Sunday 29 December 2013

Silent Sunday

Saturday 28 December 2013

Judge Me ,

Do you judge what you see ?

Do you see a situation and make a snap judgement ?


Sometimes it's hard not to.

But spare a thought , what you see may have a reason behind it.


For example there was a less able person at the cinema who could still move , didn't really need help but I thought perhaps could have done with a hand perhaps from their family who had walked on ahead.


But then again , could I be wrong .

Could I be making a snap judgement ?

Perhaps they could be encouraging independence?


Who am I to judge ?


So when as a young parent I had a toddler with SEN issues screaming the supermarket down for cheese , or the fun times we had when he was screaming down the post office just because a package I collected wasn't for him. Or the moments he was obsessed with blue , or the occasions he refused to come into nursery shouting 'no' leaving me all flustered.

I am sure people were judging but I tried to block out any odd stairs and concentrated on what matter to me which was the well being of my son.

Judgemental is something I try not to be.


Friday 27 December 2013

Wild Woods Nearly Burn

The cat's ate the carpet.

It's the post Christmas slump.

What lifts a heavy heart?

A walk on the wild side , it tames the heart mind and the spirits.




It puts pay to the ghosts of Christmas past .


It reminds you of the here and now it reminds of what it is to be loved.


You can talk to the trees , they are always there they are constant just like family.


The closer you look, the harder you listen there is the heart beat of nature you just have to tune in to it.



This beats the Box sales, hands and hearts down.



But when someone endangers a woodland, when someone puts other people and homes in danger then my heart sinks a little.





But I believe in karma , what comes around goes around. I never wish harm on anyone, karma will sort.

I have to believe in something.

With belief is hope !


Monday 23 December 2013

Christmas It's The Icing On The Cake

Merry Christmas to one and all !

Thanks for sticking with me !

You must rather like me ?! 

I'll leave you with the Christmas cake my rather clever teen made !!






Saturday 21 December 2013

Slipping off the learning curve

I think I'm going to change direction with my open university course it's not quite what I was thinking and to be honest it's been a struggle going back after so long into further education. I'm going to have a word with my tutors and switch course still within education but less basis on theory . To be honest it's left me feeling  a little out of my depth , I hadn't reckoned on it being so.

I was left bereft.



I was puzzled.

I'm quite clever and yet.

I struggled .


I think it was the referencing sources that I struggled with.

So any tips , I would be grateful.

But I'm not giving up , why should I ! 

I had a hell of a year nerves wise but that's all behind me now.

So it's a case of circling the wagons.

Pulling up my socks and every other metaphor I can think of.

But best foot forward I do think I will crack it.



It may take me longer but what the hell !


Tuesday 17 December 2013

Days Come Days Go

Days come .

Days go.


But a constant remains..

Life .

Not always what you want it to be .

What you need it to be.

And despite having a very bad day , it's a case of pull my socks up, take a deep breath and reassess . Bad times do come in threes and there is a ying and yang I believe in life .

But family is life there is more that I can write here.  

And if I didn't laugh I cry !

What's your secret ?







Monday 16 December 2013

Twas The Night Before Christmas

Christmas it's the time of parties my son is heading off to a class party no longer is it party games and jelly and ice creams , and not forgetting the wonderful parent who put whistles in the party bags, oh that will be me!

No he's a teenager and he is growing up way to fast someone once said to me Christmas is just for Children , thesis wrong Christmas is time for families and that is what I want to have a family Christmas . In a few years no doubt I will be doing the washing from when he goes to university and ferrying him back and forth. No doubt I will be bereft when he is not here perhaps one Christmas but for now he is , I think I have equipped him for life though I am afraid he can't make a cup of tea as he doesn't like tea.


He has been made fun of for being a sensible boy and ribbed he is not joining in with antics quite frankly that shook me . He is the one that won't be a statistic because he is sensible and that is what I would rather have.


Well mostly sensible!

My favourite Christmas word is "Twas"

"Twas the night before Christmas"

It is that wonderful ethereal silence that descends before Christmas a time of reflection, a time of sorrow a time of joy, a time of mixed emotions.

This time of year I miss colleagues who have died, relatives and blogging friends who have also died or those who have suffered loss themselves.

I miss Multiple Mummy I cannot believe it is a year since she has died, I will forever treasure her post that she commented on that I did that was very apt for her it was an octopus.

So I am grateful for my family frolics, my racing about and I look and realise to coin a phrase" What a wonderful world it is"

And just once more "Twas"




Saturday 14 December 2013

Have Yourself a Nordic Christmas

Christmas comes but once a year and I've left the big one behind , no not the husband but my six foot Christmas tree this year influenced by what I saw at the Ideal Christmas show I've gone Nordic .












Wednesday 11 December 2013

Ferry Travel in the modern age.

Sponsored Post

My son has just got back from a rugby trip to Paris ! gone are the days when you just used to go to the local museum. School trips are meticulously planned and they don't fly unless it's to some where far far away. The mode of transport is coach and ferry and this time the school rugby team when all dressed in onesies! my own son under much protest when as a shark , it must have been quite a site on the ferry.

My son thought the environment of the ferry it was comfortable and stylish and the atmosphere was warming. He felt safe and enjoyed being able to walk around wish his friends and as they were in onesies  they were easy to spot for the teachers.!



Ferry to France vs Plane


Image source: Brittany Ferries - Ferry To France VS Plane


So travelling as a family on a ferry is something we will definitely think about.

Disclosure I have received a fee for hosting this post.

A New York Christmas.

A New York Christmas.


Christmas is more than a feeling.

Christmas how do you capture it? Christmas for different people means different things, it's true that as you get older Christmas changes. What initiates Christmas is it the sales of wrapping paper in July , is it the ground making John Lewis advert (poor bear ) is it the consumption of a glut of mince pies in November because they run out on the 30 November.

Also is the frantic case of bauble rage as you sit there threading cotton the umpteenth (insert word fudge buckets) one , only as you hang them up the cotton unravels .

I'll be honest this year I have not stepped one foot in town choosing to order stuff on line this it is quite different from the hustle and bustle of a New York Christmas some years ago and you know I miss it.




 I miss the sights.


I miss the sounds.


I miss the family moments.



Christmas is an experience you make.


And I believe in Christmas for what is Christmas without belief. 



Saturday 7 December 2013

Perfect Christmas Nativity Chaos

It's Christmas didn't you know it's been Christmas since August and Easter is only but round the corner. And you know what I swear blind that Cream eggs have shrunk.

Anyway back to Christmas and nativities are in full swing , baby Jesus has been gifted a Dalek and is sporting  a new Arsensal kit.

The wiseman are playing tag , the inn keeper shouts "no room at the inn , I'm not a charity case you know '




Angel Gabriel is refusing to come out of the toilet cubicle as she wanted to be Mary. The festive elf is having a melt down on Santas sleigh, being a carpenter in the recession is looking good for Joseph.

Mary is left wondering about tax credits and poor Joseph is in bits at the prospect of working till 68.

And low the shepherds are singing 'Gangnam Style ' 




Welcome to the frantic world of the nativity a parents pride , joy and burden for many a year. 

But you know what that chaos is my perfect Christmas either through my involment through my sons nativity of past years or that of school now.

You see how ever much there is chaos , the odd child crying, the refusal at first to come on , one of the wiseman chucking his gift at baby Jesus shouting" Noooo Nooooo"

The teachers wishing the mulled wine had actual wine in it .

No matter what the obstacle this is my perfect Christmas chaos followed by a beautiful silence after events. 

Now how to get that pen moustache off Mary ?

”Merry Christmas! This post is my entry into the Tots100/Argos 12 Days of Christmas competition.

Saturday Caption #satcap

I had a talk with my cat Rollie yesterday about how my page rank has come back and this was his reaction ...


Friday 6 December 2013

A Simple Kindess

You know what a simple kindness doesn't have to be a physical gift.


It can be a Facebook comment , a smile or even a tweet.


Simplicity matters.


Simple things.



The world doesn't have to be complicated does it now ?

Why can't more people be like that ?


Wednesday 4 December 2013

Running With The Wolves

I am balancing my studies it's a hard act between going back to unjversity and balancing family, work and blog life . Last time I was in study was 20 odd years ago studying Heritage Conservation at Nottingham with WEA . 

Never one to belong to the student crowd when I was 18 I saw my friends go to Oxford and Cambridge the very friends I had sat next to in Latin class. Don't let the romance of this take you in as study was and still is hard for me.

I excelled at school and as such was put into the top sets but then I was in the big league a mouse running with the wolves. I levelled out against such excellence and as such I didn't make it to university I had no alma mater.

So now I am thrown back into it and I was gutted when at first I bombed out memories came flooding back of not quite making it the first time as my friends happily settled into the life of Porter Blues !

So I had one to one tutorial and I feel I'm back on track.


Running with wolves is easy once you find your feet !

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Serenity Lane

I feel life is a blur as we all rush , rush towards Christmas !

It's an exciting time !

But sometimes I escape ...

To serenity lane ....


Sunday 1 December 2013

London By Lamplight





What happened when I decided to roam round London, inextricably linked with protests I ran into one of those but I didn't want to take a picture . The London I wanted to capture was the real London and a London in darkness is a very beautiful , hypnotic place.


Ooh and the angles just pure bliss !