Tuesday 30 December 2008

All Things Weird And Wonderful!

Or in my case, just plain weird!  Some time ago now, lovely Tara over at Sticky Fingers tagged me. She had multiple tags (lucky lady!) and so being the renegade that she is, decided to make up her own rules. Seeing as I am easily lead astray, I too will now blatantly flout the rules and do my own thing!

We were on a seven's theme but I'm beginning to wonder if there are actually seven strange things you don't already know about me; I guess that's the danger of baring all via the wonder web on a regular basis!

So here's a few random bits....

I hate, hate, hate sellotape on my fingernails; for me this could easily pass as a form of torture! If I worked for MI5 (which I don't by the way),  you'd have no trouble getting state secrets out of me if you applied a little of the demon stuff on my nails and threatened to rip it off!

I nearly drowned when I was seven. Thinking back, I do wonder what on earth possessed MM to let me play in the river when a) she can't swim and b) she was heavily pregnant with my brother! But it was the seventies so I guess they had a bit of a hippy attitude to child safety in those days. Anyhoo, I fell down a large hole and went under several times, watching all kinds of crap (and I do mean crap), floating around under the water with me. If I shut my eyes I can still picture it and hear the roar of the water, alternated with the sight of MM screaming hysterically on the river bank as I resurfaced - brrgghh. Some older kid pulled me out and I got a bag of marbles for not crying!

Back on the torture theme, I hate buttering toast or the feel and sound of an emery board on my nails - it gives me goosebumps and makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. For me it is the equivalent of fingernails scraping down a blackboard or whatever the politically correct version of one of those is called these days. Both of these facts are quite annoying as I love eating toast and getting a manicure, though obviously not at the same time.

Aubergines, I have decided, are fruits of the devil - hideous purple objects that quite frankly remind me of an internal organ. So moussaka can prove to be a bit of a gamble for me. I quite like it and if the freakish things are chopped up within an inch of their miserable lives then that's fine. But if I lift that top layer and come face to face with a huge slice of squidgy yuk-ness then you wont see me for dust. And don't even get me started on ratatouille!

I was nearly born prematurely in a Cliff Richard concert. That would explain a few things I guess!

Tea has to be made the soft Southern way for me. Milk in first, with tea bag and only then can you pour in the water but make sure it's whipped out before it gets a chance to mingle too much. Other Half calls it builder's tea. I prefer to call it high maintenance.

I periodically do this thing where I think I must fold my ear over on its itself when I'm asleep and eventually wake up in absolute agony cos I've cut all the circulation off. OMG it hurts when the feeling comes back and I end up writhing about in agony, biting the duvet so as to keep from screaming out loud! My ears are a perfectly normal size but I do have a big head (apparently) so I'm guessing that the sheer weight of it must be the problem! If this happens to anyone else, please tell me so I don't feel alone in my freakishness!


Will you look at that... I have seven! But I think I'll stop there for fear of frightening you off for good! 

Wednesday 24 December 2008

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

Why would I be blogging on Christmas Eve you might ask? Well.... the last visitors have just left, Small Child is surrounded by new Lego and Other Half is joining in, building all manner of technical stuff so I thought why not?

I have a snowball beside me, complete with a shot of Bacardi in it for extra Christmas warmth, the candles are lit, everything that possibly needed doing is done which satisfies my inner control freak immensely and Polar Express is on. It's official, Christmas has arrived!

I hope all of you lovely  people out in Blogland, many of whom I have come to think of as friends, have a wonderful Christmas and get to spend some time with your loved ones, relaxing and just taking it all in. I love Christmas.... so much so that Other Half has a serious worry that my head is going to explode with all the excitement anytime now! But I wouldn't be loving it half as much if I wasn't spending it with my two fellow musketeers; so whilst we will be enjoying beautiful gifts and wonderful food tomorrow, I know that the best presents are sat right there next to me. 

A Merry Christmas to all.... and to all a goodnight!

Wednesday 17 December 2008

Please Hold.. We'll Be Reconnecting You Shortly...

God Damn it! I've been such a bad blogger recently but once again I'll take the cop out option and blame it on stuff that is clearly out of my control! Being the self confessed control freak that I am, (trust me, there aren't many things that manage to escape the domain of Thatgirl's organised little world), there are few things that send me off track. But these following little blighters have taken over....

Shopping/Wrapping/Card Writing demands of the festive season.
Contracting the pre Christmas lurgy that seems obligatory when you have small people living with you (that would be kids, not elves).
Other Half deciding that he would be born on December 13th thereby necessitating that we interrupt festive celebrations to partake of a birthday celebration! 

I haven't even responded to the tag from my bloggy mate, Tara at Sticky Fingers yet, but promise to do so in a later post entitled Weird & Wonderful. Clearly this is something designed to lure you back but quite frankly I wouldn't blame you if you said "Feck Off Blog Slacker!"

Anyhoo... back to this one... 
Due to afore mentioned birthday celebration, here is where we spent our Sunday night, courtesy of the Hotel Du Vin...


... and it was truly heaven! 

You know how life just sometimes gets in the way and you forget to take stock of what bought you to the one you love in the first place? (Yes, I see all parents nodding furiously!)
Well... we were lucky enough to get some re-connection time amongst all the festive mayhem that is Christmas this weekend just gone..... and boy did we need it!

We enjoyed a 3.00pm check in, a bottle of Veuve Cliquot in a double ended bath with bubbles, an amazing dinner and, best of all, each others company. I had the time to talk to my husband, laugh at the stupid things as only the two of us do and glance at him across the table and take a mental picture of the stuff that still makes my legs turn to jelly.  
Then later, as we snuggled down to sleep in a bed that was nowhere near as good as our own, (cos we're old gits now!), I made sure I took a deep breath in, just to remember the smell of his skin.... and the moment.

.... Because reconnecting is what makes us remember how we got here and ultimately, makes the two of us better parents. 

Tuesday 9 December 2008

Back Again For The Carnival!

Yep... just to prove it... two posts in one day. Actually this is in aid of the Best of British Mummy Bloggers carnival...read em, weep (or giggle) and vote for your favourite! The lovely Part Mummy Part Me invited me to submit a post last week so I was chuffed as nuts to take part. Click to PMPM's page and get voting! 

Absent Blogger Back From Overhaul Gets Tagged

Due to feeling and looking like 100 last week I decided to check into a spa and emerged looking like this......





Not bad huh? Some might say I now resemble Heidi Klum  but I can't see it myself!

If truth be told I've been half busy and half lazy but have missed my cyber rambles and reads! So I shall make a pre New Years resolution, as I'm notoriously bad at keeping the usual ones, and vow to post more frequently from now on!
I should start by replying to my lovely taggers... Mom/Mum today and Tara at Sticky Fingers tomorrow!  Especially as Tara has told me off for being a rubbish blogger! (She's right!) But that young lady is a fine one to talk - she went and changed all the tag rules so I might make up some of my own!

Today... Mom/Mum's Festive lucky Seven!

7 Things I Must Do Before My Parents Arrive
1. Actually no worries here....parents not crossing the ThatGirl threshold this yuletide season but instead we will all decamp to my brothers house for Boxing Day! 

7 Things I've been Doing Instead Of Preparing For Christmas
1. Reading Grazia.
2. Watching Lipstick Jungle which is my new addiction - its Gossip Girl for grown ups. And can I just say that Brooke Shields looks even better with age!
3. Flitting about at The Clothes Show with my cousin and two best friends being totally girly and loving it!
4. Catching Small Child's cold and watching it develop into a cough that makes me sound as rough as a badgers arse!
5. Attending some pre Christmas social shenanigans with best friends whom I used to work with.
6. Shopping for a dress for said shenanigans - actually this turned out to be more of a saga involving a broken zip, store discount that refused to apply itself due to new VAT, a pair of control tights and me going out with my shoes on the wrong feet... yes really!
7. Continuing to deal with Devil, sorry, Small Child's testing behaviour in a composed and proper manner when all I want to do is throw myself on the floor and out-tantrum her!

7 Things I Can't Do This Christmas
1. Overeat - I will be going with mantra of a little bit of what you fancy - with the emphasis on the little.
2.  I can't not watch my Christmas movie selection - The Holiday, It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Family Man and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
3. I can't stop myself from getting ridiculously over excited about the whole thing and possibly imploding. I've been burning my White Company Winter candle, placing Mulled Wine air fresheners about the house, playing my Ally McBeal Christmas CD repeatedly and checking the use by dates of the brandy butter so that I can buy it as soon as possible without it going off!
4. Fall asleep after Christmas dinner in a happy drunken haze -  does not compute when you have kids.
5. I refuse to let Small Child rip in to all the gifts she has amassed in one go - we've decided to spread them over a couple of days and a few at a time to ensure she enjoys them and takes it all in.
6. I can't resist cheese.
7. Due to number 6 I can't be totally inactive!

7 Christmas Wishes
1. Like Mom/Mum, to be a better mummy. I vow not to rise to the small things and just concentrate on the important stuff when it comes to discipline. I also vow to spend more time doing Small Child stuff on our days off rather than dragging her around getting jobs done.
2. I wish to fall asleep and wake up a size 8!
3. To be the proud owner of a pair of Manolo's in 2009! (If you say it enough times it will happen!)
4. To have enough spare time to get all the stuff done that we've been meaning to do for ages - redecorate Small Child's room, sort out wardrobe storage, print and frame some more photos etc etc. The list is endless.
5. That all those close to me remain happy, healthy and loved.
6. To follow the yellow brick road and get to Westfield!
7. That someone invents a non fat cheese that tastes like REAL CHEESE!

7 Things I Say As Christmas Approaches
1. No.... I don't know if the Grinch has a minny.... yes I know he's a boy who appears not to have a willy...and I don't know why he doesn't always wear clothes.
2. It's now only ** more sleeps to go
3. Those presents under the tree aren't for you, they're for other people and no you cant open them (this to Small Child and Other Half!)
4. No, you can't have another chocolate tree decoration/open another advent calender door/have another mince pie (this to Small Child and myself!)
5. More sherry please!
6. What's in the bag?
7. One year we will go somewhere where's there so much snow we can do snow angels!

7 Celebrities I'd Invite For Christmas Dinner
1. Jamie Oliver so he could cook it.
2.  Patrick Dempsey - just for table decoration of course!
3. Jennifer Anniston so I could advise her to stay away from bad boys and tell her that I think she should be my new best friend.
4. Angelina Jolie - well.... I'd invite her in, give her a slap and then send her packing.
5. SJP and her shoe collection - I know Mom/Mum said the same but seriously... how could I not?
6. Cheryl Cole. I love, love, love this woman! I would try and convince her to dump the useless husband, get her to promise to come shopping with me and apologise for the fact the Other Half is drooling into his dinner!
7. Peppa Pig - Small Child would be over the moon!

7 Favourite Festive Foods (all of which I will of course be eating in moderation!!)
1. Smoked salmon and scrambled egg.
2. Baked gammon ham, cold with....
3. Pickled onions - the strongest smelliest ones you can buy!
4. Cheese
5. Champagne
6. Brandy butter
7. Cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon...hhmm....

7 Other Bloggers Who Can Play Festive Seven (if they have the time)!

There... I feel I have purged my blogger absenteeism for good..... I'm Back!

Tuesday 2 December 2008

I Am 100

This is my 100th post! Cue whooping, joyous celebration, popping of champagne corks etc.... you'd think wouldn't you? Erm.... no. I actually feel 100 at the moment and the stupid thing is I have no idea why! Perhaps it's down to an unexpected hormone rush as a prelude to an early onset of the menopause - can that happen at 39? Perhaps it's down to the vicious onslaught of temper tantrums from my three and three quarter year old Small Child this week? She has decided that it is not to her liking to do anything I ask her, tells me constantly I'm not her best friend and has taken to hitting me when I put her in the naughty corner for hitting me! 

Perhaps it's just a bad reaction to all that exercise I did last week? You note that I say last week.... this weeks efforts have only included some dancing (and very bad karaoke) at one of my best friends 40th birthday parties and a full on Christmas shopping attack yesterday. In a most unlike me moment of common sense I even wore comfortable shoes and still got blisters after so much shop trawling! 

Perhaps I'm being a grumpy scrooge and getting a pre Christmas Grinch attack - except I love this time of year and start embracing it full on festive mode on the 1st of December. I am that annoying variety of holiday cheer-meister who would bath in egg nog if she was allowed so that can't be it.

I have found myself avoiding Blogland all week and now I know why... all I've done is whinge! So I'm going to take my 100 year old, whiny arse off line now and hope that normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!