Playing with Starbucks' new toys.
29/52 Happy? Getting to play with all the things you wish you had of had as a child.
Showing posts with label 1/52. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1/52. Show all posts
Saturday, January 04, 2014
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Team Ambition
Last night was my work Christmas do. It was fun, but I left at 8pm when the last 7 started dancing and being so drunk that when they weren't dancing they were happy to sit in a chair staring into space. It was great to start making new friends at work as I have been pretty lonely there for a while. I learnt a lot about my new team mates, and what impressed me was some of their life dreams. Ones' was to cycle around the world! He even had a plan on how to do it. Another was into extreme sports, which got me thinking, 'well, I'd quite like to do a skydive if the chance ever presented itself'. And that's where my mistake lies. How is this chance ever going to present itself (to be fair I'm not sure I could actually go through with this) but if you don't seek it out, adventures rarely fall in your lap.
If I want to be the sort of person who has a tea pot, I've gotta go out and buy it!!! New years resolution, buy a teapot. That's genuine. However, I also really want to build a family home out of storage contains, or an old bus. How do I start that happening?
If I want to be the sort of person who has a tea pot, I've gotta go out and buy it!!! New years resolution, buy a teapot. That's genuine. However, I also really want to build a family home out of storage contains, or an old bus. How do I start that happening?
If you want a Happyland empire, you got get it out the box and build it! (and if you're really creative throw in a box of passata for an abstract element).
26/52 Happy? I CAN create an adventure next year.
Monday, December 16, 2013
The 13 sins of Starbucks
1. Starbucks wakes up and emanates the most annoying sound known to man from her cot. Its a cross between deep breathing and a car with a broken exhaust sound, she makes it continually without break until she sees someone. She gets collected from her cot with a warm greeting and deposited into our bed with the hope that one day she will lay there and go back to sleep for a few hours. snug.
2. After 30 seconds laying there Starbucks begins shouting. Its probably not shouting, but when you've not heard anything for 8 hours, its definitely louder than anything you want to hear. 'Mummy, mummy, daddy' accompanied by pointing labelling you.
3. After having had it reaffirmed that no-one name has changed over night she stands up unsteadily on the pillows and begins looking at the books on the shelf above our head. She grabs one, but its so heavy it falls from her grip and hits Xss on the head. aahh! (we remain laying down as long as possible to maximise energy savings settings).
4. Starbucks finds this new reaction funny and continues to make her own 'aahh!' noise. She drops another book onto our pillows while shouting 'aahh' in a hope that we will also make the noise again. Time to get out of the danger zone, thus forced to get up
5. On entering the kitchen Starbucks pushes the chair over to her highchair and climbs in (a handy new trick). She then spends a while thinking about what cereal she wants while the wheatabix or corn flakes are placed in front of her. She points to the wheatabix box but then makes a loud shouting noise when you try to get it out. She wants corn flakes. I apologise and try to serve her corn flakes, to which she shouts, 'NO'. She wants Wheatabix but not for me to touch the packet.
6. I try to allow her to get it out, but there's A LOT of pressure in those small fingers and all she does is chip the wheatabix into crumbs that proceed to get stuck over her PJ's. (they don't wash out either for some reason).
7. She then wont let me put her bib on. i remove her breakfast from reach and a stand off ensues, before she calmly agrees to let me put it on after all.
8. I give her a cup of water, which she puts her spoon in to stir. She then begins to try to drink it using her spoon and it spills over her chair. I have to dry everything off with a cloth.
9. She finishes eating her cereal and begins drinking the milk from the bowl. However the only part of this she has mastered is putting the bowl to her mouth height. She pours the milky wheatabix cement down her front, the chair and the floor/wall. She is satisfied that she has done an adult thing and smiles.
10. As i bend down under the table to wipe this all up she patronisingly pats me on the head. Wheatabix hair, a great look I'm beginning to perfect for work.
11. I take Starbucks to the bathroom to wash her hands and do her teeth. She stands on the table next to the sink and labels the toothbrushes, 'mummy, dadddy'. She chooses her own and demands paste and water on it. I do mine at the same time to save time. As i spit into the bowl Starbucks stops brushing and pokes at my spit with her finger. I tell her not to.
12. So she does it again and then hurriedly eats it.
13. I promptly wash the spit away and continue. As i try to continue spitting out toothpaste and stopping Starbucks from touching it i accidentally spit on her head as she leans into the way.
I continue to try to sound chirpy, but she's only been awake 20 minutes.
25/52 Happy? More often than not, I don't care about all these things happening to me. Just go with it. It's only going to get worse when/if we have more.
2. After 30 seconds laying there Starbucks begins shouting. Its probably not shouting, but when you've not heard anything for 8 hours, its definitely louder than anything you want to hear. 'Mummy, mummy, daddy' accompanied by pointing labelling you.
3. After having had it reaffirmed that no-one name has changed over night she stands up unsteadily on the pillows and begins looking at the books on the shelf above our head. She grabs one, but its so heavy it falls from her grip and hits Xss on the head. aahh! (we remain laying down as long as possible to maximise energy savings settings).
4. Starbucks finds this new reaction funny and continues to make her own 'aahh!' noise. She drops another book onto our pillows while shouting 'aahh' in a hope that we will also make the noise again. Time to get out of the danger zone, thus forced to get up
5. On entering the kitchen Starbucks pushes the chair over to her highchair and climbs in (a handy new trick). She then spends a while thinking about what cereal she wants while the wheatabix or corn flakes are placed in front of her. She points to the wheatabix box but then makes a loud shouting noise when you try to get it out. She wants corn flakes. I apologise and try to serve her corn flakes, to which she shouts, 'NO'. She wants Wheatabix but not for me to touch the packet.
6. I try to allow her to get it out, but there's A LOT of pressure in those small fingers and all she does is chip the wheatabix into crumbs that proceed to get stuck over her PJ's. (they don't wash out either for some reason).
7. She then wont let me put her bib on. i remove her breakfast from reach and a stand off ensues, before she calmly agrees to let me put it on after all.
8. I give her a cup of water, which she puts her spoon in to stir. She then begins to try to drink it using her spoon and it spills over her chair. I have to dry everything off with a cloth.
9. She finishes eating her cereal and begins drinking the milk from the bowl. However the only part of this she has mastered is putting the bowl to her mouth height. She pours the milky wheatabix cement down her front, the chair and the floor/wall. She is satisfied that she has done an adult thing and smiles.
10. As i bend down under the table to wipe this all up she patronisingly pats me on the head. Wheatabix hair, a great look I'm beginning to perfect for work.
11. I take Starbucks to the bathroom to wash her hands and do her teeth. She stands on the table next to the sink and labels the toothbrushes, 'mummy, dadddy'. She chooses her own and demands paste and water on it. I do mine at the same time to save time. As i spit into the bowl Starbucks stops brushing and pokes at my spit with her finger. I tell her not to.
12. So she does it again and then hurriedly eats it.
13. I promptly wash the spit away and continue. As i try to continue spitting out toothpaste and stopping Starbucks from touching it i accidentally spit on her head as she leans into the way.
I continue to try to sound chirpy, but she's only been awake 20 minutes.
25/52 Happy? More often than not, I don't care about all these things happening to me. Just go with it. It's only going to get worse when/if we have more.
Monday, November 25, 2013
The magic happens at home
What makes a good parent? The typical society answer is something about Love. But pretty much everyone loves their children, even if they abandon them and abuse them, they will often still love them. sorry, this wasn't supposed to be depressing. I have been trying to conceptualise what it is that makes some mums (a more available subject to study than dad's -rarely seen Mon-Fri) impress me. One part of this answer is creativity. Parents who continually think of ways to challenge, inspire and create memories with their children through the activities they think up.
One mum today made play-doh with cinnamon and mixed spice in, there was then a bowl of star anise, and other seeds and spices i don't know, to stick into it. It was incredible. She also got a lump of clay, and a bunch of twigs, leaves and bracken and then encouraged the children to make a clay island which they 'planted' the winter leaves. It was brilliant. (oh how my the concept of what is brilliant has changed since having a baby!)
That's not the best though. A mummy friend found a blog by some brilliant parents (creative parents), who have created DINOVEMBER> whats dinovember you ask? Obviously, it is a month of nights when toy dinosaurs everywhere come to life and cause carnage in the house while the kids are asleep. There is plenty of photographic evidence on their blog/facebook page. Its amazing.
Starbucks is a little young at the moment, and we don't have any dinosaurs yet. I don't think the plastic baby walker would lend itself to such expression. But when we have something similar we will for sure.
check it out.
24/52 Happy? Admiring creativity.
One mum today made play-doh with cinnamon and mixed spice in, there was then a bowl of star anise, and other seeds and spices i don't know, to stick into it. It was incredible. She also got a lump of clay, and a bunch of twigs, leaves and bracken and then encouraged the children to make a clay island which they 'planted' the winter leaves. It was brilliant. (oh how my the concept of what is brilliant has changed since having a baby!)
That's not the best though. A mummy friend found a blog by some brilliant parents (creative parents), who have created DINOVEMBER> whats dinovember you ask? Obviously, it is a month of nights when toy dinosaurs everywhere come to life and cause carnage in the house while the kids are asleep. There is plenty of photographic evidence on their blog/facebook page. Its amazing.
Starbucks is a little young at the moment, and we don't have any dinosaurs yet. I don't think the plastic baby walker would lend itself to such expression. But when we have something similar we will for sure.
check it out.
24/52 Happy? Admiring creativity.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Monday, November 04, 2013
Weird baby stuff....
i thought i'd share this, as i personally thought i was going mad:
Two Christmas's ago, Xss and I went to see Arthur Christmas the movie. It was great, I love a good Christmas themed animation, during this film I felt Starbucks move for the first time. It was a little underwhelming, but undoubtedly I had felt an unborn person pushing me around from the inside.
Although I have all the outward signals that I am not pregnant (periods, no bump (well a small chocolate eating bump) I was half certain that I must be pregnant, and at least 4 months along, as I would often feel a baby moving inside of me again. Interestingly this is a common phenomenon! Luckily, I am not secretly pregnant despite being able to feel another human being in my abdomen!
Theories about why this might be include- being more aware of this sensation of your womb moving and recognising this now despite it having happened pre-pregnancy as well, wombs taking longer to contract than previously thought and these movements being my womb still shrinking down to its pre-stretched size... whatever the reason, it was so good to read that I was not going mad, nor permanently 4 months pregnant, although having such s small bump so far along would be brilliant.
Another joy of pregnancy, feeling an imaginary baby pushing you around for years after the actual event!
21/52 Happy? Not being pregnant and having another human being stuffed into my belly.
Two Christmas's ago, Xss and I went to see Arthur Christmas the movie. It was great, I love a good Christmas themed animation, during this film I felt Starbucks move for the first time. It was a little underwhelming, but undoubtedly I had felt an unborn person pushing me around from the inside.
Although I have all the outward signals that I am not pregnant (periods, no bump (well a small chocolate eating bump) I was half certain that I must be pregnant, and at least 4 months along, as I would often feel a baby moving inside of me again. Interestingly this is a common phenomenon! Luckily, I am not secretly pregnant despite being able to feel another human being in my abdomen!
Theories about why this might be include- being more aware of this sensation of your womb moving and recognising this now despite it having happened pre-pregnancy as well, wombs taking longer to contract than previously thought and these movements being my womb still shrinking down to its pre-stretched size... whatever the reason, it was so good to read that I was not going mad, nor permanently 4 months pregnant, although having such s small bump so far along would be brilliant.
Another joy of pregnancy, feeling an imaginary baby pushing you around for years after the actual event!
21/52 Happy? Not being pregnant and having another human being stuffed into my belly.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Green Tomato Chutney
I am very good at growing green tomatos, infact i've never managed to grow a red one in our garden in London. It got me thinking, and in the grand scheme of life- how do you know you have done well?? For me one of those things is being a 'homemaker' - is that a word already? I like baking, and i want to be a domestic goddess. When i knew i was having a baby i pledged to have at least one homebaked biscuit/cake/sweet permenantly in the house. I tried for a while but the time, and the fact that i then continually eat such things mean i gave up.
However, i think you must have made it in this world, as a woman, if you've made chutney. yep. i stand by that. So i made green tomato chutney. It was of limited success. I'd like to make the disclaimer that perhaps it was the green tomatos- as since they dont taste like tomatos do, add no merit to a product, and therefore any pickle with green tomato in the title seems like it could be relabeled simply, 'pickle'. My green tomato chutney filled the room with fumes as i boiled off the 2 pints of vinigar the recipe called for. The resulting spread is suitably brown, but tastes like maple syrup drizzled over 'stuff'. chewy pasta?
Anyone any other suggestions of how you can know if you;ve made it in the world. I recon a home made bedspread might count, but i dont have the effort for that!
20/52 Happy? i dont have to eat this chutney i made!
However, i think you must have made it in this world, as a woman, if you've made chutney. yep. i stand by that. So i made green tomato chutney. It was of limited success. I'd like to make the disclaimer that perhaps it was the green tomatos- as since they dont taste like tomatos do, add no merit to a product, and therefore any pickle with green tomato in the title seems like it could be relabeled simply, 'pickle'. My green tomato chutney filled the room with fumes as i boiled off the 2 pints of vinigar the recipe called for. The resulting spread is suitably brown, but tastes like maple syrup drizzled over 'stuff'. chewy pasta?
Ah well, here is a picture of Denzil the dog showing it off.
Anyone any other suggestions of how you can know if you;ve made it in the world. I recon a home made bedspread might count, but i dont have the effort for that!
20/52 Happy? i dont have to eat this chutney i made!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
October Womenhood - Gentleness
My principle aim when i went on maternity leave was to spend some time each week with other Christian women learning from the bible. I began looking when i was pregnant and failed at the first hurdle when the leader from a very academic church in the city, politely met me for coffee (I paid) in a posh cafe, and went on to say i was not welcome to attend her group until i was well established at their church. hmph. i'm not moving churches.
My quest improved and i attended several different groups, until eventually Lorax and I started our own group at our church. This was brilliant and i learnt a lot from her, our babies seemed to become friends, as much as a baby can like anyone else who doesn't recognise their ultimate authority. Lorax left last week :( but before she went she gave me a book. 'A Year of Biblical Womanhood' by Rachel Held Evans. I am so excited to read it. In this book Rachel details her attempts to live a year according to biblical rules about being a women. What a challenge, and what is the point?
It seems ridiculous to obey some parts of the bible, but not the bits you don't want to. So I'm encouraged to think about rising to the challenge. She tried to obey some commandments for the whole year, but others she just did for a month (thank God, one of the rules is living in a tent when you have your period) The first month she focused on 'Gentleness'. In specific, a good wife should:
Cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4)
Immediately challenging. Does kick boxing, arguing for the oppressed and shouting along to rock music constitute a 'gentle and quiet spirit?' Are all these behaviours inconsistent with being a Christian? God made us unique. I used to worry that I shouldn't kickbox, that perhaps it wasn't right to a) hit people in the face (even with gloves on) or b) practice the best ways to hurt people quickest on a weekly basis. But for numerous reasons I think God wants me to kickbox. what a statement!
However, i do believe that it is ever so powerful and self-fulfilling to be at one with yourself. To be quiet inside your soul. I think this comes from knowing who you are and resting assured in that. Not constantly spending your life defining yourself by comparing yourself to other people, or doing things that prove your worth. I think this is most peoples biggest problem (mine included- although it's easier to analyse others). The sexiest person i know sleeps with lots of boys to prove that she is sexy, when she could just walk outside with unbrushed hair in tracksuit bottoms and her sexiness would show through.
So i think there is truth and meaning in this verse, but i'm not convinced that it means that all women should not shout. I think it means all women should believe in themselves and their unique value. There are some great role models of women in the bible, and they did not sit around knitting and making dinner.
19/52 Happy? Knowing who i am. Today i drove home from Kickboxing in a tiny yellow car, singing along to Guns 'n' Roses (Use your illusion 2) really loud. I don't care if all the business people in suits saw me and thought i haven't made it in this world as i wasn't driving an Audi TT and listening to Noah and the Whale. If i could, i wouldn't. This is who i am. Also i like pigeons and wearing shoes with big tongues! This is my quiet spirit.
My quest improved and i attended several different groups, until eventually Lorax and I started our own group at our church. This was brilliant and i learnt a lot from her, our babies seemed to become friends, as much as a baby can like anyone else who doesn't recognise their ultimate authority. Lorax left last week :( but before she went she gave me a book. 'A Year of Biblical Womanhood' by Rachel Held Evans. I am so excited to read it. In this book Rachel details her attempts to live a year according to biblical rules about being a women. What a challenge, and what is the point?
Starbucks struggling to engage with Hope who would not recognise her authority on what part of the blanket to sit on.
It seems ridiculous to obey some parts of the bible, but not the bits you don't want to. So I'm encouraged to think about rising to the challenge. She tried to obey some commandments for the whole year, but others she just did for a month (thank God, one of the rules is living in a tent when you have your period) The first month she focused on 'Gentleness'. In specific, a good wife should:
Cultivate a gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4)
Immediately challenging. Does kick boxing, arguing for the oppressed and shouting along to rock music constitute a 'gentle and quiet spirit?' Are all these behaviours inconsistent with being a Christian? God made us unique. I used to worry that I shouldn't kickbox, that perhaps it wasn't right to a) hit people in the face (even with gloves on) or b) practice the best ways to hurt people quickest on a weekly basis. But for numerous reasons I think God wants me to kickbox. what a statement!
However, i do believe that it is ever so powerful and self-fulfilling to be at one with yourself. To be quiet inside your soul. I think this comes from knowing who you are and resting assured in that. Not constantly spending your life defining yourself by comparing yourself to other people, or doing things that prove your worth. I think this is most peoples biggest problem (mine included- although it's easier to analyse others). The sexiest person i know sleeps with lots of boys to prove that she is sexy, when she could just walk outside with unbrushed hair in tracksuit bottoms and her sexiness would show through.
So i think there is truth and meaning in this verse, but i'm not convinced that it means that all women should not shout. I think it means all women should believe in themselves and their unique value. There are some great role models of women in the bible, and they did not sit around knitting and making dinner.
19/52 Happy? Knowing who i am. Today i drove home from Kickboxing in a tiny yellow car, singing along to Guns 'n' Roses (Use your illusion 2) really loud. I don't care if all the business people in suits saw me and thought i haven't made it in this world as i wasn't driving an Audi TT and listening to Noah and the Whale. If i could, i wouldn't. This is who i am. Also i like pigeons and wearing shoes with big tongues! This is my quiet spirit.
This tongues are not big enough, but i had to compromise as we were travelling.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Is that my skinny grande caramel machaito?
Is there anything more embarrassing than ordering a drink at Starbucks, collecting it at the other end of the til, then finding out that it is not quite correct, taking it back to the cashier who confirms that it is not what you ordered, and as you debate this, your actual drink arrives at the collection point, and you have face the person who's drink you've wandered around the shop with?
18/52 Happy? That this only happens once a month or so. :)
18/52 Happy? That this only happens once a month or so. :)
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
I want a cupboard
This week I went to True's new house and discovered a new jealousy of mine. Cupboard envy. Oh how glorious it seems to be to have storage, lots and lots of storage. Spaces with doors and shutters (what's a shutter inside a house?) where you can put things somewhere and close them away from sight! This to me seems like the biggest freedom in the world right now. Forget prisons (if they have cupboards with doors they are as free as me) or those agoraphobics stuck inside ( if they had unlimited cupboard space they could spend their time inside organising and re-organising these spaces.)
True has a shoe cupboard big enough to hang a family of 4's coats in, a playroom to hide her boys toys in, a cupboard to cover her washing machine, an outside shed to hide bikes, another to hide other shed type things in, a garage to hide the car, a very random cupboard outside the back door to hide the 'overflow fridge' in. Her bedroom has no less than 6 built in wardrobes, allowing her separate spaces to hang tops, bottoms and items not in season. She even has some empty cupboards she doesn't know what to do with. Today I really wish I had a built in cupboard, I really do.
I live in a silly new build with no storage. if you visit my house you can take an itinerary of everything we own as you walk through to our lounge. If you can't see it, we don't have it. I want one big enough for my ironing board. I want one to hide the Hoover, I want one so that I can buy a broom or a mop and bucket.
Xss and I discuss this sometimes as he has a perhaps rational fear, due to my comment above, that when you get storage you fill it. Like it's a law. He's worried that if I get a cupboard by the time we move to bigger house I will have accumulated enough stuff to so densely populate the new place 1the merit of moving will have been nullified.
I still want a cupboard, even if it's true.
17/52 Happy? The possibility that my future has a built in cupboard in it.
True has a shoe cupboard big enough to hang a family of 4's coats in, a playroom to hide her boys toys in, a cupboard to cover her washing machine, an outside shed to hide bikes, another to hide other shed type things in, a garage to hide the car, a very random cupboard outside the back door to hide the 'overflow fridge' in. Her bedroom has no less than 6 built in wardrobes, allowing her separate spaces to hang tops, bottoms and items not in season. She even has some empty cupboards she doesn't know what to do with. Today I really wish I had a built in cupboard, I really do.
I live in a silly new build with no storage. if you visit my house you can take an itinerary of everything we own as you walk through to our lounge. If you can't see it, we don't have it. I want one big enough for my ironing board. I want one to hide the Hoover, I want one so that I can buy a broom or a mop and bucket.
Xss and I discuss this sometimes as he has a perhaps rational fear, due to my comment above, that when you get storage you fill it. Like it's a law. He's worried that if I get a cupboard by the time we move to bigger house I will have accumulated enough stuff to so densely populate the new place 1the merit of moving will have been nullified.
I still want a cupboard, even if it's true.
17/52 Happy? The possibility that my future has a built in cupboard in it.
Wednesday, October 02, 2013
Blackpool - trip of the year
Myself, Honestly, Princess and Lovely went on our 'annual girls trip away' (we dont often go). It was AMAZING. I'd like to say I love Blackpool, but i don't. I love being away from everything (including Starbucks) and spending time with my girlfriends talking about everything, drinking, sleeping, talking about everything again, etc.
We did so many fun things in one day it was immense. Unlimited by a baby and set meal times (my main grumble about having a small person in our family) we walked from out hotel to Blackpool pleasure beach doing EVERYTHING fun along the way. We played pirate crazy golf, i had fresh made doughnuts for lunch, drank pitchers of mojito, ate chips with every meal, went on the pier and realised that once you win big on the 2p machine the joke is on you and your pockets for the rest of the day. We sat at the end of the pier and drank tea and listened to an waltzer- and in Blackpool you can officially share a pot of tea (i'm sure in London they make up rules about having to have only 1 cup per pot or frowning on you if you dare suggest sharing- like it's stealing because if you ask for more hot water, or more milk, you technically are getting something for free?). At midnight we went on the feris wheel whilst eating ice-cream. Some people were so scared that there was a volume of melted ice-cream dripping over cluched metal handles at the end and very little eaten.
Blackpool was fun, but it is obviously struggling with poverty. Behind the front beach lined road it very quickly gets poor and dischevled, and the locals seem to have fallen out of love with it, perhaps guilted by years of promise with no regeneration. Watching their town decay around them. Luckily we only stayed 2 days and left them to it, to enjoy the luxury of London. It was odd to be pretty low earning girls in London, living plain, simple lives but to feel relatively affluent and free to spend unrestrained up there. There are various issues with this north south divide, but i as i often do, (often wrongly) ignored it with the thought that i'm helping my own poor teenagers in Peckham. Thats a kind of get out of jail free card on any other caring issue isnt it?
We got ID'd everywhere we went, but i think it was because they were illequiped to judge how old people not wearing make-up, revealing clothing nor caring that they were all dressed in sensible walking shoes and coats, were. 31.
16/52 Happy? having the choice and resources to do new things
We did so many fun things in one day it was immense. Unlimited by a baby and set meal times (my main grumble about having a small person in our family) we walked from out hotel to Blackpool pleasure beach doing EVERYTHING fun along the way. We played pirate crazy golf, i had fresh made doughnuts for lunch, drank pitchers of mojito, ate chips with every meal, went on the pier and realised that once you win big on the 2p machine the joke is on you and your pockets for the rest of the day. We sat at the end of the pier and drank tea and listened to an waltzer- and in Blackpool you can officially share a pot of tea (i'm sure in London they make up rules about having to have only 1 cup per pot or frowning on you if you dare suggest sharing- like it's stealing because if you ask for more hot water, or more milk, you technically are getting something for free?). At midnight we went on the feris wheel whilst eating ice-cream. Some people were so scared that there was a volume of melted ice-cream dripping over cluched metal handles at the end and very little eaten.
Blackpool was fun, but it is obviously struggling with poverty. Behind the front beach lined road it very quickly gets poor and dischevled, and the locals seem to have fallen out of love with it, perhaps guilted by years of promise with no regeneration. Watching their town decay around them. Luckily we only stayed 2 days and left them to it, to enjoy the luxury of London. It was odd to be pretty low earning girls in London, living plain, simple lives but to feel relatively affluent and free to spend unrestrained up there. There are various issues with this north south divide, but i as i often do, (often wrongly) ignored it with the thought that i'm helping my own poor teenagers in Peckham. Thats a kind of get out of jail free card on any other caring issue isnt it?
Princess on the beach at sunset.
Princess (pretending not to be scared of the donkeys), Honestly and Lovely
P
Tea on the pier: Lovely, Princess and Honestly.
We got ID'd everywhere we went, but i think it was because they were illequiped to judge how old people not wearing make-up, revealing clothing nor caring that they were all dressed in sensible walking shoes and coats, were. 31.
16/52 Happy? having the choice and resources to do new things
Tuesday, October 01, 2013
Joys of our childhoods
I like making dens. I innately try to encourage Starbucks into everything I like, therefore she has begun loving den's too. Our latest one is made of sheets spread over the clothes horse. She has spent the last few days decanting our cupboard into the tent den and then arranging and rearranging. It's so cute to see.
Stocking up on the festival necessities.
Other things i like to encourage her to do - climbing into the duvet in between the cover and the actual duvet (a mysterious twilight world), jumping on anything she can (sofa, bed, table-opps), splashing in the bath, making things out of cardboard boxes, listening to Guns 'n' Roses, patting people on the head when they have done well (a great air of condescension when done by a baby), being held upside down, swinging her around while holding her hands, going down the biggest slides that we can find! [Its annoying that your default line for parenting comes from your own experience, even if you think that much of your own childhood wasn't great. If i continue to recreate my own childhood for Starbucks it's not going to be pretty later on. ]
15/52 Happy? Squashed in a tiny den with my daughter while she rearranged her bottles of beer and onions.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Sorry.
ok, so i've specatularly failed at writing a post a week, but i have managed to finish my first year of my degree (i am yet to find out if i have passed). Prioritising studying meant a lack of housework completed, and less relaxing for me, but now that i no longer have to revise i seem to be surrounded by free time!! This is amazing. i cant believe how much time i now have. This is odd, as i still have a small child, a job, a husband, friends and a household to organise. New plans involve:
-dying my hair blue?? this was a goal of mine when i was 18!
- getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist
- DIY around the house (this will take up a lot of time as each thing i do will ruin something and take a lot more effort to fix).
- watching TV
- Drinking Starbucks
- sewing something??!?
what fun
14/52 Happy? Free time to be me and get things done
-dying my hair blue?? this was a goal of mine when i was 18!
- getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist
- DIY around the house (this will take up a lot of time as each thing i do will ruin something and take a lot more effort to fix).
- watching TV
- Drinking Starbucks
- sewing something??!?
what fun
14/52 Happy? Free time to be me and get things done
Church Love
I love my church because it is diverse, very diverse. Economically, culturally, racially and socially.
Recently i had a headache (long story around me never having had a headache before, going to A&E, being diagnosed as having a headache, being informed i had to eat the tablets they gave me without knowing what they are then returning home, humbled, embarrassed and ever so thankful that there is free health care in England) and could not attend church. I had lunch plans with someone after church so politely text her saying, 'i do not feel very well, i will be unable to attend our meeting today, sorry. Please forward me the notes'.
And why our church is socially diverse:
She replied, 'oh, we prayed for you. I hope it is nothing as serious as an ectopic pregnancy'.
I am not sure what the correct response to that is. 'no'?
The next week she cancelled our meeting stating that she had to meet Chris after church. ' Sorry to cancel but i have to meet Chris after church today and he has a way of explaining things in great detail'.
Lastly, One of Starbucks' Godmothers gave us a belated birthday present for her recently. It was a white fur coat, unusual, but kinda cool. As i got it out the bag, it seemed to get bigger and bigger. Then i tried it on, and it fitted me. The label inside says "34". Although i find it funny, and not a problem, i am still left wondering what to do. Do i make Starbucks wear it to church one week? How do i get it to stay on? Do i try and take a photo of her wearing it and show the Godmother, or do i just give it to a charity shop and never mention it again? Oh the joys of a socially diverse church.
13/52 Happy? Knowing such a variety of people
Recently i had a headache (long story around me never having had a headache before, going to A&E, being diagnosed as having a headache, being informed i had to eat the tablets they gave me without knowing what they are then returning home, humbled, embarrassed and ever so thankful that there is free health care in England) and could not attend church. I had lunch plans with someone after church so politely text her saying, 'i do not feel very well, i will be unable to attend our meeting today, sorry. Please forward me the notes'.
And why our church is socially diverse:
She replied, 'oh, we prayed for you. I hope it is nothing as serious as an ectopic pregnancy'.
I am not sure what the correct response to that is. 'no'?
The next week she cancelled our meeting stating that she had to meet Chris after church. ' Sorry to cancel but i have to meet Chris after church today and he has a way of explaining things in great detail'.
Lastly, One of Starbucks' Godmothers gave us a belated birthday present for her recently. It was a white fur coat, unusual, but kinda cool. As i got it out the bag, it seemed to get bigger and bigger. Then i tried it on, and it fitted me. The label inside says "34". Although i find it funny, and not a problem, i am still left wondering what to do. Do i make Starbucks wear it to church one week? How do i get it to stay on? Do i try and take a photo of her wearing it and show the Godmother, or do i just give it to a charity shop and never mention it again? Oh the joys of a socially diverse church.
13/52 Happy? Knowing such a variety of people
Sunday, September 01, 2013
How to solve a problem work style.....
I have no major problems in my life, so i like to get overly worked up about the small ones. The latest of these is Xss going to bed late and waking me up when he does. The first night it was loud whistling in the bathroom, the next shaving with his electric razor (at 11:45pm!!). Rather than get mad (i was silently mad- but when you're in bed, in the dark this might just seem like you are asleep- the opposite of what i wanted). (i tried some angry tossing and turning,to try and make him feel bad). Anyway. whats the adult way to solve a problem like this with your partner? Go to work mad and fire off lots of passive aggressive emails to my friends Honestly and Lovely. All prefixed with, 'Xss is really great BUT.....'
So i asked for inspiration from their jobs. How would they tackle this problem at work?
In my work i would:
- tell him his behaviour is 'unacceptable'
- work out suitable rewards and sanctions for good/poor behaviour
- Issue Xss an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC/ASBO) detailing what specific behaviours are not allowed in the bathroom at what times (which takes a lot of work, and then means nothing once broken)
Lovely, who works for a well known homeless charity suggested that her work would:
- swear
- write a letter saying that if he looses his home because of his behaviour, he’ll be found intentionally homeless and then no one will help him.
- tell his mum (this is one of Lovely's very effective and non-protocol techniques with her younger teenage clients)
Honestly would:
- Use a Measurement framework (a flow diagram) so that you can measure progress of your responses to his behaviour, learn from that and then adapt your response until it’s perfect (and you sleep well!)
- campaign for change by getting large organisations and MP's involved
12/52 Happy? Having only small things like this to 'worry' about.
So i asked for inspiration from their jobs. How would they tackle this problem at work?
In my work i would:
- tell him his behaviour is 'unacceptable'
- work out suitable rewards and sanctions for good/poor behaviour
- Issue Xss an Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC/ASBO) detailing what specific behaviours are not allowed in the bathroom at what times (which takes a lot of work, and then means nothing once broken)
Lovely, who works for a well known homeless charity suggested that her work would:
- swear
- write a letter saying that if he looses his home because of his behaviour, he’ll be found intentionally homeless and then no one will help him.
- tell his mum (this is one of Lovely's very effective and non-protocol techniques with her younger teenage clients)
Honestly would:
- Use a Measurement framework (a flow diagram) so that you can measure progress of your responses to his behaviour, learn from that and then adapt your response until it’s perfect (and you sleep well!)
- campaign for change by getting large organisations and MP's involved
12/52 Happy? Having only small things like this to 'worry' about.
That girl thing
I've had a girl baby. We'll I've had one for over a year now. One of the more interesting (academically) concepts to arise from this is 'does gender exist separate from society?' Not sex, but gender. I hate pink. I also consider myself to have been raised by a gang of boys (and i mean gang in the old fashioned sense, so a tight knot group of friends that hangout a lot- not the modern word that adults bandy about now days when they are scared). Needless to say raising a girl is an issue for me, i think? I was really disappointed when i heard she was a girl, yes, i freely admit it, as i can freely admit that i am now more than 100% happy that she was a girl and not a boy. girl = mummy's friend, boy = future silverback. See, i have already done it! stereotyped gender!
Sometimes when Starbucks is good people will say, 'ah, it's because she's a girl'. I find it INCREDIBLY annoying. What so girls are good and boys are bad, my parenting has no influence??
Anyways, i have always tried to dress Starbucks in anything but pink, with the result being that most people think she is a boy. I thought it might be fun to include some pictures of her clothes here so you can decide for yourself if i am dressing her like a boy.
Sometimes when Starbucks is good people will say, 'ah, it's because she's a girl'. I find it INCREDIBLY annoying. What so girls are good and boys are bad, my parenting has no influence??
Anyways, i have always tried to dress Starbucks in anything but pink, with the result being that most people think she is a boy. I thought it might be fun to include some pictures of her clothes here so you can decide for yourself if i am dressing her like a boy.
( These photos are all the same way around on my computer?) Boys or girls?
Boys or girls? Dinosaur and combat colours?
Black long sleeve?
The most girly we go. It's got slight frills on the arms and its a cat
Boys?
My favourite band. Surely black is unisex?
Cookie!! but blue is a 'boys colour?
I'd be interested to know your thoughts, but when i go through this, i think most of these items are boys. Does that mean that Dinosaurs, 1980's clothing, stripes and combat are all only for boys. If so, what do girls like? shoes and cats? curious.
11/52 Happy? That i am a girl. I can grow humans!
11/52 Happy? That i am a girl. I can grow humans!
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Saving fashion energy
I'm pretty sure that I'm not supposed to ask this but does anyone else become so happy with their choice of outfit on a particularly fashionable day that they decide to wear it again the next day?
Not an outfit I've run a mile in the rain in, or fallen over in a sand pit in or poured my breakfast milk over when wrestling a bowl off of someone else-with-a-surprisingly-strong-grip-for-a-small-person-who-drops-things-all-day-whilst-shouting-Uh-o (typical occurrences in my life at the mo) just an average days outfit with an average days grime added? I'm sure I'm not supposed to admit to this, along with not supposing to admit to NOT SHOWERING every day!!! When Xss and I went travelling this is really something that stood out, not our smell and grime, but the decadence of the western world washing every item of clothing after only one wear. We only had two of everything (apart from underwear - that's pushing this a bit far) with us, and it was surprising how long we could wear stuff before it actually became unwearable. I know travelling has its own standard of social etiquette but it was also a lot warmer. I barely sweat most days in England, so is it a big deal if I wear the same outfit tomorrow? Probably. I'll just have to make sure I don't see anyone I saw today.
10/52 Happy? My new Nirvana T-shirt and blue ripped jeans, my 14 year old self would be so proud!
P.s is it also terrible that I consider an oversized Nirvana outfit fashionable? AND I recognise that a teenager in the 90's would like it? Perhaps I'll upload it here so you can judge....
Not an outfit I've run a mile in the rain in, or fallen over in a sand pit in or poured my breakfast milk over when wrestling a bowl off of someone else-with-a-surprisingly-strong-grip-for-a-small-person-who-drops-things-all-day-whilst-shouting-Uh-o (typical occurrences in my life at the mo) just an average days outfit with an average days grime added? I'm sure I'm not supposed to admit to this, along with not supposing to admit to NOT SHOWERING every day!!! When Xss and I went travelling this is really something that stood out, not our smell and grime, but the decadence of the western world washing every item of clothing after only one wear. We only had two of everything (apart from underwear - that's pushing this a bit far) with us, and it was surprising how long we could wear stuff before it actually became unwearable. I know travelling has its own standard of social etiquette but it was also a lot warmer. I barely sweat most days in England, so is it a big deal if I wear the same outfit tomorrow? Probably. I'll just have to make sure I don't see anyone I saw today.
10/52 Happy? My new Nirvana T-shirt and blue ripped jeans, my 14 year old self would be so proud!
P.s is it also terrible that I consider an oversized Nirvana outfit fashionable? AND I recognise that a teenager in the 90's would like it? Perhaps I'll upload it here so you can judge....
Sunday, August 11, 2013
European Restaurant Workers (ERW's)
I love European restaurants, and yes i mean this in the typically British way, as if Britain is not part of Europe.
We went to Pizza Express on Saturday: Xss and I were tired, the baby wasn't. As soon as we entered the male host on the door started speaking to Starbucks. Within 5 minutes he was walking around the restaurant carrying her on his hip and showing her to everyone. Xss and I sat and sipped our drinks.
How different this is to British culture when if the baby makes a squeak then disapproving looks are cast (unless they are parents themselves, in which case a sympathetic 'sorry others will disapprove of you' look occurs). In Europe they actually like children, actively seek them out and cherish them. I'm not sure that in our culture we aren't supposed to have got upset, demanded the child back immediately and not let her out of our sight, or assumed that the waiter was a paedophile abducting her from under our noses. Similarly the British waiter, would have been overtly worried about hurting Starbucks in some way, and then being sued.
Starbucks was returned 10-15 minutes later, and then immediately colouring pencils and paper appeared. She was then spoken to every time a waiter or waitress passed, except when she was busy eating. It was lovely. Sometimes i just wish our culture was a little different, a little more welcoming and sensible, not worried and closed. Why cant we cherish every child we meet?
9/52 Happy? The European attitude to children.
We went to Pizza Express on Saturday: Xss and I were tired, the baby wasn't. As soon as we entered the male host on the door started speaking to Starbucks. Within 5 minutes he was walking around the restaurant carrying her on his hip and showing her to everyone. Xss and I sat and sipped our drinks.
How different this is to British culture when if the baby makes a squeak then disapproving looks are cast (unless they are parents themselves, in which case a sympathetic 'sorry others will disapprove of you' look occurs). In Europe they actually like children, actively seek them out and cherish them. I'm not sure that in our culture we aren't supposed to have got upset, demanded the child back immediately and not let her out of our sight, or assumed that the waiter was a paedophile abducting her from under our noses. Similarly the British waiter, would have been overtly worried about hurting Starbucks in some way, and then being sued.
Starbucks was returned 10-15 minutes later, and then immediately colouring pencils and paper appeared. She was then spoken to every time a waiter or waitress passed, except when she was busy eating. It was lovely. Sometimes i just wish our culture was a little different, a little more welcoming and sensible, not worried and closed. Why cant we cherish every child we meet?
9/52 Happy? The European attitude to children.
Thursday, August 08, 2013
Clara May!
I have a new niece!!! that brings my totals up to 2 x Nephew and 3 x Niece. Cool.
8/52 Happy? I LOVE having nieces and nephews. No official pictures been released yet but when they are i'll post one here.
Clara May. To young to smile yet.
Monday, August 05, 2013
Tea in the Shower
7/52 Happy? A cup of Tea in the shower. Kind of makes you think that you are showering in tea, but not getting dirty. bliss. only thing better? Tea with an unlimited side of chocolate buttons, with a good book.
So many good moments can be built on the foundations of a good cup of tea.
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