Never has so much fun been had by two children for so little outlay...well cardboard boxes excepted. On a budget of £2 per child we now have a show jumping arena and a whole haulage yard/firestation setup in the respective bedrooms. I also got 16 Key Words Ladybird books all in A1 condition for 39p each, you can't beat that, even on Ebay.
Soo have now had 3 hours to catch up on paperwork as the kids have been heavily occupied with their new purchases. Paperwork is now in boxes waiting to be processed, but at least I have looked at all the paperwork now. It was developing into two worrying heaps (we have two limited companies) and I wasn't too sure what was in each one as the summer holidays have got in the way of anything like a weekly review. This should mean that I can zip through all of it on Monday when the kids go back to school :-)
My new hard disk is quietly formatting on my old laptop. The laptop has been dying for the past month or so. I finally got round to getting the hard disk and then left it for 3 weeks as the kids demanded my attention whereas the laptop could only beep and ask silently to be rescued (soundcard is off too).
The tax man is writing me letters chasing payments that I've already made. Their phone doesn't seem to work in Cumbernauld, and neither does their email, so I've resorted to a letter quoting bank reference numbers and dates. That took me an hour to sort out. I should start adding up how much time I spend on admin for the revenue people. If only I could charge them for the time I spend filling in forms. They are very nice on the phone, if you ever get through to them. I hate overdue notices though, much better to be able to deal with them immediately. Hence I find it highly frustrating that I cannot get an instant result and have to resort to the post.
It has taken 4 mini bars of chocolate to get through the afternoon. Good job I only have mini bars available. My balanced diet today = 1 large latte and 4 x 40g bars of chocolate and a snack sized Cadburys Twirl (which was breakfast). I am convinced I could lose weight this way. Trouble is everyone else in this house seems to expect an actual meal three times a day. I did once lose over 2 stone by just eating chocolate, fruit and diet coke!! Hey ho those were the days.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Turns out I turned off my counter
Well anyone can do it. In a previous attempt to make this blog look pretty I fiddled about with the counter settings....it looked nice on the screen..but it turns out it wasn't counting anything!
Happily I spotted this little problem whilst waiting to find out what is going to happen at the end of 'The Cassandra Crossing', so much for having an early night.
I've checked out the stars on the web (Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardener, Richard Harris, Martin Sheen, Sophia Loren ...who always looks the same age irrespective of the decade the film was made), but at the moment I can't figure out if they all go over a cliff or not. In the good old days this would have been on the telly on a Sunday afternoon and I wouldn't be sat here are one in the morning.
Happily I spotted this little problem whilst waiting to find out what is going to happen at the end of 'The Cassandra Crossing', so much for having an early night.
I've checked out the stars on the web (Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardener, Richard Harris, Martin Sheen, Sophia Loren ...who always looks the same age irrespective of the decade the film was made), but at the moment I can't figure out if they all go over a cliff or not. In the good old days this would have been on the telly on a Sunday afternoon and I wouldn't be sat here are one in the morning.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Did I help - probably not
I was on my way back to my car today, I'd left it in Jesmond, a nice part of Newcastle upon Tyne, kind of Knightsbridge of the north east I suppose..but quieter.
Normally I'm reasonably immune to pleas for money but today, a lady asked me for money just as I was about to get into my car. She was polite, and I had saved money all week by parking on the street, rather than in the more expensive and heavily monitored card park. So I fished in my bag and gave her my whole bag of change (that I keep for parking), I don't know how much money was in it, not more than £5 I expect.
Initially I supposed I was going to find £1, but I thought it was mean to count out coins. She said she had been trying to get £7 to stay in a hostel for the night and had tried the police, the probation service and lots of other places but I wasn't really listening.
It did strike me that I had never seen anyone so thin standing up. Her eyes were hollow and her skin very pale. I know she will spend the money on drugs or drink. I wish that wasn't the case, but my judgement is that is what will happen - unless it rains I guess. I just hope she gets some peace from whatever she uses the money for.
It troubles me that people end up asking strangers for money. I would like to think that someone would help me if I was in that situation. I feel guilty that I don't have the courage to engage in a longer conversation, but I doubt that I could help, and I didn't want to sound patronising. It was clear that whatever she did need the money for, her need was significantly greater than mine.
It makes me grateful for what I have. I am credit worthy so I can borrow money. I am employable so I can work and I am blessed with my health, and my family.
Normally I'm reasonably immune to pleas for money but today, a lady asked me for money just as I was about to get into my car. She was polite, and I had saved money all week by parking on the street, rather than in the more expensive and heavily monitored card park. So I fished in my bag and gave her my whole bag of change (that I keep for parking), I don't know how much money was in it, not more than £5 I expect.
Initially I supposed I was going to find £1, but I thought it was mean to count out coins. She said she had been trying to get £7 to stay in a hostel for the night and had tried the police, the probation service and lots of other places but I wasn't really listening.
It did strike me that I had never seen anyone so thin standing up. Her eyes were hollow and her skin very pale. I know she will spend the money on drugs or drink. I wish that wasn't the case, but my judgement is that is what will happen - unless it rains I guess. I just hope she gets some peace from whatever she uses the money for.
It troubles me that people end up asking strangers for money. I would like to think that someone would help me if I was in that situation. I feel guilty that I don't have the courage to engage in a longer conversation, but I doubt that I could help, and I didn't want to sound patronising. It was clear that whatever she did need the money for, her need was significantly greater than mine.
It makes me grateful for what I have. I am credit worthy so I can borrow money. I am employable so I can work and I am blessed with my health, and my family.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Join the club
Turns out I have joined a wine club. Funny how that happens when you use a discount voucher and don't quite read the small print. I guess that companies are now wise to women seeking a bargain and stick all sorts of things in the small print.
I think something similar happened with the mobile phone insurance, at least I think that is what the £4.99 direct debit is for. I know I should check it/cancel it, but it is getting round to DOING something that is the problem. After all I won't go bankrupt because of £4.99 a month will I? OK I'll do it....this weekend, probably.
Anyway I got the friendly letter from the wine club today telling me that I am about to receive my mixed case (lucky me) unless I DO SOMETHING to cancel it. So off I go onto the website to cancel the thing I didn't think I joined in the first place. BUT...SHOCK...the other half thinks it looks like a good deal. Which I think is approval not to cancel the wine.
I'll give it a go, just this once, fully aware of the fact that once these things start they are very hard to cancel. Just becuase cancelling involves making an effort, how to you think book clubs suck you in.
I tell you these sales guys have totally cracked the purchasing psychology thing. Wish I was as good at selling stuff.
I think something similar happened with the mobile phone insurance, at least I think that is what the £4.99 direct debit is for. I know I should check it/cancel it, but it is getting round to DOING something that is the problem. After all I won't go bankrupt because of £4.99 a month will I? OK I'll do it....this weekend, probably.
Anyway I got the friendly letter from the wine club today telling me that I am about to receive my mixed case (lucky me) unless I DO SOMETHING to cancel it. So off I go onto the website to cancel the thing I didn't think I joined in the first place. BUT...SHOCK...the other half thinks it looks like a good deal. Which I think is approval not to cancel the wine.
I'll give it a go, just this once, fully aware of the fact that once these things start they are very hard to cancel. Just becuase cancelling involves making an effort, how to you think book clubs suck you in.
I tell you these sales guys have totally cracked the purchasing psychology thing. Wish I was as good at selling stuff.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
It isn't asleep!
Well I have just removed a dead weasel from my daughter's bed. Not something I expected to be doing on a Sunday afternoon. I had heard whispering, but thought that it was something to do with avoiding piano practice, or sneaking additional children into the house whilst I wasn't looking (like it normally is).
The garden is looking more garden like, and less major excavation works. So the kids are spending more time out there. However one of my neighbours must have put some rat poison down, hence the dead weasel.
I was admiring the new decking when Jason asked if the kids had shown me a dead animal, he thought it was a weasel or something similar. Hence the following conversation with a small child, ostensibly sitting sewing in her bedroom, oh so cute!..
'Where is the weasel?'
'Oh, Mum, who told you?'
'Ok, where is it then?'
Child goes to bed, lifts duvet, and extracts dead rodent, which has been wrapped in a tea towel.
'It isn't asleep you know'
'Oh'
'It will start to smell'
'Oh it smells already' holds dead weasel to mum's nose - yuk
The garden is looking more garden like, and less major excavation works. So the kids are spending more time out there. However one of my neighbours must have put some rat poison down, hence the dead weasel.
I was admiring the new decking when Jason asked if the kids had shown me a dead animal, he thought it was a weasel or something similar. Hence the following conversation with a small child, ostensibly sitting sewing in her bedroom, oh so cute!..
'Where is the weasel?'
'Oh, Mum, who told you?'
'Ok, where is it then?'
Child goes to bed, lifts duvet, and extracts dead rodent, which has been wrapped in a tea towel.
'It isn't asleep you know'
'Oh'
'It will start to smell'
'Oh it smells already' holds dead weasel to mum's nose - yuk
Monday, August 14, 2006
Chairoplanes
Back from hols, duly collected cats and dog, washed mountains of clothes and did the grocery shopping. Transported children to various swimming and sporting courses and visited newly pacemakered parent. So another normal day really.
Looking back on the holiday I think that a real highlight was our visit to Hollycombe Steam Collection in Liphook, on the Sussex/Hampshire borders. What a wonderful bit of nostalgia that was. I'm sure Elinor and George think I was around when the rides were first built, bless 'em they are convinced that anyone more than 20 years old can remember the olden days. In Windsor Elinor even suggested that I might have actually seen Queen Victoria when I was younger. Thankfully we used that as an opportunity to try out some mathematical skills to work out that I really couldn't have been there by a gap of some 60 something years.
Thought I'd pop in some pics of the steam powered funfair rides.
Yes there are real steam engines powering these things.
I didn't get the name of the ride in the first picture, so I'll just call it the spinny thing. It looks rather innocent at rest, but when it rises up, spins round and tips 45 degrees it is rather a different matter. Our ride was somewhat overwhelmed by the screams of George who wailed as soon as it tipped up 'I don't like it' and continued to sob the same thing until it stopped. I didn't like it that much myself, mainly because it felt too much like being in a tumble drier, but rather worryingly with a steam engine underneath, and I did wonder what would happen if the spinny bit flew off. Poor George was so pitiful I couldn't help but laugh (not terribly sympathetic I realise) but there was no point in joining in the panic.
Then there were the Chairoplanes, which seemed to have more safety straps than I remember. Jason and Elinor had two goes. Elinor would have continued spinning all day, but Jason developed a headache at that point.
George really liked the Austin Car ride though. These I do remember, somewhere there is a picture of me on one of these when I was about two years old. To see more on Hollycombe have a look at the website on www.hollycombe.co.uk. This beats all other funfairs hands down as far as I'm concerned.
Looking back on the holiday I think that a real highlight was our visit to Hollycombe Steam Collection in Liphook, on the Sussex/Hampshire borders. What a wonderful bit of nostalgia that was. I'm sure Elinor and George think I was around when the rides were first built, bless 'em they are convinced that anyone more than 20 years old can remember the olden days. In Windsor Elinor even suggested that I might have actually seen Queen Victoria when I was younger. Thankfully we used that as an opportunity to try out some mathematical skills to work out that I really couldn't have been there by a gap of some 60 something years.
Thought I'd pop in some pics of the steam powered funfair rides.
Yes there are real steam engines powering these things.
I didn't get the name of the ride in the first picture, so I'll just call it the spinny thing. It looks rather innocent at rest, but when it rises up, spins round and tips 45 degrees it is rather a different matter. Our ride was somewhat overwhelmed by the screams of George who wailed as soon as it tipped up 'I don't like it' and continued to sob the same thing until it stopped. I didn't like it that much myself, mainly because it felt too much like being in a tumble drier, but rather worryingly with a steam engine underneath, and I did wonder what would happen if the spinny bit flew off. Poor George was so pitiful I couldn't help but laugh (not terribly sympathetic I realise) but there was no point in joining in the panic.
Then there were the Chairoplanes, which seemed to have more safety straps than I remember. Jason and Elinor had two goes. Elinor would have continued spinning all day, but Jason developed a headache at that point.George really liked the Austin Car ride though. These I do remember, somewhere there is a picture of me on one of these when I was about two years old. To see more on Hollycombe have a look at the website on www.hollycombe.co.uk. This beats all other funfairs hands down as far as I'm concerned.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Only in England
Well we've spent the past few days visiting Norwich. Our hotel looked out over the cathedral gate, and we spent a peaceful few days exploring the city centre while the kids stayed with their grandparents in Lowestoft.
So after a nice day out utilising the old National Trust membership at Blickling Hall (excellent second hand bookshop) and Felbrigg Hall (got totally lost in the woods!!) we got back to the hotel and spied two sets of what appeared to be morris dancers jigging away outside the local pub.
It is a bit blurry in the picture but there were around 30 of them in two groups doing rather complex footwork, some in clogs, some in bells and some with rather large leafy arches. It turns out that they turn up and dance outside a different pub every Monday night, so if you happen to be in the area you never know you might just spot them.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
New gadget
Gadget of the week is the new mobile card for this laptop. I can now check my email anytime, anyplace, anywhere. So benefits of the new gizmo are that I can spend time deleting junkmail anywhere I choose....who are all these exotic people who keep wanting to involve me in their latest investment wheeze anyway...despite coming from lots of different countries and continents they all appear to be sending the very same email. I do wonder if anyone ever responds.
Anyway I'm sure that there was a legitimate reason for the new electronic expenditure. I just can't think what that was at this precise moment.
Anyway I'm sure that there was a legitimate reason for the new electronic expenditure. I just can't think what that was at this precise moment.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
justbloggin
Sometimes I wonder why I never seem to have any time. I always think 'ah next week will be quiet and I can catch up then' trouble is next week is never quiet, and I never do everything I intend to do. The ironing is so far down my list of priorities it is amazing that anyone in the family ever looks human, let alone groomed.
So last week kicked off with one resignation and one period of notice being proferred, thus reducing staff numbers from 6 to 4 in one fell swoop. The informal team is more informal than ever, and I am fairly guilty of being informal myself, ie. hardy ever there in person. Which means that I have now hassled everyone to get their Skype phones and email sorted out as I haven't managed to master long distance telepathy yet.
The kids kicked off the holidays with an assortment of kids club events including karate and squash, trips to the cinema, trampolining and arts and crafts. Elinor headed off to a sleepover and a day out. George did Yogabugs and more karate. He has also developed a very strong interest in snooker thanks to our 10 year old neighbour and some men he met in a pub while Elinor was at a birthday party...yes he is only 6...yes he was in the bar playing snooker for an hour!
My mum went off for her regular heart checkup and has been advised to get a pacemaker. This would be fine if they hadn't had a disaster the last time they tried to give her a pacemaker. Last time it turned out the scar tissue from her original valve surgery (back in 1963) prevented them from getting the wires in. You might think a bit of prior investigation would be sensible on someone that had a history of early open heart surgery...or is that me...oh well. Anyway the solution then was to implant two new artificial heart valves and to postpone the pacemaker. The valves have been ticking happily ever since but the pacing problem hasn't gone away. With the usual gung ho attitude of those not having surgery the medics are claiming that the whole thing can be done in a lunch time and all will be hunky dory. Sadly my mum isn't so sure, especially after last time. I'm not sure what the stress is doing to her, but it can't be good.
Still this Thursday is the pre-op checkup so with any luck they will manage to calm her down. I don't think she knows what type of pacemaker she is getting, two wires vs one. I'm assuming it might be two.
All the internet info I've looked at is very positive, apart from the references to 'twiddler syndrome' which is the rather unfortunate side-effect whereby sufferers develop a tendency to do a nazi salute if the wires get attached to the wrong thing. I won't be mentioning this AT ALL.
justbloggin
So last week kicked off with one resignation and one period of notice being proferred, thus reducing staff numbers from 6 to 4 in one fell swoop. The informal team is more informal than ever, and I am fairly guilty of being informal myself, ie. hardy ever there in person. Which means that I have now hassled everyone to get their Skype phones and email sorted out as I haven't managed to master long distance telepathy yet.
The kids kicked off the holidays with an assortment of kids club events including karate and squash, trips to the cinema, trampolining and arts and crafts. Elinor headed off to a sleepover and a day out. George did Yogabugs and more karate. He has also developed a very strong interest in snooker thanks to our 10 year old neighbour and some men he met in a pub while Elinor was at a birthday party...yes he is only 6...yes he was in the bar playing snooker for an hour!
My mum went off for her regular heart checkup and has been advised to get a pacemaker. This would be fine if they hadn't had a disaster the last time they tried to give her a pacemaker. Last time it turned out the scar tissue from her original valve surgery (back in 1963) prevented them from getting the wires in. You might think a bit of prior investigation would be sensible on someone that had a history of early open heart surgery...or is that me...oh well. Anyway the solution then was to implant two new artificial heart valves and to postpone the pacemaker. The valves have been ticking happily ever since but the pacing problem hasn't gone away. With the usual gung ho attitude of those not having surgery the medics are claiming that the whole thing can be done in a lunch time and all will be hunky dory. Sadly my mum isn't so sure, especially after last time. I'm not sure what the stress is doing to her, but it can't be good.
Still this Thursday is the pre-op checkup so with any luck they will manage to calm her down. I don't think she knows what type of pacemaker she is getting, two wires vs one. I'm assuming it might be two.
All the internet info I've looked at is very positive, apart from the references to 'twiddler syndrome' which is the rather unfortunate side-effect whereby sufferers develop a tendency to do a nazi salute if the wires get attached to the wrong thing. I won't be mentioning this AT ALL.
justbloggin
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