Just Make a Decision Will You?

I am in a very strange mood today.  I have the chance to get some jobs done and I’m in a trance like mood today and not doing anything.

I don’t want to be bothered with anything or anyone if I’m honest.  Which is why I’m having trouble making decisions today.  Can anyone help me?

After having a big day out with the children and sis yesterday (more on that later) I came home to find a hand-written note that had been left for me.

It was from someone I used to work with who I supported through a painful divorce.  I was party to many confidential bits of information and true to my word, kept my lips sealed.

However when our company made redundancies and I applied for voluntary redundancy (I was on maternity leave at the time), this friend lied to me about her job being kept open.  It didn’t matter if she was still retaining her role, I didn’t want to stay and that was my decision.

Our last conversation was over three years ago.  She even remarried in this time and didn’t bother to let me know, although I found out via other sources.

Considering I was there for her at her darkest times, I coldn’t believe how I’d been cast aside so to speak.  Maybe I was too much of a link to the past while she was re-establishing herself with her new husband, new house and new friends.  I don’t know.  But it did sting a little.

I am therefore in a quandry now as to whether to pick up the phone to her.  Part of my ‘nice and forgiving’ nature, the ‘good old Sue’ says yes phone and find out how she is.  Part of me doesn’t want to share what ‘I’ve been up to’ as we’ve had some particularly tough times over the last few years.

I do know she has left the company we used to work together at and maybe without that tie she feels able to contact me (that or she’s bored).  And here I am making too many assumptions.  The only real way to find out the truth is to ask.  What would you do?

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Black Jacks

Not that we’ve been having a binge on sweeties just lately, but . . . .  Hubby bought a packet of black jacks and towards the bottom, there was this one.  Me thinks it went a bit wrong!

Guess what, couldn’t eat this one either!

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Maltesers

Would you love someone enough to give them your big heart shaped malteser?

It’s still in our fridge.  Can’t bear to eat it!

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A Bit of A Good Day Out

What a fantastic day out we had at Warwick Castle on Friday.

Good old Sainsburys had provided us with two for one tickets, so the children got in free.  Having said that some of the side attractions were on the expensive side so slightly "rip offy".

I had a lovely chat with the Queen.  I commented on her beautiful flower arrangement.  I did  point out that I didn’t like red flowers, and asked if she would get them changed.  Think I overstepped the mark there, she didn’t seem too impressed.

They had loads of activities during the day.  Here are some highlights.

Jousting.  I have to say that although we were supposed to be cheering on the goodies, the baddy definitely got our vote (well the one in the middle).  Much better looking and sis and I agreed we would happily have been the fair maidens!

You can imagine in days of olde the knights being our equivalent of rock stars.  There was a lot of testosterone flying about that jousting pitch and it was very exciting.

Falconry. Excuse the pun here but we had a birds eye view of this due to us setting up our own private picnic area a few feet away from the ring.

This was Paul the Falconer.  He was very entertaining and clearly adored working with the birds.  He chatted with us several times during the day.  Every time we sat down for our picnic he seemed to appear and thought we’d never left our blanket!

Trebuchet.   Quite simply an amazing piece of engineering, but also a deadly weapon as explained to us by the Earl of Warwick!

More later . . . . . .

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A Bit of a Boring Day

With only one car and hubby needing priority over it for work, the school holidays are seeming a bit of a nightmare at the moment.

We’ve been on a train ride to Stratford, bike rides around the area and my sister is taking us to Warwick Castle tomorrow for the day, but I’m concerned about having bored children on my hands. 

If hubby gets home early afternoon I can at least get to the park and tonight a friend took the boys out for a couple of hours, but with another four weeks to go I’m at a bit of a loss.  There is only so much you can do in the house and garden.

Plus feeling a bit narky the beginning of this week, my usual creative get up and go has got up and gone.

Me thinks I need to draw up a plan of action.

I love having them at home even if, at times, the arguing between them gets a bit much and I’ve heard one too many scream from them.  I actually hate sending them to school and have often thought about home schooling, but the timing just hasn’t been right. 

I think as I’ve got older and some of the situations we’ve faced and dealt with I’ve become quite cynical about ‘the norm’.  For me (although I don’t share this thought with the children) school is just another institution that we are led to believe is the accepted path through life.

And now having had boys, I just don’t think schools accommodate them as they should.  For instance my eldest is in Year 5 and, according to the teachers this is a really difficult year to teach.  Hormones are kicking in with them and attitudes become sulky and questioning of everything.

So why then don’t the schools change their approach with their teaching of this year and give them far more physical activities.  They obviously need it and to be honest it’s not just this year.  Both my boys would much rather be at home and I guess that when my daughter starts school, it will be very different for her.

Girls like writing, making up stories and in general the educational process.  Boys don’t.  I’m not saying they shouldn’t be taught what they are being taught, but in a different way.

Goodness knows why I’m ranting about this tonight, perhaps it’s my ‘anti everything mood’ at the moment.  Or perhaps like any of us bloggers, it’s just a good way of getting things off your chest. 

So as Frasier used to say ‘thanks for listening’ or should that be ‘thanks for reading’.

PS  We are changing servers over the next 24 hours or so.  It shouldn’t really affect this site or Pink Champagne, but if there are any hiccups in the next few days, you’ll know why. 

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Children

Sent to me by a friend by email.

GOD CREATED CHILDREN (AND IN THE PROCESS GRANDCHILDREN)

To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students… here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God’s omnipotence did not extend to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve.

And the first thing he said was "DON’T !"

"Don’t what ? "  Adam replied.

"Don’t eat the forbidden fruit." God said.

"Forbidden fruit ?
We have forbidden fruit ?
Hey Eve..we have  forbidden fruit! "

" No Way ! "

"Yes way ! "

"Do NOT eat the fruit ! "
said God.

"Why ? "

"Because I am your Father and I said so ! " God replied, wondering why He hadn’t stopped creation after making the elephants.

A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked !

"Didn’t I tell you not to eat the fruit ? " God asked.

"Uh huh," Adam replied.

"Then why did you ? " said the Father.

"I don’t know," said Eve.

"She started it ! " Adam said.

"Did  not ! "

"Did too ! "

"DID NOT ! "

Having had it with the two of them, God’s punishment was that Adam and Eve  should have children of their own.

Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY !

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven’t taken it, don’t be hard on yourself.

If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you ?!

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT !

1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.

2. Grandchildren are God’s reward for not killing your own children.

3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.

4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word  what you shouldn’t have said.

5. The main purpose of holding children’s parties is to remind yourself that there are children  more awful than your own.

6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.

ADVICE FOR THE DAY:

Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home one day.

AND FINALLY:

IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE, DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:

"TAKE TWO ASPIRIN" AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"!!!!!

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She Who Must Be Obeyed

She has been here today.  She who thinks life owes her.  She who demands everyone does as She says IMMEDIATELY or snaps without thinking.

She who took my children out for a bicycle ride today, much to my worry that She would end up shouting at them, but surprisingly felt much calmer for being out of the house.

She who, on days like today, blames everyone else for her irritability and tiredness.

She who only ever pops around once each month and struggles to be civil.

I call her the Bitch Queen.  Everyone else calls me mom!

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