Musings on a Life Quite Ordinary

I still think that my middle child has just started montessori, yet the other day while I was waiting for him to come back from his first ever school tour on his first ever school bus, I realised how close the countdown to "Big School" really was. He's just a little guy,  he still says schweep instead of sleep and crap instead of clap.  He doesn't know anyone in what will be his new class, what if he's lonely?  Or what if he's too shy to ask to go to the toilet and has an accident? What if all the other kids know each other and nobody talks to him? What if he doesn't understand that he has to look after his own lunch and if he doesn't eat it, he'll be really hungry by the time I come for him because it's a much longer day at big school than montessori. What if he doesn't like it? I know he'll most likely be fine and figure it all out as he goes, but I'm not ready for him to go.  I'm not ready to let go of that precious hour...

  When I gave birth to my first child, my grandmother brought me a box of dark chocolates called Black Magic; she told me I would need them to replenish my strength.   I laughed, but in the middle of the night in the hospital, while I struggled to feed my tiny baby girl, I reached for those chocolates and I can still remember how amazing they tasted.   I brought the last of them home and kept them in the fridge just for me.   A few years later when it became clear she needed help; my Granny went to live in a nursing home.   It was a lovely place, the staff kind and caring, but it was still hard.   Visits with her could be difficult; she just wanted to go home. A few months on and one day I brought her a box of Black Magic, her face lit up, she scoffed most of the box before we left her.   It became our thing.   I would bring her Black Magic, my kids who would have been watching the box in the house for days would get to eat some too. ...

I know I’m not wrong saying this was one of the longest winters ever, a dark, damp, cold, rainy, hail stoning, almost but not quite snowing miserable winter that over stayed it’s welcome and annoyed everyone. So now that spring has finally sprung isn’t it wonderful to see life budding all over the place?   There’s actual green stuff growing on the ground, I hear it’s called grass.   It’s beautiful. My interest in the garden in general and all things green started last year.   My daughter and I grew a tomato.   It may not sound all that impressive, but to me it was wondrous.   It grew big and round and I’m sure if we hadn’t planted it so late, it would have ripened and we could have shared it in a salad. This year I’m going for it again – growing things.   I do admit freely though that I am no expert and will take all the help and short cuts I can, so far that has involved my husband fixing what I’ve made a mess of, but I am optimistic and shall pe...

The other night my husband showed me a video on YouTube of a lovely young girl, singing a beautiful song on this years’ X Factor.   It was fabulous, she was amazing and the audience rose up to roar their appreciation for her talent.   I was really enjoying it too until I saw Gary Barlow’s face.   I have been a fan of X Factor for years, but this year, I cannot watch it.   Every time I see his face, I remember that the day his youngest child died was the day my youngest child turned eight months old and my heart breaks for him and his wife. I also cannot watch the news this week, because April Jones mother’s face shows everything I dread most in life.   It was the same for me when Madeleine McCann disappeared. I am now a mother for over seven years; it is what defines me more than anything else as a person.    There are times when I cannot remember my life before my children.   I know I worked and played hard, got to see some of the w...

Up until three years ago we as a family, were honestly quite blasé about our insurance overall. Whether it was home, car, contents, health etc., we generally went with the cheapest deal, not giving much thought to the cover that came with it.   I guess somewhere deep down inside, we thought we were made of iron. That was until someone virtually parked in the boot of my other half’s car and our lives took a very different path as we discovered that not only the car but his spine were a lot more fragile than we could have ever believed. The world of insurance cover and its importance took on a major role in our lives.   Thankfully for us, it has all worked out well, but it could have been a very different story. I am, by nature, a frugal person.   No, that does not mean cheap, it means I’m sensible with my money, which with three kids has become even more important over the years. Like everyone else we have being going down the long slippery slope of thi...

At first I was afraid, I was petrified. Kept thinkin' I could never live with you by my side; But then I spent so many nights Just feeling sorry for myself, And I grew strong and I learned how to glue you on, And I looked good, ten talons long, French manicured, no chips or breaks, I showed you off all day long. I’d never been a dollybird, Hardly got nails manicured, But if I’d have known for just one second you would break right off on me, I would have bought, extra strength glue, I would have burned my cuticles just to look good with you. Weren’t you the ones who tried to dazzle with your shine, Did you think I’d crumble, Did you think I’d lay down and die – Oh no not I! I will survive. As long as I’ve got marigolds I know my nails with thrive. I've got all my nails but one, Learned how to polish on my own, I’ll survive, I will survive, Hey Hey …….

I’ve been somewhat absent from the world of blogging for the last few months.   I’ve been swaddled in the wonderful world of a new baby.    My cuddly little bundle is doing great and routine is settling back in nicely with a bit more sleep too. One thing this time has reminded me of is that my kids are absolutely hilarious. I cannot count how many times I’ve said to myself I should write down their little nuggets of wisdom, mispronunciations or a misinterpretation of something they’ve heard. Here’s a selection of some of the more recent favourites in our household and if you’ve got any please send them to me.   It would make my day. What Daughter Says – “Could I have ornage and lemon please?” What she means – “Could I have orange and melon please?” Son – “Mummy, why are faces always in their nude?” Me – “because they couldn't breathe if you covered them up.” Son – “Mummy, you so silly, it's freezin on faces.” Daughter’s favourite number – “Vin Vin I...