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Showing posts from April, 2011

Do we make our own luck?

It's an age old debate...are you lucky or not? The other questions could be...is your glass half full or half empty.  We know the right answer to that.  My glass is generally half empty but that's only because I want it re-filling. I think the two are linked. But is it how we view our perception of luck or do we really attract bad luck? I recently attended a couple of events.  On the table at both events were people who I view as intelligent, quick witted and interesting but who are either plagued with bad luck or blame outside influences for their lack of "je ne sais quoi."  One of the guests couldn't get a job in the industry he wanted.  I'd asked him what he'd tried and he replied "Nothing, it's not worth it...all the jobs are taken by those in the know" He'd put it down to his "bad luck" in never getting the job he wanted. He was plagued with it stating "I've never got what I wanted!" He poo pooed his degre

I am my voice.....

I've been told many times that I have a "commercially viable voice".I'm not too sure what that means but I think it may have something to do with it's tone and timbre. You see, I have a deep voice. Deeper than most women's sweet  tinkling sounds. I've always had it. Ma used to laugh, especially in the morning when her sweet little girl would croak  "'ello mummy!".  I've also been told that I'd be good working the sex chat lines, but I tend to disagree as the filthiest words I use are generally "Take out the rubbish, you effing lazy git!" When I phone for room service on my many jaunts, it's usual for the room service attendant to reply "It will be with you shortly, Sir." I used to respond "It's Madam, actually", but that sounded too prim, and very often they'd have put down the phone before I'd had a chance to respond. Now, it's quite useful to phone on behalf of BH and pretend tha

I think I may live in Stepford......

I think I may live in Stepford.  I have lived here for 15  years. I don't know anymore people than when I first moved here.  I don't know my neighbours and I don't know anyone who I could borrow an egg from. It's not that it's unfriendly here. I'm on nodding terms with many of the dog walkers, apart from those with dobermans and rottweilers (who freak me out!),  but the only time I actually see anyone is when they're out washing their cars on a Sunday and in winter...forget it, the village looks like a small pox alert has been called! There is a community. We have a community library, a post office, a pub, a sports club and we have a church, but I'm not part of it. My home is my castle. I have built a metaphoric wall around it and prefer not to become involved. I don't see my neighbours, because I don't have to.  I come out of my house and I don't see the houses either side, I jump into my car and off I go.  If I walk around the village, I

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I'm going to do a review!!

I'm all excited...wanna know why?  I'm going to do my first review!!  Not just any old review, but of a book...and I get to read it first!! Yee haaa! Another part of me, which I'd forgotten as its such a major part of my life and is taken for granted is that... I read!  Not just one book each week but it can sometimes be up to 7 or 8.  I calculated once, that I spent more on books each month than on clothes...that's how much I love the written word! I've always told the kids that I would always buy them any book they wanted, no matter the cost as a love of reading can change one's life and perspectives. It has never been questioned or the subject of debate and they know if they need a bit of retail therapy, then toys are never the answer in my book (pun, geddit?), but a book will push all those buttons. Bart, always asks for books then sticks them on the shelf never to be looked at again.  Finn on the other hand devours his books by the dozen. He then flicks

Award's and me...it's all about me as usual!

I've been given a couple of awards today so it looks like I'm going to busy the next couple of hours wracking my brain to find suitable responses and try and find 10 + 7 blogs to those who haven't already been awarded.  I'm sure you'll all be totally bored by the end of this post, and I won't be surprised if anyone denies they ever heard of me!! The Kreativ Blogger award was awarded by Him, me & three . Please go and visit her lovely blog.   There are, as always, rules with the award and they are as follows; 1) Link to 10 Blogs 2) Let the 10 bloggers know they’ve been awarded 3) List 10 facts about you The Versatile Award was awarded by 40blogSpot for my ramblings...she thought it amusing! Please go and visit, her blog is great! 1) Link to 15 Blogs 2) Let the 15 bloggers know they’ve been awarded 3) List 7 facts about you Phew...I have no idea how I'm going to find 25 blogs that no one else has seen, but I will try my hardest. It may t

My au-pair....

Unsurprisingly, the post about my au-pair created the most outrage amongst my lovely fellow bloggers.  It was a tad unexpected though, because I found the incident quite funny (although a little disturbing, if I'm honest.). Ben has been hiding in his room...in fear of his manhood I guess. BH has made himself available for all viewings should they happen suddenly. Miriam, well, she's just Miriam. Water off a ducks back!  I finally plucked up the courage to tackle it head on and came away feeling a bit of a prude!  I mean, after seeing Mocha Beanie Mummies silent Sunday post (the wardrobe decoration)..I guess I shouldn't be too harsh on the poor girl. Miriam was surprised that she offended anyone..but was the garden off limits for sunbathing in a bikini? I said no, of course not as long as she shaves her legs...well, she said where's the difference? Miriam has been with us for quite sometime.  The boys like her, Mimi likes her, BH is terrified of her (which is how

Iman al-Obaidi and rape victims in Libya

Several weeks ago (March 26th) we all saw a drama unfolding on our TV's.  A woman rushed into a hotel in Tripoli, where a group of foreign journalists were staying and having breakfast and told of her torture and gang rape at the hands of 15 of Gaddafi's Militia.  It was a frantic and frightening scene leaving many wondering what had happened to her.  Many thought she would disappear never to be seen again, and little has been reported of  the case that shocked much of the world, at least on our TV's. Iman al-Obaidi was released into the care of her sister and on April 3rd gave a telephone interview on Libya TV. She told of her kidnapping, of her ordeal, and of her escape. She spoke of the 16 year old girl, also held along with other women. She spoke of her arrest and detention after the scene at the hotel, and the subsequent demands from officials that she change her story to reflect that it was the rebels that held her and not Gaddafi's men. They have offered an ap

My must read blogs

I was recently asked by another blogger for my "must reads". I'm probably not the best person to ask as I think the back of a cornflake packet can make for fascinating reading, but there are a few that I'll spend time over and will visit several times a week.  I like to think of them as my "friends" as they have something to say that I find interesting. They probably won't be every one's cup of tea, but if you're looking for something a bit different look no further than this eclectic bunch. In no particular order Not tomorrow, but soon . Mr London Street  Wit and Pendulum  Manana Mama Miss Behaving  40 Blog Spot   Diary of a Desperate Exmore Woman Katy Acquaye Tonge  Knackered Mothers Wine Club  Diary of a Mad Housewife A Very British Dude  Babylon Lane Tales For me reading these are like visiting the homes of friends where I can relax, laugh, reflect or be peaceful...everyone has something different to offer and each of them offer somet

Tots100..my score is off the scale!

I have a tots100 badge on my sidebar...I have no idea why as my three are no longer tots. It just seemed like a good idea at the time!  However, I wonder whether I should remove it as I'm not in the 100 mark, or even the 200 mark...it's way, way lower.  I think it's off any scale that has been devised.  Why would I be proud to be 588th?? It's made me giggle all morning.  I think I may have to do a little bit more cleaning...of the blog; the home is filthy as it is and doesn't need any more help. While it's a great idea to find out where you are score wise and who you are reaching, it is linked to Twitter and Facebook, which may give you an idea of the work involved but it's a great way to find other blogs to add to your rss reader.  Don't add tots100 to your page if you are a sensitive soul, as it will have you reaching for the tranquillisers!

Smells.......

Smells evoke memories of a time and place. I say this because recently I lost my sense of taste and smell for a while, and despite not being able to smell or taste anything I could imagine and remember what they were like.  I pondered the idea of just eating just lettuce and pretending that it was chocolate.  Having tried the experiment on cottage cheese, I soon realised that it really wasn't going to work.  Cottage cheese does not have the texture of cake...it has the texture of cottage cheese! I have a candle on my desk. It's in a tin and was bought for my birthday by Bart.  I haven't lit it.  But every now and then, I lift the lid off and breath in the beautiful smell of a bluebell wood. I'm sure it doesn't smell like a bluebell wood. I'm not even sure I've smelt a bluebell wood, but it says so on the tin.  Now that spring is here, I open the door and smell the wonderful fresh distinctive smell of new beginnings. Walking the beasts, I smell growing gras

A pause...time for reflection.

Friday started pretty much the same as most days. Get up, get dressed, kids dressed, breakfast, shout, school run, chit chat at the school gate, back home, walk the beasts...then a quick glance at t'interweb. However, the quick glance turned into a marathon 6 hour visual, visceral, disseminating experience...and I'm not sure I actually enjoyed it. You see, I have recently joined up to Twitter..(so I suppose I'm either a twit or a tweep), and let me tell you, it's shattering! Twitter is a social experience. Twitter expects interaction, after all that is its purpose, but I find  it has stolen huge chunks of my day. My phone receives tweets; my ipad receives tweets, but why do I feel this need? I've actually stopped answering my phone and text messages, in case I miss that tweet.  Why, for gods sake?  I didn't even tweet with anyone!. For the second time this week, I've read a post which explained why they "unfollow" on Twitter. "Admirable,&q

The sum total of my words yesterday....

"Cup of tea?" "Yeah" "Get a move on" "Later" "Taking the dogs out!" "Stay" "Peewee! No!" "Tired" "Later "I said later!" "OK" "What did you have for lunch?" "Good day at the office?" "Oh?" "I said later!" "Bed!  Now!" "Not tonight...I've got a headache!"

Time to recycle

I once tried not to buy anything new for a whole year...I lasted 5 days! So much for my year of austerity.  I caved in because I saw an eyeshadow that I knew would change my life. I love recycling, it gives me a sense of doing something worthy.  We've always brought second hand furniture (BH says Antiques), but the effect is the one we're always after.  A great afternoon for me is a wander around the Junk (antique) shops, in the hope of a great find. It's not for me, the expedition to Ikea, although I do like their napkins....and the meatballs with gravy and cranberry sauce!  BH gets palpitations in Ikea, and pulls at the neck of his shirt.  I can tell he's getting a bit angsty, so I divert him with a plate of herrings and smoked salmon. Years ago, I was a regular car boot attendee.  I'd take a fiver, and give Bart £1, and off we'd go on a Sunday morning (before rugby took over our lives), I'd find great books, great dresses, and great crap...I once boug