So Long And Thanks For All The Fish....

This may mean something to you if you are a Douglas Adams fan... if not I do apologise.

However, what the title is alluding to is my decision to give up this site. My reason is simple I just don't seem to have the time I would like to dedicate to it and participate properly, I seem to be neglecting loads of people and constantly feel guilty at my lack of interaction. So, I just thought I'd let you know it has been lovely meeting you all, and I will probably pop by for a nose every now and then, but I am going to take a break from Blogger for a while (or maybe longer eh?)

Thanks so much to all the lovely people who helped me and made friends with me, sorry I have been so remiss in the past couple of months

Lots of Love Karen x

Dear Lord, Please Give Me the Strength...

to not scream at littlest girly.

I shall explain... deep breaths think calm non-explosive thoughts, now I'll begin. It is raining this morning, in fact it is pouring, there is possibly an old man snoring somewhere. I decided that we would still be walking to school (much to the disgust of my newly found taxi customers) as parking near school on a rainy day is nigh on impossible, coupled with the road works all the way up to the car park I figured it wasn't my best option. Now Biggest Girly the organised went to fetch her waterproof trouser, jacket etc, I managed to dig out Youngest lads wellies and a raincoat. Myself? Well there was "raincoat" but not a lot else to protect against the elements (elephants... sorry blame my mother she brought me up to speak utter nonsense for a large portion of the time ). Little Miss M (the Moany, as I shall now christen her) had the most effective shielding from the wet in the form of a huge raincover over her most substantial and comfy buggy.

Did she appreciate the huge and effective cover? Or did she scream blue murder the whole way there saying "I need it open, I need it open"? And did she scream and cry for the whole journey there (ten minute walk, unable to see through rain soaked glasses and feet getting wetter and squidgier by the minute) and then scream and cry for the whole journey back! (This was a rhetorical question by the way, hence lack of question mark.)

Now, I have heard of the chinese water torture but I hadn't realised it consisted of getting soaking wet and uncomfortable, having stinging eyes from the rain and on top of all that have a two and a half year old scream unreasonably at you for a straight twenty minutes.

Effective though .

Time for tea methinks, ah and now there is quiet as Show Me Show Me has perked the little monster... I mean madam, up

Monday Morning And It's Dark And Soggy

however, I am indoors and sitting at my computer so it can't be all bad can it?

It was very difficult to prise myself from under the duvet this morning, this stemmed from my inability to grasp that it was indeed nearly seven o clock, it was way too dark. Also I hadn't made any lunch preparations or ironed a school jumper or two, oops, needless to say it was a bit of a rush.

I have had another busy weekend (not sure there is another type) as there was a work lunch to attend on saturday, one of my colleagues retired on friday and we all went to glare at her jealously for getting out of there... I mean, to wish her well. It was a good afternoon but of course on my return home I had to think about feeding other people, oh and my brother came for a belated Little Mans birthday visit. So, I had to go and retrieve the brother from the train station and then we decided a nice bit of steak would do for dinner. I didn't want any dinner mind you, way too full up (did I mention the caramel apple crumble and ice-cream that went with lunch?) so I just cooked for the others and felt vaguely ill for the evening. Eldest Girl had abandoned ship to go and stay at her friends house so my bro had a bed to sleep in, ok he had to share a room with a noisy Baby girl, but he can ignore these things. As I was trying to get Little Miss M to bed she decided that she simply had to stay with her Uncle for just five more minutes...of course he was very touched and the little madam got her own way. We watched a dvd and I have to say I did quite enjoy it RocknRolla, although you could tell it was a Guy Ritchie film from the off, so no surprises there then.

Sunday, myself and Other Half decided to go and choose some carpet for the living room (he's got a couple of weeks off in november and there are decorating plans afoot!!!!) so we left uncle in charge and disappeared for what turned into an hour as Other Half has most definite ideas about what he wants. Then of course it was roast dinner day so had to get on with that. Amidst all the rushing about I was trying to get clothes for the week sorted, washed and dried, get the bins emptied and generally rush about doing three things at once, Other Half saunters into the kitchen to make himself a proper coffee (with his most expensive coffee machine in the world ever ) and in the course of this he is trying to empty coffee grounds into the little composting bin I have on the side.... the bin is full to overflowing and I am watching him throw coffee grounds all over my clean draining board..."that needs emptying" (I point out the obvious every now and again 'cos people don't seem to notice)"I haven't managed that yet" I go on. Other Half finishes balancing his coffee grounds precariously on the top of the contents of the little bin and then asks "do you want me to empty it?" Mmmmm, now let me think, what shall I say? Shall I respond, as is my, instinct with cutting sarcasm and a question along the lines of "do you really need to be told when things need doing?" (of course he does I do know) or do I simply say "Yes please"? I responded with the latter for a change, but it doesn't 'alf drive me up the wall you know!

Right weekend roundup finished so I best get on with sorting some more of these clothes mountains that seem to be surrounding me .

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

nothing is flowing very well today, words included it seems as a title eludes me (and I can usually find a song/film/quote to steal from someone ).

Today is my long day at work (my idea of long is six and a half hours you understand). It went well in as much as it went swiftly and I answered lots of phone calls, including one that I think was a "mystery shopper" as the query was so general and unspecific it was untrue. Suspect I waffled a lot and may have sounded slightly over the top but then that's how I usually sound so no change there then. I just hope I actually answered the question asked!

My looooonnng part of the day really got going when I picked the kids up from nursery, little Miss M was shattered, everybody else felt the need to speak simultaneously and I had a litle food shopping to do (bad bad idea). We toddled off to Morrisons to stock up on pasta and pizza as eldest girl has a friend visiting tomorrow after school. The shopping bit was fine, however on the home journey baby girl fell asleep...... uh-oh.... this of course meant that she was asleep at dinner time. I tried to gently waken her but she was zonked out. Also I must mention that eldest boy had asked if he could go out with his friends, and I agreed but he had to be home by seven... HAH! How stupid was I to think he would do as he was asked for a change?

So, we reach about half six and a small monstrous person awoke in the place of my angel baby girl. She cried for a good (bad) three quarters of an hour, she rejected every item of food or drink I offered her, she cried if I sat with her, she cried if I left her, she cried if I tried to cuddle her . She followed me from room to room crying and screaming at my inability to do what she wanted (what do you want????) and I hit the point I have never hit before with madam, I lost my patience with her! I didn't do anything differently but this was the first time I felt irritation at her behaviour, oh dear, little girl must be growing up cos I can usually put up with all sorts of behaviour when they are babies because after all they are only babies. Today I must have felt she was just in a bad mood and could possibly choose not to scream at me constantly!

To top it off my mood was darkened even further by thirteen year old phoning me at ten to seven declaring he was about half a mile away and,oh yeah, would probably be late . When he turned up at half seven little miss had managed to calm herself and was demanding a book with a cuddle.... super, just as I have more cooking to do...

Sigh, I am winding down now, but oh so knackered. Right, getting off here or I shall be even more knackered tomorrow, I know I keep saying it, but this work thing isn't half interfering with my computer time .

Overwhelmed

I just seem to be continuously doing stuff at the moment. There have been sick kids (again!!) washing that the whole street must put in my washing baskets, driving about (still a novelty and a bit scary), work (mustn't forget work), cooking, a vague stab at cleaning (that always seems to be last on the list... although the litter tray made itself well and truly known on my arrival back home this afternoon ) and of course looking after small people who are incapable of doing stuff for themselves.

And deeeeep breaths, in... and out... nope still knackered and not completely wound down yet.

Today seemed especially full to bursting. First on Karens never-ending list was having to put petrol in the car, I have put petrol in the car before but I had intended to con.... I mean ask, Other Half to do it for me yesterday, I forgot . In order to find the most empty (and therefore easier for me) petrol station I had to go in the opposite direction from work. I got to the pump and pulled up, rather neatly even if I do say so myself, got out and realised it was the pump you could use your card at, eeek, I braved the card machine thingy and was feeling even more pleased with myself. Sadly this then meant I was a little later than usual and my normal parking area was full! Uh-oh, I had to drive around a bit but did eventually find somewhere that didn't require a crowbar to get in and out of.

My work day was full of aggravating questions with no simple answers. I was unable to help as many people as I'd have liked and this always disturbs me, I seemed to spend a lot of today passing queries on to other people and making people on the end of the phone have to wait for someone else to call them back. A situation that doesn't please anyone.

I left work fairly knackered and pleased to see my car where I left it and with no additional decoration in the form of parking tickets (wasn't entirely sure I should have parked where I did ) I got in swapped shoes (there are driving shoes as opposed to work boots you see ), key in the ignition and.... nothing! OMG, no car starting up noises... now what? I sat and tried to think calm, non panicky thoughts for a minute or two. Now there were lights and the dashboard was lighting up like a christmas tree, just no engine starting... what on earth had I done? I had no credit on my phone so had to wander back to the office and ask the security guys if I could borrow their phone (I suspect they were amused at my predicament). I phoned Other Half and asked if we had some kind of immobiliser that I had accidentally activated, nope he said. I described what had happened and Other Half said "Is it in park?" Eh? "Is the car in park, it won't start if it's not in park?" Bing! Lightbulb moment! I wandered off to check, laughing with the security guys and saying I hoped it was that and not something requiring RAC men to come and get me.

Guess what? It wasn't in park... yay.. I mean oops. I won't be doing that again.

So, homeward bound, a fly by to pick up the kids, another quick fly by to a shop (eldest girlie wanted meatballs for tea) and then home. Next of course I launched into the cooking, cleaning and bottlewashing portion of the evening... oh yeah and that litter tray.

I am somewhat tired, off to bed now methinks .

That Was The Week That Was....

Blatant plagiarism, that's what we like to see. It's just sometimes someone elses words fit my blog so well!

Any hoo, hello all; I did not drop off the edge of the earth.. and I didn't run away to live in london either. What I did do was have a hectic weekend away, return to a sicky oldest boy and then got sick myself.... yay for returning to school germs.

My weekend was good, although staying at my nannys house proved interesting, I wouldn't say grandma was senile but she can definitely get herself in a tiz when things are different. Me coming to stay definitely counted as different. Poor old nanny first of all was stunned and amazed that I had abandoned my babies for the weekend. Then she was shocked and appalled that I was going out to a pub with my brother. She spent a lot of time asking the same questions again and again, and then being just as shocked and appalled when she got the same answers.

My bro and I did venture into the wilds of sunny Surbiton (not strictly London but close enough) to meet my old school friends, we met them straight from their day at the rugby and they still managed to stay at the pub til gone midnight. A good old chat and a few (!!) drinkies were had. We got a night bus or three back to my grandmas house and ate peanut butter on toast about half one in the morning.Nanny was confused and spent about half an hour trying to check the door was locked, she's not as deaf as usual in the middle of the night for some reason... we did creep in, and then I retired for the night and spent about an hour wondering how my babies were doing .

The next morning I was made scrambled egg for breakfast and was hit by the novelty of a morning without the words "mum, mum, mum..." being shouted. The train home was easy (apart from a slight platform change at clapham... I hate not knowing exactly where I should be) and then I returned to find eldest lad languishing with sick bucket on his bed.

Monday night, or should I say Tuesday morning was my turn ... needless to say I wasn't in work on wednesday...oh what a reliable employee I am.

Thursday and today things are almost back to normal apart from two snuffly girls and a sicky big lad(again!) but I have just been wiped out this week. See, a lovely relaxing weekend away just completely throws out my routine! I am looking forward to a rest this weekend, mind you I am due for another saturday night out locally next weekend, uh oh...

Hope everyone has had a good week, I am off into blogland for a proper peruse!

A Weekend Off

well despite certain setbacks and looking like it might not happen for a minute there, I am off to london for the evening.

The setbacks being of course, one sicky pup child. First week back at work and I couldn't even reach day three! Thursday evening, well actually friday morning, I was awoken by a plaintive voice (at 2:57 I think it t'was) saying "Mummmmm, I've been a little sick on my floor". Poor littlest boy had thrown up on the floor, and his bed, and of course himself (yuk). I was in my usual zombie like state, when it's that time of day I don't function too well for some reason, and on automatic pilot stripped a bed and cleaned a floor. I went in search of ye old faithful sick bucket... (mmm, clean, good!) and then got back to my bed, where I promptly lay listening for the next couple of hours in case a young man was ill again .

My lad was ill again yesterday morning, so my fleeting shall I just send him to school anyway? thought was soon dispensed with. Of course I then had to be brave and phone work to let them know that no I wouldn't be completing a full week after all. Luckily it wasn't as bad as I anticipated.

It seems that little man is greatly improved this morning though as he is declaring he feels he will be able to eat a chocolate cupcake later, I am trying to say much later.

So, I shall be abandoning Other Half and boarding a train for my old hometown to spend an evening with my brother and a couple of old school friends. I have a drinking plan in place (for the avoidance of doing an action replay of Chays night time performance) and will be eating plenty before I go anywhere near an alcoholic beverage! I am looking forward to it, but as always I'm a little apprehensive, simply because it's something different from the norm. Mind you if I think about twenty something years ago, it's exactly what I would have been doing on a saturday evening so it's not different at all!

Have a good evening all, I shall return tomorrow, probably a tired and bad tempered mummy but I shall have had a good time so that's what matters eh?

Day One...

I am just popping in to reassure the residents of Hampshire that I will be extra careful on my morning drives! Oh and just to inform you all that I made it, woo hoo, first drive to and from work completed without incident... and parking of course, yay!

I felt a little under the weather this morning and had to work very hard at not biting the heads off my poor babies as my stress levels soared. I had a bit of a where's my purse gone moment but my lovely eldest daughter found it for me (in my dressing gown pocket for some reason) and the panic subsided. As always with me the anticipation is the worst bit of any endeavour, and once I was on the road and dropping my littleuns off at school and nursery, I didn't feel quite so bad. The best bit was when I got to work and found a huge parking space (Yay!!!) and managed to park in it, I felt much much better.

Work was as expected, although I did remember a lot more than I thought I would, and the day passed fairly swiftly. It's almost like the six weeks didn't happen, oh well roll on lottery win, that's what I say.

Right, off to try and get more sleep (did get about eight hours last night ) and be fresh and daisy like in the morning.

Sitting

Currently sitting with dye on my head (and elsewhere as is often the way... sink, floor, shoulders, left ear lobe) trying not to move too much. Also tomorrow is looming large in my thoughts, I am back at work gloom, I have to drive there (double gloom) and then I will have to park (gloom to the power of ten). I may be dwelling on this,

I suspect you could tell.

I am attempting a tidy up today as the clothes explosion is getting on my nerves, the single sock escapade is baffling (a pair goes in the machine, a single sock comes out) and I definitely need to rediscover the hoover.

At least I have managed to get back into the making lunches the night before routine (two whole days woo hoo!) Day one seemed to go well for the kidlets, youngest lad when asked if he'd had a good day declared "I had a fantastic day" when asked what was so fantastic of course the response was " I don't remember" . Eldest girl seems to have settled into her last year at juniors (eeek) quite nicely, she seems so grown up these days, I feel so old these days...

Ooh just as an aside I had a go at the One Shows "what sex is your brain" quiz I was quite surprised to find I had a more male than female brain! Oh dear, I always thought I was brainier than that. (Only joking!!!!! All complaints on the sexist manner of that comment to be addressed to.. well.. um, me I suppose)

Little Miss M has been asking when she will be going to school, so at least someone is going to be cheerful tomorrow eh? Right, off to wash off dye and try and clean up my forehead, ears and scalp.. purple is good for hair, not so good for skin.

New Boys

Have you seen these cute boys? I am just putting up these pics to remind me why I am spending £75 on jabs and worming stuff, £75!!!!

They are cute little troublemakers though aren't they?

On a different subject I was awoken at the most anti-social hour of 4 a.m. this morning. Both myself and Other Half jumped up when we heard a very loud squealing/screaming noise "Rabbit!" declares Other Half (which was good cos I was a tad confused about where the noise was coming from) and we both steamed down the stairs and ran into the garden, only to see Mr Foxy loxy running away from the hutch! Poor old Splodge

Splodge

I had a quick look at her last night and thought the squeal must have just been fright, however on closer inspection this morning it was discovered that the 'orrible fox had taken a chunk out of Splodges ear!

She seems fine now but we will bathe her wound and I am now looking for a better hutch for the poor girl.

Off to do some housey stuff now, borrrrriiinnng.... oh dear I am beginning to sound like the teenager.

Get To Bed!

there are two of us up and awake in the house at the mo, me and teenager. Poor lad has first day back at school tomorrow and I do feel his pain . I used to be a complete mess on the night before having to go back, even now I am dreading wednesday, my first day back. I think I kind of hoped for the lottery option to save me from having to go back.... I had six weeks for goodness sake, should have been long enough don't you think?

Sigh, I too am having trouble settling of an evening, I need to sort out my sleep pattern! I also have to do a practise drive of my work route, and then of course there is the finding somewhere to park trauma...uh oh, I think maybe I will still have a dreadful night the evening before I have to go back.

Ok tis eleven o'clock now and all of a sudden it'll be one o clock in the morning...I must go to bed now... I must not play on facebook, I am going.... going... honest .

Bad Mood Alert! Bad Mood Alert!

Oh well it just keeps getting better.. the words Happy and Bunny definitely do not apply to me today. To go along with the lack of kip and general hair do sulkiness, I now have a what am I gonna do with him moment regarding Other Half.

Things have been fairly quiet on the Other Half front lately as he has been behaving himself quite nicely (patronising moo.. I know). However, at the end of last month his wage was about £300 down...eeeeek! To me it looks like a fairly straight forward admin error as no payment was made for fuel allowance. Getting Other Half to investigate this is a task and a half though. I was happily waiting for him to go to a meeting at the office today, as I knew he was much more likely to make an enquiry face to face than on the phone. I have been waiting to hear the outcome but by half twelve I could wait no more. Other Half cheerfully answers the phone and then says "Oh no, the meeting was cancelled" "So you haven't found out then?" "Oh no, I can't just go in the office I haven't got time" and obviously he can't ring up!!! I did try and point out (calmly) that Three hundred pounds can't just be forgotten about, he started to sound defensive and about to go into a tantrum so I backed off... for now...

Do you know if I could just ring these people up myself I would, I am sure it is all straightforward, but the longer you leave it then the longer we have to wait for things to get sorted!!!!!!!!!!!! (Do you think that's enough exclaimation marks?)

I have cats injections to pay for tomorrow and more little bits and bobs for uniform..... sigh... never mind lottery on friday, maybe my hair will have grown by then as well ?

AAAAAARRRGH!

AAARRGGH. AAARGH and AAARGH again!

Nothing major and it really isn't that bad..... but.... (and it's a big but... don't say a word!!) I have had my haircut. I thought I would take the plunge and have a bit more than usual chopped off oh and did I mention? AAAAAARGH.

It is shorter than I imagined and it just doesn't look like me. Other Half says it's not bad, and I hope I didn't react too badly to my poor friend who had cut it, but it was a shock to my system, which I am now calming with a large glass of alcoholic beverage.

On to other news, I have been doing a lot of driving about, my bro came to visit at the weekend and I went and picked him up from the train station . It was lovely to go and meet him, then we did a little food and goodies shopping before we came back home. It was a really nice and busy weekend, we watched many films and ate way too much.

On sunday I offered to take Other Half into town so he could go for a drink with his pal, and then I would come and pick him up. This involved motorway driving, driving in the dark and joy of joys... rain! However, I managed it and it made a nice change for Other Half to be able to go for a beer and not have to get a taxi home.

Monday I took my bro back to the train station and we went for a little wander and a shop and a coffee along the way, it's all very civilised this driving about lark.

Today I took the kids to meet a friend and her little boy at Queen Elizabeth Country Park (more motorway and then of course parking at t'other end... you're impressed aren't you?) It was a nice day and we played with big sticks and ate lunch in a den, then we went on a bear hunt and picked flowers, all for the princely sum of £1 parking. The smell of other peoples barbecues was most tempting, think I'm going to have to give that a go sometime.

I am already dreadng the arrival of next wednesday, when I go back to W O R K (I'm spelling it out so that I don't know what I'm talking about ). Poor old eldest lad is first back into the old routine, school starts on friday for him, monday for the others. Although I am looking forward to getting small people out from under my feet I shall miss the little darlin's, it's been nice to be able to run them about places myself.

I do have an outing to look forward to though, I am off to londinium to go out with my brother and a couple of old friends weekend after this, I am hoping I do not disgrace myself and I am looking forward to some relaxy away from it all time... with grown ups!!!

Off to have another drinky, and watch the rest of this X-files film, not really getting on with Billy Conolly at this point but there you go...

MONEY! Woo hoo!

Money day has arrived, but sadly I suspect the list as long as my arm (almost) will deplete my stocks considerably in a very short amount of time.

Eldest Lad has also decided he needs a haircut and I have to try and describe the style that he is after to the hairdresser man...I don't really know what the style is for the young people these days. I have been told the phrase "emo" is the one to use, sounds a bit strange to me.

I will report back shortly as to the inordinate amount of money spent and the state of my lads hair.... wish me luck... I'm going in!

Monday? Uh-oh Where Did Sunday Go?

Oh dearie me, I have lost part of the weekend! I got a text from a friend on saturday afternoon, suggesting a little drinky out that evening, I said yes . The rest as they say is history.

I think my problem was the not eating a proper dinner part of the evening although possibly the three pints of Fosters had something to do with it. I ended up dancing about with my friend (and my recollection of this is hazy... which always disturbs me) and conning Other Half into giving my pal a lift home. Apparantley I went with them and then came home and ate food, I am taking this on trust as the next thing I remember is leaning over the side of my bed and being not very well. Someone (me I was told) had thoughtfully found me a bucket which was a good thing.

Yesterday I awoke with a sinking feeling, found the bucket (ugh) got up cleaned up and went back to my bed wishing the world would just keep still for a minute. My head proceded to keep me awake by thoughtfully thumping away whilst my stomach threatened a repeat performance of the previous evening. I ended up stumbling down the stairs and making littleuns some brekkie (that wasn't favourite I can tell you!) and then sitting curled in a foetal position on the sofa, drifting in and out of hazy consciousness. I even took medication and that just didn't cut it either.

When Other Half arose I retired back to my bed for an hour hoping against hope my head and stomach would cheer up as we had a BBQ to attend yesterday afternoon, and we had to take food.

I managed to make some chicken kebabs and have a semblance of a happy face when we went out, I think the fresh air helped a little to be honest. However I am finding that this morning I am still a tad fragile and energy levels are zero....oh I am too old for all this sort of thing, silly woman didn't have a drinking plan and half a packet of noodles was not sufficient dinner to go out on!

Right now another cuppa to try and kick start my motivation, loads to do as yesterday was such a washout

Friday Of A No Money Week

It's not payday this week... only a week to go, but strangely still things to buy this week! I have a small boy asking if it's sweety day and you'd be amazed at how much a sweety day for four can add up to, I have said "no".

I am being chauffeur again today, Eldest Girly has a friend coming over to visit, my only worry is the petrol, not only have I never done the petrol thing before (Which petrol? How does this thing work? What buttons do I press?) I'm not convinced I have enough pennies for petroleum.... mmm could be an interesting drive.

I performed a feat of great daring yesterday, I parked on the drive! When I say drive let me explain that this is actually the remains of our front garden, complete with parts of old wall and remnants of lawn oh and no dropped kerb! Also there is a drop off one side and if I back in too fast I might enter my kitchen via the front window. I was building this event up in my head and thought I had better just bite the bullet yesterday; now waiting for our road to be clear is also a problem, but I took my chance. It took three or four backwards and forwardsing (getting in the way of various irate drivers) but I did it! Then I shook for about ten minutes (stressed!) then I phoned Other Half to let him know of my bravery and to pre-warn him not to moan about the positioning of the car.... and then I had a cuppa!

Off for cuppa number two and then time for some tidying before madams guest arrives, have a good friday all

Look Out!

I have been doing something today, and what I have been doing is this...... I have been passing my driving test!!!

I have been so stressed over the past three or four weeks it's been unreal, last night I didn't get to bed until about half one, even then sleep eluded me for quite some time. I am expecting a better time tonight (I have bought a bottle of Baileys to help with that too).

I had my test at 13:08 (why??) and Dave the driving instructor came and picked me up at twelve. I deliberately hadn't told the kids as I didn't want disappointment if I failed. My parents came and babysat for me and I went out feeling like a huge cloud of stress was hanging over me. Dave was smiling at my obvious discomfort, and then I think he took pity on me and chatted away trying to relax me. I made a complete hash of my manoeuvres and I think he despaired . When it was time we went to the test centre and he made me have another look under the bonnet and tell him were various very important things are located.

I sat waiting in centre and finally a lady came and called my name... OMG this was really happening. She asked me what I preferred to be called.. I opted for Karen (what with it being my name and all) and then off we went. First thing I did wrong was forgot how to open the bonnet (aaaargh, he'd just shown me that!) I got my question right but then she launched into a bayparking manoeuvre, managed to muck that up and that's the one I wanted too. I just felt like I had made loads of silly mistakes all the way through (don't even mention my reversing round a corner....abysmal) and when we finally pulled up back at the test centre she did her little notes bit, then she asked if I wanted to have my instructor hear the outcome. At this point I was convinced that meant a fail as I presumed she would be telling poor old Dave how awful I was! So when he came and stood by the car and the words "Well Karen I am pleased to tell you..." Eh? Pleased? "...you have passed" I then turned and in a very high pitched voice said "Oh!" and then I spent about thirty seconds thinking she did say passed didn't she?

This is the weirdest feeling, this morning I was a learner and now they expect me to do it on my own. I made Other Half go and buy me P plates, I feel the need for some sort of indication of my inexperience. The insurance is sorted and tonight I made my first solo trip... up the road to Morrisons and back, woo hoo, all of five minutes up the road. Oh but I did make a slight detour for a cup of tea to my friends house on the way home, it's all very strange and I am sure it's going to take me a while to become accustomed to it all.

Right, I may have bought some alcohol whilst I was out and I feel now is a good time to indulge .

Ugh! Humph And Other Well Known Child Friendly Expressions Of Grump

Youngest boy decided I did not need a lie in today, twice (as I did manage to ignore him at the ten to seven alarm call). At eight twenty (I know, it's not bad really) he came and "whispered" to me "MUMMY, there's a spider in the living room". Oh joy, as those of you who know me may realise, I am not best equipped when it comes to dealing with our eight legged friends.

"Ang on" replies I as I decide I'd best at least have a look for the poor lad, after all I wouldn't be happy at being stuck in a room alone with one (ooh that's right I was going to place myself in the same room with one). You could tell I wasn't properly awake by the squinty eye look I was sporting, I even briefly wondered if I had my specs on but then I found them (on my face strangely) I bravely entered the arena... I mean, living room. Where is it then and how big is it? My lad then pointed high up to the ceiling near the window, and what was there? Some gargantuan beast? Nope, it twas the smallest spindliest even-I-can-cope-with-that spidey I have ever seen. "That's tiny and I can't reach it!" "But I don't like them" replies the boy "he's not bothering you! He's way over there." My boy then sat back down at the computer (yes he's five and he comes downstairs and turns the thing on and plays on it all by himself, thank goodness for parental controls) and carried on quite happy. Thanks for that then son.

So, I am up and about, and about to start cup of tea number two, at least I'm being productive. Other Half is back to work next week (boo and yet, yay!) so I have to make sure all washing is up to date for monday. This week has been surprisingly housework free as we just haven't been home, but washing waits for no man/woman (delete whichever is applicable, or sounds best) and the dust has been settling itself in nicely undisturbed (and just as I was getting on top of it all) so time to start again. Also I am back to ordinary eating today, I have had enough "goodies" to sink a battleship (no, honestly that much) I feel thoroughly unwell and my jeans don't like me anymore. It's time for some vegetables to appear in my diet as from today, the kids are in for a nasty shock, I suspect they were quite enjoying the eat all you want buffet style of eating we have adopted this week. Sorry kids fish fingers and jacket potatoes for dinner, maybe with some extra beans or any other fibre full veg I can find... oh and no pud.

Right, I am vaguely more with it, just time for that cuppa and then start the proper GETTING THINGS SORTED portion of the weekend .

Ooh... Here I Am..

Haven't managed to get on here much the last couple of days (could be longer, I've lost track!) It is Other Halfs week off though and we have been DOING THINGS, this is in lieu of actually being able to afford a holiday, so picnics and day trips it is.

Monday was a driving lesson day, and shopping day so we didn't do anything exciting then, Other Half did manage a trip with many and various objects to the local tip (hoorah.... at last) so that was something.

Tuesday was trip to Beaulieu day, and I hate to admit it, but I had a good time! We looked around the very old cars display (which included an old london bus and I'm afraid I found that very exciting). Then we went to look at a falconry display, this kind of made the day for me as I love watching birds of prey. The gentleman presenting the display was very knowledgable too and told us lots of interesting facts about how falconry has impacted on the english language, and other historical points. Did you know "making a pass" at someone comes from falconry? It relates to when a bird will pass by it's prey before it actually catches it. Oh and a falcon will make a "mantle" over it's prey once it's caught it.. this means it sits with its wings covering the prey in order to be able to eat it unobserved, the shape of the wings has given us the word mantlepiece. There was lots of other snippets but my sieve like brain has forgotten them at this minute .

We didn't manage to get into the Top Gear display cos it was just way too busy! However we did have a little trip on the monorail (eeeek!) where I discovered my children are not only fearless, but wicked! The biggies took great delight in bouncing around the little compartment making it rock even more alarmingly, forcing me to hiss"Stop it!" at them (I'm not too keen on heights it seems) and the youngsters were both trying to lean out of the windows and give their poor mother a hear attack.

Today we went on a picnic with some friends to a place called Moors Valley, there is a lovely play trail there with lots of wooden climbing structures for the kids. There is also something called a tree top trail (we discovered this is very hard to say out loud) which is a wooden walkway about twenty feet up, which wends its way through the woods. Littlest Miss M once again frightened the life out of me as she ran along this (quite frankly way to skinny) walkway, oblivious to the drop either side (me? Not so oblivious). The weather was good, not too hot thank goodness, and we had a walk and then a feed and then a play in the adventure playground area.

I am shattered... Other Half is shattered.. the kids are asking what's next.

I think it may be a another farm type experience tomorrow, there is one nearby where they allow the kids to have a go at milking, and there is a nice cake shop too, mmm sold!

Update On Facebook
Just to let you know that Facebook did shut down the fraudulent account so I'm pleased about that, have to watch it in future though, as I'm sure it won't be the last time we encounter this sort of thing, aren't kids luverly?

The Trouble With Social Networking

Ok I am really angry, proper feeling like going round and shouting at someone, angry.

My eldest son has just joined facebook, not too bothered about that (apart from having even less time on here!) but what I am angry about is that some delightful child has put up a fake profile using my boys name. Now the content isn't much of a surprise, the usual derogatory remarks about being gay and including some highly imaginative sexual preferences on my sons behalf. This child has also made a number of friends with my sons real friends and is making strange comments and declarations on his behalf to them. However what has really annoyed me is that the little swine has put our actual address on the profile information!

I have reported it to facebook and requested some sort of feedback on the issue, also pointing out that the content of the page is very unsuitable and letting them know that I am not best pleased with having my real address splashed all over the internet. I sneakily added this person as a friend and they accepted. I was able to send them a message letting them know they should probably stop this now and that I had reported them. Strangely once they had sussed I was my lads mum they took me off their friends list.... odd eh?

Right, feel a bit better now that's off my chest! Luckily my boy isn't the sort of lad who takes much notice of this sort of thing and isn't bothered by it... I however am... no not going to rant anymore, I've done what I can and hopefully this profile will be removed.

It's been a very busy day, the cleaning bug has hit me, proper cleaning too! I actually got out the mop and bucket, polish and window cleaner today. Not only did I get them out; I used them! My living room now looks much less like a rubbish heap and more like a .. well a living room.. and this is very unusual. I may even invite people into the house now, it's much more salubrious . Maybe the extra light let in by the newly cleaned windows is perking me up.

Of course the weekend is looming and Other Half has next week off so I'll let you know how long the tidyness lasts, you'll be able to tell when they start leaving a mess around the place when a small explosion is reported in the hampshire area (me losing my rag in case you didn't guess).

There are plans afoot to go on outings next week, sadly the manchester trip can't be done due to lack of petroleum money (guess how many miles to the gallon our little chariot does.. go on.. I'll tell you... 18 miles to the gallon!!!) We will be going on some picnics though and possibly Beaulieu (not my preference), I am hoping for some sort of zoo trip but we shall see how far the pennies stretch... Isle of Wight might be nice for a day too.

Right, it's time for bed now, but first a cup of hot choccy and as that game is playing up on facebook maybe I'll watch some telly .

Or go and check whether that games working again ...