1. Why did you start your blog?
I'll blame Meridian for that and possibly Richard. I think it came out of a novel writing course, that Meridian had spotted and I agreed to go to, so we could both get a kick up our respective bottoms, with regards to doing some proper creative writing, that might actually get published eventually. I think we reasoned that a blog would get us writing on a regular basis (if once a week is more regular than I used to write I may be doing ok....)
2. How did you come up with your blog name?
I thought at the time it kind of summed up where I am, however I'm not quite so sure I'm mid life these days, as the goal posts have shifted somewhat. Some people say 40 is the start of midlife now, whilst another programme I was watching on Genetics last night mentioned that our generation may live to 120-150 years of age, which doens't put me anywhere near mid life yet? So maybe I'm not midlife, but hey, I kinda feel it at the mo.
3. Do your friends and family know about your blog?
Some do, some don't, I don't keep it quiet, but I'm not sure who reads it, if they don't leave comments!
4. How do you write posts?
When I get time, which isn't often at the moment, as I seem to be on a constant loop of rushing around working, cleaning, working some more. Not much me time going around.
5. Have you ever had a troll or had to delete unkind comments?
Not that I've noticed.
6. Do you check your stats? Do you care how many people read your blog? If you do care, how do you increase traffic?
I didn't till I read this, but I've gone out of my way and taken 10 mins to install a stat counter! will see if my tinkering works now?
7. What kind of blogs/posts interest you?
I like to see what my friends have been upto, Meridians jewellery and recipes cheer me up, I keep tabs on Julies Sock adventures and enjoy having a laugh at Richard and Flames debarcles, bar that I don't hop about too much reading anything else I just don't have the time at the moment.
8. What do you like and dislike about blogging?
Like: All the different things you can find out about.
Dislike the time it takes up to post somedays and the fact that sometimes of the day you can never get a photo to upload?
9. Tag 5 other bloggers.
Yikes do I know 5? Julie, Richard, Flame, Charlie and erm, oh stuff it four will have to do!
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Mark and Jen
I just found this photo, whilst I was sorting out shop stuff from home stuff on my pc. It's from earlier this year, when Mark and Jen came over from the States, visiting Marks family and they found a spare evening to pop up and see us, so with us blagging Meridian to BB Sit, we legged it out to The Dog, a nice pub grub place at Pentrich for some food and drink. Mark and Jen are on the right of the picture, dh and I on the left. A lovely photo, to sum up a lovely evening in good company. Quite good to catch up, as our previous meet had been in Atlantic City, when Liz was still living in NJ, and so were Mark and Jen!! so, oooooh many moons ago, pre kids for me! about 6 or 7 years......far too long. We have stated it won't be so long next time, so its either Owings Mills (MD) for us, or maybe we can persuade them south to Florida sometime?
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Under Construction
Our front garden is finally taking shape or should that be the garden is on its way out and the driveway is finally on its way in.
This project was started last September, when dh and I de-turfed the lawn and then dad and myself dug out half of the soil ready for hardcore to go in. Then things ground to a halt until I got antsy about the mess a month or so ago and begged a lad, who kept appearing in our store during the day with not much to do, to come round and finish the hole digging, as everyone else appeared to not want to do it, but didn't want to say so.
Thus two weeks ago the hole was completed, last Thursday the hardcore went in and the whacker, whacked it down and then finally today another week on, some bricks arrived, along with edging stones, hurrah we're finally underway to having more parking space at the front of the house (and less grass and weeds to cut). I hope to post photos soon of the work in progress, fingers x'd it'll get finished without too much delay......and we can stop annoying the neighbours with cars all over the place.
This project was started last September, when dh and I de-turfed the lawn and then dad and myself dug out half of the soil ready for hardcore to go in. Then things ground to a halt until I got antsy about the mess a month or so ago and begged a lad, who kept appearing in our store during the day with not much to do, to come round and finish the hole digging, as everyone else appeared to not want to do it, but didn't want to say so.
Thus two weeks ago the hole was completed, last Thursday the hardcore went in and the whacker, whacked it down and then finally today another week on, some bricks arrived, along with edging stones, hurrah we're finally underway to having more parking space at the front of the house (and less grass and weeds to cut). I hope to post photos soon of the work in progress, fingers x'd it'll get finished without too much delay......and we can stop annoying the neighbours with cars all over the place.
Friday, 16 May 2008
Paris
Oh what a fabulous two days we've had in Paris:-)
Three mums, three kids, all four year olds and one very early flight out of East Midlands Airport (EMA) later (6.40am yawn) and we were on our way to Paris. Landing at 8.50am, a bit late due to French ATC delays, we were on our way into Paris. A quick negotiation of the terminal signs to the Gare, and a quick banter by another mum to a sour faced woman on information (the most miserable person in our whole time there) We were sorted out with two day transport passes and on our way via the RER B into central Paris. The train trip in confirmed that the place is far more civilised than England, one of the first things I saw, was a man, giving up his seat for a woman with a suitcase, which he did so out of common courtesy and genorousity, a practice sadly lost over here......
We emerged at Chatelet and after a false start at a cafe with no Pain au Chocolate (a must in our four year olds eyes) we re positioned ourselves at a Patissiere with the aforementioned breakfast bread and coffee and other delights. Once sated, we ambled through the streets towards the Pompidou Centre, where we sat outside admiring the architecture, phoning our respective otherhalves, telling them how wonderful and sunny it was, whilst they were being gutted back in the UK.
Three mums, three kids, all four year olds and one very early flight out of East Midlands Airport (EMA) later (6.40am yawn) and we were on our way to Paris. Landing at 8.50am, a bit late due to French ATC delays, we were on our way into Paris. A quick negotiation of the terminal signs to the Gare, and a quick banter by another mum to a sour faced woman on information (the most miserable person in our whole time there) We were sorted out with two day transport passes and on our way via the RER B into central Paris. The train trip in confirmed that the place is far more civilised than England, one of the first things I saw, was a man, giving up his seat for a woman with a suitcase, which he did so out of common courtesy and genorousity, a practice sadly lost over here......
We emerged at Chatelet and after a false start at a cafe with no Pain au Chocolate (a must in our four year olds eyes) we re positioned ourselves at a Patissiere with the aforementioned breakfast bread and coffee and other delights. Once sated, we ambled through the streets towards the Pompidou Centre, where we sat outside admiring the architecture, phoning our respective otherhalves, telling them how wonderful and sunny it was, whilst they were being gutted back in the UK.
Our gloating ceased, we ambled down towards Notre Dame, pausing to wander around several shops. Photos outside the church over, we sauntered around the Latin Quarter, lunching at an extortonate pavement cafe, for the 1st and last time of the trip (random bread and cheese feasting took over, our wallets hammered) A walk through the Jardin du Luxembourg later, ice creams all round and a ride on the Carousel for the little ones, we mooched to our apartment (corporat
e, sorted out by another mum) by the Tour Montparnasse and put our feet up for an hour. 
As we were ready to depart to discover more shops and items for tea, the heavens opened and a huge thunderstorm ensued, so we stayed in, with all the windows open, whilst the heavens rumbled, then it was time to grab food, whilst the kids ran around the store, marvelling at frozen snails filled with garlic butter, and choosing from a fantastic range of biscuits, cheese and meats for tea. The evening was spent persuading the kids to fall asleep in a room together, whilst us mums chatted, drank wine and hung out the windows savouring the atmosphere of Paris.
One of the mums braved it out for fresh coffee and pastries the next morning, and after our feast, we packed up and headed via the metro to the Eifel Tower, where we braved the 2nd floor, photos taken all round, we lunched underneath on our remenants from the night before.
Then Sacre Coeur called, so via RER C and the Metro we got there, the kids rode another Carousel and played for a bit, then we walked to Gare du Nord, decided it was an awful area, and metro'd it back to our original starting point, where dd1 and I legged it to a previous shop to get cards and presents, whilst our friends drank and snacked at a cafe. A last few photos by a fountain together and we legged it onto the RER for the airport, just making it through the security ques and into the waiting lounge in time for departure back to EMA. The kids yelling bye to Paris on the plane and hello to EMA amused our fellow passengers and I think dd1 summed it up, when she heard our friends planning to go back sometime soon, she asked to go too, the reply was 'what about your mummy'?, 'oh I don't need her, I can go with you,' she replied. She's been asking to go back since, including a 'can we go back after the weekend Mummy?' and 'can I go to school in France Mummy?' I think I've created a Francophile and I can't say as I blame her.
Tuesday, 13 May 2008
Weekly Post
Seems I'm managing a weekly post on here these days, guess I must be busy eh?
Since I blogged last I've been royally doing the following:
Swimming with the kids on Wed.
Working in the shop www.chimeraccg.co.uk on Thursday
Then Friday I drove to Wales for www.ascendancylrp.co.uk
I got to site after the usual pootle around Tescos for about 15:30. Keiran was waiting by the gate for me to turn up, bless him, I did tell him, he could have gone in, but he was happy waiting. He then helped me put my tent up, the huge familysized Outwell 10 man one we have! which comfily sleeps all of us, plus roaming room when its raining, which being Britain, is quite often. I then unloaded the kit and greeted people arriving on site. Kick off was 9pm ish and I actually got time to roleplay, as dh and the kids didn't arrive until the next day! (just after I'd got a cup of tea, courtesy of Julie and Dave's kettle) and was about to sit down with a magazine and an almond croissant for a bit of me time, whilst waiting for the rest of the camp to wake up. I did get breakfast, but the magazine went out of the window.
Saturday went by in a blur of some role play, chasing the kids about, and general camping stuff. The kids slept most of the night ok in the tent, with dd2 waking once for the loo courtesy of the neighbouring Wedding (approx 2 miles as the crow flies) that was blasting out Venga Boys as max power.......sigh.......and once about 3am, when we took her in with us, to save any further hassle, oh yeah and again, randomly when she was sandwiched between dh and I, with a yelp of terror and a very scared look in her eyes, which I guess was just night terrors type thing, as we calmed her and got her back to sleep within 5 mins. Not bad for her 1st try in a tent, in a room on her own. (we figured she'd wake dd1 and ss if she slept with either of them, maybe when she's bigger she can share with dd1, and ss will probably end up too big to share with either of them soon, he's 10 in about a week, where did that time go?)
Sunday we finished roleplaying, cleared the site up and did the drive home, with dh having a paddy at the M5 seriveces, due to once again the Pizza place closing?????? at 7pm as we arrived for tea. What's that all about then? services closing? rubbish. We made do with Ginsters for ss (yuk) a shared ham and cheese toastie from Costa for the girls and I had the worlds worst Iced Latte, which I'm still debating complaining about, but don't think I can be arsed to be honest.
Work yest and today, Richard and Meridian came into keep me company, so between their visits the day passed quite quickly :-)
Dh is having two days off, though is grumbling about the amount of housework that needs doing today, but I did point out, that's my normal day off too.......
He's also sulking cause I'm swanning off to Paris tomorrow with dd1 and our friends :-) I did point out he can go anywhere he likes for his day off too? This is, after all a cultural trip for dd1, with our friends, before she starts school in Sept, right?
Since I blogged last I've been royally doing the following:
Swimming with the kids on Wed.
Working in the shop www.chimeraccg.co.uk on Thursday
Then Friday I drove to Wales for www.ascendancylrp.co.uk
I got to site after the usual pootle around Tescos for about 15:30. Keiran was waiting by the gate for me to turn up, bless him, I did tell him, he could have gone in, but he was happy waiting. He then helped me put my tent up, the huge familysized Outwell 10 man one we have! which comfily sleeps all of us, plus roaming room when its raining, which being Britain, is quite often. I then unloaded the kit and greeted people arriving on site. Kick off was 9pm ish and I actually got time to roleplay, as dh and the kids didn't arrive until the next day! (just after I'd got a cup of tea, courtesy of Julie and Dave's kettle) and was about to sit down with a magazine and an almond croissant for a bit of me time, whilst waiting for the rest of the camp to wake up. I did get breakfast, but the magazine went out of the window.
Saturday went by in a blur of some role play, chasing the kids about, and general camping stuff. The kids slept most of the night ok in the tent, with dd2 waking once for the loo courtesy of the neighbouring Wedding (approx 2 miles as the crow flies) that was blasting out Venga Boys as max power.......sigh.......and once about 3am, when we took her in with us, to save any further hassle, oh yeah and again, randomly when she was sandwiched between dh and I, with a yelp of terror and a very scared look in her eyes, which I guess was just night terrors type thing, as we calmed her and got her back to sleep within 5 mins. Not bad for her 1st try in a tent, in a room on her own. (we figured she'd wake dd1 and ss if she slept with either of them, maybe when she's bigger she can share with dd1, and ss will probably end up too big to share with either of them soon, he's 10 in about a week, where did that time go?)
Sunday we finished roleplaying, cleared the site up and did the drive home, with dh having a paddy at the M5 seriveces, due to once again the Pizza place closing?????? at 7pm as we arrived for tea. What's that all about then? services closing? rubbish. We made do with Ginsters for ss (yuk) a shared ham and cheese toastie from Costa for the girls and I had the worlds worst Iced Latte, which I'm still debating complaining about, but don't think I can be arsed to be honest.
Work yest and today, Richard and Meridian came into keep me company, so between their visits the day passed quite quickly :-)
Dh is having two days off, though is grumbling about the amount of housework that needs doing today, but I did point out, that's my normal day off too.......
He's also sulking cause I'm swanning off to Paris tomorrow with dd1 and our friends :-) I did point out he can go anywhere he likes for his day off too? This is, after all a cultural trip for dd1, with our friends, before she starts school in Sept, right?
Tuesday, 6 May 2008
Ok I'm getting on with it
Ok, ok point taken Richard, I've not been posting enough, random unconnected comments, yes I get the hint.
I've been busy alrighty?
What? you have been too?? mainly in our shop.....ok, point taken, Frizbe must make more time to blog.
Sooooo here's what's been going on.
Meridian came home, which was nice, poor woman had us camped out at her's for two days, in jubilation of the fact that decent company and coffee had arrived back in town. Now her neighbours have royally pissed her off, by letting their staffy dogs, stand on the table, next to the fence, over which they can leap if they want and eat all of our combined children, which is not good, so she's looking to move house. Hurrah, I can exercise my favourite passtime of house hunting :-) Sad I know, but its the builders daughter in me, I'd so love to develop, just not ever had the cash or the sense to save it. (me wasted my money in my yonger years, ahem)
Damn annoying for Meridian though, as the neighbour has her head in the sand about the dogs totally....she even avoids answering the door....and today cut the grass without shifting the muck, you can imagine the smell......poor Meridian, I hope they get a quick sale.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, or Chimera shop as it goes, here's what we've been upto.
International Comic Book Day on Sat 3rd of May was very busy, the girls, dh, Bridgette and I spent the morning in the shop, with dd1 helping give out bags to put comics in, which made her very happy to be useful and working. Then the mob got restless, so we bailed out for lunch, which turned into dh not wanting the kids back in the shop, even after good behaviour, so we went to Meridians as detailed above.
Prior to that the previous weekend was the Ascendancy Battle at the shop, which was attended by Richard, Julie, Mike, Jock, poorly dh (tell you about that in a mo) Jack, Sam and Colin, Richard and Amy for a few mins. I had initally thought it looked like the players were fighting over a giant cucumber, but was rapidly assured this was not the case :-) and that it was infact an amplifying artifact. Anyway full details can be found here www.ascendancylrp.co.uk but sufice to say the players just managed to win this one, phew. After it was all over, Julie, Richard, Mike and Jack(or is it Dave really) came back to ours for Chinese, which was lovely as usual, then I tempted people with M&S nibbles I'd grabbed on the way back from picking up Gabe the night before, tis rude to drive past M&S Food, without visiting surely? Have to say they do the best rocky road I've tasted, way better than Starbucks, and slightly better than Meridians, sorry M.
Dh was nursing his injury on Saturday, this being due to his 2nd vascetomy operation, one of these days, the big stud that he is will stop producing sperm. He'd had to go back for a 2nd op, as due to major healing factor, one of his tubes, upon closer inspection by the operating Dr, had apparenlty re sealed itself......good job we waited for those test samples, I know a few people who didn't, all of whom were aghast to hear our story.
Sure there is lots more to tell, but its late and brain fried. More anon.
I've been busy alrighty?
What? you have been too?? mainly in our shop.....ok, point taken, Frizbe must make more time to blog.
Sooooo here's what's been going on.
Meridian came home, which was nice, poor woman had us camped out at her's for two days, in jubilation of the fact that decent company and coffee had arrived back in town. Now her neighbours have royally pissed her off, by letting their staffy dogs, stand on the table, next to the fence, over which they can leap if they want and eat all of our combined children, which is not good, so she's looking to move house. Hurrah, I can exercise my favourite passtime of house hunting :-) Sad I know, but its the builders daughter in me, I'd so love to develop, just not ever had the cash or the sense to save it. (me wasted my money in my yonger years, ahem)
Damn annoying for Meridian though, as the neighbour has her head in the sand about the dogs totally....she even avoids answering the door....and today cut the grass without shifting the muck, you can imagine the smell......poor Meridian, I hope they get a quick sale.
Meanwhile back at the ranch, or Chimera shop as it goes, here's what we've been upto.
International Comic Book Day on Sat 3rd of May was very busy, the girls, dh, Bridgette and I spent the morning in the shop, with dd1 helping give out bags to put comics in, which made her very happy to be useful and working. Then the mob got restless, so we bailed out for lunch, which turned into dh not wanting the kids back in the shop, even after good behaviour, so we went to Meridians as detailed above.
Prior to that the previous weekend was the Ascendancy Battle at the shop, which was attended by Richard, Julie, Mike, Jock, poorly dh (tell you about that in a mo) Jack, Sam and Colin, Richard and Amy for a few mins. I had initally thought it looked like the players were fighting over a giant cucumber, but was rapidly assured this was not the case :-) and that it was infact an amplifying artifact. Anyway full details can be found here www.ascendancylrp.co.uk but sufice to say the players just managed to win this one, phew. After it was all over, Julie, Richard, Mike and Jack(or is it Dave really) came back to ours for Chinese, which was lovely as usual, then I tempted people with M&S nibbles I'd grabbed on the way back from picking up Gabe the night before, tis rude to drive past M&S Food, without visiting surely? Have to say they do the best rocky road I've tasted, way better than Starbucks, and slightly better than Meridians, sorry M.
Dh was nursing his injury on Saturday, this being due to his 2nd vascetomy operation, one of these days, the big stud that he is will stop producing sperm. He'd had to go back for a 2nd op, as due to major healing factor, one of his tubes, upon closer inspection by the operating Dr, had apparenlty re sealed itself......good job we waited for those test samples, I know a few people who didn't, all of whom were aghast to hear our story.
Sure there is lots more to tell, but its late and brain fried. More anon.
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