Saturday 31 August 2013

Day 176

I grew up in the mid 1970s and the 1980s was good fun to post dear Reader other things that have been mentioned are, Mr Men, Top of the Pops, Ice pops, Snaps, and many more! Always nice to have a little look back isn't it, dear Reader?

One of the things we had in the 1980s was one of the very first home computers, the ZX Spectrum I think we were one of the first out of all our friends to get one in around 1982 I think it may have been and we seemed to be very popular for friends that year!

The trouble was it took ages to load and made annoying noises as it loaded. The keys were rubber and would get really hot. Sometimes you would have it set up and it would crash. It was quite a head of it's time size wise I think, it was quite small in size compared to it seemed everything else machine and techno wise was huge in the 80s. Video recorders especially.

I remember my dad buying programming books too and sitting for ages copying us a programme that we could play. Mystical Diamonds was my favourite it was a quest came that you had to complete different levels on. Then there was Horace Goes Skiing and a few English educational games my parents bought us. We would spend hours on it.

Then we moved on to the Atari 2600 games cartridges that were more fun, easier to load and play. Graphics were not all that, but it was good fun all the same. I still enjoy playing Pac-Man to this day. 

Then for a while I lost interest in computers and game consoles, until I bought my Nintendo Wii when they first came out a few years back. I managed to get in really good shape thanks to the Wii fit board and loved playing tennis and golf on there too. I have still got it. At first it was used all the tie everyday for a few years, but then time as got in the way and I just do not seem to have the time to go on it now. But I am going to make the effort for I did find it really good fun.

I also love Karaoke and that is all we use out Xbox that is downstairs for now. I am sure with it being a connect that it does many wonderful and amazing things but for us now it as become a Karaoke machine. When I see how much my teens use their Xboxes for I do feel sorry for ours.

It is surprising now how fast new and the latest thing come out compared to the 1980s. How much choice there is too. But my favourite electronic game from the 1980's would after be my Grandstand Pac-Man game, with it's tinny little tune and it's green graphics. Easy to set up too, you just plugged the Pac-Man shaped machine in the plug and away you went. I loved it.

I am going on eBay now, dear Reader to see if I can buy one!



Evening all x x x

Friday 30 August 2013

Day 175

I grew up in the mid 1970s to the 1980s dear Reader. Pac-man, Roller skates and Ra Ra skirts. Walkmans, Wham, Rubix Cubes, Leg warmers, Space Invaders, Fame, Ghostbusters, Stardust, Chewits, Sinclair zx, Ghettoblaster, Jelly Shoes, Dr Martins, Bomber Jackets, Stone wash denium, Record player, Dirty Dancing, Ford Capri, Ozone Layer free hairspray, Marathans, Opal Fruits, Atari, peddle pushers, Cassettes, Tapes, Wagon Wheels, Whispers, Permed hair, Highlighted hair, Mighty Mouse, Danger Mouse, Going Live,Pet Shop Boys, Margaret Thatcher, School Disco, Look-in Magazine, Smash Hits, Shell-suits, Rocky, BMX, Hi-Di-Hi, The Fall Guy, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Puma trainers, Tracksuits, Computers, Yamaha Keyboards, Live Aid, Band Aid, ET, John McEnroe, Cabbage Patch Kids, Strawberry Shortcake, Ray Bans, Etch-A-Sketch, Paint by Numbers, Wombles, Bagpuss, Simon Says, Flares, Skateboards, Princess Diana, Curly Wurleys, Videos, Wax Jackets, Rent-a- Ghost, Juliet Bravo, Colouring, Guess Who?, Space Hopper, Hubba Bubba, The Smiths, Perfection, Ker Plunk, Plasticine, Rainbow, Lassie, Recorder, Club 70, Playing out, Care Bears, Star Wars, Beano, Pierrot, Nik Kershaw, Nick Kamen, Levis, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Pizza, Michael J Fox, Coronation Street, Kerching, Sticker Albums, Midget Gems, Blondie, Feast, Kevin Kegan, and much much more!!!

Evening all x x x

Thursday 29 August 2013

Day 174

Well after recent events, dear Reader, my mind as had to drift to were most of us most of us do not like to go--thoughts of making a will and funeral plans. Awful to after think about isn't it? But it is just something that as been in my mind and knowing how fast anaphylaxis shock can come on with allergy, I think it would be time for me to have a plan.

Firstly I think it would be important that my family would decide on the most of the arrangements after all they would be the ones left living it would not really matter to me were I was laid to rest.  I would not mind my ashes being placed in our garden at home because I would be in the place I am happiest in there. Close to my family. But then I have children and they would need somewhere to go to reflect etc and a place to visit and know I was there. An X marks the spot really. You know what I mean? Somewhere they could acknowledge and a place they can sit and talk to me etc. So it would have to be somewhere and something that was best for them really and not me.

One of the songs I would like playing is the The Other side by the Scissor Sisters and I would like a positive celebration of life. Maybe Russell Watson Faith of the Heart and The Flood by Katie Melua too. 

I have to say I have no plans to meet my maker yet. I am doing all I can to beat my allergies etc. But it is best to have a plan B isn't it, dear Reader?

Evening all x x x

Wednesday 28 August 2013

Day 173

Mr L is now enrolled and ready for starting college, next week, dear Reader. He had no problem with his excellent results getting the subjects he is interested in to study for A-Level. All the hard work is already paying off and doors are opening for him. Which is why I always pushed for him to get the best out of his education and made sure his schools were giving their best too.

I was one of those mum's who if I saw anything the matter with both Mr L and Miss C's education or anything that just did not seem to be right I was straight in school, never for one moment letting things slide. I made sure I was always there to take and pick up my children and I was lucky to be able to do this. So I was around and knew if there was a problem right away.

I have had many a battle with headteachers. Removed my children from a school that had an excellent reputation, but individually let us down badly. I have not listened headteachers excuses of they can do nothing to stop bad behaviour in their schools and I have taken no notice of their 
"What do you expect me to do about it?" Attitude.

I was not one of these obsessive, over protective mums and I was not in school day in day out. But with serious, sensible concerns I was straight in there. Getting straight to the point and fighting my case with a passion any mother would who cares and loves her children.

Now we have Liam's results, I know it was the right thing to do. I did the right thing. If you want to work hard and get on in schools nowadays you have to fight for it. Stand up for what is right. Many of the teachers and heads have simply given up on the cause of handling unruly pupils and bad behaviour and it is the children like Mr L who miss out. They want to go to school to learn and end up becoming human punch bags for children with no boundaries.

I strongly believe where parents fail on behaviour issues, schools should step in. Children who are not taught boundaries from parents and school have no one to tell them the difference between right and wrong and it is as simple as that, dear Reader, all these children need is to be educated on the basis of what is right and what is wrong. But I have seen it for myself no one says anything to them and they are allowed to continue the behaviour even when other children get physically hurt sometimes too.

The end result in our case? Well I think Mr L's excellent exam results says it all!

Evening all x x x

Tuesday 27 August 2013

Day 172

One of the things I have found helps me a lot, dear Reader is walking. Going out for a walk really helps me  get over a bad allergic reaction. So today I found myself out and about walking. I had to go visit my own GP to check in after Sunday's adventure so I thought 'time for my daily walk.' 

Now I have come to notice certain things on my daily walk. Firstly, it is guaranteed that I will get a stone in my pump (I have got to wear flat shoes for walking) and secondly that we live quite near to one of those divided pathways--the ones that are split down the middle for pedestrians on one side and cycles on the other. Now this is quite handy for those such as me who own a bike as it means I can cycle quite safely to nearly everywhere I need to go. However as a walker and using this path I have encounted some very power mad cyclists. 

I have been minding my own business walking on the path and I admit to being a little naughty and I may have strayed into the cycle part of the path by an inch or so. Even more if it is raining because the pedestrian part is right by the road and if it is raining you can be splashed by cars. Which like today I was over into the cycle path because it was raining and I was wearing a new skirt--so we don't want that getting wet do we dear Reader? For I am always careful, dear Reader, and if I see a cyclist I will move over into my correct path.

However to get to the point, dear Reader, there are quite a few cyclist who do not seem to be able to take a little inch invasion into their cycle path. It starts with them way out  in the distance ringing their little bells. You know when you have seen them anyway and will move yourself out of the way when they actually are close to you. The ringing of the bike bell is soon followed by frantic moving arms, swaying from side to side telling you to get back to your own half of the path. Shouting this again because they are way in the distance. Now you might think, dear Reader, that they are peddaling down the path at two hundred miles an hour and that if I do not move right away I am in for some terrible accident. But they are going slow and are well within my eye line for me to make the big leap back to my own path. Then eventually when they do get up to you, they will give you some big tall of and lecture about the path rules and this can go on and on, dear Reader--even if they are slow riders! 

I am not like this when I am on my bike, but watch out, dear Reader there are cyclists like that out there--give them a bike bell and they are going to use it! Pedal power and all!

Evening all x x x

Monday 26 August 2013

Day 171

Just when things are going so well there is always something or someone who goes and spoils it isn't there dear Reader? Well as you know all was going really well with my allergy and I had got down to two steroids, when last night in bed I only go and react again don't I? This time it was so bad I had to have an ambulance and be treated at home before they admitted me to hospital. I did think I might be about to depart this earth for little while. It was my blood pressure that kept dropping rapidly that gave me the worst feeling, nothing worse than that awful fainting feeling that happens just before you lose conscious.

I have to say the ambulance was here within five minutes stopping me from crashing and Paula the Paramedic was wonderful and had me a line and drain in without me feeling a thing. Then off to hospital and as soon as I received medication I started to feel much better. It is as fast as that and with it going through the vein even faster. Then once booked in hospital I was seen by the doctor straight away, which considering the hospital was very busy last night because this weekend it has been the big Creamfields event. Then more drugs through the vein and in over night for observation and until the swelling had gone down.


Like I have talked about on here before. Last January I was due to have more of the patch allergy tests to find more triggers, but although I didn't make the appointment due to circumstances completely out of my control my blood pressure was made to go up and I become too unwell to have the tests. Which means that on the NHS you then have to wait almost twelve months for another appointment. I could afford to go private but with the unnecessary stress I was put under I have not had clear skin since then and need clear or a patch of clear skin for the tests to be done. So I have had to go on like this for the past seven months and my skin has been so painful at times. It is annoying that I could have known what this new thing is the thing that caused this last night and knowing this at the time I did get cross and I lost my temper badly with the people responsible. I just wish people would understand how serious it is for me and how important it is or was for me to find my triggers--I could die I am not being dramatic I am just stating a fact. It was just so unnecessary and uncalled for. When people are in hospital, they need to get on and get tested.


So back up to eight a day on the steroids. Hopefully my appointment will be pushed forward and my skin clears, and I will soon know what it is. I have tried and tried to think what the trigger is but it really has me riddled ...literally!

Evening all x x x


Sunday 25 August 2013

Day 170

Hello dear Reader, how are we today? I have had my head in a good book most of the day. I am lucky to be working for Mills & Boon now as a reviewer so I was lost in a very sexy romantic book. Well the hubby was watching the Formula 1 on the telly so what is a girl to do?

As a Pisces I am a huge romantic at heart. I love a little love! Yes I am a soppy. I also have a lovely hubby who spoils me and who I know loves me lots. I am a lucky girl to have someone in my life like him. It is good romance that sells. A good romantic story, bad love with no happy endings just would not work would it? We all love a happy ending.

I am coming up to have been married twenty years very soon, The time as gone by so fast. It only seems like yesterday I was waiting for the mother-in-law so we could get married.  But it is a joy to still be so happily married just as we were as newly weds.

You see, dear Reade,r I am grateful for what I have. I could not ask or want anymore. I am quite content with my little life, because I can be who I want and what I want to be. I am happy to be me.

The book you read certainly effects your mood!

Evening all x x x


Saturday 24 August 2013

Day 169

What a HAPPY week this week as been dear Reader and my allergy symptoms now seem to be finally getting under control. I hope to finally make it off the steroids in a couple of days. I am finally going to have my life back. I also want to say a huge thank you too to my mum and dad too for all their support through my illness, they have been fantastic.  I am thankful to have lots of wonderful people in my life and it got me to thinking about what to do for my big 40. 

So I was thinking of maybe hiring a coach and taking all my wonderful friends and family on some kind of trip. Instead of doing a party. Birthdays should be celebrated and the big 40 should be a big event. This should also me celebrating beating my allergies and getting my life back. 

So where shall we go?  What shall we do?  Something pampering for the girls? Something adventurous for the boys? Something for all ages. I think I know the perfect plan but I need to do some more research... Google here I come!!!!!

Evening all x x x

Friday 23 August 2013

Day 168

It is funny sometimes, dear Reader, how comedy situations can present themselves in real life. Take today for instance, there me and my teens were minding our own business, having a nice walk into town, when all of a sudden lots of police sprang on a woman with a buggy. The woman talking on her mobile phone said 
"I am getting nicked and I don't know why." As she said that a policeman lifted her toddler up out of the pram and pulled a big bundle of Marks And Spencers underwear out. All still on hangers and with the tags all on and everything. She had clearly been shoplifting and the store must have called the police for them to be there when she left the shop because this happened right out side Marks and Spencers.

Maybe if she had just had the one item and she would have not thought they had found it, but to have a massive bundle of underwear like that. It was just a great comedy moment the policeman could not have timed finding that bundle any better.

The big bundle of underwear was passed back to the Marks and Spencers member of staff and  all I can think is imagine buying underwear that had been taken out of the shop like that. I would think they would not just put it back on the shelves. Would they?

Evening all x x x

Thursday 22 August 2013

Day 167

I am a very proud Mum today, dear Reader, my son Mr L got his GCSE results today and they were brilliant!! A*s and As so he did really, really well. Well done MR L. What is really good about these pleasing results is that during all this studying he had a major operation. And it is through Mr L's own courage and determination that he as not let that stand in his way or hold him back in anyway.

He still does have a few problems due to his operation and he is always brave and does all he can and never complains! In fact I only found out today just how difficult it was for him to sit doing his exams, due to it being uncomfortable and painful for him. You see he has two metal bars on his rib cage and they will stay in for another couple of years. So I am sure you can imagine, dear Reader at times this is painful and uncomfortable but despite this he got brilliant results and I am so proud of the way he handled his operation and worked hard at school to gain such outstanding results.

I would like to say a big thank you to all friends and family too for their support and for all the lovely messages that we have got today.  A very brave and brainy boy! Now that should be a man now shouldn't it?

Evening all x x x

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Day 166

Well I have so much energy today, dear Reader, I have cleaned up all downstairs this morning and this afternoon I am going to clean upstairs. I am putting my energy burst down to the high dose of steroids I am on. I have been assured by the doctors that the oral tablets are different from the creams, so I am at no risk from setting back my detox from the creams and having to go through the horrible cold turkey again.

Yesterday I started having to cut down my steroids, so only time will tell if I am going to be much better without them. I doubt the house will be better off. Cleaning is like ironing isn't it? You have to be in the mood to do it. Then I always find I have to listen to some good music or it seems to take forever.

So things at the moment are looking good with my allergy. In fact this is the best it as been for a long time. I think also approaching forty you do know what is best for yourself and what works for you. I know myself personally what would make me stressed amd what would not. My allergy is cause by triggers but stress does not help. So luckily I do not have a lot of stress and I now know what to do to avoid any.

The hubby as been a great support throughout this and I am so grateful to have him in my life. Times like this you see that some things are just not worth worrying about. As long as you have your health that is all that is important.

Evening all x x x

Tuesday 20 August 2013

Day 165

Sometimes you find don't you, dear Reader, that sometimes in life it is really hard to know what to do for the best. I am talking about when people become difficult towards you and you can't do anything right. Even when you have tried to explain the reasons why you have not been able to keep up to things and have ended up making people let down. In my case it was the fact my son had serious operation last year and then me myself ended up with really ill health due to my allergic reactions.

It is at times like this you do find out who your true friends and supportive family members are. Part of my condition is that I must avoid stress and that is really hard to do when people become difficult and mean towards you just because due to circumstances out of your control you cannot do what they wish you to do.

What also happened in my situation was how quick I was judged, when themselves behaviour at times was inexcusable, where as I had good reason to why I could not do what they wanted me to. I have had to leave many a thing unfinished. Cancel lots of plans. Miss out on lots of things in my own life due to my allergy, then on top of that I have been at the receiving end of some unpleasant, unreasonable behaviour towards me.

No one stepped in and told these people that perhaps they were going too far and no one told them or explained about my illness, so instead they were able to carry on regardless doing what they wanted. When a simple explanation may have stopped this getting completely out of hand. I took the pressure of criticism and judgement until one day I lost my temper and stuck up for myself.

Why people think they can control others is beyond me. Why they cause and start trouble I do not understand either. The stress from this also resulting in some important tests not been able to be carried out with regards to my allergy and for me to wait almost twelve months for me to have them done. Due to me not been able to come off my medication.

I have no idea why this person became so mean and unkind to me. Why my explanations were not good enough. All I know now it as made life extremely hard at times not just for me but for other family members too.  I don't fall out with people but boy is it hard when they fall out with you!

Evening all x x x

Monday 19 August 2013

Day 164

Back to the dentist today, dear Reader, to have the rest of the work done on my teeth and I am quite pleased with myself another appointment had been booked for after today's. But I have managed to have all the work done in today's appointment. Which now means I do not after go back for another six months... hooray!

My appointment was at two o'clock this afternoon and I still managed to get there way too early. The dentist closes for lunch until two so I found myself on the doorstep with a woman in her sixties also waiting to be let in. The other lady waiting was very nervous and I could tell standing on that doorstep was not helping. Lots of people have the same feeling when going to the dentist I don't, but I am glad when it is all over and done with. The lady told me she had not been to the dentist for years due to her fear and was only there now because she had lost a filling... meaning pain had brought her to that dentist door.

In they typical fashion, when you are on time for an appointment they are always running late a little after two the door was opened and I heard the fantastic words 
"You can go straight in"  One hour later after another three injections, a lot of drilling and dribbling I was all fixed. Feeling like I had, had a course of botox not being able to move one side of my face off I set for the walk home.

I suddenly got a craving for sweets. A nice bag of sweets to eat on the way home. The only thing is since my allergy diagnosis sweets are off the menu. Now if I had walked the other way I pass no shops, but the way I walked I passed shop after shop that sold sweeties. I have no idea why I had such a craving with the work I just had done on my teeth it would be enough to put anyone off a sweet tooth!

Evening all x x x

Sunday 18 August 2013

Day 163

Lazy Sunday today, dear Reader and i have been watching the television series Long Lost Family on Sky + So far the two episodes I have watched and the reunited families have all stayed in touch. I do like a happy ending.

Most of the books I read for review have happy endings, but recently I read one that had a satisfying conclusion but not a happy ending. It did make a refreshing change but I still do like my happy endings.

Back to Long Lost Family. It does surprise me how as modern as the 1960s young girls were still expected to give up their babies for adoption if they became pregnant. Hard to imagine nowadays giving your own flesh and blood away. How times have changed for the better and with the social services system things are so much easier. The stigma has now gone too of it being a shameful thing for a young girl to get pregnant out of wedlock.

Makes you think there must be thousands of people out there who do not even know they are adopted and that most likely they were loved by their natural mums who were just too young and forced to give their babies up. Or those that know they are adopted must wonder why they were put up for adoption and maybe feel rejected. When the truth is their mums were no more than children themselves.

I like to see them all reunited. I like it when it is explained the reason why they had to give up their children and that now years later they have a chance to form a close bond with their family. As long as it is a happy ending it is wonderful.

Evening all x x x

Saturday 17 August 2013

Day 162

While watching the film The Magnificent Seven this afternoon, I realised that westerns are not my usual cup of tea. I was taken back down memory lane to my father's parent's house. My grandma and granddad's little bungalow, where we would all meet on Sunday afternoons. 

My grandfather T loved his television and his films and usually on a Sunday afternoon back then when there was only three channels, a film to my grandfathers taste would be on. So in that tiny room you would find it full of family members all chatting, while my poor grandad tried to watch his film on the telly dear Reader.

Oddly just thinking about it today my grandma T always had the chair most closest to the telly. When on those Sundays it would have made more sense for my grandfather to have the chair nearest the TV. I only really remember her watching The Young Doctors and we had always to be quiet when the weather report came on. Those Sundays were the only time we would see my grandfather in the house, he spent most of his time pottering about in his shed. A carpenter and gardener in his working life, he liked to spend nothing more than time in his garden growing his own vegetables.

He was naturally a very quiet man. We would be ever so chatty while that film was on and he never complained. I again do feel he would have been far more suited in the chair closer to the TV on those Sunday afternoons, but they always had set chairs did my grandparents each sitting in the same chair all the time.

I was lucky growing up they only lived down the road from me, about a few seconds walk away. Sadly my grandparents have passed and the family gatherings stopped. My dad's family is quite a large family and the only thing that kept us close was those Sunday afternoons.

I only wish my grandfather had been living in the time of DVD. So he could have stopped and re-watched his films at his leisure. I think he would have had quite a collection of DVDS ofwesterns and many other army type films.

I really miss those Sunday afternoons. I used to love going into my grandfather's shed and see what he was making, he could make anything from wood. A very clever man who just once a week liked to watch his good picture that was on that afternoon.

Evening all x x x

Friday 16 August 2013

Day 161

Our neighbour as invested in a new motorbike, dear Reader, and I am sure motorbikes do not have to be so loud when they are setting off anywhere. Thanks to this enormous noise I know my neighbour leaves for work every morning at 7:15 am and there is now no chance of me sleeping in. When I can eventually get back to work.

Approaching forty, I guess I should be having crazy ideas like buying a motorbike myself. But no thank you, I am happy with a new push bike. (hint hint hubby) my cousin jumped out of a plane no thank you either. I find shopping for bargains my adrenalin rush. My aunt and uncle went up in a helicopter recently... no thank you. I am like put me down when they show  birds eye shots on the television. For my gran's 70th she went up in a hot air balloon... well no thank you.

I think for my 40th I would just like to meet up with close family and friends on a nice beach... yes Scarborough that will do me!

Evening all x x x

Day 160

Well you expect to go to A& E a few times when your children are small. For things like stuffed up noses, bumps and falls. But today I found myself almost attending A&E when my teen Miss C got the end of a cotton bud stuck right in her ear. 

Luckily I was attending the doctors today so I decide to get Miss C an appointment and see if anything could be done at the doctors rather than spend a good few hours in A&E. I had told my children many a times not to put the cotton buds in their ears because it could be harmful but teens know best. 

So they managed to sort it out at the doctors and she is now on a course of ear drops, complaining because she can't wear her headphones at the moment!

Evening all x x x

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Day 159

How do you know when you have not been getting much sleep, dear Reader? When you put the scissors away in the fridge was my confirmation on this. I have been sleeping better since my allergy first kicked off and last night I finally fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow. See I told you yesterday, dear Reader, that the bed needed moving and it seemed to have worked until..

I was awoken by knocking on the bedroom door and my teen Mr L shouting. As I opened my eyes I then heard the police helicopter loud and low flying over the park. Panicking now I wanted to know what was going on.

Until a couple of nights ago when Spook was in the house on a night we had quite happily let her sleep on the furniture on a blanket. I have been tested and I am not allergic to cats, but recently I discovered that if you let your pets sleep on furniture it can attracted house dusts mites because they like to live off their fur. Now house dust mites is something I am badly allergic to so Spook's new bed is in a cat bed in the kitchen.

So after all that it was three am this morning before I got back to sleep. Hence the scissors in the fridge incident again! Oh and I have just found the paracetamol in there too!

Evening all x x x

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Day 158

Laying in my bed under the window, I suddenly had a strong urge... to move my bed. I just suddenly had the feeling that having our bed directly under the window was not doing my allergy any good.

So up I sprung, I can do this now I thought,. The hubby was still downstairs watching television and if he knew what I had planned he would only fuss. So downstairs I crept to get my goggles and mask that I now have to wear when I do any housework.

First step was to empty underneath the bed and that is when I discovered that the hubby had been storing computer parts. These are useless bits that he will most likely never use again. Then I got the mattress of the bed and managed to lift the frame of the bed up and on its side to move it. When I made the maneuver  I must have unplugged the router by accident, because next there was frantic knocking on my door by one of my teens 
"Come in." I said stopping with the bed frame in mid air. 
"What's happened to the router mum?" A panicked voice said looking at me standing there holding the frame. I explained what happened and as the bed was now blocking the router it would just have to wait.

Next the hubby made an appearance. Demanding to know what I was doing. Still holding the heavy frame I calmly said 
"It is not like I have asked you to do anything" as he fussed away. Well I managed to lift that heavy bed all by myself into it's new position. I made the bed and tidied up. When the hubby came back into the room. I asked him what he though. 
"Alright" he said

Yes after I lifted it all by myself and did all that work the hubby asked me just to help him  move a made bed by sliding it two inches over from were it was! It did not need lifting or anything! But being the good wife I am of course I helped!

Evening all x x x

Day 157

Off we went today, dear Reader, to visit family in North Yorkshire. It was the first time we have travelled in our brand new car other than local driving. 

It was so good to get out of the house and do something!  We are always made so welcome by my lovely aunt and it was good to catch up with my two cousins. My two cousins each had a baby this year Baby M is now six months and was so playful and bubbly. Baby L is only weeks old so still like a new born. They are both adorable.

It was lovely to get some baby cuddles and my aunt always puts a nice homemade spread on for lunch so we were well fed. Even though there is always something missing now since my gran passed we manage to smile and have a good time, but I know in all our minds we miss our gran. But with two new babies in the family it gives us something to focus on and new memories to be made.

I shall look forward to them.

Evening all x x x



Sunday 11 August 2013

Day 156

Just a quiet day in today, dear Reader, to relax for the big week I have got planned. The hubby and I are just sat watching DVDs. I chose one, then he chooses one from the never ending pile we have of DVDs to watch So it is usually a really manly action film followed by a chick flick.

It is not often the hubby and I will choose a film we want to watch together so we tolerate each others little choices and surprisingly some of his films I have enjoyed. Take today for example we watched The Expendables 2 and I liked that. I think Sly Stallone may have had some work done on his face. I found his eyebrows very entertaining throughout the film!

It is the hubby's choice again now too and luckily I have my trusted Kindle on stand-by in case it is a film I will really not like, so when he gets absorbed in the film I can disappear in a good book.

That is the way to a happy marriage I think!

Evening all x x x

Day 155

Up early and ready to go shopping in the town next to ours, I was today, dear Reader. I was going in search of a great grandparents urn type vase to put on my grandparents' grave. 

Miss C was up nice and early to come with us only for when we said we were going and we were making our way to the door, for her to emerge from her room still in her night wear. It would seem after feeding the cat and feeding herself cereal Miss C had gone back to bed. This I have informed her is not what I mean by getting up early.

There were no grandparents vases, so we ended up having a nice look around the shops there and there was some nice shops. Then we did the unthinkable... we brought back fish and chips in our brand new car. But we had been to this fish shop before and they are really nice. It was too cold to eat them outside and with me still recovering from my tooth extraction and still only able to eat from one side of my mouth we decided to take them back home with us. Even wrapped up fish and chips stink don't they, dear Reader? And the smell gets on your clothes and everything. But it is worth it because they were delicious.

Then after lunch we had a nice walk into our town centre. It is so much nicer now the weather is cooler and the breeze felt lovely on my skin. Bought some nice bits and pieces and it was nice to get out of the house for the day.

Evening all x x x

Day 154

I am just trying to keep busy now, dear Reader, in the hope I can forget and ignore my skin.  I have decided next week I am getting my teens up bright and early and we are going to do something everyday. I can not let my allergy stop me living life and keeping me stuck in the house.

I have planned something for everyday next week. I will tell Miss C we are setting off a couple of hours before we are due to leave, so I know she will be ready in time. With Mr L being sixteen now he will be wanting to go off and do more of his own things with his friends, so we will not get opportunities to do this all that often soon.

Now all I have to hope is that I can get them out of bed.

Evening all x x x


Friday 9 August 2013

Day 153

Gone are the days, dear Reader, when I could settle my children off to bed with a bath and a goodnight story and then spend time with the hubby. Now my two teens want to go to bed later than we do. With been ill again with my skin I have become slightly distracted to when they are going to bed, so I was shocked when I got up at 2am to use the bathroom to find Miss C happily still sat up typing away on her laptop! She then slept in the next day until 2pm, only to say to the hubby who came home for work at his usual time
"Why are you home so early?" Not thinking for one moment that it was her who had slept in and had only been up a couple of hours before her dad was due home.

I managed to get straight off to sleep the other night only to be woken up at 1am in the morning by both teens been over enthusiastic and loud about YouTube. So it can not go on, dear Reader a compromise must be made. A bedtime installed. But my eldest is sixteen and now a grown up. So what do you do? He is trying hard to find summer employment so he is not just lazing around. Also he is sensible he will make sure he is going to bed early enough when he gets a job and returns to school. For Miss C howwever that is going to be difficult!

Oh how I wish The Hungry Caterpillar and the Tiger Who Came to Tea where still able to be around to help me with the bedtime blues!

Evening all x x x

Thursday 8 August 2013

Day 152

Off to the dentist, I went today, dear Reader. I was surprisingly calm for me on such an occasion. Even though I knew I was going for treatment. I was even calm about having an injection... good job too because I ended up having three. The first two were no problem however the third which was right in the roof of my mouth that did make my eyes water.

I ended up having to have a tooth removed due to having a cyst. It amazed me how quickly after the injections you go numb and that although the mouth is numb you can actually still feel the tooth been extracted from your mouth.

I was not finished--after all that I had to have a crown fitted. I thought I had lost the tooth by grinding my teeth during the night, but it would seem it was the pesky cyst that made it fall out. You would think it would destroy and make the tooth fall out that it was growing on wouldn't you dear Reader? But no it made it's neighbour fall out.

So I am glad I have got that all over and done with. Apparently because I have been on so many steroids that is why I have not felt any pain or had any swelling. But the bad news is once the injection wears off, then I am going to feel pain... lots of pain.

Ouch...

Evening all x x x

Day 151

Well it seemed to have worked okay, dear Reader, my new shampoo. It is good too. I think I will only have to wash my hair once a week, which for someone as nervous as me after having such a bad allergic reaction to shampoo will suit me fine.

I am having gym withdrawal. I need to get back on that treadmill. I am missing my daily workout, but know now I have to take it easy and wait until my skin is fully better.

And if I have not got enough going on, tomorrow I am at the dentist for treatment...

Evening all x x x

Tuesday 6 August 2013

Day 150

One hundred and fifty days of being thirty-nine, dear Reader, let's have cake, balloons and some party music!

Spook the cat has really taken to sitting in my seat because as soon as I move (see Day 149) she is currently circling the coffee table near my spot, tail up and looking like a shark's fin as she is holding out for me to move so she can nick my seat. Well she can keep patrolling up and down because I ain't moving!

Tomorrow I am going to the hairdresser so it means I am going to have to try out my new shampoo. It is an organic one with no chemicals so I should be okay with it. Well I hope I am because things were getting really desperate on the shampoo front. I was really running out of ideas what to try next. So wish me luck, dear Reader, lets hope this is the one.

Evening all x x x



Day 149

I had a good idea today dear Reader. I deleted all the songs on my phone so I could start again and add the ones I liked. I had become bored of the ones I had on there and while I am unable to go to the gym due to my skin, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to do this task.

We must have hundreds of CDs which have all now have been added to the music library in the computer. To download songs for my phone it is a case of scrolling down each song. All are in alphabetical order. So I sat for a good couple of hours adding songs into the sync list at the side. Really pleased with my new music collection.

I was up to UB40 and I was nearly at the end of this huge task. When all of a sudden Spook the cat jumped up from nowhere landing on my knee. This made me jump, she had jumped over the side of the sofa so I had not seen her so it was a shock. Seeing that she was on my bare legs and not very comfortable Spook moved to the other side of the sofa. Now when she is on the sofa we have a special blanket for her, much needed at the moment due to the recent heatwave and the fact she is maulting again.

But Spook was not interested in her blanket choosing to sit in the place I had just vacated. So being the kind person I am and not having the heart to move her, instead I decided to move my laptop to another chair... only forgetting all about my phone been connected to the laptop. So when I moved I disconnected my phone and accidentaly deleted all my songs I had spent hours adding in the sync list!

Lesson learnt, I now will sync songs ten at a time so this never happens again! I think I would have possibly only had one more song to add too.

I never had this problem playing records!

Evening all x x x

Sunday 4 August 2013

Day 148

I managed to have a lovely snooze this afternoon, dear Reader, after weeks of not sleeping. Which is a good sign. Sleep means rest and rest means time for my body to repair and mend. I hope this is the time dear, Reader, that the symptoms of my allergy are about to pack up and move away--never to return again.

I must have had a deep sleep,dear Reader, because I dreamt that my mum and step-mum were staying at my house and I was cooking them chips. When there was an really loud knock at my door. Suddenly two very heavy and tough looking guys barged in threatening my hubby. 
"What is going on?" I asked. 
"It is about the library books" said one of the heavies. 
"They are overdue and we have come to collect them."

I explained to the heavies that I had not used the library for years and had no books and after they had trashed my house looking for the books, they left. I tell you, dear Reader, I woke up in a hot sweat thinking have I got library books that I forgot to return? I really was thinking about it. Safe to say I was always good at returning books when I did use the library... phew.

Sadly our village library shut down a few years ago. We had used it regularly, it was a place I had taken the children a lot when they were small. One afternoon a week one of the librarians read stories to children and another afternoon there was a toy library, where they could borrow toys. They use to have authors visits occasionally on an evening which I attended and enjoyed. It was the place to find out what was going on in our community too.

Sadly more and more libraries are closing. It was a great place for children who had no access to books at home to get their hands on books. Every summer my children would do the reading clubs they ran. They had to get books out through the summer holidays and each time they read them and returned them they got prizes and a certificate when they had completed the task.

I am so sorry to see our libraries disappear. The words 'QUIET PLEASE' are well and truly over.

Evening all x x x

Saturday 3 August 2013

Day 147

Hello, dear Reader, well first of all let us get the skin update over. Slight improvement but it is still very sore. But I think I have now eliminated what ever was irritating and causing my skin to react.

My 'to read and review' book pile is huge at the moment. I do read books in order that I am sent them. But I am going to have to do some series reading to make that pile go down a bit. I don't like to keep my authors waiting a long time.

I recently have begun to review for Mills & Boon which is fantastic. A lot of my reading is done from my Kindle, but is always nice to receive a signed book from a grateful author. I treasure these books. Sometimes you don't get a thank you from some authors who I suppose it is all just business to. But it is always nice when you do get an old fashioned thank you. 

Many of my friends are writers now and they are a great bunch of people to hang out with. I get invited to a lot of booky social events, but unfortunately due to my allergies I have not been to go to any so far this year. Let's hope I get to go and cover one soon for this blog.

I am also friends with a lot of other book reviewers too and if an author is difficult to work with word soon gets around. Not that, that happens much, most authors are lovely people, But occasionally you get ones that are driven to be successful and so it in a forceful and want everything doing yesterday way. 

You soon learn who you can work with and who you can't. I can now who will be difficult to work with straight away. You can just tell, can't explain why but you just know. But all in all you meet some rather nice and interesting people. The good outweighs the bad.

Evening all x x x

Friday 2 August 2013

Day 146

Well that was another of my BRIGHT ideas, dear Reader, that was not so bright after all. If you read Day 145, you will know I now have hives all over my body due to my allergy. So after reading on the 'tinternet' what to do to get rid of this pesky rash it said to have a cold bath. Shall we use a posh word, dear Reader? 'Tepid'--a 'tepid' bath would not have been so bad, but in my desperate state to get back to normal skin I went out of my way and decided right cold it says cold it will be. Not to shock my body by stepping into a cold bath I started off with a tepid bath and just stayed in for two hours allowing the temperature to drop slowly. Well I say two hours I got in at 19:15 and decided to sit it out or lie it as this case may be, until 21:00. By 20:25 my teeth were chattering. 

I was determined this was going to get rid of these pesky hives. So stubborn that I was not moving out of that bath until I had given it time to kill and zap the hives away. So I did it over two hours in a cold bath. Putting moisturising cream on as I got out so the cold did not dry my skin. Then thinking I was in for a good night sleep I took my anti H tablet and went to bed. 

Well did it work? Am I cured of this curse of an allergy? NO! It did no take long for the itching to start. I had a really bad night and this morning the hives are still here and my skin is now sore from scratching. So I have ended up in a worse state than I was in before. 

I still find wearing clothes uncomfortable when I am home. I have taken to wearing just a vest and a towel wrapped around my waist. Well I thought buying some shorty- shorts would be a better idea. Skirts are good but they still irritate my legs, so I thought I would invest in some shorty-shorts to wear while in the house. I can hardly go around in just my pants with my teens home for the summer holidays.

So I am in shops looking all around for shorty-shorts... only I cannot find any. So the only ones I manage to find are some Playboy ones saying Beach Bum across the bottom. Now thinking these are for just wearing around the house and that at thirty-nine going out in Playboy shorts might not be suitable for my age. So I decided to buy them much to the horror of Miss C. Who deposited a lot of "OH MY GAWDS" and 
"I can't believe you are buying them." Continuing to rant all through the shop that she wanted to go home and that she will not walk or go anywhere near me if I go out in the shorts.

But I bought them and I am cool not 'COOL', dear Reader I mean I am cool--you know cool in the hope that it will drive these hot hives away. Miss C has not seen me in said shorts yet. So I am preparing for a teenage strop at any moment.

Evening all x x x

Day 145

Well going to the gym last night was not such a good idea, dear Reader, although it made me feel good at the start and it as taken away my tiredness I got too hot. So hot that I started to itch and we were not going straight home either, we were calling at ASDA on the way home. Itching in a supermarket is not a good idea. At about ten o'clock at night the supermarket is quiet but you know you can't have a sneaky scratch because you will be on CCTV. Besides that with my condition you can't have a little scratch, when you itch I mean itching so intense you could scream. All over the body everywhere. 

I was rushing around, trying to hurry so I could get home and in the shower. One problem... the hubby. He as a knack of taking his time when in supermarkets or even getting himself lost. By lost I mean he is with you one minute then suddenly he will disappear. So I walk around going aisle to aisle looking for him and this can waste a good ten minutes. I have very much been tempted to have his name over the tannoy like a lost child. 
"HAS ANYONE SEEN THIS LADIES HUSBAND?" HE WAS LAST SEEN DIFFERING OVER BURGERS AND HOT DOGS!" 

So now I am getting really uncomfortable but I can't exactly break down in the middle of the supermarket lie on the floor and have a good scratch can I? No matter how much I need to. I better point out, dear Reader, if you have not been following my blog that the itching is caused by allergic reactions. This one partly from steroid withdrawal and some shampoo, that the lovely girl in The Body Shop supposingly checked my ingredients list I am allergic to but for me to wash my hair without checking myself to have a reaction because I am allergic to three of the ingredients in the shampoo.

So finally we get back to our shiny brand new car that I have just noticed has the number 13 on the number plate. Great I think lets go home and fast. Not going to have a scratch in my brand new car. Only for the hubby to start driving at a snail's pace! 
"That Taxi Driver behind is driving up my arse, so I am going to go slow." Are his pearls of wisdom that comes from his mouth. Never mind I have now broke out in very hot and itchy hives all over my body--NO lets drive slow and hold an impatient taxi driver up.

It took all my will power not to scratch and now I am covered in hives. Nothing for it--cold bath here I come (again)

Evening all x x x