Happy New Year.......

To be honest, I don't do New Year celebrations.  I don't even watch the TV to see all the firework displays as the New Year comes in around the world.  No, I find it a very depressing time and will probably shed a tear as I hear all the celebrations in our street as the clock strikes midnight. 

Before the children were born, we used to go out to a restaurant, or friends house and party but I was always checking my watch to see if it was time to go home yet.  I would mostly offer to drive that night so I knew we would be able to get home quickly, how sad am I?

The worst NY's eve for me was December 31st 1999 as we approached the 00's. Apart from all the worrying that the whole world was going to come to complete standstill and that planes would fall out of the sky (thankfully they got very wrong) and our computer would pack up working.... I had just miscarried our 2nd baby and felt as if our little world had come to an end.  Luckily, we went on to have Alex in Dec 2000 - exactly a year after we lost his sibling, and that year although I was upset I was also very thankful that our baby had arrived safely after a very worrying labour and delivery.

We have had a very long day today as we were up and out of the house by 06.45 this morning for a 300mile round trip to see Hubby's brother who is currently residing at a HMP in Worcestershire.  We only manage to see him 3 times a year as he is not allowed many visits and quite rightly his main visitors are his wife and their son and his 3 step sons.  My two adore their Uncle, after all he is their only Uncle.  He is serving a life sentence of 25 years, he has 7 years under his belt and we are hopeful that he will have his category downgraded next year which means he will be able to move to a prison nearer to home.  He asked me today if we had told the children the real reason why he was in prison.  I said no I hadn't but had told them he had stolen 2 cars instead.  I won't go into detail about why he is prison in my blog but I'm sure you can work out for yourself that he did something very serious to receive such punishment.  He said I should really tell them as they are old enough but I disagree.  They know he has done something wrong and he is being punished for his crime and that's all that needs to be said.  It worries me that they would maybe think less of him if they knew the truth.  They both love him dearly and think he's wonderful and at the moment I don't want that to change. 

On the way back we popped into the Bicester Outlet shopping centre, I mean it would have been rude not to as we drove past the entrance.  I was very good and only spent £15 in the Cath Kidston shop!  As a reward for keeping my money in my purse, Hubby treated us all to a lovely dinner this evening at our local Harvester! 

So, as you can imagine, we are all very tired and will shortly be off to bed.

I have a good feeling about next year, mainly because it's an even year and I don't do odd numbers!

Wishing you all a Happy and healthy New Year.

Sue x x

Merry Christmas one and all....

I hope you are all having a lovely day!  My two were up at 7am today, which is actually very late for them as usually on Christmas morn they are in to wake us around 5.30am....guess they are getting older :(

All presents have been well received, the roast dinner was Delicious and the afternoon was spent watching the latest Harry Potter DVD. 

I had a couple of glasses of cava which went straight to my head and required a little nap to help revitalise me for the evening :)

The only downer for the day was the fact that my MIL had a fall late last night and has broken her right arm (top near shoulder) and is in a lot of pain and discomfort and spent most of this morning in A&E.  They can not put it in a cast for around 10 days as she has had to have it weighted so as to bring the bones back into place, hence the pain she is in.  Maybe, she will think twice about drinking so much now.  It's going to be a long recovery for her which is a real shame.

Alex is like an overwound toy and he will continue to be until tomorrow when it's his 11th birthday.

I hope you are all having a wonderful day, and that Santa was very good to you.

Sue x x

Holidays are coming.........

Well, I knew it was going to happen as it usually does.....I finish work on Friday for just over 2 weeks and what do I do...on Saturday morning I wake up full of a cold!  In fact, it might be more then a cold as I am still suffering so a trip to the Docs may be on the cards in the next day or so.

It looks as if we have escaped the bad weather in London for now and the earlier predication of snow on Christmas Day is now a big outsider, not that I am complaining :)

We are all set for the Big Day in the Smiff household.  Presents wrapped, cards posted, turkey in the fridge, and the Xmas cake has been made and iced.  All I know need to do is wrap up Alex's birthday presents for Boxing Day when he will be 11.  Apparently this means he is no longer child, so I mustn't treat him like one...his words not mine!

Hoping to be well enough to take him to the cinema tomorrow as he really wants to see Puss in Boots and on Friday we have tickets to see Beauty and the Beast at our local Arts Centre.

Hubby is still doing double shifts and resembles a Zombie but at least he only has a couple more days left then he is off on holiday for 2 weeks.

Hope your week is going well.

Sue x x x

Up, up and away.......

Well it's up, although some may say I am too early but who cares.  I like to have it in situ by 1st December but I must admit come about the 27th I'm bored of looking at it so it usually gets packed away early!

I love the build up to Christmas probably more then the day it's self, my Dad always used to say straight after Christmas day dinner...."Well, that's Christmas done with for another year", so I like to milk the good feeling as long as I can.

Been very busy at work recently, lots going on - some hush hush which means changes afoot.  I don't like working in this environment but I guess I'll be told when I need to be.

I'm trying to be a bit more organised this year, presents are pretty much done and dusted - although I still keep adding little bits here and there...tut, tut I hear you say :)  I've just placed my Christmas grocery order for delivery on 21/12.  That way, if they are out of stock of anything I can still get the items from the local shops...see, not totally daft me.  I've had the wreath for my Mum's grave in my car for a couple of days, I just need to go to the cemetery now....This I struggle with as It really upsets me, another reason why  I need to go on my own so I down upset the children too much :(

Alex played at the local Band Festival on Monday evening.  He's not really learning to play a musical instrument as such but he does have a lesson each week at school which is currently with a trumpet.  We were originally told that he was just going to the rehearsal in the daytime for the experience and would not be performing at the show in the evening.  I didn't think anymore of it as I guessed this sounded about right so I didn't buy a ticket for the evening performance.  At the rehearsals in the daytime a teacher overheard him talking to another child saying that he would not see them in the evening as he wasn't taking part in the performance..at which the teacher went absolutely ape at him calling his attitude appalling, which as you can imagine, upset Alex very much and even reduced him to tears.  Thankfully I was able to buy a ticket when I collected him from the rehearsals and I will be bringing the matter up with his school.  This is now about the 4th different matter I am having to bring to the schools attention.  So, to say I am less then impressed with them at the moment is an understatement.

Thankfully, Becky is still in good spirits so her mood has been a good one most evenings.  She's had a couple of exams this month and still has one to do next week.  She was given the opportunity to apply for a mentor from one of the London universities.  Only 2 children were successful, one of them being Becky!  She has had lots of chats with her new buddy who is in her final year as a medical student and she still seems keen to go into medicine but as I said to her nothing is set in stone.

My daughter left me with a compliment this morning - she said I had a good boob to bum ratio but now I think of it, it probably wasn't a compliment after all considering I am rather top heavy....Grrrrrrrrrrr!

Hope your week is going well.

Sue x x x

Life's a ball..........

Well, in the end I decided it was too early to put up my Christmas Tree last weekend. Instead, it will be erected next weekend....Ooooeeeerrr vicar!

This week I have been mostly ordering Prom dresses for Becky to try on for her Prom in the new year.  The school have not set a date for it yet but it could be as early as next January.  I can't see why they are being so cagey about the whole thing, I mean they must know now when they are planning to hold it. I'm guessing they will use the "If you misbehave you will not go to the ball" card with the children.

It looks as if it's going to be a strapless purple and black little number - and if I may say so myself...she looks a right little stunner in it :)

I had to pop to the shops for some milk earlier.  Are you guys like me I wonder - I always have to have a little look in other peoples baskets or trolleys to see what they are buying. 
Nosey moo, that's me. 
There was a large sized chap walking towards me with his arms full of food and I happen to catch site of a large box of donuts.  Immediately I thought he shouldn't be eating those the greedy guts.  Then I thought why am I thinking this, I mean I'm no beanpole (but I wish I was).  Terrible really isn't it how we seem to judge people.  For all I know they may have been for his sick Auntie, or for a friend.

Nah, who am I kidding, he's probably sat at home now scoffing the whole box.

Good for him I say!

Sue x x x

5 weeks guys, that's all.........

I've just done my tally up and I can confirm that we have just 5 weeks till the big guy in the red suit with a white beard pays us a visit.

So, I ask myself...is it too early to put the Christmas tree?

What do you think?

I asked at work and the general consensus was "Are you taking the pee, of course it's too early"

So I think it's best if I leave it another week.

Alex will be 11 on Boxing Day.  He actually still thinks Father Christmas might be real.  I know this as he is always asking me how it's possible for such a large person to actually fit down a chimney, and how on earth can he give presents to every child in the world on Christmas Eve.  So, I say to him what do you think Alex, if you would like him to be real then he is.  We got the stockings out of the cupboard and I asked him if he's not sure if he exists do we need to bother to hang them up this year then?  He said he didn't want to risk not putting them up just in case he did come to our house......bless him!


Nearly done all my Christmas shopping now, only some odds and sods to get.  It looks as if it is just going to be us again this year on Christmas day as my in laws are being anti-social again and would rather go up the pub and then stagger to their friends house for more drinks and my Dad is just happy to be sat at home alone as he finds this time of year depressing without Mum being here.

But do you know what, I really, really don't give a hoot as this means we will have a lovely relaxing day just pleasing ourselves.

Not a lot planned for the weekend, I've had a bad headache for the last day but thankfully it's just lifting.  Might pop to Costco on Sunday to pick up some lovely Lillies, they sell 10 stems with at least 5 heads on each stem for £4.50....a real bargain in my books....they also make a mean latte to!

Take care

Sue x x x x

T.G.I.F.

Is it me or has this week gone really fast? I don't know, I seem to go to bed Sunday night and the next thing I know it's Friday. Must be an age thing as the children reckon it's going too slow for them :-)


This morning as we were trying you get out the front door for work/school, madam decided to play up. We had an exchange of words and she told me that she didn't need me anymore.

Fair dos I thought. So I told her she could walk to school then. Now being the lazy minx she is, she decided to get one over me by taking the car keys and sitting in the car. Suddenly, she came back in the house as she'd forgotten one of her school books and ran up to her bedroom with my keys in her hand.

I had a plan. All of the sudden I felt like a naughty school girl and I knew there would be consequences but I just couldn't stop myself.

I picked up the spare set of keys and legged it to the car, started it up and waited for her to appear at the door. The front door opened and she stood on the doorstep - staring at me in the car. With that, I put my foot down and shot off down the road., without her but with her school bag. The look on her face as I drove by was priceless.

Now, I know it was a very childish thing for me to do but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

Obviously, I parked at the end of the road and waited for her to get in the car, and got a mouthful of abuse but today it didn't matter.

She's fine this evening about it but I still have a little giggle as I remember the look on her face!

Have a great weekend.

Sue x x x