Moments On Friday

: :  Oscar decides that 5:45am is an excellent time to start the day

: :  I upload some photo from my old blog onto FLICKR. They make me smile and feel sad at the same time. Just where does the time go?

: :  I have an overwhelming urge to knit a new hat for Oscar. When was the last time I knitted anything for my boy? I cant remember. I download a $1 hat pattern from RAVELRY and start knitting immediately.

: :  I am amazed at the weather, its different every time I look up.

: :  Parcels of lovely arrive in the post.

: :  I think I figure out the lifted trouser leg phase.

 

wet grass

: :  I overhear a conversation in the kitchen, where Aimee and Oscar are playing with home made play-dough

O - I am going to go and show this creature to Daddy,
A - Daddy isn't here, he is at work,
O - I thought I heard keys,
A - No, he isn't home,
O - Oh, maybe it was from TV,
A - The TV isn't on,
O - Oh
O - I miss Daddy,
O - That's why I hear keys

 

: :  I fire off an email to Duncan

" Can you bring home mandarin's for Oscar and an A5 sketchbook for me? (a cheap one)"

: :  Duncan fires one back

" I will certainly try"

Have a lovely weekend.

V

xxx

Walking Together

It was still raining yesterday. The sky was as grey as it gets and it seemed that the greyness was dripping down and colouring everything it touched. The flowers and trees bent their heads hiding their vibrancy, and the wetness on the roads and houses was reflecting back the colour of the sky. Oscar was like a little blast of amazing colour in his red wellingtons and red raincoat. His puddle skipping was colourful in itself.
On the way to nursery he is permitted to walk through puddles (so he does not get soaked and then have to sit in wet clothes all morning). On the way home from nursery he is permitted to jump in puddles, because seriously, what kind of Mama bans puddle jumping outright. The road outside nursery is lined with police cones, because as I recall from taking the older children there, there used to be near death collisions as parents tried to park as close to the school as possible. Now no one can park there. A little further along and the cones end, and there are cars usually parked (it is a dead end street so there is not a lot of traffic, just a lot of parking). Yesterday Oscar was stepping on and off the pavement into the puddles at the kerbside. He tries to do this ALL the time and I am forever telling him to step back onto the pavement. We reached the parked cars and once again I turned around just as he was stepping off the pavement into a puddle, in between 2 parked cars. I had just said the words 'Oscar on the pavement please', when the woman sitting in the parked car we were beside pressed down on the horn, letting out an almighty noise. Oscar leaped about a foot into the air and burst into tears. I turned to look at the woman and she was grinning all over her face and said through the half open window, 'He wont be doing that again in a hurry'. I resisted the urge to pull her out of her stupid red sports car by her scrawny ratty hair, and hugged Oscar close instead and then went on our way. Oscar cried ALL - THE - WAY - home. I know he shouldn't be stepping onto the road, I know, I know. But I was dealing with it and he is only 3 years old. I wasn't sure what to make of it later. Have you ever tried to make a 3 year old walk at your side? It is virtually impossible. I know that children should have clear road sense guidance, and its unlikely he will step into kerbside puddles again. But isn't there a law about misuse of horns (I think my Dad told me that, it could be a fib haha). Anyway, what he really took away from it was that the woman in the red car 'was mean' (his words), and had spoiled his fun. I tend to agree with him. What type of person grins from ear to ear because they have just frightened a little boy for stepping into a puddle. Am I right or wrong?

The Rain Rain Rain Came Down Down Down

We  had the most glorious day of sunshine here, but to be honest I really struggled throughout the day. Oscar went into nursery like a dream but I was so tired, physically, that I had to drag myself along the street. I had some shopping to collect in town, which meant I didn't have time to go home before collecting Oscar again. This meant 2 hours of wandering around. I felt too awkward in my body to sit in a cafe and drink tea, so despite the tiredness I walked and walked. The thing I wanted to buy the most were a specific type of sandal for Oscar and I couldn't find any, which made me annoyed. I met the sister of on old school friend just as I was going for the bus and stopping made me miss the bus. I waited 20 minutes on the next one making me 10 minutes late collecting Oscar. He was sitting in the chairs in the foyer with the secretary when I got there and I felt DREADFUL. The secretary was nice about it, she must have read my panicky face pretty well.
In the afternoon I gave in and had a nap on the sofa while Aimee played with Oscar and his sandpit but even when I woke up I still felt terrible.
Some time around 5pm the rain started and it poured and poured and poured, and when the rain started I felt much better. Its an odd one, but I am not questioning it. Whatever the reason, I am glad to be feeling better.

A New Week

Everyone is relatively well, we made it out to nursery and its so wonderful to be out and about with the horrible week behind us.
Oscar was quite happy to be going to nursery

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And I was my usual apprehensive self. Which is pleased with a tinge of anxiety.

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I should really stop taking photos of myself looking tired at the bus stop in the morning

But it all went well, even though the journey home was 'difficult' to say the least, mostly due to tiredness. 

Of course now that the sun is shining gloriously down outside

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Oscar is doing this

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And lastly (before I see to the chickpea and black-eye pea curry, yum), Oscar has developed a new habit and I wondered if any other Mama's have encountered it.

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Walking while holding up ones trouser or shorts legs. They aren't irritating him, it does not matter which ones he has on, he even does it in pajamas???  It was making other parents giggle as he walked along to nursery like this, and its not doing any harm, but I would like to understand it. Any clues?

Valerie

xxx

The End Of A Yuck Week

This has been one horrible week, starting with sickness then the cold and back to sickness again. Oscar has missed nursery completely and I have had to do things in between lying supine on the sofa groaning. We made it out yesterday for the first time all week and we were all tired achy and grumpy when we got back. Duncan is particularly achy because he fell down ALL of the stairs whilst carrying Oscar (in a towel) from his bath. Miraculously no bones were broken. Anyway, here are some pictures, because posts with out pictures are fairly dull right?

 

 

Fireman Oscar, Standing at my bed-side at 7am, 'wake up mama'

 

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A knitted Rainbow Fairy, For The Season Table

 

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The Summer Season Table

 

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Oscar Loves The Shells

 

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Beans From The Garden

 

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I Added Them To A Beansprout And Noodle Salad

 

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Sand Play - Half Hearted Because He Was Ill

 

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Henna For My Hair

 

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Herbs And Spices From The Chinese Market

 

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Making Indian Chai Tea

 

Recipe for Chai HERE

Not Pictured

: : Viewing the most disgusting property in the world and then standing for 20 minutes in the pouring rain for the bus (last Friday)

: :  Being sick in an old nappy bucket

: : Traveling across town to the chinese market to read a sign outside saying they have temporarely moved close to where we live

: : Oscar shouting 'dogs bollocks' after hearing Tony Robinson say it on TV

: : My fetching ensemble of a nightgown and knee high socks (for most of the week)

: : The state of the lounge when Mama has been sick all week

: : The baby bunny brazenly eating our veg patch

: : The fact that I am still in bed with a cup of tea (feeling semi queasy) writing this post.

 

I hope your week was better than mine?

 

 

You Knew There Were Some Smiles Right?

 

Valerie

xxx

Still Sick

When I am sick, and my nose is blocked, my eyes are stinging and watery and my throat is scratchy and making me choke, I have real trouble sleeping. And, IT IS SO BORING. I don't want to do anything but sleep, and sleep is being elusive. Oscar is a bit better, but we are still spending a fair amount of time in bed looking at the clouds. Its a nice view, it could be worse (like a brick wall, or an identical house facing back on us).  Doing nothing is fairly dull though. See for yourself.

 

View From My Sick Bed

Valerie

xxx

 

Sick..............Again

So here we go again. Oscar started to get sick again on Saturday night and was full of the cold by Sunday. Yesterday I woke up with a throat like sandpaper and a high temperature. We were both fit for very little yesterday, and spent much of the day wiping our noses and lying on the sofa. Oscar missed nursery and will probably miss it today too, which is a shame because its his 'Olympic Games Themed Sports Day' today, but he just isn't up to it. This is his 3rd sick absence since starting nursery in May, he has missed more days than he has attended. I was very prone to infection when I was his age, it came with the territory of a heart condition. It is making me very anxious. His cardiology appointment is 3 weeks today, its not too long to wait. Its very difficult not to look for signs of a problem though.

Right, time to get under the blankets with my boy and tolerate another day of Postman Pat & Scooby Doo. At least we have left over cake from Fathers Day to keep us company.

Valerie

xxx

Vintage Saturday

On Saturday morning I sat on my bed and looked through my old photos. Some of them were too good not to share so I uploaded them to facebook.

 

 

For lunch we went down the road to a very vintage cafe (called The Deep Sea) and Duncan and I had soup and then fish and chips, and Oscar had sausages.

 

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And Mama wore

 

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Dress vintage 1960's Ebay - Beads (New) Primark (about 4 years ago) - Scarf  (New), Primark (50p about a month ago), Scarf Ring and Brooch, vintage bought as a pair on Ebay. Coat BHS via Ebay, Umbrella Left behind after a party

 

Saturday night is TV dinner night around here (dinner for 2), mostly it has been curry nights, and very nice they have been too.

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 I expect the chequered tablecloth and raffia wine bottle candle holder say Italian more than Indian cuisine, but I love retro kitchness of it, no matter what food we are eating.

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compulsory Saturday TV for us

And after dinner

A little bit of Music

A Hard Days Night (on vinyl of course), 5th Press

Playlist

SIDE 1

1 A Hard Day's Night

2 I Should Have Known Better

3 If I Fell

4 I'm Happy Just To Dance With You

5 And I Love Her

6 Tell Me Why

7 Can't Buy Me Love

SIDE 2

1 Any Time At All

2 I'll Cry Instead

3 Things We Said Today

4 When I Get Home

5 You Can't Do That

6 I'll Be Back

 

 

Valerie

xxx

What's New With You?

Hoorah, the new charger arrived and its working great. Things have been up and down here, but that's the way of life isnt it. We have

: :    Made it to nursery EVERY day (no illness)

: :    Watched a lot of Netflix, since there was no laptop for distraction

: :    Had Oscar's cardiology appointment come through, July 10th

: :    Had some sort of infection (possibly inner ear) causing vertigo (really really bad and  nothing              like the movie )

: :    Not done any knitting or much reading due to the vertigo

: :    Had blood tests done for ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME

: :    Attended Oscar's first Parent - Teacher meeting (he is doing great)

: :    Discussed moving house again when the lease expires in August (no doubt much whinging to             come on that subject)

: :    Had coffee with an old friend from Art School (and arranged to meet again)

: :    Did some art together with Oscar (his was MUCH better than mine, seriously)

: :    Received some very 'groovy' vintage kaftan's in the post from another  gorgeous blogger, VIX

: :    Cried a bit and talked a lot (have I REALLY impressed what an amazing husband I have? I really         do)

: :    Tried to read some blogs on my phone, but gave up

AND, really really missed you guys.

 

Valerie

xxx

 

 

Out Of Office Reply

I hate this really, but needs must. My laptop charger is fried, so this is a mobile phone post, just to say I am still here, and mostly doing ok. A new charger has been dispatched, and I will be back to normal posting again soon. Anyone who knows me in real life can confirm how little I use my phone, and will know what a HUGE effort this was. I hope all my bloggie friends are well, I will have a lot to catch up on.
Val
xxx

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Not That One

There is a post going around in my head which may confirm me as certifiable once and for all. Its not for today though, I don't think I am up to the worry of putting it out there today. So, instead, here are some garden/outdoors photos.

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A View Of The River - Almost, its so green out there now

Ellie's Garden, these little flowers just keep blooming

 

Ellie's Rose Bush, And Some Shell Additions

 

Wind Chimes And Lantern

 

Tomato Plants In The Greenhouse

 

One small boy in mismatched pyjamas, bouncing before breakfast

 

I hear nettle pesto is quite good?

 

Onions

 

Broad beans, garlic, courgette

 

Look at those beans, yum

 

Valerie

xxx