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Temptation,Contemplation and Reflection

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“Tions”      

Temptation,Contemplation and Reflection

It’s tricky to keep up to date with blogging and with “New Year New Me” resolutions a plenty I thought about committing to doing a blog a week.  Failed at that already….. indeed this post was started a week ago and only now finished! (tut) 

I have also tried to be punctual (I can hear the laughter ring out amongst my friends!).  But anyway I have these good intentions and I really mean it.  I want to be and do so many things.

I had a conversation with the first born the other day about “doing people”  you know “people who do”.  You know who they are.  I know some of these people, they say they are going to do something and they do it. 

It doesn’t have to be something life changing like home schooling a family then deciding to sell everything and explore the country in a camper van.   No, no, it could be small things like drink more water, go to bed earlier, no swearing.  All of which I have said I am going to do and all of which I seem to stop doing after a week or two.  So what is the key, what is their secret and how do I stand a chance of being like that.  I have entered a huge test of my willpower.  In our studio at work a few of us are giving up eating chocolate from 9th January until Easter.  Now if you know me you know I love chocolate….. no I mean I REALLY love chocolate.  And I love the idea of testing myself, one of the guys is going to give up booze too but that is just a step too far for me!!!  I think my problem will be forgetting that I have jacked it in, I can picture myself on autopilot and shovelling a wispa bar in not even thinking.  Well we shall see soon enough I will update on my progress and fingers crossed.

Anyway changing the subject entirely and clinging on to the Christmas and New Year break, it has to be said that I had one of the best times ever!   I probably say that every year as I seem to live in the moment and file previous amazing times for filtering and recollection when least expected.  However, I do remember a really pants time I had a couple of Christmas’s ago when I was really poorly.  That was a stand out bad time, having said that I managed to enjoy the key moments (such a trooper!).   

So this year it was the kids turn to be with their other parent, which is always rubbish because there is nothing like waking early with all of them opening gifts in their new Christmas pyjamas but we (Handsome and me) have been able to cope better year on year.  The kids just seem to roll with it no problem at all.  So Handsome headed off alone to help a local church to deliver meals to vulnerable, lonely and disadvantaged people.  He did it last year with all of the kids and it was such a great thing to do they are making it a new family tradition (proud me).  While he is off on his deliveries I prep the Christmas dinner which this year was a piece of cake as there were only my mom and dad and Handsome’s mum.  I was all over it!   Handsome picked them up and we began the merriment.  Champagne, turkey and veg a plenty.  Before we knew it the kids were all rocking up and on we went with more gift opening, smiles and music.  Just the best time ever.  The only think missing was my sister and her family…. She’s a nurse and had to work until 8pm, looking after the oldies bless her. 

Then we fell into that twixt and tween…. when you don’t know what day it is, what arrangements you have made, the rollercoaster of drunken gatherings and days in pjs recovering.  Again best time ever!   

This year we had a 10 day stretch from work!  Total bliss.

And then New Years Eve, don’t even get me started on NYE!  After last year committing to 3 different people that we would spend New Year with them and obviously cancelling on 2 of them (it was not nice) we decided to have a house party of our own so we could be with everyone.  The fave son was obviously off doing his thing with his mates as any 18 year old lad would.  He did however phone me  from the races, very tipsy and excitable to wish me Happy New Year.  It was a good few hours in advance of the midnight hour just in case he was in no fit state!  The thought was much appreciated.   

So having our home full with friends and family with music and laugher I felt a huge sense of happiness.  When the midnight hour struck and we crossed hands to auld lang syne and  I felt quite overwhelmed looking around at my circle.  I can’t remember the last time the oldies were with us.  It was almost the perfect moment, obvs would have been perfect had the boy been around, however knowing he was having a ball out with his friends i guess it was perfect.  A golden moment.

Bye 2016 lets see what 2017 has in store for us.

Over the rainbow

Posted on by jomotherdearest

ed-breadYAY!!!!   I’M BACK

I am back in the game!   I mean back in the blog game after an 8 month drought. I don’t know why I leave it so long because enjoy putting my thoughts down and spreading a little love onto the web. It’s more like writing a diary and I love it.

So anyway, casting my mind back… it’s been a busy time and it’s going to take few blogs of the highlights to get you up to speed.

So lets start with the earliest and perhaps biggest event this year which was when my sister, niece and nephew moved in with us.   Before I expand I just have to share how overjoyed I was.   It has been one of the happiest times ever and I am lucky enough to have had a pretty happy life, not withstanding a few bumps in the road.

Anyway on to the story….. So with a bit of manoeuvring and constructing additional beds we were set!   We only have a run-of-the mill semi-detached house and the loft conversation was the key to accommodating everyone. But that was just logistics and my ma n pa love a project!!

Emotionally it was hard to see sis so stressed and pushed to her limits and to say that her leaving her previous relationship was easy would be wrong, there were obviously tricky times. However the freedom that came made me feel over the bloody moon!   To say we celebrated that weekend was an understatement and can perhaps be put into context by you visualising a quiet drink at the local rugby club ending in us walking home in the early hours wearing sombreros and Mexican style ponchos!   Celebrations then continuing at the obligatory after party in the kitchen ♯tequila

So a groove was found with the family, dinner for 10 was interesting and the washing machine was pushed to the max. However my sister has this unhealthy habit of actually enjoying ironing (I know weird right?) so the turnaround time on getting laundry back increased 10 fold but whether you got the right jeans/knickers/leggings etc was another story.

Domestics aside, it is a big step starting a new life and one which you enter into tentatively making big decisions on a new home and how your life will move forward. So when you are starting this new life over the rainbow what is the first thing would you do? *pause for effect

Well of course my Sis being my Sis, you go out a buy a new kitten obvs!!

Crackers I know!

We have the resident Killer Kat, Westie My Bestie, 2 Gangster* Pigs (*this is not a typo) and a Bunny but hey ho lets get a kitten in the mix. It sounds like was dead against such a ludicrous idea…. Nah of course not! I thought it was a fantastic idea!   I was so excited and boy oh boy did we all fall in love with the ginger ninja!   Ed Cat arrived and he is gorgeous!   Even the boy was smitten with him and there were snapchats a plenty of the little fluff ball. My Handsome literally had no choice and I have to say (don’t tell him I said this) but we could rock up with all sorts of pets and he would moan for a day and then love it like the rest of us. Oh that is of course as long there are not hairs all over everywhere. He doesn’t do animal hair, or human hair, or fluff or glitter but I digress.

Super Ed Bread was amongst us and all was well in our bulging, packed to the rafters happy home.   Bliss!!

And we all lived happily ever after.

Well not quite true, the nephew moved in with his girlfriend (sniff!  Another one of our babies growing up)  It was one of those moments when my first born always says “Mum, are you gonna cry?  You are, you are, you are gonna cry aren’t you?” and yes it was emotional.

And then Sis found happiness again with an amazing parter and a gorgeous place to live then left taking my niece and Ed Bread with her……  Just like that gone and yes I did cry! Empty nest syndrome or what!  How on earth was this 40 year old woman going to survive out there in the world without me?  How would my niece cope without her bestest Aunty Jo?
And Ed….. he thought I was his mum (don’t tell Sis!) taken away, toys bed the lot!!       *more tears

(sad song plays)

……..   Anyway I got over it (sniff).  I got used to the idea but actually spent every spare minute dropping in on her at the new place and ensured that we both had keys to each others houses so that there was never any more visiting.  No no they can all just come and go as they please like it’s their second home.  I returned to only cooking for the street instead of the whole town, I can never get the pasta portions right.  Twin II returned to her bedroom, the washing machine slowed and the ironing pile grew…..(actually that’s a lie cos Nanny McFaff is the angel of ironing).

A new balance was found.

On reflection though, my Handsome was a little too happy when Ed moved out.  Mainly because he kept crapping in the bath (Ed not Handsome)  but the favour was quickly repaid when Westie My Bestie did the same on Sisters shiny kitchen floor!

Life resumed as was, however there are still 4 beds on that top floor just incase I can talk anyone else into moving in!