wellybobs

We're off to see the Stone Roses at Heaton Park on Saturday. Outside. In a park. In the mud.

I'm all sorted with my festival chic clobber. Bought a rather nifty Pac-a-Poncho from Topshop to go with my trusty Hunters.

The other half on the other hand will not have even considered the weather. And will not do so till roughly 11am on Saturday by which time it will be too late. I am a little concerned because his entire footwear collection consists of: 3 pairs of white trainers, 1 pair of blue suede trainers, 1 pair of football boots, 2 pairs of flip flops, 1 pair of black leather pointy shoes he wears with his suit at weddings and funerals, 1 pair of slippers.........and Geoff's wellies... which are 2 sizes too big and were discovered in our shed 9 years ago when Betty and Geoff moved out of our house and we moved in.

I'm not his mother so I won't be interfering.

But if he wears the Geoff wellies I can't possibly stand next to him.

sports day

The little man's sports day was meant to be today.
It was cancelled.
Right at the last minute.
Not because it was chucking it down 'cos amazingly it did not rain today. It was cancelled because the Head is a health and safety nut who was scared that the floor was a bit slippy after all the recent downpours and she didn't want to get sued when some kid fell over and broke a limb.
All the mums who had booked the day off work to attend the event stormed round to her office to moan and shout.
I just went quietly home. I hate sports day. I was glad it was cancelled.

olympic torch

Went to see the Olympic Torch... twice. We all went yesterday as it made it's way through Brighouse but then Alf's school said he was allowed to go in late today if he wanted to go see it in Batley. As if he was gonna say oh no thanks I'll just go to school. 
Anyway it was fab. Twice. Both 'runners' walked so that was a bonus. They didn't sprint past on a 4 minute mile. We got to see them properly. AND a policeman on a motorbike high-fived Alf. That was his best bit.

rain again

Summer solstice?

Longest day?

As if!

coffee break

The other half didn't start work till late today. He asked if I fancied a trip to Starbucks after he dropped the kids at school. I was about to tell him not to be so bloody stupid and didn't he know I had work to do?! 
Then I stopped myself. 
I said yes. 
What's the point in being your own boss if you can't have an hour off for a hot chocolato on a morning?

minnie makeover

Minnie the dog has undergone a major image transformation.
She has gone from a scruffy looking mutt.....

....to... 

.....well a bit of a baldy actually...

But she's so soft now. And not scruffy at all. We don't have to be embarrassed when we join all the doggie dog lovers in the park. They won't look down their noses at this well groomed pooch!

She's now called Skinny Minnie. And she shivers a bit. Might have to get her a doggie Barbour Jacket I think...and some Hunters...

walkie weekend

Yesterday me and my sis and the kids took the dogs on a long walk at Oakwell Hall.
Today me and the other half and the kids took the dog on a long walk at Harewood House.
Bit of a pattern emerging there....

falling standards in the wardrobe department

I have freelanced from home for 9 years. And for the last year I think I've worn the same grey jumper and jeans combo like every day. It's not that I don't have a wardrobe full of stylish loveliness you understand. I studied Fashion Design for god's sake! It's just that even with the heating on full blast it's flipping cold. And no-one sees me. Apart from the mums at school. And their idea of style is an anorak from M&S and a nice pair of mum jeans. Next to them I'm the most fashionable person EVER.
So yesterday I decided to make an effort. For myself. I put on a nice little black top. Still with jeans, didn't want the other half thinking I was having an affair or anything. I stuck it out for 3 hours. Shivering. Then put the grey jumper back on.
It's just too cold. And no-one sees me.
It's bad I know. But not as bad as staying in my pj's all day....or HORROR tacksuit pants!

welcome home

Well the big one arrived home from her school trip yesterday. She was "very tired and emotional".
Actually she was an absolute bloody awful nightmare who stropped into the house, punched the little man, slammed the door in our face, screamed that she didn't want to go to Nana's for tea and  refused to believe she was tired. She texted me at 9pm. Still refusing to sleep. Said that my suggestion of drawing in bed had not relaxed her and why did I have another child???....poor Alf, she's never liked him!

grumpy bum

You know when you have one of those days when you're really fed up for no reason - apart from the crap weather, the mess all over the house, the sudden lack of finances, the crappy jobs on the to do list and the bloody PMT? Well that was me yesterday. Bad mood, no ideas except rubbish ones, grumpy and fed up fed up fed up. The other half said "What's up with YOU? Are you pre-mental?"...which helped no end!
I took myself into Leeds for a mooch around. Spent a small fortune on the car park and the Starbucks. Came back a better person.
Smiley face and lots of ideas. That's me now that is. Sort of....

school trip

Just dropped the big one off for her 2-nights-away school adventure. Her instructions to me were simple: NO kiss; leave straight away and don't do anything embarrassing. Embarrassing? Moi?

I am a w i n n e r !

Woohoo!
I won a giveaway!
I didn't even know until the postie arrived this morning.
Isn't she fabulous?
Aren't you gutted you didn't enter?
She's from Whistle and Stitch and was Sarah's entry in the Umbrella Prints competition.
I love her...had to wrestle her off the big one... who also loves her! Mitts off kid, she's mine.

rain...again....

I know us Britishers always seem to witter on about the weather....but seriously...it's crap. It's school holidays! Sort it out! Someone! Please! Before I kill someone....

dog on the line

In a moment of mis-placed generosity yesterday I said it was ok for the little man to get the massive train set out of the garage.
It now covers the entire living room floor and the kids spent all last night shouting. Mostly at each other but also at the giant dog who kept walking across the track. School holidays are such good fun.

all partied out

Well that was the longest weekend ever!
I've been to a street party, a second birthday party, a girly night out for my sister's birthday, a mad night in the pub ('cos we always have a mad night in the pub on bank holiday Sunday) We had a birthday tea at my mum and dad's, an afternoon at the park with the dog and a day ligged in front of the telly watching Jubilee stuff while the kids trashed the house.
I'm exhausted.
Need to get back to work for a rest...

ps... The baby from the baby shower arrived today...a Jubilee baby! Little Orla. Cute. Now I need another present....

nice buns

Well, clearly, everyone who decided to make Jubilee buns went shopping for all the fancy stuff a month ago 'cos they were super organised and had known for like 60 years it was gonna be the Diamond Jubilee this week. Everyone except us. We went today. Turned up at the supermarket ready to purchase all kinds of Union Jack bun cases and redwhiteandblue sprinkles. Our hopes were dashed. Not a Union Jack to be seen anywhere. The redwhiteandblue section was empty. In it's place were leopard print bun cases and butterfly cupcake toppers. Who needs that sort of thing the day before a Jubilee Street Party???
We had to resort to DIY flags made Blue Peter styleee from some Union Jack paper chains... and cocktail sticks. All double sided tape and everything!
I'm sure the people up my Mum's street won't notice the homemadeness. Not when they taste the little beauties.


You may note from the photo that we made BUNS, like proper buns...not those fancy cupcakes currently in vogue. Cupcakes that look fabulous but frankly taste YAK. All that nasty fondant stuff on the outside hiding a dry, poor quality bun. No thank you! AND we have square bun tins.... woo get us, we are the future!

1000 pins later....

I pinned piccy number 1000 on my Pinterest board today! Wowee! PINtastic!
It was this lovely little lady made by Whistle and Stitch for the Umbrella Prints competition. I had mucho fun entering last year....go have a nosey at this year's entries....
(Think I should get a prize for using so many links in one sentence! I'm just sooo technical!)