A wizard half term!

Blogger is playing up. There's a weird white background and my kids look like giant swede heads. What's that all about?

"The Liebster Award is for bloggers with under 300 followers and the rules of the award is that the nominee must link back to whoever awarded them, write 11 random facts about themselves, answer the 11 questions from the award giver, and then nominate another 11 bloggers and make up 11 questions for them to answer. It's a great way for new and undiscovered bloggers to meet new people, get more followers and find some blogs that they want to follow."

http://carrotpeas.blogspot.co.uk/ has awarded me a Liebster Blog Award.

Thank you muchly lovely Peas & Carrots, what a dear you are.....

So, she asked me the following questions:

1. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you? I once went to a hen party and had to stand up and tell the 20 girls how I knew the bride-to-be. Suddenly someone piped up: "What's that hanging out of your trouser leg?" To my absolute horror, "yesterday's pants" had somehow got caught up in my garment and decided to roll out at the worst possible time. I was eight months pregnant and unable to bend down and whip the offending article away, someone had to walk over and pick my undercrackers up for me. They were size 18-20 maternity pants, faded black, frayed with a saggy gusset. Yet the ground didn't swallow me up. I had to suffer.....horribly.

2. What was your first job? News reporter on a weekly newspaper in Oxford. I interviewed Peter Andre, Jim Davison, I was shut in a room on location with Rufus Sewell, 60s sweetheart Adam Faith, Gina G, poets and authors. I went to gigs and the theatre on my own most nights (I was single when I started the job) and wrote restaurant reviews so often dined free. I hung around with boy bands in their dressing room and edited my own music column. Gosh it's so long ago now and seems like a different life.

3. Your favourite word? Scrumptious. And Drizzled. The latter really irks The Husband when I make dishes "drizzled with olive oil".

4. What do you hope to achieve this year? A stronger back and better health. I am quite literally always ill and I am sick of it (literally, ha!)

5. What are your hobbies? Shell collecting on the beach! And a little bit of crochet but then everyone says that these days. I shall stick to the shells.......

6. Your happiest memory? My grandmother scuttling down the road to see me every Thursday afternoon, armed with a bunch of bananas and coffee & walnut cake. She died three years ago and a tiny piece of me went with her. I try to remember the halcyon days of seeing her and wish so much she was still here. After my mum and sister, she was my best female friend.

7. Favourite song and why?  Salt 'n' Pepa's Push It. Been my fave song since I was 13. I am now 37. It's never dated.

8. One thing that makes you angry? Shallow people and boasters. Can't stick 'em!

9. Your favourite smell? A freshly cut rose

10.  One thing you couldn't live without? Green & Black's Butterscotch chocolate. Oh, and my family..... 


11.What was the last programme you watched on television? Wish You Were Here with Emily Lloyd. A wonderful film that is a fave of mine and the husband's. Some of it is filmed where I live and it's a special film for us, even if fairly depressing in parts.

So I now need to award other people with less than 300 followers. I shall think about this a while longer and write a new post with the chosen ones.

Oh heck, I've lost my voice today (told you I am always ill). We're all in good health for once but I can't speak and the Husband and Princess are loving it. And I am loathing it. It makes me realise just how much I shout, although that's not exactly good is it?!

This week we've been to Brighton and had fun on the pier, then spent a day on a glorious sandy beach, and then on Thursday we went to Warner Bros studio to see the making of Harry Potter.

Blogger has distorted all my pics! Swede heads galore!

My children are huge fans. My three-year-old knows all the characters and they always dress as Harry and Hermione, so you can imagine how much they loved it!

Taking himself very seriously

Cherry tree coat, vintage M&S

We gasped at Hogwarts:

It was like a fairytale castle. Immense details!

The kids wanted to dress up for the occasion   #cute

We rode on broomsticks, saw the flying car, the Princess had a duel with a Death Eater:

The Prince was scared of the Death Eater so a member of staff helped 'man him up':

We saw all the masks for the goblins:

  

Simon Cowell had put on some weight.....

We walked up Diagon Alley

We even stood outside Privet Drive. 

The Princess had a wand lesson

Fancy a Bertie Botts' sweet?

Really??????????

It's been a pretty good half term, although the kids have also driven me nuts at times, as standard.

The Prince was really poorly last week, with suspected gastric flu. It was awful. This week, he is back to normal and my parents sent him his fave film on DVD. 

The Prince actually calls himself "Scar" at home

Chilling out to watch it for the 3rd time already...

And I picked up this bargainous book for 30p from Scope. My mum had this book when I was little because I can remember being terrified of the dog on the front. Don't ask why.....  #slightlynuts

Settling with in my Cherry Tree vintage Delia

And so half term is nearly over. Although I've just discovered Monday is an inset day.

GAH!!!