Thursday, 8 October 2009
Today is 'National Poetry Day'
'Oh Bring Back Higher Standards'
Oh bring back higher standards –
the pencil and the cane –
if we want education then we must have some pain.
Oh, bring us back all the gone days
Yes, bring back all the past . . .
let’s put them all in rows again – so we can see who’s last.
Let’s label all the good ones
(the ones like you and me)
and make them into prefects – like prefects used to be.
We’ll put them on the honours board
. . . as honours used to be,
and write their names in burnished script -
for all the world to see.
We’ll have them back in uniform,
We’ll have them doff their caps,
And learn what manners really are
. . . for decent kind of chaps!
. . . So let’s label all the good ones,
we’ll call them ‘A’s and ‘B’s-
and we’ll parcel up the useless ones,
and call them ‘C’s and ‘D’s.
. . . We’ll even have an ‘E’ lot!
. . . an ‘F’ or ‘G’ maybe!!
. . . so they can know they’re useless,
. . . and not as good as me.
For we’ve got to have the stupid –
And we’ve got to have the poor
Because-
if we don’t have them . . .
well . . . what are prefects for?
Sunday, 4 October 2009
And The Winner Is.......
I decided to use my 'cat and kitten' bowl for the names for the giveaway. I love this bowl and usually put my keys in it - otherwise I forget where I've left them.
The winner is Suzan from Scrub Oak - the package will be on it's way across the Atlantic very shortly!
P.S. Many thanks to everyone who wished me 'Happy Birthday' (or 'Hefty Birfday' as Nipper calls it), both here and on Facebook. I got some lovely presents - a copy of Sewing In No Time and a copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting, flowers, a large box of chocolates from Hotel Chocolat, a small box of Thornton's continental selection, a digital photo frame, a music thingy like an ipod shuffle but another brand, and a fab gadget that you attach to your wheelie bin to squash your rubbish down and therefore avoid being fined by the Council for having the lid open (I kid you not - I know someone who was fined!) - Mr Earplugs excels at finding 'useful' presents!
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Belated Blogiversary Giveaway
So here is a belated blogiversary giveaway. Since I'm a bit bonkers about hand knitted socks, and have too much sock yarn in my crafty cupboard, I thought I'd pass some on, along with the very easy basic sock pattern from my local John Lewis, and a set of dpns.

Don't be scared by the thought of attempting to knit socks - if you can knit at all, then you'll be able to knit a fab pair of socks using this pattern, it's easy peasy! And, of course, you don't have to use it to knit socks! The yarn is 100% wool (Blue Faced Leicester I think), by Fyberspates, and is called Fiesta. There's approx 100 grams which should be enough for a pair of socks.
Since not everyone likes to knit I also have a 36 square charm pack in Arcadia by Moda. I didn't want to open it to show the colours but if you Google it you'll get lots of images.
And as you can't craft without chocolate there'll be a little chocolate something in there too.I'm happy to send this little lot overseas. Just leave a comment and I'll put all the names in a pot and choose one on the 21st September. That's my birthday so I should manage to remember!
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Tagged!
I've been tagged by Linda to tell seven amazing things about myself. I'm not too keen on the word 'amazing' as that feels like bragging and makes me feel uncomfortable, so I'll settle for seven 'achievements' instead:1). Despite the very negative attitude of my teacher, I passed my O Level in English Literature with a grade A. During class I sat with a girl who constantly gave the teacher a hard time. I kept my head down but unfortunately got tarred with the same brush. The teacher hated me and gave me a really bad school report. Luckily my parents took the report with a pinch of salt and I showed him!
2). I was the first person in my family to go to university. I grew up on a council estate and my Dad worked in a factory and my Mum did part-time cleaning. We were pretty poor and I remember that a lot of my teachers were surprised that I did so well academically. I was very lucky to have a couple of teachers who could see beyond my background and were really supportive.
3) This cardigan, made for Miss Muffett, was my first 'serious' piece of knitting. Each row took 12 minutes to knit and I dreaded having to answer the phone etc because I would lose my place in the pattern. Even though no-one else will ever wear it I can't bear to throw it away.
4). I've been researching my family history off and on for a few years and so far have managed to get back to 1790. We are so English and 'northern' at that! My parents live only 2 miles or so from where my Dad's ancestors lived - they just moved off the moor and down into the valley!
5). I am a very poor traveller. I get really bad travel sickness and so any travelling is usually quite stressful. A few years ago I did a tour of Peru - Lima, Cusco, Macchu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and various Inca sites, lots of air and coach travel plus a train across the altiplano, altitude sickness and a touch of 'dehli belly' too. Frankly I don't know how I did it! I couldn't have done it without Mr Earplugs and it's definitely one of my greatest achievements.
6). Having Tiddler has to be my greatest achievement I think. I wasn't sure I could face another pregnancy when I lost a baby last year. Tiddler's pregnancy was such a worrying time, constantly thinking whether everything was going ok, never mind factoring in my age (43). We are so pleased to have him and he's a lovely little lad.
(Sheep photo from answers.com)
Friday, 31 July 2009
At least it's not Swine Flu!

We had a momentous occasion this week with Miss Muffett turning into a teenager!
She was a bit disappointed not to have 13 candles but since she had a Thornton's toffee cake I think it would have been decimated by so many candles. She could open a shop with the number of presents she got - a benefit of having divorced and re-married parents and so a large extended family! I don't remember much being made of turning 13 when I was a kid. The big birthdays were 18 and 21. My 'big' present was a 'ghetto blaster' and a copy of Thriller on vinyl!Nothing much else happening here at the moment. My parent's are visiting but the less said about that the better - lol! I could do 'a day in my life' but it would be filled with repetitions of 'fed Tiddler, changed Tiddler, put washing on, made breakfast/lunch/tea' so not very interesting reading! I hope to get a bit of knitting done at some point, but that really is hope over expectation so I won't be holding my breath!
Monday, 20 July 2009
Look at the size of the needle on this thing!
I had an earlier than normal postnatal check-up - 4 weeks rather than 6 weeks - as I wanted to be cleared to drive again. Everything is healing up nicely and I 'passed' all the exercises to prove I could drive safely. Yay! The doctor then decided to give me the 'contraception talk'. Only a doctor would be thinking contraception just a month after birth. The memory of the latter stages of pregnancy and having a baby are contraceptive enough, thanks very much. Mind you I do know someone who got pregnant 5 weeks after having a baby. 5 weeks!! If Mr Earplugs gets any ideas he'll be getting the stick treatment - I'll be beating him off with one. If there is an opportunity for sex then there's an opportunity for sleep and I know which one I'd rather have just now!
The easiest option would be for Mr Earplugs to have the snip, but since he's a lot younger than me he may well want to have more children should I fall under a bus! And really it's me who doesn't want any more children as at nearly 44 I think I'm lucky to have had Nipper and Tiddler. I did consider being sterilised during the c-section but it has a higher failure rate if done then and we really didn't want to be worrying about that. So, after much discussion, we decided that the hormonal implant would be the best option. It's a matchstick sized implant which is put in your upper arm and can stay in place for up to 3 years. Apparantly you need much less hormone than with the oral pill as it's being delivered straight into your blood stream, there are less problems with other drug interactions, and you don't have to worry about whether it's been absorbed if you are sick or have a tummy upset. Best of all you don't have to remember to take it.
I filled the prescription and was a bit confused when the pharmacist gave me a large bag - it's just a small implant, right? Well, the implant is small but I hadn't given much thought as to how it would be put in place. Just look at the applicator and check out that whopping needle (it's the whole section to the left of my thumb!)
Well, check out what it looked like when I took the bandage off the following morning:
So much for the bandage minimising any bruising. It's still rather sore now and I think it's going to be quite a few more days before the bruising fades. Thank goodness I only need to have this done once every three years.
I hate to think how they are going to get the implant out though - 'scalpel please nurse' I think!!
Thursday, 9 July 2009
The Best, and Worst, of Weekends
- Travelling to a wedding on Friday afternoon and getting stuck in a traffic jam among the M25 roadworks.
- Whilst stuck in the jam - Tiddler screaming for a feed, Nipper screaming because Tiddler has woken him up, and me feeling like my head is going to pop!
- Having nothing to wear to the wedding due to 'post-birth-fat-tummy'!
- Being crippled by my new shoes (big blisters), then hearing a loud 'crack' when I stubbed my toe on the leg of Miss Muffett's bed. Said toe swelled up and went purple and now I can't get any shoes on at all!
- Being up all night following the wedding with suspected food poisoning. I was as sick as a dog and Mr Earplugs was even sicker. I can't blame an excess of alcohol as we didn't have any aside from the 'toast'. Trying to breastfeed whilst holding a bucket in case you are sick is quite a challenge! I don't know how we managed the drive home.
The Best:
- Attending the wedding of our good friends. They have been together a bit longer than me and Mr Earplugs, and he introduced them to each other, so it was lovely to see them finally get hitched.
- Catching up with all of Mr Earplugs Uni friends. We've created our own mini population explosion - 9 kids between us so far and not everyone has had kiddies yet.
- Managing a quick salsa at the wedding disco before deciding it perhaps wasn't the best thing to be doing just 3 weeks after my c-section!
- Discovering that in spite of the 'baby belly' I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight :o)
- Tiddler finally deciding that he likes to have a bath! (Tiddler isn't such a tiddler anymore. He's put on nearly 3lbs since he was born so perhaps I should call him 'Guzzler' instead).
Monday, 29 June 2009
Friday, 19 June 2009
Our New Arrival
Thursday, 11 June 2009
A Labour of Love
Monday, 1 June 2009
Things I Probably Shouldn't Be Doing At 38 Weeks Pregnant!
3). Spending a couple of hours traipsing around Heathrow looking for the 'spectators area' which is signposted but doesn't actually exist anymore! I had a few choice words to say about that! We were able to watch some planes taking off by hanging around the car-park (which you're not supposed to do apparently??). We also found a spot outside of the perimeter fence where you can watch the planes coming into land. They are so low at this point that you feel as if you could reach out and touch them. It was quite an experience and Nipper loved it. Wish I'd taken the camera!
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Kitchen Re-fit
(Horrible units, even more horrible floor!)


Sunday, 10 May 2009
A Bit of a Round-up
And also.........hand knitted socks! Gorgeously soft cashmere socks which fit perfectly:
I was overwhelmed. So much time and effort goes into anything hand made. I don't think I could ever let go of a pair of my hand knitted socks. Thank you so much Raina for your very thoughtful and generous gift. It certainly was a fabulous 'cheer-up'.
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Speaking of the Go-Go....I got an 'offer' from my insurance company for the write-off of the car.....£150, less my excess, so £50! I was rather cross at this to say the least! I got online and found half a dozen Micra's similar to mine with values ranging from £300 to £600 so downloaded the adverts and sent them, and a rather snippy letter, off to the insurers. Sure enough, ten days later I got a revised offer of £400, so result! However, I think I'm now going to equate insurance companies with 2nd hand car dealers and estate agents!
I think it's about time I blogged some awards. Some of these are from before last Christmas so apologies all round!


And Linda very generously passed on the Lemonade Award:

for blogs which show attitude or gratitude (which was very kind of her since I hadn't blogged the first award she gave me!).
Linda tagged me with a 'Reading' meme:
Who is your all time favorite author and why?
Do you still co nsider him/her to be among your favorites?
Who is the most recent addition to your favorite authors and why?
If someone asked you who your favorite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth?
Pregnancy Update:
I have only 5 weeks to go now! It has come around rather quickly, especially since I thought I had 2 more weeks than that. I've been feeling a little bit under the weather with tiredness, dizzy spells and breathlessness, and feeling a bit twitchy about the upcoming c-section. I figured it was just down to being in the latter stages of pregnancy and chasing around after Nipper (not to mention no longer being a spring chicken - lol!) Turns out that I'm anaemic and have been having the classic symptoms. So it's iron tablets for me from now on which means I have to also limit my intake of milk, tea and eggs. What'll I do without my first cup of tea of the day??
Thursday, 9 April 2009
Hats
Nipper looks a real cutie in it though I may have to make the 'stalk' disappear as he gets older and needs to look 'cool' (my friend's 5 year old insists on looking 'cool' - at 5 years old!!)
Following the success of this hat Miss Muffett decided she wanted one. We opted for the Saturday Afternoon Hat (which took longer than 1 afternoon for me to knit it!) but again I didn't have the right yarn or needles. So I decided to do a combination of both patterns and use my existing dpns and 100g of double knit acrylic which has been kicking around the place for donkeys years!
It seems to have worked out ok and Miss Muffett is very pleased with it.
Now I just have to whip up a pair of mittens to match Nipper's hat before the weather warms up too much (don't think that's likely to happen - lol!)
P.S. I can't remember where I found the Saturday Afternoon Hat but it was likely on Ravelry.

