Another year nearly gone

Another year is nearly been done with - confined to the realms of history - and I cant say I`m sorry. A new year always seems like a fresh strart - and heaven knows, I need one.

So, I hope everyone has a good night tomorrow, whatever you`re doing. I dont think I`ll be doing anything exciting. Just having a drink and watching television - not like last year aboard the Athena, watching an incredible firework display engulfed by the warm Madiera breeze. Mmmmmm! And sipping champagne and having fun. I wish I could go away for christmas and new year every year.

Goodnight, and goodbye to 2007. See you next year.

Spoof version of Desiderata

Interneterata

Go placidly amid the spam and waste,
and remember what peace there may be in a decent firewall.
As far as possible without surrender
never run untrusted executables.
Post your comments quickly but clearly;
and read the others,
EVEN THE ONES IN CAPS, and the ignorant;
we too were noobs once

Avoid trolls and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the forums.
If you compare yourself with others,
make sure they've got less posts than you;
for always there will be greater and lesser members than yourself.
Enjoy reading news sites as well as your blogs

Keep interested in your own myspace, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your ebay affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for prompt delivery;
and everywhere life is full of fast payers.

Be yourself.
Esspecially, do not feign wikipedia credentials.
Neither be cynical about social networking;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is actually a pretty cool technology.

Take kindly the counsel of the moderators,
gracefully surrendering to their wishes.
Nurture strength of hosting to shield you in sudden slashdotting.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of FUD and hype.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be careful what you click.

You are a child of the internet,
no less than the TBLs and the ESRs;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the web is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with W3C,
whatever you conceive It to be,
and whatever your language and protocols,
in the noisy confusion of code keep compliant with your standards.

With all its spam, privacy policies, and broken links,
it is still a beautiful net.
Use Firefox.
Strive not to be hacky.

---

If you copy this, please link back to puremango.co.uk
Thanks :-D

Have a great christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas and Best wishes for 2007

50th Approaching rapidly

My 50th Birthday is now approaching rapidly. More to the point - its my party a week on Friday, which I`m looking forward to. But I still cant believe that I`m going to be 50. It just seems so OLD! But theres loads of things that I still plan to do - perhaps it will be like a new start.
Anyway - Tony has booked a hall and caterers, and my Mum has ordered banners and posters with my ugly mug on them. Tomorrow I`m getting my hair done - back to blonde after a whole year of being darker. And then I need to find a nice outfit to wear. Something preferably that doesn`t make me too fat...........................

The Desiderata

Its been a while since I read the Desiderata - one of the most beautiful, soothing poems ever written. Just in case you`ve never read it - please take the time to look at it and think about it. Enjoy your day.

Max Ehrmann


Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

Busy with new courses

The new term is getting underway, and I`ve enrolled on three courses. These are NLP, which I`ve already mentioned, reflexology and counselling skills. Unfortunately, the reflexology might not run due to low numbers but the other courses are brilliant. Looking forward to getting stuck in and learning some new stuff.
I`m so tired tonight though, it isn't true. I`ve been running on a treadmill for days and could do with a rest. I cant believe it was just over a month ago we were on holiday. Took Evie for a cardiac appointment at hospital today and it was good news - everything is looking good and we don`t have to go back for a year.

NLP

Today I enrolled on an NLP course, something I`ve been curious about for a while.
As you probably know, NLP stands for Neuro Linguistic Programming. And it looks like its going to be an interesting experience or adventure, as the charismatic tutor described it as. We just had a bit of a discussion today about what we`re going to be doing - and even got into pairs to have a go at one of the techniques.
The tutor says that when we`ve finished the ten weeks - no-one will ever be able to lie to us again. Well - we`ll soon see.

A bit about NLP below


Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is an approach to psychotherapy and a "model of interpersonal communications"^[1] based on the subjective study of language, communication and change. It was co-founded by Richard Bandler and linguist John Grinder in the 1970s as a method of personal development. They developed a set of practices and techniques based on modeling successful psychotherapists of the time. However, its application was not limited to psychotherapy, rather they attended to the patterns of interpersonal communications that could be applied generally. Its theoretical foundations borrowed from a range of disciplines, including various psychological fields, linguistics, cognitive science and occupational therapy. NLP and its many variants are taught through seminars, workshops, books and audio programs. The field is loosely spread and resistant to a single comprehensive definition. There is also a great deal of difference between the depth and breadth of training and standards.
An important assumption of NLP is that emotion, thought and behavior consists of, and is influenced by, how the sensory-specific modalities (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, olfactory, gustatory) are organized and give rise to consciousness.^[2] Further, the mode and limits to the underlying mental representations is revealed by unconscious choice of words, sensory-specific predicates (eg. visual language) and non-verbal cues (such as intonation; gesture; posture; facial expression and eye movements). A basic method in NLP involves asking specifying questions to help clarify the intended message in communication. It seeks to recover what has been left out and to reframe faulty thinking when the communication is distorted or over-generalised. These meta-model questions are often combined with suggestions for personal growth and potential.^[3] Another technique seeks to alter sensory-specific submodalities (eg. brightness, size or location of visual imagery or sensory representations) to affect the intensity of mental states and affect changes in behavior. A classic format has people anchor resourceful mind-body states (eg. creativity, confidence, etc.) to make them available in situations where a person wants to act differently. Generally, the intent of NLP is to increase choice in the underlying representations so that the individual has more choice and flexibility in the world.
In the early 1980s, NLP was heralded as an important advance in psychotherapy and counseling.^[4] Reviews of research in counseling psychology at this time found little empirical support for NLP assumptions or effectiveness in the literature, in particular the claim that matching sensory predicates improves rapport and influence.^[5][6] The lack of support in the literature reviews marked a significant decrease in research interest.^[7] Some psychologists and trauma researchers have criticised the hype surrounding NLP, particularly given its lack of empirical validation, exaggerated claims and continued marketing as a science which are regarded as features of pseudoscience.^[8][9][4] There has been some ongoing research efforts and pleas for further empirical research.^{[citation needed]} In contrast, the developers of NLP tend to use analogies to understand and describe their models and tend to rely on intuition, anecdotes and personal experience as evidence as opposed to experimental research. NLP and its related techniques continue to be popular in books and workshops, especially in some areas of psychotherapy, management training, self-help, education and motivational training.

Liverpool Ode

Liverpool Ode

Once a thriving shipping port

Now more famous for its sport

Men grew rich through human trade

Slaves transported fortunes made

Trading links brought untold wealth

Splendour bought with pain and stealth

As years roll by and time moves on

Those trading links long since gone

The docks fall into disarray

We learn the phrase urban decay

As jobs are lost along with pride

Life seems bleak on Merseyside

But as sail through eighties gate

We hear the term regenerate

The Albert Dock restored inside

Houses built or gentrified

No longer desolate and forlorn

The City Centre is reborn

Now this city has new fame

The Capital of Culture name

A chance for growth and to create

Will culminate in year 08

Art and culture celebrated,

Musicians, writers, artists feted

But urban troubles still remain

The yobs that treat us with disdain

Graffiti, litter, theft with knives

Guns and violence blight our lives

Still Liverpool's spirit can't be broke 

No longer always England's joke 

The people full of fun and humour 

Rise above the scorn and rumour 

Always changing, vibrant, cool 

The dynamic city Liverpool

A poem about love going wrong!

Losing You

Today I looked at you 

And wondered who you were?

You looked the same

Smelt the same

Had the same air about you

But you were gone

Your smile curls with contempt

When once alight with pleasure

And eyes that crinkled with love

Now flat, Artic orbs that do not see

Although they look at me

In dispassionate scrutiny

Today I looked at you 

And wondered where you were?

A lover's bed

A winding road

A player's turf

Anywhere but here

Today I laughed without mirth 

And bought you wine and beer 

I laid on the floor and cried 

Wore a new dress 

Started a diet 

Pretence is my only defence 

Against losing you 

Although I know you've gone

Monster Stink.....................

I just cant seem to get to grips with getting our holiday cases unpacked and tackling all that horrible washing. Oh yawn! I just wasn`t cut out to be a housewife.
But the day has been busy. Had to get my 16 year old son up and out to enrol for his A level courses at a city centre college. Then I had to take the twins to some arts and crafts type thing called Monster Stink, which they`re attending all week. Trouble is, I`ve got no transport this week and its quite a distance away - so I was shattered from walking the journey four times. But it was worth the effort as Monster Stink seems to be a success.
So I started the washing and housework at last, but then my Laptop called to me!
I just cant keep away.

There`s a giant firework display in Liverpool town centre tonight to celebrate Liverpool`s 800th Birthday. Unfortunately, we cant get there tonight so didn`t get to see it. shame really!

Liverpool`s 800th Birthday

Liverpool is 800 years old this weekend.
A mammoth party featuring one of the world's biggest fireworks displays will be held to celebrate Liverpool's 800th anniversary tomorrow. The centrepiece of the 800th anniversary is a four-day party extravaganza over August Bank Holiday, to mark the granting of Liverpool's first charter, by King John on August 28, in 1207. This proves to be an incredible day in Liverpool`s history. Already flags are flying in many streets, lined with bunting as individual communities have their own street parties. Then of course
we are the European city of Culture in 2008..........

Back from Devon

Son

Ellie and Evie donkey riding

Ellie in our caravan

Ellie and Evie in the Talent Show

Goodrington Sands

Hello then. I`ve not been around for a while cos I`ve been on my hols to Devon with the family. It was a good two weeks - we spent one week in South Devon (Paignton) and one week in North Devon (Woolacombe) Such beautiful parts of the country.
One problem though - THE WEATHER! The first week was very mixed and the start of the second week - well it poured down. But then we had some glorious days which we spent on the beach and by the pool. GORGEOUS!
I`ve posted the above photos, but the bulk of my pictures cannot be loaded onto the computer for some reason. I think there`s a fault with the memory stick - but heres a few I`d taken using the camera on my phone.

And back in the allotment...................

Its still pretty muddy down the plot. Squelchy underfoot - but I still tried to put a few more things in. Carrots and spring onions. I`m not too optimistic about them taking, but its worth a try anyway. Its not quite so wet as last week but still quite grim. A chap was telling us that the plots on our side were prone to getting waterlogged since some houses had been built nearby. Why would this be?
He gave us some cabbages to plant - good since we lost our other cabbages in the rain - and some rhubarb to take home.

My strawberry plants and gogi berry plants arrived today. We need to clear the top bit of the allotment to put them in - its drier up the top end and these plants dont like to be waterlogged. They look quite good. Must get them potted tomorrow till I get a chance to plant them properly.

Writing morning pages for therapy

Writing morning pages for therapy
Writing morning pages is a truly cathartic experience. It is supposedly a good way to release our inner artist, and is described as the key to a meaningful life. It is a way of unlocking our unconscious minds and releasing the creative side to our nature.
So what are morning pages? Firstly, we get up a half hour earlier than usual (not easy I know, but worthwhile). We then write three pages of long-hand in an A4 note pad - and it should be stream-of-consciousness writing - that is, do not thinking about what you are writing - just scribble away. Even if if seems like nonsense that you are writing, don't worry. If you don't know what to write about, just look at something in front of you and write about that. Write anything! Then - very importantly - do not read these pages or allow anyone else to do so. Put them away and leave them. Now -repeat this every morning!
This process will ignite your creative spark. We are vulnerable and exposed first thing in the morning and are in a prolonged spell of relaxation. Our inner-critic is not yet awake so ideas are able to germinate in our uncluttered mind. Morning pages allow us to get to know ourselves better and we can express hidden feelings. It is well worth a try and a good way to spring-clean our overloaded minds.
For more information visit www.psychologies.co.uk
__________________________

Still havent heard about School

Although we`ve spoken to people from the education department and the speech and language department, we still haven`t heard in black and white that Dolly has firmly been offered a place in the school that she`s apparently been pencilled in for.
I`m sure it`ll be fine, but I`ll be happier when I finally get that letter. Times running out. Its end of term in about 18 days.

COME ON EDCUATION DEPATMENT LADY!

Money saving website

Martin Lewis`s Money saving tips

Take a look at this brilliant money saving site, by TV expert Martin Lewis. This is an ad free site and offers brilliant, practical advice for getting your finances in better shape. There`s a great feature on reclaiming bank charges that I`ll be using myself.
Very useful and informative!
www.moneysavingexpert.com

Allotment Flooded!

Help! We went down to the allotment yesterday to see how things are getting on - we`ve not been able to get there for a while because of the heavy rain. And to cut a long story short - the whole plot was a lake. The cabbages we planted the other week had just been completely swept away. The water was up to the top of Elli`s little pink wellies - she nearly lost a leg in the mud. LOL! I just dont know what to do.
Is our plot prone to flooding of is it the way we`ve laid it out. We noticed that most other people seem to have raised beds - although I do recall the secretary, Rod, telling us that the plots our end sometimes got waterlogged. Perhaps we should try and move - although I`m reluctant to do this as we`ve done a lot of digging and got a nice shed set up now. Maybe I`ll wait and see for a bit................

Evie gets a school at last (I think)

We had some good news today regarding Evie`s schooling. The woman from the education department said there is a place pencilled in for Evie at a specialist speech and language unit, housed in a mainstream school. Until I see it in black and white - I wont hold my breath - but it seems like progress at last. It feels like a weight off my chest. I`ve been walking round in a fog of worry and confusion for weeks now. in fact my heads been swimming with it all.
Poor little Evie deserves it so much, progress at last!

Astonished by religious fantatics

I`ve just been watching a television programme which was astonishing. It concerned a religious cult in the USA - called God Hates Fags - or some such name. You may have heard of them, and I`ve also seen a documentary about them before. But these religious nutcases, who are mainly made up from one extended family, take each word from the bible literally. They have an extreme hatred of anyone gay and even picket the funerals of recently deceased servicemen in protest of the admittance of gay personnel to the USA services.
It seems both frightening and sad at the same time that people can be so fanatical over such a pointless cause.

Aqua Fit

Its been a quiet day today. I went to a Health Day in the local community centre, which was ok - the best bit being the free buffet. Very tasty. Anyway - I put my name down for a few treatments - reiki - Indian head massage - eyebrow shaping - but they were so slow I had to leave before my turn came. Oh well!
Tonight it was Aqua Fit again. I think I`m getting less fit rather than more - ooooo - I`m going to be stiff tomorrow. Still - I find aqua fit a good way to exercise cos theres no strain on the joints. Apparently, many aerobics fanatics from the 80`s are now suffering from arthritis - brought on by the repeated strain on the joints.
Another good thing. You dont get too hot!

Simon Cowell or Piers Morgan?

Who is more attractive - Simon Cowell or Piers Morgan?

Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan Who is more attractive?
If you've been watching Britain's got talent or America's got talent, you may, like me have been exposed nightly to the faces of Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan. And it set me wondering who would people consider more attractive? Simon or Piers?
Simon Cowell is extremely confident, and dare I say a touch smarmy, but he is an attractive man, always flashing those brilliant white knashers. He knows what he wants and how to get it and he is funny and has a concise, pithy intelligence.
Piers Morgan isn't good looking in such an obvious way as Simon, but he does have a certain appeal. A few years younger than Simon, he is well groomed and well educated and intelligent. Definitely more the quintessential English Gentleman than Cowell. Although Piers can be bit smug and is a ruthless self-promoter, he also has a self-depreciating sense of humour at times and can be strangely sweet.
So who would I choose out of these two very different English men as the most attractive? It has to be Piers for me.

Chicken Pox

Evie is getting over an exceptionally nasty case of chicken pox. Ellie had it first, and of course, it was unpleasant, but ran its usual course without any major problems. We thought Evie had escaped or perhaps had an extra inoculation for it with her having immunity problems - but no such luck. Two weeks to the day that Ellie developed it,Evie started feeling a bit unwell after coming back from her weekly swimming lesson so I put her to bed with some calpol.

The next day, the spots began to develop - still not too bad. But the day after - the spots began to blister and turn into horrible open sores, which were very painful and started to quickly look infected. As it was a bank holiday the next day we couldn't see our local GP but we opted instead for the walk-in centre, which I must say was excellent. We saw a nurse and a doctor promptly, and the doctor gave us antibiotics, dressings, piriton for the itching, antibiotic cream (fucidin) and paracetamol. The doctor and nurses said it was the worst case of chicken pox they had ever seen.
That`s the trouble with Di George Syndrome, the immune system can be affected, and has been in Evie`s case, and ordinary illnesses can be much more severe. She has also had meningitis, pneumonia and every other illness under the sun.

Gradually the sores are starting to dry up - but Evie is still sore and a 
little disgruntled (understandably). At least I`m glad she`s got chicken pox over and done with. Thank God!

Steady progress at the slimming club

Yey! I lost 4 lbs this week. That brings the total up to 8 lbs altogether. I`ve still got loads to go, but am getting there slowly.
I went to Aqua-aerobics tonight for the first time, but it proved a bit of a disaster.
We paid, got changed and got in the pool along with about 50 other women - and guess what? The instructor never turned up!! We all bobbed around in the pool in a confused fashion for about 15 minutes, until a Lifestyle Employee bravely came over to inform us that the Instructor hadn't arrived and no-one knew where she was.
Oh well, they said we could have a free swim and a voucher for next weeks lesson, so there you go! A quick shower and hair wash and then home in time for the Big Brother Debut show. And it turned out to be all women. What a turn up for the books.

Goji Berries

So what do you know about Goji berries? I know that they`re supposed to be the new super food of the moment, packed with anti-oxidants and what have you.

I`ve decided to have a go at growing some of them, cos apparently they are very easy to grow and don't need a lot of special care. I`ve ordered some seeds on Ebay tonight and am going to give it a bash.

We`ve got an allotment!

Not been feeling too well this week. Coughing and aching arms and legs etc.
Felt better today and while flicking through a magazine, I chanced upon an article about allotments. I `ve been pondering about getting an allotment for ages now, so I had a quick look on the net about allotments in Liverpool. With the feature about allotments there was a phone number, so I gave them a quick call expecting them to say I could go on the waiting list for a plot. But when I spoke to the guy in charge of the allotments, he told me there were some available plots and would I like to go and see one. Taking the bull by the horns, I went right out to meet him - and I picked a plot there and then. its a bit rough, but in a nice position.
I cant wait to get going on it now and start growing some nice fruit and veggies.

Slimming World

Called in at the docs to see if my blood test result was ready yet. Yes! My ESR is back to normal. Good news.
Joined Slimming World yesterday. Been meaning to do it for ages and I really thing losing some weight will make me feel a bit better. Anyway, I`ve been busy working out the slimming world system and I think it`ll be ok. I did it ages ago and managed to stay slim for years - but my metabolism has kind of slowed down since then.
If I can lose weight it`ll be great to wear nicer clothes again.

The Grand National

A bit late with this entry, but we had a brilliant day going to the Grand National last Saturday. The girls went up to Skipton to stay with K and C for a few days (we took them there last night). So, T, Teenage son and I went along to make the most of the day. We only went in then paddock - but it was such a beautiful, hot sunny day. You really wouldn`t believe it was spring - everyone was in a good mood enjoying the sun and the fantastic National Day Atmosphere.

We had a few drinks and a bet on every race, but most of my races the horses ran the other way. LOL! One even got withdrawn with heat exhaustion. T and Sonny didnt do too bad and I got 4th or 5th in the National with Philson Run.  At 100 - 1 odds, I got about £26 pound back on my £1 each way bet - not too bad!
The final races were a bit of a disappointment cos they were very delayed and the final one got cancelled due to the horses getting to hot.
Lots of laughing though, as some of the racegoers took to the course after the National and had races of their own. A chubby girl and a thin girl took their high heels off and raced between two of the jumps while the crowd went mad cheering things like - "Go on the Biggie!" The biggie didnt win, by the way.

Evie`s hospital appointments

That`s all it seems to have been lately. Various appointments for Dolly. We`ve had ENT, Speech therapy, two different dental appointments - next week - plastic surgeon etc. Poor Dolly. We have the re-sceduled statementing meeting on the 2nd May and I`m dreading it. I`ve got a feeling we`re going to get fobbed off.

We need a new tenent for my house that I rent off in two weeks. The estate agent who is supposed too be promoting it seems to be doing bugger all. He promised all kinds - but has done zilch - apart from putting it on Fish 4 Homes. Not too happy with this. Think I`ll have to get a new agent if he doesnt pull his finger out.

The kids are back at school now. The house seems pretty quiet without the squabbling and mound of toys everywhere. Time for me to get on with stuff I think.
Theres lots of sorting out to be done and I definitely need to start getting rid of a lot of stuff. Best get Ebaying I think.

What`s he done to Salad Fingers

JK films himself everyday for 8 years - even better than Noah!

Life on Mars

Life on Mars - the series

Have you been watching? Its the last one tonight, and supposedly we`ll find out all the answers - or perhaps some of them. Will Sam Tyler turn out to be in a coma, or will he be a time traveller - dead - or mad? Cant wait to find out. I love the sound track to this series - well I suppose its from my era, and I did llluuurrrrvvvve David Bowie. What a great song Life On Mars is.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/lifeonmars/






We went to speech therapy today as usual for a Tuesday. It went quite well apart from Dolly having a big strop cos Molly won the game Helen (the speech therapist) set up to help Dolly to learn. Called briefly to see Mum`s friend R on the way home.
A mass trip to the dentist was planned for the afternoon - me, Sonny, Molly and Dolly. We all seem to be ok, although Molly had a quick filling and I had something sprayed on my teeth to help with sensitivity.
Mum is in terrible pain lately with sciatica so I dug the TENS machine out and set it up tonight to try to combat the pain. Hope it does the trick!

Last day of term

It was the last day of term for the girls at yesterday. I had to send the girls easter bonnets into school again - but our hats looked a bit sparse compared with some of the fabulous concoctions bobbing around on sweet, 6 year old heads. Anyway, I missed the parade that was held in the school yard at 11.00 am - I didnt even realise that parents were invited - so that was a bit sad. But, I picked them up at 1.oopm, along with their little friend S, whose mum had to work. After a quick play back in our house, we ran them along too the Salvation Army to watch a film- The chronicles of Narnia. It was a family day, but I left them to it and went and did some shopping. 


Bought some nice tops in Asda as extra presents for son`s birthday on Saturday.
Picked the girls up about 4.15 and felt a bit bad cos Dolly was a bit frightened of the Lion in Narnia even though she`s seen it before. She sat on my my clinging to my neck in such a sweet way. Poor Dolly. Molly and S sat watching seeming so grown up.
Today, the girls have gone to town with K and C to pick some shoes for their wedding next month. Dolly and Molly are going to be bridesmaids.

Family gathering

Its been a busy day. We`ve had about 10 family member for lunch this afternoon.
Auntys, Uncles and cousins - so I did a nice buffet lunch. Lots a little snacky things.
People brought easter eggs for the girls and cards for Phil`s 16th birthday on Saturday. I`ve got most of Phil`s pressies sorted now. He`s got mostly clothes this year, and stuff for his X-Box. I`ll get a few little extras tomorrow - a couple more nice tops or cds maybe.
Tomorrow the twins break up for easter. Theres going to be another easter bonnet parade and then they finish at one. I`m going to pick them and a friend up and take them to the Salvation Army to watch The Chronicles of Narnia, while I pop to the shops. Roll on easter. i`m looking forward to the break.

Easter Bonnets

Today, I`ve got to decorate two easter bonnets for the girls. I`ve been out this morning and bought bunnies and chicks and flowers to plonk on the hats.
I`ll have to get them ready by this evening cos they`ve got an easter bonnet parade in the Rainbows tonight, at the Salvation Army. Then they`ve got another parade in school on Wednesday. Better get cracking cos I`m going to my creative writing group this afternoon and wont have much time.

Photoshop course finished

I finally finished my level three photoshop course yesterday. It was a bit of a rush getting all my pieces of work finished - but I just about managed. I suddenly realised that I`d missed one piece of work - a piece of text made to look like marble why hadnt I done it?) so I had to knock it up in a hurry.
So the files are going in to the moderator now - so hopefully, I`ll pass my level three and get and chance to do level four in September.

Dirty Old Town.

Down by the canal today near Bootle Strand, I glanced down into the murky water after posting a letter outside the post office. It was a horrible sight. The surface of the water was practically covered in debris - in fact the ducks were walking across the water as they were unable to swim in all the muck.

Some people really are pigs. What a state!

Open University

I`m feeling a little better about things this week. I still feel a bit stressed and this is making my neck so stiff. Last night I had terrible pains in my head and neck, but things are a bit better after a good night sleep.

Yesterday, I decided I`d better get on and do something. I`ve been busy with my competitions and the kids and the house and so forth, but I need to do something a bit more. My photoshop classes finish in two weeks and I`ll be lost without these cos I love them so much. And theres no guarantee of a level 4 place next year which is disappointing. Still - fingers crossed.
So, I decided to crack on with my open university plan. I want to carry on with the English Language and Literature degree I made a tiny inroad into last year. I aleady have a dgree in Health but have always wanted to become a competant writer and I would love to do a creative writing degree really, but this degree has some writing componants which I like. I`ve already done a Writing Fiction module. The next one I have enrolled for is Writing Poetry.
Maybe I`ll make a writer yet.

Raised ESR

Went to the doctors for the result of a blood test I had done a few weeks ago. Initially, I went because of pain in my groin and hips which went on for several weeks. Most of my blood test came back fine - including my cholestral levels which had never been checked (Very pleased about this) but the ESR rate was considerably raised. Not too worried, I`ve had it checked again and its come back again still high. I don`t know whats causing it, but I do feel a bit achy and tired.
I`m going to have it checked again in two weeks. If it remains high after a few more checks, the Dr. is going to refer me to a rheumatologist. Fingers crossed it comes down. Apparently, the ESR is an inflamation marker and can be a sign of arthritis or some other inflamatory disease. However, it can be just one of those things and some people just have a raised ESR with no real problems associated with it.

Full of cold

Feel dreadful today. I`ve suddenly developed a horrible cold - complete with piggy eyes and big red nose. I know - I`ve got them anyway! Just sipping mournfully on a Lemsip with feet up on the sofa and a pained expression on my face.
Going to do a couple of competitons before I go to bed. Won a pot of face cream worth ten pounds today. Hurray!
Only three weeks to go on my level three photoshop course left to go. I have to finish all the work for my folder by then. Then hopefully, Level 4 next year.
Going to watch Benidorm and Skins on the TV afterwards. Its all go isnt it?

Liverpool FC

Well done Liverpool FC V Barcellona

Benitez so proud of his Euro stars

Mar 7 2007

by Nick Peet, Liverpool Echo

RAFA BENITEZ paid tribute to his players and the Anfield fans for the team performance which put Liverpool into the Champions League quarter-finals. On a night of wild celebrations in front of the club’s new owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, Liverpool produced a display of defiance that saw them reach the last eight on away goals at the expense of reigning champions Barcelona. Barca dominated long periods of possession, but could not recover from a 2-1 first leg defeat, despite winning the return 1-0 thanks to an Eidur Gudjohnsen second-half strike. “I am really proud of my players, they produced almost a perfect performance, but the fans too played their part,” said Benitez.

The closing of Lewis`s

I cant believe that Lewis`s is going to close. After all these years of being in Liverpool, the staff were told yesterday to stay behind to put Closing Down notices on all the windows. Its a real shame as Lewis`s is a real pleasure too amble around on a Saturday afternoon. And some of the staff have been there for years - it`ll be a wrench for them to leave after all this time.


Lewis’s doomed

Mar 7 2007

by Neil Hodgson, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL’S famous Lewis’s shop appeared doomed today as store closing signs went up. Every window in the 151-year-old store was covered in closing down posters – less than a week after administrators pleaded with shoppers “use us or lose us”. Yet today administrator Kroll insisted it was still trying to sell the business as a going concern. Staff were ordered to stay late last night to put up the huge posters.

Some bad things happening lately

 We`ve had a bit of a run of bad luck lately. Firstly, we got ripped off on ebay. Phil gave me his Christmas money to bid for a Nintendo Wii for £200. Turned out, the guy was a conman and we lost the money. Well, us and another 630 people. And paypal would only cover us for £105 pounds, so we lost £94. I reported it to the police. Made a statement, but think the guy is going to get away it. Some of the people on Ebay have formed a group called the Missing Wii`s to try to get some justice, but don`t think it`ll do any good. Ebay have been particularly unhelpful.

Had my hair done yesterday. I finally ventured into a hairdressers after putting it off for 6 months and was in dire need of a do. I wanted a trim, a fringe cutting in and some highlight, which were on offer. Well ended up being talked into having my hair darker and still no fringe but just straggly bits in my eyes. Didn't like it much, and tonight, hacked a it with the scissors as usual. Ahh well. Another £60 down the drain.

Today, I had a bill from the Inland Revenue saying I hadn`t filled in my tax return and was getting fined £100. So there's another £100 down the drain.
Then I gave Phil some money to make up for the money he lost to buy an XBOX, which promptly broke after two days and destroyed two games which he had just paid £40 each for. Not good.

Other news. Went to Alder Hey with Evie for speech therapy and we worked on Huffing Harry - the breathy H sound. Made a bit of progress and promised Helen the speech therapist we`d work on huffing Harry this week.
went to Costco this afternoon to return a 19in flat screen HD ready LCD telly my mum had bought for the bedroom. She didn't like it cos the volume was too quiet so we got the money back. I bought a new memory foam pillow for Phil as I`d been promising him one for ages.

We had mince for tea and I`m finally relaxing as Phil and Tony have gone to play football. I`ll watch Shameless later on and do a few bits and pieces on the computer.

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day

Have you seen Noah photographing himself everyday for 6 years?

Sick Jokes

: What has 4 legs and one arm?
A: A Doberman in a playground

Q. What do you call an Ethiopian with a swollen toe?
A. A golf club.

Q: How do you know if you're at a gay picnic?
A: The hotdogs all taste like shit!

In a hospital serving victims of land mines, a little girl wakes up from surgery.

Little Girl: Doctor, something is wrong... I can't feel my legs!

Doctor: Yes, we've had to amputate both your arms.

Three vampires walk into a bar. One orders a blood on the rocks. Another orders a double blood. The third simply asks for a mug of hot water.

"Why didn't you order blood like everyone else?" asks the bartender.

The vampire pulls out a tampon and says, "I'm making tea!"

This man pulls up in his Merc beside a little boy.

He opens the door, holds out a brown paper bag of sweets and says, "Hey kid, if I give you a sweetie, will you come in my car."

To which the kid replies, "Gimme the bag and I'll come in your mouth!"

The McCartney kids are at the family ranch anxiously awaiting news of their mother. Paul emerges from his wife's bedroom "Kid's.... there's good news and bad news."

"The bad news is your mother's strength and will to live has been sucked away by her awful disease and she died a few moments ago"

"The good news is.... It's steak and chips for dinner!"

A leper walked into a bar and sat down. The bartender glanced over and promptly threw up all over himself and the floor.

The leper looked hurt and said, "Hey, I know I'm not exactly handsome, but I do have feelings and you could be a little sensitive about them."

The bartender, wiping his mouth on his sleeve, looked up and proclaimed, "I'm sorry as hell man, but it wasn't you. That guy sitting next to you keeps dipping his scratchings in your neck."

Two sanitary pads were floating down a sewer drain, and were approaching two tampons. Before the pads and tampons reached each other, one pad said to the other,

"Should we say hi to those 2 tampons?"

The other pad responded, "Err... nah... they're stuck up cunts."

The teenage granddaughter comes downstairs for her date with this see-through blouse on and no bra. Her grandmother just pitches a fit, telling her not to dare go out like that !!!!

The teenager tells her, "Loosen up Grams. These are modern times. You gotta let your rosebuds show!" and out she goes.

The next day the teenager comes downstairs, and the grandmother is sitting there with no top on, With her old wrinkled pair on show. The teenager wants to die.

She explains to her Grandmother that she has friends coming over and that it just is not appropriate .....

The grandmother says, "Loosen up Sweetie. If you can shown off your rosebuds, then I can display my hanging baskets."

A man walks past an ice cream stand that advertises, "Every flavour ice cream in the world."

"Bullshit," thinks the man and walks in. "So you say you have every flavour ice cream in the world?" "O.K., I would like three scoops of cunt flavoured ice cream please."

"No problem sir." The assistant gives the man three scoops of ice cream in a cone and the man takes a good lick.

Grimacing, he says, "This doesn't taste like cunt, it tastes like shit!" The assistant replies,

"Of course it tastes like shit when you take such long licks!"

Steven Spielberg has a talent for making memorable movies, merchandisers have a knack for turning those movies into products for the kiddies to buy, buy, buy, and Hollywood executives will do just about anything (no, make that anything) to squeeze every last nickel out of a picture. So I dread what must soon be arriving on the toy store shelves, just in time for the holidays:

The Schindler's List E-Z-Bake Action Figures (lightbulb not included).

Two men are sitting in a restaurant. There is also a gypsy woman sitting opposite to them with her legs wide spread.

One man says: "Look, she has such dark hair on her genitals!" the other says: "Oh no, it isn't hair, it is dark panties!" Then they made a bet - £100 . A waiter goes by so they ask him to find out for them.

He did so, but takes all the money and walks away. "What happened, why are you taking the money?!" Asked the waiter.

He replies: "Neither of you was right! She had her period and there were flies on her!"

What do you call an annexic with a yeast infection?
A quarter pounder with cheese.

Captains cocktail Party on the Athena

Jade Goody on Celebrity Big Brother

What a terrible debacle the whole thing is? I dont know if anyone has been watching CBB - but I found it quite unpleasant watching. Jade Goody behaved in a very unsavoury fashion, but so did Jack, Jo and Danielle. I`m sorry that Danielle has been such a poor ambassador for Liverpool. I think she let herself down badly which is a real shame.

I wonder whether the whole thing is blown out of proportion though. Shilpa has behaved with dignity up to now and made me feel ashamed of the behaviour of the British girls. The sad thing is, theres probably a Jade, Jo and Danielle in every classroom in Britain (and elsewhere) making someones life hell, but theres no cameras there to highlight it, so they never stop. I dont suppose Jade would have thought twice about her behaviour if hadnt been witnessed by the nation.

The sausage song - must listen to this

WATCH THIS MOVIE!




You`ve just got to watch this clip. Click link above.

School Trips

Your know what? School trips are a pain in the backside!
The school trips of my day were something like a nice, uncomplicated visits to Chester zoo or the like. You might perhaps - buy a pottery torotise with a compass in its back - and maybe a packed lunch may be required. But the extent of parental participation ended with that.

But these days, school trips are so much more. Take for example, the impending school trip at my twin girls school. (Yes - you were expecting that).
Well, my girls have just received a letter to say that there going on a school trip to Croxteth Country Park - a nearby park complete with gorgeous grounds and a Stately home. Not that this isnt very nice - it is. But the problem lies in the parental obligations. Firstly - the trip cost £11 - 50p each - £23.00 for the two of them. This is a bit steep for the average mum. But no - thats not the end of it. Then each child has to wear a Victorian Costume! Where do you get them from?
Ebay perhaps. Another twenty pounds each. . So now we`re talking around £63.00 for this school trip. Not an easy thing for most families.
Its just a thought, but why doesnt Croxteth Park accumulate a store of costumes
that the children can wear for their visit and then leave there at the end of the day for the next lot of children ? I just dont know!