be the one for us, after we rejected it, the price immediately came down by 15 thousand pounds! WTF. I think he priced it higher because he was SO SURE we would want it! Surely that's bad practice.

Also ages and ages ago we looked at a house on a certain road which we didn't want but I made friends with the owner and now we are friends (book club). A few months ago when the Quirky house came on and we didn't get it, the agent phoned my friend Ruth (because her house is on the same road as the Quirky house) and told her he had someone who was really looking for a house on the road and is ready to go...it was us! WTF! We didn't want it and she'd taken the house off the market months before anyway, but he phoned her to say he had a definite buyer, not knowing that we knew each other!

So, back to the offer we've made. The agent says they've put the house on below it's market value because they want a quick sale (they've already bought another house) but Andy and I believe that the house is too expensive for the road and it needs alot of work. I think they are testing the market. We made an offer for what we thought was value of the house to us and it was rejected. When I told the agent we wouldn't be increasing our offer (he knows we can go higher) he was dumbstruck! He'd obviously told the people to reject our offer because we will increase it! How I hate estate agents! But, we won't raise our offer. We will sit tight.

I hoovered up all the flies in my kitchen.

2006-08-23T13:45:00.000+01:00

Here's a house

Here's a house we love

Here's a house we've made an offer on.

This house is lovely but not in the catchment area for the secondary school we'd like our youngest to go to in three years time.

This house is in the catchment for a secondary school which isn't too bad, but isn't one of the better ones.

We are blinded to this fact and have decided to go ahead anyway, because as the house isn't in the right catchment it is now affordable for us. In the right catchment it would be half as much more expensive.

Decisions, decisions.

Here is the house: The garden is completely walled and large. It also has a coach house.

Hmmm.......

I GO, I COME BACK!

2006-08-21T07:53:00.000+01:00

I think Spike Milligan said that! One of the goons anyway.

I have so many flies in my house at the moment. They particularly love the warmth of the laptop screen. This lap top doesn't have a mouse but a little 'nipple' in the middle. While manipulating this nipple earlier I mistook a fly for the cursor thingy! Doh!

We've had guests this weekend and as I had brought some tequila from France I went on a quest on Friday to find some triple sec to make margaritas. Triple sec in Ipswich? Not a chance! This is a triple sec desert. I nearly got depressed about it but in my quest to find it I entered a specialist independent wine merchants and had an extremely long and entertaining conversation with the male wine merchant! (which cheered me up)

Then, later that day as I was walking through Ipswich I noticed that the Corn Exchange now houses an art gallery and a permanent craft exhibition. I went in and emerged over an hour later, no longer at all depressed that triple sec is unavailable north of the M25! I had such an interesting chat with the guy who runs the Suffolk Craft Society who'd just moved into his new job from the Cotswolds. The two of us bemoaned the lack of a Waitrose, and I felt I'd met a kindred spirit!

So, two nice men in one day! I'm a lucky laydee!

I made do with Cointreau by the way. (which worked very well indeed)

I'm closing my blog.

2006-08-18T11:03:00.000+01:00

I've decided to close this blog.

It's job is done, I feel. I started it because I had was moving/had just moved to a new
town/life and I wanted to record my feelings. As well as that it was the middle of winter and I knew noone in the town.

Now though, I have settled in this town, I know people who I can now call friends. So now I feel this blog is a bit of 'show and tell' which isn't really what I wanted it to be.

The recent 'blog slutting' I've been doing has made me realise (although I knew this of course) that there are so many creative people out there who do wonderful things with their time. I've decided that I need to MAKE myself do the creative things I claim to enjoy doing but never do these days because I procrastinate too much......ie. spend too much time on this laptop, either looking for new properties on the websites or catching up with blogs. The other thing I just don't do these days is read or keep up with current affairs like I used to and while I am a member of the Tate Gallery I can't remember the last time I looked at their quarterly magazine they send me. As well as this I used to go to the cinema once a week, now I don't even know what films are showing. So, I'm off to improve myself.....

I'm going to

a) keep fit by walking more, swimming once a week and finding a yoga class.
b) go to the cinema at least once a month
c) draw and paint

I'm going to keep my diet blog running because, quite frankly, by recording my eating habits I can keep them in check. In fact Anne Diamond was on the radio yesterday saying that she thinks fat people are suffering from a disease and it's not their fault - I know Anne Diamond struggles with her weight, but I just don't believe her. I've been overweight all my adult life but I've managed to lose weight whenever I've put my mind to it, so I'm afraid Anne Diamond, you are wrong. Dust anyone?

So, it's goodbye.

I'm not going to delete this blog until I can work out how to copy it all onto disk, because I'd like to keep it as a record of this time in my life.

Also, if and when, I ever get a home of my own I will post it on this blog, and, you never know, I might come back.

So, in fine rambling form, I'm off.

Back to life, back to reality

2006-08-16T09:04:00.000+01:00

It was strange coming back from my holiday this year.

Every year we go to Brittany - have done for the last eight or nine years. Some people would say we were boring and/or predictable, but it's a tradition the children love and have no desire to change, neither do we. Brittany is so beautiful. The weather is never TOO hot, and it's great cycling country which we do a lot of. This year we went back to the same area, usually we vary the area we go to (at least). It was because we were approached last year by a French couple who invited us to hire their house. As their house was the loveliest house I have EVER been in we said yes, and that's how we ended up coming to the same area. My parents came (as they do every year, and so did my my sister (the one who lives in Bangladesh), her husband (for one week only) and their three children. It was lovely to have us all together for three weeks. Time spent together these days is so rare, especially as Clare lives in Dhakka.
We put the kids in the 'outhouse'! (see left). A luxuriously appointed annexe! They had a great time, and we didn't have to look at their mess.
This was the view from mine and Andy's bedroom - this was our own personal deck, only accessible from our bedroom. I tell you it was wonderful. The one minor drawback, if one has to be mentioned is that the owners were very very worried about us wrecking their beautiful house and had stressed that should we drop the merest drop of liquid on their oiled oak flooring it would be ruined! Imagine our nervousness every time a child had a drink in their hands! But the kids soon got the hang of the rules (NO drinks or food in the living area) and we all relaxed. It was a lovely, lovely holiday.

But as I said at the start, it was odd coming back to Ipswich. Driving round the M25 on Saturday night (in the rain and cold) it felt odd to be driving past the exit for the A2 which would have in previous years taken us 'home'. When I woke up on Sunday morning in our rented house here in Ipswich it felt distinctly odd, 'what am I doing HERE?' I thought to myself, 'this isn't my town, I'm going back'. But that feeling soon wore off.

But it's a funny feeling, that post-holiday feeling. There is no desire to see ANYONE I know or interact in outside society for a few days. (or is that just me?). Yesterday evening I took myself to club tennis, and it felt odd (almost like going back to work). It was an effort to go, I almost felt like giving up the tennis, but I didn't and I played for two hours and people were pleased to see me and I had a great time (as always). So, now I feel more 'normal' and it's as if Brittany is a distant dream.

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So, it's back to normal life. Except I now have a job (gulp) and have to organise all the tax details, CRB stuff blah blah. I also have to continue looking for a house (sigh).

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Last night I did a bit of blog slutting (is that the word?) and looked at this lady's lovely stuff. What inspiring work - I also looked at her links - I love the idea of the painting a day - what a great way to discipline yourself, practise painting and improve one's skills. I'm thinking that I might set myself a similar task of 'a drawing or painting a day!' - watch this space!

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No more rambling for now! Bye

Back from my holiday!

2006-08-14T09:33:00.000+01:00

Goodbye all.

2006-07-19T22:05:00.000+01:00

I'll be on this beach until the
13th August!

This blog is on holiday until then. Until then have fun everyone and have a great summer.

Rambling Woman.

UPDATE

2006-07-18T10:30:00.000+01:00

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Well, you are reading the blog of a laydee who is now in paid employment. NOT the job I went for though....they decided to offer it to the other candidate. But they said they were impressed with me and would I consider another job, that of Teaching Assitant. Doesn't sound as fancy as Proctor, and the pay is a scale lower but who cares....I've taken it! I need to earn some money to pay a bit of the vast mortgage we'll be getting!

Going in tomorrow to dot the i's and cross the t's.
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This is my favourite restaurant in the part of Brittany we are going to. I'm beginning to get excited now....Sunday lunch at this place is FANTASTIC! It's like the best, most expensive restaurant in London, with a somellier and a crumb waiter, and the most wonderful food, yet it's not up itself, it's just LOVELY I tells you. If you can bear the music please look at the menus for total mouth watering heaven!

(not that I've been to the best, most expensive restaurant in London)

Too hot to blog

2006-07-17T21:07:00.000+01:00

Came in tonight to discover a message on the answer phone from the school where I had my interview saying they would try and get me tomorrow.

I asked Andy 'do you think that's good news or bad?' To which he said 'bad, because if it had been good they would have left a message'. I'm trying hard to be optimistic but I fear he is right. PTB PTB PTB. I had a nice, hopeful day today, hoping I would get this job and hoping the owners of 'the house' would change their mind and accept our offer so we can get things going before we go off on Friday. Oh well, if it's bad news I'll have to instigate plan B.

Hanging out for the Summer

2006-07-16T09:37:00.000+01:00

Recipe for a good time:

A field (trying to pass as a campsite)
Three couples
Hundreds of their teenage children (mainly boys)
A variety of tents
Three portable barbeques
Sausages and other meat products
Alcohol
Balls of many sizes and a variety of bats to hit them with
Three dogs (two of which are mad and chase any ball)
Much laughter

And then home to my nice comfy bed.

IT's not yes, it's not no

2006-07-14T17:01:00.000+01:00

Hello. What a week! I've had misunderstandings with friends, husbands and sisters this week. I tell you it's hard being shouted at in real life and by text!

But all's well that ends well. No one is cross now (I hope).

Had my interview to day and heard about the outcome of our offer on THAT house. Firstly, the house.....well, they aren't going to accept our offer....YET. If it's still on the market in six weeks time they will accept it. (more hope needed)

Secondly, the interview. Wow, what a long morning. I had to turn up at nine. I did and there was another candidate there too, a middle aged man, very friendly, experienced ex forces 'life's skills' lecuturer in secondary schools. My heart sank.

We were given a talking to by the head teacher. Then we had a tour of the whole school by the Deputy Head. Then we were talked to/interviewed separately by the Head of Finance (who is in charge of the support staff), then we were interviewed separately by four pupils with the deputy head sitting at the back. After a break we were interviewed separately by the Head, the Deputy Head, the Assistant Head and a Governor. I came out the interview four hours later with legs like jelly. I could have done with a gin and tonic but settled for a cappucino at Nicola's. She's a good friend, she was really genuinely interested in how I got on and SO wants us to find a house too.

They phoned up about half an hour ago to say they couldn't decide between us, we were both impressive! So they are going to take up references and I'll find out next week!

So, there have been no outright rejections today....I think that calls for CAVA!

Have a lovely weekend everyone out there!

Addendum

2006-07-12T21:01:00.000+01:00

I am a very manipulative person (flagellate flagellate)

I purposelly got my husband drunk tonight so he would agree to increase the offer on the house that I have set my heart on......he kind of has agreed providing I get the job on Friday! So, no pressure then!

Here's the house...you've seen it before but we've decided it's the one for us.

SPORTS DAY

2006-07-12T12:43:00.000+01:00

Do you think my oldest might have self esteem issues?

I'm in a bit of a funny place at the moment. Although, I DO have FLOW, I am also feeling overwhelmed by things too. Firstly, although this issue is now resolved I've had hassle from a very old friend, which hurt my feelings somewhat. We have talked it through though. She's in a very bad place at the moment as one of her friends has just died, and she is feeling over sensitive...I won't go into it..but you all know what it's like when you have a misunderstanding with a friend.

Also, Andy is also feeling overwhelmed by his feelings of not being in control over our 'up coming' holiday. It's all been booked through me and he thinks I'm not on top of it. He has a tendency to flounce off while saying 'You've cocked up' or words to that effect. He seems to be so annoyed with me that he doesn't even look at me. I had my hair cut two days ago (at least three inches cut off) and he hasn't even noticed! Well, he needs a holiday and will soon relax when we are there. Sometimes I think he might be a bit depressed, he can't answer the phone, or make any phone calls at all. He's always been bad at it but now even if I'm on the loo and the phone rings he won't answer it. The only person he ever talks to on the phone is his mum and even then you can tell he isn't listening properly to her.

I think we all thought we'd be in a house by now. Basically we need a holiday. Roll on next Friday.

But on a brighter note! I've made another new friend. She's a teacher (DT) and also a yoga teacher. I've met her and her partner through tennis. They seem to be a cool couple - no kids. But they go to a lot of gigs and have invited us out tomorrow to see Craig (the guy's) band play.
Andy seems keen at least. Perhaps we just need a bit of time together as we've been so busy recently.

Don't bother commenting on any of this...it's just me externalising on stuff. Nothing major really, I just like to ramble!