Day 70 - Behold den!

Dens spring up like weeds in our house.  Often in the most awkward places!  Some favourite spots are at the bottom of the stairs, in front of the telly or right behind the kitchen door.  There's a fair bit of skill involved in den building - my kids tend to use large quantities of books piled precariously on blanket corners.

 Then, none the wiser, I open the kitchen door........

"MummeEEEEE!!"

If I'm in a good mood I see dens as a wonderful expression of the children's imagination.  If I'm in a bad mood I see a blanket shanty town in the wrong place at the wrong time that needs to be razed to the ground!

And when the 'roof' comes off it's another little world in there, isn't it?  A magpie's nest of goodies, sometimes covered in a sprinkling of biscuit crumbs, because what goes on in the den stays in the den....

This one is more of a bespoke model, designed for the sole purpose of hoarding birthday presents!

I'm definitely a fan of this kind of den because I don't have to crawl through it, over it or around it.  It's in a corner so it's a keeper!  Well, that is until another small person finds it....

Day 67 - Birthday Party confessions

"Where am I having my Birthday party mummy?"


I have a small panicky moment.  I can't really tell him that because his Birthday is quite close to Christmas it has kind of crept up on me.  I haven't forgotten it, I'm not that useless!  But I haven't got my act together about the party.


"Well, there are quite a few options sweetheart......What would you like to do?


Just as I'm about to go into a flat spin, my prayers are answered by a school friend's mum, who rings to see if I'd like to hook up and have a joint party at a local soft play area.  I wanted to hug and kiss her.  She had already booked it, sorted out the food and was happy to do all the invites.  Can't believe my luck!


The only thing I hadn't taken into account was the fact that she is related to practically everyone in our village, so we've had over 30 yes's so far.....


I don't know how you feel, but big parties raise a few issues that I've never properly got to grips with.  A joint party and thirty plus kids means a lot of presents.  A lot of presents my son doesn't  need.  And it's very expensive for parents, especially when there are two birthday boys.  It has crossed my mind a number of times to tell people not to bother.  But this isn't just my son's party and would it scar him for life if he had a party without presents?  I have one great friend whose mum asked parents to give a charity donation instead.  She has never forgotten it.  


There is another party issue, possibly political, that I'd like to raise.  Is it very bad to admit to present editing and recycling?  You know, those presents given to your children that mysteriously disappear (often into a big dark cupboard),  only to reappear again before another child's party?   I feel quite uncomfortable mentioning this.  Please tell me someone else does it too!   


Of course present recycling can seriously backfire.  You need to keep track.  My sister-in-law gave my boys books for christmas that we had given her kids the year before - I'd even written in them!


  

Day 65 - Can you make new BFs when you're getting on a bit?

......I'm not sure.   Haven't you got your best friends sorted by your forties? (even by your thirties?)  The ones you've ridden the roller coaster with through the sunshine and the rain and they're STILL sitting in your carriage.  

It's on my mind because I recently met a great mum who lives nearby - and it started me thinking, wouldn't it be nice?  In my head we're already planning a family holiday over coffee and homemade cinnamon scones.....

  

Or does that sound a bit creepy?

Maybe I'm just spending too much time on my own.

Away from my imaginings, does anyone at my stage of life really have the time or inclination to make a new BF?  And I'm not talking about someone you get along with and see once in a while, I mean a really strong new friendship?  

We've been here on and off for 8 years and I'll happily chat to anyone and everyone, especially at the moment as I'm starved of adult conversation.  But only to a point.  Jumping in with both feet has never been my style. What if you get it wrong?  You might have just locked the door and thrown away the key.

Living on an army camp teaches you to be a little wary - one ill-judged, hastily arranged 'coffee at my place?' and you can be stuck in a bubble of togetherness for two years.

Maybe I'm not new bestie material? - a thought that did cross my mind recently, after a rare attempt to up the friendly stakes with one mum backfired.  She was very, very, very busy.... 

Or maybe I've just been lazy.  You can relax with your old friends - you have History and it's comfortable.  Forging a new friendship requires a serious amount of spade work.  Constantly staying in touch, dates in the diary - keeping it regular.  Sounds exhausting!  Then it can all be swimming along nicely when, WHAM!! - out of the blue something's said that totally takes you by surprise - and not in a good way.  Once you're on your guard it's going to be hard to be yourself isn't it?  Where is the fun in that? 

So why bother at all - surely it's fraught with problems any way you look at it. 

Or is it still worth a shot?

Does old always trump new??

Day 59 - Note boy strikes again...

Tick the box!

                                         When he's good he's very, very good.......

Day 57 - Why a Woolly habit can be good for you!

I am enjoying making granny squares although I'm running behind - 8 weeks now, so should be up to 32.  I always carry a ball of wool and a hook in my bag just in case.  I've crocheted during my weekly wait at ballet, football training and piano.  A few of my first attempts were on the beach!  It got me thinking about where else I might try?   Maybe I should spice up my granny square challenge by introducing a 'strangest place' category.   I could call it off piste crochet?!

I am trying to squeeze in a bit of knitting too, because it's my oldest woolly habit and it's comforting.  It helps me relax when the kids are asleep and I'm on my own.  Knitting away the worries of the day.  Sometimes.

I recently had a go at making up a knitting pattern.  A first for me.  Not exactly sure why, but I decided to make a small bird.  The first one looked like a bright, wooly, potato with wings?  After a few attempts they started looking a little more birdlike....

Knitted bird - species unknown...

...... and I knitted a whole flock of them!

A flock of knits

I sent the birds to my London sister who sold nearly all of them at a local craft fair along with my stock of teddies (do find it hard to part with the teddies..)

Knitted teddies - leaving home!

I still get such a buzz when someone wants to buy something I've made, which is a lucky as I'm  probably earning about £1.50 an hour!  Hey, it's not about the money......

Day 8 Happy Birthday to me...

One week down - only 51 to go!!  It's also my birthday - it didn't start well when all the plants I'd ordered two months ago, in a burst of green-fingered enthusiasm, arrived on my doorstep.  I had completely forgotten about them - so spent the morning trying to work out what they were and where I had been planning to put them.....  


Then my mother-in-law rang and sounded seriously shocked when I told her how old I was - "NO!!  REALLY??"  I'm not quite sure how to take this - after 40 it's hard not to be a little number sensitive.....I'd like to think it's because I simply look far too young to be 45 - but fear she was genuinely surprised to find out her daughter-in-law is middle-aged!!  The best tonic for all this was going to my weekly art class as I am the youngest by a fair distance.  The lovely lady next to me was proudly telling me about the arrival of her second great grandchild...now that's impressive.  She also said she thought my painting was good so I love her!


The children were sweet when they got back from school - and then they ate all my cake......