{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Wishing for the light

Now don't get me wrong, I loves me some autumn and winter but my soul is desperate for bright, brilliant, awe inspiring sunshine. We wake up and it's dark, we go to bed and it's dark.. Dark, dark, dark like a seemingly endless night.

I'm turning as many lights on as I can; wall lights, ceiling lights, table lamps, fairy lights and let's not forget some beautiful candlelight. All in the vain hopes that some of it might permeate through my dull eyes. They say that the eyes are the doorway to the soul - that's perhaps why I keep holding my head skyward and squinting as hard as I can to find the ever illusive sun.

I shouldn't be moaning, life is good - beautiful children, happy home, awesome husband, crocheting to be done, lovely foods to be cooked and eaten to celebrate this Christmas... See, I've stopped moaning - taken stock of the goodness and moved on.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.

Cool Yule

Sly and the puppy wish you all a very Cool Yule!

You know those dark nights I mentioned - well they are heralding the festive season in at a gallop! Every time I venture out into the cold, dank air of December, I am greeted by the twinkling of Christmas trees in the windows of the houses I pass. These windows that used to feel like soulless openings into dreary boxes have been transformed into scenery reminiscent of bygone eras, Dickensian London by gas light? Or should that be more like "The Muppet's Christmas Carol"

Either way, it's lovely and cheery and makes folk smile.

This is our mini tree and yes I know it's pink. Very pink....

More fairy lights anyone?? Oh go on then, you've twisted my arm...

Autumnal chill

The nights are drawing in. Darkness greets us at either end of the day - although those "either ends" are getting closer together each and every day that passes.

We are getting enormous pleasure from lighting the stove in the evening. It's easy to imagine a bygone era when technology wasn't so intrusive and long, cold nights were spent gathered around the fire.

I yearn for that simplicity. And for Starbucks.... (juxtaposition much?)

I think someone keeps checking to see if it's still warm :)

25 things

1. I still haven't decided what I want to be when I'm all growd up but it probably involves Hawaii and a serious surf career.

2. I have a *cough* slight addiction to Starbucks coffee.

3. I want to travel the world or at least have the balls to do it!

4. I wish wholeheartedly that I was prettier/thinner/more intelligent and yes I know that's shallow of me.

5. The husband is the other half of my soul and I can't even breath without him.

6. My 2 adorable children get all their good looks, talent and mojo mostly from me... :)

7. I fully believe candlelight is the only way to light a living room on a dark stormy evening.

8. Fire pits, I love to sit out in the garden in front of a roaring fire pit. Mo colder mo better.

9. I really want a wood burning hot tub. REALLY. But they're around about £3000.

10. I adore newfoundland dogs.

11. I always leave the last bit of my cornetto cone - the part with the solid bit of chocolate in it.

12. I am always jealous of people who can speak more than 1 language fluently.

13. One of my dreams is to witness the northern lights- swoon..

14. I could look at other peoples photos all day. Even the holiday snaps...

15. Blade is really cool. I mean how cool would it be to be a day walker??

16. My creative ideas are awesome but my talent is zero. I normally tell the Jitsuqueen (my lovely daughter) what my idea is and she does it for me. And vice versa. We are the artistic versions of Jack Spratt.

17. I automatically give preference to Australians due to the fact my sons heart surgeon was from down under and therefore I love ALL things Aussie. Except their big spiders.

19. I have a large hole where religion should be and don't know if it will ever be filled as I think which ever deity decided to make Sly's (my lovely sons) hearts plumbing back to front isn't very kind.

20. But I am very spiritual.

21. Autumn, winter - yes. Spring, summer-no.

22. Rollerskates are waaaay better than rollerblades.

23. I call my old secondary school "The Hellmouth"

24. I love weddings and troll the tinterweb looking at wedding blogs and photos. And yes I know what a saddo I am. :)

25. If I wasn't married to Sherm I'd be married to Wolverine. End of.

Thursday blues

I have the Thursday blues. And mauves.

I am being driven slowly silly by the whooshing noise in my right ear...Grrrrr *shakes fist angrily* and have stooped so low as to actually make myself a Dr's appointment. How very dare I.

Here are 2 pics. The GIANT puppy and a photo of the Sly, Jitsuqueen and Chachi at Halloween.

TTFN

Lethargy bug

See, even the puppy is tired!!

I'm not ill. Not even a little bit. No sniffles or coughs. Unfortunately I seem to have been struck down with a bad case of the lethargy lurg..

If I had a jam jar full of energy I might even stay awake for more than 10 hours a day. Tiredness is my enemy at the moment and I'm surviving by writing down short "to do" lists on bright n' cheery yellow post it notes and patting myself on the back as I stumble back into bed as the night draws in, hopefully having completed more than 80% of the lovely, lemony list.

Sigh.

I think I may have to try the "Thankful/Grateful" meme that is going around the blogs I read. At least I would then be happy and tired :)

The one with the bitter sweetness

So, Sly turned 15 this week. A cause for celebration one might think but for me it is always a bittersweet time.

I'm always torn between being totally elated that he's a year older and the fact that no one knows how his heart is going to end up. And let me stress that as far as we know his likkle ticker is doing brilliantly. His surgeries were corrective, leaving him with just very, very mild valve leakage. His cardio appointments are down to 1 every 2 years - yay! But no one knows what tomorrow brings do they? Hence the bittersweetness.

Sometimes I think it's just my silly brain going into overdrive, anxiety sits on my shoulders like a small child with tired little legs, all mardy from walking too far...

Actually I'm fairly certain it's my silly brain trying to see how hard it has to prod me before I break a little...

So, my Sly is now a 15 year old, with a fine moustache already adorning his top lip (that's them thar Indian genes!), his love for video games knows no bounds and he is going to make a fine young man with decent morals and general goodness abound.

And I'm going to try and remember to celebrate each year of his that passes and party like it's 1999...

Sly- you're well loved.

Silly brain- go away.

Top hat and cane- you are very probably Sly's bestest presents this year. xx

The one where the awesome husband is awesome

Awesome husband.

So, the dude that I am married to is awesome. Not your normal kind of awesome that is used to describe great cake or a pretty picture. I'm talking monumentally awesome, right up there with histories great painters and true love and REALLY great cake.

I call him "the best anti depressant" cos whenever I'm near him I'm happy. No need for mind altering drugs when you've got an awesome husband.

I guess I'm all soppy about him because we're coming up to out 18th wedding anniversary. 18 years and it only feels like 5 minutes.

Sometimes I have to think hard when I turn around and see 2 young adults in the house, I forget my children are practically all growd up. And fine people they are too.

Jitsuqueen with all her talent and beauty. She doesn't realise that she's like the sun and people want to be near her just because she's got such a happy, sunny disposition. People are drawn in like moths to a flame and they find they just want to stay there shimmering in her golden sunlight.

Sly, don't get me started on this young man. Seriously. He was born a superstar and just keeps growing into a bigger superstar. And man oh man is he funny, he has us in stitches just by being himself. I see him struggle with difficulties that you or I would find a breeze, life doesn't sit easily with him but he battles on with his 'emergency cola and maltesers' (stashed away in his lair) for when he can't cope anymore. I love to hear other momma's moan about how sugar makes their kids hyper, not at my house baby! Sugar is the king of all calmness here at the The Shire.

Do you know what?? I'm all sorts of lucky.

The one for Jitsuqueen

Dearest Jitsuqueen,
I have just had an epiphany about you and college (& to some extent my school days also)
Anyhoo, you know all the teen movies they make - I am number 4, Mean Girls, The Craft, Pretty in Pink, Real Genius, and all the 80's teen classics, all the 90's teen classics.

In fact ALL the movies about school/college/growing up, the thing they all have in common is that the one who doesn't fit in, the one who stands out, who gets picked on, who is the nicer person (even though they aren't the popular stereotypical prom queen.)
WELL THESE ODD ONES OUT, THEY ARE ALWAYS THE ONES WHO COME OUT ON TOP AND WHO HAVE THE LAST LAUGH AND WHO SUCCEED IN LIFE AND ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD AND KEEP ON LIVING LIFE TO THE MAX.

So, even though the thoughts of going back to college are a bit daunting and nerve wracking - the people who are nob heads there are now probably having the time of their tiny, little lives with nothing to look forward to. They will spend the rest of their days thinking how great school and college were....That's because they aren't living for the brighter, bigger future they were meant to have- it's because they decided to blow it all now.

You are the odd one out, the pretty one who is intelligent too - brains AND beauty!!! The one who has to sit on her own at lunch instead of with all the nobs (cos you are not a sheep and you don't follow the herd), you are the one they pick on because they all know you will be passing them by, on the way up, as their lives are sliding down. They are jealous of all that you'll be.

We all love you (even Litha).

Have a great year at college and remember that it doesn't matter who talks to you or doesn't talk to you, cos right now - these very minutes that are passing by - you are starring in your very own John Hughes movie classic. Make it all count.

Love you,

MM xx

The one with a bit of info

So, out with the old and in with the new....

Out: Jitsuqueen's old boyfriend. In: The new boyfriend, whom I shall call Chachi as the 2 of them remind me of Joanie and Chachi from Happy Days.

Out: Ideas of only having 2 dogs. In: The new Newfie puppy called Sprocket AKA fluffmeister.

Out: The old driveway and steps. In: Brand. Spanking. New. Shiny. Happy. Building. Work.

Also we had us a little ol' 3rd wedding. Not content with the 2 original ones, we decided to renew our vows with a few close family and friends.

In-between all that we have had normal daily life with Jitsuqueen starting at college (makes me feel old!), dog walks, work, fun, fire pit nights, laughs, cinema trips, lovely food, firm friends,happiness, sadness, challenges, sleeeeeep, music. And a bit more besides.

Joanie loves Chachi...

Sprocket the Newfie at 13 weeks.

Sprocket @ 18 weeks.

6 months.

7 months & looking slick....

Sly and his big dawg..

Builders doing their thing.

Scene of awesome wedding vow renewals.

Outstanding nephew Grant.

Momma & Sly.

Joanie <3's Chachie (again....)


Amazing husband is amazing!!!!

Just our normal selves.

Favourite restaurant who outdid themselves.

So good we wed it thrice...

The one with the nearly an update - update.

I have been a while eh? But I'm soon to be back in the land of blogging. Stay tuned. xx