Oompa Loompas, Surgeons, and Music!!

What a busy few days!!

(Another) night out from work to celebrate a colleague passing her Masters. It was a good night and I also bumped into two customers from my barmaid days so it was nice to catch up. Quite an early night too as I was home by 9.15 to a silent house as everyone was asleep. Well they were asleep until I realised I hadn't taken my keys with me....... Ooops! 😕

Saturday disappeared in a flurry of chores and ended with me deciding to top up the tan.

In hindsight, these things are probably better done in the morning.

In daylight.

When you can actually see what you're doing.

And with very strict instructions to anyone you get to help.

Otherwise there is a very slight chance that you may end up resembling an Oompa Loompa........ 😂 😂 😂

Hindsight is a great thing!

Now, as I have mentioned in a previous post, the skinny tan oil gives a lovely natural colour, used properly, and you only need a very small amount.

It appears I didn't emphasise this enough when requesting help......

Yep, by the morning I looked vaguely like I'd been tangoed or, as referred to above, like an Oompa Loompa! I also must have caught my hands at some point during the night as my palms are now also wonderfully tanned!

On the plus side, skinny tan does last well and doesn't wash off....... 😂

So that was how Mother's day started! I had lovely cards and presents from Jay, Faye, Billy, Amy & Kie, was brought breakfast in bed and then had dinner and tea at mum and dad's with Big sis and clan. It was a really lovely, family day!

The Wizard of Oz was made reference to on numerous occasions (you can go off people, mentioning no nieces in particular ....) and it was also mentioned that maybe when I got to hospital the following day there would be a sudden panic to take bloods to check my renal function as I looked jaundiced - sister's can be so cruel!!

As it was, jaundice seemed to be the least anyone was bothered about at hospital, although I did start laughing when I was asked I'd I had any skin complaints!! The nurse reassured me she wasn't going to laugh as she'd once used a product that claimed to just give a 'glow', so didn't use gloves and ended up with hands like mine.

The op was discussed in lots of detail and by the end we got the message that it is quite a big deal, based on the number of times the words 'huge', 'major', and 'massive' were used! 😂

It was all good though and the surgeon seemed confident that he could remove all the clots/scar tissue. As for himself, I observed that he was able to walk independently, wasn't wearing really thick glasses (although I have just realised that he could have been wearing contacts 😕), had a good, firm handshake, and had no apparent shaking. So I stayed in the room, agreed to the op and signed my life away - hopefully not literally! (The surgeon didn't seem to find that little 'joke' as amusing as I did! I do hope I haven't upset him.....!)

Tonight it was the Leicestershire Schools Music Service at De Montfort Hall and Faye's primary school had joined with two others to do their African drumming.  The last time they did this concert it was, well, noisy........

As such, I had prepared myself for the worst and had sweets etc in my bag to distract/bribe Billy, but in fact didn't really need them. The whole concert was brilliant! Most of the children taking part this time, apart from Faye's group, we're secondary school age and they were all really good. Billy was really good and even when he got tired and a snuggled in, as soon as someone finished he sat bolt upright to clap and was bouncing and dancing on my knee to the steel drums at the end. He was very loyal though and said Faye's drumming was the best! They did do very well and I'm very proud of her 😊 (although I have to admit, I'm still glad they don't bring the drums home to practice!)

So that's my round up of the last few days...... See you soon!!

Another night out?? Bad Mummy!!!

Yes, twice in two weeks (shock horror) I am deserting my family for a night out with work!!  Last week it was a girly night out with cocktails at Fat Cats, a gorgeous meal at Casa Romana, and more cocktails at the Terrace Bar.  This week It's to celebrate a colleague passing her Masters, a very well deserved celebration for her! I have no idea where we're going and, to be honest, I'm not really bothered!!

Not only that but I'll be out again in a couple of weeks for birthday drinks! It would be rude not to!!

It's been an up and down week and I'm actually surprised I haven't started lunchtime drinking...... Yet (although a suggestion has been made 😂😂😂)!

I have been good in other ways though😇 I've still managed to get to the pool twice this week, even though it's been later.  Last night (known as Sardine night last week) was great. There was still staff training in two lanes but only three other people in the pool in two lanes and the slow lane was empty and all mine! As the night progressed the other swimmers disappeared and the lane separaters gradually hit put away until, by the end I had three quarters of the pool all to myself! It was bliss! I obviously felt the pressure that they were about to kick me out at any time though as I managed to shave five minutes off my 1k time to forty five minutes 😀

That's my exercise for the week complete so bring on the weekend! Woohoo!!!

😁🍹😁🍷😁🍹😁🍷

Bones knitted - time for cast off!!

After many weeks, the time has finally come!!!

It's cast off day for Billy!! 😀

He was very excited and was chatting away to a couple in the waiting room before he was called in. He was as good as gold whilst his cast was sawn off then it was over to x-ray, which he's obviously got used to now as he was happy to sit on his own, instead of on my lap, to have the x-ray taken!

All is well, new bone is forming and he was happily moving his arm around, although did say it hurt a bit when he straightened it so was still walking around with it bent for a while.

Back at the car he decided it would be a good idea to start rubbing the dry skin off his arm........ Then collected a pile and shouted me. When I looked he threw it in the air and said "Look! It's snowing!" 🤢

We met Jay at lunch and went to a gelato cafe for ice cream (and warm chocolate muffin for me 😊 mmmmmm it was yummy!!). He had a red power ranger toy and blaster for his treat and spent the afternoon shooting me (and Faye when she was home from school)! 😂

He's now happily playing in the bath, without his waterproof arm, telling me how nice it is!

Happy days!!

Skinny Tan!!

My new favourite!

Now, I have the type of complexion that needs fake tan. I am the type of white you want your paint to be when decorating.... BRILLIANT WHITE. Pale and pastey, that's me. I don't tan. Well, actually I do tan, eventually, it's just that I'm so pale to start with my 'tan' just colours my skin to a sort of beige.... Everyone else's normal colour.

As such, I have used many different tanning products over the years in an attempt to achieve a healthy 'sun-kissed glow'. Hmmmmm. Many of these attempts have ended in me looking like a strange disease-ridden Tiger 🐯 or an OompaLoompa. OK, so maybe not quite that bad, but you get the idea. And then there's that unique distinct fake tan smell! (what is that smell?!)

Until now.

I came across Skinny Tan on Facebook and the reviews were good, they had a good offer on so I decided to give it a try.  I've only used it once so far and.... I love it!! 😍

I got 2 bottles of the oil and an exfoliating /correcting mitt with my deal and got a tanning mitt and face mitt from ebay. The exfoliating mitt is fab - one side to exfoliate and the other to correct any excess tan. I've never been overly impressed with exfoliating mitts /gloves as most of them remind me of those plastic-type scourers you get for non-stick saucepans, which don't work on your pans any more than the 'exfoliators' work on your body!  However, this exfoliating mitt really works and does leave your skin feeling smooth 😊

The spray oil is easy to apply and a little goes a long way. It smells coconuty which reminds me of Hawaiian Tropic sun oils and Malibu (other favourites too so, to be honest, this was always on track to be a winner from the start!).  It absorbed quickly and by early evening I was tanned. Even my other half was impressed and gave a good endorsement of the product with his comment "you actually look brown, not that orangey colour you usually go"! 😂

I've only used it the once and I'm not sure if or how the 'skinny' part of the product will work but, in all honesty, I don't really care! I feel so much better for just having a bit of colour, that looks natural, doesn't smell, and is still there after a week which also included 2 swimming sessions! It also felt much better turning up at the pool looking 'normal' instead of like a glow-in-the-dark milk bottle!!

I love you skinny tan!!

Sardines!

Well my second night of swimming - and I'm moaning already!

The pool is usually divided into 3; slow, medium and fast. Each area being 2 lanes wide, enough to allow two people to pass comfortably on a 'circuit'.

Tonight,the pool was split into 6 individual lanes, 3 for swim school and 3 for public swimming, so only 1 lane wide for each of the slow, medium, and fast lanes. Not all that easy if there was more than one of you in a lane!  I was quite happy as I was the only one in the slow lane for a while, there were a couple in the fast lane, and when it got to about 4 or 5 in the medium lane, they started moving over to join me.  Ok, so slightly more crowded but still ok.

Until half an hour had gone by.  Then they had staff training too so our 3 lanes became 2 lanes - medium disappeared and we had slow and fast. Hmmmm.......... not the best plan ever.  It created a fast lane with 3 or 4 people in it and a slow lane with around a dozen people - talk about sardines!  (although I realise sardine are much more streamline in the water than we were!). It was a nightmare!  You couldn't swim properly, and I ended up doing about 2 strokes of breaststroke and the rest almost doggy paddle to avoid hitting someone else or the wall!

It wasn't great but I managed my 1 km in 50 minutes so I was happy with that, and even happier to get out of the pool!

Just to end the session nicely, as I was getting changed, I could hear one of the 'medium' swimmers complaining about how she had had to tread water several times because of the 'slow' swimmers.  Whoever she was talking to obviously told her she should have gone in the fast lane then as she snorted indignantly "I couldn't go in the fast lane because I'm not a fast swimmer!".  Well newsflash lady, the majority of us weren't 'medium' swimmers but, as there was only a slow lane or fast lane, we were in the right place - we definitely couldn't go in the fast lane but as far as I can see you could have chosen either so either quit moaning or do one!

It wasn't pleasant for any of us and I can't say that I particularly enjoyed it tonight, but at least most of us just got in with it the best we could.  I guess there's always one and I do hope I don't accidentally drown her if I have the misfortune of being in the same lane as her again...........!

Swimming is back on!!! 🏊🏊🏊

Woohoo! It's been 6 months but I've finally made it back to the pool!

I have to admit that I was quite nervous and self-conscious about getting the cozzie back out but with the help of Skinny Tan (more about that later) I had enough colour to not dazzle everyone else in the pool with my bright white legs!

I checked the timetable several times, half of me willing the times on it to change so that I had an excuse to back out! They didn't. Damn!

After scanning my card to get in (it took 3 attempts, surely that was a sign that this was a bad idea?) I made my way to the changing rooms, feeling quite sick at this point......

5 minutes later and I'd done it! I was IN THE POOL!!!

Now, before I started I knew I couldn't stay in for my usual hour as I had to pick Faye up do I decided not to count lengths (I used to do 40 in an hour so didn't want to put myself under pressure!). That lasted all of... Oh, let me see.... Errrr...... 2 lengths! 

So I counted. I also worked out completely pointless facts in my head whilst trying to distract myself from counting lengths. It didn't work. I just counted lengths And made a mental list of rubbish. Still, who doesn't like a good list?! I Iike lists. My list was a something like this:

1. The pool is 25m long (OK, OK, so I didn't work that one out, I already knew that)

2. If I timed my swimming strokes right, I did an average of 1m per stroke (weirdly this was mainly 23/24 strokes on odd lengths and 25/26 on even lengths. Nope, I couldn't work that one out either. Believe me, I tried!

3. One of my legs is wonky. It's true. I do breast stroke and my left leg did what it was supposed to. My right leg on the other hand (or I suppose that should be foot) did this weird downward, diagonal thing.

4. If I consciously made my right leg for what it was supposed to, my left leg and the rest if me went wonky and I was likely to drown.

5. From the poolside I must look like a duck with a dodgy leg.......

6. I should stop making random lists.

7. I really should stop my brain from thinking sometimes. For my own sanity.

Anyway, with random list making and all, I managed half a mile (32 lengths) in 37 minutes so on my calculations, and yes I worked this out whilst swimming too, if I'd stayed in for an hour, I would have made my kilometer (40 lengths) easily!!

Basically I'm pleased with myself and I actually feel pretty good! I was even almost half an hour early to get Faye! Hence having time to write this blog!

Reading and blogging!!

Well this is a rare opportunity! Two hours on my own to blog, read (We were on a break by Lindsey Kelk if anyone's interested!) , and freeze......... 😂

Jay is running the Adidas Silverstone Half Marathon today so we were up bright and early, we'll maybe not so bright, it was raining! Nevertheless we were up, even the kids got up!

How do kids manage to do that by the way?? On weekdays, when they have to get up at 7.30, I'm shaking them, pulling the covers off them, turning the lights on full and STILL have to physically drag them out of bed. Yet on a weekend, usually when we actually want a lie-in (with the exception of today), they're out of bed and running around full of beans at the crack of dawn!!

Anyway we were all packed up and ready to go when Amy and Kie arrived to babysit for the day. Made good time and we're here in plenty of time. I have to say, and I know it sounds really obvious, but Silverstone is huge!! It's also full of vans selling burgers, hog toasts, doughnuts, waffles.... Yummy........ Think I'd better just stay in my seat and blog/read away!!!

My biggest mistake so far is that I forgot my glasses so can't see a damp thing (or anyone), although it is very colourful!! I just filmed everyone start, then filmed again around the time I figured Jay should be passing again, and I think I did actually see him that time!  Another 40 mins and I think he should be passing again round the other side. I've picked a nice front corner seat in the grandstand so I can see all round. Purely by accident as I didn't even realise they came the other way til I checked the course map!

The sun is starting to break through now thankfully so it might start warming up a bit so I can eat my very healthy picnic (🙁) and carry on reading - only just started it but I've loved all of Lindsey Kelk's other books so I'm sure I'll enjoy this one too!! 📚📖

Running for Papworth 🏃🏃🏃

Not me, obviously!!

My amazing Fiancé has just told me that he has been in contact with the Papworth Hospital Charity for a little while now to arrange fundraising for them through all the running events he is taking part in this year.

This is a fantastic hospital and all of  the staff have always been lovely, helpful, and reassuring and so he is hoping to raise some money so we can give something back to help them continue to offer their specialist treatments to others.

If you are in a position to help in any way, please click on the link to his JustGiving page to make a donation. Thank you Xx

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jason-Tyler-1968

Stuff the diet!! Times like this call for chocolate, and lots of it!

Well the time has finally arrived for our childminder to leave us for pastures new!

I obviously wish her all the very best in her new life (miles away!) but we will miss her! She has been an almost daily presence in our lives for nearly 4 years, first looking after the kids when Faye was 7 and Billy was just 9 months old!

Faye made a memories folder - she added a couple of really sweet poems and also researched their new home to put an info section on places to go (I haven't had the heart to tell her they already know the area really well!). I've been through and added some bits for Billy along with some photos. It's been quite emotional! Seeeee, I'm big softie really!

We'd already shared a tear when I picked the kids up tonight as she'd given Billy the "nee-nah racing car" he'd made out of Duplo when he was about 2!

Not only has she been a great childminder, she's been a great friend too. We've had lots of laughs, lots of moans, and done lots of plotting! :)

Tomorrow is her last working day, well today actually (I've just noticed the time!) and it's going to be very sad. We're going to miss her!

I guess the diet will have to wait til tomorrow.....

Well I've just watched the darts and a bit of Dave ja view and managed to demolish the remainder of a box of M&Ms! Ooops!

It was worth it though! The diet and swimming plan will still happen..... There's always tomorrow!! 😂

Room makover complete!!

So, after lots of (nice) interruptions, Faye's bedroom has finally been finished! After 10 years the Humphry's Corner lemon walls and curtains and the blue/red/taupe/lemon patchwork wardrobes and door panels have gone! 😭With some sadness I have to admit! It seems like of yesterday we were decorating it and getting it all ready as a nursery. Me and bump happily sitting with all the wardrobe doors around me on the floor painting them in the 2 weeks between finishing work and Faye finally putting in an appearance!

The walls are now amethyst (purple to most of us normal people!) and the wardrobe/door panels are Bubblegum (bright pink). No more curtains, instead she has an aubergine (Errr..... Purple again!) blackout blind (Yaaaay no more moaning about it being too light to sleep in the summer! Yes, I did plan this one!) and, to make it a bit more 'grown up', fuschia (you've got it, bright pink!) voiles with some pretty crocheted/beaded tie backs. The only snag being the tie back hooks were too small to go over the tie back holders. Nothing a couple of hair bobbles couldn't fix!!

Her old TV unit has been replaced with a chest of drawers and her drawers/bits'n'bobs unit has been replaced with a desk and pink chair. Unbelievably, the chair was just 'pink'! Not fuschia or Bubblegum or rose or blush etc. Just pink!  We need to get handles for the drawers to match her wardrobes and they're done.

We went internet shopping for Faye to pick out her lampshade, desk lamp plus some other bits and jobs and I think it's fair to say she loves her new room!

The only other thing left to do is to pick up and fit a new radiator as hers had corroded and was leaking.

In the meantime, Billy has been running around dressed as Captain America but being "the red power ranger, what's his name again Mummy?"  "Troy"  "Yes. The red one RRAAAAAAA HA YA!". Cue running, karate kick, falling and cracking the cast on his already broken arm on the floor/the table/me...... Ouch! He has had some calmer moments. He proudly showed me the picture he'd drawn of himself weeing in the toilet! 😂 😂 😂

With all the decorating and work, the house is a complete tip. . Even more so than usual which, to be perfectly honest, I didn't think was possible. Apparently it is!!! 😱

For now though, it's time to snuggle down under our 'teal' duvet! Night night everyone! 😴😴😴