Saturday 11 August 2007

Frog Blob

That's it!
I've read Pig in the Kitchen this morning and she's made me think about when I was thin. I certainly don't want to be a size 6 again (even though I have a super size 6 skirt upstairs), but thinner would be good. My daughters' size 10 Per Una jeans are just too, too tight around my middle,and I think I'm really a size 14 again. I used to swan about, 3rd baby in arms, in my super skinny suede jeans and other Mums were so jealous. Now they look at me and tell me I look well, I know what that means, I'm getting fat.
My children cuddle me and tell me they love my wobbly tummy.
I have got out of the habit of juicing every morning and it shows.
So, Day 1, I've had a glass of water and I'm about to get my juicer going again.
I will get back into all those clothes, sitting redundant in the wardrobe.
I did have a Mountain Bike somewhere, and of course if darling husband wasn't so mean to me, I could have my indoor pool with beautiful glass roof and swim everyday.
I'm starving already. Thankfully we have a garden full of vegetables, runner bean anyone?

Thursday 9 August 2007

Sleepover

I had to be in Bristol early this morning so my two youngest stayed with my sister last night in her new huge house.
Jasmine packed everything except her favourite toy (cow) and her p.j's.
Sophie packed a large suitcase, into which I had a secret peep.
It held:
1 Pink Tutu
2 Pink Fairy Dresses (with wings)
1 pair pants (pink)
1 Noddy Book (mine when I was little)
1 Pink Necklace.

Fantastic, what else does a girl need?

Wednesday 8 August 2007

Name calling

I feel Summery so I thought I'd completely re-vamp my Blog, hope you like it.
I had a call from a lovely lady asking about Party Bags for her daughter's Birthday Party. She needed some with Tigers on as her daughter is called Tiger Lily.
"What a cool name!" I said.
"Yes, and next week I'm giving birth by Cesarean section to a baby girl, and I'm going to call her Scarlet Ribbons!"
Wow, very cool names indeed.
I've had some weird and wonderful names sent to me for the Colouring Competition I am holding. Ellis for a girl surprises me.
I remember flying to the States when Jasmine was a baby. She was always dressed in pink. The people sat behind us were smiling at her a talking to her. I asked them if she was bothering them at all, "No, No...what's the baby's name?"
"Jasmine" I said
"Jasmine!! For a boy?"
We ignored them for the rest of the flight.
When our third daughter was born we were at a loss to think of anything to call her.
The two eldest insisted on Sophie. Our entire family bombarded us with daily suggestions, and pulled faces at any of ours. We finally settled on a name on our way to the Registry Office. We were in fact still arguing about it a bit when we reached the door, but it didn't matter, the office had moved 9 miles away so we were unable to register anyway.
As is typical of my husband in these circumstances, he swore loudly, we all got in the car and returned home. My cleaner stood in the kitchen looking at us hopefully, but to no avail.
We changed our minds over and over again, the two eldest still insisting on Sophie, we received two threatening letters from whoever feels the need to bully parents into naming their children in a mere 9 weeks.
Parents Evening came. All the teachers we passed said 'Hello Sophie' to the baby, much to our amazement. We kept explaining we hadn't named her yet; they looked confused. Then we were shown the 'Best Work Board' in school. Jasmine had painted a beautiful picture of the five of us. She had done it weeks earlier. Our names were clearly written underneath, and there was 'Sophie', proudly printed under the picture of her baby sister. Jasmine beamed proudly, with that 'See, I told you' look on her face.

Cute Daughter


I had a lovely email from my daughter in reply to mine:

Hello cutest little girl this morning.
I love you lots and lots...especially if you tidy the sitting room for
me and clean the window!
Your hair looks very pretty!
Love from
Mummy
xx

dear mummy
I woould not like to tidy up the sitingroom because iam feeling very well
today.
Iwold like to have a nice cuit day to day sitting dowon on my chir out side.
lovefrome the cutet littel girl ties morning


I will of course beat her relentlessly for poor spelling, but it's awfully cute!
Ooh, must add, I don't only communicate by email with my children, I do call them on their mobiles too!

Tuesday 7 August 2007

Foot and Mouth

It is with heavy heart that I blog this morning.
Another case of Foot and Mouth has been confirmed, living on a beef farm, it's just not want we wanted to hear. Not that it matters now, all those countries we export to will yet again refuse our beef for a considerable time and we will probably see a general dive in the price of our stock in the marketplace. The damage to the Beef trade has already been done.
We have in the past, had the pleasure of being featured in a National Geographic story about Wales. The summer of 2000 saw the writer and photographer spending much time with us here, which was a fantastic experience, and the story was published the following summer, after Foot and Mouth has taken every living sheep and cow and calf we had.
The writer of the story, Simon Worrall, sent me an email yesterday to say he's thinking about us and hopes we will not be affected this time. Vincent Musi, the photographer visited us just a few weeks ago to show his son a real Welsh farm.

Monday 6 August 2007

Hit and Pedal


Living in the country is so wonderful...no traffic. Even during two school runs covering a total of 16 miles I might only pass a dozen cars. During the summer holidays we have quite a few people walking the Three Castles Walk. My husband has been known to bring strangers into the house for cold drinks because he feels sorry for them and then drives them to where they are staying or have their car parked.
This weekend we have had the misfortune to have some championship bike race going through our beautiful countryside. My wonderful friends' daughter, Ella (equally wonderful) was walking from a friends house when she heard some people yelling "get to the right!" She saw a gaggle/rook/team of cyclists coming towards her and rushed to the right as they had shouted. Poor thing they ran her down! I came along a few minutes later to find her wandering and in deep shock, the cyclist left her cut and confused, with an apology, but all alone. She's only sixteen. I don't like these cycle races at the best of times, but I was livid when I found her. The follow up car had a dressing down ( I think I'll be reported) and the safety man had the same.
Poor Ella, can you believe, the cyclists were apparently shouting to eachother to get over to the right? I would have done the same as Ella. Living out here it's really the last thing one expects, oh that and another dose of foot and mouth...

Sunday 5 August 2007

Lifestyle Solutions

I bought the Times as there were no Telegraphs left yesterday afternoon.
I prefer the Telegraph because James May writes a very readable page every week, but The Times is just fine.
This week there was a thin 'offers' brochure inside. I love these mini catalogues, they sell the most amazingly useless items that have an appeal none the less.
One of my favourite items in this particular brochure is the 'Tummy Trimmer'.
"Guaranteed to make you look inches slimmer, it will instantly flatten your stomach while shaping your waist and entire midriff."
The photo shows a size 10 model wearing the Tummy Trimmer, with her arms held up above her head. Now we all know that if you squash into a pair of tight trousers, you end up with a roll of fat around you now higher waist. So, put the T.T. on and I can envisage a lovely roll of fat bulging out underneath your bust, especially if you are going to be seated at any point of wearing it. I will of course remember to keep my armpits well waxed so that when my T.T. arrives I can wear it in the correct fashion with my arms held high.