101 List

I am a follower of the whatshappeningatmyhouse blog and she has done something called a 101 List which is just a list of things she intends to do, some time, no time limit. I like the idea of this and have plenty of things I would like to do but never get round to remembering or accomplishing. I plan to use this post as a record of those things I think about doing but always forget about. The list is not in any kind of order. I will update it as and when I think of stuff or achieve stuff. I thank whatshappeningatmyhouse for the idea and may have been inspired by some of the things she suggests only because they are truly great ideas!

1. Set up a new account on folksy and sell stuff on it

2. Learn how to use my ice-cream maker. (Feb 10. Binned Mar 10)

3. Run a 5k event.

4. Run a 10K event.

5. Own an allotment.

6. Go out in a wig.

7. Have an overnight stay in a posh hotel.

8. Drink champagne away from home with my darling husband.

9. Have a family weekend away without help.

10. Have a girly weekend with my best bud.

11. Make friends with a neighbour. (Feb 10)

12. Have a professional hair colour.

13. Go running 3 times a week.

14. Hit 10 stone.

15. Go to New York for a grown-up holiday.

16. Clear out bathroom cupboards. (Feb 10)

17. Make a quilt for myself which is beautiful.

18. Go out with my brother and his wife.

19. Go to the theatre.

20. Buy a good coat.

21. Go to a car boot sale.

22. Have a Swiss massage.

23. Re-gold my wedding ring.

24. Look after my hands for a month and have a manicure.

25. Look after my feet for 2 months and have a pedicure.

26. Do sit-ups every day for a month.

27. Use body moisturiser every day for 2 weeks.

28. Have a 3 day detox on just fruit and vegetables.

29. Have eyebrows professionally shaped.

30. Have a facial.

31. Sign up for beauty testers and enjoy the pleasure.

32. Establish a weekly house cleaning routine and get boys involved.

33. Climb the Garth.

34. Ride a bike.

35. Go on an Easter Egg Hunt.

36. Go away for New Years Eve.

37. Visit 25 places for Family Fun Days.

38. Watch 52 films.)2/52

39. Sign up for an evening course.

40. Complete 30 items from Biddying To Make List.

41. Set up account for selling books on Amazon.

42. Do monthly clear out for charity shops on 15th of the month. Done Feb

43. Do monthly paperwork/organisation on 1st of the month. Done Feb

44. Sign up for weekly class with Little Pickle.

45. Make coffee friends with 3 Mums in Nursery. (1/3)

46. Get Cornichon involved with a weekly class.

47. Phone a friend on Sundays.

48. Re-start Thursday lunches with Mummy friends.

49. Get an eye test.

50. Get the boys involved with the dentist.

51. Read 25 books.(1/25)

52. Get new curtains and poles in the lounge.

53. Get monthly subscription to Sew Hip.

54. Organise monthly nights out with sister.

55. Get 50,0000 grains at www.freerice.com. (2000)

56. Start Christmas cards before December.

57. Decorate Cornichon's room.

58. Decorate Little Pickle's room.

59. De-register for Find The Duck Books

60. Re-organise Cornichons' cupboards.

61. Update all downloaded pictures.

62. Fix up kitchen notice board to replace post box.

63. Read the instruction book for my camera.

64. Arrange a shopping day for me, just me.

65. Make the porch look pretty.

66. Have the car valeted. (Done Feb by me)

67. Tidy the shed.

68. Go to France.

69. Re-connect with Uruguay.

70. Go to bed before 10pm for a 1 week.

I bloomin hate taxes!

I hate this time of year when I have to file a tax return for a platry amount. I really wish I had not started selling Usborne Books for this one main reason. There is so much hassle involved in filing a tax return for such a paltry sum. I mean I turned over £136 last year and made about £32 and yet I still have to pay tax on this! What the f*ck? I am so stressed I have eaten most of a chocolate orange just thinking about this pathetic exercise. I got half way through filing the return and it asked me about under paying tax in 2008-9. Have I? I don't bloody know! How much? Don't know? When? Don't know. Can I call them up to ask what it is all about? Bloody no- they are closed until 8am tomorrow. Bloody slackers. I am very fecked off and have to go downstairs now to pin my beautiful quilt binding for my beautiful boy. That should de-stress me. Well it better bloody had.

Pfefff.

The chore of work

I have to say that even though I hate my job it is not bad at the moment as it is a quiet time of year for us. I only work 2 days a week so it is even LESS of a chore for me compared to the other muppets in the office. How come I STILL hate the fact that I have to spend time away from my boys for 2 whole days a week then? I came home at 4.20 (VERY reasonable) and made tea for them and tried to prise some information from Cornichon as to what he did today in school (very little. He seems to be spending a lot of time on his own and we are a bit concerned about him. A chat with the teacher will fix things I'm sure and we'll learn about all the stuff he does and does not tell us about!) We went up for a bath and had them both asleep by 7 and it feels like I've hardly seen them at all! I want to go and cwtch up with them now just for the sake of it! I know I should count my non-religious blessings that I only have to work for 2 days a week and then still wish for a couple of hours on my own then. And I will this week.

Lovely family day

After last night's late night panic blog post only to realise that I could not type from my phone- (need an app!) I am here today after a lovely relaxing family fun day when we all went bowling and then had pizza. Everyone enjoyed themselves enormously, even Cornichon was not too downhearted that he had not regained his winners trophy and Mr Gherkin did not crow that he had usurped the former champion. (I think he wished he had let one of the boys win really!)

I did remarkably well at the all you can eat buffet in the pizza restaurant. I did not even look at the pizza hotplate and just had 0pt salad and then piles of fruit for afters. I was so proud of myself! I put on 1.5lbs on Thursday and am STILL smarting about it! I will be rid of it this week, oh yes I will! Oh shit I just remembered I am supposed to b in a works night out on Thursday! Arrrrrgh!

At the beach. Oh crap I can't blog from my mobile! In Mum and Dad's on iPhone and can't type! Review tomorrow!

Feeling under the weather

I just feel a bit ruff today. My face came out in a rash all over and down my neck, my nose is sore and I have ulcers at the back of my mouth which make eating painful. My glands are up and I feel tired and I have no energy. Ironically I had 8 full uninterrupted hours of sleep last night! I went to bed at 2230 and was woken at 0640 by Cornichon! I can't remember the last time that happened!

I am off to the doc's tomorrow for myself for the first time in ages! I neeeeeeed a boost. I put on 1.5lbs this week too. This is not good. Energy where are you?

tired, so tired

I am so tired I could fall asleep standing up. 'Night.

Where I am right now

I missed a blog and picture yesterday due to the fact that the littlest Pickle was poorly last night and came downstairs at about 9 and I went up with him and was beaten up until 4am when Mr G came to rescue me and give me hours sleep. I had every intention of coming in here to blog and take a pic but Little Pickle had other ideas. He is teething right now and has a cold and yesterday developed conjunctivitus. Grampa took him to the doc;s today and he gave him drops for his eyes but said he just has a virus which is affecting his throat and cough. I guess this is good but it still amkes it hard to not be able to do anything for him but make him cry when I put drops in his eyes. The trials of parenting!

Tonight I took a picture of "my desk" here at home. I say "my desk" as it is one of the desks that we have in the study which is used principally by Mr Gherkin as he works from home about 3 days a week. He also runs the computer network here and is really good at it so I have very little input or real interest therein. As a result the study is "decorated" in his simplistic minimalist style and the half of the huge desk that my laptop stand and keyboard occupies is sparse and stark. there is nothing personal within sight - anywhere in the room actually! I am sure I would have personalised it a whole lot more should I use the room more often (to be fair I mainly use the lap top on the top of my lap downstairs whilst Mr G watches TV so I don't really need to bedeck the desk with boughs of holly or anything so frivolous. It is still stark and non-girly here. A bit sad really. Pics to download soon.

Cawks a-lawdy

I have been out drinking with my sister and am in no fit state to tpe aything. nuff said. I amm off t bed and will discuss further tomorroe abyut our pajns for organising our family life whether our brother like it or not. much drubkenness xxx

I was supposed to have an evening to myself tonight as Mr G was due to go out for a pint. I decided to spend it in the kitchen finishing Cornichon's quilt. I have fallen out of love with it a bit now and I just need to get rid of it from my WIP list. Cornichon is so excited about it I just want it to be finished for his sake now. Can't wait to see his face and make some room in my over-stuffed crafty space!

Still thinking ...

I am struggling to get much sleep and my thinking has been lost and forgotten. I am going to sleep now and concentrate on thinking. I need help to get through the days.

Just me

I feel the need to think hard over the next few days about what I want in my life in 2010 and what channel I intend to take. I have been pootling along nicely now for a long time using the kids as a crutch but not taking anything for myself. I am going to have a good long think about what is good for me, just me.

Snow again

We are in the middle of another heavy snow storm. And I love it. I went to work this morning but took the afternoon off as Mr G and his parents wanted to go to a funeral and I did not want my Mum and Dad to come out here with the risk of snow (goodness knows, Dad's driving is bad enough in good conditions let alone a blizzrd!). Anyhoo I came home at 1215 no problems, no more snow then, Mr G went to the funeral and came back with the start of the snowstorm but was fine and home by 4. Apparently my colleague left work at 4.15 but did not get home until 8.00! How nuts! He lives about 8 miles from me! Good choice to have a half day holiday! Took some bad pics of the snow. Will upload soon.

So tired. Brain not working. Fingers pressing wrong buttons. Tonight the in-laws are staying over and will watch the boys. I sleep.

Perfect Sunday at home

Today was lovely, just lovely. Mr Gherkin let me have a lie in until 9 and then he had one til 11. I decided to do a Sunday roast as I have never done one in this house! How awful is that? I took the meat out last night (how organised?!) and planned when it should go into the oven this morning and then planned the roasties and veg and gravy and it was all ready for 2.15! Mr G and cornichon went to Asda to do some shopping whilst Little Pickle slept. We all pottered in the kitchen, Mr G cooking tomorrow's tea, me with lunch, Cornichon with Power Rangers in hand and Little Pickle helping Mr Gherkin. I decided bloody Marys would be a great idea and then we opened and finished a bottle of wine with lunch. It was so perfect and relaxed and everyone was together doing their own thing. Lunch was relaxed with everyone around the table, doing plenty of "Cheers!"-ing and roaring with laughter. Even though both boys are not 100% (LP has a cold and C has a cough at night) it was so perfect. We finished off lunch with a session of Best Part of my Day, Worst Part of my Day and a dancing session in the lounge along with the Beatles of course! My sister arrived during this mosh session and stayed to play and catch up until teatime. Little Pickle has started to call her Bee! (Auntie Bee to give her full title) but it was the first time he called it to her face. She was super chuffed.

Best Part of my Day - being together with my family before, during and after lunch

Worst Part of my Day - thinking about going to and getting to work if it snows again tonight.

Give in and join 'em

Today I finally accepted that I might have enough grey hairs to warrant a buying some hair dye. I have never been a girl who spends ANY money on her hair (about 4 cuts a year and then all the sameish style, bog standard shampoo and conditioner and about 3 pots of curl creme a year). I have a stand-offish relationship with my hair - I leave it do what it wants and we don't argue. It has been chestnut brown all my life (I did put cheap temp orange streaks in it when I was 17 but they only lasted a day or so) with a few natural highights from Tenerife 2 months ago and until now I have only seen about 6 grey hairs. Pretty good don't you think? I now catch myself looking for grey hairs and have found more than 2 on a few occasions and decided that I need to sort this out and stop myself from searching for old age! I have taken some baaaad photos of myself recently and noticed how haggard I am looking. The sleep situation still has not improved with the boys and it is showing in the mirror. This is not good. I am not a pretty woman but I just look grotesque now (OK so taking pics of myself is never going to be flattering) and I am in need of a boost. Hair is now all 120 Dark brown (although for a moment under the tap I did think I would be indigo) and I am off to bed at 1100 for a treat. I will book a haircut for Feb (when we are not skint). By that time I will have lost loads of weight and be looking fab and deserving of my facial (Christmas present from Mr Gherkin). Did I tell you I lost 5lbs this week? Woo hoo!

It's getting better all the time....

I managed to download some pics today! I said I would didn't I? Today's pic is of my boys doing what they do best - messing about.

They love chasing and running around and fortunately today's little session after tea did not end up with one of them crying! Ha! Bonus! More fun to watch too!

It's doing my head in positioning these pics. I have a lot to learn about blogging and making it interesting. I guess this is a bit better than it used to be what with pics and all but it is not quite right. My brain hurts. Nighty night!

A Snow Day!

Woo Hoo! Mega snow last night means Snow Day today! I have some pics already (how good am I?) and will download them later. We all went outside and played snowball fights on the road of the cul-de-sac and made 2 snowmen (yet to receive their faces and costumes though). The boys loved it and Mr Gherkin cracked a smile too! Little Pickle has a cold and got cranky so we came in at 10 and I made hot chocolate with chocolate biscuits and put a new Disney DVD on - Open Season. Little Pickle is sleeping on the sofa next to me as I type and Cornichon is playing with his cars and watching the film all the while claiming he does not like it.

Snow is good. Life is good.

Pictures

I have decided to take a picture every day for 2010. I have to admit I am not very good at taking pictures and my subjects are not all keen to be pictured and my equipment is not always available or very good. That said, no excuses, I will use this project as way of practicing my photography and getting better at being good at it! I have yet 2 pics to publish here for today and yesterday but they have been taken, just not downloaded yet, another ting that needs to be practiced!

Fear not - my blog will get better in 2010!

End of a Tree-ra

Tonight was the last night spent in the lounge with our lovely tree by the fireplace blinking on and off and sparkling the room. It has been up since Nov 30th just after we came home from Tenerife in need of some cheer.

I loved putting it up and have let the boys come and go moving the ornaments around as they please. I believe family Christmas trees should be made up by the whole family and go out of my way NOT to have a theme or colour.

Our tree has a little bit of everything and everyone. We have some china decs from Mr Gherkin's late Gran,

some funky fruit decs that I love just because they are NOT Christmassy,

some felt ones I made last January,

many moved around by the boys and many gaps caused by such moving. There are NO chocolate ones left - the boys (and I to a lesser extent) saw to that. There are Baby's first decs foreach of the boys. I need to get the boys working on some for next year's tree as I would love our tree, of say 2025, to have some history to it and some things that would make the boys cringe!

To resolve, or not to resolve ...

Here we are -Day 3 of the new Year and already I am on my third blog post! How long will it last? Who can tell? I'm not saying I made a resolution to blog every day.... but I am going to blog whenever I can. Even if I have nothing to say. Like today.

Oh I think I lost about 5 lbs since yesterday! woo hoo! I went back to Weightwatchers with a fervour yesterday, determined to stop bingeing like I had been doing for the month of December. I weighed 11 stone 1 lb which meant I managed to put on 6.5 lbs in 2 weeks! And about 5 in December anyway. I felt gross. I have been super good since yesterday (apart from going out for a meal and getting drunk last night which was NOT planned. I have paid for it today though and been very virtuous. Yay me! I weighed this morning in the bathroom and seemed to have lost 5 lbs! Yay again! We'll see what the official scales say next week though!

Rare Night Out

Woo hoo! We managed to get a night out without the boys! We went to see Sherlock Holmes in the cinema, which was OK I guess. I snoozed for while ten started to enjoy it. A guy film - full of swashbuckling and fighting but I guess it was OK. I was not in the mood for that kind of film but I warmed to it none the less. We then went to a lovely pub a car ride from home for a meal which turned into a meal and a few wines and me leaving the car there and getting a taxi home and having to do many typing corrections in this entry. Mr Gherkin and I had good talks about our future and the future of our family and made some pretty big decisions. I will elaborate further some time soon and when I am soberer than this! Today was a good day to remember we are a driving force and are not just sucked into the normal daily routine (that we love!). It was good to be Gherkin and Mr Gherkin and not Mummy and Daddy. Feels good.

Cute conversation

Conversation whilst Cornishon and Little Pickle were in the bath. Mr Gherkin is out watching the rugby.

C - I want Daddy.

Me - Daddy's out now ut he'll be back later

C - I like you too but it's the best when there are two of you. One is missing now.

Wow my heartstrings! I wanted to call Mr G to tell him to come home there and then!