The Kids Got Brains!..

Decided to have a tidy out of old toys today so explained to E that there are lots of children out there who don't have as many toys as her and some don't have any at all - so her compassionate side came out and although I was only gonna tidy out downstairs we ended up doing the whole house however... It came to sorting out the jigsaws and the real easy peg jigsaws I asked her to do them for me after tipping them all out - of course she did them no hesitation and stood there all proud "Ok" I said "They can go out" to which she replied "Aw but i can do them real good". I then went on to explain that jigsaws you can do that good are too easy for you and that they should at least challenge her a little big. I then left the room to go and sort out some lunch. 10 mins later she came into the kitchen looking all sad with her head hanging down and pet lip out and said "mummy i think we have a problem you had better come and see" - so I took her hand as indicated and she dragged her feet nito the living room (such an actress) so anyway I go into the living room and there in a neat row are all of her easy peg jigsaws - every single jigsaw piece in every single puzzle was over the wrong hole - and E saying "we can't possibly get rid of them now!". I obviously had nothing to say to that so they are back under the side awaiting a time which is appropriate to sneak them out..... smart bloody kid!

nn x

Sleepless in Seattle

An oldie which always maybe me laugh and cry but I love it - again for the 100'th time - I guess fairy tales do come true sometimes

Health Warning

Ok so my mum had a packet of vegitarian mince in her freezer and donated it to me to do something with since i kinda like to try new stuff which is supposed to be healthy for you - so tonight I was stuck for tea so thought I know I'll make a big chilli with mum's veggi mince and take some for my mum tomorrow when she is looking after E. So I set to work with onion, garlic, toms, vegies, chilli's, kidney beans etc and to be fair the whole thing looked remarkebly nice with a spicy kinda smell mixed in with the smell of E's fish fingers...thats where the nice comments end>>>>

I had been tasting it kinda whilst it was cooking to try and get the taste right etc and adding tabasco and worcester sauce (to attempt to get some kinda decent thing going)and to be honest it was intriguing me in the kinda odd texture way. So put E to bed whilst sorting out the rice and settled down for a yummy (hmm hmm) chilli - all I can say is I am NEVER EVER NEVER buying veggi mince EVER again. Not only did it have a weird kinda taste which I most certainly cannot explain and all the chilli in world could not cover but the texture was absolutely vile. I remember it soaking lots of juice up and putting in more whilst cooking but seriously - if you can imagine suger puffs (the cereal) and letting it soak in liquid for a few hours then eating it you may be somewhere near the texture. I managed about 5 fork fulls before thinking i gotta do something drastic here so went and got the cheese and basically grated it over the top - I then managed a little bit more before adding more cheese until it kinda resembled a cheese rositto before giving up on the whole thing and chucking my bowl of chilli in the bin and settling for a fruit tea instead! I even had a smell of the offending chilli (a mountain left in the pan) before I came on the PC and it is turning my stomach just thinking about it. If I can face it in the morning i just might bag a little up for my mum for her to tase in case it is just me not liking it.

However my advice it stick to beef mince - I certainly will be in the future and never going near that total utter Sh*t ever again.

Do you get the idea i don't like it?

Alternatively maybe it was just the way I cooked it and you may have better ideas?? which ever it would be good to hear from you if you have had a good exerience with it??

F x

This weekend has been a mixture of lazy and healthy :) I was supopsed to be getting the sander and doing the beams for the kitchen however, I didn't get up till 11.30am on Saturday and the shop closed at 12 noon so that was a no goer, so yesterday spent the day trying to sort out some of the garden - replanting new raspberry canes, planting out pumpkins and general heavy work which knackered me out. I also agreed last min to look after S and R's kids since R's mum was up from Lancaster - best bit is though authentic indian cooking as a thank you for tea yummy.

So today I made plans to get out on my bike. So went outside got my bike out said hi to R and S and family again then R asked me to look at her bike for her. R has had a mountain for about 9 years now and only ever ridden it three times 8 years ago!!! Apart from being old it was in good nick (or was after i had serviced it i should say!) I gave it a good going over and lubricated all the necessary bits and reset the gears. Then of course sorted the kids bikes out (didn't want them feeling left out). Finally got out on my bike and had a nice ride actually although I must say tractors, horses and wet weather can really mess up a good bike trail!! The weather was nice and warm. a bit overcast and slightly cool which I think is the best weather to go out in anyway. Got back and went round to see R as she promised she would try out her bike with me up around the mine - after a lot of pursuasion and lowering her bike saddle to a dodgy height (she would only come if she could sit on the saddle and touch the floor!!!) we were off (I have however told her once she gets used to riding a bike again the saddle is going back up to a suitable height - ie proper height for her size not a 7 year old kid!). I think she enjoyed it - she seemed to anyway even if it was only a 10 minute run - I was a start for her anyway so all I need do now is get her out on a more regular occassion then I might stop being Billy No Mates!!! - in payment yet again a nice tea provided :)

All for now xxx

Can you spot her in the crowd? It was time for the proud mummy thing to happen and took me all my time to stop my self from bursting out in tears. Everytime she saw me she just beamed amassive grin. She took part in "Come with me to the beach" and a couple of other songs including the likes of "He's got the whole world in his hands" etc etc. It was great and she was an absolute star :) 

Today was E's summer concert - this is her entrance :) 

Great day today - lovely weather - started off picking my black currents - last year i missed them for some reason and let them go over and the ones i did get I made into cordial for E, this year they are mega bumper crop real nice big and juicey :) so my fav black current cheese cake will definitely be on the cards so any ideas for anything else - definitely alcoholic i think so any suggestions gratefully received.

After that is was basically a case of filling the pool and lazing in the sun whilst reading THE book - which I also finished today OMG it was a good read... put it this way started it on Wednesday and finished it Saturday - I just could not put it down - the only thing is now im knackered because of late nights sat in bed reading instead of sleeping...

So back to the pool - it was such a nice day and as next door are away I was working on my all over tan ;)(for those who don't know where I live if anyone comes anywhere remotely close I would see them coming (or hear them) up the track and if on foot then I would still see them rather than them see me - that and E was also doing a nudist colony bit again so we both ended up the same lying in the pool - with the exception of sun screen and sun glasses (is that classed???). Anyway plans to hit the beach tomorrow with sis and her kids so should be a fun day and I might even get a bit of surfing in!!!!!

nn x

Click Here

I want one ... could be fun?

Came across this whilst browsing about for pressie ideas for brother in law!

New Book...

R (next door) came back today with two books from the library for her book reading club and as usual asked my opinion (she is not a great reader!) so I scanned them - one looked ok but not really my cup of tea then there was this one....

Basically a boy is nearly killed in a car crash, his kid brother is killed, its about the surviving boys life - the back of the cover says a romantic and exhilarating novel - by the way not giving anything away in what i've said as this is in the synopsis on the back of the book :)

So anyway I knicked the book to read while she starts on the other one so I spent the first four chapters tonight sat in the bath (my usual reading place) crying my eyes out enough to fill the bath over again (I am such a wussy woman at times!)

The book is called The Death and Life of Charlie St Cloud by Ben Sherwood.

http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/death_life_charlie_stcloud1.asp

Another Nice Day...

Just nmooching around in the garden actually. E went to school and I cleared out the back and making it into a real nice spot - bought a lovely scented plant yesterday for out back which is lovely but need to check the name to let you all know :) andyway i'll take a pic and let you all see and me and S from next door think it will be agreat party venue - just need to convince R. Incidentally on the party front - I think we are doing the halloween party again this year - if not halloween definitely bonfire night (depending when I have E) so I'll keep you all posted to if you want to come let me know :)

Broke for birthday lunch (again) with mum as sis and other family were over visiting for a couple of hours then back home for more fun in the garden and tea outside with next door.

Oh got my breathing space pack from the BBC today and checked out the CD Rom which is actually very informative and gonna be great for kids and adults alike.

Also lenghtened my hols by a day today as I got a notification that E was taking part in a concernt next Tuesday morning and I could not miss her first concert could I??!!! - she is also on her first school trip tomorrow wooo hooo.

ttfn F x

Me and Em wilting slightly at Eggleston Hall Gardens - A real good day out and a great place to eat!! 

Happy birthday mum (with Emily first thing this morning) 

Forgot to mention....

I'm on hols this week from work wooooo hooooo, Its my mum's birthday so some days treating her is the order for this week so took her shopping today and then spent a few hours down by the river at Gt Ayton with E and Mum generally messing around getting very hot, then very wet :) trying to catch minnoes - no catches today but I think the fact E was completely naked rolling in the water didnt help lol. Taking mum to Eggleston Hall Gardens tomorrow and the weather is supposed to be great again so gonna be a fab day.

http://clients.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/eggleston/index.html

F x

Told you it was too nice to be inside :) this was about 9.40pm looking out to sea and absolutely gorgeous, calm, warm night :) 

French V's English - Lavender - may sound sad to some but I've been harvesting the lavender tonight - one = becuase it was too nice to be inside, two = because the lavender i dried last year and have made into lavender bags this year is absolutely gorgeous, 3 = had a nice G&T at the same time :).... So who says the french have the best lavender? what do you think? 

Sun, Sea or Snow????

Had to be snow really didn't it on a hot day like today so i headed off down to xscape which was loads of fun today. It was real quiet actually (well enough people to have a laugh I should say). So I'm getting the turning down to a fine art but have to say the bruises of course are getting bigger before they are getting smaller but sure they were helped along with the friendly shoves and howling laughing afterwards lol. Good news is that there is a new bar just outside the snow reception bit called the Glass Room, The Owner H is a great laugh so me and some of the guys who were boarding headed off there for some beers afterwards and propped the bar up for a couple of hours. We even pursuaded H to get some live music in which looks like its going to be a goer as opposed to just the DJ - I'll keep you posted!!!! Although the bet is on as to when I will pass for rec boarding, so the deal is when I do it H is gonna hang up the old ski's and get the board out again just to see one of us is the worst lol....It was then off to P's place and a beer there with P and N - all good fun.

Shattered now though and I gotta say my arse is killing me - even though I did enjoy it the most today since I have started. Also gotta say I do miss my original snowdome/xscape pal loads and hope maybe he can make an appearance again some time SOON! Either that or I may have to send some more soppy e-mails your way :)

Check This Out...

I know i'm posting a lot of links lately but this seriously is funny (maybe its my music connection) but the guy in the white shirt dancing is classic :) As usual click above

One for the boys!!!!

Ok so this is supposed ot be a sexy girl in a bikini falling through bubbles but you can click and drag her etc and help her is she gets stuck - I for one think its quite sadistic and kinda weird - what do you think?

Click above...

Hunk in the Kitchen

Here is one for all you girls ;) Click above to boss a guy around the kitchen and get him to do all the jobs you hate - you could also win prizes at the same time :)

Tip - Try typing cowboy or music for a real laugh :)

So....

We got the olympics - now the question is try to get tickets or not????

Test Your Brain

Click above to test yuor brain... Quite easy really but at least get the brain going in the morning :)

So really I was askgin for trouble wasn't I - Great day all in all, great weather and the chance to run around like a loony with a little girl who now thinks her mom is ultra cool and her best friend :) 

Which ended with lunch at the beach for good work - and an ice cream and muck around in the sea :) 

Of course this meant I had to set her to work straight away (being and adult and all) ;) 

Had a nice weekend just me and E and today she woke up in a remarkebly good mood :) 

Listen to this....

http://www.imagestorepro.com/ebay_song.html

So funny and even sadder is the fact I know people like this !!!!