british summer time

I don't understand those people who won't put the heating on in summer.  There are bloody loads of them about. People for whom it is against the law to heat their houses between May and October. I reckon I'm well and truly in the minority going by the rule that if it's cold you just crank the heating up. Even if it IS the end of July and you should, by rights, be wafting round in a bikini. We live in Britain and the weather is generally a bit crap. 
Anyway. It's been flipping freezing this week. The heating is ON.

moving on up

I wasn't the only one with a busy week. The little one had a zillion school things going on this week. He had a PJ and chill day (teachers' skive day), a bowling trip, an oscars award night & prom and a leavers church service. Followed by a weekend at scout camp.
Poor little bugger is knackered, he fell asleep in the car today!

The school has been really fab with all the leavers things. They've done some ace stuff that the kids will always remember. My fave bit was after the prom. They all came into the playground with a helium balloon that they'd attached a message to and after a big countdown they let them all go. I sneaked a peak at the message he'd written. It said "I am really upset to be leaving primary school" Aw :( Many tears were shed!
He doesn't actually leave till Tuesday so plenty of time for more crying I reckon.

super mum

My head is gonna explode this week with all the things I have to do/remember/organise/sort out/turn up to.
I have kids finishing early on different days, a sports day, non uniform days, bowling trip, leavers service at church, prom night and my last ever assembly - after going faithfully every week for the last 10 years dontchaknow!
There are also a zillion birthdays to remember and buy for and the little one to sort out for scout camp on Friday.
And on top of that I have sh*t loads of work on and my newly built studio needs painting before the electrician arrives on Saturday.
Like I have time to do that! What am I? SuperWoman?

busy

Happy Monday people!
I'm very incredibly super mega busy this week. Ha like I'm ever anything else! Got loads of school stuff on though. The little one leaves primary school in 2 weeks so there are loads of leaver things I MUST attend at the old school and starter things I MUST attend at the new school. And I have a charity meeting I MUST attend. And a mid week evening spa thing that my sister's taking me on. I MUST attend that one!
And I'm totally booked up with work. Till September. Juggling away as usual.
Better crack on. 

butter-flower

Here's a pattern I made out of the doodles I did the other day. 
I'm saying doodles for Dotty Wren Sue. The overuse of the word on instagram is really annoying her at the mo. Personally I find yummy more irritating. Especially when used to describe a colour palette. Or a view. Or a baby. They are NOT yummy. Stop it! 
We have all agreed though that the most annoying of all has to be nom nom. There's just no need!

travels

The other half and the little one are going on a jaunt to London tomorrow. For the weekend. To Minecon. Don't ask. It's a Minecraft convention. The other half is thrilled!
I'll be picking them up from the train station on Sunday night then dropping the big one at school. She's going to French France. Till Thursday.

Me? I'll be staying at home. Thanks for asking.

june 15

I'm not even gonna say I can't believe it's July. Cos everyone says that. Just like on facebook when they say they can't believe their kid is 'whatever age' already. It's irritating.
But seriously. July. Already!

summertime?

The weatherman says it's gonna be scorchio this week. Like 30 degrees and everything. I suspect the weatherman might be based in London though and it's likely he's never set foot UpNorth so his information could perhaps have a southern bias. Still, I've painted my toenails. Just in case it's warm enough to take my socks off...

father's day

Bit late in the day but better late than never....Happy Father's Day to all the top dads out there. Especially mine. He's the best one. And the other half. He's not bad either.

girls night bore

This is what I did at girls night last night....
I've taken to turning up with my MacBook and finishing off bits of work. 
Or, in the case of last night, just faffing about doing nothing useful.
The others don't think I'm a sad git at all. No siree! I can still join in the moaning and the gossip and the chatter about favourite bathroom cleaner whilst faffing on the computer.
I'm such a multi-tasker.

PS

FYI we really did discuss fave bathroom cleaner last night! We realised just in time that we have turned into SadOldLadies and switched the convo back to the drunk woman who fell over in the pub on Saturday night. But in case you want to know: 2 of us said CIF, 2 of us said whatever was on spesh that week and the other realised how sad we were and didn't state a preference.

hello to all the working mums who are super busy... and a bit productive

I read the lovely Lisa Congdon's blog this week about being busy and super productive. I could soo relate to everything she said. I too am focused, motivated and quick and I love what I do. And I'm dead organised. Just like Lisa :) Nice one!
But Lisa points out she doesn't have kids. She works 9-11 hours a day.
You can't do this when you have kids. Not unless you don't really like them very much and employ SuperNanny to do the job for you. 
Lisa also has a lovely wife whereas I have the other half. And that's mostly like having a 3rd kid to look after!
I never get chance to work for more than 6 hours at a time. And it's usually less than that. It's all StopStartStopStartJuggling. I stop working at about 3.15pm every day and then have to catch up and finish stuff as soon as I get chance later. It's getting easier now they're getting older. The big one mostly stays in her room unless she needs food. But there's always something going on that stops me working.
Last week I spent all day Wednesday on the little one's school trip, Thursday at the little one's school anniversary party and Friday afternoon at Celebration Assembly.
I didn't have to. I could have worked. But it was my last school trip ever. He starts high school in September. And I was the only parent who was invited. (Cos I'm a right laugh on school trips I think) And I didn't have to dress up in 1950's clothes and go to the anniversary party either. But he wanted me to go. And I'll never get chance to do that stuff again. And he got a certificate in assembly on Friday. And of course I never miss assembly. I've turned up for the last 10 years. I'm hoping for a flipping certificate myself in 5 weeks at my last one!

I suppose there'll be plenty of time to be a proper Lisa Congdon when they get bored of me and go off to do their own thing.
I'll just have to sort out SuperNanny for the other half and I can get cracking...

top weekend

Don't wish to sound all smug and showyoffy or anything but my weekend was ace!
We spent yesterday at this charity football tournament the other half helps organise every year. The football is bloody boring but literally everyone we have ever known ever turns up to support it and we all go back to the pub afterwards and get steadily drunk.
Apart from New Years Eve it seems to be the only time that everyone WeHaveEverKnownEVER gets together.
It's in memory of our friend Ken who died of cancer a few years ago and the total this year will take the amount raised for Kirkwood Hospice in his name up to nearly £10,000!
Then today we went to my fave place in Yorkshire Salts Mill and I came across 5 of my books. Just sitting there. On display! With all the other proper books! I was so excited I nearly wee'd!
I'm used to seeing my designs in shops and I don't get giddy at all any more when I see a pair of pyjamas with a bunny I designed on them. I've seen a million pairs of pj's with bunnies I designed.
But this was the first time I've seen my books anywhere. And it was in the best book shop in Yorkshire! Yay!

day tripping

I had a rather lovely jaunt to London yesterday to meet up with my publishers. I went on the train and listened to all the business knobs competing to have TheMostImportantPhoneCallEver. They all started with "Hi! I'm on a train, I might get cut off!" just to make them sound super busy and on-the-move. There was much talk of 'dropping' people an email and touching base. And lots of spread sheet convos and requesting of up to date figure analysis.
I opted out, read Grazia and ate some crisps.

Anyways it was a fab day and I'm gonna be doing loads more books. Very soon. Yay!

may 15

As if May is over! As if it's actually June tomorrow! Can someone please tell the weather. Cos the weather still thinks it's March. My flip flops have not even seen the light of day this year. And I've still got the heating on full blast. 
Thanks.

Oh...and I did 2 May patterns cos I couldn't decide which one to go with. But they're both a bit samey so no worries.

another busy week

This week I managed to squish in several meals out, a bank holiday day off, a couple of girly shopping trips with my sis and our big girls, mucho juggling of work for 3 PeopleWithUrgentDeadlines - AND a total clearout and empty-age of my studio WHICH HAS NOW BEEN KNOCKED DOWN!! 
Oh yes people! I have finally got round to it. The "garden room" that previous owners Betty and Geoff built [badly] in 1985 has been demolished! I'm having a new one built in it's place. ASAP. Unfortunately....and unsurprisingly... the foundations are crap so we basically have to start again. I am trying to maintain a dignified air of patience...
Meanwhile I'm bloody exhausted and glad it's the weekend! Bottoms up everyone x