tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9258999546067104332024-03-04T23:43:12.879-08:00Mum in MeltdownWife of 1, mum of 2.....and only a bar of chocolate and a glass of wine away from insanity!!mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-55417219787647594732011-10-22T14:49:00.000-07:002011-10-22T14:49:57.014-07:00I've changed!Yes I have gone through the change and come out the other side still trying to work out what I have done!!<br />
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I have moved my blog to <a href="http://www.muminmeltdown.co.uk/">http://www.muminmeltdown.co.uk/</a> <br />
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Don't be too harsh the new site is still in it's basic form and will change as I begin to work out how to do stuff ( says the complete technophobe!)<br />
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So any helpful comments or ideas, like how to get text onto my header picture ( which will also be changing) or how I can import the rest of my Blogger posts that decided not to transfer!!!<br />
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So come along and take a look and hopefully follow like you did here.mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-76027333093087759012011-10-13T00:27:00.000-07:002011-10-13T00:27:15.822-07:00A nervous day!Yes, it's a very nervous day in my household today. It's the day my youngest son's 11+ results arrive on our doorstep!!<br />
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As the day has drawn closer I have noticed him getting more and more concerned about it. He is hoping to pass but we have tried to warn him that it doesn't always go to plan and not to be too disappointed if he doesn't get through.<br />
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However, what makes it worse is that he is a bright boy, he has the potential to pass, he has done some work towards it..................but there is never any guarantee.<br />
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Going on his work at home, if he finished the practise papers on time he then didn't do very well. But if he concentrated and didn't finish the paper on time ( quality rather than quantity) then he tended to get a good score!!!<br />
On both of the test days he came out saying that he had finished the papers..............not a great sign!!<br />
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But you just never know. We are not holding our breath as parents however, we are trying to prepare for the meltdown that will be if he doesn't 'pass' the test. I know he will feel a failure, I know he will feel resentment against his brother ( who did pass a few years ago and attends the school my youngest really wants to go to) and I know tomorrow going into school will be hellish for him!!<br />
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You see most people have the opinion that he will pass, I'm afraid that they mistake his confidence (which he has in abundance) for ability! I think he feels under pressure because of this!<br />
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These are children who are only 10 or 11 years old. They are too young to have this much pressure. I know of many parents who openly talk about it all in front of them and therefore, the pressure of not being a 'failure' is all too apparent.<br />
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My post does not arrive until lunchtime.........................my nerves may not stand it!<br />
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Little does he know that I will be steaming that letter open to find out the result before he opens it on his return from school!! I need to be prepared in order to deal with any of his disappointment straight away!!<br />
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On the other hand he may pass and be overjoyed.................................who knows what the day holds.<br />
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Either way we will be treating him to dinner out to at least celebrate the fact it will all be over!!!!mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-47727222949860159162011-10-09T12:58:00.000-07:002011-10-09T12:58:50.638-07:00I'm going through a change...........Yes Mum in Meltdown is going to be changing soon! I have decided that I love this blogging malarkey and reading all of yours too. But now I want to move from my beginners Blogger account to a properly owned site..............wish me luck I am a complete technophobe. This could all go horribly wrong! But I'm hoping it's not going to be as bad as I'm expecting.<br />
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This has all come about after getting a bit of a kick up the backside after joining the <a href="http://www.becomeamumpreneur.com/">Become a Mumpreneur</a> course run by the lovely<a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/erica">@erica</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/antoniachitty">@antoniachitty</a> . I have been off work through illness now for over 2 years and I am desperate to get back on my feet and hopefully start earning something- however small!<br />
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The first monetary challenge was to earn £20 for the month. So along with my eldest son we cleared out some old toys/books etc and decided to do a car boot sale!!<br />
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So yesterday morning we headed of to set up and hopefully turn some of our items into hard cash!!<br />
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We didn't have a massive amount to sell but we were hoping to break the £20 goal. the day went well and we sold around £48 worth of stuff!! We were very impressed as we didn't really stay there long and the boot sale itself wasn't that big. So taking off our entry fee of £12 we cleared £35.80!!!<br />
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So my eldest was pleased as he cleared his debt's ( a lost Ipod touch that was only 8 weeks old!!) and I was chuffed as when he gave the money to me I had exceeded my £20 monthly challenge.<br />
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So this has got me thinking towards next months challenge. I have always loved to make handmade gifts at Christmas, (hot chocolate cones, hampers, cookies etc) so with that in mind I have decided to have a table at the school Christmas fair ( hopefully) to sell some of these items(again hopefully!).<br />
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My £35 will go towards stuff I need initially to make the items ( which I will take pics of and probably post on here). At the moment I am feeling confident that the items are sell able.................however when I am standing in that sale I'm sure my confidence will disappear!!<br />
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Wish me luck..............................................both for the new look blog ( please come and follow me when I change) and for next month's sale!!!mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-42514117796245025682011-10-03T14:38:00.000-07:002011-10-03T14:38:58.319-07:00Get me off this speeding train.....................................called life!!This week has passed with the blink of an eye!! Really I feel as though I stepped on a speeding train and forgot to get off. Lets face it life has been a bit of a whirlwind since the kids have gone back to school.<br />
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It started with Friday 23rd being my youngest sons 11th birthday. bless him he had done the 11+ test that week and was so glad to get it all over that he really couldn't wait for his big day!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pl0xTp6yNoe2dbqM2bcZG714Jhs7lgpWTAmOYkjWc5JtgDUhVyMhHqSmxwg1Kdy8FDAqraLD3P1S5NI1B6XodO_LNv81lRjI-n3rBo4Xr-4gNyV9CdlGGmwST9nKIW65yNIx0aE5oBRy/s1600/Alex%2527s+11th+Birthday+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pl0xTp6yNoe2dbqM2bcZG714Jhs7lgpWTAmOYkjWc5JtgDUhVyMhHqSmxwg1Kdy8FDAqraLD3P1S5NI1B6XodO_LNv81lRjI-n3rBo4Xr-4gNyV9CdlGGmwST9nKIW65yNIx0aE5oBRy/s320/Alex%2527s+11th+Birthday+008.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes shock of all shocks he had to go to school on his birthday! Life is so hard.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Now for some reason he though we might let him have the day off........but we are bad parents and made him go to school anyway! But he had a great day there and had some lovely pressies from his good friends. That night he was going to milk it for all he was worth so we had present opening....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbtAT9a-RuT3IAC1uyc1QIpJGcP08XeEqSxz4jHJPiasXuLoQIVsjzdNSK6BRknylYAhbnfv1Huwu2Jk3zjtKlhvLO2Qc5VCQwWRoFBghZyuGI8c7lbkt_NqvLs_vDSGg72fQr5szwTTr/s1600/Alex%2527s+11th+Birthday+036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqbtAT9a-RuT3IAC1uyc1QIpJGcP08XeEqSxz4jHJPiasXuLoQIVsjzdNSK6BRknylYAhbnfv1Huwu2Jk3zjtKlhvLO2Qc5VCQwWRoFBghZyuGI8c7lbkt_NqvLs_vDSGg72fQr5szwTTr/s320/Alex%2527s+11th+Birthday+036.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Followed by dinner out..............TGI's being his choice...............<br />
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Followed by cake..................................yum!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrn0oijsk2KlW7ffNX9B_S0DPRUqtHM70tDL6d9kq4Gn2s1N_uG0f2RQg8g41QmQ1hLBDA15z5za9AT76FCqjkszamJRbkIB1VqKNhviMY5mYAo_gRxywj711usSPzRCW-PznzmezuK8J/s1600/Alex%2527s+11th+Birthday+058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYrn0oijsk2KlW7ffNX9B_S0DPRUqtHM70tDL6d9kq4Gn2s1N_uG0f2RQg8g41QmQ1hLBDA15z5za9AT76FCqjkszamJRbkIB1VqKNhviMY5mYAo_gRxywj711usSPzRCW-PznzmezuK8J/s320/Alex%2527s+11th+Birthday+058.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who doesn't love chocolate caterpillar cake!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Before all this we had a discussion on what he wanted to do for his birthday. A disco, cinema with some friends, a sleepover, Quasar, all the usual stuff. But although he loves to go to a party and is extremely sociable he wanted a day with the family.................FISHING!!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B47WmO_YYjiXQ8NawkQZlRAYSCP9fvHODjWRYAwQkbdeOlJFrMgPhE4HbRxWQg87LyZEJX54SSFYPttJ7sEc6mE3ao_u8dj6X2rfGSqY3BzmmrtuQl5FZEUlWp6gkcgIaabR9Igg8JA1/s1600/Alex%2527s+Fishing+Day+2011+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B47WmO_YYjiXQ8NawkQZlRAYSCP9fvHODjWRYAwQkbdeOlJFrMgPhE4HbRxWQg87LyZEJX54SSFYPttJ7sEc6mE3ao_u8dj6X2rfGSqY3BzmmrtuQl5FZEUlWp6gkcgIaabR9Igg8JA1/s320/Alex%2527s+Fishing+Day+2011+%25284%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">one of his catches!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>But the week didn't stop there...........oh no. We had 2 secondary school visits, a doctors appointment, a dreded dentist appointment, all afterschool classes ( scouts, boys football/youth club, dance class, drama class) amongst all the usual shopping, washing, ironing...................yes I know a familiar story to you all!!<br />
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Then came a last minute audition for my youngest up at Covent Garden which then re arranged all our plans to meet up with friends to take the kids all swimming ( while we catch up on the gossip!). So OH went one way and me and my youngest went another. Then on to friends for dinner, drinking, gossiping and far too late a night ( which was fab!) and then a hideouslyearly morning to get both boys to Scouts for a day Power Boating activity at Whitstable!!<br />
It was the hottest day of the so called summer! The boys were away. We had the day to ourselves...........so what did we do.....................................FISHING!!!<br />
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Now this is where I know I am being mentally affected by the pace of life!! I have the choice of what to do, a day out without kids, a whole day to do what we wanted...............and i chose fishing!!!!<br />
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RIGHT, SOMETHING MENTALLY WRONG.................................you agree?<br />
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Most people get a misd life crisis, indulge in implants,face lifts, radical hair do's, wearing skirts that are too short or tops that are too low.....................................................Oh no not me..................I go fishing!!!!!<br />
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Someone save me from this insanity!!!!!!!<br />
I need to get out more.................or drink more......................or both!!!!<br />
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<span id="goog_2114407821"></span><span id="goog_2114407822"></span>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-51159645749290712852011-09-26T05:57:00.000-07:002011-09-26T05:57:08.475-07:00Mums half hour!<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 28pt;">Mums Half Hour Episode Five: Join Us Live</span></b><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Love it or hate it almost everyone has an opinion on breastfeeding! Did it work for you or did you feel a failure for either not giving it a go, or trying but being unsuccesful? Do you breastfeed in public?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> With kids comes exhaustion, we have all experienced that. Do you have a child with a sleep pattern from hell?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Halloween- do you celebrate? Do you think it's over rated? How do you keep your kids entertained over Halloween?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The panel discuss all of these issues on the show on friday 14th Oct @ 13.30</span></i><span style="font-family: "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">No one understands these issues more than our panel of mums for the next episode of Mums Half Hour. Joining us live and answering your questions, are Penny Jenner, Pamela Hey and Amber Spain. With half term looming, the panel will be discussing breastfeeding from pumps to positioning, how to tackle disruptive sleep patterns and sharing their own personal experiences and tips on what’s worked for them. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This webTV show will be live and interactive, with the panel taking your questions and thoughts so if you have something to say, they want to hear it!</div><div class="MsoHeader"><b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "sans-serif";"><br />
</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Our panel join us live online at</span></b><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></b><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/startriteshoes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">www.youtube.com/startriteshoes</span></b></a></span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">on Friday 14th October at 13.30 to discuss breastfeeding, and dealing with difficult sleeping patterns.</span></b><span style="color: #666666;"></span></div><div class="MsoHeader"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue;"><b>Don't forget you can click on the link and submit your questions in order to be involved with the show</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span></div><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">For another chance to win a year’s supply of Start-rite shoes, log onto </span></b><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/startriteshoes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">www.youtube.com/startriteshoes</span></b></a></span><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">and submit a question along with your contact details</span></b><br />
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</div>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-24287407326536276212011-09-23T15:08:00.000-07:002011-09-24T14:18:31.716-07:00What do Ghoul School, Woolworths and Jeff Brazier have in common?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqeHsU8dBfwjzTak95Bv2641KulldxzB31G4pwwZ2ZLgm1lIqGlZYfSIC8gTUOVNfXZJYglvB7n0d9LXSGXO7fUH6tiWvisYF82OfVjhbMt_jVUgVM88Nakxi7zGHtO3LBCDdv7DDKV-b/s1600/halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqeHsU8dBfwjzTak95Bv2641KulldxzB31G4pwwZ2ZLgm1lIqGlZYfSIC8gTUOVNfXZJYglvB7n0d9LXSGXO7fUH6tiWvisYF82OfVjhbMt_jVUgVM88Nakxi7zGHtO3LBCDdv7DDKV-b/s1600/halloween.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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Simples.............Jeff Brazier has been recruited by<a href="http://woolworths.co.uk/"> Woolworths.co.uk</a> to become the Head Teacher of a Halloween venture called Ghoul School to find the scariest kids in the UK!!<br />
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Kids from all over the UK are being asked to don their best Halloween outfits including their 'scariest faces' and 'monster attitudes' for the new online event to find a 'Head boy and girl' through a series of tasks at the Ghoul School. Head Teacher Jeff with be helped by his monster team 'The Woolies' to help him on the day!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi997f1rFWcXOl3KcgTNER4PdQ735krvdlmkGkhGC8OZQnDMYyCppGlprD6M5pZ2XtIVTRm8tj91r7epCGeZl7mXQlPrh5-2t9AHcrG0HvaEpPwwuyuG78jl1QaHHqVlPr8THJHNUWEygjw/s1600/pic+jeff+brazier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi997f1rFWcXOl3KcgTNER4PdQ735krvdlmkGkhGC8OZQnDMYyCppGlprD6M5pZ2XtIVTRm8tj91r7epCGeZl7mXQlPrh5-2t9AHcrG0HvaEpPwwuyuG78jl1QaHHqVlPr8THJHNUWEygjw/s1600/pic+jeff+brazier.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So how do I know all this?<br />
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Well I had the opportunity to interview Jeff about this venture in conjunction with<a href="http://woolworths.co.uk.%20/"> Woolworths.co.uk. </a><br />
I have never interviewed anyone before, so to say I was a bit nervous was a huge understatement!! But I thought that I would take note of all the 'self help' style jargon and 'feel the fear and do it anyway'!! <br />
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However, I needn't have worried in the slightest as he was an absolute pleasure to chat to. In fact he made the job easy for me as I had finally met someone who could talk as much as me!! he was really down to earth talking about the new venture with Woolworths, how he enjoys celebrating Halloween with his boys, how he tries to 'recycle' some of their sweets they get Trick or Treating and save them from rotting teeth!!<br />
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Anyway I thought I would share a few of the questions with you and then I have been brave enough to include the audio of the interview with you!!!<br />
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However, there are rules...........................<br />
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1. Don't be too critical as it was my first ever interview!!!<br />
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2. No laughing at the comedy Irish accent..........that's mine not his!!! ( OK maybe a snigger is allowed)<br />
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3. No leaving comments telling me I sound like one of the kids off 'Why Don't You' (those readers of a certain age will remember the programme!!)<br />
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Here are a few of the questions I managed to ask..........<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: red;"><span style="background-color: blue;"></span></span><u style="color: blue;"><b>Do you dress up and try and scare away the kids Trick or Treating at your door?</b></u><br />
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No, I dress up and go out with the kids and everyone knows that it's me where I live, if you get what I mean, and my door is probably busier than most. So I think they assume that because I work on television that I've got a shed load of sweets and a shed load of money, and neither of those statements are actually true. But no I really do need to stock up and I know where I will be going to get the sweets as well.<br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><u><b>For the kids who want to get involved with the event what exactly do they have to do?</b></u></div><br />
Ok, so what it is, is a one off event actually run by Woolworths.co.uk the Ghoul School is their creation and we've basically found a wonderful manor house, a Tudor mansion up in Liverpool called Speke hall, and we would like 10 finalists to join us where on the day we'll play lots of challenges, play games and basically try our very best to find our Head Boy and Head Girl.<br />
Kids have until Sunday to get their entries in. What they need to do to prove that they are the scariest kid in the UK, they need to dress up and get their face paint on, and they need to be as scary looking as possible and parents need to send their picture by email to Woolworths@thebrooklandsbrotherspr.com with 140 words explaining why the kids think they are the scariest in the UK.<br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><u><b>Are you going to be a 'wicked' Head Teacher or are you going to try and be nice to the children?</b></u></div><br />
No, I'm going to get rid of Jeff Brazier for the day. I'm going to be the Head Teacher of the Ghoul School, I've yet to think of a name, my alias. I'm going to make it my personal mission in life to scare them all the time and really put them to the test!<br />
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But to hear the interview in full just click on the link below to download and listen. He talks about all things Halloween, his kids and sweets!!!!<br />
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<a href="http://files.markettiers4dc.com/28af3236a5b9c01c21640fc91c046d71053b139c">http://files.markettiers4dc.com/28af3236a5b9c01c21640fc91c046d71053b139c</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcxCEIl4Oit_TwC5Q3z29LYGyRaRjapNcKdQKtu35sNEjQSWKzzybZ6ZFjRrZywZ1Uji6GiGerjfE8rlG0mgQ5bTkCz46fJyli1RLql-2ywkuvnLfptRBCf0UjG5Hryt5eSGftXPJ6Dtt/s1600/woolies+name.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJcxCEIl4Oit_TwC5Q3z29LYGyRaRjapNcKdQKtu35sNEjQSWKzzybZ6ZFjRrZywZ1Uji6GiGerjfE8rlG0mgQ5bTkCz46fJyli1RLql-2ywkuvnLfptRBCf0UjG5Hryt5eSGftXPJ6Dtt/s1600/woolies+name.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #1f497d;">Jeff is currently working with Woolworths.co.uk to find the nation’s scariest children to attend the world’s first ever Ghoul School which Jeff is head teacher of</span><span style="color: #666666;">. </span><span style="color: #1f497d;">Ghoul School will be held at Speke Hall, Liverpool on 8<sup>th</sup> October 2011 where Jeff will help Woolworths.co.uk name a Head Boy and Head Girl of Ghoul School.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #1f497d;">Visit <a href="http://woolworths.co.uk/">Woolworths.co.uk</a> for further details and to meet The Woolies.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: "sans-serif";"> </span></div><br />
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**REMEMBER CHILDREN ONLY HAVE UNTIL SUNDAY TO ENTER**mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-22388024516064571902011-09-19T12:47:00.000-07:002011-09-19T12:47:06.280-07:0011+ nervesIt's 11+ tests tomorrow and I don't know who's more nervous.......mum and dad or the son who's taking it!!!<br />
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We have a 13 yr old who has already gone through this who comfortably passed his and attends a really nice grammar school close by. This school is perfect for him as it is mixed and because he is a sensitive soul we thought it would be better for him. He loves it there ( as much as any boy 'loves' school!) and has made a great set of friends that from the beginning of year 7 to today in year 9 have all stuck by each other.<br />
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However, I think this makes it more difficult for the second child. He also wants to go to the same school as his brother, he has already had a look around and loves the drama department there ( as some of you may remember he is a budding 'actor'!!). He is also a very capable child and has been in top sets for maths and literacy in junior school. But there is no guarantee that he will get through on the test!<br />
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He has worked hard towards it with his dad ( which we did with our older son) however, we have tried not to put too much pressure on him about it. Rightly or wrongly we never sent either of our boys to a tutor in order for them to pass. Any work they have undertaken over the summer has been worked through by my OH who seems to have the patience of a saint when it comes to school work!! We live on the border of Kent so the children can also apply to do the Kent 11+ too and I know some of the kids from his year have taken that on Saturday. He decided (just like my eldest) that he didn't want to take this test as it would possibly mean that he would end up in a school out of our borough that he would have to travel to, and therefore lots of his friends would not be living close to him. So in the end we didn't register him for that test as there would be no point sending him to a school he didn't want to go to. <br />
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So now all his hopes are on the test tomorrow and Wednesday. He seems confident and we have confidence in him. But is it wrong to try and prepare him in case he doesn't get through? That is what we have been doing. Trying to tell him it isn't the end of the world if he doesn't pass. It doesn't make him any less capable than his brother. There is a lot of competition between them over the silliest of things so this really would cause a major upset!!<br />
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We certainly don't want him to feel any sort of failure. We don't want to be seen as treating him any different from his brother if he doesn't get through.<br />
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So the next 3 weeks waiting for the results just won't go quick enough!!! Talk about wishing your life away. As with his older brother we have told him that the letter will arrive and we will not open it as this will be his job when he gets home from school.<br />
( What we won't tell him is that we will have steamed the letter open at lunchtime when it arrives so we know the outcome before he gets his grubby mits on the thing!!)<br />
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And then the drama will start!! The next day at the school playground.............kids and adults alike all eager to hear if your child has passed or not!! Whispers behind peoples backs about the shock passes and 'fails' ( although no child at the age of 10 and 11 should be seen as a failure!!!) But that's what it all comes down to with a lot of parents these days.<br />
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So on that note......<br />
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A HUGE GOOD LUCK TO MY SON AND ALL THE CHILDREN TAKING THE 11+ IN THE NEXT 2 DAYSmum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-83305917614570235702011-09-18T11:51:00.000-07:002011-09-18T11:51:13.228-07:00Advice needed.I started blogging way back in March for something to occupy my mind and hopefully keep it active. I have been off work now for 2 years having gone through a series of consultations and eventually being diagnosed with M.E.<br />
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I miss my job though. I worked hard to become qualified as a Driving Instructor and built up my own business that fitted perfectly into the school times as a second income. I had a great pass rate with my students and I felt as though I really had found a job, not only that I enjoyed but something I was good at.<br />
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I fully expected to get back to work after treatment and really thought that this illness would not last this long. However there were many delays along the course of my diagnosis ending up with my NHS Borough refusing to pay for the treatment that is available at Kings College Hospital in London. Don't get me wrong I know there is no miracle cure but the 12 week programme at the research centre helps to keep it under control and enables you to get back on your feet quicker after any relapses.<br />
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So after being told that the treatment was not going to be paid for my GP ( who has been excellent along the way) advised me there wasn't much she could do about the decision and that I had to do the best I can to manage the M.E myself. So apart from the painkillers I get on prescription for the muscular pain I am pretty much left to get on with it.<br />
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Don't get me wrong it has been difficult to get my head around it. In fact you almost have to grieve for your old life in order to accept and get on with your new life. This for me is easier said than done!!!! Some days ( like today) it just gets right on my nerves and I feel like punching someones lights out!!! I hate the fact my body hurts all the time.......and I mean ALL THE TIME!!!!! I hate the fact that I am exhausted all the time........and I mean TOTALLY EXHAUSTED ALL THE TIME!!!<br />
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You get where I'm coming from. Think of a time you have been knocked off your feet by the Flu. That literally is how I feel ( without the head cold) all the time. It gets right on my bloody nerves!!<br />
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Anyway, I started my blog back in March and it really has given me something to concentrate on. Something that's mine and somewhere to go to be someone other than mum and wife!!! That independence I lost when I had to give up work.<br />
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But I was thinking the other day about blogging about my M.E experiences. Not necessarily on this blog but maybe if I was to start another blog just for the M.E related stuff. A diary of my experiences up to now. Articles that relate to the condition. Maybe tips or lists of things that could help other sufferers on a daily basis or to get through busy times.<br />
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The main problem with M.E is that it is invisible. People look at you and because you look fine they think there is nothing wrong with you, or take the approach ( whether they mean it or not) that you are a malingerer!!!!! There is no tell tale visible signs, for example. no plaster casts, no scars, no wheelchair etc.<br />
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So advice is needed. I would love to raise more awareness for this condition, I personally have no support group as my nearest one is in Maidstone and I live on the London/Greenwich border!!! So I have no one that I can talk to about my condition. Family try to understand but I never really let them know how bad it can get. I always just go 'I'm fine' as otherwise it would feel that I am moaning all the time.<br />
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So I wondered would it be a good idea for me to start a new blog not only to help myself but hopefully help others too in the process. It not only affects the person with the condition but also the families too. My OH is fantastic. He works shift work and thinks nothing of coming in and taking over at home ( with the exception of cooking!!) however tired he is. My 2 boys also cope well and are very helpful too. They will come shopping with me to steer the trolley and lift the shopping into the car. They are also helpful in the house. My bedroom is 2 storeys up so they are my fetchers and carriers!!! They also take on responsibility when my OH isn't there at the weekends and get me up with a coffee in the morning or in the afternoon if I have had to go for a lay down again.These are the the things I am not proud of but have become the norm in my house.<br />
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So I would like to keep the M.E stuff separate from this blog so that people don't start seeing me in a different light or feeling sorry for me. That way I can continue this blog as normal but hopefully raise awareness of the condition and help others on the new blog.<br />
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So what do you think? Is it a good idea or would I be biting off more than I can chew (so to speak).<br />
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All advice welcome and would definitely be appreciated.mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-71518147051944288902011-09-15T14:47:00.000-07:002011-09-15T14:47:01.311-07:00Can you 'Think' yourself thin?........tough question!As mentioned in a previous post <a href="http://muminmeltdown.blogspot.com/2011/08/muffin-tops-must-go.html">here</a> the mere mention of the word 'diet' throws me into a state of panic which makes me end up eating more than I had previously! Thus leaving me with muffin tops, or should I say 'family sized cakes' that even Mary Berry herself would be proud of. <br />
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So a decision was made to try 'portion control' as opposed to cutting out certain foods to see if that helped instead. That alongside the fact that I had been offered the chance to try the new Thinking Slimmer Slimpods that I had heard so much about via Twittershere!<br />
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So I opted for the 'Drop a dress Size' although it had been initially intended for me to try the 'Drop a Jean Size' however this wasn't available online at the time, but it is now. I also took the opportunity to try the Chillpod they do, as lets face it unless you really are Mother Teresa in disguise who doesn't need to chill out a little when they have kids!!<br />
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Excitedly I downloaded my new Slimpods onto my Ipod and chose to start listening to them everyday in the evening before I go to bed.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLrEUEUQ5HnalVcVdp5i6Tq4YLymWvsc2mW9opmexp4m1MNZU7ZGvdjYEG8Jd1D7wdH8iWCYAsgw18DGz-vbRVw8EbMDdHc5FeQXG7qDhd4phi9Bf8lr89-bDeX0ZlT3j7lymgxS76Z3G/s1600/Thinking+Slimmer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLrEUEUQ5HnalVcVdp5i6Tq4YLymWvsc2mW9opmexp4m1MNZU7ZGvdjYEG8Jd1D7wdH8iWCYAsgw18DGz-vbRVw8EbMDdHc5FeQXG7qDhd4phi9Bf8lr89-bDeX0ZlT3j7lymgxS76Z3G/s320/Thinking+Slimmer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The premise is that you listen to the slimpod for 21days consecutively and then start listening to the booster pod after that for another 21 consecutive days, and then as and when you need it afterwards.<br />
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Now I'm a firm believer in mind over matter anyway ( although harder to put into practice) and love all forms of alternative healing and medicines. So this really is right up my street.<br />
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I started on Tuesday 6th September, as I felt it was a great new start as kids were starting back to school and our whole routine was about to change anyway.<br />
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I am very proud to say that since that date I have not a biscuit, crisp or a smidge of chocolate has passed my lips!! I am truly amazed, not because I have unbelievable willpower ( otherwise I would have a figure like Cheryl Cole!) but it's been more of a feeling of not really wanting them................I know I'm still shocked! I have found myself saying 'No' to stuff before I have really thought about whether I want it or not. Now don't get me wrong if I really had a craving for something I would have it, but then be safe in the knowledge that I would simply go back to not craving them and saying 'No' again.<br />
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Today I put on a pair of size 10 linen trousers that had over the summer become extremely snug to say the least, pretty much making me resemble the Michelin man with his several spare tyres........I kid you not! But today, they were still a bit tight but I could feel the difference with them. They were comfortable for a start and I didn't get the feeling that my knickers were going to disappear up my arse never to return again! Surely that's a step in the right direction.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwccpEAc-_aUHjrRT616CQkUm7Ul7uf0Sb3RZ81pRxZiNadJsj4cwqaEsu0E6hX4dG1jDYn0R9gpX3gsyCU69MktWA5c6CEx-mwl-2ACBPZ0IqljWXaop_G4eRZQz4IVceRxBKFUlOpCkx/s1600/vpl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwccpEAc-_aUHjrRT616CQkUm7Ul7uf0Sb3RZ81pRxZiNadJsj4cwqaEsu0E6hX4dG1jDYn0R9gpX3gsyCU69MktWA5c6CEx-mwl-2ACBPZ0IqljWXaop_G4eRZQz4IVceRxBKFUlOpCkx/s200/vpl.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A VPL I don't want to replicate!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Don't get me wrong I haven't got shed loads to lose. I have generally been a size 8-10 for a long time but now my size 10's are cutting off my circulation and leaving unsightly bulges in all the inappropriate places. Totally not a good look!<br />
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So there you have it, Day 10 of my Thinking Slimmer challenge and at the moment I am totally convinced this is the way to go for me. I am not able to exercise due to my M.E so I have to make do with a little ironing or an odd bit of hoovering to push my activity levels up more than normal.<br />
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I shall continue and update you all again after my initial 21 days. keep you fingers crossed the weight will come off.<br />
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<cite>In the meantime check it out for yourself at <a href="http://www.thinkingslimmer.com/">www.<b>thinkingslimmer</b>.com </a></cite>or find them on Twitter and Facebook too.<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">I have not received payment for this post however I was sent the Slimpods free of charge to trial. All opinions in this post are my own.</span>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-44555074312723155712011-09-10T12:10:00.000-07:002011-09-10T12:17:41.279-07:00Love a book online reading group<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO89Tw5-GTMVTnDwIlaG9HuHGDv49F6S32asu3xO1Avxgo2CWQYGWyKQet8Tqo6UfIrit0YkKP0i-F3fbPaD4x0zG35M76mRsQ0Jy9Fh4P4nNLHf4sYHkmnsm-d2OP_MQhutINPaNOqsl/s1600/Water+for+Elephants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO89Tw5-GTMVTnDwIlaG9HuHGDv49F6S32asu3xO1Avxgo2CWQYGWyKQet8Tqo6UfIrit0YkKP0i-F3fbPaD4x0zG35M76mRsQ0Jy9Fh4P4nNLHf4sYHkmnsm-d2OP_MQhutINPaNOqsl/s1600/Water+for+Elephants.jpg" /></a></div>I have been meaning to link up to this for a very long time. From June in fact when I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Water for Elephants from the lovely Cara over at <a href="http://frecklesfamily.com/">frecklesfamily.com</a> to kick start her online reading group.<br />
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So first of all sorry Cara that it has taken me so long ( not to read the book) but to write about it for the group.<br />
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Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen would not initially be the type of book I would generally pick to read myself, and with all the hype about the impending film at the time I would have taken the easy way out and watched the film instead.<br />
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However, I'm so glad I did choose to read the book rather than just go see the film. This story had me hooked from the first few pages. I love the story being told from Jacobs point of view and the comparison between the young, vibrant Jacob and the old, forgetful Jacob. Initially looking at the modern film book cover you are swayed to believe that the love story would be obvious and predictable. What you don't get until you actually start reading is that there is an underlying but more important bond between himself and the elephant Rosie.Jacobs character is warm and inviting and your empathy with him is strong from the start.<br />
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I loved reading about the hardship, hard work, difficult life that these people had during this time. How harsh real life could be for some of these characters both in the book but ultimately a lot of this had been commonplace in those times.<br />
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I enjoyed the twists of fate that occurred throughout, just as you thought you knew how the story was going, it would make you stop and take a breath!<br />
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I have since thoroughly recommended this read to many of my friends and since have been more inclined to read recommendations given to me. I felt great to get out of the rut of only reading similar books/ authors and this one has taught me to branch out at least.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZrG5XMNV0LsekKaNkLJwgOOgB67KhT3gFtXFDxSavJU0hntzcMJAbMY_LJ-2CUPPKl8ls1XLP9ZTLRSGbnb-etiGjNpxBP4KOhpr7FvOJxYLjrmCtb9bTcIFyB1atL6U0Pi5k1YRz92f/s1600/Love-a-book-reading-group-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZrG5XMNV0LsekKaNkLJwgOOgB67KhT3gFtXFDxSavJU0hntzcMJAbMY_LJ-2CUPPKl8ls1XLP9ZTLRSGbnb-etiGjNpxBP4KOhpr7FvOJxYLjrmCtb9bTcIFyB1atL6U0Pi5k1YRz92f/s200/Love-a-book-reading-group-logo.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-326771594037786392011-09-08T11:48:00.000-07:002011-09-08T11:50:46.427-07:00Dolly at the O2........Big chests at the ready!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0dZDxbbelaFnu7BNLTSm-1FqNLyChWK_J2gdhdv4NkhzclB19ciEyW7WiuomcPVU7S_8fO3eg8dsHT66rpH-VMfIcQtRzwMt0s_Q80702mUqx5U3_QpF2y65r8Ww8q_APJwFU8T80hEu/s1600/Dolly+picture.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl0dZDxbbelaFnu7BNLTSm-1FqNLyChWK_J2gdhdv4NkhzclB19ciEyW7WiuomcPVU7S_8fO3eg8dsHT66rpH-VMfIcQtRzwMt0s_Q80702mUqx5U3_QpF2y65r8Ww8q_APJwFU8T80hEu/s320/Dolly+picture.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Alright, I lack in that department, with the closest I've been to a big chest being 3 days after my 1st son was born. I pulled back the shower curtain and didn't recognise the huge knockers that were staring back at me........so much so that I had to call my OH in just to prove it!!!!<br />
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Anyway I digress, last night I went off to the O2 with a few girlie friends, donned our pink cowboy hats and our best 'yeehaw' voices and took our seats with the rest of the crowd.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSxVDKeDqoBfWKZTRwXqglTva_PBaZGF5SY6zgYpZjdatkgtsxUqXL_ljRnzdKv0ErCspAydpyw1hBS7NUmPzVZVpTyr35iqroFCTLjU5VRYQ-1FR9JnHzEgClpjUpv4JafUqDh384mez/s1600/Dolly+Parton+2011+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSxVDKeDqoBfWKZTRwXqglTva_PBaZGF5SY6zgYpZjdatkgtsxUqXL_ljRnzdKv0ErCspAydpyw1hBS7NUmPzVZVpTyr35iqroFCTLjU5VRYQ-1FR9JnHzEgClpjUpv4JafUqDh384mez/s320/Dolly+Parton+2011+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thats half of us with me tucked in the middle!</td></tr>
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We weren't that lucky with the seats and found ourselves in the upper tier with the 'Gods' so to speak, but it wasn't going to dampen our spirits. Although at one point I had to promise my friend that if the height was too much I was wearing a belt and that I could, if required in an emergency, take off and secure her to her seat!!! I kid you not LOL<br />
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I tried desperately to get a picture on my phone and my camera however Dolly herself is soooo small and dainty and very sparkly so it was hard to pick her up in the big shroud of light that the camera seemed to focus on.............damn the technology and the fact I can't bloody work it properly!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaouLwX60cenHGYsS5ubx9hZCdALPo_oxnaWv9Eh2u6Ms9i_qpDpxbYNnIJuKMRIuoXIp6SC2fZLSfzQtHMBCPqZ-ZR7QMUFNk6TBFCqCbW5kd2DA3-F8VLrwA65NjK7__txNPs0LKx5yw/s1600/Dolly+Parton+2011+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaouLwX60cenHGYsS5ubx9hZCdALPo_oxnaWv9Eh2u6Ms9i_qpDpxbYNnIJuKMRIuoXIp6SC2fZLSfzQtHMBCPqZ-ZR7QMUFNk6TBFCqCbW5kd2DA3-F8VLrwA65NjK7__txNPs0LKx5yw/s320/Dolly+Parton+2011+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidence that we were up with the 'Gods' and that she is sooo tiny too</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
An early rendition of Jolene started the crowd going mad. However, the first half of her show apart from the 'Blue grass' stuff ,which was fab, seemed to be mostly new songs. Which to be fair to her were pretty 'toe tappy' in amongst all the chat that she does. Actually she really is a funny woman too. What amazed me the most is the amount of instruments that she can play!!! I really am not kidding, last night included......................<br />
Violin (fiddle in her speak)<br />
Banjo ( including a great intro of 'Duelling banjos')<br />
Guitar ( or Geetaar as she would say!!)<br />
Piano<br />
Penny whistle<br />
Harmonica<br />
Oh and 2 strange looking, sit on your knee plucky types of things!!<br />
<br />
So not only can she sing ' country' and other styles with ease she really is talented musically too!!!<br />
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After a quick break ( thank god as I had been bursting for a pee at that point) and a quick change for her, Dolly came back on with a vengeance! With covers of Dusty Springfield and Tina Turner the crowd got going and then right at the last knockings came all the old fav's......<br />
*Here we go again <br />
*Islands in the Stream<br />
*9 to 5<br />
*And an encore of I will Always Love You!!! Fantastic<br />
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At that point I think we ( and I'm sure I can speak for the whole audience) could have listened to her sing all the oldies all night!!<br />
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So, that's something I can now strike off my 'Things to do before I croak it' list if I had one!!! <br />
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I can now say I have seen a true Legend perform in the flesh ( even though she really is tiny....apart from that fab chest!)<br />
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As for the car park and getting home? Don't even ask...............and I was designated driver!!! How do these things happen LOLmum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-82323963457694207362011-09-05T06:55:00.000-07:002011-09-05T06:55:13.341-07:00Mums Half Hour Friday 9th Sept.<b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 28pt;">Mums Half Hour Episode Four!</span></b><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 28pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I don't know about you but I'm well past the stage of looking for maternity clothes ( unless something unexpected happens!!) however I totally remember how hard it was to find anything decent to wear, especially to work!! At that point I remember lots of baggy t-shirts and men's shirts!!! Not attractive in the least and probably would have been better sticking to a black bin liner!!!</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 28pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway even though I am not at that stage I have noticed more and more high street shops stocking maternity clothes that are actually made for work and casual situations.Anyway this weeks mums half hour is about that so join in and have your say on <b>Friday 9th September 2011 @ 1.30pm!!</b> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 28pt;">Mums Half Hour Episode Four: Join Us Live</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The panel discuss maternity fashion pre and post baby, and the joy and challenges of multiple births</span></i><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 28.0pt;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif";">Pregnancy and motherhood present plenty of challenges and all mums know just how different life becomes for the nine months before baby arrives <span style="color: black;">and </span>when he or she arrives and is part of the family.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif";">But it’s not just sleepless nights, teething and potty training that can prove a headache for mothers – there’s also the challenge of finding clothes that fit (and we’re not talking old baggy t-shirts), the pressure to look as good as celeb mums and even our friends, and the motivation to even bother with fashion and getting back into shape. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif";">No one understands these issues more than our panel of mums for the next episode of Mums Half Hour. Joining us live and answering your questions, are Jane Goldsmith, Nifa McLaughlin and Emily Carlisle. With London Fashion Week just around the corner, the panel will be discussing Autumn/Winter fashion for mums, from where to shop, what styles to look for and which celeb looks to copy and which to avoid. <span style="color: red;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif";">Emily also has the added challenge of two little treasures as the mother of twins and she’ll be discussing the challenges for those expecting or now enjoying having more than one little baby to take care of. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif";">This webTV show will be live and interactive, with the panel taking your questions and thoughts so if you have something to say, they want to hear it!</span></div><div class="MsoHeader"><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif";"><br />
</span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Our panel join us live online at</span></b><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/startriteshoes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">www.youtube.com/startriteshoes</span></b></a><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></b><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">on Friday 9th September at 13.30 to discuss maternity fashion and multiple births.</span></b><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoHeader"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif";"> </span></div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">For another chance to win a year’s supply of Start-rite shoes, log onto </span></b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/startriteshoes" rel="nofollow" style="color: red;" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">www.youtube.com/startriteshoes</span></b></a><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">and submit a question along with your contact details</span></b>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-45497905270111177472011-09-01T14:27:00.000-07:002011-09-01T14:27:26.402-07:00Typical male attidute...........at 13!I think it must just be in a male set of genes ( and I don't mean the denim type). I'm no worried that I have inadvertently reared 'another typical bloke' and he's only 13!!<br />
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Or it may just be the fact he has just soooo much still to learn ( like most blokes!).<br />
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Conversation went as follows:<br />
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Teen ......' hey mum they have one of those *nudge nudge* machines in the mens toilets'.<br />
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Me..........' oh yeah, which ones?' *cough* OMG what is he going to come out with now!<br />
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Teen........' You know those random ones : Condoms<br />
Condoms<br />
Condoms<br />
Condoms<br />
Tic Tacs<br />
Condoms<br />
<br />
'I mean (he says laughing) how random is that!! Whats the point?'<br />
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Ahh bless .....................................................as a bloke he has a lot to learn!!!!!<br />
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mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-62394809547562817472011-08-29T12:32:00.000-07:002011-08-29T12:32:04.998-07:00Muffin tops must go!After the kids have been off soooo long now and there has been many a day out, nights away, festivals etc etc and that can mean only one thing..................lots of food, unhealthy food, yummy picnics with cakes and biscuits, lots of over sized ice creams (it is supposed to be summer you know!).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnTGnjWadn3X8caA7rLqGSNqwdOpi5wnbhFz4BcEBdzWqTqrjxkaDWVr2FUUFweWxSI1RkqzlZbI7Lpf11f8M2QsZnvhaZJhOWRZlqHZhoDjMyyqg9-aHANAB72dBiPZgiVrmtq8Yq4bV/s1600/ice-cream-cone-cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnTGnjWadn3X8caA7rLqGSNqwdOpi5wnbhFz4BcEBdzWqTqrjxkaDWVr2FUUFweWxSI1RkqzlZbI7Lpf11f8M2QsZnvhaZJhOWRZlqHZhoDjMyyqg9-aHANAB72dBiPZgiVrmtq8Yq4bV/s320/ice-cream-cone-cupcakes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
However, that's so not good for my already established muffin tops that seemed to have expanded into fully grown over sized family sponges!!!! No longer can they be squeezed into already snug fitting jeans and the tops have begun to get longer and more spacious. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5MuIzOfqo7zcdOkpiIDxNIbmFgDjzfyzxl4zdH1gkWdOv8lkNKQYkh5sXp-WyuFE4Xbg-uxQhVBTKXTXYXtPpi3fSXZdNXYAEJtQERnEArXE9GY-kHLe4vukJvp2m0c0aNAPNnXUNbZl/s1600/muffin+top.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5MuIzOfqo7zcdOkpiIDxNIbmFgDjzfyzxl4zdH1gkWdOv8lkNKQYkh5sXp-WyuFE4Xbg-uxQhVBTKXTXYXtPpi3fSXZdNXYAEJtQERnEArXE9GY-kHLe4vukJvp2m0c0aNAPNnXUNbZl/s320/muffin+top.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
So after our great overnight stay in Dover at the weekend to go to the castle for a birthday trip for the OH, which came with a very yummy dinner and pudding and an all you can eat continental and cooked breakfast!!! That just about pushed me over the edge. The dreaded 'D' word was mentioned which pretty much throws me into a panic as the mere mention of the word tends to make me think of food............................................all the time, more than I normally would and leaves me literally wanting to eat everything in sight!!<br />
<br />
So it has been collectively decided ( that means generally I have decided and my OH has no choice but to join in as I am the main cook!) that we should be on a 'healthy eating' regime. Not a restrictive diet but more of portion control with a few healthy choices thrown in and an odd treat here and there (instead of everyday).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSx0zKgCcZlln8yiLDlezpQ0eW-DxPUHcb29t-jG2EEP_bF8xNkZeAwCnBPGdn52LpQkLmGLeXM5lNVEn90T0zMnuijTtp8Zc9x_pxy9Mn_3LXn1soFpcpfpMR1mCGRT7eRoklexsNUFBT/s1600/Choose-My-Plate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSx0zKgCcZlln8yiLDlezpQ0eW-DxPUHcb29t-jG2EEP_bF8xNkZeAwCnBPGdn52LpQkLmGLeXM5lNVEn90T0zMnuijTtp8Zc9x_pxy9Mn_3LXn1soFpcpfpMR1mCGRT7eRoklexsNUFBT/s320/Choose-My-Plate.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
That started yesterday and for me it has gone OK so far as my OH have been at work over the bank Holiday working very extended days. However tomorrow is his birthday, and a chocolate cake has already been acquired so this could go rapidly downhill from here!<br />
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I have also been approached by Think Slimmer to try their 'Drop a jean size' Slimpod that should be coming soon. So with that and the fact I have started to use my Slendertone again I'm hopeful that I should shift a few pounds. However, I'm restricted with exercise due to having M.E so trying to be active around the house is exercise enough for me so hoping that will help a little.<br />
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So my motto is going to be 'Everything in moderation'!!!! <br />
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That way I wont get over obsessed by the food I'm trying not to eat so much of. I have been good for 2 days and tomorrow will go downhill but hopefully I will be back on track Wednesday.mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-7275308346081054042011-08-24T08:37:00.000-07:002011-08-24T08:37:02.942-07:00Reliving my youth........via REWIND!I have just had one of the best weekends of my life! What's more I was able to enjoy it with my OH and 2 boys who seemed to enjoy it at much as me.<br />
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We spent the weekend in Henley on Thames camping at the Rewind festival 2011. Having never been to a festival of any kind before it really was a new experience all round. I have never seen so many campers and tents in one place in all my life!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbW1Rcbj2njLvMo47DuoEaOEdKBc4XmJgsvxxmxxjwaxXwUHi-avwlgHuW-Ckkl9F6cT_StoC3hE_A8AreYjioAcqrDQ_entCa546wXygZYDTBGR2Omh734PV1gdECs0VDwwdG6EC5Ihx-/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbW1Rcbj2njLvMo47DuoEaOEdKBc4XmJgsvxxmxxjwaxXwUHi-avwlgHuW-Ckkl9F6cT_StoC3hE_A8AreYjioAcqrDQ_entCa546wXygZYDTBGR2Omh734PV1gdECs0VDwwdG6EC5Ihx-/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+009.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And this was the 'quieter' field!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We decided to go Friday and try to include some of the extras that were on offer before the music filled days...........that way we wouldn't have to miss any of the bands on Saturday and Sunday.<br />
However, we were late leaving (as organised as ever) and then had to tackle the M25 on a Friday afternoon ( you can see were this is going!!) and then sat in a 5mile tail back just to get onto the camp!!<br />
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Once there it was pretty much a free for all. There were already lots and lots.....................and lots of people already pitched and settled ( I was so bloody jealous at that point and mumbling under my breath why we are never that organised!) As we couldn't get a trolley cart to help with the baggage, the queue was humongous, so we decided to grab the tent and find a pitch and at least get the tent up (which is no easy feat in itself) and that way we could come back for the rest..........................which really is a lot as we never learn to travel light!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqKZoi6yAxzoG6H8FDsg0jHXSh5ld850XK9EQCt5CJAraVebBgWMen2sVS94Phat7kQ5iHpVGaqUCq6DJug3p6ptWLd5f_SB41sJj26XSFeuL1iaTJRoVe0uKWjf0uQDBzaekoOhc_yX2j/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqKZoi6yAxzoG6H8FDsg0jHXSh5ld850XK9EQCt5CJAraVebBgWMen2sVS94Phat7kQ5iHpVGaqUCq6DJug3p6ptWLd5f_SB41sJj26XSFeuL1iaTJRoVe0uKWjf0uQDBzaekoOhc_yX2j/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gear minus our duvet and pillows which we nearly forgot!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEvymJOZ41W3h_Rr-td4D3tCghJZUgFqIYw_84BoJZesA08b6-hX1-mckVuExPI1S7oLZRtErJRG7DtClpDoTtq57F_Imt0OUuovTe-FRoQvayliOFaDYxSfMYqmqGcATRBE1exMaUfA2/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEvymJOZ41W3h_Rr-td4D3tCghJZUgFqIYw_84BoJZesA08b6-hX1-mckVuExPI1S7oLZRtErJRG7DtClpDoTtq57F_Imt0OUuovTe-FRoQvayliOFaDYxSfMYqmqGcATRBE1exMaUfA2/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then the tent of course!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
After traipsing all around the world, or so it felt, we eventually found the 'Family field' that was already full and not all with families!! We eventually ended up in a field that was closer to the car park and certainly had more room between tents without being squashed in like sardines.<br />
We trooped on and sorted the tent which isn't easy peasy at the best of times without a hinderer like me helping (but not in a good way). Anyway all hands on deck and it was sorted and I left the boys to ferry the rest of the gear back from the car as I cooked the dinner!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28qiR6Sm3VekPGJzBvSI-c03cAo37K-a_K3fN9RM43HttyIzqIllb-Ds9E7hAxElp9aP2PsByBnov81j8N3ATm4TRqjGBlNPhqLqxV1tVH8WVqab7ddPhmfjPblp9tugCv3RyaEn2Yoa1/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28qiR6Sm3VekPGJzBvSI-c03cAo37K-a_K3fN9RM43HttyIzqIllb-Ds9E7hAxElp9aP2PsByBnov81j8N3ATm4TRqjGBlNPhqLqxV1tVH8WVqab7ddPhmfjPblp9tugCv3RyaEn2Yoa1/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+003.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">still haven't quite got sorted as you can see and it was getting dark!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
At that point the plan of enjoying the extras ie: silent disco etc had gone out the window. But at 10pm we thought what the hell- lets go grab a cold beer and have a wander. The kids were up for it with a promise of a go on the amusements!! I'm so glad we did as we came across these peeps:-<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMGT42nylYymeP9sYRGgKt5GsQ1Op2FbkQa1T2D5aLneRTwLe8WwaWgy7VVfvY4cn4y-8FtfXJSzq6lQgKroYZFJVXzcd2pqpAlKKuybWxkTNTa59ngBZin4RkX8DvQ_oaouSJKvvFsfK/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMGT42nylYymeP9sYRGgKt5GsQ1Op2FbkQa1T2D5aLneRTwLe8WwaWgy7VVfvY4cn4y-8FtfXJSzq6lQgKroYZFJVXzcd2pqpAlKKuybWxkTNTa59ngBZin4RkX8DvQ_oaouSJKvvFsfK/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+005.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">brill costumes and they were soo nice to the boys too</td></tr>
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Eventually we fell into bed around midnight totally exhausted. But all was great in the morning as we had a lay in and we woke up to a glorious morning. We topped that with a fab cooked breakfast which set us up for the day ahead.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyVrWSpXr9iZSMw2A_B388IAFFDi9VmvFM2OOqnRKOoMqWTpYutH-nY1g-pWoE4F0oCWhJhyphenhyphenWV5f2f6K-3h5KnVuo6NsE8IeYQxFn2xX5pE0XpnTVBy7py9xwM0WhqNsxKJJK00guOhSh/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnyVrWSpXr9iZSMw2A_B388IAFFDi9VmvFM2OOqnRKOoMqWTpYutH-nY1g-pWoE4F0oCWhJhyphenhyphenWV5f2f6K-3h5KnVuo6NsE8IeYQxFn2xX5pE0XpnTVBy7py9xwM0WhqNsxKJJK00guOhSh/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+008.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">nothing like a cooked brekkie when your camping.....YUM!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
That was before the impending doom of the rain clouds that were quickly approaching. We ended up like this.......<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vRnQZY2mJUpY35kXJNMLknrGEkYiOppGc_z3GTdSrrFjKcUN8lfHb9ttOm_REb3QKhFWVYt1I9OfQnQiVN1C2GKJH5IvRXLef1WVox4b-cFWUqpb-9zTFq2Fnh-yyYbudnuAYqr7YwhH/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5vRnQZY2mJUpY35kXJNMLknrGEkYiOppGc_z3GTdSrrFjKcUN8lfHb9ttOm_REb3QKhFWVYt1I9OfQnQiVN1C2GKJH5IvRXLef1WVox4b-cFWUqpb-9zTFq2Fnh-yyYbudnuAYqr7YwhH/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's Pimms in that there cup! The rain didn't dampen my drinking LOL</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Soooo not funny!!!!<br />
However, someone was definitely looking down on us as the sun eventually came out and we enjoyed a great day with totally fab music.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Ta76hm7hgXO7gEqL16ZNR5yELx5giWn0I3PhG2XaRoTkhvuRkIvcRsjVn3moTAqwUb6EPrycld5JY-7fRvrG1ZhufMqEZWHNvH0TX-ucFuwJPB0ncL4A6qn45IYDQXk0cHx9hLT-DG7t/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Ta76hm7hgXO7gEqL16ZNR5yELx5giWn0I3PhG2XaRoTkhvuRkIvcRsjVn3moTAqwUb6EPrycld5JY-7fRvrG1ZhufMqEZWHNvH0TX-ucFuwJPB0ncL4A6qn45IYDQXk0cHx9hLT-DG7t/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+037.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTaY_WjoOLJAvud_aeAYgO-IziFRfjhrcQpvFoEorit77lYlwak1MNqJEn3ddsWNyEUP9C9f1VnUZ66dPiYN-YApWitgVBfcaHfmiNyBbxqaYEQ8__Wtl8ntRB6gecT7REm6non5j2u8R/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTaY_WjoOLJAvud_aeAYgO-IziFRfjhrcQpvFoEorit77lYlwak1MNqJEn3ddsWNyEUP9C9f1VnUZ66dPiYN-YApWitgVBfcaHfmiNyBbxqaYEQ8__Wtl8ntRB6gecT7REm6non5j2u8R/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+038.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2oX2TIEjPxCilv-LziaIc6DtFFXbnNAkOs7WK9k_s5sZjkNAC1tRC846U-QVI6OBY9XmB7IIo273CB-NM0fUqKjg3uC9a3MJaD_FmgeVRcIAWDHUNA45SgKUpByG0sMJ48zP2MiDeztwS/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2oX2TIEjPxCilv-LziaIc6DtFFXbnNAkOs7WK9k_s5sZjkNAC1tRC846U-QVI6OBY9XmB7IIo273CB-NM0fUqKjg3uC9a3MJaD_FmgeVRcIAWDHUNA45SgKUpByG0sMJ48zP2MiDeztwS/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+036.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Billy Ocean was absolutley FAB!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpt2TmFs_cTAXsw7yo0Mg_XLsiJ-oD4x7yHS0d6lU2Lt3edUMbqUZbA32M31mB5kxYowvqD8-JI7MPg9yXRDfuve6gUJQFjaOI-iTXSZyyxB_neYslWQi5ZR9Ql4XzSziohhdY2Rdhc2qy/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpt2TmFs_cTAXsw7yo0Mg_XLsiJ-oD4x7yHS0d6lU2Lt3edUMbqUZbA32M31mB5kxYowvqD8-JI7MPg9yXRDfuve6gUJQFjaOI-iTXSZyyxB_neYslWQi5ZR9Ql4XzSziohhdY2Rdhc2qy/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+048.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard Jones one of my absolute fav's did a fantastic set but didn't play 'Hide and Seek'.......how very dare he!!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-5zw5MWoeagdzQzMQIPFPI2z4choGvbq9xd_PrtosockmOUIg8lrHgK85fleAgVRI4AdZa8m28yUQNJJpMnuCBwxNcVE32r28qrC0qWVxSBmWEozuZpfdZT9C0b_utKeV_Q2nb8TWu9g/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY-5zw5MWoeagdzQzMQIPFPI2z4choGvbq9xd_PrtosockmOUIg8lrHgK85fleAgVRI4AdZa8m28yUQNJJpMnuCBwxNcVE32r28qrC0qWVxSBmWEozuZpfdZT9C0b_utKeV_Q2nb8TWu9g/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+049.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bananarama were brill.......very funny in between songs too. The crowd loved them!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bWVPLA9L0wodgqm_hcinNwn5O1X-Mc39yPJArBVrlbEZUPcQ62xxsVjia6Wjfy-xaAsZ_N2iTv01vmY65ah7xrMuJbybTie9UDbCdX0H7X6d4Rtn4-EtuZfaDPYCIPzkqQT7qd2lz5qf/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bWVPLA9L0wodgqm_hcinNwn5O1X-Mc39yPJArBVrlbEZUPcQ62xxsVjia6Wjfy-xaAsZ_N2iTv01vmY65ah7xrMuJbybTie9UDbCdX0H7X6d4Rtn4-EtuZfaDPYCIPzkqQT7qd2lz5qf/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+097.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ohh I do love a firework display.......yes sad I know!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
That night finished with Holly Johnson's rendition of 'The Power of Love' and a fireworks display thrown in for good measure.<br />
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We trudged back to the camp exhausted and cold and fell into bed pretty much comatosed!!<br />
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Sunday..............and it was all to come again. But we were more organised this time. We packed for all eventualities, coats, ponchos, sun cream, hats, umbrella ( for rain or shine!) and some sneaky Pimms to boot!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIEEmOR9kuxXVPdWXlRktubAiF5flYP1cIApT4GL67FRrynJ8bSXZnv6Va6FOG0Z4FP8wxCoa3yaSCz7Xo-rLzhm3ItIZNEjFVTH87Zz1XQmxbgJAOeS7n2QmPODOjr1VOP_u46EkUsPI/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIEEmOR9kuxXVPdWXlRktubAiF5flYP1cIApT4GL67FRrynJ8bSXZnv6Va6FOG0Z4FP8wxCoa3yaSCz7Xo-rLzhm3ItIZNEjFVTH87Zz1XQmxbgJAOeS7n2QmPODOjr1VOP_u46EkUsPI/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+054.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the festival welly socks....minus the welly's that I had to take off it was so warm!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiq5sOc2lgPPnpxHfkX8mP_DOYw3YK2czNrBEtsfxBaeCWiP694L2wTVW87pWbGA07HbcSukjF4Auc7JwSX1Rzn-17jELN35wFxxzXagLZO8GJKmqLzuZ_ovHi1D1zhj1prxKY5t7ggQfA/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiq5sOc2lgPPnpxHfkX8mP_DOYw3YK2czNrBEtsfxBaeCWiP694L2wTVW87pWbGA07HbcSukjF4Auc7JwSX1Rzn-17jELN35wFxxzXagLZO8GJKmqLzuZ_ovHi1D1zhj1prxKY5t7ggQfA/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+061.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR182JNq7zKYTzW-5FKn29vsgIBKn58vhWx0DfZ-Qn3DyOlFGA3bjezKiwXrCF909dwg_bbm1t6dJ_Sp0TikV6Wnpsh7V81-wX1cteecqwTcLSOaIOQQmg9hS7sdhaDWd-GxkWkSqoQasC/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR182JNq7zKYTzW-5FKn29vsgIBKn58vhWx0DfZ-Qn3DyOlFGA3bjezKiwXrCF909dwg_bbm1t6dJ_Sp0TikV6Wnpsh7V81-wX1cteecqwTcLSOaIOQQmg9hS7sdhaDWd-GxkWkSqoQasC/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+073.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and OH grooving!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRI30nfuSVtaAHhxVrog6r_YKYpwB7sJCYoPHPAZLQUav5TgY-MQndqPZiHeEgC7xHQTxAEr53smFZMQNBAxMjM74PTC-h1y9JRfwnDJ3pUwpkxfAc43ptLeUCMJ4TDsPCakdwAq5ODkV/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRI30nfuSVtaAHhxVrog6r_YKYpwB7sJCYoPHPAZLQUav5TgY-MQndqPZiHeEgC7xHQTxAEr53smFZMQNBAxMjM74PTC-h1y9JRfwnDJ3pUwpkxfAc43ptLeUCMJ4TDsPCakdwAq5ODkV/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+074.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our sky that evening......stunning!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjCBra_0tW1d6QfIFIUVkFUrh31BTh-tCxW3rkryhqbA1T90iHpfpl9Wp6UPPCJmiAeUd4P_T9Rr7re0H_i-0TzNaDC1zAZTWkR-v-Dz0SAvXWQVmPiRjtkRFYxD-_JEoR0VR8uFm9hpy/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjCBra_0tW1d6QfIFIUVkFUrh31BTh-tCxW3rkryhqbA1T90iHpfpl9Wp6UPPCJmiAeUd4P_T9Rr7re0H_i-0TzNaDC1zAZTWkR-v-Dz0SAvXWQVmPiRjtkRFYxD-_JEoR0VR8uFm9hpy/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+079.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boys will be boys!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
That night finished with The Human League, not my favourite by a long shot and really would have liked Kim Wilde to have finished the night as the crowd completely 'rocked' when she was on. as well as The Village People ( don't laugh) they really had the crowd going, even the security guys up the front were doing the YMCA!!!!!<br />
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<br />
The boys today were in full festival mode, singing to the crowd karaoke and rocking with their Glo sticks in the evening.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYnNP_LgvT0nOZm4Xr2xIkqTXWBsC0saY-wfrBzLWncvLaDlcdFvl08Ih_EWCrG4fpxeCCrDVauppPEcBF92optRRPhp1FE7ykrD9yjovw5xd825qsIn4Vf5PjdbNotpP73a1DNNILE9z/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYnNP_LgvT0nOZm4Xr2xIkqTXWBsC0saY-wfrBzLWncvLaDlcdFvl08Ih_EWCrG4fpxeCCrDVauppPEcBF92optRRPhp1FE7ykrD9yjovw5xd825qsIn4Vf5PjdbNotpP73a1DNNILE9z/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+080.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's us screaching.....'We're the kids in America'!!!!!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-Wl9V7VndLXpk3ImqKY3FuxyC1hwC8PP6LOgwYFG0OSTR2d4gpF_XBXDGKlssNK4VW5rPY_mXuoC86KGjHjZ-o4th2FHD5SYQAcaqn2vR3Zn5C0qfw0Ni7A14v4B4vsDcjX_4FveXB9b/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-Wl9V7VndLXpk3ImqKY3FuxyC1hwC8PP6LOgwYFG0OSTR2d4gpF_XBXDGKlssNK4VW5rPY_mXuoC86KGjHjZ-o4th2FHD5SYQAcaqn2vR3Zn5C0qfw0Ni7A14v4B4vsDcjX_4FveXB9b/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+090.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Human League.....great set just not my cup of tea!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Sadly we trudged back to our tent with the knowledge that we had to be up at 5.30am to pack up and be away early as my youngest was going to be on a course that day ( such bad planning on my part!!). So after not sleeping a wink I was up to this view making tea at 5.30...............................lovely in an odd sort of way.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIz0a0S7fAgKJFKkGFtrWw5o0Fh_s7Y_Gb6ICT1p3xHnCc2YK5tGqvrR56idlMY60PDPgPKFcXtcZk9-gLq4VbdDpr56ye8HB0siT3erPW1YbaWIW-nD1LWRNb93ezwUztQjw9TjMd8k3/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBIz0a0S7fAgKJFKkGFtrWw5o0Fh_s7Y_Gb6ICT1p3xHnCc2YK5tGqvrR56idlMY60PDPgPKFcXtcZk9-gLq4VbdDpr56ye8HB0siT3erPW1YbaWIW-nD1LWRNb93ezwUztQjw9TjMd8k3/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+103.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyT5NFT8YWz3-YC2mNgzsUU9iakoDhtR2IT4ImP54zoStbJveTxGHBu4nlBLNGXwYQ2YBOvRnoUzwJZntfZp9AV7iW0ACtuisEMXG0l_VhHpCv2GJjA2E4-oylQhyphenhyphenvk7psNzmE0UDWd6A/s1600/Rewind+Festival+2011+104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiyT5NFT8YWz3-YC2mNgzsUU9iakoDhtR2IT4ImP54zoStbJveTxGHBu4nlBLNGXwYQ2YBOvRnoUzwJZntfZp9AV7iW0ACtuisEMXG0l_VhHpCv2GJjA2E4-oylQhyphenhyphenvk7psNzmE0UDWd6A/s320/Rewind+Festival+2011+104.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Truly gorgeous, calm and quiet!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Surprisingly, we were packed and on the road by 8.45am ( how would have thought it) very impressive as it's no easy feat with two whingy boys to get up and fed and ready!!<br />
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However, chatting in the car on the way home and playing one of our 80's CD's we asked the boys who they liked:-<br />
13 yr old............Nik Kershaw!!<br />
Haircut 100!!!<br />
Kim Wilde ( although not sure he should admit that to his friends)<br />
Village People ( definitely not mentioning that one!!!)<br />
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10 yr old.............Billy Ocean ( good choice as he was fab)<br />
Go west!!<br />
Village People!!! ( really he won't live it down!!)<br />
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When asked if they would go again it was a resounding .....................YES!!<br />
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They loved the 'grunge''..... not showering for days, eating cooked breakfasts and staying up very late!!<br />
I thought the 'grunge' would be too much for me to bear ( festival camping is a whole other experience than normal camping............don't get me started on the porta loos......................that could really scar you for life!!!)<br />
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However, I never knew 'dirty' could be soooo much fun!!<br />
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Needless to say after a coma style sleep when we got back my shower has never felt so good.<br />
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So here's to next year! ( oh forgot OH has a leave ban from mid June through to September due to the Olympics.......................Ok I think he feels a sicky coming on already............................ssshhhhhh don't tell anyone!! LOL <br />
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mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-66590356996296206172011-08-18T15:53:00.000-07:002011-08-18T15:53:55.866-07:00Ready Steady camp!Yes you read it right.....camp! We are off again, tomorrow in fact. Now there's lots of festivals going on over the summer with great bands, brilliant music, lots of alcohol, playing how to find your tent at the end of the night etc, etc.......you get the picture.<br />
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So when we heard this festival being talked about and advertised my OH and I looked at each other, a plan hatched and tickets were booked. Now being in our early 40's we are not hitting a mid life crisis and pretending we are younger than we are, or trying to be 'hip and down with the kids'!! So before you all get very impressed thinking we are heading to a Glastonbury style festival and that we must be really cool and laid back parents to be taking our kids off camping 'a la festival<br />
style'............................we are not!<br />
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So although we may at some point over the weekend re live our youth, embarrass our kids with our dancing, and force them to wave luminous Glo sticks at any sad songs whist singing ( very out of tune) at the top of our voices..........................................we will not be cheering to any 'cool' bands of recent years!<br />
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Oh no, not this family. We will be heading to Henley, hoping for <strike>sunny</strike> dry weather. For a whole weekend we will be surrounded by luminous clothing, mullet wigs, legwarmers (and that's just me......only kidding!) as we will be at the REWIND festival. A full 2 days of 80's bands, beer in plastic glasses, people in our own age range who remember these bands and the words to their songs, and OK I might have to wave a few Glosticks!!<br />
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So wish me luck as Friday brings a long day of packing, unpacking, hawking everything to our pitch, erecting a very large and heavy tent (actually that will be OH and the boys), cooking dinner(that will definitely be my job) and then dragging our boys to the delights of the 'Silent Disco'!!!!!<br />
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I feel a nervous breakdown approaching very rapidly!! Or at least a body breakdown after a very bad M.E day today!!!!!!<br />
So lots of coffee, berroca's and energy drinks I think.............................and that's before the Saturday and Sunday of fab 80's music!!!!!<br />
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I sooooo cannot wait.........................................be warned it <strike>could</strike> will get messy.<br />
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mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-45965617190369752682011-08-14T13:13:00.000-07:002011-08-14T13:13:04.230-07:00Silent Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_kt2plWj3pW2o5Vvoq0cT9xJtHBPiYxvu57-RuwxtFJQe1WRaIk5nRZ6dBA0KpjK7avZh0FLlUqAtKposyGAimrdEYJ92kHX6ullQVWe4eTWofVjknjLRo8-N-8BndPVgXcCzIrW9TrV/s1600/RAF+Manston+2011+%252820%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_kt2plWj3pW2o5Vvoq0cT9xJtHBPiYxvu57-RuwxtFJQe1WRaIk5nRZ6dBA0KpjK7avZh0FLlUqAtKposyGAimrdEYJ92kHX6ullQVWe4eTWofVjknjLRo8-N-8BndPVgXcCzIrW9TrV/s320/RAF+Manston+2011+%252820%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzzNGtKaaV4Trf4VSykdrdvzamNPYoD48-qa9P2kyyeqmht-zOlTX0fJAF2XSbu2B2p6EhGcKnx1Zu-8arodhe5A9tuzvtQEEiOtAQcJHRR7HxOL-X1zqOE6bsoGoMTEASvUNXU4u4qX9/s1600/Silent-Sunday-Badge-SMALL-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidzzNGtKaaV4Trf4VSykdrdvzamNPYoD48-qa9P2kyyeqmht-zOlTX0fJAF2XSbu2B2p6EhGcKnx1Zu-8arodhe5A9tuzvtQEEiOtAQcJHRR7HxOL-X1zqOE6bsoGoMTEASvUNXU4u4qX9/s1600/Silent-Sunday-Badge-SMALL-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-4528246591256198352011-08-08T13:48:00.000-07:002011-08-08T13:48:18.700-07:00Week 2 ...................survived!So that's week 2 of summer hols gone and we survived again, although kids arguments and petty nit picking (not literally) almost got the better of us and nearly tipped us over the edge!! However, all four of us are still in one piece and miraculously still talking............only just!<br />
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We decided pretty last minute to make use of MIL's caravan along the North Kent coast for a few days. We arrived Wednesday in glorious sunshine, unpacked, had lunch and then headed to the beach for a while before attempting a food shop with the boys (honestly you would think they would get better as they got older........do not be fooled). After dinner the evening was still lovely and warm so we headed down for a last walk along the local Leas, and as the boys took their skateboards they were well worn out when we got back to the van.<br />
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We woke up Thursday to this.....<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCu8F_g2bp6_XfuCWOAyakuV4IufHbE22SkjTUCL5VtacyNGhcIGQiU1gjnI9y8Y4yRztbBCXBqNfRP3QtvN_mwuQMSuEqOHEfZZm3PFUkVT9NvLJ_NUeuRoiSCD201PmFFbe3oBPW0Tk/s1600/Caravan+Aug+2011+075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCu8F_g2bp6_XfuCWOAyakuV4IufHbE22SkjTUCL5VtacyNGhcIGQiU1gjnI9y8Y4yRztbBCXBqNfRP3QtvN_mwuQMSuEqOHEfZZm3PFUkVT9NvLJ_NUeuRoiSCD201PmFFbe3oBPW0Tk/s320/Caravan+Aug+2011+075.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grim!!</td></tr>
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However we were undeterred and played games until the afternoon, who would have thought that playing Bingo and Charades for sweets could be so much fun..........honestly, what a giggle we had!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBL75XQcrsM7360fV2mYgAMD_mfGUGUk43eeD8Etmr-SgVklkNyPoo_lJMdf6675jo3BJdCf3B1vZxHBy-MsG7WZWJ8PI6LzyuKqsyskKkc4Mw3ZX0hwozqiLNLeJ9H9hJz7hSaTVye5E/s1600/Caravan+Aug+2011+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOBL75XQcrsM7360fV2mYgAMD_mfGUGUk43eeD8Etmr-SgVklkNyPoo_lJMdf6675jo3BJdCf3B1vZxHBy-MsG7WZWJ8PI6LzyuKqsyskKkc4Mw3ZX0hwozqiLNLeJ9H9hJz7hSaTVye5E/s320/Caravan+Aug+2011+003.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes really....Bingo for Maltesers and Lemon sherbets!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvugoPBJgYrDeT74FpshJG_-9Kdz_IpoS5Kcj_ooQPefrUOPeGzgfvIk_gezoncmJTCOmsbwGZ7hSgM7Fwu-FZhaEpIOqHY45sKfHi3_fhqkZelfT2bT_FVN1tzw-V_xWFbHdUJs3TLpfd/s1600/Caravan+Aug+2011+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvugoPBJgYrDeT74FpshJG_-9Kdz_IpoS5Kcj_ooQPefrUOPeGzgfvIk_gezoncmJTCOmsbwGZ7hSgM7Fwu-FZhaEpIOqHY45sKfHi3_fhqkZelfT2bT_FVN1tzw-V_xWFbHdUJs3TLpfd/s320/Caravan+Aug+2011+019.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's 2 words!!</td></tr>
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Then when the weather cleared we thought we would have a mooch around the local shops and check out the docks to watch for the enormous 'tanker' ships coming out!<br />
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Friday we headed off to Whitstable and Herne bay for the day. We made an early start and had a yummy picnic on the beach at Whitstable watching the little sailing boats going in and out from the club there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixMvaCiLW87kcMA-BK6dPAt3HiXYOzcgaenUtaAeML7m0BV1lo2bNW9YJiKcZZtLIyuqmY7pfIa0z762Pyvxjb3MRqyDCK_GPkU3zzEgaPW06e5QDc3Ato8fQxqIAigvaTJ1_1N89LWz9/s1600/Caravan+Aug+2011+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixMvaCiLW87kcMA-BK6dPAt3HiXYOzcgaenUtaAeML7m0BV1lo2bNW9YJiKcZZtLIyuqmY7pfIa0z762Pyvxjb3MRqyDCK_GPkU3zzEgaPW06e5QDc3Ato8fQxqIAigvaTJ1_1N89LWz9/s320/Caravan+Aug+2011+021.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes you read it right............'ginger nuts' .........and he is......ginger and nuts!!</td></tr>
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After a wander around and the biggest ice creams I have ever seen and eaten, a picture of which is on my phone for proof, but for some reason I'm having difficulty downloading!!! Anyway, we headed off to Herne bay for the rest of the day.<br />
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I love the pier and the pavilion at Herne bay and this time we decided to try our hand at a bit of crab fishing!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTyGoLBipGN5dV-E1YxEuhgG7ndNK01wwDDV8qDv672YAX9JAs-gIOTxErQUWtfMYeFg1lwqi5zway3NNMMMUlA_e6IXEHLHf4f69a0RzYCeIM87n2QL2R_o0sS2ESU3mD2rMDEM8Lijd/s1600/Caravan+Aug+2011+043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeTyGoLBipGN5dV-E1YxEuhgG7ndNK01wwDDV8qDv672YAX9JAs-gIOTxErQUWtfMYeFg1lwqi5zway3NNMMMUlA_e6IXEHLHf4f69a0RzYCeIM87n2QL2R_o0sS2ESU3mD2rMDEM8Lijd/s320/Caravan+Aug+2011+043.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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However we were not very lucky or the crabs knew something we didn't as we didn't catch a thing!! Next time I'm sure LOL<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyal3foLvPUpwcowf0J0YiXQhx0IFxn8xPiYe7R1FxvHk9DUAyT4aTiKptxPOYJjSwbGyXzznvEQpxZtkvZOSHtWrbt2aaWhONuQZobdwu7U3E3jx2EirMGZMLnqnw9LYnuBZ09_9ziNs/s1600/Caravan+Aug+2011+041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioyal3foLvPUpwcowf0J0YiXQhx0IFxn8xPiYe7R1FxvHk9DUAyT4aTiKptxPOYJjSwbGyXzznvEQpxZtkvZOSHtWrbt2aaWhONuQZobdwu7U3E3jx2EirMGZMLnqnw9LYnuBZ09_9ziNs/s320/Caravan+Aug+2011+041.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It can be a very serious business this crab fishing!</td></tr>
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But we had a great time and finished our day off with the best local fish and chips................YUM!<br />
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Saturday we drove down to a 'blast from the past' and visited our old RAF camp at Manston. There are two great little museums there, one mainly for the adults and one definitely geared towards children with aircraft they can climb about on and lots of other RAF stuff that brought back great memories for me and the OH!! We had a picnic overlooking the airfield and the old Air Traffic building I used to work in and we can see both our old rooms from the front of the camp ( our boys love this.....sad but true!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIsro1Rn-JQ0a3pv9txsYi5diDmpR1ndqEm62KnBhdsBkg0t_ZbwlGZG9sWkgOh43wwIrUCIbbIP02BlU_dyyEpDACfcTzg9K0SEXPCQ6bk-ZzMOk8W-FlI16ZdPGbWjf0yRU19CVcS1c/s1600/RAF+Manston+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIsro1Rn-JQ0a3pv9txsYi5diDmpR1ndqEm62KnBhdsBkg0t_ZbwlGZG9sWkgOh43wwIrUCIbbIP02BlU_dyyEpDACfcTzg9K0SEXPCQ6bk-ZzMOk8W-FlI16ZdPGbWjf0yRU19CVcS1c/s320/RAF+Manston+2011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No you can't take it home!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcrCyP3KO8PtdeqdDYX2VlxEQx0u-1FEDy3qUD62B3Hg1AN7048nz8bX-HuzJojwSpo_TMwazmOIuF6dVzWcYw85N1vb2VRJvf0B4EMKCS1StM0ON3XFQm4Xru21DgmC6RIdJjKP_TPxk/s1600/RAF+Manston+2011+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcrCyP3KO8PtdeqdDYX2VlxEQx0u-1FEDy3qUD62B3Hg1AN7048nz8bX-HuzJojwSpo_TMwazmOIuF6dVzWcYw85N1vb2VRJvf0B4EMKCS1StM0ON3XFQm4Xru21DgmC6RIdJjKP_TPxk/s320/RAF+Manston+2011+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I used to be winched in and out of these things for fun.....no rephrase that.......for work!!!!</td></tr>
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However, the weather was not very kind to us that day and so we ended up in a very rainy Margate in the amusements, much to the boys delights.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugfOcKjlsZZ01VA0YYLcLrGZwaFVFoavSoHoWSSSVkOwZ1AWdudajteqnz4s8M_BSsXzxBZlbCuj7e8CSPSo4HF688bAkakaipeiVEJwYcnot9L-fgVQCrT3z6okCj7wmLvT3Ha8YCmQT/s1600/Caravan+Aug+2011+048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugfOcKjlsZZ01VA0YYLcLrGZwaFVFoavSoHoWSSSVkOwZ1AWdudajteqnz4s8M_BSsXzxBZlbCuj7e8CSPSo4HF688bAkakaipeiVEJwYcnot9L-fgVQCrT3z6okCj7wmLvT3Ha8YCmQT/s320/Caravan+Aug+2011+048.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This lucky player can make a pot of 2p's last a very, very, very long time!!</td></tr>
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By Sunday I was completely shattered and so a lay in was had by all!! It was also the 9th anniversary of my Dad passing away, so the day was never going to be brilliant anyway.We had planned to pop along to Leysdowne ( not the loveliest of places but the beach there is fantastic) to have a BBQ on the beach but the weather was grim and we contemplated coming home! But by the time we were ready it was like a new day...........sunshine.........hooray. So we took our chances, and so glad we did, we had a fantastic afternoon on the beach there complete with BBQ burgers for our lunch!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Hd0fe-89JttZLGMDP9miejtZWf68HwZnngNisbH0x3AXseo_MMavX9w6gJq6rq-RBS571rnqZVKYuVkt4jIyVO6h0Ok_7iCcEKZ5bjZHsQ8Vpc46OD-sEND_fbLTwCUu5Oh60refOdte/s1600/Leysdown+Beach+2011+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Hd0fe-89JttZLGMDP9miejtZWf68HwZnngNisbH0x3AXseo_MMavX9w6gJq6rq-RBS571rnqZVKYuVkt4jIyVO6h0Ok_7iCcEKZ5bjZHsQ8Vpc46OD-sEND_fbLTwCUu5Oh60refOdte/s320/Leysdown+Beach+2011+%252810%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chef..............and very nice they were too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijueRbnf-dWsQ1-xZuFhrosmy_qzzKmTFtLDoM-9szCN8uOmXYr7881ZHL6XUPKnnXvRPP3cBWFLooRZD9wMgXXL76KkPNUtCy0XiQUfFjhMnb4qjUHOWr2aZ7HDulr3wAv7rYl3w6KlSm/s1600/Leysdown+Beach+2011+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijueRbnf-dWsQ1-xZuFhrosmy_qzzKmTFtLDoM-9szCN8uOmXYr7881ZHL6XUPKnnXvRPP3cBWFLooRZD9wMgXXL76KkPNUtCy0XiQUfFjhMnb4qjUHOWr2aZ7HDulr3wAv7rYl3w6KlSm/s320/Leysdown+Beach+2011+%25285%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The water was surprisingly warm.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSNvEMy4QLFoNdsvENx5WRWBYITuaEDnWftu7wRnLRMafpcR_RBLW91WYn5X5KeLuPnmp-QC9Y5qYj3CGW5Uz2SgWBdzufIq6VUNUJVmMpS_vwe2LEY_OCwvrPlT9kqnXbER8H4yfkfDI/s1600/Leysdown+Beach+2011+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYSNvEMy4QLFoNdsvENx5WRWBYITuaEDnWftu7wRnLRMafpcR_RBLW91WYn5X5KeLuPnmp-QC9Y5qYj3CGW5Uz2SgWBdzufIq6VUNUJVmMpS_vwe2LEY_OCwvrPlT9kqnXbER8H4yfkfDI/s320/Leysdown+Beach+2011+%252811%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the tide went out amazingly far!! Can you spot the 2 dots that are my sons?????</td></tr>
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Although there was a small fair there, we had been playing Bingo in the van when it was raining so the boys opted to play the 'proper' bingo inside the amusements instead!! We had a blast for about an hour and 3 out of 4 of us had a win!! Sorry OH .........but you were rubbish.<br />
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Anyway we headed home for tea and a few card games before bed, and although we had a great day my 'sociableness' had worn off and I was glad to head to bed as we were going to leave fairly early the next morning.<br />
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So, today is now Monday and another week of the hols has past and so far we have had some great days. Yes there have been arguments, tiffs, tears, tantrums ( and that is just me!!) but overall it has been fab!<br />
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Here starts a new week, I have returned and unpacked, washed and ironed and re- packed as tomorrow we are heading to Devon to stay at my Mum's!! OH is staying here as he has to work. This will be the first time I have attempted to drive the journey on my own since being diagnosed with M.E!! I am not looking forward to it as I normally sleep for a few hours when my OH drives so not quite sure if I will make it!!<br />
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</a></div>So wish me luck as it is going to be a very long journey. And I am already kissing goodbye to Wednesday as I know most of that will be spent in bed!! However, my brother has planned to take the boys on a 10 mile hike along Dartmoor on Wednesday..........................................so I can sleep to my hearts content and enjoy the peace and quiet when I am up!!!<br />
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mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-13935840936868696392011-08-03T03:16:00.000-07:002011-08-03T03:16:50.038-07:00I'm off!!!Not literally..........well maybe.<br />
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Anyway we are off on a short holiday! I would love to tell you all that it is somewhere exotic but I would be lying. We are staying at my MIL's caravan along the Kent coast!!!! However, a holiday is a holiday and we will enjoy the break regardless.<br />
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We have a few days out planned with Whitstable and Herne bay very close. We will probably visit our long lost 'forces' home at Manston and pop into the museums there too.<br />
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So I am taking a break from all things technical...............OK I may post a few pics on twitter but apart from that I wont have WIFI and therefore wont be posting until I get back!!<br />
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So long, farewell, have a great time yourselves over the next week.<br />
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NORMAL SERVICE WILL BE RESUMED ON MONDAY!!!!!<br />
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Here's hoping for dry weather LOLmum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-19658621179784468842011-08-02T16:31:00.000-07:002011-08-02T16:31:18.496-07:00Week 1 of holidays...........survived!I thought that with the start of the school holidays I would have so much more time to do............things, chill out, catch up on a bit of telly, blog amongst others.<br />
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HOW WRONG COULD I BE!<br />
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I cannot believe that we are into the second week of the school holidays already. In fact a slight panic has set in, have I actually got enough time to do everything. My eldest has already been and returned from his week long scout camp!! We are heading off tomorrow to my MIL's caravan along the Kent coast until Monday, as hubby now has a few days off work (thank God!). Now my boys are pestering me to go to their Nanny's, who happens to live in Devon, which would be fantastic but I'm not sure I can drive that long on my own ( due to the M.E sometimes my muscles are extremely painful and an almighty fatigue can set in). We also have a festival in the middle of August and I haven't even thought about uniforms ( apart from my eldest's new blazer..........which I never forget after leaving it into a dry cleaners once only to wake up middle of the night on the day he was due back to school, in a total panic about what to do!!! Believe me my OH was not best pleased as I almost gave him heart failure thinking someone had broken in!!)<br />
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Anyway, last week was great with one child away it was great to spend time with the other on his own, and boy did he have his week planned out. OH was off Monday so my son decided he wanted to visit St Paul's Cathedral in London!! So naively we thought great a little afternoon up there, we would listen to the tour gadgets and take a few pic's and then home....<br />
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Oh no were there for 5 hours!! Yes you read it right.........5 hours. They convinced me to go up the stairs to the Whispering Gallery, which I really wanted to do anyway. However, then they persuaded me to go further to the Stone Gallery! Which turned out to be fantastic as it was a beautiful day so we sat and had our lunch there!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnJwSrtayHN4b7kKZk5vk6e5Bbc_4zzFmwYoV-rTZPSBomnoU_Uvh0FgzlBswRRFFgaS5JFQHWNbou7pDgDHnZ-iVlxB__G9rVYpcQHkLfvyiXdazbqAuu39woC9V4gT5xCwoDzK73gk8/s1600/St+Pauls+Cathedral+040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnJwSrtayHN4b7kKZk5vk6e5Bbc_4zzFmwYoV-rTZPSBomnoU_Uvh0FgzlBswRRFFgaS5JFQHWNbou7pDgDHnZ-iVlxB__G9rVYpcQHkLfvyiXdazbqAuu39woC9V4gT5xCwoDzK73gk8/s320/St+Pauls+Cathedral+040.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's us on the stone Gallery</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr1upw0YOhyphenhyphenqUBfP0ti1X0-tQidpIEkLT6ejOPXbJIGMaBAOvlGTSa2QT4vJj3aayg8yAIKMoWCdQL21ch0r6FhfvlGMD8o3cnLv7xvIYUHSpYc1EvGLkhvJ5v2iKaxXwOECPIiFKI-XC/s1600/St+Pauls+Cathedral+047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr1upw0YOhyphenhyphenqUBfP0ti1X0-tQidpIEkLT6ejOPXbJIGMaBAOvlGTSa2QT4vJj3aayg8yAIKMoWCdQL21ch0r6FhfvlGMD8o3cnLv7xvIYUHSpYc1EvGLkhvJ5v2iKaxXwOECPIiFKI-XC/s320/St+Pauls+Cathedral+047.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Stone gallery</td></tr>
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Then they persuaded me to go a bit further, to the top in fact. From there we had just the most fantastic view across London, so I felt it was worth it in the end.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dcgrglPxpTozwWve0pGFhkc-7c_62QrRZSduUQsk-1TiMCSKAP2IsVKWCrLzheJikaj8qKKI0GrOtUtVHcPECEZpftarreXgfhiJ4pMycrZ6AFq6qcjiO_EeHObOVn3x7wm-1-i45PEJ/s1600/St+Pauls+Cathedral+056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dcgrglPxpTozwWve0pGFhkc-7c_62QrRZSduUQsk-1TiMCSKAP2IsVKWCrLzheJikaj8qKKI0GrOtUtVHcPECEZpftarreXgfhiJ4pMycrZ6AFq6qcjiO_EeHObOVn3x7wm-1-i45PEJ/s320/St+Pauls+Cathedral+056.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More steps!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HQL1fLZdKdytfCHnRYcX0EhSQF6TIyIH8mnRt0D4gqIT_18FPX9iYZ8LP96JWkYSv28aPp4-beKmHFvYYeI7itzrNbZ-vE05QXgzua8hrqpCTYPm260P44FZakzY_C6khuBU5vV6pzvz/s1600/St+Pauls+Cathedral+049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HQL1fLZdKdytfCHnRYcX0EhSQF6TIyIH8mnRt0D4gqIT_18FPX9iYZ8LP96JWkYSv28aPp4-beKmHFvYYeI7itzrNbZ-vE05QXgzua8hrqpCTYPm260P44FZakzY_C6khuBU5vV6pzvz/s320/St+Pauls+Cathedral+049.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the very top!</td></tr>
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However, I started to struggle coming down and after several rests I got to the bottom only to find my legs started shaking uncontrollably and I was stuck to the spot for about 15 minutes!!!! It was sooo not funny, bad enough when people pass you on the stairs and look at you as though you are a complete pleb for not being able to get up there, let alone how people look at you when your OH is practically holding you up in the middle of St Paul's!!( M.E is invisible so people look at you as if your are an idiot when your OH helps you up or holds you up for whatever reason). We made it to the cafe to recuperate ............a cuppa and a chocolate crispy cake is like a miracle cure.<br />
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Then a purchase in the shop ( I very sadly collect fridge magnets from wherever I go) and a snoop in the Crypt and we then being practically thrown out we had been there so long.<br />
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When I thought it was all over my son casually mentions going across the Millennium Bridge ( which is practically in front of St Paul's) so I plodded on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG49Oeya53ANoB3rjhRWCBCHxug1LZskJvyvai0Gd8Hv8BnjSwDdnpffonNQZ9-8QSjnfkrdumQWNB5vaPEitJ2Utbl3fVYLohi5aWNrqXABoIjmr-CIrxMWUlbCa_8KrLP-89gdxLT2J6/s1600/St+Pauls+Cathedral+088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG49Oeya53ANoB3rjhRWCBCHxug1LZskJvyvai0Gd8Hv8BnjSwDdnpffonNQZ9-8QSjnfkrdumQWNB5vaPEitJ2Utbl3fVYLohi5aWNrqXABoIjmr-CIrxMWUlbCa_8KrLP-89gdxLT2J6/s320/St+Pauls+Cathedral+088.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's us heading towards the bridge..............slowly.</td></tr>
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The day was fantastic although I knew I would suffer the next day.<br />
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So on Tuesday my OH took over and the pair of them built a 'den' in the garden while I watched from the sidelines taking pic's and drinking tea.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDy6_9sFlzATj1udP6386TCT1dizmxNBZFggyidsMKSd42t775Y7ZrBNtKyLSv8SuoYHKtJVqJO6vCuH-FFSzQiom8KsRHgbkGs_YhaZw5WsogG4FuPDOYF5uYl-WvUS8hoq13EUsQA6F/s1600/HMS+Belfast+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDy6_9sFlzATj1udP6386TCT1dizmxNBZFggyidsMKSd42t775Y7ZrBNtKyLSv8SuoYHKtJVqJO6vCuH-FFSzQiom8KsRHgbkGs_YhaZw5WsogG4FuPDOYF5uYl-WvUS8hoq13EUsQA6F/s320/HMS+Belfast+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoNiHCjI2kKEgAGkyTSFy2KoD7HGWb2SMsH1i37JsV7-OfaoIr0m8npc3iFAa2V3n5jN_1yBiUucu2ikCP1OhebhPacDSyxr-ukKIOazuYUwewNcejpkb1WmUki0_sh_aE9d1U3Ues0dj/s1600/HMS+Belfast+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzoNiHCjI2kKEgAGkyTSFy2KoD7HGWb2SMsH1i37JsV7-OfaoIr0m8npc3iFAa2V3n5jN_1yBiUucu2ikCP1OhebhPacDSyxr-ukKIOazuYUwewNcejpkb1WmUki0_sh_aE9d1U3Ues0dj/s320/HMS+Belfast+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Complete with warning.</td></tr>
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Wednesday my Oh returned to work so I promised my son that we would use our prize from a competition and go play our free round of mini golf at Bluewater. That was great fun until my son beat me by 2 points!!! I was so not impressed.........I'm not one of those lovely parents who let their child win at things. I don't know what happens to me but a competitive streak takes over and not an inch is given. <br />
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However, I consoled myself with a Krispy Kreme and a coffee before letting my son window shop around Bluewater to get a few ideas for his birthday.<br />
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Thursday, I had a lovely invite to HMS Belfast which you can read about in the previous post. So little ol' me and my son and his buddy spent a fab few hours on the ship before returning home. He then was invited to his friends for the afternoon ( his mum is a start and knew I would be heading to bed after a busy morning out) and didn't return until dinner time!!<br />
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Friday was a meet with a friend at the pool, boys went swimming we had a coffee and then went back to hers for lunch and a great catch up in the afternoon!!<br />
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By then I was completely drained so Saturday was a complete blur to me and spent most of it in bed. But my eldest returned from his camp very happy but tired!!<br />
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This week had already started with an impromptu water fight yesterday afternoon and a swim 'play date' with their friends this afternoon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A make do water spray!! LOL</td></tr>
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We will be off to the caravan tomorrow but I'm yet to get everything packed and I am sitting on the computer doing this!!!!!<br />
I'm waiting on the magic fairy to come in the night and sort it all out for me...................OK that means I will be up late and then not sleep as I think of the things I have forgotten to pack!!! Meanwhile my lovely boys (including OH) will sleep fantastically well as they only have to remember to put on clean pants......and sometimes that's a struggle.<br />
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So here's to a few hopefully relaxing days away where I am hoping my OH will take over the 'entertaining' of the boys for a while as I sit on the sidelines and recuperate a little in readiness for the next few weeks!!!mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-78903715910267550242011-07-31T01:55:00.000-07:002011-07-31T01:55:47.439-07:00Silent Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg996Q4Q5QsGqrIZEa5BajaGbwnikloiTUquK-nqOOpSVJUBqicfZoLIoLGkcT5WRn0sjtB28sb1AARjgvmsdcaPq0sHlxMgLf5Np9StwnEZK0htKWfF1kuZ8BdUj33rkHv9qhxhAKmCnC/s1600/St+Pauls+Cathedral+043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg996Q4Q5QsGqrIZEa5BajaGbwnikloiTUquK-nqOOpSVJUBqicfZoLIoLGkcT5WRn0sjtB28sb1AARjgvmsdcaPq0sHlxMgLf5Np9StwnEZK0htKWfF1kuZ8BdUj33rkHv9qhxhAKmCnC/s320/St+Pauls+Cathedral+043.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGm9T0uuj9Nd0J3v2ie7l-wlMoGy-y4LRLASsn-HHTRX4lmbrR-VYHmRTO4unRNig0TePutxpFKnajRgQqAR6zUOZuHpF9wE_si5w_pI1llb1HB2yiDqrhzY2RZcHTUklOeqH4AmLda3L/s1600/Silent-Sunday-Badge-SMALL-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGm9T0uuj9Nd0J3v2ie7l-wlMoGy-y4LRLASsn-HHTRX4lmbrR-VYHmRTO4unRNig0TePutxpFKnajRgQqAR6zUOZuHpF9wE_si5w_pI1llb1HB2yiDqrhzY2RZcHTUklOeqH4AmLda3L/s1600/Silent-Sunday-Badge-SMALL-1.jpg" /></a></div>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-23913613834826809022011-07-30T06:07:00.000-07:002011-07-30T06:07:36.391-07:00HMS Belfast Gun Turret ExhibitWe were lucky enough to be invited to HMS Belfast on Thursday to see the new Gun Turret exhibit that is opening on board.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLWmOMyWf2B-weAvxu2oCcEp3JjoVn7C1CS6-48gHdsxSvA65iq_gwDSwwC-KNKc4GJL-28kRN9jAuvNzVg4EKuNG1drIXSKbFRbNK8ldT2zqKVNBW_TGxJ6rtsV-dD1JYevsHGa7JId0/s1600/HMS+Belfast+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLWmOMyWf2B-weAvxu2oCcEp3JjoVn7C1CS6-48gHdsxSvA65iq_gwDSwwC-KNKc4GJL-28kRN9jAuvNzVg4EKuNG1drIXSKbFRbNK8ldT2zqKVNBW_TGxJ6rtsV-dD1JYevsHGa7JId0/s320/HMS+Belfast+010.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I arrived with my 10 year old son and his best buddy on a beautiful sunny morning to be greeted with tea and pastries and a press pack with all the information about the exhibit and HMS Belfast itself. We were then guided along to the exhibit which actually does take place within one of the 'gun housings' themselves. we went in and a black curtain darkened the inside. There is only room for a couple of families at a time in there so the children were encouraged to move forward to the front. A short film started to play with the story told from the perspective of a serviceman on board the Belfast in time of war. It takes you through what would happen in the run up to the guns being fired, with the workings moving and getting prepared. The experience culminated in a reenactment how it would feel to be inside there if the guns were fired, so loud noise, floor shaking and some smoke too. The boys thought it was great!<br />
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I am told that this film will be running on a timed loop for visitors to enter and watch during their visit. There is no extra cost to this so once you have paid your entrance fee everything then on board will be included. With this film on a constant loop it would be something that you could watch a few times on your visit if your children enjoy it.<br />
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Afterwards we were taken to the Operations Room where there are a couple of hands on games they can play. It consists of touch screen maps were the children or adults use ships and helicopters to search for aircraft wreckage on a timed game. The two boys loved this and were very disappointed by a 'Mission Failed' on their first attempt!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR09sg-U7Qfc-30ROelxc6A3yvm-Slip9wDTqSKANeM66IfCwa3p6_u8n0Wp_zO7gHPSnWcfmI-ZdW4gXsxDTT3r76frt21Wq02Ji19GzLnk0Q3KLxs-FCNBmtNhFU5sXXfDO9BjXB7dDA/s1600/HMS+Belfast+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR09sg-U7Qfc-30ROelxc6A3yvm-Slip9wDTqSKANeM66IfCwa3p6_u8n0Wp_zO7gHPSnWcfmI-ZdW4gXsxDTT3r76frt21Wq02Ji19GzLnk0Q3KLxs-FCNBmtNhFU5sXXfDO9BjXB7dDA/s320/HMS+Belfast+015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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Then we moved into the front control room with the Captains chair complete with uniform and hats for the children to try on, and two very helpful guides who encouraged the boys to put the coats and hats on and got them searching for different things to spot out of the window with the old sets of binoculars! The boys were in their element.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJFAbOPadxdG7jxsX4rlPGTu-Z6gI3ygXZ25wvc_3RZWtNnB17hIXIpEX5ktxYMmwfD2ZpSeTpQRy6L6V77R0jCV-glWFJsU9Myvr2rSWlCIiDdbTzujw4wlubO_poJGAAKAAjfLpxcXN/s1600/HMS+Belfast+018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpJFAbOPadxdG7jxsX4rlPGTu-Z6gI3ygXZ25wvc_3RZWtNnB17hIXIpEX5ktxYMmwfD2ZpSeTpQRy6L6V77R0jCV-glWFJsU9Myvr2rSWlCIiDdbTzujw4wlubO_poJGAAKAAjfLpxcXN/s320/HMS+Belfast+018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Captains Chair!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXW_0oRVHhbFgIZJaXtw784PgOi1GN9tk9RIODqQ3swr6ko_DKGhCkb2XjMiJxoKBOhZ32FrjIQ3MRloChn3eucxyrocg9cA4ZXLY4EveiDO4eq5wNDSJv4wuYLbyG9E-9SRzy9qgy3Re8/s1600/HMS+Belfast+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXW_0oRVHhbFgIZJaXtw784PgOi1GN9tk9RIODqQ3swr6ko_DKGhCkb2XjMiJxoKBOhZ32FrjIQ3MRloChn3eucxyrocg9cA4ZXLY4EveiDO4eq5wNDSJv4wuYLbyG9E-9SRzy9qgy3Re8/s320/HMS+Belfast+020.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In his dreams LOL</td></tr>
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We were then offered a guided tour around the ship or the chance to explore by ourselves. The boys opted to investigate the rest of the ship using the guide map. We went from the very top to the very bottom and had great fun on all the levels along with the child friendly hands on displays.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-nOEX2qDdh1R5iLARzKyeujkJME-IMhfwg9FXOTUNjtlQvrtyAl3S58EVNCKweFTgQ-pND8mgwpy6FDrumCP4bCfvf6W5-CWtbrBYlWlIf672kgCD6sm1eARWZRDsstOkDXcUCL4z1z9/s1600/HMS+Belfast+032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl-nOEX2qDdh1R5iLARzKyeujkJME-IMhfwg9FXOTUNjtlQvrtyAl3S58EVNCKweFTgQ-pND8mgwpy6FDrumCP4bCfvf6W5-CWtbrBYlWlIf672kgCD6sm1eARWZRDsstOkDXcUCL4z1z9/s320/HMS+Belfast+032.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using Morse code!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozSsAec8mloei3UhyphenhyphenO664wIlVkqVWF096gbWNe7S7xpqS25JscvV1XeQ0shwIbVQASAIuZGIrJFzHyijBdsCFGBzZbOAdkcsXoFyxBhm6jcuBt72tmxbEbo3fS6P6pN61VjyLe0JznPSq/s1600/HMS+Belfast+034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjozSsAec8mloei3UhyphenhyphenO664wIlVkqVWF096gbWNe7S7xpqS25JscvV1XeQ0shwIbVQASAIuZGIrJFzHyijBdsCFGBzZbOAdkcsXoFyxBhm6jcuBt72tmxbEbo3fS6P6pN61VjyLe0JznPSq/s320/HMS+Belfast+034.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attempting the knots!</td></tr>
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Word of warning......go sensibly dressed in trousers and don't wear flip flops!!!! Not that I did, but there was a lady with her son there who had great difficulty in a maxi dress and sandals, going up and down the very steep ladder/steps!!!<br />
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Although I went round with two gun mad boys who seemed to love everything about the ship I didn't feel that this would be a trip exclusively for boys. There were lots of girls on board who seemed to be having just as much fun. There is also a fab little cafe on board for that necessary thirst quenching cuppa for the adults, but if your budget doesn't run to extras there is an area just as you come on board where lots of families were indulging in their picnics too.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0QRNLP8OFyFpESvzJ8pT5pju-mrIhx6xrjeequevpf8pKGdGIWH3dm2Qh1Afy0kwIFT_YDIQDN50zuyqN_uHlJBU1eCwcJFL56WHU_pA0L7XT_KLRwX4eiOtk0eHkcMRKMLWU3TIHYV7/s1600/HMS+Belfast+045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0QRNLP8OFyFpESvzJ8pT5pju-mrIhx6xrjeequevpf8pKGdGIWH3dm2Qh1Afy0kwIFT_YDIQDN50zuyqN_uHlJBU1eCwcJFL56WHU_pA0L7XT_KLRwX4eiOtk0eHkcMRKMLWU3TIHYV7/s320/HMS+Belfast+045.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79dpQT_OBunx7kEGtDFu04xPmk9gePYM3n_Gi2RN5_5FO0X0XvYHaVY9R_dFn62tcS8_3fs1hqr2sbQnftIDKDh1I10cpgYiAuIlDM9KgD2pdAYgGJSlkCV7EGv7bATGQVmgpFp4xUY7c/s1600/HMS+Belfast+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj79dpQT_OBunx7kEGtDFu04xPmk9gePYM3n_Gi2RN5_5FO0X0XvYHaVY9R_dFn62tcS8_3fs1hqr2sbQnftIDKDh1I10cpgYiAuIlDM9KgD2pdAYgGJSlkCV7EGv7bATGQVmgpFp4xUY7c/s320/HMS+Belfast+025.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>As with most London attractions, visits don't come cheap with an adult ticket @ £13.50 and a child @ £5.50. However don't be put off as there are lots of 2 for 1 offers when travelling by train, and if your child is lucky enough to be the proud owner of a Blue Peter Badge ( yes they are still going!!) they will get in free!!<br />
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<span style="color: red;">SO CHECK OUT THE GREAT AND EASY COMPETITION BELOW FOR FREE TICKETS!!</span><br />
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Just as an extra there is a competition running for a family to win tickets to HMS Belfast with the opportunity to be aboard when the fire the guns for real!!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">To enter the prize draw, readers just have to email hmsbelfast@fidopr.co.uk and the winner will be selected at the end of July.</span></span>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-51898909839937956302011-07-25T13:37:00.000-07:002011-07-27T05:03:09.819-07:00Competition- HMS Belfast!One of the great attractions in London, to do with children, is to visit the fantastic HMS Belfast. If you haven't been before it really is worth a visit. I have a great opportunity to go there this Thursday for the opening of the new 'Gun turret' on board. So that post will be coming at the weekend. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGe-jl337mt2wnxEgi_a19b43tYmLDjMmzvdjYeAAwcDNx7VfU8mFRtjrr9xWsCXrbgidSz210prtyj3VJ8VdlMYu8GO_Os8mrLStfHeu62UaFesfcMgmYEN1JdE3iFYmf25vBVBbyr8Z/s1600/hms-belfast1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkGe-jl337mt2wnxEgi_a19b43tYmLDjMmzvdjYeAAwcDNx7VfU8mFRtjrr9xWsCXrbgidSz210prtyj3VJ8VdlMYu8GO_Os8mrLStfHeu62UaFesfcMgmYEN1JdE3iFYmf25vBVBbyr8Z/s320/hms-belfast1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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However, in the mean time they are running a great competition to win family tickets and a special tour on board HMS Belfast. The crew want everyone to have a blast, so they have decided to fire their guns for the winner! They don't do this very often so it will definitely be a rare treat for the winning family.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;"> <span style="color: red;">To enter all you have to do is email<a href="mailto:hmsbelfast@fidopr.co.uk"> hmsbelfast@fidopr.co.uk</a> to say you are interested, and then leave me a comment to say you have entered and include your favourite London attraction!!</span></span></span><br />
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Just to show you what you are missing take a look at this tour which will give an idea of what you will see <br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i22EVBebuiE"> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i22EVBebuiE</a><br />
<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,Helvetica,Arial;"> <span style="color: blue;">PS: feel free to follow too!!!</span></span></span><br />
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</span></span>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-36559300330224041222011-07-25T13:05:00.000-07:002011-07-25T13:05:46.070-07:00Summer activities without breaking the bank!!<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 26pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm a stay at home mum because of illness rather than choice. However I know there are lots of mums who also chose to stay at home while their children are young. This is great in the fact that childcare over the 6 week Summer holidays is not an issue.</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 26pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"> However when you don't work you don't earn money, and that is an issue when your facing 6 weeks of entertaining your children!!</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 26pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">My boys are aged 10 and 13 so there are only so many days that they will be happy to take some food and head of to one of the parks for the afternoon. Then comes the problem of not only entertaining the kids but keeping them active as well!</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 26pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tomorrow there will be an online programme broadcast that you can not only become involved in but also get great ideas on keeping the kids both entertained and active without costing a fortune!</span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 26pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">So why not take a look at the link below if you would like some more information but also to submit a question yourself! </span> </span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Quadruple Olympic gold medal Matt Pinsent CBE will be online live tomorrow, Tues 26th July @ 2pm, on Studio talk T</span><span style="color: red;">V.</span></span></b><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 26pt;"><span style="color: blue;">Tune in tomorrow @ 2pm via the link below</span> </span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 26pt;">What to do with your kids this summer?</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Gold Medallist and dad Matt Pinsent - and Olympic friends - with ideas on how to keep them busy this summer…..and without breaking the bank!</span></i><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Show date: Tuesday 26<sup>th</sup> July</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Show time: 2:00pm <i> </i></span></b></div><div class="MsoBodyText" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">With the summer holidays stretching ahead of us, there’s really only one thought on most mums’ minds – how am I going to keep them occupied for the next 6 weeks? And how am I going to do it without breaking the bank?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"> </div><div class="bodytext" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Summer is a great time to get out and about as a family, getting active together in the sunshine. But coming up with new activities and destinations can tax even the most imaginative mum during the long summer break.</span></div><div class="bodytext" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="bodytext" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Many schools and sports centres run summer sports clubs but they can be expensive and they tend to focus on the more ‘traditional’ sports of football, tennis and cricket.</span></div><div class="bodytext" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="bodytext" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">But there is a new scheme launched this summer to give millions of kids access to play up to 27 different sports for free. The Nestle Get Set, Go Free scheme will, for the first time, give kids access to a range of amazing activities including s</span><span style="font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">cuba diving, white water rafting, horse riding and paintballing.</span></div><div class="bodytext" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="bodytext" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Quadruple Olympic gold medal Matt Pinsent CBE is an active dad of three young kids. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #333333;">He joins us live online at </span></b><b><u><span style="color: #666666;"><a href="http://www.studiotalk.tv/show/what-to-do-with-your-kids-this-summer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.studiotalk.tv/show/what-to-do-with-your-kids-this-summer</a></span></u></b><u><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span></u><u><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></u></div><div class="bodytext" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">on Tuesday 26<sup>th</sup> July at 2pm for a live webTV </span></b></div><div class="bodytext" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 1.7pt; margin-right: 0cm; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">offering to discuss the Nestle Get Set, Go Free campaign and give his hints and tips on some alternative activities this summer.</span></b></div><div class="bodytext" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Click here to submit questions before the show: </span></b><b><u><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.studiotalk.tv/show/what-to-do-with-your-kids-this-summer" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.studiotalk.tv/show/what-to-do-with-your-kids-this-summer</a></span></u></b><u><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><span style="color: #666666;"></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></b></div><b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For more information visit </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.getsetgofree.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.getsetgofree.com</a></span></b>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925899954606710433.post-14885859593820776332011-07-22T13:13:00.000-07:002011-07-22T13:13:56.213-07:00Science Museum Space Exhibition- a free day out for summer!I was lucky enough to be one of the few people invited to the relaunch of the Science Museum's Space Exhibition in London on Wednesday evening.<br />
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With me I had 2 trusty space explorers in the shape of my 10 year old and his best buddy! When we arrived we were welcomed and our explorers were given the coolest video cameras to record their visit.<br />
This was by far the best decision for the visit as all the children there were running around recording all sorts of different things going on!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8S1PoIgpVQMzyKo1cVwpsImX9lxntR4VgvKCJ-ikb7sC_TKVWiroZQeoiwc5V23EWDjyd7p3FrrO8wW_redP10QA3yRXhBKuMIIJ4457NmnWjbGLIVIjDuCcnaBwKGaWZ7JOQWs004ei/s1600/Science+Museum+2011+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8S1PoIgpVQMzyKo1cVwpsImX9lxntR4VgvKCJ-ikb7sC_TKVWiroZQeoiwc5V23EWDjyd7p3FrrO8wW_redP10QA3yRXhBKuMIIJ4457NmnWjbGLIVIjDuCcnaBwKGaWZ7JOQWs004ei/s320/Science+Museum+2011+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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So we were given a tour that led us through the space entrance and the children had their 'passports' to find a special letter in each of the relevant sections.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They loved this globe!</td></tr>
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By far the most enjoyable bit for my two 10 year old explorers was definitely the Launchpad where they had the most amazing 'hands on' activities. As there were only a few of us there the children had the rare experience of being able to try lots of these out without a wait! Again this was something they talked about on the train journey home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wall of water/ bubbles!</td></tr>
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In passing we went through the area where the Imax is and we came across these..........not space related but they loved one and I loved the other.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boys and their toys!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBB0DsvALfGehWHphpBpkbW5qEogux4jsvEfx8NWPluySQssHFcisknKuovOoZLJWMJCOtxhKAiCL3eiYA6FtRoW-bTBymUZ8jOVs98M4wvYZ_6gKg_UK-MI3ylV-0ZcTl0zfxxZuxIlt/s1600/Science+Museum+2011+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTBB0DsvALfGehWHphpBpkbW5qEogux4jsvEfx8NWPluySQssHFcisknKuovOoZLJWMJCOtxhKAiCL3eiYA6FtRoW-bTBymUZ8jOVs98M4wvYZ_6gKg_UK-MI3ylV-0ZcTl0zfxxZuxIlt/s320/Science+Museum+2011+011.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fantastic dress made entirely of newspaper....no sign of the boys!</td></tr>
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They were then able to listen to a talk about all things space related by a real enthusiast, who dressed for the part and everything. Children being children though, were engrossed by the stories of how astronauts go the the toilet in space! Typical.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicGgP9Zl8O8ueNBwWrj_OLawYr6ddNkjuww9IEmXuxh42AAh5_zFoUCuwkk3g02aJ4gON8rY7-5mcL9_g1jBD58pB68R5TBM7J3AMEd5ObE-DnwSZigbe2QuNOnfmyomSx1giq8fXUUXe/s1600/Science+Museum+2011+037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicGgP9Zl8O8ueNBwWrj_OLawYr6ddNkjuww9IEmXuxh42AAh5_zFoUCuwkk3g02aJ4gON8rY7-5mcL9_g1jBD58pB68R5TBM7J3AMEd5ObE-DnwSZigbe2QuNOnfmyomSx1giq8fXUUXe/s320/Science+Museum+2011+037.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCul0O1FO6cF9ybHbjVOr4r9u4FizRM7cJAk4rPTlrhxCsUdntLKU7niM0Ydrq4pBmJ4OkpjCAJOtM-ov5JhgUTnfm123t0TWVNFB58tA_EoVxWDj8x_UiQrtNVHFK-BcvkTzieDEofss/s1600/Science+Museum+2011+040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQCul0O1FO6cF9ybHbjVOr4r9u4FizRM7cJAk4rPTlrhxCsUdntLKU7niM0Ydrq4pBmJ4OkpjCAJOtM-ov5JhgUTnfm123t0TWVNFB58tA_EoVxWDj8x_UiQrtNVHFK-BcvkTzieDEofss/s320/Science+Museum+2011+040.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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We have visited the Science museum before but probably not since last year so my son had a real treat that evening. However, the tour itself went past very quickly and the children seemed understandably rushed from one part to another. They talked on the way home that they would have loved to have more time in each section. The upside to this is that it has given both of them a renewed interest to go back for the day over the summer. Although they wont be lucky enough to have video cameras next time, and the museum will be incredibly busy I'm sure, they are looking forward to staying for the day and visiting all the departments. I know for certain I will be sat in the hands on Launchpad for a very long time on my next visit!!<br />
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Please if you are close enough for a visit and haven't been before it truly is worth a trip. Any age group will enjoy it here and the adults will love it just as much as the kids.........I guarantee it!<br />
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This all kicks off on the 23rd July, the museum itself is free to get in (although there are charges for the Imax and simulator if you chose to do them). So there are no excuses for not popping along during the summer holidays (unless of course you live in Scotland!!)<br />
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Check out their website <a href="http://sciencemuseum.org.uk/">http://sciencemuseum.org.uk</a>mum in meltdownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16460316200342594004noreply@blogger.com5