Friday 28 November 2008

DING DONG MERRILY ON HIGH

Guess what snow on its way aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!! So excited. The forescast this weekend is for it not to get above -1C, then on Monday, several days of snow yayayayayayay.
Secondly, public service announcement. Pete's blog is no more. It may come back online at some point but at the mo it is null and void. For details ask me privately as I can divulge no more in a public environment. nudge nudge... Only kidding. Suffice to say my husband's company are a bunch of American tossers.
Right last night the Christmas lights went on in Kilwinning. Oh what fun lalalalalala. Except it really wasn't. Mikey from BB came home to switch on the lights and a woman standing next to me pushed Amy & Caitlin out of the way so her small Yorkshire Terrier could get a better view of Mikey ????? Lots of people jumped up and down screaming for Mikey - he's not going to see you people. One surprise was a 12/13 year old boy who had pushed past us to get to the front, who then turned around apologised to me, chastised his friends for the same offence and then offered to put one of the girls on his shoulders so they could get a better view. I thought that was sweet. I couldn't face telling him that we really weren't interested in Mikey we just wanted to see the lights so we could go somewhere warm. (it was v v cold) A nice man gave me some free pakora and another nice lady gave me some free mulled wine. Hurrah!! the kids had a great time on the teacups, carousel and aeroplanes. They had a great time. Poor Cailtin was soo exhausted she was just in tears by the time we got home. We came home had some hot chocolate and apple strudel and watched Shrek The Halls.
I have more new hair, this time its super duper curly. I hope it lasts til tomorrow night. I also have new nails. Which might make a lovely sound while typing but I also make lots more mistakes so this may take a little longer. Another lovely thing was that a couple of days ago I had a hot stone massage. It was really lovely and fab but I was freezing all day after.
just about to go into Panto madness. Alice has another new song to learn. Incidentally, someone in the low green has their tree up already!!!! Now I love Christmas but wait til December kids.
I have finally finished clearing out the toyroom and all the goods have been sent to school for sale. Hopefully I can get the girls' rooms done before crimble.
Back to Panto madness. I have made a chicken and ham lasagne which we will eat as soon as we get back from school then off to the first run thru. I only need food and distraction for this one so phew.
I had booked tix for Singing Kettle at Braehead for the 12th Dec and now can't use them. They were for 5pm and Amy & Caitlin are now going to Largs with the school to see a show and won't be back til 4.15pm. I have no way of making it to Braehead on time. I can't swap them or get them refunded and its not sold out so I can't sell them so am going to end up giving them to the dance school as a raffle prize. Flipping great raffle prize...... gutted. They were great seats. Anyway 27 days to go. Yeeha!!!

Tuesday 25 November 2008

WALKING AND IRONING

Are my 2 favourite things to do with my spare time. It was a day to be glad to be alive. Only in Scotland do you get those crisp mornings where everything is white and sparkly yet the sun is shining in the sky and everything is clean. Take great big deep breaths in and feel your lungs cleansed - absolutely beautiful. So I went for a walk to appreciate the loveliness of the day and came back with the biggest ever smile.
Won't bore you with the work work work, bit of cleaning, nature of my day as you can't wait to find out who joined me in the bath. Well it was (drum roll) Who's Who in The Archers 2009 edition, perfect.
Tonight joining me and the modfather will be either the Archers again or John Masefield and his Box Of Delights (that was typed in Julian Clary's voice don't know how you're reading it).
Tried so hard not to punch the other parents at gymnastics. Why do they bother paying for gymnastics when they are so obviously top coached themselves. Well they must be since they sit there watching, criticising the coaches and trying to get their own kids attentions so that they can tell them to pay attention - WTF!!!! Don't get me wrong Amy & Caitlin did a fair amount of messing about but I'm quite sure Julia et al are more than equipped to deal with it. Think my findraising efforts on the various committees are getting confused. Today I took in a bag of goodies for the hamper for the school Xmas Fayre (this Saturday) only to be given strange looks and a "this is usually the staff that do the hamper and Parent Council donate raffle prizes and crap to be sold" - oops! Obviously the hamper stuff is for dancing - must check my notes drrr!!
Pete will be pleased to hear that after a half hearted clearout I have 2 boxes of toys and 1 box of books to go to the Fayre so far - hurrah!! Just have to find time in my busy schedule to get them there. Think mum has a box of stuff and Alison has a box of books at work which I will have a pruch through at some point before giving them away. My angels are all fine which is good and all is right with the world today. Well apart from when I made a cake and it was a bit crap. Semolina and Yoghurt Cake with a Pomegranite Syrup. Hmm, rock hard and the cardammon seeds made it quite queer. Still syrup's nice and the kids didn't complain. Yesterday I finished 2 books and today I finished 2 films that I've been meaning to watch for a while (well I was ironing). Ironing is a bit like running. I hate running and the only thing that keeps me going is listening to music. Ironing, I don't hate but I might if I didn't have a good film to watch. Anyway watched Notes On A Scandal and Little Miss Sunshine. The former was very true to the book and not sure if this is good or bad, I feel indifferent toward it as I did the book. The latter was exceptionally sweet and charming. The characters were fabulously written and acted, where you can go from despising every last one of them at the beginning to really caring for them all at the end. Which brings me to tonight's poser? Apart from the truly awful Muriel's Wedding has Toni Collette ever been in a bad film?

Monday 24 November 2008

RAT UPDATE

Sorry,
forgot to let you know that the rat (or half rat) is still there due to extreme sleet showers and high winds, he has kind of moved a bit and is very soggy now. I thought I could pluck up enough courage to scoop it as I am now convinced it may be dead, however, my husband informs me we have no shovel. Will keep you updated - maybe the dead half rat should have its own blog. :)

WHINGEING MIDDLE CLASS NONSENSE

Ah the difference a good night's sleep and some fancy pants make. Felt much better on Sunday when I woke up, had a better night's sleep and put on some new undies and very nice they are - grey chiffon with little silver stars with a diamonte in the middle of each star, sweet.
So as I spread some Strawberry Bonne Mamman on my homemade bread I realised what a whingey pants I really am. what a lot of nonsense I must have been really grumpy. And what middle class woes - never mind how will I survive til next week with no pennies, or oh god, one of my relatives might not see Christmas what do I moan about, well I might as well have bloody well said my Chardonnay wasn't chilled enough boo hoo, I had to drink Earl Grey instead of Lapsong Souchong (mmm yum on all counts actually)
So no more whingeing about nothing. Came to realise, especially last night after having bad dreams and turning round twice to find he wasn't there, that I must be missing my boy. I really need a sounding board. I am doing a lot of talking to myself but then not a lot new there. This is quite a cathartic experience but even shouting at X Factor is not as much fun by yourself. Fun for one, don't think so.
So fast forward to Monday evening. Apart from plenty more work and the usual child chaos, I went to a meeting for the Dance School Committee and got put in charge of organising the night out - it's always me isn't it. Luckliy, my secret lazy weapon is that mum already did a lot of research for Alison's 40th in Feb and this is for the week before. Job done, nice one mum, El Mando the hero. Amy is becoming too attached to the monkey hat and I'm not really helping by not being more forceful about getting her to give it up. She does look very cute if a little bit simple.
The first Crimbly film of the year. Me and the kids sat down to watch Home Alone. They giggled a lot at the trailers in the menu screen but they didn't quite dig the whole "oh shit you mean your whole family just bugger off and forget about you and leave you with a giantic tarantula in the house, 2 scary bad men who want to harm you and an old man next door who you've been told is a serial killer" kinda vibe. Take note B movie directors. So it was ended before any of the funny kid gets revenge bits. I may try to introduce these later in the week.
Now to bath. Having finished 2 books today I am in a quandry about who should join me in the bath this evening along with The Script. It may be Peter Ho Davies (The Welsh Girl) or MC Beaton (Death of a Dustman). You decide, except you don't, I do. Speaking of which watched a brilliant bit on Breakfast News this morning about how there should be an X factor-y type vote for the new Poet Laureate. Can you imagine giving the viewers of Jeremy Kyle and Loose Women a vote? Jade Goody for Poet Laureate anyone? Goodnight.

Saturday 22 November 2008

OUT OF CONTROL

I haven't posted for a couple of days mostly cos I'm pissed off with the world in general at the moment. I mentioned the other day that the cracks are beginning to appear and they certainly are, things are totally cocking up. Not in a big, oh my god, call the cops blah di blah way but in a small understated way that to a OCD control freak like me is in danger of crashing my whole operating system (see what I did there:)) I am the person who gets freakied out by my mugs being used in a non specific random way and not in the carefully controlled way I arrange them. I have to eat my food around the plate in a clockwise direction stopping at compass points. I know all of this is insane and if being a mother has taught me anything it is to try and not be so rigid with my systems and timings and whatever as kids don't really have the same logic (not that any of it is logical) and are the masters/kings/gods (all masculine forms of the word hmm strange given my 3 daughters) of random.
Anyway, things that I have absolutely no control over are conspiring against me and making me extremely upset as I have to have full control of everything. Stupid things like the complete vast chasm of crapness that is e-bay (I hate them, I hate all the punters, I hate e-bay.), the dvd recorder won't record on to dvd (what's the point then - exactly) and now sky plus hd is about to break down again.............. thankfully these are the trivial things.
I'm feeling the pressure of being superwoman all the time. But I can't let the persona slip as I have gobbed off so much about how my life is a piece of cake and I can handle everything. Perhaps I'm just hormonal and I'm letting things get to me, maybe I'm missing my boy and being able to let off steam to someone else occassionally.
Anyway enough of the I hate this and I hate that, the kids are fab and keep me laughing. Today's debate was who is cleverer Archie from Balamory or Dr Doofenschmirtz from Phineas and Ferb?? This debate raged for much of the morning.
Next, what's worse than a dead rat in your back garden - half a dead rat on your back step, that's what. i'm hoping that if I try to starve one of the cats they might take it away cos I really can't go near rodents dead or alive. That's the real reason for keeping a husband around. I can't exactly phone my dad or get someone from the garage to come and dispose of half a dead rat.
Until such times as the dead rat is removed laundry is suspended so I don't have to go near it.
Cooking-wise, I made some seafood chowder, turkey and apple burgers, some nice roast red pepper sauce, currys and stir frys. I'm stocking up the freezer as we are about to go into show mode and cooking will be the last thing on my mind when I return late at night with 3 tired showgirls.
Finished my Agathan Raisin book, it was okay. Hoping to finish a Jill Mansell one later tonight. Alison was giving a talk on reading and what it means to her today at a Readers' Day organised by the library. It had 4 authors giving talks and then her and one other. Very proud of her.
Speaking of Alison, we were out on Thursday night and we were coveting dresses in Hobbs, as you do. I dissed her dress choice for Gillian's wedding, purely because it was a short-ish shift dress which I think would make her look straight up and down and she needs something with more movement and shape. However, she got her own back when I showed her one that I had chosen and she told me it looked cheap and nasty and like a big red sack. Now I'm in a total flappity flap about what I'm going to wear to the wedding.
I think the world spun a little of its axis this week. John Seargant left Strictly and I had a night out and I did have a few glasses of wine. Alcohol ruins lives kids. If I can stay off the alcohol and get a good night's sleep then things might just get back on to an even keel.
Giving in to random may not be such a bad thing. just a bit too scared to see what its like over there in randomland.

Thursday 20 November 2008

THE CRACKS BEGIN TO APPEAR......

I didn't post last night for 2 reasons. 1) It was a fairly dull day and 2) I couldn't be bothered I wanted to have a bath with Will Young and Katie Price (now that's surely a gay man's dream come true, come to think of it I think I may be a gay man - musicals, cooking, bitchy, enormous amount s of style, the evidence just keeps growing)
Anyhoo, Alice was off school again but again I had to drag her around a few work related chores and to feed the mad dogs - the fecking cat just cannot seem to use a litter eurgh! Chief looked to be on his last legs and it was very upsetting to watch. A phonecall later from Alan seemed to suggest that I really should have been giving the poor mutt some sort of medicine for the last 2 weeks. Great, so now through sheer incompetence I shall be responsible for the death of a poor old dog.
The children were all in great form this afternoon. The were funny and cute and sweet and I love them all dearly. Miracle cure - Calpol 6+ Meltlets, one tablet and Alice's temp dropped for the first time in 48 hours.
Not great form - E-bay and Paypal. Total bastards. E-bay threw off all my listings for not complying with rules that I very much complying with. And Paypal won't fix my problem of confirming credit cards. I hate them both and especially cos you can't phone them and shout at a grunt and scare them into fixing all your problems - aarrrghhh!!!!
Got some more exercise in- hurrah!-while on the phone to Marion sorting out Tooth Tunes for the kids Xmas (close your eyes little Bouchers). Also spoke to me bez - Yay, yay and more yay!! She texts to say have you got a spare 10mins for a chat and an hour later I hung up - oops!!
Never mind it was great to speak to her and her boy and I miss them very much but that's the Carter Crimble also sorted (look away little Carter). PDB sounds more cheerful these days and Amy stayed with me to the bitter end to speak to him tonight, the other 2 said their bit and went to bed, well Caitlin nearly did but she was very busy drawing. Amy had a wee accident while I was on the phone. you know that pub game where you spin around a brush and then try to walk. Well she did that minus the brush but plus a monkey hat, some Dora Pjs and gloves. Whilst attempting the walk bit she crashed face first on the floor, the monkey hat was no protection.
She actually went to bed in the monkey hat, she was so cute I had to take a pic, cruel but soooo cute.

Tuesday 18 November 2008

SAILING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO NORMAL

Just a quickie as not a lot happened today. On an aside, which is better the slipper or the slipper sock? Granted the slipper sock is very cosy but you can't nip out to the washing in your slipper sock without getting soggy toes. Hmm.
So Alice wakes up with a raging temperature and complaining of stiff legs - her explanation: she must have been growing last night. She could be right. Decided to keep her off school today, no point sending her for her to be sent home again. Amy & Caitlin weren't too bothered, wellapart from Caitlin, who spent a long time considering who sher should sit beside at lunch time.
Alice and I spent a pleasurable enough day together. She got progressively better as the day went on (and the drugs kicked in probably) As a precautionary measure Amy & I have started downing a Black Elderberry supplement to boost our immune systems. As I say nothing much of note. Work, cleaning, looking after children and dogs, taking kids to gymnastics, got some exercise done - hurrah!! at last.
So over to the kids and really can some up their day thus - Alice claimed that this was the worst day of her whole life - no school, no gymnastics, forced to chill - not good!! Amy nicked Alice's magnifying glass and natural history book in a trying-hard-to-impress-my-big-sister-by-being-like -her kind of fashion and managed to drop and smash it to bits. Caitlin managed to superglue her hand. Not to anything thank God but I don't know what mess she left behind at Granny's as she claimed this was where she found the Superglue - oh joy of joys I will have tomorrow trying to unstick the cat from a chair.
And on that note I take my leave.

Monday 17 November 2008

NASTY COLD 2 BOUCHERS 0

How come Pete's been away over a week yet I'm still ironing shirts and washing pants - how? Just watched Knocked Up. It's rubbish. Anyway today's events. Slept in as I had set the alarm for 6pm and not 6am. D'oh! Missed the morning workout and straight to the getting ready bit. Loved wondering around in my velcro rollers a la 50s housewife. Caitlin seemed a lot perkier today, thank goodness. Alice ate far too many bowls of Curiously Cinnamon (formerly Cinnamon Grahams - seriously chaps, sack your marketing manager these are both very poor attempts). After feeding the mad dogs, left the children at work and off to the docs. I just love the mad doctor. I got a great story about how one day he correctly diagnosed a woman's conditions to which I said "yay you" as I couldn't think of a more appropriate response. Anyway, I am now being tested for Coeliac disease and Endometriosis and have been referred for further gastro-intenstinal and gynalogical testing - lovely, lucky me.
Went to work, picked up by bits and bobs. Only another 5000 items to list on e-bay, yay :(
Picked the kids up from Gran's and then went shoe shopping. Not for me though. Had to get the kids some winter boots suitable for school. Got some nice ones in Brantano for Alice and Caitlin but not Amy. Amy's feet are a weird size. She was an 8.5, Clarks size now 9, however, no size 8 or 9 would fit her - aarghg!! Cailtin went into a massive sulk in the shop because the only size 9 appropriate was one with a flashing butterfly. Sounds lovely, yes? Not when your twin sister is trying on a pair that are patent black with black sequins. Sulk was over when Caitlin tried on Amy's (size8) and claimed they were THE most comfortable boots ever. So Caitlin got a pair of size 8 boots (they probably are large made because they were too big for Amy). I give it 2 weeks max before whe claims they are sore. Alice got a pair half a size too small too. We'll see. Shopping is so much easier when the children are not there. We traipsed round every shop looking for a pair for Amy to no avail. Matalan here I come.
Lunch - no-one ate anything. Iworked some more in the afternoon and the kids played downstairs. Got everyone ready for Tap & Theatre when Alice started crying for no reason, claiming that there was something stuck in her throat and that she felt strange. I still packed everyone off but she cried all the way to Irvine. This is so not like her that I decided she probably was genuinely ill. Decided to keep her off dancing, after she convinced me she knew the dances. Unfortunately, I still had to go do jobs so had to drag her to the post office, to work to wrap up door cards and then back to dancing. Fed the mad dogs came home for a lovely slap up breakfast - Pete look away now - sausage, bacon, egg, beans, mushrooms and toast, yum, yum, yum.
Alice and Cailtin went straight to bed after bath, after some medicine each. Amy stayed up to speak to Pete - its when her smile is at its biggest.
Have been re-thinking the seating layout in the front room. Think I will give myself a 2 week time limit to get rid of the old suite and then get a new chaise and 4 seater for the room. As usual, I'll forget and then try and get something last minute blah blah blah.
So school's back tomorrow so I'd better go and make 3 packed lunches, polish the shoes and get my work together for the morning. Must ask Pete where to plug the Wii and why the outside sockets aren't working. Or I should really try to be more self sufficient. Tired, yawn....

Sunday 16 November 2008

FIZZ BANG CHRISTMAS ARRIVES - OFFICIALLY

Since yesterday was spent running around making sure everyone was where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there before collapsing on the sofa with a bowl of Irish stew, some apple tart and Strictly its not worth talking about. Still glad Daniel dead wife has gone from X Factor. (don't know why I'm watching that show I hate everyone in it- mind you gives you excellent small talk material)
Sunday started with Alice climbing into bed with me (made a change from Caitlin I suppose) and we played Phineas and Ferb Spot The Diff for a while - most amusing. Amy woke up having a crying fit about missing Daddy, until she too realised what fun Phineas and Ferb Spot The Diff is. I spent the morning cleaning, while Alice roller skated and Amy & Cailtin played with Barbies in the bedroom. In the afternoon , I took Alice to drama, where she was to have a photocall. I came ill equipped with no make up, limited hair products and only one costume. Luckily she only needed her giant costume. Will put up a pic when I work out how to get it off my phone. It meant I had to hang about with an ill tired Cailtin and a very giggly Amy for an hour.
When we eventually came home I cleared out the Cupboard Of Doom, very satisfying.
We picked Alice up and came home to collect Bethan and me and the 4 girls traipsed off to Glasgow. There we met up with Alison & Jaclyn and all headed into George Square for the big switch on. When we arrived Singing Kettle were on stage so the girls, especially Amy, were highly excited. It all got a bit wriggly as we had a sing-a-long to Slade's Merry Christmas Everyone and Craig Chalmers singing Any Dream Will Do. But luckily the 3-2-1 came around quickly and the lights went on. And with the lights came the fireworks. They really are quite awesome, so beautiful and my oohs, wows and aahs were genuine. The start of the display was in time to The First Noel and Joy To The World, which was very moving and really beautiful. That is my only criticism, if only the whole display had been to music - sigh!- I would have cried, really. I got the short straw as I had to carry both Amy & Caitlin, my arms are aching even now as I type. Jaclyn lucked out as she got Alice.
We took a trip around the square, in our flashing bunny ears, taking in the Christmsa tree, Santa's sleigh and reindeers and, of course, the bronze nativity. It was all so lovely. Headed to the station for Burger King and then jumped on the train home - pah! heaving train, platform 11a, tired children grr....
Home to chaos of getting Bethan off home, phoning Pete and Marion, getting tomorrow's work done and eating more than a bagel at some point today. Did it all, but not the ironing- boo!
So that's it, I have very few Christmas cards so I must get some and must come up with a great gift idea for the kids from Nanny and Grandad. Anyway, Christmas starts here - JOY TO THE WORLD !!!!!!!

Saturday 15 November 2008

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DUVET

Glad I'm posting this in the morning as I was so cross last night I probably couldn't have and shouldn't have posted.
It was a mixed bag yesterday. Started at 4am with Cailtin coughing up some seriously disgusting stuff and then deciding to sleep in my bed, not after she'd wanted to have a chat about this and that.
When I got up for real, I made the breakfast, got the kids ready and headed for mad dog feeding time. Alan must have lost it with Eric the night before as the cat was out and fresh paper was down. Popped in to work, dogs and children were running wild - does any work go on there?? Nipped to Morros for some ingredients and home again home again clippity clop. It was a fairly quiet day.
But lets get on to the favourite topic of food!!! We made some awesome brownies, involving 2 bars choc, 3 crunchies, 4 dime bars and a bag of marshmallows. After lunch, Alice insisted we use her Baking book from the library to make Marmalade pies. They were actually fairly easy and quite tasty. I also made some homemade gnocchi for tea and some puff pastry pizzas. We had some stories in the afternoon as I introduced the girls to Holly the Christmas Fairy and all the books she had brought with her. The girls played on the computer for a while while I tidied and cooked.
Cailtin still being quite ill, it was gymnastics for Amy and Alice only. Amy did fine. I took Amy & Cailtin after gymnastics to feed the mad dogs. Am quite worried about Chief. His back legs were really splayed and struggling and he looks quite clapped in, will need to keep an eye on him.
While I was making dinner, Caitlin, who had been rapidly going downhill, popped upstairs to my bed to sleep. Ginger popped up after her and peeed all over my bed and over Caitlin. I have never been so furious. I was going to kill the cat but she ran and hid and I couldn't find her. I will find her and I will kill her. It's a new duvet every 2 weeks. The people at Asda must think I have a continence problem. Picked Alice up, still furious. Put all the kids to bed with a chapter of Gobbolino and went off to do my Tesco shopping and answer all my ebay queries. Spoke to Pete on the phone and he made me furious too.
I had posted a comment on his blog the night before as he was being all maudlin and depressed and give him a verbal kick up the arse, and he deleted my comment!!!! How outrageuos is that. I don't like what you say so I'll delete it. That is the most awful censorship and from the person who loves him most in the world and was trying their damned hardest to help. I can't be there in person to help and to soothe and cajole, the best I can do is to do it virtually. Phone time is also precious so this is the best option I have. I cannot believe he censored me.
So furious and duvetless I headed for bed. The best thing that happened - I lost 6 pounds! Hurrah! The worst - I ran out of time again!!!!

Thursday 13 November 2008

A WEE SHAME

I am officially brainwashed there I am making dinner and trying not to notice that an organic cabbage is about half the size of a normal one when you discard all the bits that have been munched on by an organic caterpillar, when I notice that I am watching Brian O'Brian and Suite Life of Zack and Cody - aargghh!! To be honest, given the alternative is in Gaelic, maybe its not such a bad thing.
I knew today would not go well from last night. Cailtin went to bed coughing and Amy woke up during the night and trashed her bed, crying that she missed her daddy - ho hum. When I woke up this morning, Amy was once again crying because I hadn't come through to wake her up and she had to get up by herself - eh? - Caitlin was crying because she felt miserable and Alice said "Oh finally you're up we're starving. Has the world spun off its axis? Usually these children cannot stay out of my bed and enjoying jumping on my head and shouting in my ear to make sure I'm awake. Strange little people.
Hunger and food have been a running theme today. Cailtin not eating, the accusations of starving , my usual obsessions and Amy stealing sweets because she claimed she was hungry. I was very cross when I found her, mini pack of Rolos in hand and the chair placed against the worktop to climb up and nick them. When she did say sorry after being banished to her room to "think about it", I'm still not entirely sure whether she was sorry for doing it or getting caught.
It was a wee shame for Cailtin. Her temperature was very high today, she has spent the day either lying on my bed or on the sofa, sucking on her thumb. She doesn't want to eat and she's just not happy. And she's covered in snot - bless. The other two monkeys were on some sort of happy pills because they played really well today. In the morning after feeding the mad dogs and cleaning up copious amounts of cat shit - RIGHT NEXT TO THE FECKING LITTER TRAY!!!!!! and popping some books back, Cailtin still in PJs, I worked and cleaned while the kids played and watched Dora Saves The Snow Princess. Just before lunch we made snow globes and they all made a really nice job of it. I couldn't get anything to stick to the lid of Amy's and we were trying to put a Dora figurine on when I had the magical brainwave of using Superglue. Or at least I would have done had my husband not superglued the superglue to the shelf of the cupboard. In the end I sellotaped Dora on, which obviously didn't last long and now she's kinda floating about in the glitter.
In the afternoon, we had lots of stories and we were going to have some games but then I got ties up with some more work. On the plus side that means I have some time tonight to exercise - seeing how its weigh in tomorrow thought I should make the effort.
On the long running saga of Paypal, it would seem that Paypal have a problem with cahoot cards and will not verify their existence - great. And my Clydesdale card was supposed to have been registered with secure code 5 weeks ago. How am I supposed to know I don't use it. So I have tried as much as I can to rectify these problems and now will attempt to register the work card, this could be fun.
The hunt for a dress for the wedding continues. Debenhams have their mega day tomorrow. Will look for a present but am not going to buy a dress. i hope to have lost more weight by the wedding.
The advent calendars arrived today - it is officially now 6 weeks to Christmas I think I'm allowed to start getting excited and mentioning it A LOT. They are very cute and I think they suit everyone down to the ground. It is so hard to find advent calendars that don't have choccies and are nice traditional old fashioned open the door ones. But ChristmastimeUK is the place to be. Amy's has a pic of a Christmas tree covered in glitter, Caitlin's has 3 wise men with pom pom beards and Alice's has the tradtional nativity manger scene but every day you add numbered stickers to the scene (oh yes Amanda so hard to get those traditional calendars with doors) and mine is a Night Before Christmas house with lots of doors and windows, a la Christmas Vacation.
So not much to write about tonight. I have started an Agatha Raisin book and so far so good. Shame we couldn't get to the Science Centre but a rest is as good as anything for this lot.
Better go and serve dinner before they accuse me of starving them again.

Wednesday 12 November 2008

NEW HAIR, NEW ATTITUDE

Haven't posted since Sunday, mainly cos I've been far too busy. Work has just gone insane. Advertising scrap cars and breaking the parts maybe a great money spinner, but jesus, the admin work involved is immense. That coupled with the fact that Paypal have put limitations on my account and won't accept i'm me and those are my cards and I could totally freak out. Luckily, as the week progresses the kids have less on at night and so time becomes a tiny bit less precious.

Monday was just chaos. Instead of my usual Monday morning of nipping into work to catch up on my weekly tasks then get back home to crack on with the work and make a bit of a dent in my weekly hours, I was there until after 2pm, trying to sort things out. This meant no lunch - boo! and no exercise- double boo!! (although I had managed a sneaky 45 minutes in the morning with Clare Sweeney). So after school run, dance run, nip in to Tesco to spend vouchers on stocking fillers and some lovely new decs., back to dancing, make the dinner, do the homework and all the usual evening routine I was shattered. Back to concentrating on work, while watching some DVDs. Finally finished work about 10ish and went to make the next day's lunch blah blah blah. I was in a foul mood. The children had moaned all day long and I wsa snapping at them - I think it was a vicious circle of moan and snap. I was a fairly miserable git.

Slept in on Tuesday - that never ever bodes well. Nipped in to work and then to feed the mad dogs, had forgotten about them and had to turn back and do it - oops!! Back home eventually and back into a cycle of work, clean, work, double clean as Aunt Jean was coming to babysit and I didn't want her to think we were scummy swines. Off to Gymnastics, spoke to Marion on the phone which was pleasant enough and Jaclyn about Sunday's Christmas Lights Switch On in Glasgow - she's going to come YAY!! Fed dogs and dashed back home to finish of dinner, bath and feed children before Aunt Jean turned up and I dashed off to Parents Night.

Parents Night was fine, great really. It's lovely to have other people praise your children so highly. And it's lovely to hear that maybe I'm not doing such a bad job after all. The 3 girls are apparently kind, lovely, confident happy children - who could ask for more. :) Both Amy and Caitlin had written in their news books about Daddy going away to work on an aeroplane and Amy had added how much she missed him, brought a great big lump to my throat, Alice's newsbook was full of stories about going to try on flower girl dresses and having sleepovers. Apart from Monday's entry, where she had drawn a poppy and written - Yesterday was rememberance day, we had to keep quiet and remember all the soldiers who died in the war. I thought I was going to burst into tears, how thoughtful can a 6 year old be. Earlier in the day, the news was full of how young people don't know the significance of poppies on the 11th of Nove so it did make me very proud. I had planned, once home to have a bath and an early night. However, Marion phoned just after 8, so I was 30mins on the phone, then had something to eat and then worked. So by the time I crawled into bed it was getting late and I was very tired.

And so to today...

As I stayed up so late last night, I lay in a bed probably a bit too long, so there was yet another mad dash to get ready and an even crazier dash to try and cobble together 3 lots of £1.70 for lunch. Job done, out the door and on time, phew! After dropping off at school, off to feed the mad dogs only to find the cat had shit everywhere and the cleaners were due. Have never cleaned out a litter tray so fast -so fast I actually got covered in cat poo, in to the bargain the parents had left the extra litter in a storage box in the porch on the highest possible shelf - HELLOOO, how mad are you?? Job done and a foot down all the way, through the streets of Kilwinning, Stevenston and Saltcoats to get to the hairdressers. Went to the wrong car park and it seemed fate was once more conspiring. After nitgate it was a tense time in the hairdressers. Every time Robert paused I waas convinced he was going to go eurgh!! or call someone else over. My heart was in my mouth for hours. Anyway, after all the tension and chat about 40s inspried dos, shoes, X Factor etc, I came out with a fab new hairdo. It feels strange to be dark again, will have to review make-up, shoes, accessories.

Home for another non-lunch and more work then off to work for some more erm work. My hours for this week are now completed and its only Wednesday. I s'pose that's good bearing in mind that the schools are on holiday for 3 days. Need to go and do the ironing now, A&C were impeccably behaved today I must say. At school, Cailtin loved my new hair and even brought her teacher over to see "Mummy's new hair". Amy was not so impressed and burst into tears because "we don't match anymore". She was soon tholled by a promise of pink nail varnish just like mummy's. Alice went off to drama and me, Amy and Caitlin painted our nails. I made a 3 course meal tonight, lentil soup, garlic lamb with cannellini bean stew and berry ice cream. Quite impressive for the short space of time I had. Hurrah!
Took Amy & Caitlin out in their pjs and boots to pick up Alice. She was bubbling over with excitement when I picked her up, she's going to be in the finale, getting to walk down the stairs on her own. That is very very exciting. She has been praticising her actions as well. I hope she remembers all this on stage.
Today's questions:
Should I buy some new shoes to match my new hair?
Should I have a Christmas cocktail party for Parent Council?

Sunday 9 November 2008

Tears and Tissues

I bid farewell to my husband at 3am this morning, trying so hard to be brave for his sake. He was so upset about the whole thing that I couldn't add to his woes. I locked up, went back to bed and cried and cried and cried some more. After a while, I realised that all this was achieving was a blocked nose, a puffy face and a bed full of snotty tissues. Still couldn't sleep so read a book with mobile clutched in grubby mitt, just in case it all fell through and Pete was on his way home - hurrah! The call didn't come but eventually sleep did and all too soon it was morning and I had to start the day on my own.
The children, who had been so downhearted about Pete's departure the day before, sprang out of bed and went off to play the guitar and pretend to be puppies. After attending to the normal daily tasks, it was off to skating and to explain to the first lot of people I saw that yes, he was finally away- gulp! I was very proud of my girls who managed to observe the minute's silence. Amy finally decided enough was enough, though with skating and came off ice 15 minutes into her lesson, complaining of the cold. I'm not going to fight her on this any longer, that's her skating career over I s'pose. Home again, lunch and off to drama with Alice. Back home and start tidying out the spare room - with Amy's help. Whilst putting away the Halloween decs I got covered in dust and dirt and yuk. Back out again to drama, sat in the car as I got there a bit early and when I finally went in, Alice was sitting with the teacher and had been finished for 20 mins - the other kids had mobiles to phone home but obviously Alice didn't. She was fine about it and so was the teacher, thank goodness.
Dinner was mushroom stuffed chicken, pots and veg. The kids had Yorkshires too and ate really well tonight. Lost my temper with them when Pete phoned, I couldn't make him out very well and they were skipping and dancing about and generally being kids - I feel rotten about it but I wasn't thinking about them I was being very selfish and just wanted to hear that he was okay. It was great to hear his voice and that everything is going so far so good. I hope this trip is everything he wants it to be. Skype is great.
Had another fall out with Caitlin at bathtime when she refused to get out of the bath - I hate having to shout at or punish the children. It breaks my heart. One chapter of Gobbolino and it was off to bed. Alice had another chapter of Fira and the Full Moon and they were all fast asleep in seconds. Have had to de-flea the whole house. Both me and Amy have mysterious bites and it is far too cold for midges. Just as I get rid of the nits, fleas arrive. I mean puke!!!
As part of my keep busy campaign I did the ironing, made tomorrow's lunch and am now doing this - it's past my bedtime now YAWN!! Watched some Entourage, Strictly (goodbye Heather) and A History Of Scotland, which was absolutlely fascinating. V. sleepy now which is good as I don't want to be in bed alone- boo!
However, tomorrow is another day, no more tears. Lots of work to do tomorrow.