Run, run as fast as you can...

So, somewhere between my last blog entry and this I made a rather rash and hasty decision to up my challenge of last year and start running again.

Last year I ran the 5K race for life, uphill (yes, please note that !!) at Holyrood. Now, much as sibling rivalry gets me down in my own daily life sometimes, there is a lot for that gentle undercurrent of competion.
Not to feel overshadowed by my younger sis I decided to join her and a friend and up the ante.

So, it's now all systems go as we prepare in earnest for the 10K Bupa Great Race in May.

Funnily enough, I've gone from not cherishing the thought of getting out to run, to absolutely adoring my "quiet time" pounding the streets, just me and my iPod.

I'm now managing a steady 6K just about every other day, which amazes me. I'm feeling so much fitter and I'm aiming to up it by a 1/2 k or more each time over the next few weeks.

I actually wish I'd started this years ago, particularly when we were living in the States. Running along the beach front certainly outdoes pacing on grey streets in grey weather.

Anyway, to up the stakes even further I'm running for Tommy's so, if you feel you could donate something to the cause, anything would be really appreciated. Perhaps you could donate per km or donate per molecule of fat that my arse is going to lose (hopefully!)

Thanks

And the result is....

Well, after a nailbiting few weeks since the interviews I have been offered a conditional place at Northampton. I just have to pass my biology GCSE with a grade C or higher. So pressure is now on!
I am still waiting on Bedford's answer, which should come either just before or just after Easter Weekend.

I'm thrilled to bits though to finally see the door opening for me to follow this dream.

So in the eye of this high I decided that I'd run the 10K with my sister on May 2nd WTF!? I'm running for Tommy's charity this time. Mad dogs and Englishmen and all that.

It's also been mother's day this week. I had a lovely lie in - of ten minutes - I could hear the banter downstairs, so gave in and went to sort out. My family have a wonderful way of telling me they want me to lie in, but then being so darned loud and argumentative between them that I end up having to get up to sort it out! Still, the basket of plants was beautiful as was the coffee in bed, made for me by Mr Beehive the younger and the lovely cards made by Little Miss Beehive. Thank you my darlings and it's the best thing I could ever be, your mama! xxx



This week I'm expecting my friend from the US and her son for a few days. I'm very excited. She's never been to Scotland and has a "loose" itinerary that includes a rather large radius of Edinburgh, but I guess that comes from being American and not thinking anything of driving 200 miles in a day! I envisage many castles, lots of "old" stuff in Edinburgh (a few ghostie things I think!) a lot of Highland cattle and a Loch or two oh and a wee dram or two !!

Well, back to the revision...

Lazy Sunday Mornings

How do you spend your lazy Sunday mornings? Are you lucky enough to read the morning papers? Drink your coffee? all whilst still in bed?
Our Sundays have become... no, what am I like?... our Sundays have always been early starts with a gathering tribe of smalls.

From babyhood where we'd have a baby in the bed with us and we were exhausted with night feedings and all of us flaked out whinging at the other to go and make some coffee and who was up most in the night competitions to try to outrank and prove it wasn't their turn to get up first, to toddlerhood with three smalls whereupon I'd normally lose the battle and end up comatose, but propped up, watching one, two or three toddlers happily playing and exerting ridiculous amounts of energy for 6am in the morning, to slightly older pre-schoolers who were, naturally "staaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarving" by 6 and were observed by me (usually) with my eyes propped open by caffeine and matchsticks whilst they tucked into their weetabix like it was the last supper. My stomach, on the otherhand, wouldn't be open for business for at least another three hours!

These days things are much calmer. I'm returning to enjoying Sunday mornings (nearly!) once again. True, we don't have papers in bed, or coffee, but we do have longer lie ins. Kids are able to read their books, listen to their cd's quietly and without us in their face. This morning, for example, we were entertained by a puppet show at 7am. LMB had been up working on her project with modelling clay and sticks since 6 - so that bit doesn't change, only she's able to get on and entertain herself quietly whilst we're able to grab a bit more shut-eye.

Returning at 7, we're greeted with "lady going shopping", "ballet dancer" and "man going to barbers" (which was actually a head on a stick) and we were all told that we were one of the characters - luckily I wasn't the head! In she climbs. Hands all the puppets to Mr Beehive who was told in no uncertain terms to hold them and not drop them (he's still partially comatose btw but performed his task most excellently).

We're then joined by the next child, budge up mother! Usually we're then joined by the third one, who is more gangly and teen like as the weeks progress, he shuffles in, grunting about tiredness but isn't too big to push me over further to get his spot in the bed!

Of course, not wanting to miss a trick is Meggie, who spends all the night in her basket, but come family-bed-in, she doesn't want to miss out on the action and takes a flying leap (not bad for a tiny spaniel and an extra high bed) to land on the top of us all in a furry, licking heap!

"aggh, my elbow", "careful, you're on my hair", "that's my eye your nose is in" along with squeals of laughter and winces of pain and this morning's best "Mummy, you're on my finger!" "Sorry, but your foot is in my boob!". Still, we're all in, entertained by the puppet show and the made up song that goes with it, Mr Beehive playing his role of puppeteer to excellence with both eyes still closed. Eventually, usually the small one, gets hungry, or the old one needs the bathroom and we all pile out, but I'd not miss this, all the same. And, for all the bruises and squishes I receive (cos it'll always be me on the smallest square of bed!) I hope this will continue for a few more years to come.

Enjoy your Sunday morning lie in,
yours in squishes,
Big Chief Foot-in-Boob!

New Toy!

Did I tell you I've got a new toy?

Mmmmm, a Janome 8077! Early Birthday present from Mr Beehive.

So, as you can probably imagine, I've been busy.


Pair of summer pyjamas for the Little Miss (un hemmed at this point!). Amy Butler daisy chain fabric. I'm really pleased with the outcome, but the shorts could've used a few extra mm's around the butt!

This is a knitting bag for a friend of mine. I've lined it with a vintage rose fabric and it's fastened with a wooden button. It is long enough to take the longest needles and a current WIP or two.


This was an experiment in PUL. I'd wanted to do a lunch bag for myself (although someone already has her beady eye on it!) and had a spare remnant of Amy Butler fabric which I thought I'd use. So it's padded and lined with PUL so it's wipe clean with a padded handle. It'll happily take sandwiches some fruit and a drink.



A pair of checked baggies for my nephew with a couple of pockets for him to put his finds in. These were originally for Master Beehive the younger, but whilst I was sewing and he was at school, he grew! That'll teach me to make a pattern up from a pair of his existing baggies that he's obviously grown out of. He was showing a 1/4 inch of ankle out of the bottom sadly. Luckily there's a 4 year old who'll appreciate them (well, his mum will !!)




Next on the card I'm pimping a pair of my jeans and then I've had a delivery of a lot of pale baby blue and some chocolate brown needlecord. I'm thinking a cord pinafore dress for LMB with a cute applique dragonfly or something on the front. I've also got a friend having a baby, so I may have another attempt at a kimono top, I'll have a rummage in my stash box.

It's all just Madness!

We were in a rush today. I'd been out observing with an independent midwife all day at ante and postnatal visits and after tea Master Beehive the younger decides to inform me that he has homework in his bag due in tomorrow.
Pah, thinks I! Still, it's been half term, the soonest she'd have gotten it out to the children was yesterday, Monday, so there can't be much!
Pah! again! No, there is three pages of maths and then he has to write a page on what he was "going to do"(?) in the half term. Of course I am wondering whether he was actually given this before half term, but no, he insists not!.

So, we now have at least an hour of homework to do after dinner!
Pah! thrice!

Luckily for older siblings though - what a beauty they are. I packed the Little Miss upstairs with her elder brother under strict instruction for him to read to her, supervise face, hand and teeth cleaning and then sing her the song she likes before bed. Master Beehive the elder loves authority (of his own, not mine of course) bundles her upstairs, chivvying her along.
Suddenly I hear him singing at the top of his voice - "Naughty boys in nasty schools, headmasters breaking all the rules...." 8-O apparently at the request of the Little Miss. She had cool older bro up there tonight singing funky songs rather than mummy or daddy and their boring renditions of "I had a little nut tree". Big Bros Rock!

Like, totally mental maths and cannabis cardis.

It would be foolish to suggest that I am now back in the calm of the fold up here in Scotland! However, I am back.

The last few days have been just about the most stressful of my life so far - childbirth was far easier!
On Friday last week and Monday this I went to a couple of university interviews for a place on the Midwifery BSc Hons course starting in Sept 2011 - a realisation of a long time dream. Friday's interview wasn't so bad. We had to write an essay and then had a face to face. I came away feeling positive. Monday's however, was a totally different kettle of fish. For this day we had a selection procedure, if we didn't succeed in the morning by passing the maths test, essay and group exercise, we wouldn't be able to proceed to the afternoon whereby we were able to have face to face interviews.
As you can imagine, tensions were running high. Maths isn't my strongest point, it's not that I can't do it, it's just I don't work well under pressure. When I'm under pressure, for some reason my brain decides to shut down, so it doesn't matter how many times I've practiced dividing decimals, suddenly it looks a foreign language (oh and no calculators were allowed, before you all laugh and tell me to just press the right keys!!)
Fortunately I had obviously pleased lady luck as I managed to get through selection by the seat of my pants I think and got the opportunity for a face to face in the afternoon.
I don't feel too bad as everyone found the test hard, in fact some of the ladies who'd had maths tests elsewhere said it was, by far, the hardest test yet - so that's some relief.
Whilst I was being interviewed I managed to see that I'd gained 65% for the maths and 85% for the essay but didn't manage to see my group result - so I feel pretty okay with that. I won't be under so much pressure as a midwife and if I'm giving drugs then I'll always double check and then check with a colleague, as I said, it's not that I can't, it's just the pressure of three pages in 20 minutes - they say time flies when you're having fun...can I suggest it flies when you're not too?!

Saturday mum and I had booked to go on a quilting course. Mum wanted me to do something that got my head out the books and really I needed to get her out of the house as she's been tied down there for the last six weeks due to having a bunion operation. Dad has been a star, but she's limited with where she can go that has a wheelchair as she can't go far on the crutches and, let's be honest, Dad isn't wanting to spend a day quilting or doing something like that!
So we made these:

with jelly roll. I'm rather pleased with the end result. I have no idea what I'll use it for, but I now know how to make a bag, so can probably make some for the children with just one strip of patterned material too. However, the upshot of the day (or rather down!) is that I realised just how elderly my machine is. The "chugga chugga ping" is not actually a healthy sound and isn't "quaint". I did end up with janome and elna-lust (won't make any sense if you're not familiar with sewing machines). Luckily I'm teaching several times over the next couple of weeks, so should have enough earned to feed my habit!



The other WIP that's finally finished is the cardigan for a friend's baby. I don't know what she's having, so opted for the cream. The pattern was using a Sirdar yarn, but I wasn't so keen on working with that feel, I tend to pull it too tight, so chose to use a Debbie Bliss cotton. This was my first error as the cotton doesn't go as far, so I ended up running all the way into the city one morning for one more ball of yarn, paying more for parking than the ball and buying more yarn that I probably don't need for future projects that I haven't started *sigh*. Anyway, I still ended up short, so adapted the pattern in the end to introduce a contrasting colour in the edging. I actually prefer this result as I feel it's more unisex. Now I just hope she likes it - people can be funny with knitted items!

I did have a sudden panic when I caught sight of the motif on the cardigan in the fading light last night that it looked suspiciously like a cannabis leaf, but luckily Mr Beehive relieved my fears informing me that it was all in my head *hmmmm*? So this one is now known as canabis cardi, which is hardly surprising since I've been re-reading Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May and am probably totally caught up in the psychadelia and trips!!! (again - makes no sense if you haven't read it!)

So, now we wait; for babies and unis...

The week in photos

Squirrel theft!


Durty Dawgs!




Revision!

This:

has become these for LMB to put inside her boots when we walk to school.



and of course, no young lady is quite complete without sporting a headband with felt flower which I made up from a practice band of cable I'd been working on - waste not want not and all that! My sister now wants one in black!



The cardigan just needs sleeves. Next project is to finish the front of Master Beehive the elder's sweater and decide if I have enough time to knit sleeves before he grows out of it, or if it might be better as a tank top ;-)
Then I want to start on a baby cardigan for a friend having a baby in April.

What else? Hmmm, well, since reading The Red Tent, I've suddenly become anxious about the fact that storytelling is an important part of discovering who we are. I've bought a book for my parents as a start, to ask them to fill it in to pass onto the grandchildren. I know my maternal grandmother actually started to write a book about her life and I realise how little I know about them. She used to tell us all the time, but when you're a child or teenager, you don't always take it in. Now she's gone and I'm anxious to hear her story, so my challenge over the next few months is to track down her notes (which I think went to my aunt when my grandmother died) and see if I can have a copy to read. Perhaps this is middle age, or maybe middle age is Mr Beehive, who is now "in" the crate with Meggie, apologising to her for him squirting the "no bark" this morning and her taking the hump with him ROFL!

Blues and the Red Tent!

Eugh! If there is one month I really loathe in a year, it's January. After a lovely Christmas, lots of hunkering down with family in the warm, home cooking, playing games and laughter, everyone tootles back off to school and work and I'm left with the grey sky and endless mounds of washing.
It's a looooong month and everything always seems to be dragging it's heels and getting off to a really slow start.

My midwifery interviews seem like aaaaaaages away and now I'm worked up because, despite getting the interviews and doing OU Human Bio next year and getting 80 and 90% on all my GCSE Biology assignments so far, I'm all bothered that I won't be "science-minded" enough to do it, despite the fact that I'm strongly of the opinion that midwifery is a holistic vocation that slots neatly into both art and science. I don't know if I'm just chomping at the bit, anxious to get started, or really bothered about this. Too many grey days where I can't get out and get dosed in Vitamin D is doing something to my confidence.



Still, we've booked our summer holiday, which really is something to get excited about. We have decided to have a big blow out holiday this year as from next it'll be unlikely that Mr Beehive, myself and the kids will be able to have two straight free weeks together for a while, so...we're going to Kenya! I'm really excited. The boys have always wanted to see the animals in their natural habitat, so we're having a week in the Masai Mara and a week in Malindi - whoop whoop!



I'm also reading a great book at the moment, which I have to share with you; it's The Red Tent by Anita Diamant It tells the story of Dinah and her family (she was the only daughter of Jacob and Leah in the Bible) and the Red Tent, the tent used by all the females in the family or commune during birth, their menses or postpartum. It weaves a wonderful tale of the solidarity of sisterhood and motherhood, kinda like girlpower in the old testament!
This was the place the tales of birth were told and witnessed, stuff that used to be handed down from generation to generation and now comes from NCT classes or the NHS in the form of a handout, no wonder birth has become managed and clinical!

Well, it's time for me to get under my duvet with a cup of tea and my book - I'll see you when I come out of hibernation in the Spring ;-))

Sleep talkin' man

So, everyone's talkin' about sleep talkin' man!!

If you have a spare half hour, want to tone your abs and have a Tena lady suitably in place, then proceed, however, be warned you may want to wear custard in your pants or never eat a fishcake again...

http://sleeptalkinman.blogspot.com/

Enjoy xx

Young face and old soul.

I wish I could get warm. My toes are frozen when I'm waiting for the children after school!

My midwifery interview was cancelled for today and rearranged to the end of Feb. Selfishly I was fed up about this as I'd done all the preparation and felt I was as current as I could be and on top of it all. I'm nervous that five weeks later I'll have gone off the boil. Still, it was a good decision for them to make really considering the snow is so bad everywhere and the interviewers need to get in and candidates need to travel.

So, instead, I am at home this weekend, in the warm where, really it doesn't matter if it snows again as we have central heating and enough food to feed an army in the freezer. We have fresh water and blankets, we don't need to go anywhere.

Some people don't have that choice. I am saddened when I read about the suffering, particularly of the elderly at this time of year, that they're having to make choices as to whether or not to eat or put on the heating? Where they're too scared to go out because the paths are not gritted, they get no visitors for days on end. Does anyone remember the lad last year who was arrested for gritting his elderly neighbours path and drive with council grit *sigh*.
Little Miss Beehive spent her Friday sweet money on a sandwich today! She then proceeded to give it to the homeless lady sat on 5 inches of snow and a few layers of cardboard outside the store. Now, my feet were cold in my expensive boots, so goodness knows how she was feeling. I was very proud of dd I must say. It made me sit up a bit and think and I'm going to remember to try and do one good deed for someone each day for the next month. It was an easy forfeit for LMB but made a lovely difference for that lady. I urge you to do the same. If you live next to an elderly, infirm, heavily pregnant person or just someone that you could offer a hand to, perhaps you could check if they have all they need and if not, offer to loan, buy or help?

I'm not normally one for sanctimonious postings, but my five year old daughter has woken me up to myself today so I'm passing on her spirit.

Stay warm x

Hogmanay

Well, Christmas is done and dusted for another twelve months and it's been a good one. I've really enjoyed hosting this year, far easier than shipping out and we've been particularly blessed with the snow (well, once everyone arrived safely!) and have been able to sled and really feel the spirit of the season along with a nice backdrop!

The end of the first decade of the noughties too!

It's been quite a ride since December 1999!

I am not one for setting resolutions for the New Year. It means I always fail in something within the first two weeks of a fresh year and why give myself the grief, but as 2009 draws to a close, I always, along with most of the blogging population I think, find myself reflecting on what they year has brought for us personally and for the extended community and what I'd love it to bring in 2010.

So, whilst I'm not intending on sharing my innermost thoughts with you at this point in time, reflect with me on the first ten years of this new millenium, what did it bring for you? where will you be in another ten years on the verge of January 2020?

Have a wonderful and happy New Year and I hope that 2010 brings what you wish for.

Christmas coiffing

Christmas is a comin'
the goose is getting fat,
Please put a penny in the old man's hat!

I love this time of year.
I love the preparations and the carols and the decorations and the tears and the bickering and the upset and, did I mention tears?

We're having everyone to us this year and I'm very excited, as long as the weather can behave itself between now and then. For the first time ever we have snow in the run up to Christmas *sigh*.

Earlier this week LMB was in her first ever nativity. It was touch and go for a moment if she'd make the heavenly host or not, but sadly, she was relegated to the level of singing guest. She was just fine about that and I was just glad we got through the whole performance without any digital brain surgery being performed as she was on the front row!

I also love this time of year because it gives me an excuse to cook and create, and this weekend I've been making edible gifts. I've made bags of truffles and am in the process of making some marron glace.

It seemed a great idea when I saw "Pam the Jam" making them on Hugh Fearnly-Wearnly's Christmas cook-off, however, what they failed to inform us, the unsuspecting public, they take up to four days to make and peeling them...peeling chestnuts...have you ever done this? Well, apart from the fact that I can probably get away with armed robbery as I no longer posess fingerprints I can now see the appeal in buying the pre-peeled version. So basically if anyone says they don't like them, they'll be eating them through a straw *grrr*!!


(Look, the Himalayas!!!!! hee hee!)

What else? Well, I'm sporting a new wig...not exactly impressed with it right now. I decided to "try out" a new wig shop and went in to ask the young...young girl (you have to be older than 10 to cut hair right?) if she knew what Lulu's hair looked like...mistake number 1. Mistake number two was accepting that she had actually seen Twilight and knew what Alice's hair looked like (the closest modern Lulu I could think of). Odd thing was, despite not knowing Lulu, the end result was suprisingly Farrah Fawcett *eurgh*. So, I'm off back to my usual wiggery, picture in hand to get the real McCoy!

So, wishing you all a very merry Christmas, happy holidays and wonderful 2010, let it be peaceful and amazing for you all.


Oh and we're having turkey, not goose!

A new path and BF acronyms

Well, life is a changing again. I am forseeing the imminent change for this blog too.

In the last few weeks we've made one or two important decisions and for the first time in my life I've seized the bull well and truly by the horns and acted on them.

So, what's got me here? Firstly, we've sadly discovered that we are suffering from secondary infertility, so I'm now at a crossroads in my life. I've stepped over the precipice into "life the other side of having babies". Not sure how I'm feeling with it all. Somedays I feel desperately unhappy and would love to push this for all it's worth, but other days I feel remarkably calm and composed and excited to what is the otherside of the door.

I've gone through moment of feeling like life is kind of over, well the fun bits, I've left home, gone to uni, got a job, got married, bought my own home and had babies....what now? It actually has left me dangling a bit. In the last ten years I've been so busy, been pregnant, been studying, been travelling. Now it's all ended.

Obviously, I'm not going to dwell on this, because on the otherside of the precipice is life with older children, watching them grow up and make choices and become adults etc, which in itself is really exciting.

There's the opportunity to finally find my pre baby bod - I'm currently working out three times a week at the gym (well, nearly three times, if it wasn't for poorly kids and advent celebrations meaning that my Friday sessions are being put off *tut* lol!) and I am now going to take time to do the thing that I've been wanting to do ever since I jumped on the baby bandwagon.

I'm going to return to university and do the degree that, in hindsight, I probably should have done the first time around! I'm going to be a midwife (well....if I get accepted of course!)

I've spent ten years doing everything baby related, the NCT chair, being an antenatal teacher, being a doula, working with postpartum mums and babies - I think it's about time to answer that call.

Yesterday evening at about 6.30pm I pressed "send" on my UCAS application to do a BSc (hons) in midwifery. Now, I wait!

I've applied for 2011, so deferring for a year as I intend to start once we move in the house in Oxfordshire and the children are finally settled.

I'm terribly excited about it all- I think I also have a rather unhealthy relationship with my NUS card having had one for the best part of ten years of my 37 and likely (fingers crossed) to have one for another three or four!

I've decided I need to do my Biology GCSE, I don't actually "need" it as I already have a GCSE in Chemistry, but I personally think I do as my original leanings at sixth form were in the arts.

So over the next few years I'm hoping that I'll be able to update on my progress and change in direction, moving away from life as I've known it so far, into the realms of uteri (I'm sure there has to be a plural ;-)), SROM's, FBS, FHR and EDD!!!

OMFG WHILMSIF?

Fools rush in.

Little did I realise when I named my first born, ten years ago, that his name when wailed loudly by a four year old would sound so much like "mammy". The number of times I've gone running to be met by an exasperated tweenie sighing with despair "Not YOU, mammy" Still, I guess I get my workouts in most days with all the cardio stairs I do.

Then there is the time when you thought you were doing your children a favour by not dumbing down language into "ickle wickle and cutsie wootsie" and it backfires with your middle child coming out of school remonstrating how his new BFF isn't "ready to come over for a playdate yet because he needs to get a grip on himself, because today he has been a despicable git" (apparently he (the bff) got into trouble at school). I did have to inhale my tonsils at this fishwifery.

Or the time when you realise that speed reading the bedtime story probably isn't the best way forward to encourage your child to learn the words and Hairy McClary from Donaldson's Dairy is "most definitely" Hamey M'laney from Domalson Damey and nothing you can say or do will convince her otherwise.

And finally you realise that it isn't just you, when your nephew, who has had a slightly *emphasis on slightly* wheezy chest over the last couple of days, tells his teacher that "it's me heart, Miss" when his wicked mother sends him into school...

Oh well, when they grow up, they can blame it all on me when it goes full circle mwahahaha!

All Hallow's Eve

Today I've been performing pumpkin surgery art. My kids don't like to do things by half. Asking if they'd like a witch or ghost or something on the pumpkins, they decided that nothing would do but Harry Potter,Hermione Grainger,and Darth Vader!



The camera doesn't actually enhance them well. If a light is shone into them, I have to say they make me proud.

We now have about half a ton of pumpkin flesh and a load of seeds that I've spent a good hour washing and separating. I'll toast these later with some cumin and pepper, they'll make a good Christmas present!!

Num3ers

LMB is getting more and more interested in numbers.

Two and three digits are the current favourite.

Today as we walked to school she announced that Grandma was not so old.

Grandma is only 65 (love that only in there, hope she remembers that adverb when I'm approaching 65)

She knows this because she drew it on the picture of the cake for Grandma's birthday last week.

As we passed a lampost with a number 100 on it, she declared

"This is a deadly number!"

"Why is it deadly?" I ask, curious to find out if what I am thinking is what she is thinking

"Because if Grandma was this number, she'd be dead, so it's a deadly number"

What can I say...?

It's all just utter crap!

A few weeks back, Mr Beehive the younger started a new school. It's been a steady transition with one of us panicking more than the other - I'll leave you to decide who.

However, he is beginning to settle well and has started to make one or two friends. This morning as I dropped him, he ran off with one of them without so much as a goodbye.

Well, that's a good thing, no?

Just as the bell rang I saw him running back towards me.

Ah! He's not forgotten me after all, he's not so big that he doesn't still need his mama's goodbye hug and reassuring words for the day.

"Have you come back to say goodbye?" I say, arms a-spread to catch him, large smile on my face.

"No! I just wanted to tell you that one of the boys in the breakfast club had done a MASSIVE pooh and we were all looking at it!"

Gee! Thanks babe!

I've now just wasted a good half hour cleaning pooh off the smallest rugrat - no, not LMB, but Little Miss DoggyBeehive. I have no idea WHAT she found to roll it, but fragrant it was not.
To show my disgust at her choice of haute couture, I stomped her upstairs to plonk her in the bath - the shower head was my weapon of revenge.

Get the feeling it's a shit day?!

Mrs Potato Head

Master Beehive the elder has gone to the farm again today to help with the potato harvest. He went last week and brought me back 3 or 4lbs of lovely spuds as payment for his help.

I dropped him off this morning with his mate. We usually walk but he'd spent half the morning whinging that it was wet out AND he had to catch the bus to the farm AND walk...ALL...AROUND...THE...FIELDS...ALL...DAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY! So I caved and drove them there.

"I won't be bringing any potatoes back this time, mum." he announces as he's climbing out of the car.

"Oh? why's that?"

"I'm fed up with the inside of my rucksack being covered with mud"

Right - 'cos I didn't spend ages scrubbing it pristine for him *sigh*

"It's okay!" says I, remembering my Brownie motto, "Be Prepared".

I hand him a considerably fugly, reusable bag, one of many that I have kicking around the car.

"You can put them in here" I add with a sweet mummy smile

The face...was a picture...

Bet he wished he'd walked!!! Mwahahahahahaha!!!

Monach of the Glen

Mr Beehive and I had a fun weekend just gone. My folks came up as we'd bought my mum tickets to go and see Cliff Richard and the Shadows. She's looooooooong been a fan of the wrinkly old sexigenarian and I was dutifully brought up on a diet of Bachelor Boy and We don't talk anymore (and that was before I was the one saying it as a teen lol!), but she'd never actually had the opportunity to scream and wave her smalls at him (although I'm thinking he's not really a knicker kinda guy!)...so, she and dad had a great night out amongst Glasgow's finest Cliff fans on Saturday evening much to her surprise as we'd kept it secret for over 7 months!!

Sunday, I'd bought Mr Beehive a Highland Safari trek as part of his birthday pressie. We went up to Pitlochry to "stalk deer" in the hills. It was a really fun, if not freezing cold day. We were the only ones on the tour, so had the enjoyment of "Golly" and the Bothy picnic all to ourselves. Poor bugger had to sport the uniform of fully scottish dress in temperatures of around 5 or 6 degrees c!! It was incredibly windy too....and yes....he was dressed modestly ;-)
Look hard! There are deer on that hill.


Today my kitchen smells like Christmas. I've started on my mincemeat. It costs more, is more labour intensive, but there's nothing like the smell, likewise, the taste in your own mincepies!

It's a long drawn out process, that involved me standing on the school playground yesterday with a brown bag and a bottle of brandy peeking out - at 3.15pm! Obviously the sun wasn't past the yardarm and the whole bottle ended up in with the fruit...I promise - I hate brandy!

So, if you fancy making my adaptation of mincemeat, here's your recipe:

(Oh and don't expect precision - you know how I cook!)

Around 1lb of dried sultanas and raisins
approx half lb of cranberries
bag of vegetable suet
juice of one lemon
rind of the same lemon and one orange
2 large apples peeled, cored and grated
around 200g dark brown sugar
35cl brandy or rum
3 tbs apple juice
1 tbs dessicated coconut
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp clove powder
1 - 2 cinnamon sticks


Put it all into a bowl bar the apple juice and coconut, stir it up and add the alcohol. Cover and leave to stand for a minimum of 12 hours.

Add about 3 tablespoons of applejuice and the coconut. Put on the heat and allow to simmer gently for about an hour.

Bottle into sterile mason jars or smaller jam jars if you're giving it as a gift.

Logorrhea is not a sexually transmitted disease!

Dahhhhhhhhling! It's been so long.......again!

So as a writer - (you see I can actually call myself that officially now as I am published and holding a pay cheque!! See issue number 31 of The Green Parent magazine) I have come to discover that not only can we suffer from the dreaded writer's block, but we can also suffer from the equally as appalling writer's cacoethes loquendi (you'll have to google that one ;-)

So much has happened since I last posted that quite honestly don't know how to put it down on paper, or should that read screen!

I suppose it started about six weeks ago when I last left you. I was awaiting a visit from my best friend where my dust was going to be secretly inspected for quality and quantity!

However, fate took over the week and spoiled it by our poor dog having to be put to sleep. I am not going to go into it all again as it's still raw, suffice to say, we were all devastated.

Oh, then we lost our house sale again...third time!

So, we've been sitting in the doldrums for a few weeks, however, things are picking up now with us having tentatively sold the house...again and we are now the new owners of a wee beauty called Meggie who, although isn't replacing our Red, has a wonderful charm and is helping us all heal (me particularly)
I also got my cheque for my article, have put two books in the post to two different publishers (I expect rejection letters - but hey ho I'm currently under the illusion of that bugger called confidence!) and have taught my first antenatal course in Edinburgh since arriving.

But, all this boring everyday adult stuff aside, life is far more traumatic for a child. The other evening I went upstairs to read LMB her bedtime story only to discover her sat on the floor, buck naked, in tears, head hanging.

"What's up?"

"I.." cue large sniffing session "...look!"

I look to where she is pointing to discover a really, ickle, pickle dot on her lady area...front bottom...foo foo whatever you may desire to name it...

"I..." cue more sniffing and amdram, ".....have a.......... SPOT!" *falls in a complete heap, sobbing*

This morning she has come to terms with her freckle and peace currently reigns.

God help me when she hits puberty!