Monthly Round Up (December 09)

The end of another month, means another round-up ... you know the routine.

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As usual I have loads of nonsense about which to chat this month. Where to start? Perhaps with a collection of photos:

Those are all close ups of a very wonderful piece of work. A while ago I was lucky enough to be a runner up in a giveaway at Kellie Wolfsohn's blog Don't Look Now! For those of you who don't know her blog, get yourself over there and read, and marvel, and drool, and browse the stunning work of a mistress of her art. I don't think she has ever made anything that I didn't want to either attempt or to own myself (and usually both).

But seeing her work close up is something else. Wow. Blimey, it's fabtastic. Kellie made this cushion for No.1, whose bedroom is largely pink,green, cream and white. It now has pride of place on No.1's bed, and will be loved very, very much. Thank you so much Kellie - x - we both think it's one of the loveliest things in our home.

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Next, I want to show you this:

It's a moneybox. A money tin: A tin with a slot in the top through which to post wonga. Usually, there is a 'plug' in the bottom of savings boxes, to allow one to access the dosh within, but not this one. This tin can only be opened with a tin opener. That means if I'm running short and need a couple of quid for something, I can't swipe it from the tin and pretend I didn't! We won't know how much is within until we open it next summer.

Whenever my purse if full of coins, they go in that tin, or if I find an unexpected fiver, it goes in the tin. Because next year, the smalls and I are having a proper holiday. A summer holiday by the sea. Not a long break, but some days spent in another place, relaxing and leaving behind the trials and tribulations of home. We'll have to leave Georgie-cat too, about which I'm not so pleased :-( I'm not sure what sort of reception we'll get when we get back - we've never left her before. If I ever went off and left my old cat Guinness, I invariably got the cold shoulder, and perhaps a scratch or two just so I was aware of his feelings on the matter!

Our holiday next year is with my mum who is having a big birthday - one of those ones that have a '0' on the end. I asked her if she'd like a party, and said I was happy to organise same, but after a bit of thought she said 'no', she'd rather have a little holiday with the kids instead. My brother is coming for part of it too. To say I am looking forward to it is something of an understatement - it's been so long since I had a 'real' holiday.

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I'm afraid my addiction to the Mafia Wars game at Facebook shows no signs of abating. This month I completed the Cuban part of the game, earning myself the title of 'El Cacique Principal', and now I find myself entangled in the underworld doings of the Vory and the Mafiya in downtown Moscow.

I am amazed that I could so enjoy a simple online game, but there you are ... simple things please simple minds.

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May I ask if any of you fellow bloggers are subject to spammy comments? Specifically oriental spammy comments? In the past 3 or 4 weeks, I have deleted legions of comments, most of them on my October post about Halloween. Why that post attracted them, I have no idea, but I wish they'd stop. I don't even know what they're about. I tried copying and pasting one into Babelfish, which told me it meant this:

The man it is sweet, temporarily we have become necessary for the madams. The privacy which does not have stimulus is very harsh, [kokoro] and [karada] stress has very much increased the madam who the 堪 [ru] on the one hand, in such requests healing from the delivery host, as for the [serebu] woman, the man is insufficient state. You one time trying experiencing the work which becomes healing the women how, probably will be?

That was using the Japanese to English option. The Chinese to English, and Korean to English options provided different translations. Do you think it's about chemical substances to enhance bedroom Olympics, perchance? Whatever it is, I wish it would spam off.

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How was Christmas for you, Dear Reader? I attended a really lovely party on Christmas Eve and would like to thank the hosts - C&J - very much for their hospitality. The boys were in one room, the girls in another, and the grown ups in a third - seemed to work perfectly! No.2 didn't come, he was such a poorly boy :( We are wondering if he has had Swine Flu - his symptoms seem to match those of friends of mine who have had it. At 1am on Boxing Day morning he was cuddled up in my bed, crying, and said 'can you make it go away Mum? Only I can't cope'. Bless him, he has never said anything like that before, always bearing illness with an admirable stoicism and good humour. I am pleased to say he seems to be on the mend now and has some colour returning to his Yuletide pale cheeks. His sense of taste hasn't yet returned to normal and thus he has a whole pile of chocolate to wade through once he feels up to it!

The kids received some lovely presents, as did I. A collage of some of my gifts:

As you might expect, I had some photographically-flavoured gifts, it being my latest 'thing'. My brother bought me a year's subscription to Digital Photo magazine, which I have been buying for the past few months. Each issue comes with a cd rom of Photoshop/Elements tutorials; they have proved very useful and interesting. It's going to be so cool getting the magazines through the post every month.

Do you see that red heart in the bottom left of the picture? I have two of those - a gift from my pal 'F'. Such a brilliant thing ... one presses the metal disc in the middle, and the red gel begins to harden and become opaque, as the heart heats up. The idea is that they warm the hands on a cold day if one puts them inside a glove or pocket, and my friend bought them with my spectating at No.2's footie games in mind. They are going to be brilliant for just that purpose. They are reusable ... to return them to their original 'gel' state, you have to wrap them in a tea towel and put them in a saucepan of water, which you bring to simmering point. Then switch off the heat, and leave the whole thing in the water to cool. I didn't really believe it would work, but it does.

I can also recommend the Wii games shown above. Both Family Trainer and Wii Fit Plus have produced much tittering in our household as we watch one another try to attempt kayaking down a river, completing an obstacle course, leading a marching band in rhythm, or doing Kung Fu exercises. Family Trainer comes with a mat on which you do the various challenges, and of course Wii Fit Plus uses the balance board one has with the original Wii Fit. These games are so good for the winter time, meaning anyone can take part in as much physical activity as they like, without having to step out of the door into the freezing weather. My brother and I bought a Wii and some games for my mum, I think she's going to love it.

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The end of this month finds me a bit battered and bruised emotionally and mentally. For various reasons, I found December 09 a rather 'challenging' month; and whilst 2009 wasn't anywhere near as traumatic as 2008 in terms of out-and-out 'Aaaarrrrggghhhhh' moments in life, I suspect it has taken me much of the year to just start to mend what the events of 2008 did to me, along with some unwelcome developments in 2009. I know there will be further 'issues' in 2010 too, even though I heartily wish for some peace.

One of the casualties of 2009 was my blog. My precious blog which, despite appearances to the contrary, I do love. It used to be such a happy place but I fear it now exudes an unpleasant ambience of neglect and reticence, and for that I apologise. I have mused making it private, and may still do that: Then I can say whatever I like without fear of reprisal(s). But there is a part of me which feels that would be conceding a 'defeat' of sorts, which I am reluctant to do. So ... for the time being I shall continue to hang on in here, hoping to surmount the metaphorical wall around me; and thank those of you who continue to read and leave lovely comments, for hanging on in here too.

I'd like to wish anyone reading this a very Happy New Year. May 2010 bring you everything your heart desires, and then a little bit more on top. xxx

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Boxing Day

Just a quick post from me to say thank you to all those who left kind and encouraging messages on my previous post. I took a lot of your advice, and had a morning which involved eating breakfast in bed; having a long, lazy bath and pamper session, before heading over to my mum's.

The kids came back to me at the appointed time, and presents were opened at speed. No.2 appears to have a properly horrible lurgi, so wasn't really in the mood, bless him. I'm not sure what he's got, but he has a high temperature, cough and the snotters, so we're giving the Boxing Day party to which we were invited, a miss. Cuddles on the sofa are the order of the day. No.1 is complaining of a blinding head, so I suspect she's coming down with it too.

I'll love and leave you with this thought:

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A Victorian Christmas

Every year a local town holds a Victorian themed festive evening - in early December. Up until now I had only been a visitor, but this year No.2's football club were asking for helpers for the cake stall they were holding at the event. The kids were due to be at their dad's that weekend, so I thought 'why not?' and volunteered. Parents of the boys were asked to make cakes for the stall - I sent along a lemon drizzle cake:

Last year I remembered that we were queueing in the car to get into town for a good half an hour, so this year I was determined to set out early. In the event I was a little too early, but never mind. It enabled me to walk round and get some pictures before doing my 'bit'. No.1 was meeting her friends for the evening, so I gave her a lift too.

Lots of the stallholders were in costume - these guys were only too happy to pose:

A local radio station was broadcasting from the town square - the DJ having officially switched on the lights on the huge tree. There were some reindeer there, and some donkeys:

The lady who was tending the donkeys told me this little lady was quite the drama queen and had appeared on stage at the famous Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

There were some clowns and other entertainers. This guy was on stilts, and when he saw me point the camera, played up to it:

The shops tend to put on beautiful Christmassy displays. The tea rooms, having beautiful 'presents' and ornaments lining the upper shelves surrounding the room:

There is an annual 'window display' competition, and one particular shop always does very well. They won this year with a gorgeous Victorian themed display.

I saw these two chatting and had to laugh - full costume, complete with plaster cast and cigarette!

There were carousel and fairground rides for kids of all ages.

One of the pubs was blowing faux snow from a window, which did add to the atmosphere. There was a Punch & Judy show going on, but No.1 is completely freaked out by puppets, etc. and the authentic Victorian automaton display made her decidedly edgy. We walked past very quickly. Santa was there, with a sackful of gifts for the younger children, and I had to peer quite closely at this life sized model to make sure there wasn't a real person inside.

I didn't have to stand at the stall all evening. The wife of the current coach came and relieved me of my duties after a while. It was nice to see lots of people enjoying themselves, but seeing this lady reminded me that Christmas isn't always a happy time for everyone. She looked so sad.

I wonder what made her feel that way?

For the first time since they were born, the children won't be with me when they wake up on Christmas Day this year. I'm having a bit of a hard time getting my head round it, and feeling rather downhearted. Still, we are better off than many, and I will see them later in the day. I did float the concept of pretending that Boxing Day was Christmas Day and doing the whole thing the next day, but they gave that idea a big thumbs down. We shall do our Christmas morning on Christmas evening instead.

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The Nerf

At the end of October, when it was his birthday, No.2 was given lots of gifts. One of them was a 'Pocket Howler' by Nerf. The general idea is that the Howler is thrown through the air which prompts it to howl (actually it's more of a whistle but let's not split hairs).

This is what a new Nerf Howler looks like:

Nice and pristine, with a rocket-shaped 'front bit' and nice blue 'fins' at the back.

No.2 and his pals have played with it a little bit, but the plain truth is that this toy (to which we refer as 'The Nerf') has been unceremoniously hi-jacked by another family member. This other family member has claimed The Nerf as their own, insisting it stays near them. This other family member gets quite stroppy if No.2 plays with his own toy. Any ideas who might have nicked it?

Well, here's our Nerf:

Note the 'fins':

They look less than healthy, don't they?

Here's another clue for you:

That tail and that Nerf are usually in close proximity to one another.

Don't be fooled by this picture of innocence either:

She's just trying to throw you off the scent.

I got my camera handy when she thought I wasn't watching, and uploaded a little video for you ... now the truth can be unveiled in all its shocking glory:

The little b*gger.

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Trasha Lou's Rainbow Swap - Part II

One of the nice things about doing a bloggy swap is that not only do you get the pleasure of making something, and choosing other sundry bits for the person to whom you are sending. But you also receive a parcel of loveliness for yourself. And thus it was with Mrs Trasha's Rainbow Swap.

A parcel arrived for me on a very grey day. The rain was lashing down, the wind was howling, and my mood was not good. In fact I was a right old misery. Then the postman rang the bell and handed over a parcel. He needed a signature and I puzzled, trying to rack my brains and think what I might have ordered. Then I saw the return address label and had to suppress a little squeal of excitement. My parcel was from Ms Ginger Monkey herself, and if she sends a parcel it is a GOOD parcel.

Having signed the card and bid the postie cheery bye, I scuttled into the kitchen and set about the parcel, unpeeling the brown paper layers until I found a box:

Even the box was cool - a pukka Converse All Star box no less. No.1 is well impressed and wants that box.

Then I found all sorts of goodness inside:

A beautiful card in the brightest colours:

Some rainbow coloured stickers, some totally gorgeous pastels and some lollipops:

There was a box of very pretty candles:

Katy had made a really lovely pincushion:

And also included some pins with heads in colours of the rainbow:

There was a little box containing gorgeous CK threads:

And lastly a soft, bright knitted vision of rainbow loveliness:

Which I have told No.2 is not a hat for our Buddha's head ornament:

And is instead just perfect for my little brown teapot:

Didn't I do well? Thank you so much Katy - x. And thanks again to Mrs Trash for the fabulous swappage - x.

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