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March 29 Monsters!Well, yesterday I wrote a whole blog about how (and why) the Hubs is looking for a new job. But just as I added the final two words, Windows Live Writer crashed. And wiped the lot. I know, I should have saved it as I went along, but I'm more used to this bit crashing, Live Writer has never done it to me before. *Sulk*
It was one of those blogs that came straight from the heart,
 so to try to recreate it was out of the question. Maybe in a couple of days I will try again, when things have settled down here. You'll understand then.
So instead, I will tell you about my horrible children.
Hannah has turned into a proper little madam who mimics the accents/hand gestures/ways of walking etc of everyone she sees at school. I keep telling her once she can speak properly, then she can start being lazy and talking with a Yorkshire accent! I know I do it myself, but at least I can pronounce my words properly when I need to.
Louis is a whinge. He whinges from the moment he gets up to the moment he goes to bed. Oh, except when he's at nursery. His teachers say he's a little angel! He refuses to blow his nose; says he can't do it. Wipes the back of his hand or sleeve across his face instead, and we all know what little boys are like
 .And then there's Theo. He's full of cold, has a ruttley chest and an eye infection yet he keeps on smiling. He has developed a very high pitched scream which roughly translates as 'Furry thing! Let me grab your fur and pull your ears/tail/poke you in the eye!'. And of course the animals oblige.
So, apart from that, has anyone else had trouble with the size or font that my last blog was written in? Looks fine on my page, but that's not always a good indication I know! It was (I believe) written in Papyrus size 12 so should have been fairly easy but I did get a complaint Have a great Sunday everyone! March 26 ReggieI can’t remember how much I have told you about Reggie, our latest spare dog. But some of you may not know about him anyway so I’ll go from the beginning again. I received a phone call asking if I could take him on as he was due to be put to sleep. He had been picked up by the dog warden after being found dumped in a bin. He is old and arthritic and has a few lumps and bumps, but there is not much else wrong with him. I couldn’t let him be put down just because of his age so duly trekked up to the Sanctuary and brought him home. The dog warden had named him Whiskey – they give them names so that even the strays don’t become just another number – but he is so much like my first foster, Ronnie, that I had to immediately rename him Reggie. Reggie is a quiet little soul, he sleeps in the cupboard under the stairs on a huge duvet and woollen blanket. The hot water pipes run through there too so it’s lovely and cosy for him. His back is arched and his tail bent at an angle because of the arthritis but he is now being medicated for it and is much better. Unfortunately, before we sorted out the right dosage the pain in his back caused him to chew himself so we keep the wound powder close to hand! Jasper gets on with life as normal, he barely notices Reggie except at meal times! Reggie eats more often than Jasper as his weight is quite low and he has to have food with his medication. Jasper has only one meal a day so gets extra garden time while Reggie eats. I don’t expect Reggie to be with us for very long, he is around 15 years old and showing it. But he enjoys lying in the morning sun that shines into the living room, and while ever he is happy and his pain is under control we will look after him. And when the time comes, I will be there for him, as I have with all my foster dogs. March 25 How Much???Right, so first off, I apologise for not having been around very much lately. I have been thinking of you all though!
I have been busily learning to ride a motorbike, and failing my CBT again. Ah well, next time eh?
Apart from that I have made the acquaintance of several bikers from Sheffield and the surrounding areas and have been spending time on the Sheffield Bikers forum when I'm not meeting them in person down at the local bike shop.
Anyway.
Have any of you with kids noticed that schooling isn't as free as it appears to be? I have to buy school uniform at extortionate prices, as well as the correct PE kit, shoes, plimsolls etc. Then there's book bags. Honestly, I remember skipping merrily along to school clutching nothing in my sticky danny except 90 pence for my dinner! Now school dinners are £2 a throw, and children as young as 3 are expected to do homework.
I digress. Again. Every time a charity event comes around (Red Nose Day, Comic Relief, anti-bullying week etc) there is a no uniform day. Which I must pay 50p for. Admittedly, it isn't all that much. But it's regular. And when all three of my children require their 50p on these occasions it is going to add up. Now it's coming up to Easter. 50p no uniform for Hannah, 50p each for Han and Lou to enter the Easter Bonnet parade. 50p each for them to enter the egg decorating competition. 20p for a biscuit (and it's a healthy eating school!). Oh, and 20p per raffle ticket to win an Easter egg.
So, please accept my apologies once again for not having been around, and then for the fact that when I am around I'm ranting! March 18 Watch Out!Following on from Debs Witchy Woman's blog, I have received the following email.
New shopping!New life!
Dear friend,
How are you doing recently?I’d like to introduce you a good company who mainly sell many electronic products such as laptops, cameras,mobile phones,TV,GPS,PS3,MP3/4,Motorbikes etc.Now the company take some measures to promate their products,all the goods are sold at its cost nearly .They can guarantee the higher quality, lower price and better services.What's more important,the price is really a big surprising happiness for shopping!
Just catch the chance,just do it!Their official website :www.ffwld.com
It arrived in my inbox claiming to be from one of my contacts. I know for a fact that this man did not send it to me, and his email address at the top of the page has been faked. I have received this email twice now, the first time I was very surprised as it appeared to be from a contact that I have not spoken to for months. This time I knew it was fake because I know this man would not send anything like this. So watch out for it in your inbox!!!
March 16 SMC; Egg RunSMC's footage of the bikes going past the shop. More bikes joined in along the way.
At 9:32 I am on the bike at the far right (blue bike, I'm pillion) that is just in front of the other bikes. Sheffield Egg Run 2009Wow! Yesterday was just one big exciting whirl! I was at my Mum’s house for 7.45am, jumped on the back of Jim’s motorbike and we headed off down to SMC (bike shop) to meet up with other members of Sheffield and Yorkshire Bikers. From 8am until 9.15am I stood by the burger van with Mum, collecting donations from anyone that came near! The recipient of the donations was to be the Sheffield Children’s Hospital. We managed to collect around £300 in total, most of it coming from the burger van as Jan, the lady that runs it, very kindly donated EVERYTHING to the cause. Then it was time to hop back on the bike as everyone left SMC at the same time to ride up to the police ops centre, where other bikers were meeting. It was madness. i have never seen so many motorbikes in one place. The copper chopper went up and that was pretty much the signal to get moving. Sheffield was just shut down, as around 1000 motorbikes paraded along the streets at slow speeds. People waved from the pavements, car drivers beeped their horns and the police kept everything brilliantly under control. We gathered at Weston Park, opposite the Children’s Hospital, and James Toseland signed autographs before taking Easter eggs into the children. I got my lid (helmet) signed! After wandering around looking at all the bikes it was back to SMC for another cuppa and a burger, then we went back to Mum’s house to pick up my bike. Jim and Mum took me to a HUGE open car park where I could safely practice my turning, slow control, riding in a straight line and just generally get the feel of the bike. it was great, and I’m going to do it again next weekend. And somewhere in between I will fit in some riding on Winston, because I can’t leave him out. Anyway, my bike is now called Christine, after the Stephen King car, as she has a mind of her own at times. I will post the pictures of the Egg Run in an album, because there are far too many to put on here. March 12 How?Ooooh! Don't it just p**s you off?!
The guy that threw his shoes at President George W Bush has been jailed for three years.
Meanwhile, in this country, Lord Ahmed has walked away after serving just SIXTEEN days in jail. He killed someone while texting on his phone at the same time as driving on the M1 motorway.
How can this happen, in this 'modern' world, how is it fair to lock up one man for throwing a shoe while another walks free after taking an innocent life? State NormalWow! Okay, so. Things have been more than a little hectic around here. But that's fairly normal. I haven't been on Spaces much, and I apologise to you all for that. The reason for it is that I have been looking for a motorbike. I have spent all my spare time at SMC or on eBay, or on SYB (see my custom list for that one). I received a message from a very nice young man who was selling a Haotian 125 quite cheaply. I went to look at her and she is lovely. However, the problems then started. I could not find insurance because she is a Chinese import. I went through so many companies I lost count. I phoned, I applied online and eventually I got 3 quotes, the first just over £300 and the last just under £200. So now she is insured, I just have to get her taxed and I can pick her up on Friday. Tomorrow! Yay! Apart from all that, I got a call from the kennel manager at Thornberry Sanctuary asking if I could take on an old dog. He was due to be put down yesterday. Without asking any questions I agreed to have him. After thinking about it, I called her back and actually got some (sketchy) information. He is about 15 years old, skinny, with stinky breath. And may have around 6 months left in him. But he didn’t deserve to be put to sleep, so he gets to retire in our mad house with a comfy cushion and a warm blanket. I’ll be picking him up later today, after he’s checked in with the vet. AND… I really am hoping to get my camera back soon! I spoke to my friend who is currently carrying it around in his van, and he assures me it will be back home by Saturday at the latest. Which is good, because I’m participating (as a pillion) in the Egg Run on Sunday. The link isn’t working for that one, so I’ll let you look it up for yourselves. Basically, a load of motorcyclists gather together to ride the streets of Sheffield and collect donations for the Children’s Hospital. Last year a brand new Parent’s room was built with the donations, and they are hoping to do the same again this year. March 10 PoorlyOh dear! The children are all down with coughs, colds and sore throats, and now I am starting with it.
Hannah and Louis are still at school, but Theo is not sleeping well and is spending more than half the night in bed with me again. He doesn't want to eat, or drink his milk. All he has had today is half a rusk and a few ounces of water.
The dog has a sore ear, no idea what he's done but it's slightly swollen and warm. Will have to keep an eye on that.
And then Mehitabel came in this morning on three legs. Again. She has cut her foot open but wont let me see to it. She bit me then hobbled away as fast as she could to sleep in a corner. At least the wound is clean but she may require a vet soon. I hope not.
And the only other problem I have is trying to insure a chinese-import motorbike... March 09 Numa NumaI love this, I was crying with laughter when I first watched it and it has to be one of my favourites.
Enjoy! March 07 RidingI had a lovely comment left on one of my blogs by Ted E. Bear.
He was asking about the paths that I ride along, and who can use them, I was going to reply to him personally but thought I would blog an answer instead so you can all share.
The ponies are out to grass (not stabled) right on the edge of Shirebrook Valley Nature Reserve. I can ride out of the field gate straight onto a bridleway which is used by many people; walkers, cyclists, joggers and of course horse-riders.
The bridleway runs around the outside of the Nature Reserve but the 'inside' section is off limits to horses. There are many paths crossing it for the walkers and joggers though.
Lots of people like to use the bridleways, the rules are as such: footpaths are for walkers/joggers, bridleways are for horses, cyclists and walkers/joggers and by-ways are for pretty much everyone excluding car users!
Most people that I meet on the bridleways are lovely; they are there to enjoy the countryside the same as I am. Some people are ignorant, and don't think to call their dogs back. It doesn't occur to some people that horses can be scared of dogs.
I often meet people with young dogs, and try to make an effort to stop and ask the person to introduce the dog to Winston; that way the dog knows the horses are nothing to fear and are therefore less likely to bark at them in the future.
The valley is a lovely place to ride whatever the season, and the network of paths has recently been extended making some really good rides.
As soon as I get my camera back there will be photos! March 06 NatureI had half an hour to spare between nursery and toddler group the other day, which was not really enough to go home, get dinner and come back to school. So I made a picnic up, and took it up to nursery when I picked Louis up. We went and sat in the car park on the nature reserve (too cold to get out of the car) and munched away on our sandwiches.
As we sat there, a little movement caught my eye. I strained to see what it was, but there was nothing. I carried on, and there was the movement again. This time I caught the twitching of whiskers. It was a rabbit in the undergrowth. Now, I have always seen wild rabbits, it's nothing new, except myxomatosis has wiped out the majority of the rabbits across Sheffield in the past few years and hit our valley sometime last year.
But there was this rabbit, sunning itself in a patch of brambles under a hawthorn tree.
What amazed me was the fact that when it stopped scratching itself or twitching it's whiskers, it really was impossible to see it. It's fur blended perfectly into the background, and it became invisible.
Louis wanted to know what I was looking at, but he couldn't see it. Eventually he just took my word for it that there was a rabbit there!
I feel so lucky to be able to show my children things like that; a lot of children don't get to see animals in their natural habitat. But we don't shy away from the realities of nature.
Not to be too graphic, but we once found a rabbit in our field that had been attacked by a stoat. The children were more interested than upset and wanted to know what had happened. Likewise, it was the children that found a magpie drowned in the ponies' water. It had obvioulsy had a brush with a fox, and crash-landed in the water. I took it out and hid it in a bush, where a fox came for a free meal. Louis decided that the poor thing had flown off to the Rainbow.
We used to have an old dog-fox that visited our field in search of food, often with a vixen in tow and in spring a cub or two. I haven't seen him for a while, but he did look very old and rangy last time he ventured through.
Pheasants are regular visitors too, the noisy cock-pheasant and his harem. The ladies are so dull, a plain brown colour, but that is what keeps them and their eggs safe.
At 26 years old, I am still enchanted by the things that nature can do if left to it's own devices. I know my children will follow in that trend, but also with an understanding of life and death. March 03 Soggy PoniesThe ponies are soggy. On Sunday, I decided the weather was good enough to take off their rugs. Then I left them off because I had ridden Winston and he came back sweating. It's no good putting a rug on a sweaty horse, so I let him have a roll in the mud and didn't get back in time that evening to re-dress them.
Anyway, what it comes down to is that once the rain started it was too late to put the rugs on so we have wet ponies. I'm sure they won't mind, they both have lovely thick winter coats but people walking past can be funny sometimes. They feel sorry for animals out in the rain. At least the boys have a choice, they can go in the shed if they want, and I filled it with hay earlier so chances are they're in there right now!
My ride on Win on Sunday was great, he was back to his usual naughty self. The only thing that spoilt it was the group of people on mini quad bikes flying around an area they are not allowed in which frightened Winston to the point that I had to get off and lead him. Ah well.
He got all giddy on the new paths the rangers have been busy building, then surprised me by jumping a horse hop. Okay, so horse hops are only around 10 inches high, but about 3 feet wide and he took it at one leap. Then we took off for a canter along a stretch of bridleway around half a mile long. It was great, and I can't wait to do it again.
Now to find the time... March 01 Daisy DashwoodI recently bought a toy for Theo. Daisy Dashwood, by Jellycat. She is a small, knitted red pig with a fluffy scarf. Her arms and legs were just made for little fingers to grasp, and Theo loved her. Until she went walkabouts on her own. Now we have Dickie Dashwood and Dotty Dashwood but no Daisy.
On returning to the shop, I found that there were none left. And on spending the last half hour trawling the internet I have come up with the information that the ranges like that made by Jellycat are pretty much limited editions and irreplaceable.
However, I have left my sob story with Jellycat and with another company closely linked to them to see if there might be any brand new Daisy Dashwoods out there. And I don't want to pay £16.99, because the original one only cost me £2.99.
So now we wait, and Theo shouts... |
. Just let me know if anything is unreadable and I'll see what I can do to change it.
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