Food

I know they mean well.

The ptb have just cottoned on that kids ought to be able to whip up the odd meal from scratch and understand where food comes from and what is good/bad for you, blardeblar.  They're making food technology compulsory for school-going 11 - 14 year olds.  So, from 2011,  be prepared to see lots of kids at 3.30pm, carefully carrying a big tin (that probably housed sweets in its former life)  containing their culinary offerings.. which they should then share with their families when they get home :o))  Good food made from scratch and then consumed at the dining table with all family members present.  Happy, non-obese families:o)   The ptb have even brought out a cook book for the kids containing basic recipes so they can try them at home.  Can be downloaded from here

So, for those who didn't know, instead of using eggs, milk and sugar, you can make custard with custard powder, sugar and milk, instead of opening a 20p tin:o)  If you are living in poverty, which would you have to have?  For some kids cold custard is better than no custard..if they have no leccy or gas in the meter.

In my day we had to cook meals from scratch because ready-made/fast food was non existent if you were "financially stretched".  My parents would be out at work trying to earn enough for food, etc.  Shift work, too.    Yes...it was a LONG time ago and I remember being hungry and my parents, do doubt, went without.   I suspect there are loads of hungry kids out there today who have to cook anyway, 'cos single parent has been oiked out to work "for their own good/be a good role model" and so can't be there at meal times with child to supervise and teach; so easiest way for kid to get fed is a ready made, stick it in the microwave meal.  Saves putting on the cooker and burning the house down.  

Today is shopping/bill paying day. Home Economics, life and all that.    So, off we will toddle in search of supplies (with what money we have left, that is!!!) which should keep us going for a week:o))  But, if Santa is to make an appearance this Christmas then we have to save a third so we now have £20 a week to get everything.  Bye bye nice soft loo roll.  lol    Wonder how many healthy and interesting recipes we can rustle up from our budget and using minimal fuel, seeing as fuel bills use up well over 20% of our income.   It would be way more if we ever had the heating on!!!

Spider Season

We seem to be the luxury residence for spiders!! Spider Central. Have evicted loads....and of the bloody MEGA size!!

We were going to the allotment...for a spot of mowing. "Round up the kitties" I tells Junior. "OK" says she. All are in....bar one Perdy...who is notoriously SHY:o) She is the smallest of the bunch, too:o)) Anyway, tells Junior to look in my room, as that seems to be the preferred feline 'hanging out' place of late, due to BIG window sill which means lots of sunbathing space:o)

She dutifully goes up and gives her usual shriek when spotting Incy Wincy Spider. "It's bigger than the one in the bath" she tells me in high pitched and worried voice. And by God, it was.. Spider version of He-Man!!! So, another eviction takes place.....WAY away from home this time:o)) I didn't have time to take a piccy, given that this little beast was hyper and was on track to do the 3 minute mile if I didn't catch it first!!!

So, where was Perdy?    Junior, with vivid imagination and near to tears asks. "Mummy, what if she got outside and the bats get her?" (Yes, we have bats on our road and the houses are relatively young).

Soooo, we search high and low. And, half an hour later,  there she was. In my crocheting WIP (work in progress) bag, which is hung on the bottom bannister with a whole lot of other things that shouldn't be there! No wonder we couldn't find her...she chose the perfect place for a bit of p & q:o)))
Aw!! We woke Perdy up in her hidey place:o)))

Hunny Pot...what big ears you have!! And don't you seem.....bat-like...with those ears...and mouth....and look?!

What do you mean, big ears?!!!!!!!!


Brad, if I could send you one (two are better...for company) then I would. With love. xx 'cos you are a kind bloke and they'd be safe with you. Where is Star Trek Travel when you need it, huh?

This says a lot.   I'm not saying I agree with war.   Why don't our soldiers get the same respect?

First Bit For Tony!! Tee Hee!!

Junior was about to sit on the "throne" when she requests my presence...with an urgent-sounding voice!!!!

Just look at what I had to evict tonight. It was rather large!! Only 'thing' I had to put it in was an empty cotton bud box. Unfortunately, it still had some sticky residue inside from the labels and Spider nearly lost a few of its legs, but I managed to set it free 'intact'. It is now roaming our road, looking for next residence!!!


Meg being dive-bombed for a quick drink!!! She always feeds them on the stairs nowadays. Funny cat!


We went to a home ed meet today and were away for ages. Kitties and Cilla were pleased to see us and very.....HYPER!!! Cilla is just so good. The kitties are lovely and SO funny but....I need to now instill a little...discipline!! No more climbing up curtains. No more jumping up on table. No more pooing in my plant pot!! No more nicking my tea when my back's turned when they have dishes full of kitten nosh and pricey Whiskas kitten milk . No more switching off the answerphone and getting us into trouble for not returning calls. Yep...discipline ...says she... who notices that Junior has been dive-bombed by five of 'em..purring away and cuddled up for the evening, or so they hope:o)))

I have a little Poet:o))

Autonomous works!

Been doing a bit more English with Junior.   She likes reading but isn't much into story writing, or so I thought.  I buy her pretty journals/notebooks/pens to encourage her to write and she generally ferrets away, mostly art, doodles, lists, etc.  This morning she tells me that she wants to gen up on her spelling so I ask her to dig out a little notebook/journal so she can log in the words and keep a record.  She brings one to me which is sort of half used but there are enough pages for our spelling use.  Anyway, I flicked through it and it turns out Junior, in her quieter moments,  has been busy with poetry and song writing:o)   Angels, hearts and beats are in there!!!! and even a tiny one for Gingernut!!...the dog with separation anxiety.  She wrote it while we were looking after Ging a while back.  (Gingernut, by the way, is still loyally devoted to my nephew and they are inseparable.  Even takes her to work with him.   Bless!)

For Gingernut xx

You don't have to bark

You don't have to bite

All you have to do

Is just be nice

I ask her, when did she do all this stuff, as it's very good?  "Oh, in my bedroom when I had nothing to do".  I'm glad it's happy stuff and not anything too dark.

Wonder if she has a little maths book squirelled away somewhere?  lol

Eardrums Kaput!

I have not been well of late.  Not surprising really, given my age!!  lol!   That time of the month.....lately it's more that time of the fortnight, if you get what I mean?    So, don't have the energy at the mo to get out and about as much as I'd like.   Hopefully,  shall feel up to it, soon.  

The constant wittering and complaining of one certain mother is still doing my head in, which does nothing to help.   She seems very confused by anger at times.  Angry at becoming old and so she's taking it out on moi!   Which means I am in 'switch off'/ignore' mode.  We kids are such failures, did you know,  'cos we are not all married, have big fat salaries, nice house, etc.  In other words, have the life she once wanted.   We're sort of happy as we are, but she doesn't get it.   Everything was ok, once upon a time, when we were car-mobile, but nowadays it's too difficult, time-consuming and expensive to gad around on trips together a la bus.  Think this is what she's missing...being ferried around and seeing places..it's the being kept occupied.   I can understand how she feels, it's just the put downs that get my goat at the mo, especially when I feel like crap anyway!!   Would be nice to have a little runaround, though....with James Bond type ejector seat:o)  I jest!!!

When I explained to mother that I was feeling crap and why...she reminded me that I could still, theoretically, have more kids.  So, she tells me to get myself off to the doctor's and get 'fixed'.  Charming!!!!!

Well,  have decided that, amongst other things,  no more putting it off....I'm going to tackling this sodding washing machine, once and for all, as I'm fed up of mopping up all the leaks and I've been doing that for the best part of 18 months!!!   How hard can it be to replace a rubber door seal?  Hmmm....we shall see:o))  Will take me three weeks to save up for the part, so we have time to 'read and digest' fitting instructions.  A good little project for Junior to assist on.  I'll tell  mother we're doing it for the nappies!!  lol

And, continuing with my black mood.....have been thinking of giving up the allotment.  All this rain must have addled my brain!!   Allotment politics!   I just hate and despise politics.   Shall have to weigh up the pros and cons of keeping it.  Apart from the obvious, it's such a great place for Junior to learn about things not just food.....and then there's that lovely view. ..and that pentagram-shaped herb garden we had planned.  Hmmm

Ah well,  cheer up time.  When all else fails, eat pudding!!  Lots of it:o)) 

Poison

This got me a bit mad.

All the crap I get off the old boys on the allotment to use this, as it is 'safe'.  Bollox!!

Sorry....again.....bloody language, Timothy!!

Pecking Order Re-established

Since Molly the cat munching dog left to live in a new feline-free home... the animal dynamics in our house have changed.

Cats Rule!!

The position of Queen Sorterouter/Bitch/I am Boss and have first say on sitting on Mum's knee..has, seemingly, shifted to little Megan!!  Sweet, little, unassuming, Meg....who is now 'Don't ****** mess with my kids' Meg!!  You would not believe it to look at her..........tiny, little cat that she is...but full of spirit.  Little lioness:o)    Can't blame the mog, given what a monster Molly was towards anything feline or smaller than she.  The kittens are so lovely and happy, but the mums guard them 24/7.   Popeye Dad, the 'big kid' plays with them.    Someone was due to come and collect 'long-legged and big footed' Henry the other day.  Never turned up...so that means he stays.  Fate and all that.  Junior, of course, is happy at this prospect...not wanting our little 'family' to decrease.  

Megan

Little She Cat!!

Sweet, gentle Cilla

So, poor Cilla dog....who truly wouldn't hurt a fly.....got snotted the other day for sniffing 'in peace by accident' at a family get together (Meg feeding some of the kitties...even though they are WAY too old).  Spit and spank...poor Cill!!...who now follows me EVERYWHERE for safety.

Anyway, boundaries have been drawn.  Cilla sleeps under my bed at night:o)  Cats downstairs.  They are the better guards if anyone DARES to break in.  God help their ankles!!!!

Megan, meanwhile, continues to catch, bring into our house and KILL......leaves!!  So funny.   Anyway, if she can train them right..the kittens I mean......just imagine..IF someone attempted to break in.  Nine sets of teeth sunk in to a leg.... and even more REALLY SHARP claws!!!   Ooooooooo.  Ow!