Friday 14 December 2007

Maths and Pressies

We have a little more room...not much..but we are slowly sorting mother's stuff out. Good job, too 'cos I found some jewellery in amongst her tapestry wool which she no doubt would have never got around to doing and so could have ended up anywhere!! All this has been making me very tired, plus the cold nights.. I can never sleep well when I'm cold. So, I've been crocheting Crimble pressies..my own design, too. Ta Ra!! Can't post the pics 'cos then the surprise'll be out!! Maybe put them up after Crimble.

We ventured out to get a few bits and Junior, bless her great big heart, has bought the pets their pressies with her own money. Plus co-ordinating wrapping paper. I know...I know!! :O) She's been whispering about where to wrap them, so the pets don't find out as, according to her, "you never really know if they understand English, do you? And it wouldn't be a surprise then" sigh...such a kind heart.

She's been doing some maths, of her own accord, every day. Takes a little handbook and pencil with her everywhere!! This is all her own doing and idea...nothing forced from me:O) She made a super wrap-around-card yesterday...very creative. It's really good and I'll have to put a pic up when she's finished it properly and I think I may put some orders in, too. Maybe we'll get this business empire up and running soon:O))

Been trying to find canned pumpkin puree for a vegan pumpkin pie, of course:O) (I know...I'm a bit slow....Halloween was ages ago....lol) Just fancied making one. Well, can't find pureed pumpkin anywhere..not even Tescos. I know you can get cravings when you're pregnant....but can you get them when you're peri-menopausal, 'cos I definitely have one? lol Just my luck, eh?

The young mogs.....well, they've been venturing outside. They go scooting out of the hole that once was a cat flap at a rate of knots and whizz around the garden like a bunch of mentals!! The other day I happened to look out and found Olive swinging from a 30 foot fir tree!! You could almost hear the "Weeeeeeeeeeeee!" I had visions of having to call out the Fire Brigade if she got stuck, but she just seemed to, er, let go. The mogs like being tucked in on a night, though...with these really cold, frosty nights we've been getting...little wimps!! lol

Remember to feed and water the birds:O))

Monday 10 December 2007

Boxes and Anniversaries

How much clobber do you reckon a mother could have to shift when she is moving to a new flat? Answer.....TOO MUCH!!!!! Arghhhhh!!

We've spent this last week or so trying to sort out Mum in her new flat. She is surrounded by boxes and getting a little more fed up as each day passes. Not because she is surrounded by boxes that reach up to her hooter, but because the boxes contain precious things and memories and she doesn't really want to let them go. Doesn't help the situation when one of my siblings told her she was moving rubbish!! I will slap the very minimalist him later as it was a really insensitive comment, as it's the anniversary week of Dad passing on. Still can't believe that he's gone. It would've been their 60th anniversary this year and you can see the pain in her face.

So, me and Junior have been hoiking trolley loads of stuff up to our house on a daily basis, so that Mum has room to toddle around in her flat. Her precious "bits" won't be car booted or charity shopped. They'll be here for her to look at until/if she's ready to let go...or if we can for that matter/

Sooooo, we are walking sideways here, to avoid colliding with additional furniture. lol Normal service might resume shortly!! We might even get some Crimble decorations up soon:O))..if we can find the room:O))

Wednesday 5 December 2007

Baby Stingrays

Found this on a vegan blog. Cute little stingrays which were to be released into the ocean.

Tea for Two

Mother is in her new abode and liking it, which is good:O) We're all feeling better in the flu department...knocked us back a bit, though. Got our sense of smell back. If you had to lose one of your senses, that would be the one for me. Just think...no smelly cat litter odours to pester me:O))) lol I would miss lavender, though.

Anyway, Junior is currently designing the outside of a shoe box, which is going to house all our craft/cardmaking stuff and embelishments. She uses the stuff more than me anyway. She's also discovered the joys of having tea from a teapot. Gran gave her a lovely, nice red teapot, milk jug and sugar bowl which is surplus to her requirements now that she's in a smaller flat. Junior thinks it's ace and happily makes us all tea any time we fancy. She's even been using our china tea cups and saucers!! This has led us onto another project about the origins of tea-making, where sugar and tea originate, etc. Might even get her to try all the different types of tea in due course. I liked Earl Grey a while back. Wonder what her favourite will be?

Pops thought he'd supervise the shoe box embellishing:O))



Pops gets in on the tea tasting act, too!!

Wednesday 28 November 2007

Still Orbiting

It's official. I am incontinent!!! Well, only when I sneeze. Good stuff, eh?..the joys of having flu and growing old!!

Junior, bless her, is managing to control her bladder but the sneeze control is not quite there, if you get my meaning?....ie; just get out of the line of fire:O) bless. Still, we feel better than we did a few days ago and may actually venture out soon. I don't sound like Johnny Vegas anymore when I speak. Damn!!:O)) We have managed to give this lurgy to other people, so we're staying in until it's gone.

Still have to paint and laminate mother's flat before the great move next week. So, no pressure, then? In the meantime, we've been quite, err, inventive on the food/meal front, seeing as orbiting head can't think straight when it waddles up to the only one for miles and thus overpriced "local" shop (ie; tissues £1.99 a box!!, "fresh" fruit and veg at Harrod's prices, lol). Next year I'm going to make sure that we have some fruit and veg stored from the allotment. Where we'll store it is another matter, though! lol

When she's been feeling well enough, Junior has been quite industrious in the jewellery making department (think Crimble pressies), done lots of reading, maths..the usual. She's also designing cards, again. We've sorted out a redundant bedroom, which is now going to be a storage/craft zone. Do I believe that it will stay this way...like the lovely, tidy ones seen on other blogs? Nah.. give it a fortnight and it'll end up as cluttered as before. Found one of the older cats in it this morning, atop some of my material stash....she seems to have bagged a nice, comfy corner (by the radiator) as her own. Clever mog:O) Talking of mogs...one of the young mogs has come into season. She's being VERY friendly and talkative. What joy..... and so picture the scene in this house..with ever hopeful young male mog who has the "woo hoo" look!!

On a more serious note, wonder what the ptb'll have to say when they publish the findings of the home ed consulation on Thursday? Fingers crossed that they see sense and leave us to get on with it:O) Also, ContactPoint is being postponed for a while 'cos of the recent security cockups concerning the child benefit discs fiasco. They should see sense and scrap it anyway. Use the money for something useful/practical for a change and get away from this dreadful monitoring and surveillance culture. Tell yer, politics and jobsworth red tape drive me mad!!! Going for another mint and honey tea:O)) xx

Monday 26 November 2007

How True?




You Are Likely a Third Born



At your darkest moments, you feel vulnerable.

At work and school, you do best when you're comparing things.

When you love someone, you tend to like to please them.



In friendship, you are loyal to one person.

Your ideal careers are: sales, police officer, newspaper reporter, inventor, poet, and animal trainer.

You will leave your mark on the world with inventions, poetry, and inspiration.



Yes, I'm the third born. I did this again with my other siblings in mind.....being them..trying to answer on their behalf..as I hope I know them....or so I thought. Amazing how much I don't. I answered questions with my sis in mind and ended up with my younger brother's "results. I did it with big bro in mind..and he came out as an only child.....which sort of makes sense. Couldn't get my sis, though..as much as I tried. Sad, me thinks:O(

Might try it with my older kids in mind. That should be interesting. Wonder if I can get it right? Half an hour later...... Nah. Got them back to front!!! Son no 2 came out as first born...Son no 1 was fourth. Disaster.. Wonder if i can get it right for Junior? Ten mins later.... Yep. Got her spot on!!

Maybe it's a men and women are from different planets thing?...Nah..... Lol.. or the schooled v home edded? Anyway, they know I think the world of them all. Wonder how they'd do if they did a Mum one? Hmmmm....

Well, off to take my orbiting head and body back to my sickbed. Blasted flu!!!

Sunday 25 November 2007

Snot Piggin' Fair!!

We have bad colds:O((

Junior is feeling pretty yuk, sore throat, irritable, chesty cough, achey and has a magnificent snotty hooter. Bless. I'm not far behind her in the feeling ill department. We are going through tissues, lip and nose moisturisers at a rate of snots!! Lol... crap joke..sorry:O) Trying to keep warm, but you're up against it when you live in hill billy land. It's so cold up here that I'm even contemplating wearing a balaclava to help warm up my frozen head!! Even shy cat is coming into the house.,,and quite early, too.

When we feel better, we're going to make some new felt Crimble decorations for Junior's new pink 3ft Crimble tree, gifted to her by Son no 1's other half. She's become a little fixated on us have a "proper" big tree with all the decorative finishes. Mother here, on the other hand, is not too keen.....Junior is imagining picture book lovely Crimble tree with lots of shiny baubles, lots of twinkly lights and fairy on top.... and I am imagining picture book Crimble tree with young cats swinging off every twinkle bauble laden branch...and then having to clear up the mess!!

Anyway, in between sneezes, Junior has been busying herself with a bit of story writing. We've measured out Mother's flat for laminate and J's been doing a bit of maths working out the area, figuring out what of and where her Grans's stuff will go... And, she and son no 2's girlfriend made a chocolate, minstrel covered cake together. Junior had to show no 2's girlfriend what to do!! I left them both to it, with a cookery book or two. I figured if girl friend no 2 is going to have a baby then she needs to learn how to cook and bake as you can't live on takeaways forever!!

Meanwhile, in another corner of the country...and some may think I'M animal mad...well, this sweet little thing is my 30 something niece's Crimble pressie from her hubby. Miniature pot bellied pig...she easily fits into a cat carrier and is currently awaiting being named. Little piggy is going to be a house piglet and will have company in the form of two dogs, two rabbits, two ferrets and an African land snail:O) I've been asked to think of a name and I can only currently think of Persephone. They'll no doubt give her an appropriately cool name:O)



We've done loads of HE stuff, but my orbiting, mucous-filled head isn't playing ball and so I'll blog about that later on!! Going for a lie-down.

Young cats, of course, want to play....ALL THE TIME!!!! And, they're not too hot on tidying up after themselves!! grrrr.

Tuesday 20 November 2007

Swelling Family

No blogging been done due to unforseen circumstances!!!! Been a busy few days, particularly family-wise. Some stuff being of the serious, drive you round the twist type and unbloggable, but some not.

One being...Mother..who was supposed to be moving in with us, imminently... and now isn't. She's got a flat nearby, which is good, 'cos she'll have her space (and her furniture!) and we'll have ours. We'll be able to see one another on a daily basis. Junior is very happy that Gran is coming to live nearby. They love each other so much and get up to allsorts together...which is nice. My own gran died when I was very young and so I'm glad that Junior is able to enjoy this relationship. Uki lessons are in the offing....and tales of her childhood..and WW2..so Junior will have unique history lessons:O) In turn, Gran gets to learn the latest dance moves and fashion:O) Plus, Gran's bed is nice and comfy for those little snoozes:O)

So, she wants everything to be painted white. And the floor laminated...no pesky dust catching carpets for Siberian mama!! Seeing as I'm doing it all, I'll soon be an albino-like hunchback! I mean, how hard can it be to laminate a floor?

Talking of grans.....going to be one myself! How about that? Yes, I know...I'm WAY too young:O) Grey hairs?.....I've already been at the Nice n Easy!!!

Junior's been busy. It'll turn up on her blog soon:O)

Wednesday 14 November 2007

You know when you're owned by a cat!!!

Have a look at this youtube clip. Will make you titter. Happens to me every morning and I can think of a few people that this will appeal to...can just hear them saying "My God, it's so real life!!" lol

It's in the side bar because, being elderly and unable to come to terms with this computer mullarcky, little old Min can't get it into the main post. Have tried, can't be arsed to venture further into the land of clicks. Blame it on the iMac!!! lol Anyway, it replaces the good old Frankenstein widget from Halloween:O))

All suggestions welcomed, by the way:O)))...on how to get it in the main post. Ta:O)))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1QHS7FLQKU

Monday 12 November 2007

Baker of the Year

Won't be pursuing a career in the art of breadmaking, then!!

I used strong, white bread flour (Sue Lawrence recipe) and the bread has turned out a greyish colour inside. The crust is, err, VERY CRUSTY!! Enough to knock someone out if they were unfortunate enough to be whacked over the head with it. Other uses? Door stop comes to mind.

It was ok yesterday...straight out of the oven...dunked in soup. Today I find that it has morphed into plaster of paris.

Off to google on how to get a softer loaf. It will probably say "Don't bother, Min. Save yer teeth and just go and buy one!!"

Have to get a door lock for Houdini the cat, too. Pesky little thing!! And caught Popeye grooming himself today and he is, ahem, a big lad!! Vet appointment coming up!!

Sunday 11 November 2007

Bread and Wine

When Junior was younger she had a little bowling kit bought for her. The sort you get from ELC and the like. She, of course, took little interest in this pricey gift and it ended up being charity shopped. She's one of those kids who hates being told what to do. She can entertain herself, thank you very much!! She often toddles off and does her art and invents things. So, this morning she's been busy and made herself an indoor bowling set...from little plastic pop bottles. She redesigned and jazzed up the outside of the fruit shoot bottles and is busy having a game as we speak. Young mogs are, of course, getting into the spirit of things and are joining in (they keep nicking the home made ball and annoying my little designer) :O) She wants more pins so is busy drinking through our supply of fruit shoots that we bought yesterday!! (a BOGOF offer). We went for a long autumnal walk to a nearby village to get a few supplies in and enjoyed it muchly. It was quite crisp (this being hill billy land) so I think I'll have to knit us both one of those Biggles hats...the type that have flaps to cover yer ears. Some of the trendy peeps wear them but I'll no doubt look like a bag woman with mine on. Don't care really.... I've now got to the age where I don't give a bugger what I look like.....comfort is all!!!! It was nice to be able to kick leaves about:O)

We pass two little ponies on our way there and back on this walk. There are loads of horses and cattle in the fields around here but these two are special. When they see Junior they come racing across at speed to see if we have anything for them. I don't know what you can give ponies for a treat. Is it the odd sugar lump or a piece of carrot? I seem to remember that you have to be careful what you feed them as they can get colic. Junior'll google this and I can see another little project coming on. Little ponies are just stuck in this field...no coats on them and no shelter from what I can see. Oh, if I had the money and land I'd take 'em home!! Junior frets that they'll end up as pet food.

We talk about allsorts on our walks. Sit her at home and force learning then it would go in one ear and out t'other but on a walk she's more in control and seems more stimulated....... asks me loads of questions en route. Yesterday, we got talking about churches and history and how some churches look more appealing than others and the reasons she thinks why. I reckons that could be the start of another project, too.

We made chocolate brownies and bread today. The brownies are the best we've ever made yet. Totally delish and were made from fairtrade chocolate. The bread is on the second rise. We made a plaited loaf and Junior made some rolls. Just need to make the soup and job done. Hope the bread works 'cos I could really get into making it on a regular basis...the kneading is totally relaxing:O)

Son no 1 rang. He's been on a day trip to France with the in-laws. He doesn't really go to get anything remotely traditionally French....he goes for the aftershaves, etc which are cheaper there. He asked me what I wanted bringing back. Can't really think what you can get on such a trip that's traditionally French.. apart from cheese and wine. (I really wanted a pasta making machine, but I'll wait until he goes to Italy for that. LOL!!) So, I said a bottle of proper French wine. Apparently, he's got me ten!! Bless

Remembrance Sunday today. Much respect to those brave people who lost and risk their lives to help keep our freedoms. xx

Friday 9 November 2007

Smelly Cat

Today we have been reorganising and tidying so that our resources are more accessible and organised. Have a ton of stuff that is no longer appropriate for Junior that needs to shipped onto another home. I've also got loads of shredding to do. I will be shredding for a long, long time!! Pity I don't have a pet rodent, 'cos I could keep it in bedding forever. But maybe that's not such a good idea with having felines around.

Popeye has been "christened" tonight.

The mogs were having their usual runaround downstairs tonight. (The pooches were safetly in their crate.) Young mogs have developed a fondness for the budgies..getting up close and personal....mesmerised! Anyway, I oiked Pops off the unit that Fred n Wilma budgies are on and he stomped to the other side of the room, gave me that "Awwwwww, but why can't I have them?" look and then it happened. The smell......of.... singed/scorched fur!! Have to say that that's what you get is you stand so close to a gas fire with yer tail up in the "toasting marshmallows" mode.

I did the "rugby tackle" and whipped him away before he became a kebab!! He's ok.

These young cats are a blummin liability now. They can open doors...so I have to go and buy locks tomorrow. And a cat flap (previous one ended up as a necklace on the dog). And now a fire guard!! Arghhh!! So much for a quiet life.

Junior is stressing out with all this....especially the door opening. We've watched them do it...and my God they are so CLEVER..especially Olive!! She's definitely still under house arrest until her jaw is unwired but she's the biggest culprit. She can jump so high that she MUST be related to Tigger!! Young mogs could, feasibly, escape outdoors through the hole in the door that once was a catflap and into the big, wide world..never to be seen again. And all while we're asleep...according to Junior. Thanks kid. Just crank up my insomnia a bit more.

Thursday 8 November 2007

Rambling

Junior has been busy making diaries for the kittens. These are tiny diaries..about four lines each page and approx six pages per "book". I think she's going to see how it goes before super-sizing. She's been busying herself with lots of writing and craftwork. Not too hot on the tidying up, though!

We've been holed up today as it's far too cold, rainy and windy to venture anywhere. Even the animals are staying in. Shall have to get creative and make them some coats and hats. lol mmm...must remember to look for patterns. Maybe this could be something for our business empire:O)

The younger mogs have taken to feeding themselves as they've got fed up of waiting for their nosh....they want feeding at 6am..and don't I know it!!! They can get the biccies out of the box. Knock box over, bash it about, get paw in and grab biccies. Job done. They've even figured out how to open doors.

Actually, at the moment I'm very envious of people who live in remotish places and can hole up for winter, away from the worries of red tape and the modern world. We've been reading some of these lovely blogs of people who do; preserve their home grown stuff..enough to see them through the cold months so they can get on with home edding, life, projects, etc without unwanted interruption. Bit windy up in Scotland today I hear. Hope everyone's managed to hang on to their roof tiles:O)

So, at some point this week we are going to attempt to make and bake our own bread. Imagine the cleanup on that!!

Tuesday 6 November 2007

Thread Tales

Been to see my Mother today. She's not well..again. Five hour+ return journey when one relies on public transport:O(

She was telling me stuff, as usual, about her tough war life and I've decided that I'm finally going to write a book about it. Not a book, but you know what I mean..I do:O) Yes..I'm going to attempt to document it!

She had me tittering today with her tales about Dad and how they passed the time when he was chronically ill and bed-bound... because the local authority-funded stair lift took six months to arrive and be installed!! Meaning, that he couldn't make the lung-exhausting trip downstairs very often...so he was a virtual prisoner and so Mother spent a lot of time upstairs to keep him company. Mother is a crafter like me and, to occupy him, she had Dad counting cross stitch squares out to her while she did the sewing. It saved her eyes and time and gave him something to do..or so she thought. After a while, she noticed that the pattern was not quite going to plan...and she saw that Dad was too engrossed in the horse racing on tv to give her "proper" instructions. She said "I was supposed to be sewing a dove but it was turning into a bloody albatross!!" Still, the sampler was eventually finished and hangs on her wall. She told me that Dad said never to let it go. It was "their" work..and it truly is. What makes it more interesting is that she didn't have the thread she needed. Couldn't get out to buy stuff as Dad hated being left alone incase he had trouble breathing. So, she had some old curtains and stripped the threads from the weave and used that for the cross stitching. Brilliant or what? She says that if she'd been able to get the proper threads then it would be magnificent but I told her I don't think it could be any better, given the story.

So..to home edding.....Junior had her Gran fix.....aka being spoiled and learned a bit more Uki.

We is knackered with all the travelling! Been feasting on ricotta and spinach pizza with salad and then chocolate croissants. Pets have been fussed, fed and watered. 8.30pm and Junior's sparko on the sofa!! Bless.

Time for me to think a way out of my latest dilemma. I rarely have a full night's sleep. Always something to worry about...and I definitely have something to worry about of late. Unbloggable.

Sunday 4 November 2007

Remembering

Today (4th Nov) would have been my friend's birthday.....someone I knew from my schooldays and who was a kind, funny, clever and outrageously handsome young man. He had cornflower blue eyes. He made me laugh, he made me cry. He was a straight talker and gave me the necessary "boot up the arse" to make me believe in myself at a critical point in my life.

He introduced me to... some great music..Lou Reed, Stephen Stills, Steve Miller, Peter Gabriel's Genesis and the ilk. He taught me how to play badminton very well..so much so that I usually beat him when we played..which he hated. lol He always beat me at chess though. It's his fault that I like Southern Comfort!! lol He was a tough softie, although I once played merry hell with him for blowing an entire month's wage on a tuner for his stereo system:O) He really coveted a Bang & Olafsen system but could never afford one..it was always out of reach, so he always went for the best he could afford. No credit...everything was cash on the nail.!

He made a big impact in my world with his wise words and left a big hole in my life when he died...He was only 24. He's now been dead longer than he had been alive and lies in rest near to where my Dad is buried. I clean his grave a bit when I go up and see Dad, mainly to give him an ear-bashing. The kids and I sometimes leave him tiny, little furry toys just to show that we care..... and that the cemetery rabbits and birds usually nick off with:O) He sometimes makes an appearance in my dreams when I'm in the middle of some huge dilemma. Typical him....

The night before his death I had this unexplainable urge to ring him..I'd not seen him for ages and ages but just knew there was something wrong. I couldn't get through because the telephone lines were down and he lived hundreds of miles away. I didn't drive in those days. He died in the early hours of the next morning. So, to this day I don't understand why he would end his own life when he had so much going for him. If only I'd been able to get through, then maybe I could have said somethine to stop it...maybe...I'll never know.

I remember at the funeral that I held it together until the burial. Burst into tears and walked off for privacy. His sister came after me and I told her, in the middle of my blubbling, that I was going to play holy hell with him when/if I got to heaven. She replied with..."well, if you get there first, give him a knuckle sandwich from me". She was another toughie but softie, too. His family loved him totally...and it never sank in to him:O(

I hope he's happy now and at peace, where ever he may be.....probably listening to music on his Bang & O system. He was determined to get one:O)

Happy Birthday, Stephen. xx

Wednesday 31 October 2007

Mummified

We went to a great Halloween party tonight, hosted by some fellow home edders.

Junior had a ball ..being apple-bobbed, balloon stamped and fortune told......and I had the new experience of being mummified!!! No doubt the photos will end up on our hosts' blog at some point in time. But, if so, I will get my revenge!! har har!!!!

En route to the party, we nipped in the the famous Home Bargains for a furry cat igloo... purchased for just £3.99...and the last in our purchasing trilogy. We now have one each for the kitties...all different designs, of course! The older cats..... who are way wiser, don't give a sod about such things and brazenly kip on the posh sofa:O) It's like "pfffffffp. (cat version of a raspberry) up your's mate, I ain't kipping in a pet bed!! Nooooo nooooo....sofa for me!!!!" Anyway, in Home Bargains, a lady said she thought Junior looked really beautiful and asked where I got her cloak from, so I told her I made it with recycled, charity shop dresses, to which we got the "Oooooo, lovely".
Believe you me, I have tried to get this the right way up, but iMac is not having it..Arghhhhhh..so sorry for cricked necks!!!


Walking to our "venue" we noticed that not many people were dressed up. Didn't spot one. We seemed to be the only ones. Maybe we were early? Maybe people are too embarassed and only travel by car, Anyway, Junior got lots of admiring glances...she being the beautiful, good witch...I was the old hag!!

Forgot to buy the lightbulbs AND batteries for the torch. Too much rushing about. Plonker or what? Thank God for the fridge light:O)

If the landing light pings tonight, then you will hear me scream!!!!

By the way, if I were still married, then it would be my wedding anni today - 20 years...arghhh. Hmmmm, wonder if he's bald yet?

Happy Halloween/Samhain.

Shopping List

Top of shopping list.

Light bulbs.....lots of
Batteries for torch.....ditto

No lights working at the back of the house now! Eeeeek! So, I've oiked out of storage some posh solar-powered fairy lights that I was saving for Crimble, to decorate the back fence and shed. But, needs must and they're out and will, hopefully, be working by tonight so we should have light in the garden by the back door at least:O)

The pumpkin was not carved up. It's now sat on the kitchen window sill next to his mates basil, mint, sprouted apple pips..and The red hot chilli pepper:O)

Sorry, crap joke. Blame lack of sleep.

Tuesday 30 October 2007

Spooky

Is this spooky, or what? And, yes, we do have a cat of that name but, still.......

Lightbulbs keep going out.....ping!!!! No lightbulbs working in kitchen at the moment. Good job the fridge light works:O) Haven't told Junior of the demise of second lightbulb (the first one pinged yesterday). Oooooooo!!

I really MUST get some batteries for the torch....which is where? Arghhhhh......somebody organise me!!!

Update.....I'm back.......bathroom light's gone.....and the outside security light!! Eeeeeeeeeeew!!! Gulp!

Just go and take a look

I was directed to this blog from a craft blog I lurk on sometimes. There are animals involved on this one, so I likey:O) Plus, it's a nice blog.

If you think you've had a bad day, then go give this bloke a visit. Give him a big hug. He doesn't know me from Adam but he just needs propping up a bit at the mo. You may need hankies.

The blog is in the sidebar...Afterburn.. You'll soon suss out the blog that directed me:O)

I can't do links to make it easier for folk. Sorry. I'm rubbish. I would blame it on the iMac, but you shouldn't blame your instrument, should you? :O)))

Black Velvet

Can't seem to get my arse into gear today....courtesy of la peri-menopause. Such joy. Head seemed to be nailed to the pillow this morning and I only got up, eventually at 9.30, because Olive was doing a Fergie and angrily munching my feet (brave cat) and swatting my nose in an attempt to get me to feed her!!

My mother gave me a pack of chammomile tea the other day...it's her way of telling me to get some sleep because I must look gross and in danger of scaring the natives when I venture out:O) No Halloween getup needed for moi, then!! Soooo, I did have some of the tea the other night and I'd totally forgotten how knock-out it is. Slept like a log...wanted to sleep all day, infact...had really weird dreams about a dear departed friend. Maybe he was visiting to tell me to get my finger out and get on with the things that I've been dithering about of late (he was a tad like that in life, gorgeous looking, aswell)..or maybe it's too much Halloween? Anyway, I'm off the chammomile, for now. Rule insomnia!!

I need to keep awake today anyway, in order to sort out Junior's Halloween outfit for a party we've been invited to. She's going as a beautiful, good witch and her outfit is nearly complete. I just have a nice, posh black velvet cloak to finish for her and she is doing a sterling job in the nagging department to get me to sew it......NOW!!!!!! I recycled the material from two evening dresses that I had, that I never wear seeing as I never go out to posh do's anymore. If I remember rightly I think I bought them from charity shops (probably from the £1 rail) in the distinct hope that I might wear one someday. I like velvet, you see. I just think it's so lush. Anyway, my purchases were justified as they are going to be worn..sort of. I used to buy loads of velvet stuff...way ahead of my time...again!!!! lol

The kittens are growing so fast. They're nearly full grown size now and are little tinkers!! Been eyeing up the budgies all week. My God, live in this house only if you have eyes in the back of your head!!!

Here are some gratuitous shots, taken by Junior. Sorry about the unintentional "props" (we DO tidy up....now and again). How come she takes better photos than me? They're in focus!! Arghhhhh!!

Oooooo...what's upTHERE?

Perhaps this isn't the best place to get a good view of those blue and yellow feathery noisy things:O)

Ahhh! blue and yellow feathery things that make lots of noise and mess...aka Fred N Wilma.

These two have better things to do....like sleep!!


Got to go and sort the pumpkin!! Time to dig out the electric jigsaw!! hee hee:O) Minnie Scissorhands!!! Bah!! doesn't have that ring, does it? Good job I never wanted to work in advertising!!!

Thursday 25 October 2007

Fangs for the Memories!!

Just thought this was funny/cute. Junior and her fave kitten, Meg, watching the very topical Mona the Vampire together!! Sweet:O)



She's busy doing lots of Halloween things for a party we're going to. We've got pasta bats and pumpkins everywhere!!! She's also decided that she'd like to learn a little bit more about the origins of Halloween/All Hallows Eve, etc so that's another project.

I got married on Halloween and Junior thinks it's hilarious. Asked me, tongue in cheek, if we had bats and pumpkins instead of hearts and flowers as a decor theme and was my dress black? Har blummin har. The official wedding photos do look like something out of the Adams Family, though!! I kid you not. For some reason me and groom did not smile. Everything that could go wrong did. Not wonder it didn't last.

Anyway, back to all things spooky:O)

McFly the friendly fly has left the building, by the way, Bless!

Tuesday 23 October 2007

Pink Hearts

If you put the mouse over Frankenstein's head it moves!!

Junior made some pink iced biccies today. They've been iced for about an hour and I should say that half the quantity has been scoffed already:O)

Straight out of the oven

All nicely pink:O)


As this is a home ed blog, I've decided to set up other craft and vegan blogs so as not to bore anyone who comes on here expecting to read about home edding stuff. Not sorted it out properly yet....and there's a surprise!!

We're still in the process of the musical bedroom change, so stuff all over and MUCH being shoved into the garage at every given opportunity!! lol Junior's is pretty well sorted.

Have to decide what colour to decorate my bedroom. Decisions, decisions...and I am tending towards chalk white floorboards, white skirtings and some red on the walls. Bit passionate for a singleton. lol!!! Imagine what my mum is going to think of that....she of white walls and no dust fame! lol.

Sorry for the uninteresting, depressing blog. Am feeling very down due to some family stuff. Might blog about it once it's
sort of sorted. It is half term, so I am conciously giving home ed a rest this week. Need the head space for now.

Sunday 21 October 2007

Musical Bedrooms

We've been at it and doing the musical bedrooms thing, again!!

Mother is coming to live with us for a while you see....hence the swaparound. She's frightened...too many elderly people being mugged around where she is at the mo. Not enough local police pounding the beat to be off-putting to the offenders, etc. What do you do? Can't leave her there alone and too frightened to venture out. Sooooo, Junior is in the smallest bedroom, surrounded by all her pink and purple much-loved things and she seems to be in her element. As space is of a premium, she has negotiated a tft screen from Christmas me for her pc. It'll go up on the wall to save on desk space. And, as she's on a roll with this space is precious theme (and it is really) a small plasma tv has been mentioned, too!! Ten out of ten for cheek, then;O) She's finished her Horrid Henry book this morning in bed and now is onto some big, thick T Beaker books that cousin S has handed on.

Gran has bagged Olive for her own. She thinks O chose her because last time she stayed over the cat laid on her shoulder all evening, purring away...with the odd lick of Gran (as in I Love You) during the night. Hate to spoil it for her, but Olive does that anyway. The double bed in that room is HERS and so she's being friendly AND keeping warm:O) lol

As daughter is already onto Christmas, she's being organised and has started making her cards. Has to be said that they're quite good and her turnout is quite prolific.....got enough in her stash for a few years, me thinks:O)

All this..and it's not even Halloween yet. Well, little old me thought ahead and has got the pumpkin:O) I am thinking more on the recipe route, while Junior is more on the "cut out scary face on pumpkin" and make a lantern. There's me looking forward to pumpkin pie.

Wednesday 17 October 2007

It only took me 20 years!

I like crafting..you name it, I like it...(boring for some folk, but there you go!) My business empire will be based around crafting, me thinks:O) Junior will follow, I think.

I have quite a few UFOs (unfinished objects). I get waylaid with other distractions and then forget about the then project and so on..if you get the picture. I'm no way near as bad as my mother used to be, though:O)

So, I am on the last bit of this cardi. I started it 20 years ago. This half finished garment has always been around begging to be sorted. It's been one of those "I'll get round to it in a bit" projects. Now, due to a decluttering urge, I'm determined to finish it. I was slimmer in those days so it won't fit me anyway (I'll thought I'd sell it) plus I've lost the pattern, so I'm finishing it off on a wing and a prayer. I've got the button strip to sew on, then the buttons and it'll be done!! Taraaa!! Sewing knitted bits together is for me the worst bit, as I'm way too impatient. Maybe that's why it's taken so long.



I was so pleased with myself last night after I'd sewn the penultimate strip on, that I laid out the cardi for a gander, imagining the finished garment with new owner and me with lots of money in payment. Left it there, of course, on comfy armchair as beauty sleep was calling. What does Min find when she comes down this morning.... but aged cat curled up, snug as a bug on my precious item. She looked so comfy and snuggly that I didn't have the heart to boot her off. So, cardi has a new owner. Muppet meet Cardi, Cardi meet Muppet.

Maps

Who says supermarkets aren't interesting or educational for HE kids?

We went the other day, had a mosey around and Junior came away inspired!! We had our noses in an Egyptology book for a while and I basically had to drag Junior away!! The book was, of course, WAY too expensive for us to buy but we HE'rs are a resourceful lot:O)

Well, she is now heavily into making maps. We have a house full of treasure maps, ancient maps..you name it, we have it. The ageing technique is diluted coffee being sponged on to torn copy paper and then mopped off.... a la the SMart programme. Her favourite creation is one which has the Pyramids on, mountains, our house and Shrek land!!...all rolled up with and tied with an aged red ribbon. Sweet. OK, it needs a little tweaking but it's good that she's actually getting into all this...history, cultures, art, etc. The subjects are endless.



And today...she's had her nose in a Cath Kidston catalogue that arrived this morning. You should hear the "oooos" and "aahhs"....and that's just me!!!

Junior, meanwhile, is sorting out the Christmas pressie list. If she has her way, me and the pets are going to be spoiled rotten. Bless her little cotton socks:O)

Sunday 14 October 2007

Mini Me

Bobby dog, as we speak, is winging his way back to Essex!! Yay!!

Actually, it's quite quiet now:O) (Proves that the girls are less yappy -doesn't seem right using the word bitches!). lol Also means I can now titter away at the exploits of the guys on Top Gear! lol My fave prog. They're trying to cross the Channel in a modified car and beat Richard Branson's record. Three Men in a Boat type of thing!! It's so daftly schoolboyish.

Anyway, it was lovely to see my boys and a couple of their mates from the "old place" and I felt quite sentimental, actually. Hugged them all before they went, wished them safe journey and all that. Even though they are their friends, I still think of them as "mine" :O))) And... they have GROWN!! Very tall...snow on their heads sort of grown.

Soooooo, aftermath of Bobby..is plenty of dog hair....my hoover has blown up!! Blimey, my life gets better!!!

Am off to watch a programme about mathematically gifted children..o few of whom are on the autistic spectrum. Fascinating stuff...but, even though I'm ok at maths, this maths is way beyond me. The "personal" sort of slant on it makes me a bit sad. Too cold.

Junior, however, has ressurected her badge-making kit. She's forgotten what to do to make a new badge. I've left her to it to figure out things. Of course, she's having a strop but she hasn't asked for help....she's determined to figure it out for herself.. I've directed her a little .....in the "read the instructions" sort of way. However, knowing Junior, that'll be the last resort!!!

The phrase 'Won't be told" comes to mind.

She doesn't half remind me of me!!!!:O)))

Saturday 13 October 2007

Early Close

We've been out and about this aft. Escape from the poochies!!!! lol Went to local little town...thought I'd check up on a bead shop I read about in (funnily enough) a bead mag and a wool shop (heard about that one in a local shop - no I wasn't eavesdropping...she was just talking loudly!! ) Well, gets there...it's like 2pm...should be busy, busy, busy. But..no...not in hill billy land. Everything closes early on a Saturday! Why? Sigh...... No sight of anything vegan either, apart from veg - of which we have loads!

So, we visit their local little supermarket, which miraculously stays open till 6pm, gets stuff for the weekend, does lottery and slopes off home:O( Still, pooches were pleased to see us (we got them some chicken breast slices (reduced price:O)) ) Junior was pleased, too...she got her usual fix of garlic stuffed olives:O) No chance of any vampires landing in this house.....or suitors!! lol She's also into pretzels at the mo. I remember these from childhood...and I thought they were boring!! Still, each to their own.

And, why oh why did I pay the tv licence? Saturday night and the best we can get is Create & Craft, blasted sport or The X Factor!! ARGHHHH!!!!!!!! (no wonder me likes the old red wine:O))) )

Thursday 11 October 2007

Baby sitting

Son no 1 has visited so I can fullfil a longstanding request of his. Son no 1 has left me to babysit Bobski, his dog....the same Bobski who was born under my bed and to whom the then 5 year old Junior referred to (along with Bob's siblings) as a rodent!! "Mummy, there's a rat under your bed!" One of those "awww" moments when you realise that a) puppy has been born and b) little kiddy winks is so naive and c) just how many puppies are born under a person's bed!!...eh? (No stork stories in this house, though) As "payment and thank you" Son no 1 did mow my entire allotment yesterday (allotment is the size of a football pitch, waist high in grass and weeds,etc) so I am quite touched as he is not known for such physical exertion:O) He also bought me a veg gardening book (what's he trying to say?) and Junior lots and lots of beanies:O)

Bobski with ball, being all pathetic with the "throw it for me" look!!


Anyway, Son no 1 is going "ooop north" this weekend to help celebrate his bestest mate's 21st birthday. Son no 2 is going, too:O) This also coincides with nephew's 18th:O) This is probably going to be a GREAT weekend for my sons, nephews and associated friends. 21st Birthday boy is a great lad and I'm glad that my two and he are friends. They will be for life, me thinks.

So, here are we..Junior and I....three dogs...partaying kittens and old dame cats together. Alas. Bobby has morphed into a grumpy old sod and does not "do" kittens..he growled at Popeye for no apparent reason...so he's in the kitchen with the other two pooches while kitties race around and wear themselves out....hopefully in time for their bedtime!! I am not taking any chances with anything incase dogs decide to munch kittens again. Then, after kitty bedtime pooches can have some fuss, bed down and sleep and only then will old dame mogs possibly come into the house and kip down in their space....my posh, expensive slub sofa. waaahhh!

Why can't the pets just all get along and be done with it?

In between all this Junior wants us to have a cosy night in....watching Tracy Beaker!! ho hum and.....arghhhhh!!!!!!!!

Wednesday 10 October 2007





Minnie

- 2 teaspoons of playfulness
- 1/4 cup of wealth
- a pinch of crazy

Combine in a blender until smooth.
'What is your personality recipe?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Saturday 6 October 2007

Pink Hair and Party!!

New Letts learning book arrived today. Junior not impressed and neither was her HE mate.

I'm still recovering from the dastardly flu; Junior seems fine although she's got her days mixed up and is a day ahead. Anyway, so tonight she and my orbiting head hovered to a nearby supermarket to gather in much needed supplies. She did the maths again and wangled a High School Musical mag out of me:O) She did want a Bratz one, but by the time we'd wandered around Asda she'd read it, so logic in her said that there was no point in buying it:O)

For a change, on entering the supermarket, we were not greeted by the usual early Christmas merchandise but a whole aisle devoted to Halloween!! Now, my mother would be mortified at such a thing, her being the religious type and not a fan of the old horror movies and all such things associated with 31st Oct in that regard, etc. She's adamant that you don't muck about with stuff like that..you know, supernatural stuff, etc!! You keep well away or else you're tempting fate...... So, she definitely doesn't get the commercial Halloween... and neither do I really..but I'm just a misery lately plus I just hate the commercialism!! Junior is, however, taken with it all....it's the dressing up you see, bright colours for monsters nowadays, watching too much Charmed and the prospect of a party:O) We came away with a witch's hat with attached pink hair!!!

The hat won't last long, I fear. Too much interest being shown by inquisitive kittens:O)) And talking of kittens. Here am I...middle of the night (nearly 3am)....up because kittens have inadvertently been allowed to kip this evening..so they are in PARTAAY MOOD now!!! Yay!! "Let's whizz round like loonies and wake the neighbours up!!!" type of party mood...Old misery guts here thinks not...especially not in The House with Echo Floorboards!! So here am I, entertaining them...quietly....... until they drop off to sleep (I live in hope). If that fails then I'll have to ply them with cooking sherry!!! (joke, by the way) Trouble I have is that Olive has found a new game called "Snotting the Older Cats"... as in "surprise!! ", jump up and whack 'em with paw and run off in the opposite direction. She thinks it's such fun!!! Knackered older cat does not but remains remarkably tolerant! Megan is into jumping off Junior's wardrobe onto echo floorboards!!! "Weeeeeeeeee!' and Pops is being Pops and cuddling up to sleeping Junior and keeping warm...sensible mog. He does think the bed is his you see and is allowing her on. Nice guy, eh?

Well, back to my new career as party organiser:O) zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Mother and Special Effects Junior!!

Thursday 4 October 2007

Comfort

We have flu!! Me more so than Junior (I think she must be well protected due to the amount of garlic-stuffed olives that she consumes!!!) There's nothing like an aching bod, bunged up nose and watery everything to cheer a girl up!! So, we are indulging in comfort everything to help sort us out. Today's menu is soup, soup, soup!! (we have a big cauldron of potato and leek) with home-made wholegrain bread for dunking. Junior is eating for England with this flu mullarky and keeps poddling over to the fridge for nibbles. We have a fridge full of stuff but, apparently, we have nothing in to eat!!! What she means is that we are lacking in the convenience nibbles department!!

Ah, the homemade bread:O) Alas, I'm not so clever in the breadmaking department....that credit must go to the electric breadmaker and Junior for measuring the ingredients. Anyway, it's one of those gadgets that people get, use with gusto for about a fortnight....and then err, forget about...as is with me:O) It's only been used about half a dozen times in three years and upon ressurection this time it decided to conk out half an hour before the end of the cooking period. I've tried changing the fuse, shouting at it and all that but it's still playing dead. AND, naturally, the warranty ran out yonks ago!! Arghhhh!!!! (paid £60 for the thing, so it's worked out a tenner a loaf...hmmm..not fair) Looks like we'll have to make bread the old-fashioned way, which Junior is in favour of at the mo. I'm a bit peeved 'cos I wanted to make jam in it, seeing as I inadvertently spilled emulsion paint into my jam making pan...silly me!! Maybe I should send a Mrs Angry letter to Morphy Richards. Wonder if I'd get a Dear Customer.."Here's a voucher to get a new breadmaker" letter back from them?

It was nice, our solitary loaf!!



Junior has still managed to do some autonomous learning. We're still exploring, in no particular order, the atmosphere and space, the human anatomy and Spanish...with a bit of horticulture in for good measure!! (LOL..I've just read that bit back and it sounds like something out of a Carry On:O) )

It must be getting nippier 'cos the older cats are now coming into the house more frequently, which is something as they're semi-feral. It's taken me ten years to get the shy one to trust me enough to come into the house in an evening. This was them last night... cuddling up on one of the sofas.

These two sisters are about eleven years old.




Back to the olbas oil:O)

Friday 28 September 2007

Blowing my Trumpet

Crap title. Sorry.

Anyway, you may have guessed that our little pet water snail, is a Trumpet snail!! The sweet little thing has grown (due to the large portions of fish food he's being fed) and is big enough for us to identify.

Anyway, happy news. we have a home for the little fella and he no longer has to live in isolation in his present tank:O) My HE friend Y has kindly agreed to take the little tike in and give him a home in her garden pond. AND, I'll get it in writing that she'll look after him and ensure that he's not bullied by the other snails!! LOL. (can you feel Y's eyes rolling after reading the aforementioned gumph?) Anyway, I'm sure the pond will be heaps more exciting than a tidgy little tank:O)

Thursday 27 September 2007

Books and Rainbows

Been out and about and bought loads of books for Junior. God bless the charity shops and Home Bargains!! lol!!

We spotted a rainbow on our way home and of course, I got the question of where do the colours come from. So we've explored that a bit. Daughter informed me that she doesn't think that there's a pot of gold at the end of any rainbow:O(

We've also been getting on with knitting which she likes at the mo (pink wool:O) ). Her piece started out as a scarf but, being the impatient sort, she's decided that it will probably be a purse of some sorts:O) Still, if she manages to finish it then it may encourage more designs, plus it also helps with the maths..all this counting of stitches. As the saying goes, Every Little Helps.

New Books


Junior's choice...don't think she'll shift from the layered look, though.


Shall have my nose in this for ages:O))


Been having lots of them, so may as well get to know what they mean!

Tuesday 25 September 2007

Hip Swinging Gran:O)

Grandmother and grandaughter practising the art of belly dancing together!! Came back from the shops to be greeted by this sight..... There they were, shimmying away and enjoying it..oblivious to the fact that music was on full blast :O). I would post a piccy up but my life would definitely not be worth it if Mother found out:O)

Mother, it seems, is hoping to groom Junior in the art of business! She's been asking Junior what she has to sell..what Junior bought these items for originally for (fictional price given by Junior, of course) and then made offers on them, which J of course accepted pretty pronto. Junior then has to do the maths and work out her profit. Gran is down £8.00 so far:O) She's also pooped. All this belly dancing makes for an early night and they are both, of course, bunked cosily together in matching flanalette getups in my double bed:O) Me and the partying mogs are on the sofa, again:O)

On a sad note...SpongeBob (aka the goldfiish won at the local carnival) has passed away. How do you lay a goldfish to rest? Anyway, he got a burial at sea via the loo and I was all for cleaning out the tank when I spotted his mate...the 5p sized water snail...who is still going strong and can move at a rate of knots. Soooooo, the tank stays with its remaining occupant...sigh....could only happen to me...adopted by a mollusc.

Monday 24 September 2007

Buddies

Got my mother staying with us for a bit and Junior is loving it. Baba is a little over-protective of her grandaughter and winces at things like..when Junior practises her dancing and twirls around and around and around ("you'll get dizzy and bang your head". Junior also gets the "stand up straight" (she tends to hunch her shoulders as she is tall)..and "you have to comb your hair". (that fell on deaf ears!! lol. If my daughter had to pick essential items to take with her on a remote island, a comb would NOT be going with her!!). Anyway, they are bunked in together tonight like two proper buddies:O)...with Olive kitten keeping them in order. Meanwhile, old mother here is holed up with two young partying felines who just don't know when to stop!!! Soooooooo, I've stuck them in the pet carrier to calm them down. That should work find until about...oh, should say about....4am!! Then, I have backup in the form of the two older cats who will think nothing of putting the juveniles in their place with a quick whack of paw:O)

Anyway, Baba has treated Junior to some new clothes - pink and black stuff from good old Primark. You can always tell a home edded kid a mile off clothes-wise...they all seem to have their own individual look because of the lack of peer pressure. Junior is into the layering look, wild hair and odd socks. Oh, and she can never have to many shoes:O)

With regards to my crap photography....I think I may have sussed out the focus on my camera...just got to take a good photo now!!

I was at the other side of the room when I took this.


I sussed out how to crop and alter pics, too. Here's Olive fast asleep in her bed, I kid you not. She likes having a cover over her when sleeping nowadays. Maybe there's an airbrushing facility on this machine. Just think how sylph-like I could make myself look:O)))

Wednesday 19 September 2007

Constantinople

It's been spelling today. We're doing ten a day at the mo and she seems to be retaining it. She can spell magnificent:O) I remember being a little older..maybe 10 or 11 and doing such things. The first "big" word I learned in those days was Constantinople and I recall my sister teaching me how to spell it. We used to test each other. Ironically, she was the one who left at 16 and started with family life straight away, never to take exams at all..she was so clever but was made to feel dumb by the confidence bashers and because of them she didn't want to go further with her "education".

Anyway, I remember certain things being of benefit...spelling and comprehension..so I do much the same with Junior..the chart and list girl.

Also, drawing. She draws the lovliest little spindly pictures. Very simple and very effective. They don't photograph well on my camera but they're really rather nice. Shall have to sort out another camera!!!

I've finally colour sorted my wool stash...took me the best part of two hours and I have bags and suitcases of the stuff.:O) Enough to make a good few kingsize blankets for our business empire!! lol. Some crocheted blankets are selling for £100+. Junior has decided that she wants to further her crocheting skills. Wonder why? lol

Tuesday 18 September 2007

Charts

Well, the old hips have still got it!! Why? Two words.... belly dancing:O) Junior was hoping that we'd do the Shakira dance for the newbies but we are being taught a brand new dance and the music to it is not yer straight forward stuff...lots of off beats, etc. So, we slept like the proverbial log last night. Shame I don't have any bathroom scales 'cos I'm sure I've shifted a pound or two with all the shimmying. Anyway, it all sort of fits in the with Ancient Egyptian project that Junior is doing.

She's been busy making daily charts (with stuff from my cardmaking stash, again!. She's keen to earn money via extra chores so she can buy the things she wants...mainly Tracy Beaker stuff and chocolate. lol She hates being broke so this will be a good lesson for her in that money doesn't grow on trees and has to be earned. She's even bartering terms!!! Up to now any money she's had has burned a hole in her pocket, so to speak. These charts....she's made enough to last the year, I wonder if her enthusiasm will last last that long? We shall see. I don't think she'll spend it all selfishly. She quite often buys bars of chocolate and little "bits" and then gives them to people she likes or cares about:O)

Yesterday I made vegan pancakes for the first time ever. They are so easy to do and really yummy and filling. I must get a decent pancake pan to make my life easier:O) Junior still likes to have bacon now and again. We've tried vego bacon but it's just gross. Wonder if there is a make out there that is palatable enough for her? Nowadays, going down the meat aisles in the supermarkets makes me want to heave. Yuk. Wish there were more vegan products about.

As we were so knackered after our exertions yesterday, we both had a nap this afternoon...and bliss it was, too:O) We're suffering the consequences 'cos we both are so NOT tired...same goes for the kittens..who slept when we slept. Dash and blast!! Now we've got to tire the little blighters out before we go to bed, or else they'll carry on partying. The three are all together, in the lounge and whizzing about like mental cases. They NEVER stop!! arghhhh!! It's the most sound-proofed room in the house. See..there's me being all considerate about the neighbours...noise pollution and all that. Note to self...must look on cat food tin to see how many bloody e numbers they've put into their product!! arghhhhh

Have responded to another consultation and signed a few petitions..all relating to home ed. I find it amazing that stuff like this is sort of not made more public and available to people. I'm sure most of the population don't realise that these things are about and that they could have a say in things by responding. Just seems to me to be a little...secretive. It's a bit like the lack of info on home ed in places like libraries and council premises. Makes me hate politics more.

Sunday 16 September 2007

Quiet

Junior has been in art mood today. Found her, with pencil and drawing pad, sketching away. She's quite good when she wants to be and left to her own devices. Also, she's been watching this US celebrity ballroom dancing prog and is quite taken with it. Maybe the attraction is not just the dance, but the sparkly showbiz outfits. Anyway, I can feel a few lessons coming on here:O)

Our visitors made their way home this aft and the house is strangely quiet again. I swear blind that Son no 1 gets taller every time I see him..or maybe I'm shrinking, seeing as I'm getting on a bit. Little sod built my character on the Wii and when it came to hair..well he opted for the grey. No guesses for which nose he picked (no pun intended! lol) until his girlfriend poked him in the ribs to change it to something more, err, normal!! lol He tried to give Junior a big, thick mono brow but didn't get away with it. He does his best to wind his sister up. Anyway, I whooped him at baseball:O)

More cd stories to listen to tonight. Helps relax Junior at bedtime...it also seems to calm the kittens down so they don't party all night"O) Also good if you take the ping pong ball out of their room, too. No distractions...concentrate on story time, little kitties!!

Saturday 15 September 2007

Wiring

The vet is dissapointed that Olive's jaw is still loose. To cap it all, today we came back from shopping to find that the wiring on her teeth was hanging out of her mouth. Junior, of course, freaked out. I think it came loose because the kitten plays like a looney and has tugged the wiring out during play by biting stuff, which she's NOT supposed to do. Little tinker. Anyway, back to vets to get it sorted and Olive is now the proud owner of a lampshade collar...which she does NOT like. Still, hope it keeps her out of trouble until Monday, when they'll try and rewire her!!

Son no 1, girlfriend and Bobby have visited, took us out for the shopping trip and introduced us to the joys of the Wii.. I got whooped at virtual tennis, Junior didn't do that badly, but at least I'm safe in the knowledge that I can beat him at real badminton...much to his annoyance. lol.

Thursday 13 September 2007

Movement

Our belly-dancing lessons start up soon and Junior has been practising all week. Last term the tutor gave us all a cd each of arabic/belly-dancing tunes to practise to, if we so desired and which Junior has been flogging to death (neighbours..I'm sorry!) Wish I could video it, 'cos the concentration of that girl..plus it's cute when she can dance with total abandonment. We've got some henna paste, so we'll enter into the spirit of things and decorate our hands ready for the next lesson. Wiggling your hips in true belly-dancing style is blummin hard and quite funny. So much so that I spend half the time giggling uncontrollably. What must I look like? Lol No doubt it's quite comical watching us learners. The likes of Shakira and others with elastic hips have my utmost respect:O)

We've been doing some art and practical maths....ie; swapping furniture around and so lots of measuring with the dayglow measuring tape that we possess:O) Trying to get her to understand scale. We've been like a couple of removal men, like..as in the Chuckle Brothers..."to me, to you!". Lol Anyway, we're halfway there and I'm pooped, but the sooner we get it done the sooner I can put my feet in our foot spa:O)

Tomorrow is visit to the vet day for Olive's checkup. She is still playing like a looney...proper kitten play and she's biting things now...which she's not supposed to do!! But how do you stop a kitten from playing? Anyway, fingers crossed that her bones have stabilised and are healing and not loose like last time.



So, back to it. Odds on that this time I'm the one conked out by 8.30pm...me thinks.

Tuesday 11 September 2007

Map-reading

Been on walkabouts. About 8 miles and we are pooped!

Junior helped with the map-reading and I think she's got to grips with it and I'm really chuffed with her. Some of the public pathways are proper dodgy, though. Sort of ....creepy, eerie..WAY too quiet for two girlies to walk on....so we went the long way around. Sat and had lunch looking at the motorway, as one does.

Walking along the country roads when the public footpaths run out is quite dangerous. Try doing it with a youngster and two frightened pooches. Still, managed it this time without being flattened. But people DO drive way to fast. It's just plain daft.

Some piccies

Where there's lovely countryside, there always seems to be one of these!! It was SOOOOOO noisy!


Junior posing, clutching map


Some lovely new friends we made on our walk. Sweet:O)


Pirates of the Caribbean tonight. Bet Junior conks out before the film finishes:O) However. she reckons it'll be me in the land of nod first. Doubt it, 'cos I've been bitten by a mosquito and it's driving me mad!!! Anyway, we shall see.

Yes, Junior conked out at 8.30pm. I've had Johnny Depp and co all to myself:O) Lucky me.

Monday 10 September 2007

Orbiting Fairy Cakes

Junior has been listening to Harry Potter. We got the cds ages ago off ebay and have only just opened the box. She's also into 100 things you should know about Earth. We're at the sun and orbiting stage. We also went food shopping and are enjoying going to Aldi at the mo. Nice clean shop. Junior also did some crocheting. She's impatient and wants to be able to make granny squares before she can do chains....so I'm having to get her to chill and take it slowly....which is no good to her at all!! Her chainwork is actually very neat, so there's hope.

Yesterday, she insisted on making fairy cakes..for Syd..a sort of little ceremony that she had to do for him. Anyway, they were jolly nice, as Syd was:O)

Mmmmm....lovely....only a few left:O))


Then, she got the munchies and decided to make cookies..peanut butter. She sourced the recipe off the web and they were jolly nice, too!!

These are moreish!


Tonight, we made gnocchi and it didn't turn out like gloop this time. Yay!! Served with a lovely tom, onion and basil sauce. God, I love vegan food!!:O)))



My posts are boring at the mo. Don't feel well...too tired and not sleeping well - have a bit of a broken heart 'cos of Syd and knock back of recent events I suspect, too much to think about plus everyone I know seems to be in bad health, which does nothing for morale. Son no 2 is having a run of bad luck now. Even when your kids leave home you still worry about them. Once a parent, always a parent. The home ed related poverty gets to me too, especially being a singleton. I just hate that, the lack of funds I mean. Am sure I'll snap out of it soon once I find my mojo...but bugger me...can't remember where I put it!! I've become more forgetful than usual and put two loads of washing in and forgot to sit and watch it!!..as in put my foot on the door to prevent water from seeping. I was expecting a flooded kitchen when I eventually cottoned on to what I hadn't done..but it seems that if I put the washer on a certain programme, the leakage ain't that bad. Yipee. Saves me from being a captive audience.

Anyway, tomorrow we're going on walkabout, armed with our new ordnance survey maps, provisions and dogs to pull us up hill and dale:O) Hope the weather holds up.

Sunday 9 September 2007

End of an Era

This house will never be the same again. Our mate Syd has passed away:O(

I'm going to miss having all my pots and plants dug up, stuff chewed and all the other mischievous antics he got up to. He's no doubt digging up pots galore and chewing expensive sofas and telephone wires in bunny heaven:O) Hope he's found a girlfriend there.

We buried him at the bottom of the garden next to George rabbit, by our wishing well.

Our Syd

Saturday 8 September 2007

Funnies

Guess who had a REALLY, REALLY bad day and can't sleep? Best thing about today was that our free ordnance survey maps arrived...and very good they are, too.

Found these on my web wanderings. Junior will appreciate a couple of them...she's comatose at the mo. Well, it is nearly 1.am!!





Friday 7 September 2007

Organised or What?

Went to local supermarket yesterday for yet another sackload of catlitter and would you believe it, smack, bang as soon as you walk in there are.........chocolate advent calenders for sale!!!! Tescos have got some of their Christmas stuff up already!!! Arghhhhhhh!!!!

Anyway, she says smugly....I beat ' em to it....'cos I've already started my Christmas shopping and have three pressies safetly tucked away. Organised or what? This is GOOD for me....Ms Chaos-Scatterbrain:O)

No doubt I will forget where I've put them and have to buy replacements, but at least the thought was there..at the time:O)

Thursday 6 September 2007

Our feet are on fire!!

We've been on walkabouts today. Walked along one of the local trails. Junior made and packed sarnies, Ritz crackers and juice.

We have such beautiful countryside on our doorstep, literally two minutes away. Lots of farm and wild animals. We saw dragon flies galore. Old sure shot here was too slow to get any decent shots, but I was ok on the stuff that doesn't move:O) Next time, we're going to try and identify the plants and trees with our little countryside companion book which has such stuff in. Meanwhile, it's up with the feet for a little relax (minus our trainers) - ensuring that they're downwind from any noses!!





Wednesday 5 September 2007

It's hard work thinking up titles

Ancient Egypt was the reading for today. Junior's choice. We have instructions on how to make a death mask and a "The eye of Horus" charm. It's been quite good reading this together and I'm sure it'll be fun making Egyptian stuff, too.

Olive has been back to the vet's today for a checkup. Her broken palate, jaw and teeth are still a little loose, so she's on anti-bios for another ten days. Vet had to check her mouth to see how she has healed and she miaowed in pain for a little while...poor little thing. Infection is the big risk still, so she's still lording it in my bedroom. Vet said that you can't stop her doing kitten stuff (tell me something I don't know), so she's still whizzing about on occasion and being totally normal. Night time partying still going on!! It was quite sad while at the vets, 'cos a little dog had been put to sleep:O( The owner..an older lady, was understandably upset...carried her canine companian out... wrapped in a blanket to take home. She had a mate with her for support..and she was boo hooing, too. There were a couple of us in at that time and we were all in tears for the lady and her loss.

Bobby dog, the new Essex boy, is not too well, either. Son no 1 phoned today, while we were parked up in Morrison's car park (on the way back from vets - needed up-market kitten food for Madam) munching on sarnis and cream soda. He's only eaten one meal since going down south to live with son no 1 and has developed a limp, so he's been to the vets down there. Son no 1 has parted with £100 so far.. on anti bios, examinations, etc for the dog. Bobby is homesick and pining for us up here, so who knows what'll happen. He is actually a nice, animal friendly dog..just has a huge, deafening bark.

Bob and Junior


This wasn't meant to be such a miserable post. Anyway, things'll liven up here soon 'cos it's nearly kitten party time!!!!!...sigh....matchsticks for eyes required.....or do I sedate the little tinkers with sherry? (joke, by the way:O)