I am writing this blog from the comfort of my home at quarter past nine in the morning on the day of Tuesday so can mean only one thing. These words either leave parents of school children crying or elated; there is no middle road, 'end of term'. For me I am happy (at the moment) as I have not to rush around reminding the children 'if you do not hurry up you will be late'. This fact does actually bother the older children who are at Junior School (Ages 7-11). I think that in a bid to make the children responsible at school they are told that it is down to them if they are late. This isn't actually fair really, it is surely down to parents to ensure that they arrive at school on time?
Anyway I do not care because at the moment because there is no school. Two whole weeks of no rushing (unless I choose to, and thank you very much but I do not). The children are fairly happy, to be honest there is always at least one of them moaning about their brother or sister but I suppose with so many of them it is an occupational hazard. I am chilling with my homies and a nice cup of Lady Gray tea (how posh!) and 'pooting' as the children call it on the 'pooter'. What can be better? Well actually quite a lot I guess; sunning myself in Barbados, chatting quietly to the handsome Peter Petrilli from 'heroes' but wake up girl this is reality and things like that do not happen to us 'normal' people so I had better just get back to life as it is.
Back to the seven kids then...........................................................................
Today's medical fact; The ears never stop growing through lifetime.
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
Friday, 18 January 2008
Back to reality
Hello there campers, how is life finding you?
New year not so new me as a my fingers have found themselves within grabbing distance of a tin of quality streets, uh oh. I do believe that I may have mentioned the immortal words 'diet in January'. Still no sign of that appearing I am afraid and even less sign of the words 'gym' ever seeing the light of day. Not to worry there are more important things to be worrying about than the gym, (that's what I keep telling myself anyway).
So all is back to normal, back to school and back to playgroup so peace is restored in our household. Cannot believe that christmas has gone and summer should be approaching soon. Just the word makes me feel warmer and how lovely to wake up and it not be dark. As I speak it is the typical english weather; rain and lots of it. Pixie is helping me demolish the tin of quality streets and the way I see it she could do with them more than I can considering the amount of calories a little three year old must burn off. I had always wondered that would the children literally eat as many chocolates that they could until they felt sick? So I put it to the test and instead of rationing the sweets I put a tin of sweets in front of them and just let them eat as many as they liked. I can't actually remembering what happened and I think I chickened out and removed the sweets as I couldn't risk the sick factor. My mum always tells me about the time that she spun around and around so much that she was actually sick and I think that must have been at the forefront of my mind.
Anyway its a pleasure as always and watch this space for more exciting adventures
A hard working adult sweats up to 4 gallons per day. Most of the sweat evaporates before a person realises it's there.
YUK
New year not so new me as a my fingers have found themselves within grabbing distance of a tin of quality streets, uh oh. I do believe that I may have mentioned the immortal words 'diet in January'. Still no sign of that appearing I am afraid and even less sign of the words 'gym' ever seeing the light of day. Not to worry there are more important things to be worrying about than the gym, (that's what I keep telling myself anyway).
So all is back to normal, back to school and back to playgroup so peace is restored in our household. Cannot believe that christmas has gone and summer should be approaching soon. Just the word makes me feel warmer and how lovely to wake up and it not be dark. As I speak it is the typical english weather; rain and lots of it. Pixie is helping me demolish the tin of quality streets and the way I see it she could do with them more than I can considering the amount of calories a little three year old must burn off. I had always wondered that would the children literally eat as many chocolates that they could until they felt sick? So I put it to the test and instead of rationing the sweets I put a tin of sweets in front of them and just let them eat as many as they liked. I can't actually remembering what happened and I think I chickened out and removed the sweets as I couldn't risk the sick factor. My mum always tells me about the time that she spun around and around so much that she was actually sick and I think that must have been at the forefront of my mind.
Anyway its a pleasure as always and watch this space for more exciting adventures
A hard working adult sweats up to 4 gallons per day. Most of the sweat evaporates before a person realises it's there.
YUK
Tuesday, 4 December 2007
Borstal
The terrible twins strike again, well one of them anyway. After picking them up from school, twin number 1, Lucas, informed me that Mrs Murray their teacher wanted to speak to me. Never a good sign. Thankfully not only is Mrs Murray their teacher but she is also a good friend of mine. She informed me that Lucas had been told off because whilst practising for their Christmas play he had disrupted the singing practice. The reception class (ages 4-5) play the main parts and year 1 which is Lucas and Caine's year are in the choir so are just singing. So the singing commences a festive 'Jingle bells' and Lucas decides not to opt for the more traditional, 'Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way' but for the modern, 'Jingle bells, batman smells, robin flew away' and as loud as his voice will go. I tried to stifle my laughter and Mrs Murray informed me that it wasn't acceptable as it wasn't fair on the reception class as it is their first Christmas play, Obviously I agreed. Things then took more of a naughty turn and Mrs Murray told me that Lucas refused to go and sit next to her and refused to apologise. Finally after much persuasion he be-grudgingly said 'sorry' and sat in front of Mrs Murray. He then pointed out that sitting next to her was ' boring' and 'not as much fun' as sitting with his friends. I tell you, I don't know where he gets his mischievousness from but it is certainly not from me. 'I just don't know what to do.' I said to Mrs Murray after she told me what he had been up to, she tried to make me feel better by saying that he had probably got out of bed the wrong side and hence why his behaviour mirrored that of Kevin the teenager. 'What happens if he ends up in borstal?' I said in desperation. She replied, ' he will not end up in Borstal he knows the difference between right and wrong. 'What if he ends up on drugs? I asked, 'Helen, he will not end up on drugs' she said. I am still not convinced as he loves to be naughty and as soon as you tell him not to do something, his eyes have a glint and he makes it his mission to do exactly what you asked him not to.No matter how many kids you have they all have such different personalities and they are their own little people not matter how old they are. One of my old friends and I mean old as in I have known her for a long time, was at Brownies and was asked not to return and my friend Barbara's twin nieces were told that 'they had got all that they could' from a toddler group as they had encouraged the entire group of children to change the song from 'pop goes the weasel' into 'this is an evil song'. So maybe there is hope or maybe this is a twin thing. Still as demanding as Lucas maybe I would not change him for the world, although I may live to regret those words.
Today's medical fact; Pain threshold of women is 9 times stronger than men.
Oh yes
Posted by patience of a saint at
Monday, 3 December 2007
Laughter is the best medicine
Monday has found me again. I go to bed with good intentions of getting up earlier than normal to get all the things done that I didn't get done during the weekend. But as soon as the alarm goes off, getting up early is the last thing on my mind. The weekend was packed full of husband helping roboeye on her newly acquired allotment. Roboeye has been threatening to retire for the last two years, 'not long now until I retire, (14 months away)'. So when she actually does retire in this coming April I think it will take a while to get used to it. The allotment is top of the list of things that she will be doing when she does give work up and Husband has been helping her to make it at least look like something could actually grow on it. As to begin with it looked like our back garden minus the toys. Roboeye invited the children to 'help' on the allotment although I did have to remind her of the time when we visit our deceased grandparents in Gravesend and the children would think nothing of bombing over the graves without a bye or leave, so maybe them joining her at the allotment is not such a good idea. That is unless allotment owners do not mind little footprints on their prize grown marrows and cabbages; I think not.
Sunday I had inspiration to join Husband on his weekly jaunt to Tesco's to do the food shopping, something obviously not working right in my head. It wasn't too bad I guess, although will not be repeating it for a while, Husband commented on the time that when the terrible twins were being their mischievous little selves and hid inside one of the big milk crates and when a man on a motorised scooter passed to pick up a pint of milk, a little hand reached out and as he zoomed past he collected his milk from an outstretched twin hand, 'that's handy' he commented. Another customer noticed how cheeky they were when they were in stitches, pushing each over into a crate of toilet rolls and rebounding back. Needless to say that they have been banned by us from attending tesco's together and have to take it in turns each week. There is only so much twin fun that we can handle.
Today's medical fact; As we get older, the brain loses almost one gram per year.
That explains a lot
Sunday I had inspiration to join Husband on his weekly jaunt to Tesco's to do the food shopping, something obviously not working right in my head. It wasn't too bad I guess, although will not be repeating it for a while, Husband commented on the time that when the terrible twins were being their mischievous little selves and hid inside one of the big milk crates and when a man on a motorised scooter passed to pick up a pint of milk, a little hand reached out and as he zoomed past he collected his milk from an outstretched twin hand, 'that's handy' he commented. Another customer noticed how cheeky they were when they were in stitches, pushing each over into a crate of toilet rolls and rebounding back. Needless to say that they have been banned by us from attending tesco's together and have to take it in turns each week. There is only so much twin fun that we can handle.
Today's medical fact; As we get older, the brain loses almost one gram per year.
That explains a lot
Thursday, 29 November 2007
Nobody puts baby in a corner
Hello there campers, I hope life is finding you well. Lots obviously has happened since my last post and I cannot believe how quick time flies. This time next month, Christmas will be done and dusted and New Year will be upon us. Usually I am kind of sick of the thought of Christmas before it has even begun; don't get me wrong I absolutely love Christmas as it truly is the time of goodwill to all men, but with decorations being put up at the beginning of November it can be over before it has begun. This year for some reason is different. For a start I am not pregnant, this final pregnancy was the icing on the cake. I had severe complications resulting in a life threatening condition for myself. So from my 22 week scan we all had a lot of pressure put on us and I made sure that Christmas presents were bought well before Christmas as I was told that if I had any bleeding the baby would be born regardless of how many weeks. I had a condition called placenta percreta where the placenta of the baby was fused to my bladder which had basically resulted from too many Cesarean births. Luckily enough beautiful Indiana was born at 36 weeks at a very healthy 7lbs and I had to have a hysterectomy Cesarean section with bladder repair. All's well that ends well and that is probably why I feel so much more energetic this Christmas time due to the fact that I do not have a little person literally attached to me.
Very organised I am, Christmas presents have been purchased and wrapped and I am just waiting to write out my Christmas cards. All bets are on for which house down our road will be the first to put their decs up, I think that it will be a tough one and that there will be a race on the 1st December. The kids are all very excited and especially little, nearly three year old Pixie. I caught her last night trying to remember the words from 'when Santa got stuck up the chimney', which she must have learnt at Playgroup. Her eyes lit up when I sang to her last night, I am unsure whether it was from my singing or if she was in disbelief that I knew the words to the song. Cute Indiana has just properly starting to crawl and she is rather partial to putting her entire arm in the dog's water bowl, oh the joys of a mobile baby. Three times I had to change her yesterday as I 'forgot' that crawling babies will grab anything especially cups of coffee strategically placed on the floor and dog bowls.
Today's medical fact; Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.
That's good enough for me.
Very organised I am, Christmas presents have been purchased and wrapped and I am just waiting to write out my Christmas cards. All bets are on for which house down our road will be the first to put their decs up, I think that it will be a tough one and that there will be a race on the 1st December. The kids are all very excited and especially little, nearly three year old Pixie. I caught her last night trying to remember the words from 'when Santa got stuck up the chimney', which she must have learnt at Playgroup. Her eyes lit up when I sang to her last night, I am unsure whether it was from my singing or if she was in disbelief that I knew the words to the song. Cute Indiana has just properly starting to crawl and she is rather partial to putting her entire arm in the dog's water bowl, oh the joys of a mobile baby. Three times I had to change her yesterday as I 'forgot' that crawling babies will grab anything especially cups of coffee strategically placed on the floor and dog bowls.
Today's medical fact; Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.
That's good enough for me.
Friday, 12 October 2007
Don't bank on it
Hello one and all, cor blimey it has been precisely one week since my last post, I cannot believe how time flies.
Not too much excitement to be had, I am helping to organise a year 6 leavers party as our babies are moving on to pastures new in the form of secondary school, (Caitlin will be 11 next year). So I have been roped into organising it, it isn't until July next year but like everything it requires some planning. It makes me laugh, my good friend Denise who has a child in the same year as Caitlin mentioned that she was organising the party as her son started secondary school this year and she had helped with the party last year. She mentioned that she needed to type a letter asking parents if their child would be interested in attending a leavers party. She said in passing that she needed to write the letter but she didn't have a printer. I piped up with 'oh I have one, would you like me to write it for you?'. Needless to say I have now moved on from the secretarial and found a suitable venue for the party so I really have been roped in. Not that I mind.
Our 'little' doggy has a poorly paw, she cannot walk on it so a small but expensive trip to the vet was required today. She hasn't walked on it since yesterday afternoon, she didn't walk on it when I took her in the car, she didn't walk on it walking into the vets. When the vet asked me to walk her up the corridor so she could get a better look she walked on the paw in question. I could not believe it, it was like she was calling me a liar. Not to worry as it isn't serious, painkillers and bed rest was what was prescribed.
Please take a moment to read the letter that I sent to Abbey National regarding my debit card. I know that it is not a priority when you think about how hard some people's lives are but it is important to me and I am just so upset and angry at them.
Letter to Abbey National
I am writing in reply to your letter; reference AC1/CARDC1/1119.
I am certainly not satisfied with your investigation and I do not feel that you’ve offered a fair response to the issues I have raised at all.
I do not think that you could possibly understand the problems that I have as I have no readily available access to cash. I have spent countless times on the telephone trying to transfer money and even more amounts of time in branch queuing to withdraw money. Apologising for my inconvenience is not enough, not nearly enough. I have been without access to my money for 42 days. My multifunction card expired at the end of August and whilst being told on numerous occasions by two people in telephone banking and people in Romford and Hornchurch branches that ‘it was on its way’, only one person thought it necessary to check my address. If any of the people had though of checking they would have seen that the replacement debit card had been sent to my old address. I have been at my new address for over a year and all my statements are sent to my current address so I do not understand why my replacement debit card was sent to my old address.
I cannot use the automated service on the telephone as it will not accept my expired debit card and I cannot check my accounts online as once again it will not accept my expired debit card. I am still waiting for my card, I cannot withdraw money without going into a branch and I can only transfer money by spending time and money speaking to your telephone banking.
I certainly do not see how ‘Abbey strive to provide excellent customer service’, only today I have been in tears as one of your staff at telephone banking refused to allow me to transfer money as my multifunction card had expired. Although the lady could ‘understand my frustration’ she refused to help me. The lady that I spoke to was extremely unhelpful and only when I asked to be put through to customer complaints was my money transferred. This is certainly not the way to deal with loyal customers like myself. I do not think you realise the seriousness of the matter at all. I have no other accounts to access money and I have no credit cards. The only positive points that I can raise from this are that; you should not have one account with one bank and that Abbey do not care about their customers.
I will be taking up my father’s offer of a loan to repay my overdraft, I will find another company to provide me with House Insurance and I will take my business elsewhere. I am only one person but I have many friends and I will be telling all of them that Abbey do not care about their customers. There are plenty of other banks who do appreciate their customers and I will be joining them. Please take a copy of this letter to the managing director and tell him or her that this is the view of an average person, an ex customer.
I will also be sending a copy of this letter and all other correspondence to the Financial Ombudsmen Service and Watchdog.
So that is that, I am sure that nothing more will come of it but it certainly helps when you vent your anger and I do love letter writing.
Today's medical fact; You can only smell 1/20th as well as a dog.
And boy can they smell sometimes
Not too much excitement to be had, I am helping to organise a year 6 leavers party as our babies are moving on to pastures new in the form of secondary school, (Caitlin will be 11 next year). So I have been roped into organising it, it isn't until July next year but like everything it requires some planning. It makes me laugh, my good friend Denise who has a child in the same year as Caitlin mentioned that she was organising the party as her son started secondary school this year and she had helped with the party last year. She mentioned that she needed to type a letter asking parents if their child would be interested in attending a leavers party. She said in passing that she needed to write the letter but she didn't have a printer. I piped up with 'oh I have one, would you like me to write it for you?'. Needless to say I have now moved on from the secretarial and found a suitable venue for the party so I really have been roped in. Not that I mind.
Our 'little' doggy has a poorly paw, she cannot walk on it so a small but expensive trip to the vet was required today. She hasn't walked on it since yesterday afternoon, she didn't walk on it when I took her in the car, she didn't walk on it walking into the vets. When the vet asked me to walk her up the corridor so she could get a better look she walked on the paw in question. I could not believe it, it was like she was calling me a liar. Not to worry as it isn't serious, painkillers and bed rest was what was prescribed.
Please take a moment to read the letter that I sent to Abbey National regarding my debit card. I know that it is not a priority when you think about how hard some people's lives are but it is important to me and I am just so upset and angry at them.
Letter to Abbey National
I am writing in reply to your letter; reference AC1/CARDC1/1119.
I am certainly not satisfied with your investigation and I do not feel that you’ve offered a fair response to the issues I have raised at all.
I do not think that you could possibly understand the problems that I have as I have no readily available access to cash. I have spent countless times on the telephone trying to transfer money and even more amounts of time in branch queuing to withdraw money. Apologising for my inconvenience is not enough, not nearly enough. I have been without access to my money for 42 days. My multifunction card expired at the end of August and whilst being told on numerous occasions by two people in telephone banking and people in Romford and Hornchurch branches that ‘it was on its way’, only one person thought it necessary to check my address. If any of the people had though of checking they would have seen that the replacement debit card had been sent to my old address. I have been at my new address for over a year and all my statements are sent to my current address so I do not understand why my replacement debit card was sent to my old address.
I cannot use the automated service on the telephone as it will not accept my expired debit card and I cannot check my accounts online as once again it will not accept my expired debit card. I am still waiting for my card, I cannot withdraw money without going into a branch and I can only transfer money by spending time and money speaking to your telephone banking.
I certainly do not see how ‘Abbey strive to provide excellent customer service’, only today I have been in tears as one of your staff at telephone banking refused to allow me to transfer money as my multifunction card had expired. Although the lady could ‘understand my frustration’ she refused to help me. The lady that I spoke to was extremely unhelpful and only when I asked to be put through to customer complaints was my money transferred. This is certainly not the way to deal with loyal customers like myself. I do not think you realise the seriousness of the matter at all. I have no other accounts to access money and I have no credit cards. The only positive points that I can raise from this are that; you should not have one account with one bank and that Abbey do not care about their customers.
I will be taking up my father’s offer of a loan to repay my overdraft, I will find another company to provide me with House Insurance and I will take my business elsewhere. I am only one person but I have many friends and I will be telling all of them that Abbey do not care about their customers. There are plenty of other banks who do appreciate their customers and I will be joining them. Please take a copy of this letter to the managing director and tell him or her that this is the view of an average person, an ex customer.
I will also be sending a copy of this letter and all other correspondence to the Financial Ombudsmen Service and Watchdog.
So that is that, I am sure that nothing more will come of it but it certainly helps when you vent your anger and I do love letter writing.
Today's medical fact; You can only smell 1/20th as well as a dog.
And boy can they smell sometimes
Friday, 5 October 2007
Wedding belles
Hello one and all and thank XXXX it is Friday, and I mean it. I do love school days as you all know but it is nice not to have all that running around in the morning. I have some good news we are now the proud owner of a new, not brand new but new to us, dishwasher and I do not mean my husband. Am very very happy and it has cut down the clearing time by absolutely loads, obviously.
In the news recently has been the story about a mayor in Ireland who has injured a woman by leapfrogging over her. Hello? I cannot believe that this story has dominated the headlines. Is this what the world has come to? Don't get me wrong, I am sure that the poor unfortunate woman dressed as a tomato (yes I have typed correctly) is in serious amounts of pain due to her vertebrae being dislodged by the mayor's knee but should this really be headline news? I don't think so, although it does beat the normal depressing, death and destruction headlines.
Anyway, have no real plans for the weekend apart from the norm of washing, cleaning and tidying and flicking through the wedding magazine in honour of my best friend's wedding. I just love weddings especially those of whom are close to you. Before I know it, Monday will be upon us again, life is just flying past far too quick for my liking.
Today's medical fact; You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching T.V.
Both sounds good to me
In the news recently has been the story about a mayor in Ireland who has injured a woman by leapfrogging over her. Hello? I cannot believe that this story has dominated the headlines. Is this what the world has come to? Don't get me wrong, I am sure that the poor unfortunate woman dressed as a tomato (yes I have typed correctly) is in serious amounts of pain due to her vertebrae being dislodged by the mayor's knee but should this really be headline news? I don't think so, although it does beat the normal depressing, death and destruction headlines.
Anyway, have no real plans for the weekend apart from the norm of washing, cleaning and tidying and flicking through the wedding magazine in honour of my best friend's wedding. I just love weddings especially those of whom are close to you. Before I know it, Monday will be upon us again, life is just flying past far too quick for my liking.
Today's medical fact; You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching T.V.
Both sounds good to me
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