Some photos of Abby!

I finally got some nice photos of Abby. Brian is asleep inside all day so he is easy to capture (always asleep mind) See...

But Abby is normally out all day and when she gets home the light is never good enough for any decent photos.

Charlton 4 Stockport County 3

Last night Ollie and I had a school trip out with my work to the Charlton v Stockport game. My boss is a huge Charlton fan and Bobbie had never been to a football match so we got tickets for last nights game.
We had dinner in a greasy spoon, sat in the pub before the game and then watched an absolute thriller. Goals galore, some good shots, the opposition fans being escorted off the ground as well as a retake of a penalty! We went to get the train after but when we checked our connection at Gillingham was not for another 40 minutes, so we went to find a drink only to bump into my boss and her husband again so we went to the pub with them for a half an hour.
It was a very good night but we didn't get home until 12:20 so we are both a bit tired today.

A finished floor!

We finished the floor in the bathroom! Finally got some good weather that we could cut the tiles in the garden. I grouted all the middle and all that's left is the grouting next to the woodwork but I need to paint that first. Ollie took the door off and sanded it and I sanded the rest of the woodwork.
Ollie had also taken the trampoline down and I had installed the new compost bin.
Mum and Nan and Granddad also came over for a cup of tea in the afternoon on Monday.

Another trip to the cinema

Sunday we went to give blood, had a trip around Sainsbury's and watched Spurs' absymol performance on the telly. We have been back on the Weight Watchers this week and I lost 2 pounds! Ollie isn't weighing himself as he is going on the I'll diet until my trousers fit principle.
I put lots of stash in a shopping basket and left the laptop in the open hoping someone would come along and pay for it as I have a birthday coming up!
We also had a trip to the cinema to see the new Bourne film. It was very good. It was strange as it's still the newest film out so was quite busy, we normally wait a few weeks and see it when it's quiet. There were only 3 of us watching the Simpsons when we went last week.

Cocktails and Karaoke

Saturday was my friend who I worked with at Whitstable’s (Kelly) hen party. We went to Frevd’s in London for very nice but a bit pricy cocktails. I had a wine cooler, which was basically a wine spritzer with coconut and pineapple, then I had a cosmopolitan and finished off with a Mojito. All very yummy. We had dinner at Soba noodle bar. We were the only ones there when we arrived and although the menu was similar to Wagamamas it wasn’t nearly as tasty. Then on to Lucky Voice. It’s a karaoke place that has individual soundproof rooms for your group of friends that have their own karaoke machines in. Lots of singing but no more alcohol for me as I had an appointment to give blood on Sunday morning.

New goodies and Singing practice

My new goodies arrived from Jillybeans yesterday. I got 2 packets of Basic Grey fibres, a set of alphabet stamps and some alphabet buttons to go with the stash that Ollie is going to get me for my birthday. I might get round to posting a piccie at some point.We went to see the Simpons movie last night. It was so funny! Ollie was a bit disappointed with the animation as when 2 characters were facing each other the shadow was drawn down the back of both of their heads making the light source look odd. I can't say that I noticed!

I am off to a hen party tomorrow and we have booked a private room in a karaoke bar. So I had the Singstar out before we left for the cinema to practice! I managed to scare the cat into a hiding place singing Madonna's "Papa don't preach"!

Come on England!

What a dismal performance from our national team on Wednesday! We were wondering afterwards why we have bought tickets for the next 3 qualifying matches. Still we are in the ballot for the last game but can’t afford tickets now as some very nice person drive through our wing mirror on Wednesday and smashed the glass and the plastic surround. So we have to get a new one which will cost a fortune as they are heated wing mirrors.

Bounce bounce

I went to trampoline class last night. It seemed like a good idea. It’s good for keeping fit and was great fun when I did it at school. I was teamed up with a bloke who is training to be a stunt man and has to be able to do all this stuff to pass a trampoline exam. He was really good, doing somersaults and back flips with twists and stuff but had no style or finesse at all. He is going away to see if he needs to look neat or just be safe. He figured that if he needs to do it flying out a burning building then his way is fine until I pointed out that he might be in a Billy Elliot esc type film where he might need to be able to trampoline properly!
Anyway I had great fun except the fact that all the skin has gone off my elbows from front drops, I can’t move my arms because they ache so much. I did a rather enthusiastic straddle jump and pulled a load of leg muscles. And (mum turn away and stop reading now) my nail on my big toe is attached with only a plaster!
So I’ve not had any sleep because I couldn’t find a way to sleep without either my elbows or my foot touching the bed!

Old friends

Saturday morning I met up with Tiffany, a friend of mine from Primary school. We haven’t seen each other for almost 8 years. We lost touch when we went to Uni and only recently ‘found’ each other again on Facebook.
We met up for a cup of tea and chatted for a while and then she came over to see mum and Nan and Grandad with me and chatted some more. It was so fantastic to meet up after all this time. I was so excited Saturday morning it felt like Christmas day!
I was then inspired to go home and I laid the last 2 whole tiles in the bathroom and grouted all the floor that we’ve done so far. I also put up 2 clocks that had been sitting in the spare room for a couple of months. So progress with the decorating has finally been made! The floor looks really good and we’re hoping to do the last 4 floor tiles at the weekend. Then we will be able to put the bath panel on!

I'm no mug...

We had a trip to Lakeside last night. I wanted to get a case for my ipod and Ollie wanted a mug for work for his tea as the ones provided by Sainsbury’s are too small. Plus there’s a D & A opticians so I could get my glasses mended. We went in a lot of shops! But I didn’t get an ipod case and Ollie didn’t get a mug. But I did! And it’s huge! Granted I have been ridiculed in work this morning. But I’ve had enough tea to last me at least until lunchtime.
We finished off yesterday evening with a very nice Wagamamas. I did get my glasses and my sunglasses fixed and have seen another pair that look very nice on me. Maybe next month…

Lots of stick

I didn't want to come into work this morning. Not only did I manage to break the nose rest on my glasses so I am having to wear my contacts, but Spurs dismal performance last night has guaranteed me some ribbing.

Although on the bright side, my fantasy team did ok, I had the Everton defender that scored which got me 8 points and 2 points for Bent for being on the field (I'm not going to say for playing because I'm not sure he did) Ollie has got really annoyed with me because everytime someone scored that wasn't in my team I got huffy. He says that might get a bit tiresome.

But I'm now third in the Chaucer league!

Poppy

I brought a new ipod! I've wanted one ever since I started commuting and have had to make do with a shuffle. But I've finally saved up enough and ordered one yesterday lunchtime. Being the really impatient person that I am I paid for the next day before 1 super delivery and took posession of my new toy at about 11:30!

She is called Poppy and is currently sitting on my desk charging.

Tides and picnic in the park

Sunday morning we went to Tides (a leisure park) for Ollie’s nephew Sebastian’s birthday. We had to meet in Deal (an hours drive) at 10am. And we were to bring our own picnic. Having not gone to bed particularly early as we were up playing monster trucks on the Wii with mum and dad that’s very early for a Sunday! So we forwent the packing of the picnic and just headed off to Deal. I’d wrapped Sebastian’s birthday presents that morning and left on the side. When Ollie asked me if I had it I said “no, it’s on the side” thinking he would pick it up. The thought I was going to pick it up, so it got left behind!

We arrived just before 10, everyone else got there about a quarter past! Anthony had been to a stag party the night before and had a monster hangover. He didn’t make it inside, electing to sleep in the field outside instead.

I think a great time was had by all. It was very tiring though with an 8 year old and 3 under 4s. We worked out a system of how to go really fast down the flume… until Ollie lost his glasses coming down the last time and found them again with a few scratches!

We had to pop to Sainsbury’s for some picnic food but then had a nice afternoon in the park. Ollie played football and I managed to catch up with Jenny’s gossip.

It was a bit windy and cold which belied the heat of the sun and I ended up w bit sunburnt!

BBQ time!

I had a plan of having a huge family BBQ and inviting both sets of families. Unfortunately Ollie’s sister Gemma was going to see Dirty Dancing and so it would only be Ollie’s dad, Paul and his girlfriend, Anna. Ollie was really worried about them being ‘outnumbered’ by my family (Nan, Granddad, Laura and Wayne) that we decided to keep it just the parents. Now I know how upset that Granddad would be if he wasn’t invited but on speaking to mum we agreed just to keep it quiet and he wouldn’t know. Well that was all well and good until Laura blew that plan clean out the water!

Anyway, I spent Saturday morning tidying and going to Sainsbury’s for food and then missed the football in the afternoon to weed my garden path. Saturday morning you couldn’t even walk down it – now it is weed free. Combined with all the weeding I did the weekend before it looks really nice out there now. Ollie mowed the lawn as well.

Then I made a load of stuff for the BBQ. Anna is one of the most fussy eaters so I made sure I did loads of different stuff that she might like – asparagus, mushrooms, turkey burgers, prawns, mum made the salad and I made cheesy dough balls, home made bread and roast potatoes.

I think the evening went ok. Anna didn't look very happy, but she was fairly pleasant and joined in some of the conversation. She even said thank you so I suppose that’s promising. Still there’s no way that she could say that we did not make an effort. They brought me a lily plant. Now I thought that’s what you gave dead people but it’s bright orange and really pretty. Not wanting to kill it within 5 minutes like all the other plants I’ve ever had I went on line for a looking after guide. Turns out lilies are highly toxic to cats causing liver failure and death within 24 hours of eating! So it’s gone somewhere high out the way of the stupid animals! It was a really nice thought and I don’t want to be ungrateful but it wasn’t really a present with the receiver in mind.

Saving Private Ryan...

...was the film we watched last night. Ollie had Sky+ it last September! Man I'd forgotten how long that film was! Ollie hadn't seen it before but I'd seen it in the cinema when it was released and didn't think that much of it. But I couldn't really remember it so agreed to watch it. My head still wasn't with it enough to cope with something new. Most of the films we watch (Die Hard 1 and 2 excluded) involve a certain amount of thinking!

War of the weeds

Having seen how nice our neighbours garden looked last night I was inspired to attempt to do something with ours. So at 10 o’clock this morning, slightly worse for wear I was waging war on some of the biggest nastiest most vicious stinging nettles I have ever seen! Most of them were bigger than me! So I’ve cleared the area next to my vegetable patch, the nettles under the trees and the whole of the area at the end of the garden where the BBQ goes. It took me until 1 to finish. Plus I also sprayed weed killer on the path and the patio having got fed up with keep pulling the weeds up. I have burnt my back where I was bending over to pull weeds in blazing hot sunshine. It’s no coincidence that the areas in the shade now have less weeds than the areas in the sun!

Mum's having a BBQ this evening, but we elected not to go. 3 BBQs in 2 days is a bit much, even for us, our car is still abandoned at Helen's and we need a rest! Ollie is now downstairs watching football and we're going to have a nice evening watching our film.

Saturday night

We got home from the party ready to collapse in front of a film but we went in the garden and next door asked us round for a BBQ. Having refused the last 4 invitations as we were off to mum’s for a BBQ we accepted. 2 BBQs in one day – no problem!

So I hurriedly made some burgers and found a bottle of wine in the fridge. We polished off the first bottle of wine before they started cooking! So I fetched another. Time passed really quickly as we heard stories from our neighbours and her sister and sister’s husband about when they lived in Zimbabwe of being chased by Elephants, standing on crocodiles and being scared of hippos. We had some traditional Zimbabwean food of maize meal and pork and of course my burgers! Followed by strawberries and cream with mini meringues. At half 11 we stumbled into bed having eaten and drunk far too much.

We were surprised as to how nice a time we had, not really having spoken to our neighbours for long before other than a how-do, the weathers been awful sort of exchange over the fence. So we’ll definitely be accepting more invitations and handing out some of our own I expect.

Here comes the sun!

I got up early on Saturday to go to the gym and to pick up Ethan’s present that I had reserved at Argos. It’s a paddling pool/ball pool in the shape of a Mini! Complete with Union Jack roof. The party was fantastic. I think the birthday boy had a good time. There were loads of smiles all round. Helen outdid herself with the home made burgers, home made Spongebob cake, fruit salad in the shape of a pig and jelly in the shape of little boats. All the food was great, the weather was gorgeous and the company was very nice too. We went home very tired and with about half a pound of sand in my pocket from 9 month old Mia who took offence to the sand actually being IN the sandpit and obviously thought a better place for it was on my lap!

Friday nights are alright

Friday evening we had contacted Ian to see if he wanted to meet for a drink after work. We wanted to go to T M Lewin for shirts as it was the last day I could use my corporate discount voucher. So I volunteered to walk to Ollie’s office. It’s a longer way than I thought! I passed where dad used to work which was nice. They didn’t have any shirts in my size that I liked but Ollie got a couple.

We then made our way (on foot) across to Covent Garden to meet Ian. It was great now the smoking ban is in full force, everyone was outside the pub frazzling in the heat while we got a table inside a nice cool non-smoky bar! We had a few cocktails and a pizza and then decided it was time to make our way home. We didn’t want to be hung over for Ethan’s first birthday party.

So we were all tucked up in bed by 10:30 which is not what could be said of Ian, who met up with Nigel…

Happy Birthday Kittys

Happy Birthday to my cats, Brian and Abby who are 1 year old today!

Wii

Saturday we went to a BBQ at Helen’s and Alan’s. We raided Sainsbury’s for their BBQ food and buying lots of Cider (it was on offer). Helen had made home made lamb and beef burgers which were fabulous and some spicy cous cous.

After dinner we retired to the lounge to play Wii. We had a great time playing tennis, bowling and boxing, finishing off with a very long round of golf and some cow racing and duck shooting!

I got some really great photos of Ethan (who is 1 today!) which I’ll put on here when they’ve made it off the camera and onto the PC. I was playing about with my new filters so we’ll see how they come out. Photos now here...