Life is too busy

it's leaving me behind.

Just feels like one of those weeks where everything is happening all at once, and I'm too tired to deal with it all! Don't mis-understand me, I'm fine (well, apart from the cough and all that) and I'm still really happy, but my days are starting too early and ending too late and have too much going on in the middle. And I just need some time out from it all to sleep. Or chill out with my man, or something.
And I guess I can't complain, cos we did go out for a drink on Monday and out to dinner last night. But it's just fun! Spending time getting to know one another better, and just chilling out.

People keep demanding to know more (you should see the messages I got on facebook when I changed my profile to say I'm 'in a relationship') and want to see pictures. And maybe you will soon, but I'm just enjoying being a little mysterious in the meantime!

I've promised HP that I'll upload the pics from the weekend tomorrow morning, so I'll try to put some on here too. But I'm not promising anything. Oh, and I'm going to the doctor tomorrow about the fact that I STILL have my cough despite all the medicines I've been on.

Next verse, same as the first

I had a lovely lovely time with my man last night. We just sat in the pub and chatted and enjoyed getting to know each other better. We've officially made it official - we're an 'item', and I like it. And I'm seeing him again this evening for dinner. :-)

Still haven't uploaded the pics off my camera, but I will soon... maybe. Realistically, it's not gonna happen tonight, so I shan't make any promises I can't keep ;-) But I will try to put them up at some point this week.

Maybe tomorrow, Jack*

Over the weekend I bought some more clothes, got to see my grandparents and uncle, went to Steve's baptism and lots of other stuff besides. I have got pics from Sunday, but I will have to loads them up tomorrow or sometime, cos this evening I'm going out for a drink with the boy.
See y'all tomorrow.

* That's a line from an advert, and it just came into my head when I was deciding what to call this post.

This is cross posted on my weight-loss blog because I posted it there first by mistake, and decided I might as well leave it now it's there.

my poor neglected blog

It's been too little, too late, and I'm sorry.

I will work harder at this relationship, dear blog.

You've brought me through so many different times and situations.

You've helped me to meet so many dear and wonderful people.

I vow to do better from now on.

Here's to some happy times ahead.

I'm happy

Happy Happy Happy

And I even got 7 hours of sleep last night.

Only about another 20 to catch up on. (It's been a limited sleep week, but I don't care, cos the hyper-ness and happiness have got me through. And, I think I'm about to go back to bed and catch a couple more hours if I can. Ooh, text message.. I'll see you later)

There was a girl

and there was a boy.
And the boy asked the girl if she'd like to go out for dinner sometime, and the girl said yes.
So the boy and the girl had dinner together, and seemed to like each others company and get along ok. They decided to spend more time together and keep getting to know one another better.
The girl was happy, but she also had trouble sleeping with all the thoughts whizzing around in her head. So she went on facebook and blogged and things like that in the middle of the night, but managed to neglect her personal blog for far too long.
The girl and the boy have lots they still need to talk about, but they've already arranged a time to meet up next. They just want to take things slowly and not rush, but do things right.

Well, this has been an interesting week..

...unfortunately I'm falling asleep and can't find any energy to tell you all about it, but maybe later on in the week?!
The real question at the moment is will I still be awake by the time CSI comes on tonight. Or when blest is home again and can ring me up.

Today is a Happy Day

I can't stop smiling :-)
You can see more pics from Jo and Edwin's wedding here and here

Jeana said it all already, really

(and you can read what she said here)
I took my camera, and got a few pictures of some of the street acts we saw. I didn't take any photos of Jeana or her kids because I never got around to asking her what her policy on photos of her kids online was. So you'll just have to believe us that she and they and I were all there at the same time! (Click on the pictures to see a larger version of the image)This man really kept the crowd's attention. At this point he is standing on a free-standing ladder, having just caught three knives thrown up to him by a man he selected from the crowd, and he's about to juggle them while still at the top of the ladder. Rather him than me!

These two guys were doing all sorts of aerobic stunts, and as we left were about to start limbo-ing (Jeana and co had to get home, so we had to leave).Jeana, I had a fantastic time with you and your lovely children. I would be happy to meet up again anytime before you head back across the Pacific. Just let me know...

Today was great

Meeting Jeana and her kids was lovely. They are just such a happy and friendly family. We had lots of fun at Covent Garden. (At least, I had fun, I hope they did too).
More about it tomorrow, but right now I can't keep my eyes open, let alone think of anything coherent to write.

Today

I'm going to meet Jeana. I'm very excited, and also a little ditzy today - I've already made a mistake about how many children she has, in an email this morning. Hopefully I'll calm down a little by this afternoon, because at the moment I'm like a little kid on her birthday.

Dressing Up

Easy like Sunday Morning

I have no idea what that line actually means, when you take it in the context of the song. But it's stuck in my head, and I do like to share when that happens!

Today I have...

Eaten veggie curry, veggie curry, and more veggie curry.

Been complimented several times on my weight loss by people at church. This was my favourite. (SPUNK stands for SPontaneous UNexpected Kompliment).

Read a few blogs.

Tidied some stuff in the back room (and put away the Christmas cards that were still around after my family failed to send any, other than to extended family, last Christmas, because I wasn't around to organise them!)

Chilled out, and attempted to solve the jumbo crossword from Saturday's Times with HP.

Wished Steve a very Happy Birthday.

Took this picture of myself (as well as some pics of stuff to go on e-bay). I have no idea what's going on with my hair, or appearance generally, but I like how thin it made my neck look!

Not exactly distracting myself from planning my kids work stuff for tomorrow, but more like 'multi-tasking'

Taken at HP's house after her performance in the Mikado.

Morning, or afternoon, or whatever!

I'm here, I'm feeling better. Yesterday is gone and forgotten about.
Today we are trying to get some more painting done, and maybe some tidying in the house. I'm working on my planning for kids work at church tomorrow. But before all that, I'm going to eat some lunch.

Today

The day started off so well. Ok, so I woke up at half seven, and could have happily slept longer, but my body wasn't interested, so I got up anyway*. And that gave me longer to get something written over at OWOA, and eat my breakfast at a leisurely pace, and then get on the treadmill for half an hour before I had to get out of the house to look after R&D.

I was happy, and I felt good. The treadmill was great, and I didn't want to get off, but since I had 20 minutes to shower and get out the house, I decided I really did need to stop then! I was feeling good.

But now I'm not. Something happened (nothing serious, just slightly baffling really) and it felt a bit like a slap in the face. It's tainted the rest of the day. I guess I just have to get on with the day and hope the joy comes back. I'm praying that I can put aside my resentment and find my joy in God (which is actually linked to what I'm teaching in kids work at Sunday School this week, so God obviously had the message ready for me!)


*I'm sorry if that sounds like luxury to some of you with kids, but I've been getting up early all week and I'm shattered, so I was hoping to sleep until at least 8, but it turns out my body has got itself onto an early waking up schedule, and that's that. I'll just have to work on the getting to bed earlier thing.

Good Morning

I think this will have to be an assortment of random thoughts, because that's what I've got today.

This week, as I think I said before, I am looking after R and D. Today I had to be at their house by 7.40 am so that their Mum could head off to work (she has to drive a bit around the M25, so has to get going as early as she can). I brought my breakfast with me, so that all I had to do at home was shower and get dressed.

R is already awake, but her brother, D, is still sleeping. Their Mum said they had a late night last night, and he's recovering from a nasty cough and virus, so I thought I'd let him sleep a bit longer. Once he's up and breakfasted and all that then we're going to head to the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. My Mum used to take us when we were little, so it'll be interesting to see what's the same, and how it's changed. We'll take a picnic lunch with us, and make the most of the day out - there's a park, or gardens or something like that nearby (I don't remember exactly) and it seems like so long as we take enough layers we'll be ok to eat lunch outside.

Other random thoughts -

This week, I have finally understood the constant talk on Mum blogs about clearing up pee in the bathroom. Seems like almost every 'works for me Wednesday' over at Rocks in my Dryer someone is talking about pee and where it ends up in the bathroom, and having seen Little One in action this week, I can totally understand why they're all talking about that!

My scalp seems to have decided to disintergate this week. I do have dry skin (and eczema on my hands), but I don't usually have a lot of dandruff. Today, however, it seems like my scalp is trying to fall off.

The word 'bup' is a very useful one, it can be used in a number of situations, and with a number of different meanings. Just ask Little Flower. In other news about her, she turned one last Friday. I can't believe how quickly the last year has passed. She is so nearly walking and talking properly, I can't believe it. And how did Little One get to be almost three? (His birthday is in July). I'll be 26 in May, that is also scary. I think I need to change the subject...

My Mum and HP are finally doing some more work on our hall and landing. (It's been a decorating work in progess for I don't don't know how long. At least two years. I'll get back to you on that one. Yesterday they cleaned and painted the landing ceiling, and did some polyfillering. Not sure what they'll be doing today, but I think they're planning to keep going if HP's arms aren't too sore from all the reaching up above her to paint the ceiling.

That's about all I've got right now. I'm still photographing my food, over on my weight loss blog, and I'm still blogging at OWOA too.

Blogging in the dark

Well, you see. I was going to blog earlier, but I got distracted writing comments and a post over at OWOA. And then it was time for CSI, and it was a new series, so needed my full attention. Then I was downstairs on HP's computer, but it was having network problems. So I had to come upstairs to the computer in my Parent's room, but my Dad's just gone to bed, so the light is off, so I'm blogging in the dark.

So I won't try to write anything profound. (Do i ever?) I'll just tell you that I went back to the doctors on Monday and they gave me some stronger antibiotics and a course of oral steroids. I'm taking them and hoping for the best. This week I am child minding every day. I've had Little One and Little Flower yesterday and today, and Wednesday - Friday I'm looking after R and D (the children of a family from church). At some point I also need to look at my stuff and plan kids work for Sunday. If I don't collapse in a big heap at the end of it all, then it'll be a miracle. (I'm not planning to get any treadmill time in this week. Partly because my body is still recovering, and partly because Wed-Fri are going to be really long days. On Wednesday and Friday I start at 9am and will be looking after them until around 6.30pm\7pm. On Thursday I'm starting at 7.20am! Hmm, think I need to go to bed RIGHT NOW!

Will try to be back soon - I've been composing all sorts of posts in my head, it's just finding time and energy to write them. Ok, I've annoyed my Dad enough with the sound of typing. I'll see y'all again soon, I hope.

Am alive

Have more drugs (more antibiotics - the big strong killer ones, and a course of oral steriods).
Will be back soon, honest.

Hmmm, am alive, maybe

Still ill. Despite completing my course of antibiotics. I'm going back to the doctors on Monday.

Why don't you go read Jeana's adventures in London instead. I've found them really interesting, firstly because I've just done the opposite of what she's doing (I went to Texas for three months, she's in London from Texas for 7 weeks), but there are lots of similarities - we both flew in Gatwick etc etc. And secondly because it's interesting to see an outsiders perspective on London.

I've also added a link in my sidebar, and I'm hoping that once I'm better we'll have the chance to meet in person.

Another one to add to the list*

I just noticed that I'm wheezy. (Yeah, I'm quick off the mark this morning. Doh. it's afternoon already). So I'm adding co-codamol (which is paracetamol with codeine) to my list of medications I'm allergic to.

When we rang NHS direct last week (when my doctors were closed) the nurse I spoke to suggested I could take co-codamol as a step up from paracetamol for the ear and throat pain I was experiencing. One of the sideeffects listed is that people who are allergic to asprin or ibuprofen (including asthmatics) may also be allergic to this. I've taken eight(?) doses of it altogether, but apart from that first day I've taken most of them in the evening (ie the dose just before I go to bed), and although I've woken up the next morning slightly wheezy, I was never sure if it was do with the drugs, or just that I was ill and it was just another way for my body to show it! This morning my throat was feeling sore, and I had some muscle ache going on, so I decided to take co-codamol.
a) To be tidy and finish off the blister pack sheet.
b) It would give me a daytime test to see if I got wheezy.

So I took it, and about five hours later I've noticed I am wheezy. I'm not sure how long I've been wheezy, cos now I think of it I've been quite coughy this morning, just it's also been kinda hectic so I didn't notice properly. I've taken some medicine so I'll be ok soon, but I won't be taking it again. After all, these reactions quite often seem to get worse each time, and I've found i'm quite fond of breathing.


* Was it a list if there was only one thing on it before?

And in a sort of connected way, I finally got around to looking up paracetamol and tylenol (which is what they had in the States) and discvered that paracetamol is the main ingredient of tylenol (see here). Which is comforting, since I was taking it in blind faith while I was there that it wouldn't kill me and all that. (But if you think about it, blest and Danny would have been without their most convenient babysitter had they killed me, so they'd be unlikely to do that. Besides, as Andrew said, I'm family!)

Some of the things I've said this morning (and it's not even half 10 yet)

"Point it down, not up. That's right, good boy"

"No, she's not for sitting on"

"Shall we go and find some clean clothes for you?"

"No, we don't make our juice turn into a fountain"

"Well,because dinosaurs are really big, they get really hungry and want to eat up all their breakfast"

"Excellent, you did it all by your self"

Guess what I'm doing today.

I don't really know what to make of this..

You're The Poisonwood Bible!

by Barbara Kingsolver

Deeply rooted in a religious background, you have since become both
isolated and schizophrenic. You were naively sure that your actions would help people,
but of course they were resistant to your message and ultimately disaster ensued. Since
you can see so many sides of the same issue, you are both wise beyond your years and
tied to worthless perspectives. If you were a type of waffle, it would be
Belgian.


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