Last day of January

This has been a long, hard winter. Will be so glad when its over, but thankfully its the last day of Ja nuary - roll of February and the spring. Lets hope 2011 is going to be a goodun xxx

Sprained ankle

The girls are home now and I feel a bit better about things - not much but a little.
I`m still getting over a sprained ankle. I fell down the stairs in the HMV shop last Thursday (a week today) and I badly sprained my ankle. I could hardly stand up and hobbled round all day and as it didnt feel much better I ended up going to casualty with mum to get it checked out. At least it wasnt broken but it was swollen to twice its size. Painful! The swellings starting to go down now but its still sore and bruised and hurts me when I walk. Honestly - I could do without it at the moment.

Happy Easter Monday

Good morning on this rather dull easter monday. Its cold and cloudy and miserable but hope it brightens up later. what am I doing today? Dont know yet, but dont suppose it will be very exciting.
I`m trying to avoid the chocolate today anyway - I had quite enough of that yesterday.
Anyway - HAPPY EASTER

Back to my house tomorrow

Cant believe I`m back to my own house tomorrow after 9 months!!!!!!!
HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Bye Slimming World Hello Paul McKenna

Slimming World is just not working for me! I dont know why cos it works for loads of people but I`m giving up on it. But I`ve got the Paul McKenna weight loss system so I`m going with that now to see if I get better results - but Slimming World - I`m throwing money down the drain.

I feel so fat and despondant though. Single at 51 and fat! And my face isnt looking too good either.
I need to get a grip.

Sports days and Chester Zoo.................

Its been a miserable weekend! Its hard to believe that its July really and today is not better.
The kids are due for a good last couple of days at school before they break up. Molly has her school trip to Chester Zoo - the whole school are going - so it should be a massive operation. I could have gone as a helper, but decided not too as its also dolly`s school sports day today too.
And to top it all, son has two interviews today. One at JD Sports and one at McDonalds. I`m keeping my fingers crossed that he gets one of them cos he`s getting a bit despondant after getting several rejections. Good luck Phil!

The Wirral Show

We went along to the Wirral show today. We haven`t been doing much lately so thought we`d better start taking advantage of the summer pretty quickly and it was actually a nice day - for a change.
The girls loved it. They went on quite a few of the rides and Molly cartwheeled around all day, kicking a woman in the arm at one point. (I had to apologise quickly.) We looked round all the stalls - usual sort of stuff - and had candy floss and strawberries with hot melted chocolate. MMMmmm! (Have to try these at home). We didnt buy anything though although some oft he jewellery looked pretty. One stall had lovely chakra necklaces - but I wasnt tempted. Well not much.
All in all, nice to be out in the fresh air on a sunny day,

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.

Have a great christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas and Best wishes for 2007

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!

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.

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................

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.

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.

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?

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.

Finally the end of term

Finally, the end of term is here. The kids are getting excited as christmas is getting so close - well the little ones are - son is 14 now and doesnt believe in Santa anymore. LOL. Just have to break the news to T now! Anyway, Dolly had to go for her weekly speech therapy in the local hospital, so missed most of her last morning. The therapist said she`s doing well, but I cant see it myself. She has DiGeorge Syndrome (or VCFS) and has palate issues. But basically she cant talk - or at least cant make many legible words, although her understanding is good. Today we worked on the sounds "Pe", "Pa" and "poo", said in a whisper with her tongue pushed out. She struggles with this but the ST tries to make it into a game.

We managed to get her back to school for her last hour and picked the excited twins up at 1.00pm, clutching lots of mysterious bits of paper, sweets and choocolates. We stopped off on the way home to give the lovely lollipop man, Dave, a predictable box of Roses. He seemed really pleased. What a nice man he is - always shows concern when Dolly goes in for operations.
Son arrived back some time later, after an end of term celebration at Pizza Hut with his mates. Even T was home early from work today - off on a booze up with his football mates, round town. So no jumping out of bed early in the morning. Think I`ll luxuriate in my comfy bed until the monsters come running in sometime in the morning. MMMMmmmmmmm!

Friday Fever

Its Friday again. Back to my writing group after a long absence. Been doing a computer maintenance course on a Friday - but its finished now and I`m glad.
So, it was good to be back and see everyone. We read a bit of stuff out and then planned next weeks Christmas party - the important stuff! I feel like my writing has been taking a back seat lately due to focusing on other things. I need to re-focus - concentrate!
Anyway fellow bloggers - Writing is therapeutic in itself, as you all must agree - and if no-one ever reads you blogs, it feels good to get it all out. And what better reason to journalise.
Just watching Will Young on the Johnathon Ross show as I write. His new song is pretty lovely. He really has come on as singer from the Pop idol days. Don't you think. A stunning vocalist. And better yet, Jules Holland is on now. He`s such a talented and yet amiable man. Just love him. Would you believe it! Jonathon Ross just had to go for a wee in the middle of his interview with Jules. Like a trouper, Jules played the piano and covered for him. Never seen this happen before on a chat show.
Anyway - back to the mayhem of town tomorrow. There's so much more to get for chrimbo yet and I`ve got to face it. Luckily, no more LIPA for my daughter till January now, so I`ve got a few Saturdays free. Got to get cracking and break the back of this Christmas shopping.