A Moment.

I had a quick analysis of "what the heck is going on with you Daffodilly yesterday."

I have not enjoyed this Christmas as it was a huge lump of stress. Even having a few days off work have not relieved it as it seems that the kids are constantly bickering. It is nice not to have the run around of sports and playdate activities though. I know this blog is turning into a moan & groan one so sorry.

Thank you Lakeland Jo for the kick up the booty as I have nothing to moan about compared to what you have been through.

Yesterday we went ski ing. More stress from trying to enter the ski mountain... they were full at 11.20am! We tried to park elsewhere..no luck. Everywhere was full even nearby hotels! We had 3 cars be between us & another family plus ski gear/food etc for 8 people....alot of carrying stuff! We eventually pulled a shovel out of our car & dug 3 spaces out of a snow pile to park the cars! Smart or what?

You have to realise that we had travelled 1 3/4 hours to this ski resort & we were determined to ski! Plus the usual complaints & whining from the teenagers! The malnutrition moments, they are tired etc etc.

Well we got onto the slopes and towards 4pm on our last run I had a "moment."

Ahhh my "Moment."

The sun was starting to set over the mountains & the sky blue pink sky was bouncing off the top of the peaks. It was breath takingingly gorgeous. The fresh air was all lit up in this pinky haze and of course the peace & quiet just completed the "moment."

I had to stop just to watch and then I had this feeling of calm & contentment...I'd forgotten what it was like.

I could almost feel my mum peeking out from the sky saying "hang on in there Daffodilly, let it all go."

So I did.

I realised that I spend too much time doing for others & not stepping back to let others assist me once in a while. Hence I am constantly on the go full throttle forward.

I now know that I need to spend some time every day with nature & appreciate how beautiful it is where I live as it really boosts your spirit. I need to ignore the bitter cold & find something positive that can rekindle my spirit.

Over Christmas I did not come up for air. The only memorable day was the one that I spent making homemade granola, washing detergent & chocolate pretzels. I need to step back to the more natural way of life, which is quite easily done living here in the boonies.

The big one is I am going to learn to say no to all the parents that need kid care.....and call me the sucker!

Moving on... as I am going to keep my "moment" alive.

This year let all your moans & groans out and enjoy life.

"Live for the moment" is the thought for 2011.

May you all have a great New Year with oodles of good health and low credit card bills!

It's over & it is here!

I have to say that I am glad that Christmas is over. It was a stress filled month that not enough got accomplished due to lack of time and too many commitments.

Now happiness of happiness it actually happened...it snowed on Boxing Day.

Hurrah, hurrah!

Now I feel complete. Who would have thought that Christmas would not feel like Christmas unless it snowed? Definitely not a lass from Manchester!

Pictures to follow...tomorrow we are hitting the ski slopes!

Thank you Lakeland Jo for the kick up the bottom, my worries are nothing compared to yours and may next year give you a full bill of health & lots of cocktails & enjoyable family times.

Ahhh to a new year!

Grumpy knickers here!

Its Christmas Eve morning and I am off work which feels good.

Still some shopping to do, lots of wrapping, food to prepare, hair to color, legs to shave & hopefully maybe even a little nail polish for the party tonight...hmm I wonder which will be a priority????

This is the most unorganised that I have been in all my life which is probably why I am such a grumpy knickers. However I vow I will never get in to this state again.

We still have no snow which is just NOT right! Even the UK has dumploads of it.

Hopefully my niece will arrive safely on Boxing Day & bring some snow with her.

Hope you all have a great Christmas & that the New Year is stress free.

Merry Christmas

Love

Daffodilly

xxxx

Is it really only a week to go to Christmas?

I have to admit that this year's Christmas preparation is a go slow one for me.

For some reason it is way too much work! Why do we do all of this really? Tradition?

Yes it is fun. Do the people that we do it for appreciate us? I do not think so.

I have noticed that we are not receiving many Christmas cards this year ..I wonder if people are cutting back? Mind you I still have not managed to take a decent photo of the brats as they are not very obliging at present so there is no card on our horizon. Maybe we have been dropped off peoples lists?

I am desperatelyy trying to keep the excitement for my youngest going strong as his siblings who are 12 & 14 are not so into the spirit. We are off to see "The Nutcracker" this weekend and hopefully find a nice Santa's knee to sit on. Then make a gingerbread house complete with much finger licking & munching of leftover candies.

Then next week maybe we will have a baking spree.

Sometimes it is all such over indulgence I wonder why we do it. Is it so we can all make New Years resolutions to loose weight as we have over indulged too much?

Oh well I need to do some more shopping online...one disadvantage of living in the boonies!

Hopefully you are all in a better state of mind than I.

Who do you buy for?

Sir L and I have a different view on who we buy gifts for at Christmas especially as we have family in the UK and USA.

My family ( in the UK) buy for the children and since my mum died my sister & I buy a gift for each other too... a total of 6.

My husbands family buy for each other & the kids which is a total of 7 gifts which need to be lightweight in order to ship to the UK. Then we have the USA side which is a total of 9. Not to mention our own children.

Over the years I have been efficient at buying gifts through out the year by buying them on sale however now that I am working more hours & have three kids in sports I do not have the time to shop anymore. Plus I do not like shopping.

I have begged him to speak to his family regarding this but he won't and I cannot as I will be labelled the BAD sister/daughter in law.

So what shall I do as today is December 5th and I have hardly done any shopping?

I know some people would say send an amazon voucher via e-mail.....I loathe this as it is so impersonable and kids like to get toys or a parcel to open. Plus sending them to & from each country they seem to cancel each other out.

Over the years most of his family have sent vouchers which I then have to purchase a gift for our child with. I am done with that!

So I have given him 4 people in the UK to buy for and let's see what happens!

Meanwhile I have taken the step to say that we will not purchase presents for the local cousins due to the recession however I have said this before & then turned up to have gifts under the tree for our kids and we are empty handed!

Am I a Scrooge? What do you other ex- pats do regarding Christmas, buy for both sides?

Cadburys Advent Calendars.....just love them!

I have to say I am definitely a morning person....4.30am at the moment! I know I am wacky!

Sr L & my 3 sprogs are not....

I purchased 3 yummy Cadburys chocolate advent calendars in the UK...they are worth their weight in gold.

Now my 3 little poppets jump out of bed just for a morsel of Cadburys.....how bad a mother would I be if I bought one for every month????

A Flying Daffodilly!

Oh yes I had a quick pop over to the homeland for some fish 'n' chips and a bacon butty!

I had not been to England for 2 years and I could not believe how things had changed.

Funny really how your memory does not allow for progression and you expect everything to stay the same...just for you of course!

Lets start with the entry into Manchester my own hometown! I went in with my English passport as they make the Americans & foreigners wait in line for over an 1 1/2 hour....I remembered from my last visit. I had number 2 child with me who was on an American passport so they told me I was in the wrong queue! 

Heh the cheek of it! I was rather put out by that! I know I expect to be treated like a queen on my return home...red carpet etc

I searched high & low for Ty Phoo decaf tea bags...they were nowhere to be found! The same went for pear drops & Wheat Crunchies..bacon flavour........I did find the last two at the airport thank goodness!

I was so surprised how the local Malls were so impressive infact I was overwhelmed at The Trafford Centre and could only ohh & ahh at the Dolphn Waterfall.

In the Mall they had the large fish tanks that you put your bare feet in and lots of little fish come & nibble at your hard skin. Apparently it just tickles....fancy that in a mall!!! It was called "Happy Feet."
I did wonder if they could eat a bunion!

Then there was the "Chill Factor" that is an indoor ski run. Everybody raves about it. Of course to us it looked piffley as we are used to the ski runs of the White Mountains.

Then there was a place called Airkix which is an indoor wind tunnel that you can learn to sky dive in.

Well I had a go along with my 5 nieces & nephews.......believe me it is harder than it looks! It was great fun though!

Life is wacky!

Life around me is racing along with what seems to be major catastrophes or miracles at the moment...very disconcerting!


Let’s start with positive news:

Happiness.... a friend of mine had a beautiful baby boy...they already had 2 gorgeous girlies and really wanted a boy and they did not find out beforehand what they were expecting...they were all thrilled & so excited.

Sadness...a father went to pay off a car loan that had killed his young son. My heart just broke for him.

Grief...an English friend of mine lost her mother and was not able to get back to the UK to see her for one last time.......unfair world!

Newness....another beautiful baby was born after the mother had a tough pregnancy!

We all had Veterans day off and I had five million things to do from hiking to housey stuff.....oh no I picked up some sort of snotty bug that wipes me out....we ended up staying at home & the kids fighting...no fun!

This bug is lingering & I need so much sleep.....yes I'm going to bed at 7.30 am I & sleeping until 6am!

Excited...I wish I was! Number 2 & I are going to the UK next week to visit family it has been 2 years since I have been home. The last time was to attend my mums funeral...I have mixed feelings! I'm also overwhelmed at all the stuff I need to do before I go. It would make sense to take all the Xmas pressies...except I have not bought them! One disadvantage of living in the boonies...no great shops. There is only so much one can purchase from TJ Maxx!

Getting fit...I joined a gym and was making a huge effort to go 3 times a week which was a massive juggle & struggle.... alas that has gone out of the window! The stairs are the most exercise that I get at the moment!

Early... we received our first Xmas card on Oct 28th...you got to be kidding me! It seems that Xmas started in the UK very early this year. My sister is all in a panic that she must get everything bought & wrapped NOW. It seems that Xmas is almost loosing some of its fun these days with the pressure to pull it all together!

My head & fingers seem to be a wandering all over the place......too much snot in my head me thinks!
Time to go!

The Happy Gene. Do you have it?

My mum was always known as a happy friendly lady with a heart of gold and I strive to follow in her footsteps.


As I get older I realise how much the weather affects my mood. Of course warm sun make's for a happy Daffodilly and a wet grey day can go either way....I go into action mode and empty out closets or want to curl up with a good book & hide from the world.

If I go up or down I can usually get myself back into gear and charge forward...well maybe with a little moaning along the way!

I have found that I like to be around people with energy and enthusiasm for life. "Eeyore’s" i.e. people that plod and look for the worst scenario in any situation attract me too as I want to turn them into happy people!

I know...... what a sad cow I am!

I have discovered along the way that many of the Eeyore’s are happy plodding & being miserable about everything in life...that is just the way that it is. I cannot understand them at all......along with the TV show called "Hoarders."

It just fascinates me how these people value trash and keep it. I hate to see it yet I cannot help myself watching and being almost obsessed with this unbelievable situation. I realise that it is a mental illness yet...poohing in bags & storing it in a cupboard...pleeease!

Anyway back to the happy gene. Do you have one?

Sometimes they can be buried for a while whilst you fathom out a problem yet they always pop back up just like the sun!

Unless you are an Eeyeore and then you tend to plod on and on and on.....

What are you an Eeyeore or a happy gene owner?

Grey day.

This is a challenging time of year in NH. At the moment it is grey, windy, damp & cold. It seems to mirror my mood which has gone down hill rapidly.

I guess that the weather does that to me. The damp feels like it is getting into my bones even with my thermals and fleecy layers on. I walk the dog all crouched over in the dark in the morning praying that I do not bump into a moose or a bear in the woods. Meanwhile trying to balance a torch and an umbrella....its horrid!

Work has gotten quieter & as I welcome the slower pace of life I struggle to embrace it as I am so used to be being pushed to the last minute.

The children's sports have nearly ended yet the indoor soccer & basketball are kicking in early.

Sometimes I do wonder where the excitement and fun has gone in life. Do not get me wrong I love the thrill of watching them play sports and organising sleepovers and play dates yet I realise that there is very little adult only time. I wonder if it is the ages of the children as they need lifts everywhere or is it that we have become very American and run our lives around them? The English always put the adults needs first.

Which is the best method?

I'm off to munch some Cadburys & have a hot cup of tea maybe that will cheer me up! Of course I could always move to Hawaii or California and soak up some rays!

I wagged today!

Today was my day off as I work Saturdays.

It was a yucky day starting with a visit to the dentist for a cleaning & a "my front fake tooth is loose panic." The dentist took x-rays & assured me that it looked OK even though it was 33 years old! However they recommended that they take it off & put  a new one on.

Hmmm why would you do that if it was ok??? Money grabbers.

I told them I would think about it & the $1000+ that it would cost!

Then I had my car MOT'd or inspected...oh dear failed needs new brakes & 3 new tyres!

I was going to go home & pay bills & put the garden to bed...something I loathe.

Then I thought sod it I'm going hiking with Molly.

Here are a few photo's...definitely worth wagging or taking the day off from chores!

Seasons are changing.

Our Fall was beautiful yet here comes the rain & winds totally destroying Mother Natures hard work.

Since our seasons change so dramatically there is lots of preparation to be done for each one especially to prepare for winter as it is so extreme.

Sir L is on an extended business in Vegas where the poor guy had the "heart" to share with me that he had to run from building to building as he was so hot! Oh dear.... poor guy....I was buttoning up my jacket and searching for mittens ready to go out into the pouring rain to walk the dog! Swine!

So today I am off, I usually work Saturdays. My plan is to wash & store all the swimwear, beach towels, mats etc & plow through our collection of boots to see what will fit each child & then take them to the city mall. It will definitely include a bribe trip to Toys r us since my teenager needs a little more time than anyone else to make a decision & my boys will be running wild! Oh dear do I really have the strength for this?

My 12 & 14 year old have grown so much this year that all their hats & mittens do not fit at all, never mind ski pants, boots & jackets. Maybe I will take out another mortgage! Meanwhile number 3 has so many hand me downs he will never get a new winter item of clothing at this rate!

This is just the start of the winter prep....the screened porch needs shutting down & winterising, all the outdoor furniture needs bringing inside, snow tyres on the cars, garden needs putting to bed......ahhh overwhelming. I leave it to the last minute every year and end up pulling furniture in during the first snow storm...will I ever learn? Probably not as the weather tends to switch within 2 hours from sunny to sleet!

Ah well!

Have a good weekend everyone!


 

Leaf Peeping!

Good old B.T.

We had a little tootle on the lake last week...look what we found at the end of someones dock..................an old fashioned English telephone box!

The competition begins..

I know I keep on harping on about how gorgeous the summer was.....but it really was. Normally I have little projects & crafts for the kids to do when the rain etc hits...yet it never really did.

However now it has, which is ruining our beautiful Fall colours.

So we had a busy day painting the bird houses from summer.

They are all now painted, varnished & installed.

Now we are waiting for the Spring to see whose house will attract a family.

The heat is on.......

The TripleRouge

Starry

Change.

This morning I sat out on the deck sipping my hot frothy latte, in my pyjama's. It was so hot that I almost whipped my top off. Then I remembered that my mother in law & her bboyfriend were staying! I did not want to send them into a cardiac arrest! Well not yet anyway! (Naughty Daffodilly!)

I watched a tiny red maple leaf float down to the ground and wondered how that would feel. Then I heard the geese honking as they flew overhead.....my hummingbirds have left so we know what is coming next!

Ahhh! Its a bittersweet feeling. I love the summer and adore the fall & I do enjoy the winter however it is just so long.

September is always a time of change weatherwise, getting back into school, sports activities every night, remembering how to prepare ahead something for dinner so we are not going to bed as soon as we have eaten. Its good, really it is!

I even have my knitting needles out....starting off the new season very intrepidly...a scarf....so as not to get discouraged as I still have my fingerless gloves on a needle waiting for some advice!

We are off to the White Mountains for the day to go "leaf peeping." Even the TV show where the leaves are peeking on a map just like the weather.

Hopefully I will find my camera cord soon so I can share the build up of photo's that I have waiting!

Workman everywhere......

Here I am stuck at home waiting for the TV man to come and connect us up to the TV....of course you have to be at home between 12-4 and wait for his arrival...just like waiting for the Queen!


(We always get the TV disconnected during the summer so that the kids do not just veg & flick it on whilst we are working. I find that they also do more outdoor activities, play games, read and do crafts as an alternative. However once the weather turns I have to admit that I do crave my HGTV & BBC America...sad lass that I am!)

I wish I was having some quiet time at home but oh no, we are going solar and I have men on my roof drilling holes, men in my basement with tons of boxes, wires and piping. Lots of sawing noises & the odd melody as one of them likes to sing. Ah well.....cannot wait to add Mr. TV man to the mix & see if he can sing me a little chorus too!

There is no privacy anywhere!

I would send you some photos however some little monkey has moved my "camera - computer" cord & it just cannot be found anywhere! One of the annoyances of having children!

Since the weather is turning into our most beautiful Fall with the trees starting to change color I feel a baking session coming on. Maybe some homemade blueberry scones and a roast turkey dinner. I have to admit due to the size of the American ovens I cannot just bake one thing as it is such a waste. So I always end up making a pie or two & roasted veggies etc to be eco friendly & not to waste the heat!

Does anyone else have this guilty conscience when they use their oven? Seriously you could cook a whole pig in these American ovens!

Anyway I am in a blabbing mood as you can tell. So I will go and do something constructive & look for the darn cable!

I want to live by the ocean.

This weekend was a long one called Labor Day Weekend..in honour of all the workers in USA.

We headed off to the ocean for 3 nights to chill & celebrate/commiserate that the end of summer was here.

When I am at the ocean I just melt. I can spend hours walking the beaches watching the waves rolling around and of course eyeing up the odd surfboarder!

I guess I am at that age..I call it looking for firm flesh!

Anyway I must not diverse..back to my crashing waves..... supposedly Hurricane Earl was due to hit the East coast & I have to admit I was a little ticked off. The only weekend we went away in the whole summer & a friggin hurricane was due! You got to be kidding me!

You have to understand that this years summer has been outstanding. The heat arrived in May & has been consistent & still is at around 80 degrees. We have been swimming in the lake for 5 months...unheard of! It has been heavenly!

Anyway we drove to Maine in the rain.....which was OK as we needed it. The next day we awoke expecting rain and hurricane winds...oh no. Beautiful blue skies, 80 degrees weather & the beach was a calling me!

Thank you Mother Nature.

Ahh the ocean just oozes energy to me, which I lap up. The way that it sparkles, changing from all shades of blue from aquamarine to cobalt all in one wave still astounds me.

The smell of the ocean and the seaweed boosts my energy reserves to no end.

Hearing the seagulls crying overhead and listening to the waves crashing and heading back to sea is just so invigorating.

So I return to NH full of energy & life.

Oh yes I exercised tonight after working and doing the sports pick up runs....I can fit it in! Molly still had her walk.

NO wine tonight.....eating healthy & cutting down on the booze.

Let's see how long this lasts!

My princess day.

Yesterday was my "I'm a princess day."

I started the day waving off number 1 to their first day of High School.

Drove the other two monsters to school. Smiling as I drove away!

Nipped over to my uncles cabin on the lake to take some photo's.....it was already 85 degrees at 8.30ams so I stripped off, found an old bathing suit of someones & took a dip....................yes all on my own....very exciting. Unfortunately there were things to be done so I dragged myself out of the refreshing lake over to the yoga studio where I had the best hot stones massage in the world!

Then off to the hairdressers for a cut and blow. Ahhah I look gorgeous!

Ending with  dashing home to wash the kitchen floor....nice whilst it lasted!

Hurray school starts tomorrow!

I love my children, I love my children, I love my children.... yes I really do!

However....they have been off school since the middle of June and I need some space. Nearly 3 months off school & all the schedules whipped away WAS lovely yet now I almost long for their return..crazy or what?

We have had a great summer however for the last 2 weeks they have become bored of each other and constantly bicker which leads to fights which leads to tears from at least one of them.

They are fed up of the beach, their toys, the house, the heat,their life's blah blah blah!!!!

Meanwhile super mum is desperate for some alone time. I have been working part time through the vacation yet I just want the house to myself for an hour!

Tomorrow school starts.........I could become religious just at the thought!

So since it has come to my attention that after having a last minute dash to the sports shop to purchase running trainers for number 1, I have not had a pair of new trainers  for 2 years. So I splashed out and bought some new ones since my old ones are tatty & I wear them every day to walk Molly.

After hitting soccer practise I then got  little carried away and booked a haircut & a massage for tomorrow morning......I feel like such a rebel!

Oh my I'm going to be a princess for the day!

Wax everywhere!

Since this summer has been so warm we have spending a little more time on personal grooming!

I decided to invest in a home wax kit after reading great reports on them.

I know I am naive. Being typically English I do not remove every dark hair from my body including toes as do the Americans. I guess it is just a culture thing......I can hear your "Ewww's" already!

First issue with the home wax kit is that the hair must be one quarter of an inch long...that meant wearing at least Capri’s for a week in hot hot weather or swimming on the public beach after dark...I blended in very nicely!

Then we had the Freshman Orientation......definitely a skirt job. Out came the kit.

I was sensible I had an hour and a half to get ready...plenty of time right?

You have to bear in mind that I am a wimp when it comes to pain. I fainted when I had my ears pierced....I've had 3 c -sections after trying to deliver naturally proved to be impossible for my wee body! Do you get the picture???

So I spread the warmed wax on my legs...the boys start to fight so I am shouting from the bathroom to try & control them.....stress is starting to build!

Of course they ignore me as they are so ready to go back to school after spending nearly 3 months together!

I rip off the first layer "OUCH!" However success....one nice hairless strip of skin. "I can do this" I say to myself.

Boys still screaming at each other...I join in whilst spreading the incredibly sticky wax on my legs. I rip off more of the stuff...hey success again! I'm a natural maybe I should train to be a beautician next? I am shreiking after each strip is removed...so painful!

Then I spill the wax on the floor...no problem I try to wipe it up....ehh no way! It is not budging. Oh well focus on the legs Daffodilly..clean up later!

Tears from the youngest...

One leg complete with blobs of wax still on it that will not come off. I use the oil they provided. Put some on cotton wool and rub my leg!

OMG I have cotton wool spread all over my legs that will not move. It's on my fingers and will not come off either. Youngest bursts into the bathroom.." he's killing me!"

Like I have time for this!

I yell at the boys to go to their rooms until I can resolve my wax invasion. The phone rings..."I'll have to call them back."

Time left to get ready 20 mins! Pressure!!!!

I wash my hands in soap & water...no it just goes slimy & spreads. Then I hit the baby oil that does help remove some of it.

I tackle the next leg.

I wipe over both legs with the teeny weeny bottle of stuff they give me. It's all gone and there are still blobs of wax on my legs, the sink & the floor.

I jump in the shower...still wax blobs everywhere!

No time left we are running late number 3 is not impressed she is ready to go!

Meanwhile my boys are shouting to each other from their rooms...not nice comments either!

Have to leave but being a multi tasker I decide to put the dogs bed in its cleanly washed cover on the way out......the excess dog hair which is 4 inches long and white sticks to my legs!

I am trying to remove it to no avail!

Go to the orientation with sticky legs covered in white hair.

Return home to hit the bathroom.........its just not right spreading baby oil all over the floor and then trying to remove it with soapy water.

Anyone know how to remove wax from lino? Sir L is complaining that his feet are getting sticky!

What a superb summer!

This summer has been fantastic. The weather has been phenomal with bright blue skies, daily temperatures of 94 degrees and sun sun sun.....oodles and oodles of it!

The lake is sparkling clean and warm yet at the same time refreshing to swim in. Its a godsend when you reach boiling point..then jump in, have a quick swim and then get out to dry off....a great circle of life!

We've indulged in all the fresh fruit and veggies of summer including of course our new creation....yellowska! Our tomatoes have been great this year as have our blackberries. I feel successful...am I a Master Gardener & I'm not aware of it I do wonder?

We are all tanned with golden streaks in our hair which feels good.

We've had plenty of new discoveries....waterfalls that the kids climb and then jump off the rocks into fresh water pools... a little aging for me ...hey ho! A new blueberry patch so we are all stocked up for the winter pies. Of course a few days at the seaside...completing with a seafood feast that always gives us stomach ache on the way home....too much indulgence! Trips to theme parks involving lots of screaming on scary rides. Oh fun, fun and more fun.

Today the weather is turning as we are expecting rain!

Is it a sign that cooler days are due? 

Is it time to get ready for school?

I guess so.

Yummy Yellowska!

Trying to support the local economy earlier this year we bought a "farm share."

For you city folk this is when you pay a fixed price before the farmer sows his field and then for a 6 week period during the summer/fall you get a basket of local produce that have all been picked that day. Its great for the farmer as he gets some money to help plant and the customer receives  a basket of fresh produce at a reduced price.

Its great in theory however we are receiving lots of yellow summer squash, pickling cucumbers and beetroots which we are not fond of. So I have been chopping up the veggies & hiding them in stir fry dishes.

Number 3 said "Ewww what is this yellow stuff, I don't like summer squash."

I jumped in quickly and said" its not yellow squash it is yellowska." Do not even ask me where I got the name from as it came out of fresh air!

His response "ohh I like this yellowska."

Phew!

A few days later we were eating dinner and number 3 pipes up "oh I see we are having yellowska."

Forgetful Fanny over here says "what do you mean?"

"You know mum yellowska that new veggie!"

"Ooh yes silly me I had forgotten!"

That was a close call!

I really had forgotten how gullible this age can be and how precious it is too.

Definitely the age of innocence!

Miracles really do happen!!!!

Five days of searching for our Mittens have gone by....I'm fearing the worst! We have visited the NH Humane Society where we did not find him however they had lots of hopeul cats looking at us with "pick me" faces!

Every night whilst lying in bed I hear the coyotes yipping and howling as they catch their dinner....hoping that it is not Mittens as they sound so wild and cruel.

Sometimes I feel like I am Laura Ingalls living on the praire!

My youngest is in a state crying and saying that we did not love the cat enough and gave the dog all the attention. "How do we know if he has gone for a wander or gone to heaven?"

Its been very upsetting trying to console him.

Yesterday our neighbours called to say they had found our lovely fluff ball...he had been locked in their brand new barn for 5 days. He is starving and dehydrated but he is back!

The tears of relief were pouring......he looks disgruntled here as we are not letting him out for a days.....

No sign of Mr or Mrs Big Pooh!!

Miracles do happen right?

It has been a weird week.

First of all the bad news Mittens our beautiful cat is missing. we have searched high & low for him but to no avail.

At the end of our land there is a huge dead tree that has become the proud preening post for 2 ugly huge turkey vultures. When they spread their wings I feel as if they are saying "where is dessert?"

Anyway moving on....

We live in the countryside at the entrance of a tiny cul de sac. Our gorgeous house is mostly surrounded by trees. Sir L  noticed a BMW parked on our land so I went to check it out as he had to leave. I was shocked to find a mattress in the back but even more shocked to find toilet paper...(yes it was used) by the car on MY LAND! Plus a big pooh! The car was empty which made me very nervous having 3 sleeping children in the house. Someone was obviously living in the car...however where were they now??????

I called the police who said they would look into it! Then I called the neighbours.

A few hours later after keeping all the doors & widows locked....it was stifling I called the police again.They had the car towed & said if we saw anyone looking for a lost car to tell them to call the police. As if you loose a car!

Oh yes nice one! So of course I could not leave the kids home alone incase it was a nutter or pedophile so we all went food shopping...that WAS fun! Now I remember why I try & shop alone.

So we are all waiting with baited breath..."where is the big pooher person?" Plus how dare she/he pooh on my land!!!!

Sometimes I think you are safer in the city!

What is the norm for sleepovers?

I can safely say that I never had a sleepover with friends as I grew up. Iguess it is not an english thing.

In America it seems to be the norm to have a sleepover every week or so. Now this is great except if you have multiple children like I do as your family seems to expand all the time. Expansion is not a problem except for the food quantities now that they are getting older as they are HUGE!

Now I do not mind having sleepovers or even better dropping off at sleepovers however can someone please tell me am I indulging them too much? Is it a quaint NH tradition?

So I guess my question to you is "how often do your kids do or how often do you host a sleepover?"

My peaceful mornings......

Now that the children are on holiday I find that there is not a minute of peace or tranquility for my own sanity so I have carved out a little "mummy" time for me.


Here it is:

1. In the mornings I get up at 6am.
2. Make the coffee whilst everyone is sleeping.
3. Sip my homemade latte whilst sitting on my rocking chair on the deck.
4. I watch the hummingbirds feeding.
5. Then I feel human and ready to attack the day.

Today I spent ages trying to get a photo of one of the humming birds........I guess I may need 2 lattes before I get a good photo!

Dear Guests,

We love having you visit however by the time you leave we love that you are leaving. Here are a few polite pieces of advise for you so that you are assured another invite to our humble abode:

• If you block the loo 5 times in 10 days you are obviously flushing something that you should not...hello we are on our own septic system over here!
• It is very hot in NH and you need to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Drinking a litre of wine each every night causes heat stroke & dehydartion....doesnt it???
• We wear baseball hats and sunblock for a reason...so we do not burn! Hope you enjoyed your visit to the First Aid tent for 2 hours at the fair.
• Unfortunatley factor 5-8 sunblock will just not so it over here. We use at least 30 -50 UPF and we still tan. Oh dear did you burn again????
• Yes we do have bugs and no you will not die from that bite.
• Please shut the screen doors & do not walk through them as it really increase your chances of being bitten.  
• Why do your kids not eat anything yet they have pop tarts in their rooms?

On the more positive side.

• Thank you for the english chocloate.
• Thank you for the pear drops.
• Thank you for the wine gunes.

See you next year!

Tranquility over the lake................

For my mum.

Yesterday was a very emotional day for me yet I could not understand why.

I kept on crying which I rarely do.

I looked at flights to go home.

I craved english movies and to see England.

I was dreadfully homesick.

I listened to melancholy CD's and I had a need to be surrounded by good friends and family.

My daughter reminded me that it was the 2nd anniversary of my mum's death.

I was then filled with guilt as my memory had not registered it, yet my body was totally there.

So I have decided to wrote this post to my mum who I still miss terribly every day.

Dear Mum,

Where are you?

I need you even though I am supposedly grown up...I still really need you.

Lots has happened this year and daft as it sounds I look for signs that you are around me, watching and advising.

If I see sun rays struggling through dense black crowds...I know its you trying to inspire me.

I saw two rainbows, one above the other last week and thought of you.

You will be pleased to know the garden is looking a little better this year.

The monster sweater that I made for number 3 is complete yet he will not wear it! The brat!

Lots of injuries, broken bones and stitches for the children this year.......I still reach for the phone to call you.

I'm fed up of feeling foreign and having people imitate my accent and words....ignoramous folk!

This is the year of change some sad and some hopeful things.

I've had a change in career...not too sure it's the one for me.... I know "wait & see!"

I'm planning on going home this year so I can see your "plot" as I have not been home since your funeral.

I'm nervous to go because of all the feelings and emotions that will flood me, yet I feel this compulsive need to be there.

The recession is still lunging forward and Sir L's job seems to be on the chopping line every so often.......I know "wait & see."

You have a new grand daughter en route in the UK who you will never get to hold...we will tell her all about you.

Yes, the good and the bad.....hee hee!

Ahh where do I start with the kids??

Number 1 is growing up, great grades, great sports person, school dances....... There is a litle flutter/flirt going on with my best friends son.......you would just love it.

We needed a dress, heels etc for a dance...not my cup of tea! We needed your dress sense advise. we missed you.

Number 2 my sociable one. Good grades...could be better..he's a little lazy & chatty.. Where did he get that gene from? Excelent athlete excels in most sports. I wish you could watch him at basketball, you would be so proud.

Number 3 my cuddler and baby.Way to old for his years being around older children. Great sense of humour...the class clown apparently. good grades and fast runner...still issues with the asthma. Hopefully he will grow out of it. He has a great energy around him you would love it.

My poor beautiful Molly has Lime disease...she is ok just on antibiotics.

I wonder when the hurt & pain gets easier.....

I have waves of it...does that mean I'm healing?

Did I ever let you know how much I loved you?

Or how much I needed you?

I love you mum, more than ever.

Come back!!!











  

A Tag

I seem to be struggling to get my fingers to this pc these days...I guess it is the settling in phase of the summer vacation and the kids being home, the English invasion of guests is due to start, work is ultra busy & stressful and we are eating so much food!!!!

So I am trying to boost myself my copying Expat Mums tag: 

1. Which do you prefer city or country?

I'm definetly a country bumpkin. I need to be able to walk out of my front door into greenery, hills and fresh air.

2. Do you feel old?

Hmm interesting I had my hair streaked last night so I'm feeling kind of special. However my energy level is either lower these days or I push myself too much...not sure which one!

3. What was your most embarassing moment and can you share it?

I've lots of these. One springs to mind............. when we were taking Lamaze classes they gave us a list of what freebies the hospital provided. The first item was "Johnnies." I raised my hand and asked why. Of course everyone laughed. Let me translate here...a Johnny in the UK is a condom...a bit too late for one when giving birth. In USA it is a hospital gown. Embarassing especially as we had only been in the country for 5 months! Personally I thought it was a little kinky...maybe a new way of relaxing for the father to be????

4. What was the best thing you ever did at school?

I was Snow White in the class play in first grade/age 7 years old. I was thrilled as I got to be kissed by the school heart throb who was the prince. As I smiled cunningly at the other girls in the class when he was going to kiss me I started to choke on the apple!......unfortunatley he did not give me the kiss of life as I'm not even sure it existed in those days! He probably whacked me on the back...no romance there!

5. Who do you aspire to be in life?

I guess my mum. She was the most generous and caring person I've ever known. Its only as I look back on her life that I see it so clearly.

6. Do you think that you are ambitious?

People at work think I am "riske" just becuse I have traveled and I am differant i.e foreign. I am ambitious in sports and life but I have come to the acceptance that I cannot really have a great career and be a good mother as I have little support besides Sir L. .

7. If you did'nt do what you do now what would you have liked to do?

I wanted to be in Legs & Co!

8. What is your perfect meal?

A roast chicken dinner, Pinot Grigio and banana's & custard for dessert. Followed by a huge bar of Cadburys Caramel. Yummmyyy!

OK I'm tired so I am signing of here.

Have a good day folks!

"Mummy what is a Brazilian?"

"Hmm, well honey you know how mummy was born in England?"


"Yes."

"Well I am called an English lady..............I know a little exaggeration!"

“People from Brazil are called Brazilian."

" Oh."

Ten minutes later................

"Mummy."

"Yes."

"I think it is something to do with hair!"

Gulp, gulp!

"Oh silly me, it can also be a hairstyle which is like a Mohican hair cut but it’s especially for ladies."

"Oh you don't see many of those around do you?"

"No honey, it seems that more men like them!"

Clever or what??????

Tranquility spots....

Today I noticed that we have many tranquility spots to grab a good book and to hide from kids/pets and visitors.

The double hammock..

The old faithful swing seat.

 Amongst the tomatoe plants.

And my favourite one in the shade another swinging seat.

England V USA

Come on you Brits!!!!!

Who will you be cheering on????

What we've been upto...................

Found a new toy!More fun......

Many hours at the track.

Cannot wait for school to be over and to pick up a book & just chill.

First dip of the season!

It is so gorgeous over here. Spring is in full bloom, the grass grows as soon as you cut it, the blossoms are out and the skies are bright blue and cloudless. Yummy, yummy, yummy!


Today it was in the high 80's so the boys decided it was time to take the first dip of the season.

Molly loved it too compared to last year when she would only sit on a kayak!

Ladies Slippers

So apparently these flowers which are called Ladies Slippers are extremely rare. Here is a little info on them:

Pink lady’s slipper takes many years to go from seed to mature plants. Seed-bearing harvest of wild lady's slipper root is not considered sustainable. Pink lady's slippers can live to be twenty years old or more.


Orchids often have swollen, ball-shaped tubers that were regarded in traditional practices as having medicinal value. The root of lady's slipper was used as a remedy for nervousness, tooth pain, and muscle spasms.

A pink lady's slipper is a large, showy wildflower belonging to the orchid family.

Well guess what Percy Thrower ..if you are still around! I have at least fifty in my garden!

Yeah baby!

British Humour...

Sorry the photo is a little overexposed!

Sequel

Once upon a time (again) in lovely happy smiley land the princess missed her special day "Whip'em off day" as she was on vacation.


Luckily for her on her return she was able to expose her ankles. She was pleased to receive written information from the king advising what was suitable & what was not.

Apparently from this day forth princess's can go without hosiery as long as their legs are well groomed!

The princess immediately booked an appointment with a beautician so that she could have her hairy legs streaked & permed! Who can clarify the word groomed???


Pleaseeeeeee!

Whip'em off day!

Once upon a time there was a gorgeous girl who worked in a company with lots of rules and passwords in perfect smiley land. Everyday was a smiley day with helpful people and happy attitudes.

Some of her collegues had worked there all their lives and they were due to retire. They had never been out of the country, tasted lamb or been to the local city a whole 2 hours away!

Gorgeous girl was full of life, had travelled all over the world and had worked at differant types of careers.  The local smiley people thought she was "unstable."

One perfect day in smiley land, gorgeous girl was called in to see the boss....let's call him fishface. He asked where her hosiery was......hmmm a bit personal! She said "what do you mean?"  He advised her that although she was wearing trousers and clogs she was showing 3 inches of leg! Apparently that is not appropriate until May 1st as per the rules & regulations of the land!

Hello we are in 2010!!

Well whoever knew!

So she christened May 1st "whip'em off day!"

I wonder when she will have to put them back on again!

WTF am I doing here she wondered................................

Is change really good?

Spring is here and it seems it is bringing lots of change with it.

Not only are the daffodils popping out and NH is starting to turn green again until...........

Heyho Mother Nature decides to drop 4 inches of snow on us this weekend...crushing all the new green buds! WTF!

Everything was crushed including my spirits!

We had friends due to arrive from England as they were running the Boston Marathon. Unfortunatley due to the volcanic ash from Iceland all the flights are cancelled so they cannot get here. I did suggest that they turn it into a triathon & start swimming via the Atlantic .......no chance! They were gutted after training in icy & snowy weather to prepare for the big event.

They were sensible & had holiday insurance something that we never have! Guess what............. the volcanic ash is " an act of God!" so they cannot get a full refund. I just love insurance companies! NOT!!!

I'm glad we are escaping over to California for a trip to find the sun. I'm ready for some culture & tasty foreign food. We are hoping to go to Alcatraz where I may leave my kids & Sir L locked up if they do not start to help at home. Also a trip to see "Wicked" at the theatre which is supposed to be fantastic.

Please Mother Nature be kind & do not blow that ash cloud over to USA!

They're here...........................

Clearing out!

One of my New Year's resolutions was to start to get rid of stuff. We are lucky to have a large basement that seems to swallow up any excess stuff!

You name it we have it down there. So it was time to get rid!

I set myself a task of advertising & selling one thing a month on Craigslist so I could start slowly. Here is the results so far:

January: dog crate
February: old desk
March: old futon
April.........the car is listed so cross your fingers!

There is no point doing a yard sale as we are in the boonies & no-one ever finds us!

I have given lots of toys and clothes away to needy families yet we still have more!

A new thing that I did today was to take some of my daughters books to a book store that gives you credit to purchase more books. I have hesitated over this for a few months as I hate to get rid of books however with 5 readers in the family; books seem to breed & the local library is not too well stocked over here. So I took the plunge. The book trade store was packed with so many tempting books, if only I had a free hour I would have indulged myself getting lost amongst the literacy world however it was not to be! Who ever has a spare hour anyway??

Now she can go and buy more books at a cheaper price...lets see if this works as she can read a thick novel in 2 hours!

Do you have any differant ideas on how to get rid of stuff besdies the noramal selling, yard sales, giving away?

If so please let me know.

No Umph!

I have not bloggged for a while as I seem to have lost my UMPH!
The family have had various coughs & colds that will not go, so coughing all night has become a local past time!

I guess I am looking for some peace...here it is in a photo!

Hurrah Spring is here already in NH!

It is so gorgeous over here I almost feel as if I am living in the UK again.

The snow has gone, the days are warm and sunny and the lake is defrosting at a very pleasing alarming rate!

Its so exciting I'm even shaving my legs ready for their first showing since Spetember...white & pasty here we are!

The Ripsticks are out of hibernation......

The Daffodillys are fighting through the leaves!

Outside drying weather!Sticks are everywhere!

Only one pile of snow left!

Yet best of all Polly Pocket is camping!

In a quandry..what shall I do? Please vote A or B!

Just completed yet another few days training & of course a few tests which were interesting since one was an in depth personality one!

HMMM!

Well I am in a quandry what in the earth shall I do?

A) At present I work T-F 10-2 & Sat 8-12.15pm. This works well whilst the kids are in school as I can attend all the meets, games etc, get to work out & walk the dog. However its not so dandy when they are off on vacation as I cannot do anything fun in the day with them e'g. as go to the ocean, parks etc as the hours are plonk in the middle of the day.

B) A new shift has come up at work Thursday & Friday 8-5 & Sat ams. This would be great through the summer vacation & just think of the time I would have off in the week to volunteer or even get another part time job. However when it comes to after school activities & daycare it would be trickier if number 1 had sports after school (which is regularly) the other two are too young to be on their own.

Oh what shall I do A or B?

Of course they may not even let me apply for another job after such a short period of employment which would be the answer!

Home Alone!

So, it is the school vacation and I have to leave my kids home alone for 5 hours a day whilst I work.

Sir L is not happy as we are normally somewhere hot & humid at this time of year & not in snowy or should I say rainy NH?

I called home to see how they were doing....

"Hi, how is it going?"

"Good."

"What are the boys doing?"

"They are in the basement making a sword with a penknife!"....not exactly what I wanted to hear!

I did come home to 3 living children with all their digits...I guess we will survive!

A City Fix.

Just spent the weekend in Boston what a gorgeous city!

Now, I am not really a city person since we live in the boonies however every now & then I crave culture, decent foreign food & slim people! Yes NH is the land of the fatties!

So after eating Turkish and decent Chinese food and a visit to The Cheesecake Factory a whiz around the aquarium and a little shopping therapy I feel like a renewed person! Plus a little fatter!

Here are a few friends that we made!

Scottish Humour

Scottish Love Poem



A' coorse ah love ye darlin'

Ye're a bloody tap notch burd.

An' when ah say ye're gorgeous

Ah mean iv'ry single word.



So yer bum is oan the big side

Ah don't mind a bit o flab.

It means that whin ah'm ready

There's somethin' therr tae grab.


So yer belly isny flat nae merr

Ah tell ye, ah don't cerr.

So long as when ah cuddle ye

I cin get mah erms roon' therr.


Nae wummin wha is your age

Hiz nice roon' perky breasts.

They jist gave in tae gravity

Bit ah know ye did yer best


Ah'm tellin ye the truth noo

Ah nivir tell ye lies.

Ah think its very sexy

Thit ye've goat dimples oan yer thighs.



Ah swerr oan mah grannies grave noo

The moment thit we met.

Ah thocht ye wiz as guid as

Ah wiz ivir goanie get.


Nae maitter whit ye look like

Ah'll aywiz love ye dear.

Noo shut up while the fitba's oan

An' fetch anither beer!

Embarassing moment day!

Today we went to the pharmacy to buy medicine for number 3.

I had the medicine in a bag and as we approached the door to leave number 3 pipes up in an extremely loud voice "mummy you did not pay for the medicine!"

I cringe and say “of course I did, I paid the lady at the counter with a credit card." Whilst looking around to see if anyone had heard or if I knew anybody!

"No you didn’t" he says the little ----!

"Oh yes I did." as we ran out of the door.

I had to show him the credit card receipt when we got into the car!

What we are up to during bleak February.......................

Out door activities! This is ice hockey on our frozen lake.Tubing & snowmobiling on sparse snow!

Indoor Projects!