Town and gown

I absolutely love this cherry tree dress that I bought the Princess. It is orginally from Next and I bought it for £3! I love the fabric and when she grows out of it, I may have to learn how to be crafty so I can reuse the fabric.

This is a hasty post as have the Princess's sports day in an hour and I have chores to do beforehand as entertaing a few ladies tonight. God that makes me sound like Hugh Heffner!

Few glasses of vino and nibbles, hopefully out in the garden but it's feel rather chilly at the moment. The sun has gone in.

I am still thinking of the lovely day I had on Tuesday.  I had slept at my sister's house in Bristol the night before after the Bon Jovi gig and we got up early and headed to Bath. Where we spent the whole morning at the Thermae Bath Spa.

It is gorgeous. I've been to a few spas in the past but this stood out for its fab city centre location and rooftop pool. Very odd but pleasant feeling to feel the cool, chilly air on your face while the rest of your body is submerged in warm water.

We left Bath and then headed to my home town for a little look around. I grew up there when it was considered uncool.

Not anymore. It is full to bursting with wonderful shops - a burlesque shop, a wool shop where you can buy everything for your knitting/crochet needs, a bead shop, brilliant cherry tree shops, great and unusual clothes shops, fab pubs and a street with a stream running through the middle.

It has never been so cool, which is helped by the nearby Babington House  which is renowned for being a celeb hangout. According to my sources, Beyonce and Katie Price were spotted (not together) drinking in one of the pubs last week and Johnny Depp is moving in.

Pearl and Daisy Lowe bought a house there although I believe they've now moved to a nearby village and one of the McGann brothers lives there too.

My favourite parts of this Saxon town?

A lamp post....

The fact Johnny Depp could soon be seen driving out of here.

Apparently his new home once the building work has finished. I am seriously considering moving back purely to knock on his door and say "Hi, I hear you've just moved in. Do you need a cup of sugar?"

I love this street with its stream and cool shops.

Spot my sis!

 Then we left Frome and went home. To see my parents at their home To me it will always be My Home. I love it. Every bit of it.

They salvaged Bampy's old tin bath which they found tucked away after he died and have given it a new lease of life. I found that healing. Life goes on, but we still have our memories.

We sat in mum and dad's garden for ages, drinking tea and catching up in the sun. Not done that for years without my husband or children. It was lovely.

Mum and Dad wanted us to try out their new bed. Never thought I would get bed envy. THE most confortable bed in the world, ever!

Being very silly indeed.

Sometimes I wish I still lived at home. Life seemed so much simpler then. Ooh, I've just realised I am wearing cherry tree linen trousers in the above pic, £2 from Sue Ryder. They are not at all flattering but tres comfortable.

Must dash, I am aware I haven't posted on other blogs for a few days, been hectic but will catch up soon!

xx

Shot through the heart.....

OK so not many Bon Jovi fans are cool. I knew this. It was my third time. You will always get the fans who look like this:

"Nice jacket. Was it from a Cherry Tree Shop?"

And they really don't care. There was a lot of leather, too many tattoos, some scary faces. Some possibly could have washed their hair beforehand and made an effort. It was a muggy evening in Bristol after all.

We rock. And we know we do.

So I got to Bristol and I was ready to rock my socks off. Wasn't wearing socks though really, cos as I said it was all too muggy. The DMs went back in the wardrobe, the Birkenstocks came out. Far more suitable for Glasto but hey, this ain't a fashion parade.

Cherry Tree skirt, natch.

This is my brother in law Danny. Do you like the ahem.....tattoos which were very REAL of course. Ahem. We like to think we looked very much the part. And indeed we did!

I wore my Superman t-shirt as Jon Bon Jovi has a matching tattoo. See, I'd be a good wife to him, totally supportive of him and everything.

Anna and I barely able to contain our excitement.

And then Bon Jovi came on stage and we commenced to leap, sing, play guitar and rock non stop for two and a half hours. While the rest of the fans seemed extremely subdued in comparison, but we couldn't care less.

Keep the Faith

I think the tattoo sleeve looks so real here!

"Woooooooooah, we're half way there"

"Woooooah Livin' on a Prayer"

I got so over excited I actually needed my asthma inhaler at one point!

Oh yeah, TOTALLY Wayne's World

 We had an awesome time, I love the husband soooooooo much for this belated Christmas present. Jon didn't let us down. Except he didn't sing "Always", but you know what, I can forgive him.

What I can't forgive, are some of the fans who looked bored and miserable throughout. The ones who weren't up for a laugh. The ones who couldn't be bothered to get their backsides out of their seats and pay tribute to the New Jersey boys. Thankfully we were standing and used our inflatable guitars to the max.

Then we caught sight of the following fan who reinstored my faith in people enjoying gigs.

Look at his leggings. Jeggings? Spandex?

And as for the man himself?

Jon you still have it son. You still have it.

A brilliant night. I will update on other stuff another time. The Prince has had an epic nap (three hours) and I need to wake him for lunch before the school run in 15 mins! Yikes I hope he sleeps tonight!

Squiffy over Biffy

A little girl came up to me in the park yesterday and squealed "Ooooh, I know you!"

I looked around but indeed she was talking to me. I obviously looked a little bemused as clearly had NO idea who she was, yet I was trying to rack my brains.

Then she laughed "You are that lady with the lipstick on at the village fete who told a very bad joke and everyone laughed at you."

Gulp. If you remember this, I posted last Sunday about my embarrassment thanks to a certain children's entertainer who is well known in the area. But this little girl thought it was hilarious and kept staring at me.

Moving on, and putting that moment firmly behind me, I am enjoying some rare peace. The Prince is playing in the garden, currently pushing two baby dolls around in a pushchair and cooing over his babies who are called Derek-Tom and Amelie.

Derek-Tom is in the front with Noo-Noo (aka Mr Snuggles)

Yes he is even moving in to kiss Derek-Tom

Derek-Tom belonged to the Princess and she proudly named him. Where the name came from we have no idea as don't even know a Derek.  She also has a teddy called Steven. With a V, mind, not a PH.

Anyway, the Prince is playing with his dolls, The Princess is playing football in a big tournament and so I am blogging away to my heart's content.

Looking like a proper tom boy today!
I hate baseball caps with a passion but am trying to see past it in this pic!

Can't wait for tomorrow, the weather is due to be a scorcher isn't it?! So desperate for the sun. I am a sun worshipper, always have been and I know it's not good for the skin but my helps keep my acne at bay.

Have suffered with bad skin since I was 11. I am now nearly 36. Unfair. It is a lot better than it was but I look at women with porcelain skin and wish I'd been blessed with the same.

However, I count my lucky stars for what I do have in life and all the things that are more important than a peaches and cream complexion.

Now I would like to show off my "happy cuppa" set (that sounds a bit like happy slapping doesn't it, or is it just me. Maybe I should rename it.)

The second saucer is missing but I got the lot for £4 from Oxfam. It's such a cheerful set I couldn't resist.

 I may have to drink tea out of it all afternoon if this sunshine doens't burn through like it promised to. Bring my own little ray of sunshine into the house.

Watched Glasto last night. Have bit of a crush on Simon Neil, the lead singer in Biffy Clyro now. Look at him in this link, he's the one who looks a little like Jesus.
http://www.musicrooms.net/files/artists/Biffy_Clyro_494669297.jpg  Not my usual type, he is hairy and covered in tattoos but for some reason I LOVE him and the music is great!  Of course we all the Biffy Clyro song which Matt Cardle sang when he won X Factor but I loved the others they performed at Glasto too.

Here's him getting his tats out and then I will stop obsessing  http://www.bollyfirst.com/image-library/port/376/b/biffy-clyro-0809.jpg

Love that he wore pink converse. The kids watched it too and were dancing around the lounge shrieking and rocking out. Brilliant!

Have a lovely weekend everyone. And just remember, NEVER tell a comedian/kids' entertainer a joke, even if you think it is worthy.

Thankful for lovely people

Isn't it funny how some days are destined to be bad days (ie waking up at 8.30am when I have to do the school run at 8.30am and then forget packed lunches and miss the train that I needed, it's pouring with rain when I didn't remember the raincoats etc etc.)

But then in return, some days are destined to be good days and I think today is the day of fine things!

Firstly, the postman brought me great joy, even if he is not so full of joy himself. A beautifully wrapped package from Pink Milk, which was the prize giveaway I won this week.

I am a person who is naturally easily pleased at the smallest things, so imagine my excitement when I opened this little beauty. I nearly spontaneously combusted.

I love the gorgeous packaging

Getting tres excited

Never has there been a truer phrase

I have always been mad for the colour pink. Always!

"Oooooooooh!"



The nicest thing to have arrived in the post for ages!



The piece de resistence

Utterly stunning (note to self: use handcream more often)

Heather added a couple of extras including this gorgeous ring

So that was a beautiful start to today. I then opened a letter containing a cheque for some freelance work I wrote in April and hadn't been paid for.  It finally arrived after weeks of chasing.

And THEN my sister called to tell me that we are hitting a spa together on Tuesday as a little treat! I have Tuesday to myself all day after the Bon Jovi gig the night before. The husband has the kids and I have time, I love the sound of that word, to myself. We are then going shopping and then having dinner at our parents' house and my lush Dad then said he would drive me all the way home. He is brilliant, always willing to go the extra mile (literally this time!).

I am feeling a little jaded today though. My beautiful friend Missy came to stay last night from Somerset with her little boy. Our children were born on the same day and although she was in the year above me at school, we only met properly through our children.

We get on very well and don't stop laughing from start to finish. The children all stayed up until 9pm and then Missy and I drank a leedle bit too much wine, scoffed waaaay too much bad stuff and had a generally silly time.

The Princess and her birthday twin

On a school night too, tut tut. (Her son has inset day today though)

Very sober. Very very sober.

Getting our second wind

Missy: "Let's smile nicely for the camera, Gem"

Very silly. It looked so much funnier last night...

My dear girl

Still quite sober, I am a terrible lightweight.

A rather messy end for somebody. Who drank far more than me!

And finally, onto my favourite topic. Cherry tree shops. I have picked up this Laura Ashley cardie for the Princess. £3 from Helen & Douglas House Hospice. It is so cosy and she loves it.

This weekend I shall mainly be watching Glastonbury on TV, although secretly part of me is wishing I still lived so close to the festival site that we all got cheap tickets. The weather is going to be scorching, mind you I don't fancy all that mud.

The reason Missy came to stay last night is because her son's school has an inset day today due to the festival. So many are going, it's not worth opening the school apparently!!! How hippy is that?!

I've just heard it's over knee deep in parts. Yuk. Been there, done that, think the comfort of my sofa is more preferable this year!