There is no simple way of putting this, but the damn fool Hubstacle has gone and lost his wedding ring.
It must be terrible for him and I know he is very cross with himself, but although I am outwardly saying it's ok, inwardly I am really upset. Yes I know, it's only a ring, but the thing is The Hubstacle never wears jewellery and he has worn his ring for 7 years. It symbolises our marriage, we went to Windsor to choose them, spent a lovely weekend there drinking wine, eating good food and pottering about in a little independent jewellers.
It was an exciting time and those rings travelled all the way to Barbados with us, sat nestled in their little boxes until we married and they were transplanted on to our fingers. I don't think I have ever taken mine off.
Poor man, I know how I would be if I lost mine and there is no sense being funny with him because it was genuinely an accident and I would imagine it is some pigs stomach by now. The Hubstacle says that he can't remember the last time he saw it either. At first I was appalled, but then I realised that when something becomes familiar you assume it stays where it is.
It's not the cost of it, but the sentimentality, the journey it has taken with us it represents something more than just meaning we are married. Someone told me that their husband lost his down the back of the sofa and they never recovered it, that was 7 years ago and they are still married, so at least I know my marriage is not going to fall down around my ears.....
Well unless it has become too familiar and I assume it stays where it is......
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Swine of a Flu
Perhaps, possibly you may have noticed my lack of blogging over the past week. Considering I have pretty much popped in to say hello and bore you all rigid with something every day, I would forgive you for thinking I have lost the novelty factor.
Ha! Well you are wrong! My absence has not been anything exciting like a holiday or winning the lottery, but the bloomin' flu.
Last Saturday Aardvark began running a temperature and became very lethargic. She ended up peaking at 40 degrees and we had to strip her off and cool her down. She developed a cough and was very unwell indeed, this continued all over the weekend. So it was a round of getting fluids in her, making sure she was weeing and shovelling calpol down her.
I then began to feel unwell and by the time The Hubstacle had telephoned the nursery on Monday morning, I was down and out. The head said that 7 other pupils had been off with the same symptoms and there had been one confirmed swine flu. She told us this, not to panic us, but so we could better judge Aardvarks symptoms and adjust our treatment or getting advice accordingly.
Monday was Aardvarks 3rd birthday and the poor little girl couldn't even get off the sofa to play with her new dolls house.
We contacted the surgery, just to get some advice and were told to go in because of her age. We questioned this, as clearly she was showing flu-like symptoms, but in we went and were promptly given a terrible attitude by the doctor for being there! We came away with no more than we knew anyhow and we were confident that we could cope.
However on Tuesday she coughed so much and then vomited up blood clots - we went to hospital. The Doctor was wonderful, we were seen almost straight away and luckily all was well before we came home. The Doctor even rang at the end of his shift to see how she was.
This was the day Aardvark and I were at our worst and then Rhino started going downhill.
Luckily he seems to just be a little up and down, today we are all feeling better than the last few days but today has hit me just how ill we have been.
I maintained that the H1N1 vaccine came out far too fast and I was wary of it being injected en-mass to under 5's (back when the were giving it to all under 5's). For this reason, and that my children are both healthy we decided that they would not have the flu jab.
Since then, only people with certain health problems are given it and now all of a sudden people are insisting their children have the vaccine.
There has been a very sad case of a 3 year old dying over christmas. Aardvark is just 3 and it really hit a nerve with me but I stand by our decision. Flu - whatever strain, will kill people, it has always happened. People have died after having the vaccine (even though they were perfectly healthy before). People are still getting the flu and dying even after having the vaccine.
So many dilemmas to face and as a parent of young children all you want to do is protect them from harm, but what if you don't know where the actual harm is? What do you do for the best? How can you live with your decision if the worst happens?
I hope that whatever we have had, has built up Aardvark and Rhino's immune system and made them more resistant to these horrible viruses.
If you are ill at the moment, I hope you get better soon. x
Ha! Well you are wrong! My absence has not been anything exciting like a holiday or winning the lottery, but the bloomin' flu.
Last Saturday Aardvark began running a temperature and became very lethargic. She ended up peaking at 40 degrees and we had to strip her off and cool her down. She developed a cough and was very unwell indeed, this continued all over the weekend. So it was a round of getting fluids in her, making sure she was weeing and shovelling calpol down her.
I then began to feel unwell and by the time The Hubstacle had telephoned the nursery on Monday morning, I was down and out. The head said that 7 other pupils had been off with the same symptoms and there had been one confirmed swine flu. She told us this, not to panic us, but so we could better judge Aardvarks symptoms and adjust our treatment or getting advice accordingly.
Monday was Aardvarks 3rd birthday and the poor little girl couldn't even get off the sofa to play with her new dolls house.
We contacted the surgery, just to get some advice and were told to go in because of her age. We questioned this, as clearly she was showing flu-like symptoms, but in we went and were promptly given a terrible attitude by the doctor for being there! We came away with no more than we knew anyhow and we were confident that we could cope.
However on Tuesday she coughed so much and then vomited up blood clots - we went to hospital. The Doctor was wonderful, we were seen almost straight away and luckily all was well before we came home. The Doctor even rang at the end of his shift to see how she was.
This was the day Aardvark and I were at our worst and then Rhino started going downhill.
Luckily he seems to just be a little up and down, today we are all feeling better than the last few days but today has hit me just how ill we have been.
I maintained that the H1N1 vaccine came out far too fast and I was wary of it being injected en-mass to under 5's (back when the were giving it to all under 5's). For this reason, and that my children are both healthy we decided that they would not have the flu jab.
Since then, only people with certain health problems are given it and now all of a sudden people are insisting their children have the vaccine.
There has been a very sad case of a 3 year old dying over christmas. Aardvark is just 3 and it really hit a nerve with me but I stand by our decision. Flu - whatever strain, will kill people, it has always happened. People have died after having the vaccine (even though they were perfectly healthy before). People are still getting the flu and dying even after having the vaccine.
So many dilemmas to face and as a parent of young children all you want to do is protect them from harm, but what if you don't know where the actual harm is? What do you do for the best? How can you live with your decision if the worst happens?
I hope that whatever we have had, has built up Aardvark and Rhino's immune system and made them more resistant to these horrible viruses.
If you are ill at the moment, I hope you get better soon. x
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Keep Calm and Carry On
Since New Year's Eve (called Old Year's Eve, in this neck of the wood's), I have been dogged with bad stomach ache. Now it's not related to ablutions of any sort as that is all moving through just fine (sorry if you are reading this whilst eating!), and I don't feel sick at all.
I could be sitting there happy as Larry one minute and then the next I will get a terrible stabbing-griping pain that really takes my breath away and causes me to double over in agony. In fact I even didn't go to Slimming World and my Drama club tonight, mainly because I didn't want to risk driving and then getting a pain.
I am starving hungry, yet frightened to eat anything in case it sets off the pains. I have however considered that it might well be down to anxiety. Aardvark starts nursery school tomorrow and although I am putting on a good front I am in bits inside.
I have been very upbeat with her and at the moment she is totally unfazed - that might change in the morning of course - but the cause of this pain could really be a physical manifestation of an emotional issue.
I hope so, because at this rate I will get to my target weight in a super-speedy time if I am not bloomin' eating anything!
I could be sitting there happy as Larry one minute and then the next I will get a terrible stabbing-griping pain that really takes my breath away and causes me to double over in agony. In fact I even didn't go to Slimming World and my Drama club tonight, mainly because I didn't want to risk driving and then getting a pain.
I am starving hungry, yet frightened to eat anything in case it sets off the pains. I have however considered that it might well be down to anxiety. Aardvark starts nursery school tomorrow and although I am putting on a good front I am in bits inside.
I have been very upbeat with her and at the moment she is totally unfazed - that might change in the morning of course - but the cause of this pain could really be a physical manifestation of an emotional issue.
I hope so, because at this rate I will get to my target weight in a super-speedy time if I am not bloomin' eating anything!
Sunday, 2 January 2011
First Blog Post of 2011
Hello All,
Out of principle I did not blog yesterday and do you know what? I really really missed it, even though I can (and do) talk absolute twaddle sometimes (ok, most of the time). I never thought that I would ever have time to write a blog, I hardly ever have time to brush my teeth in the mornings so actually sitting still and typing seemed like a mission impossible. But never the one to refuse a challenge, it's worth a go is it not?
Today we have all been in the wars, I cut myself, Aardvark hit her head on the radiator whilst rolling about in the floor, Rhino let go of the lid of the desk and didn't move his thumb in time and The Hubstacle kept getting bitten by the braver pigs when doing his rounds! I just recently qualified as a full first aided and have out quite a range of my skills to the test.
In-between having pretend tea parties, setting up the train tracks only to find them in bits when I next walk in the room, making meals, changing nappies, giving lots of cuddles, kisses, raspberries on tummies, cleaning up, chucking stuff in the washer, chucking stuff in the drier, chucking stuff in the dishwasher (must try to remember not to throw stuff in there, it's getting expensive), I have been trying to get the house ready for a guest who is arriving tomorrow (silent scream as I am no where near ready).
I did mention in a previous entry I was expecting a guest and how I needed to clear all the boxes from the hallway to the back stairs. Well you will be pleased to know that has been done and it was done today in a panic when I realised that I hadn't done it (far too many done's in that, but at the present time I am beyond caring).
I have hurridly been preparing the spare room, it for my best friend and she is hardly going to worry but I seem to remember apologising last time she came, about the less than welcoming room and that it was on my to do list. Well, it still is on that list and today I rearranged things a bit in the hope she won't realise nothing has changed!
I collect her from the train station at lunchtime, which hopefully will give me time to Hoover, dust, empty the bins, clean the bathroom, kitchen and lounge, wash the fleecy blankets on the lounge sofas as the dog was laying on them today and he stinks. Then give the dog a bath, wash his bedding, dash to the shops for the things I have forgotten, pay the papers, go to the post office, clean the cat litter tray, and mop everywhere.
Oh bugger it, I will just get her drunk on wine and hope she doesn't notice! There is no use trying to cover anything up as she knows me too well and we are talking about someone who has experience in what I am like as she used to clean before her cleaner arrived!
She will be far too busy playing with her charges anyway, hurry up my friend, we have missed you.
Out of principle I did not blog yesterday and do you know what? I really really missed it, even though I can (and do) talk absolute twaddle sometimes (ok, most of the time). I never thought that I would ever have time to write a blog, I hardly ever have time to brush my teeth in the mornings so actually sitting still and typing seemed like a mission impossible. But never the one to refuse a challenge, it's worth a go is it not?
Today we have all been in the wars, I cut myself, Aardvark hit her head on the radiator whilst rolling about in the floor, Rhino let go of the lid of the desk and didn't move his thumb in time and The Hubstacle kept getting bitten by the braver pigs when doing his rounds! I just recently qualified as a full first aided and have out quite a range of my skills to the test.
In-between having pretend tea parties, setting up the train tracks only to find them in bits when I next walk in the room, making meals, changing nappies, giving lots of cuddles, kisses, raspberries on tummies, cleaning up, chucking stuff in the washer, chucking stuff in the drier, chucking stuff in the dishwasher (must try to remember not to throw stuff in there, it's getting expensive), I have been trying to get the house ready for a guest who is arriving tomorrow (silent scream as I am no where near ready).
I did mention in a previous entry I was expecting a guest and how I needed to clear all the boxes from the hallway to the back stairs. Well you will be pleased to know that has been done and it was done today in a panic when I realised that I hadn't done it (far too many done's in that, but at the present time I am beyond caring).
I have hurridly been preparing the spare room, it for my best friend and she is hardly going to worry but I seem to remember apologising last time she came, about the less than welcoming room and that it was on my to do list. Well, it still is on that list and today I rearranged things a bit in the hope she won't realise nothing has changed!
I collect her from the train station at lunchtime, which hopefully will give me time to Hoover, dust, empty the bins, clean the bathroom, kitchen and lounge, wash the fleecy blankets on the lounge sofas as the dog was laying on them today and he stinks. Then give the dog a bath, wash his bedding, dash to the shops for the things I have forgotten, pay the papers, go to the post office, clean the cat litter tray, and mop everywhere.
Oh bugger it, I will just get her drunk on wine and hope she doesn't notice! There is no use trying to cover anything up as she knows me too well and we are talking about someone who has experience in what I am like as she used to clean before her cleaner arrived!
She will be far too busy playing with her charges anyway, hurry up my friend, we have missed you.
Friday, 31 December 2010
New Year, New Start, New You
At a time when everyone is thinking about the new year which is about to be chimed in, I bet quite a few are thinking what changes they can make. It might be to save some money, to lose some weight, to give to a charity, to start volunteering, to help around the house more or just even to be nicer.
Whatever these changes are, I wish you the very best of luck with them. For me personally it is to carry on in my weight-loss journey and to up my activity levels, this in itself will be life-changing.
Some may say that this is a common new years resolution, which can only end in failure (yes lots do!), but I am different in a couple of ways. The first is that, I am already on track with losing weight and I want it to continue, this is determination enough to carry on and not look back.
The other reason is totally and utterly different. A number of years ago, my wish for new year was that I wouldn't be beaten up, mentally and emotionally tortured by my, then, partner ever again. For many years this wish did not come true until I had the courage to make changes in my life that started me walking the path of a fear free existence.
You see, you might think that resolutions at this time of year are just futile, that nothing you can do can ever make the changes you want. Whatever it is that you want altering, those first few changes, those first few steps are undoubtedly the hardest, but it does get easier and as your life alters you do get happier and more able to cope with the obstacles life throws at you.
When I started writing this blog today, I wasn't sure what I was going to write about. I wanted it to be light-hearted and funny but in the end I suppose that I just want send the message that no matter how difficult your journey in life may be, you can make changes that will improve things. Even the things like smiling more will lift your mood, losing that bit of extra weight will improve your lifestyle or perhaps volunteering, which will give something back to the community.
If you have a life like my old one or you have changes to make that you are frightened of, don't be scared, if you do them perhaps this time next year you will be somewhere near the happiness you want.
Happy New Year everyone, let's hope 2011 is good to us all. X
Whatever these changes are, I wish you the very best of luck with them. For me personally it is to carry on in my weight-loss journey and to up my activity levels, this in itself will be life-changing.
Some may say that this is a common new years resolution, which can only end in failure (yes lots do!), but I am different in a couple of ways. The first is that, I am already on track with losing weight and I want it to continue, this is determination enough to carry on and not look back.
The other reason is totally and utterly different. A number of years ago, my wish for new year was that I wouldn't be beaten up, mentally and emotionally tortured by my, then, partner ever again. For many years this wish did not come true until I had the courage to make changes in my life that started me walking the path of a fear free existence.
You see, you might think that resolutions at this time of year are just futile, that nothing you can do can ever make the changes you want. Whatever it is that you want altering, those first few changes, those first few steps are undoubtedly the hardest, but it does get easier and as your life alters you do get happier and more able to cope with the obstacles life throws at you.
When I started writing this blog today, I wasn't sure what I was going to write about. I wanted it to be light-hearted and funny but in the end I suppose that I just want send the message that no matter how difficult your journey in life may be, you can make changes that will improve things. Even the things like smiling more will lift your mood, losing that bit of extra weight will improve your lifestyle or perhaps volunteering, which will give something back to the community.
If you have a life like my old one or you have changes to make that you are frightened of, don't be scared, if you do them perhaps this time next year you will be somewhere near the happiness you want.
Happy New Year everyone, let's hope 2011 is good to us all. X
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Review - Chiquito Gateshead Metro Centre
Having driven an hour and a half to get the the Metro Centre, we parked easily and then tackled the shops in an attempt to pick up some things we wanted and preferably at the price we wanted too!
A trip to the Metro Centre is always a bit of a big deal for us. For one thing, the journey is a 3 hour round trip, and that's without actually doing any shopping, so we always plan to eat out when we are there.
I would like to review the place we ate in today. Chiquito's in the Metro Centre has always been a good place to eat for us. Although we have sometimes had to wait for a table, we have never had to join a lengthy queue outside like the other restaurants have, which are in close vicinity.
So today, when we arrived, we were waiting for about 3 minutes before someone came to greet us. She informed us that the waiting time for a table for 2 adults, a toddler and a smaller baby in a highchair, would be about 30 minutes. This was no problem for us and we were handed a 'gadget' that would let us know when our table was ready.
We went and sat in the bar area, which was not crowded, to wait. During this time Aardvark and Rhino, needed their nappies changing and The Hubstacle was duly dispatched. He came back handing over Rhino, telling me that the only changing facilities were in the ladies toilets. A fellow had offered to stand guard outside the door but as we had two children to attend to, it was easier for me to do it.
True to their word, our table was ready 30 minutes later and we trundles through the restaurant. Not counting the booths, most of the tables have plenty of room to park a buggy up and still let other people pass by without colliding with it.
Our server, Jo, came over very promptly, she was in a recognisable uniform, was clean, well presented and polite. Jo took our drinks order, 2 large diet cokes, a glass of water and an orange juice, which she explained was free for children. When our drinks arrived she took our food order which was as follows -
1 kids tomato twists
1 kids BBQ chicken burrito
1 BBQ pork and beans
1 chicken and ribs
1 side order of corn on the cob
We were all hungry and looking forward to our meal, which sadly took 30 minutes to arrive. However our server kept us informed and we were given a plate of nachos and salsa to nibble on, which the children enjoyed whilst playing with their activity pack (puzzles, coloured pencils etc).
The food arrived, and although it was fine, it wasn't up to the standard that we have come to know of Chiquito's. Both of the childrens meals were great and they loved their food. The Hubstacle said his ribs and chicken tasted nice, but he felt that it had been sitting about for a while. I felt the same and I also felt that for the price of my dish, the portion size was not as it should have been. The pork piece was about 4x2 inches, there were probably about 5 tablespoons of beans, the jacket potato was lovely but the corn on the cob was squashy and looked as if it had been over cooked or sat for a long while. The Hubstacle had one on his plate and it was the same.
However it all tasted ok. We both felt that we have had excellent service, food and experience in the many past visits so have out this down to a 'blip' in their system over the Christmas period. It won't stop us going again when we are next in the Metro Centre.
However, the one thing we did not check properly was the bill, we were charged for a raspberry mojito that we did not have (£4.99). Totally our fault for not noticing, something to look for in the future though!
Chiquito's, we love your restaurant, but hope our next meal will be back to what we have had in the past!
A trip to the Metro Centre is always a bit of a big deal for us. For one thing, the journey is a 3 hour round trip, and that's without actually doing any shopping, so we always plan to eat out when we are there.
I would like to review the place we ate in today. Chiquito's in the Metro Centre has always been a good place to eat for us. Although we have sometimes had to wait for a table, we have never had to join a lengthy queue outside like the other restaurants have, which are in close vicinity.
So today, when we arrived, we were waiting for about 3 minutes before someone came to greet us. She informed us that the waiting time for a table for 2 adults, a toddler and a smaller baby in a highchair, would be about 30 minutes. This was no problem for us and we were handed a 'gadget' that would let us know when our table was ready.
We went and sat in the bar area, which was not crowded, to wait. During this time Aardvark and Rhino, needed their nappies changing and The Hubstacle was duly dispatched. He came back handing over Rhino, telling me that the only changing facilities were in the ladies toilets. A fellow had offered to stand guard outside the door but as we had two children to attend to, it was easier for me to do it.
True to their word, our table was ready 30 minutes later and we trundles through the restaurant. Not counting the booths, most of the tables have plenty of room to park a buggy up and still let other people pass by without colliding with it.
Our server, Jo, came over very promptly, she was in a recognisable uniform, was clean, well presented and polite. Jo took our drinks order, 2 large diet cokes, a glass of water and an orange juice, which she explained was free for children. When our drinks arrived she took our food order which was as follows -
1 kids tomato twists
1 kids BBQ chicken burrito
1 BBQ pork and beans
1 chicken and ribs
1 side order of corn on the cob
We were all hungry and looking forward to our meal, which sadly took 30 minutes to arrive. However our server kept us informed and we were given a plate of nachos and salsa to nibble on, which the children enjoyed whilst playing with their activity pack (puzzles, coloured pencils etc).
The food arrived, and although it was fine, it wasn't up to the standard that we have come to know of Chiquito's. Both of the childrens meals were great and they loved their food. The Hubstacle said his ribs and chicken tasted nice, but he felt that it had been sitting about for a while. I felt the same and I also felt that for the price of my dish, the portion size was not as it should have been. The pork piece was about 4x2 inches, there were probably about 5 tablespoons of beans, the jacket potato was lovely but the corn on the cob was squashy and looked as if it had been over cooked or sat for a long while. The Hubstacle had one on his plate and it was the same.
However it all tasted ok. We both felt that we have had excellent service, food and experience in the many past visits so have out this down to a 'blip' in their system over the Christmas period. It won't stop us going again when we are next in the Metro Centre.
However, the one thing we did not check properly was the bill, we were charged for a raspberry mojito that we did not have (£4.99). Totally our fault for not noticing, something to look for in the future though!
Chiquito's, we love your restaurant, but hope our next meal will be back to what we have had in the past!
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
Nursery School Sorrow
I had a bit of a wobble this afternoon when I realised that this time next week and it will be the day before Aardvark starts nursery school. Her uniform is en-route (supposedly- see yesterday's post), she is familiar with the school and her teacher but as of yet I am not sure how well she is going to respond to being left there without me.
Aardvark and I have always been together, we have spent very few nights apart, she isn't clingy but I think I am. When I had a second chance at family life (save that for another time perhaps) I had a very firm idea about the kind of mother I wanted to be and this meant forging a very close and loving relationship with my children.
Her going to school means another step towards her independence and development and I understand that. But at the present time I can't get my head around someone else being responsible for her and looking after her. Aardvark is not yet talking, this has been assessed and she is perfectly fine, just learning in a different way to other children (trust her to do things differently!). What happens if she is unhappy? If someone is less than nice to her? I will know the difference in her but she won't be able to verbalise it and this worries me.
My head says that she will be fine, I know she likes the school and her teacher very much. Aardvark is a very confident little girl, she gets on with other children and adults so I don't have any concerns there. I suppose I am just reluctant to let go of my daughter but there is one thing for sure, she will enjoy the whole experience so much more than me. If there are any tears to be shed on her first day, then they are going to be mine for sure!
Aardvark and I have always been together, we have spent very few nights apart, she isn't clingy but I think I am. When I had a second chance at family life (save that for another time perhaps) I had a very firm idea about the kind of mother I wanted to be and this meant forging a very close and loving relationship with my children.
Her going to school means another step towards her independence and development and I understand that. But at the present time I can't get my head around someone else being responsible for her and looking after her. Aardvark is not yet talking, this has been assessed and she is perfectly fine, just learning in a different way to other children (trust her to do things differently!). What happens if she is unhappy? If someone is less than nice to her? I will know the difference in her but she won't be able to verbalise it and this worries me.
My head says that she will be fine, I know she likes the school and her teacher very much. Aardvark is a very confident little girl, she gets on with other children and adults so I don't have any concerns there. I suppose I am just reluctant to let go of my daughter but there is one thing for sure, she will enjoy the whole experience so much more than me. If there are any tears to be shed on her first day, then they are going to be mine for sure!
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