Spread your wings and fly away

I have so far

Done the lettering for one class display based on the book they are reading - The sheep pig.

Found a picture of a pig for the board which I have printed off, will enlarge it onto A3 then paint it tomorrow (if I get time)

Found a picture of a Target board which needs laminating for the Maths board (still no idea what to do for that board but trying out a few things)

Sorted out whether I can afford the £118 for my sons Geography field trip in January

Discussed my options with a friend (this was not a lot of help but got things off my chest)

Cooked dinner (which the dog ate because someone left the kitchen door open, so dog ate our gammon joint)

Ate the Pasta bake son cooked to replace it

Cleared up after the dog when he was sick (serve the bloody thing right he is lucky to still be in the house)

Found some good story openings to go on the Literacy board.

So far a constructive evening.

Going to put youngest to bed, put my nightclothes on then sit with feet up and do some sewing!

Nig decided to go to football straight after work so the house is to myself for now, peace will reign!

Went round to a friends house last night as she was hosting a Virgin Vie party.

Said to eldest son as I left him in charge " Only popping out for an hour to J's house, don't answer the door or phone, Dad should be in soon."

"WHy you going to J's house" he asks

"she is having a Virgin Vie party, just need to give her my order" I replied

"but your not a virgin mum" he says with a grin on his face. Groan!!

At party, only a neighbour and another work colleague turn up so feeling pleased that I didn't cancel which I was going to do as I really didn't feel like going out. It is unusual for J to have so few at her party but originally it was organised for Friday and as we are now meeting up with a mutual friend to meet her new boyfriend, she changed the date.

So glass of wine in hand and some low fat pretzels my phone rings.
"Hello darling," says hubby " just to let you know I am home so don't hurry back. Why are you at J's anyway?"

"Virgin Vie party"

"Oh if you meet a virgin take a photo for me"

"Hardly likely dear we are all at the age where we are in relationships, married or divorced"

"So why is it called Virgin then?" he asks laughing at his own joke,. More Groans from me of despair as I put the phone down.

Honestly I despair of the men in my house I really do.

It was a good evening, got in at around 11, £40 worse off, good job I got paid yesterday lol!

Right that is it, I have done enough for tonight! I am now going to sit and relax with my stitching which I know I will not get finished before Christmas but going to give it a try.

See you all later!

Arguments galore here this morning you can tell it is Monday can't you?

Eldest in a mood and gone storming off upstairs. Why? Because we bought his borother, new school shoes, new trainers and a pair of plimsoles - all in all spent £30.00 altogether on him - very good considering.

Eldest thinks this is unfair because he only got school shoes when I went shopping with him - cost £30.00. Pointed out that he also got 4 new t shirts (sportsworld £10) and other bits and pieces for school - cost £6.00 from Staples. Also he got a pair of trainers when we were on holiday £25 and youngest only got a pair of deck shoes £3. Oh and all the clothes we got him when we were away as well total cost £70 (this includes the trainers).

Yet we are being unfair towards him?

I often wonder why I had kids sometimes!!

Hope you all have a good day.

Sat and watched Shrek 2 on sky while Nig popped out and picked up eldest from his friend's house via the local Pizza take away place.

He comes back with a huge pizza for me and the youngest child, of course youngest only wnats one piece grrrrr.

Diet out of the window for today then.

Anyway after Shrek 2 finished, Nig asked children to put Shrek on so he could watch that "afterall there is nothing else on" he says not even bothering to check.

Now Shrek is on Video tape. we purchased it before we got a DVD player, so we sit through 15 mins of previews of other films - Barbie in the Nutcracker being one of them.

"Hans Christen Anderson wrote that didn't he?" says Nig

"No Tchaikovsky did" I reply only half listening, was looking up something in the Argos catalogue at the time.

"He wrote the ballet didn't he?"

"Yes" says I

"So who wrote the story?"

"Hoffman" says I

"Who?" he says

"Hoffman wrote the story I think, well the story is called The Nutcracker and the King of Mice. Tchaikovsky wrote the music to turn it into a ballet"

"Never heard of him" he replies.

"He wrote operas as well"

"Who Tchaikovsky?"

and so the conversation went on, going round in circles with me hoping and praying no one suggests we get Barbie in The Nutcracker for Christmas. Don't think I could bear that!!

So we settle down, eventually film starts and we watch it for the umpteenth time.

"Is there going to be a Shrek 3?" asks Nig

"Yes"

"Oh good can't wait!"

How many kids do I have? I often wonder lol

Copied from Christin82 (superkween) blog. Asterix the ones that apply.

25 SIGNS YOU HAVE GROWN UP

1. Your houseplants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.

2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question. *

3.You keep more food than beer in the fridge. *

4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed. *

5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.

6. You watch the Weather Channel.

7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up." *

8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14. *

9 . Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up." *

10. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door, who won't turn down the stereo. *

11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you. *

12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore. - never been to one!

13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up. *

14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers. - never eat McDonalds so they never had the leftovers!

15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt. *

16. You take naps.

17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one. *

18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach. *

19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests. *

20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good sh_t."

21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time. *

22. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that much again." *

23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.

24. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking "Oh shit what the hell happened?" *

Bonus:
25: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn't apply to you and can't find one to save your sorry old butt. Then you forward it to a bunch of old friends 'cause you know they'll enjoy it & do.

Can you tell I am bored?

Pinched this from Kizlode as I wanted to see how many I have actually seen. These were the top 100 films as voted by viewers on Channel 4. I have put the ones I have seen in BOLD.

the ones in bold are the ones that I've seen (I have seen some of some of the others but not seen them all the way through), anyway here they are:-

1. Star Wars (1977) / The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
2. The Godfather (1972) / The Godfather Part 2 (1974)
3. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
4. Pulp Fiction (1994)
5. Some Like It Hot (1959)
6. Gladiator (2000)
7. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
8. Blade Runner (1982)
9. Schindler's List (1993)
10. Goodfellas (1990)
11. Psycho (1960)
12. Jaws (1975)
13. Apocalypse Now (1979)
14. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
15. The Matrix (1999)
16. Casablanca (1942)
17. The Usual Suspects (1995)
18. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
19. Citizen Kane (1941)
20. Raging Bull (1980)
21. ET (1982)
22. Taxi Driver (1976)
23. Life Of Brian (1979)
24. Singin' In The Rain (1952)
25. LA Confidential (1997)
26. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
27. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
28. Kes (1969)
29. Vertigo (1958)
30. Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
31. Fargo (1996)
32. Gone With The Wind (1939)
33. Trainspotting (1996)
34. The Full Monty (1997)
35. The Graduate (1967)
36. Alien (1979)
37. The Silence Of The Lambs (1990)
38. Withnail & I (1987)
39. The Great Escape (1963)
40. Toy Story (1995)
41. The Third Man (1949)
42. Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994)
43. The Sound Of Music (1965)
44. Fitzcarraldo (1982)
45. Deliverance (1972)
46. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (1966)
47. Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949)
48. Chinatown (1974)
49. The Exorcist (1973)
50. Annie Hall (1977)
51. The Italian Job (1969)
52. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
53. The Jungle Book (1967)
54. Titanic (1998)
55. Jean De Florette (1986) / Manon Des Sources (1986)
56. Dr. Strangelove (1963)
57. Rebel Without A Cause (1955)
58. The Seven Samurai (1954)
59. A Matter Of Life And Death (1946)
60. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
61. Secrets & Lies (1995)
62. Blue Velvet (1986)
63. La Dolce Vita (1960)
64. Spartacus (1960)
65. Metropolis (1926)
66. Bonnie And Clyde (1967)
67. King Kong (1933)
68. Get Carter (1971)
69. The Searchers (1956)
70. The Seventh Seal (1957)
71. Don't Look Now (1973)
72. Brief Encounter (1945)
73. M*A*S*H (1970)
74. The French Connection (1971)
75. Top Hat (1935)
76. The Producers (1968)
77. Three Colours: Blue (1993) / Three Colours: White (1993) / Three Colours: Red (1994)
78. Cabaret (1972)
79. Goldfinger (1964)
80. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
81. The Gold Rush (1925)
82. High Noon (1952)
83. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
84. The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938)
85. Enter The Dragon (1973)
86. Breathless (A Bout De Souffle) (1960)
87. Ice Cold In Alex (1958)
88. Battleship Potemkin (1925)
89. The African Queen (1951)
90. The General (1926)
91. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
92. Way Out West (1937)
93. Henry V (1944)
94. Easy Rider (1969)
95. My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
96. Belle De Jour (1967)
97. The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935)
98. The Terminator (1984)
99. Saturday Night And Sunday Morning (1960)
100. Do The Right Thing (1989)

Hmmmm far too many lol!!

It has been a weird weekend thus far.

PMT has kicked in big time and so I do one of two things - shout at anyone who gets in my way or burst into tears at the slightest thing. Also anything that can be eaten has been which is not good for the diet!

The PMT seems to be getting worse as I get older. My patience is wearing thin, Nigel is getting on my nerves yet the poor sod really hasn't done anything to warrant me to be so hard on him - he is a saint sometimes.

One son has defected to his mates house in the hope that his mother isn't premenstrual, the other one is in his room hoping that I won't want him sometime soon - yes it is that bad!

I haven't heard from my mum this week either, which is strange, she phones at least once a week to moan about how bad her life is! Perhaps she has decided not to risk being shouted at this week lol!

I am also concerned about my leg. It is hurting again and due to walking funny it is affecting my back. Getting a doctors appointment is a joke round here, though I will try on Monday to get slotted in within the next two weeks - you have to plan in advance!
Typically hitting 40 isn't much fun I am falling apart at the seams.

I should have cooked a roast dinner today. I had every intention of doing so. I stayed in bed until 11 reading my book and then got up to find that youngest's school shoes were falling apart - so off to Brantanos we trot to get him some new ones. To be fair he needed new ones anyway just putting off buying some until payday. Fortunately Nigel had some spare cash on him so youngest ended up with not only a pair of new shoes, but some trainers (that were going for a bargain price of £12 for reeboks) and a pair of plimsoles. We also went into TK Max a shop I absolutely detest! I really cannot be bothered sorting through rows and rows of clothes trying to find something I like, it is like going to a jumble sale at times in there. However Nig found a toy for Richard that he knows he will love to have to Christmas so while he and Rich went to have a look upstairs I bought it and took it back to the car! Need to find a hiding place for it later.

Seeing how fed up I am, Nig then decided that I could buy the coffee table I saw in a shop for £69.99. After depositing me at home he goes off to buy it only to find that they are no longer doing the one I wanted and the one in its place was £75.oo. So he decided against it and I have ordered one online instead.

So that is me at the moment., Even the sun shining can't lift me out of my sullen mood. I am trying but it isn't working much lol!

Just ordered pair of school trousers for youngest. We got totally soaked yesterday and in my eagerness to get fit and lose weight, decided that he should have several pairs of trousers as rain is not going to stop me from walking him to and from school when I can.

So as I said ordered him some more trousers and me some jogging bottoms (not so bad when they get wet, whereas jeans are!) from the catalogue online about an hour ago.

What domes through just now?

An email telling me that if I place an order with them and quote this code then I can get my purchases on buy now pay April 2007!

Why didn't they send that before I placed my previous order!!

Grrrr..

Seen some nice shoes though, may have a look...........

Saturday mornings always have the same routine in our house.

Alarm goes off at 6.30 and I know I have half an hour before I have to get out of bed.

7am - get up and head for the shower. Once dried wrap in dressing gown and go downstairs to make a cup of tea and let dogs out (invariably Nig is still snoozing)

7.30 - take tea upstairs, kick hubby awake (yes kick) dogs usually jump on him as well, sip tea, put on makeup, get dressed dry hair.

By now Nigel should have made his way to the bathroom, though occasionally by this point I usually have to get stroppy with him.

By 8.15 I am usually giving instructions to kids, feeding dogs, sorting out purse to make sure I have everything and heading towards car to drive to town.

8.35 - Having found my usual parking space (tendency to forget where I have left car if I don't park in the same spce) Nig and I are walking around the shopping center (renamed the mall) in while waiting for bank to open.

Now at this time of the morning there isn't much open. Next is, Debenhams is, so is Woolworths. We usually are in Woolworths to see what bargains are to be had in the toy department and making a note of what to buy the boys for Christmas. We have been known to have bought a few things to hide away for Christmas by now as well! Once the building society is open we head there so that Nig can transfer the housekeeping money into the joint account for me to spend on exciting things like food, bills, and more bills!

Then we stop at Debenhams for Breakfast. For some reason Nig loves doing this, think it may be that this is the only time he gets a cooked brekkie! Final wander around the shops, for gift ideas then we head for home stopping off occasionally at Asda to do the weekly shop.

Why so early?

We both like to get out of town before it gets crowded and before the various factions that make up our multicultural town descend. It has been known for there to be fights amongst the different races, often leading to bloodshed or for the police to be called in. Of course it is now the footie season as well, so we will also have to try and avoid the football crowds when the town is playing at home.

It is a nightmare. I hate our town centre but unfortunately the building society will not let us transfer funds from one account to the other via the internet. I prefer going to Watford or Milton Keynes but that isn't always possible especially if Nig has to get back to go to work - he has a lot on in private work at the moment, so the local town centre and the sooner I get there the sooner I can come home again!

The centre management are undergoing a refurbishment programme to make the shopping mall more welcoming, but this has come at a price. Most of the shops that we used to like visiting have now closed as the cost of the rents had risen to levels which didn't make them viable to trade there, so they have moved on or gone into receivership country wide. There are a lot of 'cheap' stores there now, which have their place, I have no doubt, but they never seem to have anything in them that I would want. Also they have just done up the indoor market, it looks a lot brighter and cleaner than it used to. However again the rents have gone up and most of the stalls are empty, my favourite stall is no longer there. The butchers have closed, the grocer is gone, the toyshop disappeared.

So now I am home, the sun streaming through my window, washing out and housework done. I have ironing to do but that can wait, my leg is painful and I am going to put it up. My trip to town is over for another week

Kizlode sent this to me earlier and thought I would share.

Getting worried about him a little bit lol!!

A friend at work is selling throwovers - you know the
thingy that you put over your bed. I've only got this
sample (see below).

They are £69.95 each and she assures me that they are exceptional quality & look gorgeous on the bed.

Have a look, and let me know if you are interested.
Stocks are limited

I've ordered a couple, they're really nice.

Some of you may have seen this on Molts blog this morning but it may be worth a second airing, as I got it in my inbox as well.

Today is going well diet wise so far.

Walked to youngest sons school with a neighbour (who also has kids to pick up ) and we decided to go the long way round, which takes 20 mins instead of the usual 7.

quick walk round, in the pouring rain and boy did it rain in buckets!!!

Picked son up, started to walk home and there is a pain in my calf. Not the one I did a couple of months back, the other one and it hurts!!!! I can just about put foot to floor but I am hobbling.

I am so annoyed and upset.

Beginning to get paranoid, is there something seriously wrong with me? I am falling apart.

It isn't as though I never exercise, I do regularly. It isn't as though I don't ever walk anywhere I do. So why is this happening.

Really fed up now, and feeling sick to boot!!

Got up this morning, looked in my wardrobe and gloom descended about me.

Why?

Nothing fits again.

Right so I am back at WW and had my first wi for 4 weeks to find I am back at where I started.

Not good.

So decided that I need to get things going again and get back on track. This time no excuses. I have a family do to go to in February and really would like to lose at least 11/2 stone by Christmas so I am going all out now to do just that and lose this weight!!

Problem is though I get so far then I get fed up with it all. Motivation is my downfall at the moment. However I have to lose I don't want to get where I started previously!

So as from today I will track everything I eat and do some form of exercise daily!

Todays exercise, if it ever stops raining, will be walking the long way round to my sons school to pick him up. Also have to go through this house like a thing possessed, it is looking like a pigsty!!

Oh well to describe my mood in a song.

My son comes home from school with a permission form for me to fill out from the Music service.

He wants to play an instrument.

Great thinks I, he can play the clarinet.

No.

Flute?

No.

Trumpet, says I fingers crossed behind back and fearing neightbours reaction.

No.

Hoping for a good response to this one - Guitar?

No.

What then.

The Drums.

OMG he wants to play the drums. As if I don't suffer from enough headaches!!!!!

No idea why, he just thinks it will be great playing the drums.

Apparently he can't learn to play the guitar, because there is no teacher for it anymore - oh yes I forgot, the really nice man with the gorgeous eyes and beautiful fingers has moved on to pastures new. Damm.

Molt if you fancy a career change hun and wish to teach the guitar there are several children round here dying to learn lol!!!

Secretly hoping child will decide against playing the drums but looking into childs eager face earlier, I can see that won't be the case!

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

My leg is covered in bruises where I have walked into children's chairs today. The classroom is fairly big, but badly laid out and the chairs not exactly the same height as normal chairs so if I am not walking into the edge of a table it is those wretched chairs!

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

And onto chairs of a different kind.

The kind that is head of a Governing body. Yes it is what I affectionaly call silly season, the season where the school Governing body meets once again and elect the chair, vice chair and sorts out the committees.

Had the high school one last week. First meeting back.

Chair approaches me and generally chats, passing pleasantries and asks if I am interested as standing as chair of one of the commitees.

Explain I have very little free time especially as I will be busy with another school I am also on the Governing body of, and we have some staffing issues to deal with.

We come to the start of the meeting. He is elected as chair of the main Governing body, no surprise there.

He then asks if anyone wishes to stand as vice chair.

Everyone looks at floor, ceiling, nails, anywhere but at him.

Any nominations he asks.

None.

He then says "Well I nominate Samantha"

I spit orange juice over table, knew it would be a bad idea to drink at this point!

The nomination is seconded and everyone agrees on it.

And so I am now vice chair of the Governing body - yes me - the person who usually sits and doodles all over her minutes and barely says a word unless I have to!!

There are times when I wonder why I am doing this lol!!!

First saw this group on the tv show Las Vegas, on sky 2 last week. They are soooooooooooo happy, and the tune is really catchy as well!!

I have just finished my roast dinner and was looking forward to putting feet up in front of the telly.

However not going to.

Nigel still not home yet, he said he was going to work late today, and as he isn't home yet one can assume that this will be the case. A lovely roast dinner is in the microwave waiting for him.

I hate cooking roasts mid week, but as I didn't do a roast on Sunday thought I should make the effort today - Nig loves his roasts.

I have refused to bring work home today. I know that I am behind with a lot of it, but decided that it can wait until I get to work tomorrow. Things have not improved much but we are getting there after much discussion with various ppl. I have been training on the computer this afternoon, so my head is feeling fuzzy, the sort of feeling you get when you have stared at the computer screen for a long time!

And now a little joke that someone sent me

Mike is getting along in years and finds that he is unable to perform sexually.

He finally goes to his doctor who tries a few things, but nothing
seems to work. So the doctor refers him to an American Indian medicine man.

The medicine man says, "I can cure this." That said, he throws a
white powder in a flame, and there is a flash with billowing blue smoke. Then he says, "This is powerful medicine. You can only use it once a year. All you have to do is say, '123,' and it shall rise for as long as you wish!"

The guy then asks, "What happens when it's over, and I don't want to continue?"

The medicine man replies: "All you or your partner has to say is 1234,and it will go down. But be warned - it will not work again for another year."

Mike rushes home, eager to try out his new powers and prowess. That
night he is ready to surprise Margaret. He showers, shaves, and puts
on his most exotic shaving lotion. He gets into bed, and lying next to her,says, "123."

He suddenly becomes more aroused than anytime in his life....just as the medicine man had promised.

Margaret, who had been facing away, turns over and asks, "What did you say
123 for?"

**** And now you know why you shouldn't end a sentence with a
preposition.

Oh it is lovely to have my computer back again!

Kids not so happy as mother is now hogging it again!

Been looking up my pirate name

Iron Ethel Cash

A pirate's life isn't easy; it takes a tough person. That's okay with you, though, since you a tough person. You're musical, and you've got a certain style if not flair. You'll do just fine. Arr

Not too sure about this one, though one of the kids at school said I was cruel. why? I made him write out his spellings that he got wrong 3 times!! Said if that is the worst he has to face then he will be lucky! My spelling group will know how to spell properly by the time I have finished with them!!

Well better get a move on another lot of washing needs to be hung out and meat in the oven before I toodle of to work.

Have a good day!

I am soooooooo happy! My computer needed a new graphic card in the end, so without leaving home I am £30 poorer, but definately happier I can come online again without fear of the computer crashing on me lol!

However it now means more insane moments that you lot will have to read about. More ramblings, more nonesense!

I have just piled my way through over 200 e mails ranging from friends sending me jokes and pictures - some rude, some funny and of course the messages that you have sent that I have been unable to reply to - thank you to you all.

There are some funny jokes that I will post on here when I have more time.

So just catching up, notice a lot of friends, including myself, have been tagged as yawnfest. Very funny really and no it won't stop me posting! If you find it a yawn then don't read lol!

Had to laugh at the ' 1000 posts a day' one thought that was silly afterall I can't post 1000 posts a day I don't have time and still can't do it when I do - also been offline for what seems like an age! Good job I have a sense of humour and just laughed lol!!!

Three invites from french ppl, hate doing this but declined them, not much point accepting if they never respond to posts and I don't speak French.

Oh well off to catch up and do some more silliness!

Hugs to you all

Prised son off laptop to let you know I received my Rainbow facilitator training today and got my badge and certificate. So I can help children who are suffering from loss or bereavement to overcome their fears and express their feelings.

For those of you who have no idea what I am on about, here is some info taken from their website

http://www.rainbowsgb.org/index.asp

England and Wales have the highest divorce rate in Europe.
Most divorces occur between five and nine years of marriage.
In 2000, approximately 41% of marriages that took place in England and Wales ended in divorce. By 2010, it is expected that 50% of all first time marriages for both partners will end in divorce.
Teenagers who marry are more likely to divorce than any other group.
50% of all marriages are re-marriages for one or both of the partners and 50% of all second marriages end in divorce.
It is estimated that 25% of children under 16 experience their parents’ divorce.
3 million children are living in a stepfamily situation.
In 1996 there were 157,000 divorces in England and Wales. Of these 147,000 involved children under the age of 16.
There are 19,000 suicide attempts by adolescents every year- more than one every 30 minutes.
Young women (15-19 years) are most likely to commit suicide but the suicide rate amongst young men has tripled since 1985.
There are two suicides by young people in England and Wales every day.

If the pain caused by such statistics is left unaddressed, it can lead many young people to experience serious emotional, psychological, social and educational difficulties. The RAINBOWS mission is to support children “. . . from hurt, through healing to hope.” The consequences of repressed and unresolved grief can be serious and long lasting, making it difficult for young people to form lasting relationships. The danger is that if grief is avoided or buried, it can become debilitating. It can change one’s life to such a destructive extent that there seems little point in carrying on. For example, it is considered that many adolescents attempting suicide grow up in families with more turmoil than other groups of adolescents, coming more often from broken homes due to death and divorce, abuse or through alcohol or drugs abuse.The grief people feel as a result of bereavement, separation and divorce, needs to be told and retold in order to bring the person to accepting that the future can still hold hope of fulfillment and that the time of pain will not last for ever.There are many people who need just a presence in their isolation and grief. They need someone’s ears to hear their cry; someone’s eyes to see their distress. In short, they need someone just to be there.RAINBOWS help:

By helping children and their families to rebuild their self esteem,
By enabling them to name, understand and come to terms with the many emotions they experience,
By reassuring those who have anxieties or feelings of guilt,
By encouraging young people to move towards forgiving those whom they feel have caused their pain.

RAINBOWS is NOT therapy. It does not diagnose and treat emotional or behavioral problems.

RAINBOWS is not counselling even though each group has an adult Facilitator.

In RAINBOWS , emotions of grief are considered normal, especially one's response to traumatic loss. RAINBOWS helps because:
It is a group sharing freely with each other,
It deals with very normal feelings associated with a stressful life event - grievous loss,
There is no professional guide other than a Facilitator who listens. The experience is dependent on deepening relationships within the group,
It offers acceptance, understanding and an exploration of a person's coping skills,
It provides a safe setting in which children, adolescents or adults can, with the help of a trained Facilitator, come to terms with the feelings they are experiencing,
It creates small groups in which all are experiencing similar feelings, and can work through the programmes, exploring and expressing their feelings of grief,
Although such grief can be destructive, it can also, if handled properly, be an opportunity for personal growth,
For many, it will be the first time they have been able to express their feelings.

RAINBOWS offers children:

Alleviation of fear and anxiety
Improved school attendance and academic performance
Management of anger
Coping tools
Encouragement of positive behaviour
Unconditional acceptance in the group
Development and strengthening of problem-solving skills
Development of positive goals for themselves
Direction towards the acceptance of their loss
Confidential surroundings in which to express their grief
A safe environment to share personal stories
A journal in which to write or draw feelings, so helping to understand and release them
A caring adult facilitator to listen attentively
Increased self-esteem
Better physical health
Better communication in peer and family relationships
Opportunity to meet new friends who have similar experiences
Emotional healing

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

Still no computer and really missing it

So I browsed a few blogs and came across this.

1. ( ) Smoked a cigarette.
2. ( ) Crashed a friend’s car.
3. ( ) Stolen a car.
4. (x) Been in love.
5. (x) Been dumped.
6. ( ) Shoplifted.
7. ( ) Been fired/laid off.
8. ( ) Been in a fist fight.
9. ( ) Snuck out of your parent’s house.
10. (x) Had feelings for someone that didn’t have them back.
11. ( ) Been arrested.
12. ( ) Gone on a blind date.
13. ( ) Lied to a friend.
14. ( ) Skipped school.
15. ( ) Seen someone die.
16. ( ) Been to Canada.
17. ( ) Been to Mexico.
18. (x) Been on a plane.
19. ( ) Purposely set a part of yourself on fire. > why ? Yes why?
20. ( ) Eaten sushi. >I don't eat fish
21. ( ) Been skiing.
22. (x) Met someone in person from the internet.
23. (x) Taken pain-killers. > for medical reasons only
24. (x) Love someone or miss someone right now.
25. ( ) Laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by.
26. ( ) Made a snow angel.
27. (x) Had a tea party.> part of having kids!
28. ( ) Flown a kite.
29. (x) Built a sand castle.
30. (x) Gone puddle jumping.>Not for years
31. (x) Played dress up.
32. ( ) Cheated while playing a game. > No can't be bothered I would still lose
33. (x) Been lonely. >even surrounded by friends yet I still feel lonely
34. ( ) Fallen asleep at work/school.
35. ( ) Used a fake I.D.
36. (x) Watched a sunset.
37. (x) Felt an earthquake.>It was very mild
38. (x) Touched a snake.
39. ( ) Slept beneath the stars.
40. (x) Been tickled.
41. ( ) Been robbed.
42. (x) Been misunderstood. > All the time
43. (x) Petted a reindeer/goat.
44. ( )Won a contest.>only ever made it to 2nd place
45. (x) Ran a red light.
46. ( ) Been suspended from school.
47. ( ) Been in a car accident.
48. ( ) Eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night.
49. (x) Had deja vu.
50. ( ) Danced in the moonlight.
52. ( ) Liked the way you looked. > No I am very critical of myself
53. (x) Witnessed a crime. > car having wing mirror smashed
54. (x) Questioned your heart.
55. ( ) Been obsessed with post it notes.
56. ( ) Squished barefoot through the mud.
57. (x) Been lost.
58. ( ) Been to the opposite side of the country.
59. (x) Swam in the ocean.
60. (x) Felt like dying.
61. (x) Cried yourself to sleep. > Too ooften
62. ( ) Played cops and robbers.
63. (x) Recently colored with crayons.
64. ( ) Sung karaoke.
65. (x) Paid for a meal with only coins.
66. (x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t.
67. ( ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out your nose.
68. ( ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue.
69. ( ) Danced in the rain.
70. (x) Written a letter to Santa Claus. >still do I live in hopes!!
71. (x ) Been kissed under the mistletoe. memories.........
72. ( ) Watched the sun rise with someone you care about
73. (x) Blown bubbles.
74. ( ) Made a bonfire on the beach.
75. ( ) Crashed a party.
76. ( ) Gone roller-skating.
77. (x) Had a wish come true.
78. (x ) Worn pearls.
79. ( ) Jumped off a bridge.
80. ( ) Ate dog/cat food.
81. ( ) Told a complete stranger you loved them.
82. ( ) Kissed a mirror.>I see myself why would I do that?
83. ( x) Sang in the shower.
84. (x) Had a dream that you married someone.
85. ( ) Glued your hand to something.
86. ( ) Got your tongue stuck to a flagpole.
87. () Kissed a fish. > I don't like fish!
88. ( )
89. (x) Screamed at the top of your lungs.
90. ( ) Done a one-handed cartwheel.
91. ( ) Talked on the phone for more than six hours on one occasion.
92. (x) Stayed up all night. > Bet with hubby over who would win general election so sat up to watch the votes come in
93. ( ) Didn’t take a shower for a week.
94. ( ) Picked and ate an apple right off the tree.
95. ( ) Climbed a tree that had a tree house.
96. ( x) Been told by a complete stranger that you’re hot.>He needed glasses!
97. ( x) Ever had a one night stand.>Oh boy he was boring!!
98. ( ) Ever missed someone so much it still hurts to think of them.
99. ( ) Ever loved someone that you knew wouldn’t love you back.
100 (x) Ever been to a professional football, or tennis game in a stadium ground.
101.( ) Went hiking in the mountains.
102.( ) Smoked a cigar.
103.(x) Had a crush on someone you worked with but never told them.
104.(x) Wished you had the chance to change your profession.
105.( ) Ever cremated and kept the ashes of a pet you cared a lot about.
106.( ) Wished you could live your life over again beginning at age 21. > No worst year of my life
107.(x) Been baptized?
108.( ) Rode a horse.
109.( x) Sent flowers to someone you never met.

Laptop keeps switching off and I have tried to post this 3 times so if it doesn't this time I am giving up - wish my computer was back lol!!

Popping up like a bad penny!!

Not back online yet sorry to say and really missing you all. Laptop is not working on internet properly so just though I would post a quick message to let you know I was still around.

Computer still not fixed though they think they have found the problem, and it should be back by the end of next weeki so fingers crossed I will be online again soon!

Hate being offline and I am missing you all.

Not had time to check out all the posts, just read what came in my private posts folder. Sorry about that but hope you are all ok. I keepgetting logged off so daren't reply!

Oh well better dash, eldest wants laptop back to do his coursework on!

Hope to be back soon.

Having fun and games already!

Blog.co.uk, signed in, went to reply to a post and it askes me for name, email etc, because yet again I was logged out grrrrrr........

Sun is shining which means that it will be really hot in class again - stupid woman will not open the windows, I open them, she closes them!

Didn't sleep too well last night but then again darling hubby decided he was cold so closed the window grrrrr......

So as you can see day has started of well lol!

Have a good day everyone.

Right I am off to do some stitching now and hopefully I will get back on here tomorrow but if not wish me luck with the computer ppl.

In the meantime I would like to leave you with this sent to me by one of my friends.

To those of us who have children in our lives,
whether they are our own,
grandchildren,
nieces,
nephews,
or students...
here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control,
you can take comfort from the thought that
even God's omnipotence did not extend
to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth,
God created Adam and Eve.

And the first thing he said was
"DON'T!"

"Don't what?"
Adam replied.

"Don't eat the forbidden fruit."
God said.

"Forbidden fruit?
We have forbidden fruit?
Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit!"

"No Way!"

"Yes way!"

"Do NOT eat the fruit! "
said God.

"Why?"

"Because I am your Father and I said so! "

God replied,
wondering why He hadn't stopped
creation after making the elephants.

A few minutes later,
God saw His children having an apple break
and He was ticked!

"Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit? "
God asked.

"Uh huh,"
Adam replied.

"Then why did you? "
said the Father.

"I don't know,"
said Eve.

"She started it! "
Adam said.

"Did not! "

"Did too! "

"DID NOT! "

Having had it with the two of them,
God's punishment was that Adam and Eve
should have children of their own.

Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY!

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and
they haven't taken it,
don't be hard on yourself.

If God had trouble raising children,
what makes you think it would be
a piece of cake for you?

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!

1. You spend the first two years of their life
teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend
the next s ixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.

2. Grandchildren are God's reward
for not killing your own children.

3. Mothers of teens now know why
some animals eat their young.

4. Children seldom misquote you.

In fact,
they usually repeat word for word
what you shouldn't have said.

5. The main purpose of holding children's parties
is to remind yourself that there are children
more awful than your own.

6. We childproofed our homes,
but they are still getting in.

ADVICE FOR THE DAY:

Be nice to your kids.
They will choose your
nursing home one day.

AND FINALLY:

IF YOU ! HAVE A LOT OF TENSION
AND YOU GET A HEADACHE,
DO WHAT IT SAYS
ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:

"TAKE TWO ASPIRIN"
AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"!!!!!

Tears - Youngest dropped something on his foot and has scratched it. Didn't get a lot of sympathy as he was told several times not to play with what he had dropped.

Tantrums - hubby went upstairs to play with his playstation to find his data on his card has been wiped (suspect it may have been youngest)

Hassles - both children been banned from playing the playstation in our room. Can only now play their one which is in Simons room. Difficulty is he won't let Richard play in his room!

Playstation used to be in Richards room but his telly has finally (after 16 years) decided to give up on working. Can't afford a new telly yet, he may be lucky to get one for Christmas.

As you can tell life is never dull in our house lol!

http://gprime.net/video.php/canadianbreastexam

Enjoy!

Chicken is cooking away in the oven. Nig has done some housework and is now attempting to tidy his van.

One child helping him the other one up stairs shouting at the telly.

Sun is shining and it is hot.

Stripped our bed today and just waiting for the sheets to dry before I put them back on, the kids were done yesterday. Mountain of ironing to do again, must do it though if the kids are going to have any uniform to wear!

And all I want to do is sit and sew or stuff my face.

I did do the picture of the stork in the end. no one ould do it for me, so I found a picture on the internet and attempted to copy it onto a very large piece of paper. This was fun! Try doing this on the floor with two dogs who think you are down there to play with them!!

Picture came out ok though despite a lot of rubbing out as I wasn't happy with the stork's head, and with a little bit of adjustment made by Nig to the beak, it is passable - well will be once I have painted it and put it on the display board!

I also drew a little cradle as well - quite pleased with my efforts especially as I have absolutely no talent for drawing at all!

Oh well off to do something constructive like peel some spuds ready to roast them lol!

Honestly why do I decide to do a roast dinner when it is boiling hot outside!

NOt been about for a couple of days as I have had some computer problems and really hoping someone may know what the hell is going on!!

A few months ago I had problems switching the computer on.
When pressing the switch ont he tower, the orange LED light would come on instead of the green one and the computer would not boot. I would sit here switching the computer on and off at the switch until eventually the geen LED light would come on and the computer would boot up and work as normal.

Following several suggestions, I have replaced the Motherboard, Replaced the Power supply (psu?), cables and yesterday as we were still having problems bought a new CPU unit and transferred everything into it from the old one as someone suggested it could be the on off switch that was causing the problems.

After several hours of Nigel swearing at the computer because the wires that you connect to the board are tiny, we finally get the computer set up.

I switch it on with bated breath.

Nothing.

We get the orange light, computer doesn't boot up, no green LED light and no ping that I usually hear when the computer is booting.

So I am back to keep pressing the switch on and off until I get the ping and green light.

Any suggestions?

I have so many books that need to be read at the moment they are taking over my bedroom! You can hardly move, so what do I do?

Order some more.

Ok shouldn't have done, admitedly, but I love books.

Hubby not impressed.

I will get round to reading them one day, when I finish my sewing!

Hubby has disappeared upstairs to sit in the bath, doing his sudoku and listen to the football on Radio 5.

He is gutted.

He cooked dinner - egg rolls (well he has been working all day she says sarcastically) - and sat down with his beer ready to watch it on telly.

Except it isn't on terrestrial, it is on sky sports and we have cancelled the subscription to the sky sport channels!

I am going to get my xstitching out now and sit down in front of the telly and sew. Not sure what is on yet or what to watch but I will find something!

Got this from Smichen.

Here are my tags

ace
cutey -
fabbafaffa
faffafantastic -lol
good friend - Thanks hun you are too
love her - thanks!
randomninja -
squid molester - when did I ever molest a squid? That was just a wicked rumour I tell you lol!!:)

I am blushing!

As I move around I am thinking to myself how my windows need washing. The sun is streaming through them and showing up the dirt and the finger marks.

Then it starts to rain.

it is still sunny but it is chucking it down outside.

Oh well stop thinking about cleaning windows, and it will go away

Got this from Znethru who got it from
Ros Clarke

• Bold those books you've read.
• Italicise started-but-never-finished.

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austenlots of times
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling (read better)
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. 1984, George Orwell)
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Philosopher’s Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling (still read better books)
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D’Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Susskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer,
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie
101. Three Men In A Boat, Jerome K. Jerome
102. Small Gods, Terry Pratchett
103. The Beach, Alex Garland
104. Dracula, Bram Stoker
105. Point Blanc, Anthony Horowitz
106. The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens
107. Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz
108. The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks
109. The Day Of The Jackal, Frederick Forsyth
110. The Illustrated Mum, Jacqueline Wilson
111. Jude The Obscure, Thomas Hardy
112. The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13 1/2, Sue Townsend
113. The Cruel Sea, Nicholas Monsarrat
114. Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
115. The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy
116. The Dare Game, Jacqueline Wilson
117. Bad Girls, Jacqueline Wilson
118. The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
119. Shogun, James Clavell
120. The Day Of The Triffids, John Wyndham
121. Lola Rose, Jacqueline Wilson
122. Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray
123. The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy
124. House Of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski
125. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
126. Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett
127. Angus, Thongs And Full-Frontal Snogging, Louise Rennison .
128. The Hound Of The Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle
129. Possession, A. S. Byatt
130. The Master And Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov
131. The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
132. Danny The Champion Of The World, Roald Dahl
133. East Of Eden, John Steinbeck
134. George's Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl
135. Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett
136. The Color Purple, Alice Walker
137. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett
138. The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan
139. Girls In Tears, Jacqueline Wilson
140. Sleepovers, Jacqueline Wilson
141. All Quiet On The Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque
142. Behind The Scenes At The Museum, Kate Atkinson
143. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby
144. It, Stephen King
145. James And The Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
146. The Green Mile, Stephen King
147. Papillon, Henri Charriere
148. Men At Arms, Terry Pratchett
149. Master And Commander, Patrick O'Brian
150. Skeleton Key, Anthony Horowitz
151. Soul Music, Terry Pratchett
152. Thief Of Time, Terry Pratchett
153. The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett
154. Atonement, Ian McEwan
155. Secrets, Jacqueline Wilson
156. The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier
157. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Ken Kesey
158. Heart Of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
159. Kim, Rudyard Kipling
160. Cross Stitch, Diana Gabaldon (called Outlander in the US and Canada)- not read it yet have bought it though
161. Moby Dick, Herman Melville
162. River God, Wilbur Smith
163. Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon
164. The Shipping News, Annie Proulx
165. The World According To Garp, John Irving
166. Lorna Doone, R. D. Blackmore
167. Girls Out Late, Jacqueline Wilson
168. The Far Pavilions, M. M. Kaye
169. The Witches, Roald Dahl
170. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White
171. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
172. They Used To Play On Grass, Terry Venables and Gordon Williams
173. The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway
174. The Name Of The Rose, Umberto Eco
175. Sophie’s World, Jostein Gaarder
176. Dustbin Baby, Jacqueline Wilson
177. Fantastic Mr. Fox, Roald Dahl
178. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
179. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Richard Bach
180. The Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupery
181. The Suitcase Kid, Jacqueline Wilson
182. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens
183. The Power Of One, Bryce Courtenay
184. Silas Marner, George Eliot
185. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis
186. The Diary Of A Nobody, George and Weedon Grossmith
187. Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh
188. Goosebumps, R. L. Stine
189. Heidi, Johanna Spyri
190. Sons And Lovers, D. H. Lawrence
191. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
192. Man And Boy, Tony Parsons
193. The Truth, Terry Pratchett
194. The War Of The Worlds, H. G. Wells
195. The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans
196. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
197. Witches Abroad, Terry Pratchett
198. The Once And Future King, T. H. White
199. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
200. Flowers In The Attic, Virginia Andrews

Well today has been interesting.

Said hello to class, two new members just joined one in tears. Calmed her down and sorted her out and got her settled.

then spent the rest of the day running around building trying to find bits and pieces for the prayer board, sorting out display boards, being sent on errands etc etc. Consequently didn't get to spend much time with class at all.

Back is killing me.

Started out as a twinge, thought never mind it will ease off, keep moving, keep moving, now I can barely move! Affecting hips and top of legs as well and al i want to do is lay down

May get eldest to cook dinner tonight, painkillers haven't kicked in yet.

Kids seemed to have had a good day at school. Eldest is full of his new timetable and is overjoyed as he has been put in the top group for all his subjects! He is really looking forward to this year!

Youngest is just the same laid back child as usual. "How was school today" I ask
"Ok"
"what did you do?"
"nuthing"
"You must have done something"
"work nuthing really"
"ok"

That will be as much as I will get out of him today i think. he is more annoyed that NTL have changed all the channels around so he can't find his favourite programmes - I now have the task of blocking all the channels I don't want him to watch again!

Just waiting for hubby to come home and then I can relax and put my feet up. If I don't get round to replying to posts or visiting those of you on my friends list, my apologies for being rude. However sitting too long will cause back to seize up and don't think it will look too good if I have to take the day of sick tomorrow.

hugs to you all

Has dawned bright and sunny.

Really didn't want to get up this morning. shouted at the alarm clock when it went off at some ungodly time this morning. Fell asleep during the money news and woke to the dulcet tones of Nicky Campbell being sarcastic again (I hate that man!).

Nigel eventually dragged himself out of bed and said "I'll make the tea you go and have your shower"

Thanks.

Got kids up, washed up breakfast things and now sitting down cradling my cup of tea!

Have planned in my head what to do with those horrible display boards, will make a start on that today after I have checked the childrens details and caught up with gossip.

Really not looking forward to it all at all!

Been sitting here stitching and now son has appeared which means I will have to put it away Simon doesn't sleep all that well, so he goes to bed and lays there looking at the ceiling for hours on end bless him! Doesn't seem to affect him to much though.

I am beginning to worry that I will not get this stitching done in time for christmas and it is supposed to be one of his Christmas presents. I also have a baby sampler to do as well, can't see that getting done on time either!

So if I am not around much you know I am buried under threads somewhere lol!

Sandwiches made for tomorrow, everything packed and organised. All I have to do is get up early and do some exercise before I face the day ahead. The class starts tomorrow and I have a ton of sorting out to do! Can't say I am looking forward to it, but it pays some of the bills at the end of the day

Right I am off to bed now, I need to get some sleep. Just sent son up so better go myself as I am tired. Problem with 15 year olds they are not to keen on bedtimes being 8pm anymore, so no 'me' time in the evenings

Ah well such is life!

Nite nite blogland!

Just to answer a few questions I was asked earlier!

Toe by toe is a 'highly structured multi sensory reading manual'.

It was developed by a teacher who found that some children struggled to become competent readers and that they could have dyslexia or traits of dyslexia. So she developed a program which is methodical, gradual and easy to use and is successful with a lot of students.

Words are broken down into syllables and children have to learn all the breakdown of the words. For example the first exercise is practising all the letter sounds then begins to put two sounds together e.g. af, ab, ag, then three letters together - fam, rep, fep. Once this is mastered they build onto words, then blends of words. Each exercise has to receive three consecutive ticks before the child can move on and they have to leave 24 hours between each exercise.

As I said before for most children who have difficulty reading or may have dyslexia it is really good and lots of schools have seen successes with it. It was developed over a period of 25 years by a teacher.

So why does my son have it?

Despite my best efforts with him, he has problems with sounds of letters and breaking words down. I suspect he my have a tendency towards dyslexia, but I don't think it is full dyslexia. My husband has similar problems with writing or reading words, and after doing dyslexia training I did do a test on him which showed up as dyslexic tendencies. Now I don't advocate labelling children which is one reason why I haven't done a full and extensive dyslexia test on my child. I think a lot of his problems are laziness when he reads a word he will guess it rather than break it down and look properly - a common tendency with male children. he is also bored with the reading scheme they have at school, though the headteacher thinks it is a wonderful scheme and despite me asking for a different one to be put in place so that there is a choice so far she has refused. So my youngest child has lost interest in reading at school though he does read from his extensive library of books at home. At times I feel like a failure with him, but believe me it isn't for the want of trying!

At the moment this system is working for him and I hope it continues to do so. It takes 15-20 mins a day to do it with him and he enjoys it and so far we have seen some improvement with his reading!

http://www.toe-by-toe.co.uk/info.htm

Picked youngest up from school who moaned as he had some homework reading to do. He also had his Toe by Toe to do as well so lots of moaning!

Please don't get me wrong my children do read regularly and I encourage youngest to read to me at home, but he is bored with the reading scheme from school so hates having to read the books!

No major problems it seems and a woman who was pregnant with her youngest at the same time as me, whom I became friends with has changed schools so her son is now coming to youngest school as well -which is good a new friend!

No probs from other mums mainly as I ignored them so all is well.

Today I have been busy. I cleared the ironing, cleaned the bathroom tidied my bedroom and put some clothes away, tidied youngests room and put his clothes away, done 4 lots of washing (two was boil washes) cooked dinner (lovely beef casserole with mashed potatoes, and peas), tidied away and now I have the house to myself. So I am going to relax my aching back (which is incredibly painful) and my hurt leg and sew for an hour or two. If I can manage it I will do some pilates later if only to strectch out my back, but did some walking earlier taking and collecting youngest to and from school, so not really bothered too much about the exercise!

Well youngest has gone off to school today.

Eldest still in bed - he goes back tomorrow.

woman in street that ignored me earlier decided to walk on ahead, now usually when she sees me she waits today she didn't. Decided I was being paranoid until I got to the school gates and they all cold shouldered me!

So decided they can all go and themselves, not putting up with this.

Interesting thought though, said to youngest "oh look all your friends are in the playground"

"They're not friends mummy" he replies "Just children who want to play with me when no one else will play with them"

Perhaps he is learning after all!

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

Sunny morning outside and quite warm as well.

Two lots of washing done and hung out already, a third lot in the machine. Lot of things to do today so will get on with it once I have had brekkie.

See you around later

not that I want to depress you or anything but there are only 112 days till Christmas!

Till half term lol!!

Well I survived just!

Got through mass without a hiccup, well only just because as I was about to get up from the seat my back seized up! No Eucharist for me then, I can't move lol!!

Then the rest of the day was spent with new head talking at us about changes she wants to make to the school, how we can work together as a team, what makes a 'positive ethos' of the school and how we can build upon it. We did sto for lunch for half an hour before she carried on wanting to 'pick to pieced' what was working very well.

Have to say most of it went over my head, all I want to do is walk in do my job walk out again lol!!

Classroom is in total disarray so that means the next week or so sorting it out and putting displays up!

No idea what my timetable is yet as that still hasn't been sorted out. All I do know is I have tomorrow off!

Sun has finally put in an appearance. Can't think what to have for dinner yet, hoping something will jump out and cook itself, but that is unlikely!!

Well it is here.

Monday Morning

Back to work after 6 weeks of freedom.

Weather, dark, damp, gloomy - very suitable for my mood really lol!

Up early though as the kids don't go back yet there was no need to be, but I have done 8 mins on my swing stepper, (stopped when calf started to hurt), had some tea and now going to make some breakfast, before I hunt out my diary and get myself ready to go.

I don't have to be in till 9.30, head straight for church the letter says, though I may stop off at school on the way and see what has accumulated in my pigeon hole, depends what I feel like.

Then have all day meetings with new head and management structure - oh joy!

And so the Government has made guidelines on what school dinners should consist of. Must admit though no appetising, our school does already do what is recommend though the children don't like it much!

Woke up this morning to the news that Steve Irwin, or the Crocodile Hunter, was stung by a stingray while filming and has died aged 44. My kids love watching his programmes on telly, very informative and told them more about the wildlife than most educational programmes. He was a nutter but obviously loved his work and cared passionately about wildlife. He was however, I felt, an accident waiting to happen, he died doing what he loved most. RIP.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5311298.stm

To everyone facing work this morning, particularly like myself who has had a long holiday, have a good day today, and a great week!

Just in case you haven't seen this posted elsewhere!

They are going to pull down the Astoria in Charing Cross road! Even if you don't live in London but care about live music please go to

www.petitiononline.com/savethea/

and sign up. There are not enough venues of the Astoria’s size left in the country - big enough to attract half decent bands but small enough to feel intimate.

Just been perusing blog.co.uk and came across browse cities. So I did.

I found my town, clicked on it and discovered 3 ppl who live nearby also have blogs. Two put their picture on which is how I recognised them, one uses his full name and his picture. None of them are on my friends list.

Not everyone knows my nickname and no they are not being invited, I like to remain incognito!

Inspired by Adam (trifledreamz) and his holiday dream to take you back to childhood for your holiday, I have been reflecting on some memories from my childhood and some of the things that come to mind are:

I sat and learnt how to macramé and how to do cross stitch.
I had Mastermind and Spirograph one Christmas
The Beatles split up
Unemployment was at an all time high and there were three day weeks. Dad was more often on strike than actually working – he even appeared on telly once being interviewed about the latest strike!

Electricity would be shut off for lengths of time. Mum and dad struggling to feed us and pay the rent!

Skirts getting shorter, makeup plastered on not that I was allowed either but I would occasionally sneak some makeup on!

Queens silver Jubilee, everyone had to go to school wearing red, white and blue! Mum brought me a cheap white skirt and sewed blue and red ribbon around the bottom of it for me to wear to school where we had a huge outdoor party!

Long lazy days during the summer, summer holidays that seemed to go on forever! I had the first Asian Teacher in our area as a teacher in Junior school and he was brilliant very funny and everyone wanted to be in his class! I had chickenpox when I was in that year, and three weeks of school sunbathing in the back garden as a result. So when I got back he was doing a multicultural assembly and because I was so tanned he asked me to dress up in a sari! It was fun! He married the teacher I had at infant school I attended in a different area – small world!

I remember moving to a new house in a new area. For two years we had been in highrise block of flats, following the council taking our house so that they could build those awful highrise flats on the land! After two years in the flats, mum and Dad were successful in getting a council exchange so we moved to a different area , new school, new house.

My sister being born and her screaming constantly (she hasn’t changed much lol)

Music

(I have to admit here this was the era before I discovered heavy rock/metal)

Bay city Rollers – friend and neighbour was a big fan so we used to dress up in tartan and sing (badly) some of the songs!

Gary Glitter
The Osmonds
The Who
Alice Cooper
Slade
Sweet
Queen and Bohemian Rahpsody (everyone in raptures about the video!)
Mud
Showaddywaddy!
Abba
Remember Elvis Dying and mum (who was a big Elvis fan) crying her eyes out!
Most albums were made by either K tel or Ronco!

Movies

The Airport movies – god how awful were they, yet I can still smile when I see them
Those Endless James Bond Movies dad liked on every bank holiday
Even worse were the carry on films!

Telly

Magic Roundabout
How!
Crackerjack
Tis was
Mary Mungo and Midge
Play away
Catweazle
Jim’ll fix it - though he never did for me
Opportunity Knocks – another one where they ignored my letter!

So what are your childhood memories?

Inspired by Adam (trifledreamz) and his holiday dream to take you back to childhood for your holiday, I have been reflecting on some memories from my childhood and some of the things that come to mind are:

I sat and learnt how to macramé and how to do cross stitch.
I had Mastermind and Spirograph one Christmas
The Beatles split up
Unemployment was at an all time high and there were three day weeks. Dad was more often on strike than actually working – he even appeared on telly once being interviewed about the latest strike!

Electricity would be shut off for lengths of time. Mum and dad struggling to feed us and pay the rent!

Skirts getting shorter, makeup plastered on not that I was allowed either but I would occasionally sneak some makeup on!

Queens silver Jubilee, everyone had to go to school wearing red, white and blue! Mum brought me a cheap white skirt and sewed blue and red ribbon around the bottom of it for me to wear to school where we had a huge outdoor party!

Long lazy days during the summer, summer holidays that seemed to go on forever! I had the first Asian Teacher in our area as a teacher in Junior school and he was brilliant very funny and everyone wanted to be in his class! I had chickenpox when I was in that year, and three weeks of school sunbathing in the back garden as a result. So when I got back he was doing a multicultural assembly and because I was so tanned he asked me to dress up in a sari! It was fun! He married the teacher I had at infant school I attended in a different area – small world!

I remember moving to a new house in a new area. For two years we had been in highrise block of flats, following the council taking our house so that they could build those awful highrise flats on the land! After two years in the flats, mum and Dad were successful in getting a council exchange so we moved to a different area , new school, new house.

My sister being born and her screaming constantly (she hasn’t changed much lol)

Music

(I have to admit here this was the era before I discovered heavy rock/metal)

Bay city Rollers – friend and neighbour was a big fan so we used to dress up in tartan and sing (badly) some of the songs!

Gary Glitter
The Osmonds
The Who
Alice Cooper
Slade
Sweet
Queen and Bohemian Rahpsody (everyone in raptures about the video!)
Mud
Showaddywaddy!
Abba
Remember Elvis Dying and mum (who was a big Elvis fan) crying her eyes out!
Most albums were made by either K tel or Ronco!

Movies

The Airport movies – god how awful were they, yet I can still smile when I see them
Those Endless James Bond Movies dad liked on every bank holiday
Even worse were the carry on films!

Telly

Magic Roundabout
How!
Crackerjack
Tis was
Mary Mungo and Midge
Play away
Catweazle
Jim’ll fix it - though he never did for me
Opportunity Knocks – another one where they ignored my letter!

So what are your childhood memories?

I'm not complaining

Sun is out and the house is warm. All the windows are open!

However, wind is nearing gale force levels, or so it feels, *looks worriedly at washing on line* and my curtains are blowing in front of Nigel who is trying to watch some animated cartoon film on sky!

What is really worrying is he is laughing at it!

In typical fashion weather for the week is apparantly going to be good. Of course it is I am going back to work!!

Delicious.

Lamb cooked to perfection. Spuds crispy on the outside and soft and melt in the mouth wonderfully cooked. Cauliflower and carrots aldente, peas perfect, yorkshire puds cooked and risen for once! Even the gravy was nice for a change as was the mint sauce. Perfection!

All eaten up, all cleared away and washed up, waiting for room before we attack dessert!

Hubby moaning there wasn't enough spuds on his plate (what is new there then there never is), youngest refused to eat the meat so he got the lecture of his father again. He declares he is vegetarian, BUT he likes chicken nuggets and Sausages so we tell him that he isn't a veggie and he says "but sausages and chicken nuggets aren't meat!" He may have a point there, but as he doesn't like eating food or sitting at the table to eat it when he would rather be playing I suspect this may really be the reason

Kids!

Got up this morning at around 9, stuck lamb in oven to slow roast, made a cuppa and went back to bed.

Finished reading my book and decided to get showered and dressed.

Popped to the shops to get a cauliflower, wanted fresh as the frozen stuff always goes watery, picked up a few other bits and pieces, came home, checked on lamb, peeled some spuds to prepare them for roasting.

And now I can relax.

It is my last day at home before term begins.

Tomorrow is inset day and I have to go in. Before new head announces any changes she is making she is expecting us to attend mass at 9.30.

Oh joy.

Still at least I will be back into a routine of sorts. There is a lot to do here, the dreaded housework, the ironing - but I have decided as it is my last day I will not do it.

I still haven't prepared the lettering to go on the display boards yet either.

That can wait.

Tuesday she doesn't want TAs in so that will be a day off for me, but rest of the week will be full on.

Hoping new timetable will allow me to take Fridays off still so I can keep up with physio appointments and Weigh ins!

We shall see.

It is going to be a strange year, new leadership, new class and not knowing who I will be working with just yet. I am still dreading it and there are some decisions that I need to make but I have faith that eventually everything will fall into place somehow.

Oh well Cauliflower and carrots need sorting out, better go and get them prepared!

I am still being logged off and my internet connection keeps disappearing. Also any comments that I have made on peoples blogs, if they have been replied to I am sorry If I don't manage to get back but the email notification is not coming through either! So apologies to anyone who I haven't managed to reply to I am honestly not being rude lol.

Hugs

Just found this and thought she was amazing!

I am back, just.

Internet connections went down last night, as I was in the middle of a conversation with a distraught friend on msn. Fortunately she is now ok and didn't take offence to me disappearing suddenly! Internet connection only just come back on, and hoing on what has happened to others on NTL I don't think for long. apparently it has something to do with maintenance work!

It is raining here, not nice and a bit on the chilly side. Got the last of the school uniforms today - well still need two more shirts for Simon, but he has enough to be getting on with for now, he has to wear a jumper over them all the time so at least the old ones he wears will not be so noticeable!

MIL bird getting on my nerves already. I love birds in the garden, not too keen on them indoors - and yes I know I have 3 myself, but technically they are hubbys and believe me once they die we won't be getting anymore - well I said that about the finches and he sneaked one in when I was in hospital!!

Right going to go and catch up with your blogs now, so see you later - oh and I had a request yesterday from a certain person who likes trifle - so here it is hun!

Hadn't heard this for a while and been playing with You tube (as you do). Enjoy!

She said I feel stranded
And I can't tell anymore
If I'm coming or I'm going
It's not how I planned it
I've got a key to the door
But it just won't open

And I know, I know, I know
Part of me says let it go
That life happens for a reason
I don't, I don't, I don't
Because it never worked before
But this time, this time

I'm gonna try anything to just feel better
Tell me what to do
You know I can't see through the haze around me
And I do anything to just feel better

And I can't find my way
Girl I need a change
And I do anything to just feel better
Any little thing that just feel better

She said I need you to hold me
I'm a little far from the shore
And I'm afraid of sinking
You're the only one who knows me
And who doesn't ignore
That my soul is weeping

I know, I know, I know
Part of me says let it go
Everything must have a season
Round and round it goes
And every day's the one before
But this time, this time

I'm gonna try anything that just feels better
Tell me what to do
You know I can't see through the haze around me
And I do anything to just feel better

I can't find my way
God I need a change
And I'd do anything to just feel better
Any little thing that just feel better

I'm tired of holding on
To all the things I ought to leave behind, yeah
It's really getting old, and
I think I need a little help this time!

Yeah

[Guitar solo]

I'm gonna try anything to just feel better
Tell me what to do
You know I can't see through the haze around me
And I do anything to just feel better

And I can't find my way
God I need a change
And I do anything to just feel better
Any little thing that just feel better

Dear Derek holding up a light in his hand, looks into the camera and excitedly says

" the best thing about these lights is that you can mount them"

Oh the vision!

YOu need to apply this to a wet car. If you don't want to wash your car, take it to the local car wash and drive it home wet.

Am I being thick here, but wouldn't the car be dry by the time you get it home?

Sorry yet another rant!

MIL has just been. Turns up with her lovebird because she needs someone to look after it as she is off on her annual two week walking trip around the lake district!

Would it really hurt that woman to smile?

So in she comes, having banged on the door.

"we do have a doorbell" eldest says

"its not working is it" she replies

hubby presses it and guess what? it works.

"see you have been busy Sam-man-tha" she says - yes she does break it down into syllables when she is being sarcastic.

"yes I have" says I

"Have you run out of dusters?" she asks

"No"

"oh" she says looking at the dust on the telly.

"I hoovered today" says I "inbetween washing, shopping, getting my hair cut and playing with the children"

mmmm she replies

Just as I make room on the sideboard for her flipping bird, my canary, who is very sensitive, decides to have a fit and feathers fall everywhere all over the floor.

"shall I get a dustpan" she says.

"No" I say through gritted teeth. Eldest gets the pan and brush and sweeps up for me sensing tension at this point.

Then comes the barrage of questions to Nigel - when are you going to do my curtain rail, when are you going to do my light, when are you going.........

"You do have another son you know" says Nigel

"yes but he doesn't speak to me does he or come up when I want him to"

No wonder I think to myself.

"Are you staying for a cuppa" I say

"No just had one"

"thank god for small mercies" I mutter under breath.
.................................................

A few minutes later though it feels like hours

"bye bye darling, mummy will miss you , will see you later darling" She is saying this to the bird

"she's cuckoo" whispers simon in my ear. I smile

"Don't forget now he needs some apple on Monday, a piece of cucumber on Wednesday and he likes one of them stick things once a week, and if you have some lettuce he will like some of that as well."

She eventually leaves and I breath a sigh of relief.

Hubby finds her just as annoying thankfully.

Shes getting worse as she gets older. She doesn't like the fact that I haven't thanked her for doing my 'gardening' while I was away - well she pulled all my plants up and not the weeds!

She doesn't like me much, I took her source of money, in the form of Nigel, away from her
our marriage has lasted longer than predicted
she doesn't like the way I bring up my kids
She doesn't like the fact my house is usually a mess when she comes (well I have 2 kids and a messy husband, I am not the only one who can clean!)

We put up with each other. She is a Taurean. She is the first Taurean I have met that has no sense of humour, is miserable all the time and tends to make others lifes hell!

Bless her!

This is a great iron. Sorry mate no iron is great, no iron will make me that excited.

It is cordless. Look what you can do with it. Water goes in here, you iron with it on here. look you can go round in circles on your fabric with it. You couldn't do this if it had a cord on it it would get tangled Er yes of course you can iron in circles it is cordless!

Look at this price, it is crazy, and we are offering you two! yes two for the price of one
No thanks one is one to many at the moment.

Yes hubby is watching some shopping channel on telly. The people on them drive me mad. How can anyone get that excited about an iron? Please you iron clothes with it in the same way as any other iron. Also it is a make I have not heard of so thanks but no thanks.

And now hubby is shouting at the telly as they try to sell him a 2000 piece electric staple and nail gun kit lol!!

Further to my rant earlier, my kids are happily playing in their rooms when there is a knock at the door.

Hubby is sitting here, I told him about earlier, he shrugs his shoulders as usual - thanks for support.

Anyway back to knock on door and youngest answers.

"T says can I go out to play"
"No" says I
"yes" says his dad at the same time
"thanks a lot" says I
"they're kids" he says

so he stands on the doorstep talking to him.

Eventually we let him go and play with him for a little while, afterall dinner is on and will be ready in a few minutes.

Home youngest comes for dinner. I pop out and say to T that youngest is not coming out now he is having his dinner.

"Will he be out after?"
"No it will be too late" says I (it is coming up to 6 and don't like him out that late).

Five minutes later, he is hanging around outside our house. He keeps coming up to the door. I am getting a little annoyed by now.

Spill some beans - not good by now I am losing it.

Child knocks on door so I politely say "please go away he will not be coming out he is having his dinner and is not allowed out afterwards," then close the door. I must admit I am firm.

Youngest tells me the reason child is hanging around is because his sister has gone to a friends for the day.

So says I

He has no one to play with.

Did you have anyone to play with when his friend was round? says I,

Of course you didn't yet they ignored you, so why should you play with him now because his friend has gone home.

Because he is my friend, says youngest.

Well find yourself some new ones son, some that don't ignore you when others are playing with them. He is using you. Learn from it.

Not a happy child to be seen. He wants to go out to play and I won't let him, fortunately by now hubby has caught up and is now backing me over this lol!

What the hell have I done?

Came home from shops. Mother of twins down the road outside, wave to her, she ignores me - ok thinks I she didn't see me.

Park up.

Notice that couple of other mums from my sons school, with their children, all of which are friends of my youngest (same class, year group) etc standing outside with her, pulled up in their cars obviously.

So I wave to them and they turn their backs on me.

Now yes could be an argument to say that they didn't see me, except I know one of them did.

Youngest walks down to them to take a ball back that one of the twins had left in our front garden (he is lucky it is still there). He calls over to them, they take no notice, so he walks across the road to give it to them.

No acknowledgement thanks nothing.

Caome in house, opened windows as it is stuffy in here, all the kids playing outside.

Youngest wants to play and I have said no, afterall if they couldn't talk to him before then not much point him going out.

Paranoid?

I could be.

BUT all of these children are constantly telling youngest he is their best friend and he believes them. All of them are round each others houses at least once a week, youngest has never been invited and if I invite any of them the mums make an excuse as to why they can't come (he is a football training, we have to go to Lincolnshire, His nan is coming to visit). Not once has he been invited to one of their birthday parties, yet they have been to two of his.

Yet who do they come to when they don't understand the homework their children have been given? Who do they ask for help from?

This has gone on long enough. I refuse to be nice anymore.

Bloody people AAAAAGGGHHHHH

Rain getting worse outside.

Dark inside, still have lights on!

Doesn't bode well for rest of the month now does it?

Back to work on Monday and according to the weather channel it will be sunny and 22º oh joy can't wait!! Couldn't be like that over the holidays now could it! No waits until I go back to work!

The weather.

Weather.co.uk, BBc weather, the met office all said that yesterday we will have rain.

It was sunny.

Today the forecast is for "cloud with sunny spells"

It is raining.

Need to wash my hair yet just remembered I have a hair appointment later, so better not wash it yet then. Decided against wi this morning, apart from the fact it is raining and don't fancy getting wet walking there, and it is a pain to park anywhere near so will give it a miss - at least a week of being good should show a loss next week fingers crossed!

Kids still tucked up in bed, which is where I want to be, but as usual, hubby brings me up a cup of tea at some ungodly hour of the morning - "well you have to get into the habit of getting up you go back to work next week" he says cheerfully as I groan!

Even the dogs are still in their beds refusing to get up this morning!

Think I will have another cuppa and stick a DVD on - you never know I may even manage to fit some exercise in this morning lol!