Yesterday Jnr and I made Rice Krispie Cakes.  I have confess it was the first time I really allowed Jnr to get stuck in in the kitchen and make something.  Due to reasons that only a therapist should ever know (if I were ever go and see one) I struggle when it comes to wasting things.  So using ingredients (or anything really) and getting it wrong really makes me churn up inside.  It's something I really need to get to grips with hence why I am purposefully putting myself into situations where there is waste (albeit not a great deal ...... baby steps after all).

Anyway Jnr had fun, mixing the chocolate and squirting in the golden syrup (and lots of it I might add) ...

watch very careful by me !!!

Really rather yummy !!

Today has been a fab day for me :)  I have been 'Kate' today for a while.  I went to town today by myself, ha ha ha I sound like a young teenager allowed to go out by herself.  Anyway I browsed round Smiths and picked up one or two things for my Smash (or Smoosh as I have called mine) Book, I then went to Waterstones and got myself a copy of The Good Study Guide, recommended by my new and hopefully long term Uni buddy Lisa ..... Hi Lisa ... great book BTW, thank you for the recommendation.  I think I will try and get copies for both my step daughter and her boyfriend to help them when they go off to Uni.  Anyway to see what I did for the rest of the day have a look at my SCRAP STUFF page.  That and dinner anyway.

Well yesterday we didn't do an awful lot.  Jnr thought it was a great idea to do some drawing and colouring, trouble is it wasn't  all  on paper.  Thank gawd for Crayola kids pens, at least it all washes off and out of clothes.

 Just before lunch we popped over to see my parents, we had lunch there, I took mother round to the garden centre to get a few bits she needed for her garden.  She then let Jnr water her garden with the hose pipe.  All was going really well ....

until ...... Jnr discovered that it was much more fun to try and squirt Pops who was standing at the window ..... luckily he shut it in time. 

he then turned the hose on grandma and me !!! .... It was all in good fun though and we all laughed lots.

Today started out very slow and a bit of a 'have lots to do but can't be arsed day' ..... I seem to have too many of those of late its a little worrying.  Anyway after copious amounts of tea I did muster up the energy and enthusiasm to strip the beds and get the washing in, go to the pet store and then come home and clean out the big fish tank and then I stripped out the older smaller tank and clean it out thoroughly, replaced the gravel and stones and a large piece of bog wood and set up the pump and heater again, its now running a fish less cycle (without a light at present as it went pop) ready  for when I get some shrimp and a Siamese fighter in there.  Now I am faltering .... falling back into the 'I can't be arsed mode'.   Time for a cuppa I think !!!

22.18

FUMING ...................... so bloody angry I could cry !! .... After putting Jnr to bed I went out into the garden to plant the two plants I got from the garden centre yesterday only to discover my husband, whilst in his 'I'll show her I am interested in the house and garden mode' had in fact ripped out my jasmine plant that I had been nurturing and growing for the last 18 months..... my pride and joy gone in one afternoon ....... why the bloody hell he didn't at least come in and ask me if it was weed or or not I will never know..... he walks round this house with blinkers on, as long as there is food in his belly and clean clothes to wear nothing else matters. The place could fall down around his ears and I am sure he wouldn't notice.  Now I know some will say 'O it's only a plant why get so het up' ... well one I had nurtured this plant and it was doing well and two it's not just about the plant.  Its a catalogue of incidences that just show total ignorance and total lack of interest in what goes on in the house.  He takes no notice and then when things like this happen all I get is 'I keep telling you I am shit' ...... well hello, no your not shit you just don't try, you take no interest and so therefore you don't learn.

Anyway I refuse to end this blog on a bad note.

Today I have been 'introduced' to SMASH IT books ....... not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination.  Basically its a new modern twist on the old style scrapbook.  You know the ones we had as kids where we stuck anything and everything in it.   I have been reading and looking at these books and have decided after several thoughts of 'I don't get it' that in fact it might be a good little book to have as all those concert tickets from Danni's performances and brochures and inspirational ideas I can 'smash' them into one book rather than having piles of bits everywhere.  I am by no means going to buy one but instead I am looking to making one of my own.  I have enough stash here that I haven't touched in years and will probably never actually use on LO's so here is a good opportunity to use it. So here is my basic book, something I picked up years ago in a sale, simply because I liked it.

My only problem is the two ring binder part ... I like the idea as it means I can add more as and when BUT the pages will rip out easily with any kind of weight on them.  I am sure somehow I will come up with a plan.  All I need to do now is look through my stash and start building a book.

 So please.... can someone tell me how is a woman suppose to get any work done when tea like this exists.  It's one of the most delicious tea's I have tasted and I think I am addicted.  'Just another cuppa then I will start...' , should be my motto,  does it sound familiar ??  or is it just me ??
I have managed to do a few things on my to-do list but yes you've guess it I have stop for just another cuppa or two !!



Someone once said to me 'a house with no books is a house with no soul'.  In my opinion that is so true.  I love books.  I love the look of them on a shelf, I love the smell of them, I love the feel of them and most of all I LOVE the information each one holds inside.  My parents are book people, I was always surrounded by books as a child and I have made sure that my son is also surrounded by these wonderful creations.  Jnr is just about to turn three and he is now showing an interest.  He now asks for me to read to him at night-time, and he also asks throughout the day if I can read him a story.  Even as I type this he is sitting quietly with a book.

I was really pleased yesterday when I happen to drop into a charity shop and I found two little books, both of which Jnr has enjoyed looking at. A mere bargain at 49p for the pair, of course being a charity shop I gave a pound as both books are in pristine condition.  Whilst I am talking bargains I have to share with you all my recent 'finds' on eBay.  Now I am not one for labels but I am coming to the conclusion that they do tend to be slightly better quality.  So I thought I would look around to see what I could find.  So far I have bagged a brand new with labels pair of Superdry jeans for less than £15, a pair of Bench jeans (worn once) for less than £8, a Jack Wills rugby shirt (worn but in excellent condition) for less than £15  and another Jack Wills hoodie for less than £15.  Now if you know the prices of these items when brand new you will know that these are real bargains. And of course to boot I am saving the planet through recycling ........ happy days !

23.06

Well I have had a enjoyable and productive afternoon and evening.  I opened up my Scrap Work Box and had a good ol' play....... see my Scrap Stuff for more of that.

When I decided to open up the Box I thought it might be good if Jnr had a chance to do some crafty stuff so I let him loose with the inks and stamps, pens and crayons and this was the result ...

The picture here of his face was actually taken a minute before he rubbed his black hands all over his face, unfortunately I couldn't grab the camera to get a shot as he was also about to rub his hands all over my soft furnishings and carpet, I'm afraid they had to come first !!  He has loadsa fun though making a huge black mess over himself.

I just wanted to share this picture of Jnr and Jasper.  I am so glad that I have managed to get a lovely shot of them together so that Jnr will always have a photo memory of him and Jay.  They have such a close bond and much respect for each other.  Jay is now almost 13, not in the best of health and so I know that everyday is a bonus. 

I have returned and updated ...

.... for how long though who knows.  I love the idea of keeping a blog I just find it hard to keep on top of writing it.  I really should discipline myself more.

Talking of being disciplined I am about to embark on a new venture.  The OPEN UNIVERSITY.  I am so very excited about it all but at the same time very nervous.  Will I be able to be disciplined enough to push myself to get the work done on time ??  I do bloody hope so !!  I will be studying BA (Hons) in Early Years .... that's 2-5 year old to most people. The long term plan is to become a Reception class teacher, it will take me about 5 years to get there, but it will be worth it.

So back to the here and now....
I got up this morning and did my 15 minutes on my treadmill, not a lot I know but I am only just strating out and I don't wnat to overdo it and burn myself out.  I am trying very hard to shed 1 and half stone in weight, so far I have changed my diet to eating wholemeal breads and rice, to eating fruit instead of chocolate and sweets and to exercising at least once a day, unfortunately I have yet to see any loss, I have no idea I think I have hit a wall.  I have been assure by friend who are in the know that if I carry on it will all of a sudden fall off.   I have just had my shopping delivered.  I rarely do this as I find you tend to not always get what you wanted or the vegetables and fruit are on the smaller side or almost past its sell by.  But on this occasion thankfully there were no changes.  Harry Jnr is happily playing at my feet with his motors.  I love listening to his conversations that his cars have with one and another.  His imagination is simply wonderful.  I look at him and can't believe that my 'baby' boy will soon be 3 years old.   As for the rest of today well I have to go to town to the bank, return some clothes to Next and then clean out the fish.  Not a particularly exciting day, or start, in fact, to my return to blogging.  This may well be why I give up on these blogs, I can't see how anyone could be interested in such mundane postings.

16:50
Well the bank has been banked and the shops have been shopped.  I treated myself today to a few small bits from the craft shop :) I picked up a couple of lovely books for Jnr from the charity shop.
Just at home now enjoying a cuppa tea before I think about cooking supper ..... hmmmm what to do tonight I wonder ??