The Hangover

It's been a VERY exhausting week. Too many late nights. I am flagging at 8.15pm on a Sunday night. It's a kinda tragic, I know.

I hosted Book Club on Thursday night. Ten women, including yours truly, huddled in my lounge with more drinks and nibbles than you can shake a novel at. We discussed The Catcher in the Rye in great depth. We then discussed the merits of guzzling Champagne on a school night in great depth. Then I felt out of my depth when at 2.15am I was propping my eyelids open with matchsticks and they were STILL in full swing. The husband went to bed at 1am with three pillows on his head. He never goes to bed before me. Ever.

The Prince came to the rescue by having his regular night terror at 2.20am and the girls decided to call it a night (after consuming nine bottles of wine, a massive vat of Nigella's humous and flat breads, my dodgy looking but lush tasting vanilla cupcakes, savoury-coated soya beans, a cheeseboard, pistachio nuts, fruit and millionnaire shortbreads).

I went to bed with a spinning head and a smile plastered over my face though. Not so much in the morning when the alarm went off and I remembered I was meant to be doing the "reading with parents" bit in the classroom. I couldn't get my head off the pillow. The husband, he in shining armour, offered to do the school run and reading while I slept it off. I was delighted. Not so much so when I later discovered from the husband that all the women from Book Club were at school, reading with their children with faces fresher than morning dew. Not one was hung over or tired...how hard core is that?! Yet I looked like the freaky girl from The Ring (god that film freaks me out). It was a great night, we all had a laugh and it once again helped me feel like one of the gang. They're lovely girls.


This week I have spied (with my cherry shop eye) the following books from Link Romania, one of my all-time fave charity shops.

I am kidding. I did NOT buy this doll but she is still haunting me.
She looks like she has cataracts or something...

It's a large shop, with plenty of space for pushchairs and it also has furniture, toys, books and clothes. Plus a tiny vintage section although I never seem to find anything from that little area that really catches my eye, other than the odd teacup and saucer. I've not found anything else though, certainly no clothes have caught my tired eye.


The husband got help from a little gardener on Friday afternoon. They make my heart melt faster than Vienetta in a sauna.

What a glorious weekend! One of my best friends and her family came to stay. We had a brilliant time and were sad to see them go today. I tried hard to tempt them with a cream tea in the garden but they were still full from lunch and knew they had to make tracks. It's hard to think of them back in Berkshire now, while we are here, but they loved visiting and the kids loved the beach.

Our girls are very close friends and our boys are just a year apart and although we had to break up a couple of fights, they played really well.

I did lots of nice food and we ate every meal in the garden - serving up a hearty casserole and dumplings under the shade of the tree is quite pleasurable at this time of year (hark at me being all Cherry Menlove here). I made keylime pie for dessert which was gorgeous, although my insides feel congealed now and I think the cellulite may be upping its pace. We had a late night last night with them, as standard, so I hope my bed will be giving me that "come hither" look early tonight.

Pics from the weekend:

This makes me a bit sad. I know how much they miss each other.

The Fab Four

Look at the colour of that sea!

Friends Reunited

Eat your heart out Hepburn...

Too cool for school

Very Brokeback Mountain...

I'm up to date with my freelance work, the washing basket is E.M.P.T.Y. (this never happens so is worth the emphasis, believe me), packed lunches sorted, school uniform laid out, shoes polished, clean bedding for us all, a brand new book to start for Book Club awaits me  (we're now reading Salmon Rushdie's book The Enchantress of Florence) and I now have to cut down on my pork life. I've eaten ridiculously the past few weeks, and now is the time to rein it in. My jeans are too tight, and my tummy looks like it houses a baby or two. And I feel sluggish and portly.

Oh, on a final note, I was reading the local rag this week and scanned the adverts as I always do:

Then something caught my eye...

Only in this town.....as always! I was very tempted to phone up and see if it was still available. But then remembered I am on a diet...

Bernard Manning, I tell thee...

Weirder sightings this week in the town. Driving off to Yorkshire on Saturday for a christening, we passed (and I apologise for the lack of photo here) a man dressed up as a woman. Not that strange, I hear you cry, knowing the "sorts" I've spotted recently.
However, this man was a dead ringer for Bernard Manning, bless him, and he had a ruddy face and more stubble than a burning field. And  he was dressed in a leopard print mini skirt and heels. At 10.30am on a Saturday... this place gets more nuts by the day.
And we were pretty sure he wasn't off to a stag do. He was a tad too mature. The husband and I were speechless. Maybe the sea air does something to people here...
Anyway, we had a hellish five hour journey to Yorkshire. The Princess had a washing-up bowl wedged beside her "just in case" (she wasn't, thankfully) and the Prince...the dear sweet Prince (I say with gritted teeth) decided to cry and whinge for the duration. Until we were two minutes away from our destination and he fell asleep.
But we had a good time up there. The husband was godfather to his brother's children and I fell in love with the baby niece I hadn't met yet and it was good to catch up with everyone.

The Princess and her cousin (born 8 weeks apart and they are very close)

 My sister-in-law and I both have the same first and middle name which meant that when we married brothers, we also ended up with the same surname. It is very confusing and I've never met anyone with exactly the same name as me.

Me and my sister-in-law (sporting identical names) and her beautiful peach

Can anyone tell I am a wee bit broody?
Look at me going "she's ALL mine!"

I bought a lovely soft cardigan from a charity shop which I wore today. It cost me £2 and is a kind of waterfall shape which I am never sure about but I love the soft, muted lilac tone and the fact it goes with everything.

And then after putting it on this afternoon, the sun came out.

I picked the Princess up from school and we hit the beach. It was gorgeous, it feels a long time since I felt the sun on my face. I worship the sun, in fact I swear one day I will look like the old woman from There's Something About Mary. The one with the brown leathery boobs.

She went and chose the most expensive cake...

The £2 cardie. Loves it, so I do

Skippy and happy due to the sunshine!

Me and old gorgeous chops (who WILL NOT pose)

Fun in the seaside park

 Onto other things, my giant granny square is.... a giant hankie now. In six months time, I predict it will be a giant napkin. These things take me time!

Let's face it, I'll be a bloody granny by the time I get round to finishing it...

And then last night I finally finished Me Before You by Jojo Moyes.  I can't say anything other than.....go and read it. Now. The best book I've read in a long time.

This is my "Don't get emotional" face

I feel quite bereft now it's finished, but seeing that I am hosting the Book Club on Thursday night and haven't actually read the chosen book, I may be slightly busy tomorrow night, page skimming!

 Oh and the weekend before last, my bestest, oldest friend (we've been friends for 32 years) came to stay for the weekend with her hubby and baby. It is a good arrangement as the hubby and hers get on like a house on fire so we're all happy. The weather was pants but we had a right laugh.  And all the kids behaved which of course makes things sooooo much easier.

She's the main reason I miss "home" (other than my family living there) and I wish I could see more of her and her beautiful little girl.

Ooh, and  I shall be getting a little more regular freelance work, following on from last week's brief which is wonderful. It means I can afford to go and treat myself to the odd thing now and again guilt free! And that will mean more charity shop scouring! Yippee!

Watch this space...

Beach boy and working

My freelance job is still on going but I've broken the back of it so thought I would indulge in some light relief and write a blog post.

Thankfully, I've not come across any psycho dolls in the street, begging for a new home. And I STILL haven't resurrected Rita, the bald, slightly boss-eyed, non-bodied doll either. Cuckoo has kindly offered and I will probably take her up on her kind offer to fix Rita, but for the time being, I can kid myself that I am talented enough to do it myself. Despite not understanding the first thing about sewing.

I discovered a whole road packed with cherry tree shops this week which I can't believe has taken me 15 weeks to discover! There is everything from Oxfam to Scope and British Heart Foundation. A charity shop full of furniture which I didn't have time to visit and I need to go back when life has calmed down somewhat.

I did buy this book though.

How retro can you get?! £1 my darlings, £1.

Then after the hideous weather, there was the most glorious day here on Monday. I love living in a coastal town. I am still missing my old friends and my old haunts but being able to see the sea every day if I want is a massive healer.

I've had worst Monday mornings, put it that way.

The Prince and I often visit the sea after the school run - I love spending time with him so much. It was only at the weekend that it dawned on me that he starts school Sept 2013. As in next year. He doesn't even start preschool until this September so it's made me feel quite teary this week. Because I have no family and close friends here, he and I are joined at the seams. We've always had a deeper, more intense bond than I ever thought we had. I didn't think I would understand boys at all. I love my Princess with my entire soul. I couldn't imagine feeling the same about a boy, for some reason. I didn't understand trains and tractors and diggers. And boys clothes didn't appeal to me at all. I loved dressing my daughter in frothy, marshmallow pink netted tutus and floral tights and doing her hair. But I have been surprised with the Prince. 

When the Princess is at school, the Prince is my soul mate. I don't need anything else but him during those moments. 

Monday morning 

Playing at the seaside park

We try to solve mysteries (and give up).
We found this on a beach hut.

I wish it didn't have to end. I always cry at these milestones. Am I alone in not wanting my children to grow up too fast? I love them at this age and the husband and I are always saying we want to bottle them up. It makes me want to have another baby, but then that baby would grow up too and I would feel just as bereft. Can't keep having them! Especially when I put on four stone each time!

Right, I need to get back to work now. I do love working from home. It's what I always wanted to do. Write from home. No commuting, no office clothes, go to the loo when I please, eat when I please, sort the washing when I please. It's been going well - I've been mainly re-writing and proof-reading an entire website. Done 25 pages so far. Phew!

Oh and on a final note. I took this pic just for a laugh when I walked past the shop. I need to mature it seems. And fast...

Cherry tree time

Before I begin, do you remember Doll Gate: the mad freaky scary doll I found in the road last week, the one that got run over by several cars and I saved her life?

And I was going to give her an amazing makeover with a brand new look?

Well, I didn't. Rita (my name of choice for her) is still lying with broken limbs on the book shelf, looking weird. I will do it one day I promise. But listen, Doll Gate continues. Look what I found in a different road a couple of days ago...

Oh, and if you are freaked by dolls, look away now.

Chucky eat your heart out

What a peculiar town this is.....

This actually scared me. Big time.

 Dolls, broken. In a road. Wearing Victorian garb. What the eff......

ANYWAY......

 I thought I would sneak another blog post in as have just this evening landed myself a fab freelance job for the next week but it is mahoosive and time will be of the essence. Nothing else will get done. No housework, very little cooking, the laundry will pile up and I will probably not get to the beach.


I will be burning midnight oil and morning oil and patchouli oil and any old oil to meet this tight deadline but I need the money as hate sponging off the Husband when I run out. Therefore I thought I ought to write tonight while I still have spare time and share my offerings from the Scope charity shop which I only found yesterday - despite the fact it is a mere six minute walk from my gaff.

I went in and nearly spontaneously combusted with the excitement of it. Loads of books, knick knacks, great children's toys and clothes. Friendly staff. Nice jewellery. And quite cheap. 25p for a book!

It had been recommended by a woman I met in the library on Monday. I've clocked her in the park a few times as liked the look of her (yikes, that makes me sound tres shallow).

Anyway, she told me about her obsessions for all things cherry tree. And she happens to be the president of the W.I. which she told me to come along to. They call themselves Rage Against The (Sewing) Machine! Love it!

Apparently there is one in Leeds called Buns 'n' Roses, which I think is the best name ever for a W.I. group. What with going to that and the book club whenever I can, things are hotting up.  Plus I've been invited for a weekend in London in October with a different group of mums - a theatre, hotel, dinner type affair but I shall see how many pennies I can gather before then before I commit.

Anyway look at my treasure trove from the cherry tree. Less than £2 was spent in total. Less than a G&T and less than a pack of fags. This is definitely my habit of choice (cherry tree shopping I mean, not smoking).

I am thrilled with the Prince's Gisela Graham passport holder which will be perfect for our summer holiday this year and I also needed The Princess and the Pea Ladybird book desperately.

Oh I used to love this page!

Missing the Autumn story but 25p each is still a bargain!

My favourite illustration in the Winter Story

This always makes me feel warm and happy when I turn to this page

So comforting and cosy

Hasn't the weather been dreadful?! This was the view when the Husband, the Prince and I had coffee at our fave cafe yesterday morning.

It's GRIM

It was wild and stormy. Waves were smashing and crashing.

Loving the chocolate milkshake

The weather perked up today so the kids drew and played in the garden and then ate al fresco. Lush! No clearing up, let the birds and evil limping fox eat it. The evil limping fox was on my neighbour's trampoline this week. Whatever next? Badgers on roller skates?

Doing her homework while shooing away her pesky brother

PS We all know I called charity shops "cherry tree" shops, but I thought I would let all you cherry tree fans know that you can rent your own actual real cherry tree. That's right, at www.rentacherrytree.co.uk you can rent a tree for a year and enjoy it in every season. See it in full blossom in the spring and then you can go along to the orchard in East Sussex in harvest time (July) and pick your own. It costs £42.50 for a year and your tree will produce around 10kg of fruit. Now that really is a treasure from the cherry tree...