Half Term, Halloween and Hair

Yes, it's nearly the end of half term and I've been busy, busy, busy. Sorting out the garden, getting the cars MOTed, visiting friends, taking daughter to parties, Christmas shopping and writing my Christmas cards (have to get ahead!), making delicious Thai pumpkin soup and baking lots of Halloween pumpkin cake.

I've also been busy painting daughter's bedroom including dipping my hair in tins of emulsion (not intentionally). It's now painted "Beauty Queen" and "Lilac Bloom" (her room, not my hair) and is just awaiting the "Coral" carpet.

We've had a family fun day to York where we visited Jorvik Viking Centre, but refused to pay £20 to visit the Minster. (Since when did I have to pay a fixed entrance fee to visit an Anglican church? I'm a member!! What happened to leaving a donation?)

Daughter has had some friends round to play and, since it's nearly halloween, and I am the Queen of Cupcakes, I decided to do Halloween Cupakes with them. Here are some of their creations:

Spooky!

And I've had my hair done.

I love having my hair done. Three hours of being pampered and not being mithered. Bliss!

Just waiting for the carpet fitter to arrive to do daughter's carpet and then I can set about making it the best bedroom in the world ever. It's going to be fab-u-lous! (Photos later, I promise)

Now that's a successful half term.

A Question of Sport is just not sporting

For husband's 40th birthday you may recall that I bought him two tickets to see A Question of Sport 40th Anniversary Tour at the MEN Arena. Not only that, I paid rather a lot of money for him and a friend to have the "Platinum Experience". A chance to meet Phil Tuffnell, Sue Barker and Matt Dawson before the show, ask them questions, have photographs taken with them, a signed programme and seats in the first four rows.

A few weeks ago we received a letter saying that Sue Barker would not be available for the Platinum Experience.

I was a bit miffed.

Last night hubby and friend went to the show and after pursuading the officials that there actually was a Platinum Experience to be had (they had the passes to prove it), they went in only to find that Matt Dawson had caught a train to Liverpool by mistake and was not available.

Now, given that I forked out a large sum for this special occasion, and that two of the celebrities did not show, do you think I can ask for two thirds of my money back?

Update 29 October: The co producers of the show have seen this post and offered me some QofS merchandise and tickets to another show with a chance to meet Matt Dawson (oh, the power of the internet!). However, my husband cannot attend another date now he is back at work, and besides, that is not the point. So, my letter has gone to Live Nation to ask for a partial refund. I'll keep you informed.......

Christmas Shopping for who?

Have just returned from a stressful shopping trip to the Trafford Centre. I thought I would try and get ahead with the Christmas shopping while daughter was at a friend's house and husband was out playing golf. The trouble is, I've realised I'm really bad at Christmas shopping.

Why?

Well, I spend most of my time browsing around and thinking:

"I'd love that!"

"I wish someone would buy that for me"

"I could really do with one of those"

"Think I'll get that for myself"

"I would really love one of those!"

and not actually buying any presents for other people!

My best Christmas purchase today was this:
for me to wear whilst making Christmas dinner!

Must do better.

Advice for husbands on maintaining marital bliss

Yesterday I made a one-pot Sunday lunch and put it in the oven on the timer while husband played on the Wii.

I then spent all morning painting daughter's bedroom while husband read a book.

On finishing the painting, I got the vacuum cleaner out to clean the hall, stairs and landing carpet while husband lounged on our bed watching TV.

"Does something need hoovering?" he asked.

"The hall, stairs and landing is covered in bits from moving daughter's old carpet" I replied.

"Oh right" he said.

Note, the correct response should have been:

"I'll do that then, love, you have a sit down and a cup of tea"!!!!

Grrrrrr!!

20 10 20 10 20 10

Last night, all over the country, Rainbows, Brownies and Guides renewed their promise at 20:10 on 20/10/2010.

The Grand Finale of the Centenary Year of Guiding!

My daughter was the only Rainbow from her unit to attend the event at the Trafford Centre (all the others had to be at school the next day) and she had a whale of a time.

She took part in the Street Dancing:

(I've blurred other girls' faces)

and the Circus Skills and she was one of three Rainbows in the Past Uniform Parade (her unit still use the original tabards):

(Again, I've blurred the other girls' faces)

We all (me included) wrote our memories of Guiding on little paper strips which were stuck up for everyone to read.

Surely I can't be the only person who remembers "Poached Egg Pudding" at Guide Camp?

(Not as disgusting as it sounds, it was a slice of raspberry swiss roll with half a peach on top and then surrounded by hot white sauce. Hmm, maybe it was as disgusting as it sounds!)

At 20:10, via a live media link, we all renewed our promises

and yes, I cried.

Just want to say many, many thanks to all those involved in Guiding (my favourite bloggy Guiders included Jen, Kelloggsville and Tawny ) for all their time, effort, energy and enthusiasm in creating such a fantastic association for so many girls.

I think it will be a night that daughter (and I) remember for a long time to come.

English Mum's Autumn Bake Off

English Mum is having another Bake Off, a Great Big Autumn Bake Off, and there was no question about what I was going to enter:

My Autumn Leaf Cupcakes!

Wish me luck!

Made it!

It's half term.

I made it.

Without illness and with relatively little stress.

I've negotiated parties, homework, two Harvest Festivals, one Book Week, swimming and riding lessons and Rainbows.

I've attended choir rehearsals, sung in a concert, oh, and held down a full time job.

In true Working Mum form, it's going to be a busy half term decorating daughter's bedroom, but when I've finished I'll be the "Best Mummy in the World Ever".

Why?

Well, so far I have bought:

• pink and lilac paint
  
• horse stickarounds for the walls
• pony bedding
• a horse mural for the wall
• a horse clock
• horse curtains
• a pony blanket
• a pony picture
• pink baskets for "stuff"
  
• pink lampshade and bedside lamp
• pink bead curtain for the doorway
• pink mosquito net with sequins
  
• pink bunting embroidered with daughter's name
• a pony lightswitch cover

I think I'm about to make one pony mad girl very happy!

A Very Happy Harvest Festival

Today was Harvest Festival at our church. The vicar was showing the children various foodstuff and asking if they knew what they were. At one point only my daughter put her hand up.

"Do you know what it is?" asked the vicar.

"Barley" Izzy replied.

"Well done," said the vicar, "and do you know what it is used for?"

"Beer!" she said, very confidently,

and much to the amusement of the whole congregration.

I was so proud *!



(I blame the fact we took her here in summer)

Male brain vs female brain

We have a half term holiday at the end of October and husband and I have been approaching it in very diferent ways. This week he asked if he should book us into a B&B in Ingleton for a few days and go walking.

I said, "No".

The reason?

Well, in his head half term looks like this:

Saturday - City match
Sunday -
Monday -
Tuesday -
Wednesday -
Thursday - City match
Friday -
Saturday -

In my head half term looks like this:

Saturday - shopping, washing, cleaning, empty daughter's bedroom, rehearsal and concert
Sunday - daughter's swimming and riding lessons, clear gardens
Monday - plasterer coming to put coving in daughter's bedroom, plumber coming to remove radiator, prepare daughter's room for painting
Tuesday - husband's car MOT, daughter's friend coming for day, choir rehearsal
Wednesday - hair appointment, paint daughter's room, burglar alarm service
Thursday - my car MOT and service, paint daughter's room
Friday - carpet fitter coming to put daughter's new carpet in, fit new curtains
Saturday - shopping, washing, cleaning, plumber coming to put radiator back in daughter's room
Sunday - daughter's swimming lesson, daughter at party, put daughter's stuff back in her room