British Daffodilly

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T04:27:00.000-08:00

It is a strange holiday to me this Thanksgiving. I guess it has never really gotten into my bones like July 4th or Halloween has.

We generally use this extended vacation as time for one of us to visit the UK to stock up on chocolate and goodies and to deliver gifts to the family.

In America families from many generation's get together to basically re connect and stuff their faces with so much food it is unbelievable.

I guess since we have no family over here we will not have this clan gathering in my lifetime since it needs a few generations to establish this.

This year we are all home.

What to be thankful for....

Outside 12 inches of fresh white snow.
We did get an invite to a friends house.......I only have to provide a few dishes..easy
My computer as it is on its last legs, however it still starts up every day...please do not die on me until after Xmas!
My daily fresh egg delivery from my girls
Good health..except for my feet I am about to have them chopped off and have wheels added!
Family...all the laundry they create, the smarty pant answers they give and their constant need for more money!!!
Sir L who hates those lit up reindeers....I bought him 2 as a joke but really for me & he did put them outside! (A hormone surge!)
Tulips I cannot wait to see you in the Spring.
The sun who I will be seeing very soon.

Did I mention I am off to St Thomas soon?

MIA?

2011-11-11T16:06:00.000-08:00

So I have been avoiding my blog for way too long for many reasons. I lost my oomph to write. I'm constantly exhausted as I run from place to place every day and flop exhausted into bed. I realised that I do very little for me. Plus the majority of the people that I am running around after do not appreciate me or my time.

So here is my new motto "toughen up Daffodilly, learn to say no more often and make time for you."

In fact I have done something very daring for me. A very special friend of mine is having a large numbered birthday in December and she invited me and a bunch of friends to go to St. Thomas for a week. I wanted to go so badly but could not due to basketball schedules, work commitments all of my animals etc etc. Sir Lancelot told me to just book it & go so I did! I feel like a wild woman!

I have not had a girls holiday since I was a teenager as I always went away with boyfriends, husbands or family after that.

So here I go folks one week in sunny St. Thomas is a coming up.

Details to follow.............

Sadness all around

2011-09-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

Not only have we just passed the 10th anniversary of 9/11 which was sad for everyone it seems as if my life is on a sad roller coaster at the moment.

One of my old bosses has just died and I am going to his Celebration of Life tomorrow. I'm nervous. I have only ever been to 2 funerals in my life, the last one was my mums. The Americans tend to do the wake thing when you can visit the body which is just too much for me. I have never seen a dead body and have no desire to.

All the memories of what a family go through are flooding my brain and filling me with sadness.

My 8 year old came home from school to tell me that a little girl in his class is in a wheelchair as she has cancer on the brain.

My dental hygienist has just passed this week from cancer too leaving a 4 year old son to be raised by his dad.

There really needs to be a cure found to save more lives.

The Breast Cancer Walk is coming up at the beginning of October. My children and I will be walking it so please sponsor a walker if you can afford it.

All of us together can help find a cure and save some of these wasted precious lives.

Its nearly over....

2011-09-02T06:27:00.000-07:00

Indications that summer is over.....

my daughters summer job has ended..just as well she boosted Abercrombie shares this week!
traffic......what traffic? hurray!
fingers itch to start knitting!
wash & put some of the beach towels away
guests all departed
signs of the first red leaves
wearing a fleece to walk Molly this morning
evenings spent on the soccer field
trying to speed up my life again so that we do have a decent meal at a decent time...a struggle.
darker evenings
hanging baskets on their last legs

a quieter house when they are all at school......love it!

Waiting..............

2011-08-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

Apparently we are in the path of Hurricane Irene.

Hmmm remind me why we moved to USA again?

This is the weirdest feeling as yesterday was hot and humid with a stillness in the air that was exceedingly creepy. The night revealed the deepest sky blue pink.

The calm before the storm maybe?

The TV and radio were all constantly warning about taking precautions, bring in your garden furniture, have bottled water, food for 3-5 days etc. etc.

Masses of holiday makers fled our lake desperate to get home. The local craft fair was pretty much abandoned as people dragged their boats out of the water. Water bottles were purchased as if they were gold.

Now we all play the waiting game.

Yes, we have the rain and winds nothing severe yet. We know where the local shelter is.

It is the weirdest feeling!

Ticking along.

2011-08-20T04:16:00.000-07:00

I've aaccomplished:

read at least 5 books
spent 3 glorious days perched on the beach looking at the glistening sea
enjoyed watching my children dig the biggest holes..oops sorry hot tubs they could dig for hours on the beach
Vladivar has moved to a new farm
went blueberry picking
made blueberry jam that set!!!
cleared out kids stuff and passed it on
enjoyed a day at a water park when it was too hot to do anything else
seen lots of my good friends
had lots of family visit
I have a nice healthy tan and glow
watched my daughter with a new boyfriend going through the various emotions..tricky!
lazy days at the lake
blustery boat rides
a sprinkling of parties
wiggled my hips at Zumba

To accomplish:

new exercise routine that fits with the school schedule
hmm hello rescue my garden from its weeds as trees are now getting established roots.
have a clean car...hard one!
clear out all clutter
get a new hobby

in the meantime enjoy life and what is left of the summer.

Who is the guilty party?

2011-07-24T05:06:00.000-07:00

So my cute little chicks that we raised from hand are now looking like real chickens. In another 2 months we should see our first eggs.

We cannot wait. The kids have already drawn straws to see who gets the first one for breakfast! My youngest is already planning his strategy for how much we can sell them for and what to spend the dosh on !

This morning I woke up to a funny noise coming from the coop. I went down to let the girls out and heard the dreaded......."cock a doodle AHHHHH!"

I waited incase I had misheard and there it was again.

Oh no now we have to try & figure out which one is the cockeral! We vowed that if we had a cockeral it would have to go due to neighbours and the noise!

I have to say that Vladivar does look the most manly but we hand raised him watching all of the Celtics games as we thought he was not going to make it! How can he go from the limping "I'm on my last legs" to road runner big cockeral? Too much love maybe?

Watch this space for the conclusion!

It Feels Good...

2011-06-29T04:37:00.000-07:00

One of our traditions at the beginning of the school holidays is to turf out the kids rooms........not one of our favourites mind you!

I started with the youngest...oh Mr. Hand me down guy. It took a whole day. It did help that he is able to let stuff go which is huge. Nothing is harder than trying to cajole a child into giving toys away that they MUST keep yet they never touch.

Two large trash bags, 2 boxes plus a huge tree house toy later we were done. Normally I give toys away to kids who I know need them or give them, to our dump shop where locals can take then free of charge. Any large tag items e.g. Thomas the train set I try and sell on Craigslist etc. and them give the kids the money.

This year I had my Mother in law & friend arriving on the same day so the pressure was on. I decided to just take it all to the dump.

I did feel a little guilty.

However, on arrival at the dump there was a 3 year old little girl with her parents looking through the toys and clothes, she was about to leave until I told her we had some toys. When I brought the tree house in her little face lit up.

I knew I had done the right thing.

I told my son and we talked about the how nice is it to pass on your stuff to people who need or like it.
He said " I have warmness in my belly"..........I call that one lesson learnt!

Summer time...ready to unwind!

2011-06-25T19:14:00.000-07:00

We have been so busy I have not had time or the inclination to:

blog
knit
read
relax
cook healthy meals
go out with friends
or even enjoy a glass of wine!

It has ben one hell of a 6 week whirlwind.

This is the usual as school starts to wind down by having concerts, plays, sport tournaments, renaissance fairs, sports awards and graduations...............you fly by the seat of your pants.

The dog does not get walked, you struggle to get to work on time as you have to whip up a batch of cupcakes in the morning for a party the darling forgot to mention to you!!!!!

Now it is over I need to learn to slow down. Its not so easy.

My body wakes up at 5.30 am ......jumping straight into action mode.
My sleep deprived nights are hopefully turning into restful dreamy fluffy cloud bouncing relaxation sessions.

New intentions:

Zumba I will attend very soon.
Molly we will go hiking.
More veggies for everyone!
I need to find a nice refreshing alcohlic drink as I am going off my wine!!! Sacre Bleu!
A new knititing project will be found.
Bills will be paid on time.
Books will be read.
Yoga will be practised.
Fun days out with the children.
The ocean I will see you oh so soon.

I'm already exhausted...I so need to earn how to swirch off! Any ideas?

Oh how they grow!

2011-06-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

My chickens are a great source of amusement I have to say. I love to sit on the deck at night with a glass of wine and watch them. My children are having fun too. My youngest is training them!!!!! So far they have learnt to perch, sit and now they are looking at getting a driving license! An HGV one at that!

Bottoms up!

2011-05-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

My daughter is the mother hen!

The chicks are proving to be great entertainment for Molly & MIttens.......

2011-05-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

There is a moose on the loose in my garden!

2011-05-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

My brood............

2011-05-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

Well the saga of the chicks continues. Margarita is doing very well eating and pooping on a what seems to be a 10 mins basis. Vladivar (the black one) is doing a little better, he enjoys being held by my teenager and watching Glee on the computer or the Celtics on TV! He is still very small an a little feeble & is going to be the runt of the brood...poor baby!

Number 3 egg did not hatch so the other teacher & myself did a c-section in the yard after school......alas it was not fertile even though we had candled it! So then I panicked as any mother hen would as how could we have a coop with 1 fit and 1 might not make it chick? So i went to the local farm and picked out 3 good layers who were 3 weeks old. Here they are Alfie, Sophia & Lizzy!

So my house is a nature reserve at the moment two baby chicks in a heated cage in my sons bedroom, the three above are in the screened porch. Meanwhile my cat & dog are going crazy with all the peeping going on.

Vladivar the unsteady!

Meanwhile my husband is saying WTF did you do? This house is wild!

Alfie & Sophia 3 weeks old.

Margarita!

I smile sweetly & say I'm going to a Sheep & Wool show next week.........

I'm a mummy again!

2011-05-04T15:25:00.000-07:00

So I guess I have been broody yet again! I have moved away from the babies....love them as I do however they cost too much & I'm experiencing the teenage years at present....which can be challenging!

We have incubated 3 eggs and today two of them hatched. It was such an amazing experience talking to the eggs and watching them respond by pecking their way out of the egg......chicken whisperer here I come. I have to say that they are very ugly at birth but as soon as they fluff up....ohhh adorable as the Americans would say! The English would say cute!

The first one is called margarita...not the pizza! Number 2 is Cosmopolitan and number 3 has not cracked yet.....to be continued.

Pictures are to follow....I have a new phone & not quite sure how to get the photo's off it yet! I spent the day receiving calls with no sound... had to wait for the princess to sort it out out after school!

The Royal Wedding.

2011-04-28T04:37:00.000-07:00

Now I have never been a royal follower however I guess I am in a nostalgic mood.

Since the TV are force feeding the Royal Family on an hourly basis I guess it has caught my eye.

Memories from my childhood & Diana's wedding with the scrapbooks, street parties etc are all flooding back into my mind. For some reason I feel an urge to ensure that my children see the wedding as it is part of their heritage!

I was going to throw a party but after having English friends over for 5 days...too much drink & chatting late into the night I do not have the energy.

So tomorrow William & Kate I will get up at 5am and toast you with my mimosa's, scones & bagels. Along with my sleepy & most probably grumpy children all for a little heritage! My neighbour will probably join me and we will be in our PJ"S!

A need for completion

2011-04-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

I'm running around like a headless chicken and I need to learn to say NO!

Due to my "soft get" attitude during the school vacation which I have to work half of I seem to have said yes to :

going & turning the eggs that we are hatching at school every other day
adopting all the seeds that we are growing at school & making sure they are fed & in the sun etc
watching a distant neighbours animals.....without finding out what they were beforehand...a dog/2 cats & a big turtle
another friend asked if we could watch their 9 week old puppy for a week...my husband gave me the evil eye!!! I did say no though.

I have a list of stuff I need to complete as I find that everything is not finished & it is giving me this backed up & overwhelming feeling...all my own fault! Very disconcerting!

So this week I am going to accomplish:

finish my sweater that I am knitting
read a book
get haircuts for all the kids & myself
hopefully a day at the seaside
clear out the wardrobes & get the summer clothes out
wash all the ski gear....that was in progress however on Saturday we had 4 inches of slushy snow!
pay all the bills on time
stop & enjoy some peace

Wish me luck!

Where have I been?

2011-04-17T05:24:00.000-07:00

Wow I did not realise how long it has been since I have blogged!

I guess Spring is here which involves lots of preparation from ski-ing to hand washing!

Another chuckle for you......

2011-03-31T17:58:00.000-07:00

I have a northern acent & know just how these people feel when trying to chase mail via UPS?Fedex etc.

A chuckle for you....

2011-03-28T14:49:00.001-07:00

What every woman wants in bed..................

Breakfast!

Love it!

Down to earth with a splat!

2011-03-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

Back to life, back to reality.

No more dreaming of the vacation anymore it is now filed in the fond memories file...ahhhhh.

Well 6 inches of snow later. one child sick for a week and now the others all snotty sure brings you back to earth.

I'm trying to look positive on life these days.

I was just stood on my deck with a glass of "Mommy's Time Out" Pinot Grigio, a chunk of Jarlsberg in my hand and Molly at my feet in 3 inches of snow. Hmmmmm. The sun was out and it was really a beautiful early evening feeling...the wine had kicked in!

Dinner was cooking, children were not fighting, the dog was not barking...life is good right?

Contrast in lifestyle.

2011-03-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

Last week.....

my biggest stress was what to wear for dinner

This week.....

what shall I cook

Last week.....

my oh my it is hot...I need a nap

This week......

is the snow really sticking.......who wants to shovel?

Last week.....

so much laundry and no washing machine...oh well

This week......

can you please wear your trousers for more than one day!

Last week....

Bikini's & wraps

This week.......

snow pants, hats, coats, gloves and boots.

Last week......

margarita's by the pool

This week......

hot tea and chocolate snuggled with my back next to the radiator.

I'm still in holiday mode!

To cruise or not to cruise.....

2011-03-12T15:58:00.000-08:00

Definitely do it!

Now my history is that if a back packer travelling around the world. Which then lead to living in a camper for a year touring & working around Europe. Once we had the 3 kids we always vacationed by going self catering which was often a challenge in places like Jamaica & the Dominican Republic.

One of my dearest friends had tried to talk me into going on a cruise with the girls ( I felt too guilty so did not go) or to go with the family.... still did not go.

Eventually...like 5 years later we went on one. Folks this is the way to travel if you feel the need for a break or a total indulgence book one today.

This cruise which was on the Norwegian Dawn was phenomenal.

The staff were wonderful, the food superb including lots of foreign exotic food, the ship was spotless, tons of activities for children and adults, great shows at night and fantastic ports of call. I am surprised that they try & sell so much art work and jewellery on board... I guess it is a big seller just not my cup of tea!

I cannot believe that I have come back to earth with a great big bump! Miami airport would do that to anybody! Rude staff, no aircon...hello its humid here, dirty, dirty place!

So now I am back to walking the dog early in the morning in full snow gear battling the rain &/or snow! Back to work, making lunches and cooking & god forbid we came home with 10 days worth of laundry for a family of five..............................never ending!

Oh well it was fantastic just need to save up for another one! All donations are gladly accepted!

Only in America......

2011-03-11T13:33:00.000-08:00

I found this outside a restaurant........................

I have found paradise.....

2011-03-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

We have just been on a 10 day cruise...heaven it certainly was.

We left early from this........

To go to this.....

I want to move to Antigua!

Fridgid it is!

2011-02-15T13:32:00.000-08:00

This is the worst part of the year for living in New Hampshire. The low temperatures & bitter windchill cause bowed shoulders and you have to wrap yourself in blankets for comfort...brrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Molly's walks are rare as it is too bitter.

The poor birds swarm at our bird feeder...I'm all ready to knit them scarfs & hats poor little things!

The snow laden paths are solid ice and risky.

The car creaks as I drive, its suspension is frozen.

There are not enough layers to be worn to make you feel cosy.

The hot stews and winter food are becoming mundane...I need to find some new recipes.

Countless tea bags are being used....so many that my English electric kettle has just died......emergency!

The house creaks with the gale force winds...I wonder if we have lost any shingles...or worse still a solar panel?

The kids need to burn off some energy & get fresh air..it would be too cruel to throw them outside to play.

This is what wimter in NH is all about.....surviving!

Cheers trees?

2011-02-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

This is a delayed post as it has been the most weirdest of weather over here. Saturday we had a huge snowstorm, then sleet, then a thunderstorm! Fancy that?

I awoke to more snow...of course and all the trees were coated in ice. It was very erie as the branches blew they chinked as if the trees are all having a hot toddy & clinking their glasses! Cheers!

I took Molly for a walk and as the wind blew the trees they shed their ice...all over me! It was as if they were throwing their vodka glasses at me!

I tried to get a good photo to show how this looks as it is magical.....I need a photo lesson.

The trees glisten as if they are made of crystal and when you look at them they really do dazzle your eyes.

Perhaps if you look at this photo & squint you may get the picture??? If not have a glass of wine or two & try again!

When I'm rich........

2011-02-02T17:17:00.000-08:00

I'm going to buy this old farm estate. Behind the main house are some houses for the workers and barns, chicken coops, stables...the whole works. Of course there is plenty of acreage along with it and a pond.

The good news is that it is for sale.

The bad news is that it probably needs torching as it would be cheaper to rebuild.

However if anyone out there in blog land knows anyone who is rich and fancies a project.....this could be for them.

It would make a great place for a haunted house movie too.

Ahh dreams..................

New England Houses

2011-02-01T15:47:00.000-08:00

It was such a gorgeous day on Thursday I took myself off for a little toodle pip (drive)!

Even though it was cold and there was fresh snow on the ground I could not help taking a few shots of the quaint houses and buildings around here.

So here they are:

8.20pm & it is - 18 degrees C

2011-01-24T17:32:00.000-08:00

Can it really get any colder?

Oh yes tonight we are supposed to drop to -35C...holy moly!

Oh my!

Poor Molly is desperate to go for a walk, I let her out & she shoots straight back into the house.

It is so cold that when I filled up with petrol this afternoon I only filled up the tank half way as it was just too cold even with full winter gear on to be outside.

Some schools had a 2 hour delay as the temperatures were too dangerous for the children to wait outside for more than a few minutes due to the risk of frostbite.

It is times like this that I wonder why the hell I live here?

Then I remember.......

how fun it is to go snow shoeing straight into my back garden and into the woods.
to gather up the clan and go ski-ing for the afternoon.
making a snowman with my enthusiastic little one.
snuggle inside and bake filling the house with yummy smells.
curling up with a good book
picking up my knitting needles and clickity clacking away.
drinking oodles of hot chocolate.

and my favourite watching "Gone with the Wind" with a pot of tea, English chocolate and my daughter...our yearly snow event.

How do you keep busy during our special weather season I wonder?

My what a big nose you have!

2011-01-20T11:04:00.000-08:00

I am trying "oh so very hard" to keep my younger one young since he is around the tweens & teenager so much. They of course are not as excited when we have a huge snow storm.

I dragged him out to make a snowman since this weeks dumpload of snow is slightly wet & sticks. Its amazing that an englishwoman can be so picky these days over snow. You soon learn which type of snow will be best for ski-ing, snow shoes, making snowmen and snowballs. I feel like I have a degree in it!

So here is our fellow......who looks a little fallic but hey ho!

Dump, dump dumpity dump!

2011-01-15T10:20:00.000-08:00

Well we definitely got blasted...probably about 15 inches.

It is oh so pretty, oh so deep and oh so much of it to shovel!

Here are a few photos of during the storm.

Mittens seemed to not be bothered at all!

Waiting for the big one!

2011-01-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

Living in New England can have its challenges yet it also has exciting weather extremes.

Tonight we all wait to see if the media are making lots of fuss over nothing....again! Or will we really have a good 6-12 inches of snow as predicted.

I love this when I have a house full of food, lots of wool waiting to be knitted into one of my concoctions, a pile of books, magazines & lots of shovels waiting to be used.

The kids are already excited at the thought of having a snow day. I have to admit I am too.

So let us see if we wake up to a fresh dumpload or by the alarm clock forcing us to get out of bed to go to school!

Reindeer rule!

2011-01-06T13:14:00.000-08:00

Molly came home with frozen paws...silly dog.

Meanwhile Mittens lost the staring contest to the reindeer.....

Molly where did you go?

2011-01-05T16:41:00.000-08:00

Its 14 degrees, 8.30pm please come in!

Goodbye 2010

2011-01-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

The last sunset of 2010:

I caught the sun!

A Moment.

2010-12-31T04:27:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-12-29T16:58:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-12-24T04:04:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-12-15T17:08:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-12-05T05:35:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-12-02T05:08:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-12-01T13:33:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-11-14T04:22:00.000-08:00

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?

2010-11-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-10-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-10-20T15:01:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-10-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-10-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

Good old B.T.

2010-10-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

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..

2010-10-02T04:42:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-09-26T05:58:00.000-07:00

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......

2010-09-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-09-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-09-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-08-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-08-28T04:10:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-08-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-08-12T16:10:00.000-07:00

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!!!!

2010-08-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-08-07T04:26:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-07-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

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......

2010-07-25T06:09:00.000-07:00

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:

In the mornings I get up at 6am.
Make the coffee whilst everyone is sleeping.
Sip my homemade latte whilst sitting on my rocking chair on the deck.
I watch the hummingbirds feeding.
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,

2010-07-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

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................

2010-07-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

For my mum.

2010-07-02T04:17:00.000-07:00

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

2010-07-01T04:21:00.000-07:00

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?"

2010-06-24T15:16:00.000-07:00

"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....

2010-06-20T10:30:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-12T09:31:00.001-07:00

Come on you Brits!!!!!

Who will you be cheering on????

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

2010-06-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-05-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-05-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

Sorry the photo is a little overexposed!

Sequel

2010-05-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-04-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-04-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

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...........................

2010-04-08T15:31:00.000-07:00

Clearing out!

2010-04-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-04-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-03-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-02-25T16:31:00.000-08:00

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.

2010-02-24T15:52:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-17T13:34:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-02-15T15:23:00.000-08:00

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.......................

2010-02-14T12:28:00.000-08:00

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

Indoor Projects!

Staying happy & positive!

2010-02-07T17:14:00.000-08:00

NH in February is a huge challenge for me. It is not just the bitter weather (-20's), the cabin fever, the dried saw red hands and face, knowing that winter will go on for at least 3 more months it's the WTF are we living here for?

When the weather stops you from normal every day activities such as walking the dog. I have to wear full snow gear, a fleecy mask & goggles as the snow is swirling around whipping at my body. The thought of having to get out of the car as you need to buy milk & you have to wear a hat, gloves etc or your fingers hurt & crack....is sometimes worth going without!

Anyway normally we go away in the kids February vacation which is great to warm your bones, re hydrate your skin and to enjoy the sunshine & wearing fewer clothes...obviously we do not go to the UK but somewhere in the Caribbean or at least Florida!

Alas due to my new career path I cannot get any time off so we are staying here!!!

This is not helped by Sir L who keeps telling me to quit the job & let’s go away! Bless him!

So I am on a "lets stay happy" mode.

I ordered "Dear Fatty' written by Dawn French (all the way from the UK) who always makes me laugh without fail......oh Dawn you have let me down the book is not doing it for me!

I have just ordered new Sorrel boots that will come up to my knees with fur...due to arrive tomorrow! Excited!

Trying out new drinks.....trying to migrate away from my stable wine phase. Just discovered a raspberry cosmopolitan & pomegranate margarita’s...yeah baby no complaints there!

I've been cooking new dishes....e.g. crab quesadilla's to die for!

Just went snow tubing for the afternoon with the family which was great fun despite the wind chills...I could not face to ski in it!

Yet underneath I feel a disgruntled feeling trying to creep in.

The job does not help..it is getting a little easier but its tricky being new & making mistakes. I'm going through the "Oh I love your accent are you Irish, Australian, New Zealander yet again????? Of course when I make a mistake "it was the girl with the accent!" No hiding there!

I'm going to plod on and look for happy idea's...I think it is daffodils & tulips next...then god help Sir L if I hit the jewellery store!

This will make you wee your knickers with laughing!

2010-02-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

The Metamorphosis

2010-01-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

So here I go from a mummy to a working professional..... it is a strange feeling.

I have always worked part time whilst looking after my babies so I felt that I still had my skills. Yes I knew the pc & its various packages, how to dress and behave professionally, how to juggle kids, running a house, staying fit & eating healthy. I am a great multi tasker and do my bit for the community, charities and volunteering however I guess the past three weeks have been a killer.

I had to work full time & travel whilst training which resulted in my having to ask for favours picking up & dropping kids off at their activities which I loathe doing. I guess I like to be in control! My poor Molly (the dog) was not happy at having no mummy around for at least a few hours during the day. The cat did not like to be thrown out in the morning & not be let back in until 4pm when the kids got home. The kids loved the getting home, eating whatever they wanted & then watching crap on the TV! Meals were served late, reading was skipped and by week three we were one grumpy family!

This week I am doing my normal hours which are only 20 a week over 5 days including Saturday...yuck! So life should get a little better. The job is still very demanding with so many variations I doubt I will ever get my head around it! It seems that constant tests are the way of life over here so I either get used to it or dump it!

I was trying to be conscientious so I tried to do an exam at home after number 3 was in bed. In one hour I was interrupted by the cat, the dog, number 1, number 2 and then Sir L (he had a cup of tea for me but since I was trying to finish my exam he took the rath of my temper! Poor Man! Needless to say I failed the exam so I was really pissed off as I will have to retake it!

Expat Mum I have gone into banking in reply to your question a few weeks ago!

Let’s see if I make it!

This morning was spectacular...

2010-01-23T16:05:00.000-08:00

Haiti

2010-01-20T16:22:00.000-08:00

I may have sounded a little conceited on my last blog post worrying about my darling Cadburys when the poor people of Haiti are struggling to survive & not wallow in chocolate! So this post is dedicated to the Haitians.

This morning as I walked Molly the sun was rising over the fresh snow and it was gob smackingly gorgeous. If only I had my camera with me! I felt as if the world was at peace..how mistaken was I?

I came home all refreshed to see that Haiti had been hit with yet another earthquake.

What makes the earth do this yet again to a struggling country? How can it be so gorgeous in the morning in one part of the world yet crippling and killing in other parts?

My thoughts go out to the Haitiains, the people who are flying out there to help the survivors and to re-build their country. May you all be safe.

Disaster has struck!

2010-01-19T16:53:00.000-08:00

No I have not been sacked well not yet anyway!

Can you believe that Kraft have bought out my darling, most yummiest, "comforting in my hour of need" Cadburys chocolate?

Oh my god! What a disastrous start to the day!

Cadburys in the UK is a family business that has been kindled with loving care. Oh please do not let Kraft with their plastic cheese crucify what they have established over all of these years!

I am tempted to fly over to the UK and buy hundreds of pounds of Cadburys before it has that god damn awful molasses added to it and the customer service department are based in India!

People of Cadburys land my thoughts are with you!

Conclusion of new career!

2010-01-14T15:46:00.000-08:00

So I feel like I've been put in a vice & squeezed too tightly.

Why you may ask?

This is what you wear, this is what you say, this is how you wear your make up and your hair must be groomed.

Oh yes swallow an encyclopedia 6 times a day. Then take an average of 5 tests followed by final exams every day! NO burping allowed! If you do not get 80% RE-SIT YOU DUNCE!

Oh yes the CRD hits the PDO followed by the CC and do not forget the rule of FF that splits 3 ways & can be affected by the law of YYY! All this is in one sentence! Multiply this by 5 million a day & then take a few tests!

Holy Shit! It’s killing me.

Will I make it? Not too sure!

Do you like your new job Daffodilly???????

Thank you blogger friends for your kind words.

2010-01-12T18:20:00.000-08:00

Well the surgery is complete & she has a very wadded metal casted hand..god only knows how she will write.

She was a mess yesterday with lots of pain but today looked a little brighter.

I had to go to work so Sir L stepped into parental mode...very hard for me to let that role go! She will be off school for a few more days & needs to learn to write/type left handed.

Photo to follow soon.

Thank you again for your kind comments & Mr Annoymous please stop contaminating my blog.......

More broken bones!

2010-01-10T18:04:00.000-08:00

So my darling daughter has a broken finger...no probs I thought after the ER visit which took forever as the place was full of broken skiers! I was sure that they would tape it up and she would have to be careful for a few weeks!

Oh not my girl! Apparently she has broken her growth plate at the top of the finger which has caused the tendon to detach! Yuck! She needs surgery asap i.e. tomorrow to have it all put back together! They are going to wire it & then put a "button for god’s sakes" outside to hold it in place!

Needless to say her basketball season has been rudely halted and she is devastated.

As are we. I have to have tomorrow off work to take her & try not to cry as they whip her into the operating room.

Just to warn you Mr. Dr. I was screwed over by the nose job man so I will be grilling you harshly before you touch my poppet!

Please cross your fingers for her.

Can somebody please leave a comment as I am having issues receiving them?

Cheers!
Daffodilly

First week of working full time

2010-01-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

This is my first week of working full time for six years and I am:

Exhausted
No food in the house.
Cranky kids.
Dog ate coloured markers and is now a mixture of blue and yellow.... she was white! Poor girl was bored!
My daughter broke her finger playing basketball and we ended up in the ER until 8pm one night!
Behind on number 3's reading due to too many activities after school plus ER visit!
Cat still alive.
So is the fish.
Achy body as I am used to walking and being busy & not the sedenatary lifestyle.
Did I mention that I am friggin knackered?

Any bloggers who work full time, eat healthy, exercise, have clean homes & a happy family....you are ACE!!!

New Year ...New job!

2010-01-03T06:52:00.000-08:00

Well unfortunaltey there was no real dump just a few inches that have seemed to take forever to accumulate!

We probably have 6 inches in total if that! Not that I am complaining!

Well a New Year means a new start for me as tomorrow I begin a new job. I have to work full time for 2 weeks whilst I train, which will probably kill me. So wish me luck!

I am so prepared it is unbeleivable:

1. The house is full to bursting of food.

2. The bills are all paid...very painful!

3. Kids have all done their homework.

4. Arrangements for picking up & dropping off at sports events, parties etc. have all been made.

5. Laundry...all done!

6. Ironing...complete!

7. Snow shovelling...beautiful paths everywhere!

So what can I have forgotten?

I guess tomorrow we will see!

Start the year with a great dump!

2009-12-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

So goodbye 2009 I guess you were more gentle on us than 2008.

The snow is coming down and it is intending to snow all night and tomorrow day.

What a great way to start 2010 with a good dump!

Here are the photos when it has been snowing for 2 hours...tomorrow will reveal the dump load in its full glory!

I felt that it was a good time to clear out the old & bring in the new so we had a sock fest. This photo shows all of our family's socks that have lost a partner throughout the year...quite frightening indeed! We did manage to make a couple of pairs but that is all. I felt guilty chucking 15 odd socks out. I should have made puppets out of them?

What the heck time for a clear out Daffodilly.

So I wish you all a warm and a lucky 2010.

And of course World Peace!

A Belated Merry Xmas everybody!

2009-12-30T14:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas was such a blur! Yet a warm memorable one.

Twinkling lights, pine tree scents, masses of unwrapped parcels that were soon ripped apart with many an "ooh" and "ahhh".

Yummy food cooking and filling the air with mouth watering aromas.

Tasty pomegranete fizzes to drink.

Sharing the day with special friends/family....ahh it was lovely!

Fresh snow covered the ground ready for the Christening of the new sled and snow shoes!

The teenager modeling her sunglasses and flicking her mane of hair around! Where did my little girl go?

Number 2 playing for hours on his Ripstick, number 3 trying to copy him amongst the falls & bruises!

Playing games around the Christmas tree followed by the meltdown of a 6 year old who was shipped off to bed clutching a new soft toy YODA!

Ahh perfect!