Santa's on his way!!! 🎅

To be precise, according to Santa Tracker, he's currently in Venice and will be here in about 3 hours!!  Woohoo!!!

For the first time I can remember,  everything is done!  Baking was done last night,  we iced and decorated the Christmas cake today and I'm now watching TV and painting my nails waiting for the kids to be fast off before Santa can make his delivery 😁

To make it even more exciting,  Faye's expecting a double visit tonight,  Santa and the tooth fairy!! Faye's worried the tooth fairy might crash worth Santa,  I'm more concerned she'll forget in the excitement of Christmas!! 😕

All that's left to do is to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎁🎅🎄🎁🎅and very best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!🍾🎉🍾🎉

It's Christmas!! 🎅🎄🎅🎄

That's it,  my brain has officially declared Christmas! 😀

I am more organised this year than I have ever remember being before, although no doubt I will still be rushing round doing last minute things on Christmas Eve that I've forgotten about!

It's our work Christmas do tonight,  which I think we all need this year,  it's definitely time we had a party!! So I've had the day off relaxing at the hairdressers thus morning and now sat in the church waiting for the school end of term service -  I've even managed to get here early instead of trying to sneak in through the big,  heavy,  clunky,  noisy door......  What is going on??!

We had the elf party at my sister and brother-in-law's last week which was fab,  as always, with lots of elfing going on!  Santa 🎅 is doing well with getting all the presents wrapped and ready for the Big Night,  only a few more to go then it'll just be the baking left to do!  Get me!

I will apologise to work now,  as I can already tell I'm going to be next to useless next week,  but full of festive spirit!! (not the alcoholic kind,  well not at work at least!)

Who knows,  I might even find time to blog again before Santa arrives!

Ending the week with a BANG!

 And when I say Bang,  I mean more of a mini explosion!!!

But before that.........

Work wasn't too bad, Wasp lady was slightly annoying but nothing too bad.  Work had taken £456 off me for my car parking space instead of £38, which they did reassure me they would 'try' to get authorised to pay...... how nice of them..... (they didn't!)

Friday night we went out for Amy's birthday which was really good 😀  We went to Kayal to eat, a South Indian restaurant but none of the usual curries here!  In all honesty we had no idea what any of the food was or what we were ordering but it was lovely!  My 'paper dosa' was HUGE, so big in fact it barely fit on the table!  I would highly recommend it http://www.kayalrestaurant.com/

After we couldn't eat anymore, we went to the Slug and Lettuce for "a few" cocktails, shots and bombs (nope, this isn't the exploding bit!).  We also met someone in there we knew who, it was fair to say, was more that slightly disturbed by the fact we were they and they had had a few drinks!  We quickly put them at their ease, hopefully, and all had a good laugh!  We then moved on to Fat Cats which started off ok, until I twigged that the 1 (not even that nice) bloke was 'selling' the 7 or 8 women of different nationalities that he was 'with'.  I could be wrong, but I don't think so!  Unfortunately it was time to leave before I had chance to test out any of the novel new uses I'd just thought of for my stilettos!  Oh the fun I could have had! 👿

Saturday was spent recovering and doing the usual weekend chores before going over to Mum and Dad's for tea on Sunday for Dad's birthday.  Big Sis had made a fab cake, a campervan (only slightly jealous!) and a lovely time was had by all!  On the way home, however, I had the misfortune to meet a boy/girl racer who took a sharp bend wide with their lights on full beam, causing me to try and avoid them, which thankfully I did.  Unfortunately the back wheel caught the gravel/soft verge and I lost it, the back end went and hit a post on the side of the verge!  There was a horrible scraping sound as I slowly drove off and Billy (who was now surprisingly awake!) asked what the noise was.  Not wanting them to be worried or scared I cheerfully replied "Oh, it's just a bit of the car dragging on the floor, nothing to worry about!!".  As soon as it was safe to stop I pulled over to check there wasn't any serious damage and, thankfully, it did appear to be just the sill scraping on the floor.  So it was driveable, we got home ok, and the main thing was that no-one got hurt.  It still didn't make me feel any better when Billy innocently asked "Is it going to be a bumpy ride again today Mummy?" when we got in the car the next morning!  Bless! 😕

After that the week was fairly uneventful.  I went to lunch with a friend and we were joined by someone who I thought was using Bluetooth, then realised they weren't.........Hmmmmm........ my friends seem to have knack for attracting odd people..........

So it all comes down to The Bang!

Well, Friday started off quite normally.  Getting ready for work, getting the kids ready for school etc. etc. and it had all gone relatively smoothly.  So there I was, sitting at my desk typing away, when I started to feel a bit peckish and though about having something to eat.  That's when it suddenly hit me.  The thought that sent panic running through my veins. EGGS!!!!   I'd left my eggs boiling on the hob.  Two hours ago!!!  How much damage can over-boiled eggs really do? Burn the pan? Burn the kitchen?  Would we even have a house left?! 😱  Luckily Dad was due to drop something in to the house for me so I made a quick call to ask, if the house was still there, would he mind going in and turning the hob off for me!

It was an anxious wait.

But then the call came and.......good news!  I hadn't destroyed the house! Or even the kitchen!  Even the pan was in one piece!

Unfortunately, the eggs hadn't been so lucky.  My poor eggs had exploded and were now decorating the hob.  Well the bits that weren't black and welded to the bottom of the pan were anyway!!!  Time to get the scourer out!

On a positive - I now have a new saucepan!!

So all's well that ends well and the week did go out with a BANG!!!

I'm back!!!

Seeeeeeee I told you I'd be back! That didn't take long did it!  I must have tempted fate..... Great!

What a day!  After the headache of work and wasp lady (long story) and a real headache, I was glad to leave the office!  I fetched Faye, made dinner, and took Faye to gym......

....and then it all went downhill!

I decided to work in the car whilst Faye was in gym so I got all set up, then realised I'd left the car wifi at home.. grrrrrr......so off I tootle back home again to get the wifi.  Which is where I should have stayed and just worked from home but no, I decide to go back so I'm already there and can work until Faye finished.

Good plan.

But as the saying goes, the best laid plans etc. etc. etc.

I started work and was happily getting on with stuff when there's a tap at my window.  Bearing in mind the car park is pitch black it was slightly startling!

Anyway, there was a lady who's car wouldn't start and asked if I would help jump start her car - of course I would, who wouldn't!  All's fine as I drive over, get the leads attached and start the engine running.  The lady immediately starts trying to turn her car over, surprisingly without much luck!  I get out and suggest she leaves it for a bit to give it a chance to get some juice in it and before she floods her engine.... about 2 minutes later she tried it again 😕.  Out I get again and patiently suggest she leaves it a bit longer.  That worked for about 3 minutes.  I gave up.  Next thing her car does turn over but doesn't start.  However, when it does turn over all the lights came on, external and internal so out I get again and suggest she turns all her lights off so they don't drain the battery and try again.  No luck so I turn off as it's time to get Faye and said I'd try again when I came back.  Took the leads off, realised I'd left the window open so put the keys back in to close the window and lock the car.

Nothing.

Zilch.

Zero.

Not even a flicker of life!

Aaaaarrrggghhhhhh!

Broken-down-car-lady agreed to keep an eye on my car whilst I went to get Faye (afterall it wasn't as if she was going anywhere either!) and I silently screamed!  Jay was in a meeting and uncontactable until he finished, when we were supposed to be picking him up.  Hmmmmm.  I didn't have any breakdown details on me as they were in my bag. At home.  I resorted to asking a couple of parents I vaguely know if they could help but on going back out we realised we couldn't get their cars close enough to attach the leads because of the way our cars were parked. However, whilst we were working this out, broken-down-car-lady has spotted a man with a big van (careful!).  Yaaaaay!!!  Not only does he have a big van, he also has a set of long jump leads!!  Then the fun really starts!
Broken-down-car-lady's husband arrives and an argument starts, at which point I suggest the nice van man tries to get her car going first but, as he's sorting out his leads, hubby gets in the car and starts it up!  Change of plan, get MY car going first!!  So we get all wired up. Still zilch. Nada. Silence.  The other car has now been moved but still not going and the son has arrived too now.  Van man was very lovely and offered to wait with us until we could get help but I did manage to convince him we would be fine so off he went.

Faye's now crying because it's dark and she doesn't like it.  I'm quietly panicking but laughing and telling her not to worry, we'll be home soon (well sometime within the next 24 hours at least!). I send a text to Jay and about 10 minutes later he emails to say he's finished.  Quick telephone call to get the breakdown details and he's going to finish up then get a cab over to us. Faye cheers up a bit.  Whilst I'm on the phone the son comes over to see if we're getting sorted etc. and apologising for us ending up in this mess.  Then as an after thought goes back to his car to get the superduper automatic car charger they used on his mum's car on the off chance it will start mine (oh, I wonder!).  The leads are attached, I get back in and turn the key and VROOM!!!!  We're back in business!  I was so relieved it started I didn't immediately feel cheesed off that they'd been there for half an hour before even offering to try it!!!

Anyway, all's well that ends well! BUT I am NEVER, EVER, EVER, going to help anyone EVER, EVER again!!! (well, until the next time someone needs help obviously..........!)

Now we just have to hope it starts again in the morning..............

My Non-Blog

It has been mentioned several times, by different people, over the last couple of weeks that there has been a distinct lack of blogging on my part.

Partly, this is due to being back at work full-time and being too tired / having no time or energy to blog!

It's also partly due to having a complete lack of inspiration - I still don't have any (refer to point above)!

End of blog!

(but I will return soon...........)

Christening!

After much cleaning, tidying, patio making, it was finally all worth it to have everywhere looking nice for Billy's Christening!  The sun came out and it was a nice day so people could go outside and sit on our new patio area - to be honest, even if it had been chucking it down, I would have been pushing people outside just to make sure it got used!!  There was a gazebo so, hey, they wouldn't have gotten too wet!!

Billy looked gorgeous in his little Christening suit and Faye looked very pretty too.  We were very proud of them both!

Billy was so good through the service, he smiled at everyone and let Father Clive pick him up and tip water on his head without complaining once!  After all my fears, there were no tears or anything!  He was, however, clinging on to Father Clive's robe for dear life as he was tipped over the font - although Father Clive also had a good grip on the back of his waistcoat to make sure he didn't slip! The service was really lovely and Father Clive was great and humorous.

The after party went well (I think!).  It was lovely to catch up with friends and family and everyone seemed to have a good time.

All in all it was a very special day for a very special son and I feel very blessed and lucky!

All Wrapped Up!!

Well hello! It's been a while!

After a lovely holiday in beautiful Devon, life is beginning to return to normal! The kids are back at school and I have started a phased return at work. I'm only working mornings but by the time I've picked the kids up from school and got home to sort dinner I'm cream crackered!!  I am, however, enjoying bring back as I missed the people and the banter!

The only downer was getting a letter on Friday telling me I have got to have an angiogram - boooooo!   Stupidly I Googled it, why, I don't know. I always advise against Googling anything medical/health related but there I was, tapping away, to find out the horror awaiting me!! After scaring myself silly I had a very reassuring chat with a neighbour and felt much better!!

After a weekend of trying to tidy the house (although the kids were making more mess quicker than I sad tidying anything! 😡 bless them. .......) and gardening, I decided to try out my clay detox body wrap. For those who don't know, thus entails applying clay to the body, wrapping a bandage over the clay and/or wrapping clingfilm over that! Hmmmmm. ........ what could go wrong???

With a bit of help I got clayed, bandaged and clingfilmed. I looked like something out of a weird alien or horror movie! All I can say is thank god the kids didn't wake up,  they'd have been traumatised for life!!! I could barely move and decided the hour I had to be mummified for would be a good time to iron,  preferably without melting myself!! After the ironing I decided to go upstairs. Easier said than done. The stairs were a challenge and I rustled every time I moved. I thought I could watch a bit of tv until it was time to 'unwrap'. I couldn't get on the bed either! I just had to back up to the bed and fall backwards! Finally it was unwrap and shower time! Ordeal over with no harm done......or so I thought!  Unfortunately, on getting out of the shower, I slipped, falling backwards and smacking my elbow and side of the ribs on the windowsill on my way down and also sending most of the contents on the windowsill clattering into the bath. 'That must have startled everyone out of their sleep!' I hear you say, but no. Nothing. Zilch. No one heard a thing (or so they say!).  Needless to say, I may be detoxed, but I've just replaced any toxins with nice purple bruises!!!

What shall I try next. ...............?? 😂😂😂

Ta-Da!!!

And it's finally complete!  Our 'new' trailer is finally finished!

There have been a few late nights, or rather early mornings, with a cold, numb bum from sitting on the car port floor, dropped paint pots, tripping over stuff and drills getting caught where they really shouldn't (not me obviously!!).  I now ache all over from trying to paint in awkward positions but at last it's all over!

Just hope the thing doesn't collapse under the weight of all our camping gear when we finally get it all loaded up!

.....and the painting had started!!

Take a look at @teresa_hincks's Tweet: https://twitter.com/teresa_hincks/status/762322925852778501?s=09

Trailer making has begun!!

Take a look at @teresa_hincks's Tweet: https://twitter.com/teresa_hincks/status/762321714357407744?s=09

Three days in a row (but I won't get smug as I already know I won't be going tomorrow!)

Yep, three days in a row I have been at the swimming pool by 6.50 am waiting for the doors to open - keen or what?!  I only managed 32 lengths today but did them in 40 minutes so not bad, but did do my 40 lengths in 50 minutes the first two days  (possibly because I don't spend so much time chatting as I did on the lunchtime swim!!).  The morning swimmers are very nice too but not the stop-for-a-rest-and-chat type.  There's the bubble whooper, who makes a weird, almost musical noise. It is the strangest noise I've ever heard, although it is probably amplified by the usually relatively quiet environment.  At first I thought someone's earphones had come out and it was their music burbling away under water but no, it was a swimmer.  Bubbling as he exhaled on his way down under the water and whooping as he inhaled on surfacing again.  Then there's the shark-granny who must be in her 80's and zips up and down the middle overtaking us all.  My consolation is that I've decided in her younger days she must have been a professional swimmer... to at least Olympic standards!

I've also stuck to my low carb diet for almost 5 days now (yes, that is a long time for me!), although only 3 days properly, and it seems to be working so I'll just have to stick to it for a while longer (quite a while longer......).  I can't say I'm ever really hungry but I do miss my juice and cheese on toast!

I took the kids to the cinema this morning with a couple of their friends and mum.  We were going to see Jungle Book until we'd heard it was a bit scary, especially for the younger two, so we ended up watching Finding Dory instead, which was good although one certain bit was a tad too emotional for us mums!  It was Billy's first trip to the cinema and although he was really good and watched the film, he kept changing his mind as to whether he liked it or not and kept asking to go home, the first time he asked was just as the film started!

The girls we went to the cinema with are having a sleepover here tonight so they're all very excited! The house is a complete mess but they seem happy and are having fun!  I did think about tidying up instead of doing this but then decided that would be pointless as it will only all come out again!  Might as well wait until they're tucked up in bed having their midnight feast which, of course, I know absolutely nothing about.......!

I did do some tidying and found an old high school shirt which had been signed when I left.  Lots of comments about a Stephen Ingle - it appeared significant as though I should really remember who he was, but I haven't got a clue!!

I might have to ask around as I'm curious now.........

Kids away so a nice long lie-in? No chance

Nope! No lie-in, instead we were up at 5.30 am and off to a car boot sale with the car full, the roof box full, and the trailer well and truly (over)loaded!

My first promise was that everything we have cleared out will go,  one way or another 😕

It was supposed to be nice and sunny so I dressed accordingly, including flip flops, which I realised was a big mistake as I stepped out of the car onto the heavily dewed grass!! Naturally I was cold within minutes! I even looked at the baby socks I was selling and considered wearing them, one on each toe like little foot gloves!  Then someone bought them, so that was the end of that idea!

When I went to 'look' around myself a couple of hours later, I saw a very tempting pair of fluffy boot slippers, if only they were in my size! 

My second promise was that I wouldn't buy more stuff than we sold.

Well it should have been obvious that such a promise was completely unrealistic! By the end of the second row I had to sneak back to the car to unload my purchases before going off again to continue from where I left off.  Another 2 rows later I had to go back to the car again and felt it would be safer if I just didn't look anymore so I stayed put. Nearly. The lady next to us had some great fancy dress outfits for Billy to grow into........

By the end, the trailer was definitely a lot lighter and we dropped some "leftovers" off at a charity shop on the way to pick Billy up.  So at least my first promise is looking more likely to be kept.

Tired now but, on a positive note, after the 5.30am start this morning, 6.30am tomorrow morning to get my swimming back on schedule WILL seem like a lie-in!!😂😂😂 

Slipping schedule

Well I think I said my swimming schedule was likely to slip after a few days.....

In reality I've only managed it once so far! There are legitimate reasons,  obviously! With the exception of this morning, when I had every intention of going, but when the alarm went off at 6.30 I snoozed it, or at least I thought I had. I had actually turned it off so when I next looked at the clock it was nearly 7am, definitely too late to go! With a secret smile I cuddled back down into the duvet and went back to sleep 😴

There's always tomorrow.... 😉