Affairs of the heart

So I've not been here for a whole month. I'd love to tell you I have been busy on a paradise island sipping cocktails (non alcoholic of course, due to being 20 weeks pregnant). I would love to tell you I spent four whole weeks draped in a hammock, reading dozens of books.

But oh no. No such luck. I've been mainly saving my hanging baskets from destruction, after the kids decided to use them as basketball nets (my poor fushias will never be the same again), trying to work out how we will fit another baby in this house (I fear my dreams for a dressing table in the bedroom window are shot to bits as now we will have a cot in its place...gah!) and....oh....well, trying to get over a brief love affair.

A love affair that I should never have begun, and one that is coming to a swift end.

His name?

Instagram.

I could never fathom why bloggers were turning their heads to Instagram. Sure, he was alluring, I eventually got sucked in myself, but all the time I knew it wouldn't last, no matter how intense it became.

At first I just flirted with Instagram, just here and there when the kids were in bed or the husband was at work. It felt wrong. I was cheating on Blogger. I loved Blogger with a passion - I still do - but Instagram tempted me with the fact he was so easy. There was little effort involved and it showed me a world I didn't know existed.

Instagram introduced me to new people. New things.

But after a while, my heart stopped beating every time I met up with Instagram.

The new things became the regular things I saw. Trends developed. Nothing seemed original anymore.
I got bored seeing the same things he showed me. And I realised Blogger had always been a loyal companion with more depth and character. How could I have temporarily dumped Blogger just for someone's looks? I felt ashamed and dirty.

There was also a misunderstanding somewhere down the line and so I eventually came to my senses and am calling it a day with Instagram. He will understand I am sure and will end up lulling some other person to his lair. I wish them all the best.

So Blogger understands. I have explained everything to him. My heart lies here and I am so much happier for realising this.

And now I've got THAT off my rather ample chest, here's what's been going on.

OK there was a bit of lounging around on the beach...

Admiring pretty beach huts

Enjoying a bit of icy happiness

Bringing Home & Away to the UK south coast

A little light evening reading on the beach

Had a wonderful day when KMMS came to see me

We spent the day charity shopping, lunching by the sea, paddling in the warm waters,  and catching up.

I bought this for £2.99 from British Heart Foundation
(originally Fat Face)

It needed a matching necklace and woo!  £1!!!

Love how the necklace matches the stitching

Tried to fathom why the Prince was a fairy......

Love this moment of tenderness

Bought this for 10p a few weeks ago at a charity fete!

Picked this up in Dorothy House charity shop while in Bath.
£2.99! Perfect.

Finished my breastfeeding course yesterday and "graduate" on Tuesday.
Can't believe how much we had to learn! Then I shall be a Coastal Peer Supporter!

And here is me at 20 weeks pregnant. I am loving this pregnancy. Yes I'm boasting a big bump but to me, it means my baby has cushioning! He or she will have far more space in my tummy than when he/she joins our chaotic family!

See you soon Blogger and no, I won't sneak back to Instagram. Hand on heart.

Sore

I'm flipping frustrated. I'm ill. Lost my voice, raging sore throat, aching, hacking cough.

Hello antibiotics, and goodbye eating whenever I like...

Who EVER invented antibiotics that you have to take four times a day on an empty stomach? Are they having a laugh? There is a bowl of strawberries and cream in the fridge with my name on and I can't eat them for another hour due to the blasted wretched tablets.

And no voice means no shouting.

And that is WELL irritating when I need to round up the kids. I've had to start doing the two finger whistle which is far from ladylike but the only thing that works.

Anyway, being ill means I've not really seen much to buy in the cherry tree shops, because I've lost my mojo temporarily.

Mind you, I spotted these in the British Heart Foundation window and if they had been in my size, I would have snapped them up. £15.

Irregular Choice in a cherry tree shop? Are you kidding?

In other news the Princess and I have been out to the cinema. We ate too much........

I've been enjoying the beach when the sun does show its face.

We've been to a nice party next door and the Princess wore her favourite dress.

Spot the secondhand bedside table

And I've been having nice days with the Prince, before he starts school. We're continuing to make the most of our time together.

Helping on a preschool trip

His cherry treee jigsaw! 

I have a few trips to the cherry tree shops lined up over the next few weeks so am hoping to have some goodies to show thee.

Right, that's a bit more time killed before I trough the strawberries and cream.

(clock watches a bit longer)

Baby Cakes

So, I've not been here for a while. Quite a while. Oh, I've been very busy. Changing bedding and doing umpteen washing loads and breaking up the children fighting and trying to stop eating cake and tidying up the garden and killing ants and potting tubs and baking.

Oh indeed there has been plenty of baking.

In fact I have a bun in the oven right now. It's a very special recipe, this one, so it actually won't be ready until just before Christmas.

Over the moon? You bet.

Now we're over the shock anyway...

I shall once again be able to load
 up a pram with cherry tree purchases!

Cringe City

I seem to be morphing more and more into Miranda Hart. Not in a "is she a man or a woman" kind of way (I hope), but in a "it could only ever happen to me" kind of way. I seem to cringe my way through the week.

Yesterday was the latest of my "embarrassing moments". I'd left my course (I'm training to be a breastfeeding peer supporter for new mums) and headed to my new favourite charity shop.

It's six units rolled into one. Huge. It has furniture, clothes, accessories, knitting and crochet bits and bobs, it's basically divine.

As I walked in, I noticed the staff were laying out a table with sausage rolls and other, what I call, party titbits (see, there I go again with Miranda-isms). And jugs of drink and fancy flutes.

I carried on minding my own business, purchasing two gorgeous babygros for my sister's new baby (William Stanton was born two days ago and is a total peach) and seeking out vintage Ladybird books (none).

Suddenly a cake was brought out to the party titbit table. A rather swish cake. And a crowd of men in suits suddenly gathered along with lots of charity shop volunteers and a newspaper photographer. And I happened to accidentally find myself in the centre of said crowd...

 It then dawned on me that all the other customers had vanished from the shop and this party had become a more private affair.

One of the suited men walked up to me and handed me a glass of fizz and offered me some pretzels from his bowl. Obviously I accepted both graciously (free nosh/drink, never one to turn it down).

"Oooh, fab, you are a waiter for the occasion (*what occasion?*). How lovely!" I enthused with a shrill voice, laughing foolishly.

Turns out he wasn't the waiter. But of course the Chief Executive (and a rather handsome at that) of the entire charity. Who had visited the shop to celebrate its 15 years of being open.

And the party was to thank all the volunteers for all their hard work over the years.

And there I was, hobnobbing in the middle of it all in a bemused fashion, with the Chief Executive, glugging fizz, shovelling crisps and cocktail sausages down me, and panicking inwardly when I realised my error.

"So, how long have you worked here?" he asked me, with seemingly great interest.

Oh dear god. I knew the question would come. I started to sweat and suddenly felt faint.

I choked down my handful of pretzels and said, in a ridiculously high pitched voice: "Oh, well, I don't actually work here YET! Ha ha but I hope to be a volunteer soon. It's such a fab team."

All the while thinking to myself "how could I ever fit the time in? I am 80 per cent on my own with the kids, I have no cleaner, or dishwasher, no support network and have just started a course....there are barely any hours in my day to have a wee."

He commended me for offering to volunteer and excused himself to make a celebration speech to the gathering crowd. Meanwhile he'd had a brief word with the manager who came dashing over and showed her gratitude at my offering to volunteer. I have to go in next week to fill in the forms and work out when to start.......

Why does it always happen to me?

Still, looking on the bright side, I managed to spot this lush book before making a hasty retreat.

Other moments of cringe: Last week I did the school run with my dress tucked in my pants and no one told me. I passed builders, male joggers, school dads.......I could die at the thought of it.

Then last Saturday I met friends (including Kerry) in London and I made a fool of myself there too.

I overzealously took my coat off in an art exhibition and hit someone, so turned around to apologise profusely....only to discover  I was actually talking to a pillar. So embarrassing. What a doofus.

 I then ordered a "mo-jeeeeeeto" (so uncool).

The shame. Mo-jeeeeeto. No kidding.

In my defence, this was because I was distracted and not concentrating (OK because I fancied the barman).

I had earlier ordered a coffee and, thinking my friends were still standing behind me, turned round and did a silly impression of a coffee slurp and an "oooooooooh lovely" in a ridiculous accent and then realised they'd moved away to a distant table and I was talking to a total stranger who looked at me like I was nuts.

And then (and I haven't told the others this yet, as am mortified) on the way home, a lady got on the train and was doing a really crazy smile at me so I did one back, thinking we'd shared some silly joke or something.

Then I realised to my utter horror that her facial expression didn't change. And that close up, the poor woman either had had a stroke or some surgery and her face stayed in that position. I felt dreadful as would have hated her to think I'd mocked her. I spent the rest of the journey looking into my empty crisp packet (which I'd taken a hour to empty as the train was painfully quiet and my crisps were the noisiest in the world so as soon as the train driver made an announcement, I'd ram a handful in my mouth and chew them as fast as I could, until the next opportunity).

And then I nearly ended up in Eastbourne but I have no energy left to talk about it.

In other news, the Prince got himself a hair cut. He didn't move an inch for the 25 minute chop. I am so besotted with him and his gentle nature. He is placid. Unlike the Princess and I.

Oh and on a final note, who's hungry?

May I tempt you? Spotted in the window of a shop on my way to toddler group this morning.

Packed with flavour no doubt

Next week, I shall be cringe-free, it's my mission.

Fiddler

I bought this slightly odd top/dress/kaftan from Scope for a fiver this week. I knew its 70s look would either make me look hot or not.

Sadly it made me look like Mama Cass from the Mamas and the Papas. Not ideal, really.

Mind you, chubbiness aside, my legs have brought immense pleasure to someone this week. But not in a good way......

I took the kids to the library on Wednesday as I needed to get some books to help with a breastfeeding course I have started, where I'm training to be a Milk peer supporter. As I was engrossed in the books, I suddenly became aware of a little old man sitting and reading in a chair to the right of me.

I then noticed he'd stopped reading his book and was staring at my legs. How desperate, was my first thought. Then I was embarrassed at my vanity. Of course he wasn't looking at my legs. Dear god, why would he?

Then I realised he seriously WAS.

I then noticed his hand rubbing rhythmically over his crotch, under his book. He was discreet, but definitely fiddling with himself.

I shopped him to the librarian and she grabbed the manager. By this point, the man had shuffled over to the teenage girls fiction area, where two teens were innocently reading. I grabbed my kids and left by this point.

I raced home to tell the husband.

"Well, it shows you've still got it, love" came the dry response.

Maybe I should have gone in dressed like Mama Cass.

Anyway, I am excited as seeing my sister this weekend. I am leaving the husband with the kids until Sunday afternoon and cannot wait! A two hour train journey on my own! Imagine!

I am so broody and she is nearly at the end of her pregnancy. I spent Wednesday afternoon (before the library incident) cuddling my friend's new baby, who is the dearest little girl. Ah I was in heaven!

I also went to a beach a few times in the better weather this week. Had such a great time and LOVE people watching. This foursome were cute!

Loving the glittery sea

My peace is now shattered. Both kids have stormed in demanding a thousand things, so I shall leave it there, dear readers, until the next mad episode in my life.

Diggers, trucks, chips and wee........

The Prince is toilet trained but still wears a nappy at night because he can't be bothered to get up and go for a wazz. And tonight I ran out of bedtime nappies. There is no man in the house to go  and get some, just me and the kidlings so I am going to have to 'fess up.

Tonight, my poor boy has gone to bed in a swimming nappy (that offers zilch protection) and three sanitary towels. Poor devil. He may be scarred by this in future years.

He will end up waking tomorrow in his own pond of piddle, bless him.

Here he is recently with his Auntie Anna. She is due to give birth in three weeks. I am beyond excited! She looks incredible, not at all whale like (I literally was Free Willy...actually let's not talk about that, that's what got me in the whale-like state in the first place...)

Auntie Anna and her favourite nephew

Right, I am zonked tonight, but I have cherry tree treasures to show and tell, so here we go pronto, keep up if you will.

I also bought these for the Prince. £7.50 for the three when I went shopping with the ever so lovely Sarah and they were brand new in the packaging. I got home and googled them and they usually sell for £27.50 so I am very chuffed.

We hung out in Hove recently but didn't get chance to look at the charity shops. Next time, always a next time.

We hung out in the chippy though!

Never happier than when I have a greasy lap

Shame it's blurred but loving the stripes

I also picked up this for £1.50. My family and I played it when we were kids, and this is a proper vintage version.

Righty, I best get me up them stairs to see if the Prince will wee on the loo. I've already tried twice. I'm getting nervous about the state of him in the moro..................

This blog post is utter pants

So there I was this morning. In my pilates class. Enjoying an hour of peaceful serenity. When I came face to face with a skimpy thong, underneath the see-through leggings of woman in front of me.

The woman who was 70-years-old, if she was a day...

You see, I go to an OAP pilates class. It's the only one I can make in the day. I am the youngest. And the least supple, ironically. But it would now seem, not only am I the youngest (by at least 30 years) and the least supple, but I am also the proud wearer of the most unsexy pants known to humanity compared to the old dears.

While the woman in front of me was bending and stretching, her miniscule VPL began to trouble me. It was putting me off my chill time. She had one of those old lady hair styles, you know, like a brassy, blondey grey colour which she'd obviously put rollers in over night. Other than her kecks, she was like your gran, bless her.

I didn't want to think about pensioner pants. They had a saucy lacy look (I KNOW!!! I shouldn't have looked further but I was in shock). It's made me rethink about wearing my apple catchers. Perhaps women are changing and the older ones are having all the fun now. The older we get, the foxier we feel? The younger we are, the more we crochet and drink tea? Who knows. But all I know is that for the whole hour, all I was thinking about was the granny g-string and it wasn't ideal.

On my way to pilates, my fave charity shop was shut, oddly. There was a sign saying it would open at 1pm. I looked through the door and scanned the shelves and rails. I could see something poking out in the distance which looked like pretty fabric and I knew it needed further investigation.

So at 1pm the Prince and I legged it in, on our way to the library, and there in all its glory was what I'd glimpsed:

For just £3. I couldn't believe it! I was thrilled. I find Cath Kidston gorgeous but overpriced, so I felt pretty pleased with my find.

Today has been a gorgeous day. I took the kids to the beach after school.

A little caffeine hit

 Yesterday was lovely too. We stumbled across a gorgeous country pub so had a Sunday lunch in the beer garden.  It involved many calories.

I look tired here. End of the hols!

Last blow out before being good
 (ah! that's why I don't wear a thong... it would get lost)

I also drove the kids to stay with "Cuckoo" (as she is known in Blogland and Instagram) this week. We had fun, although there was drama en route when the Prince got a virus and a high temp, so I took him to an out of hours doc.

After 6.5 hours, we arrived at Cuckoo's.  We missed lunch but had a great cream tea shortly after we arrived.

L-R Bee, "Cuckoo", Kerry and moi.

We had fun although it all went way too fast.

The next day I stopped in Bath to meet my mum and sister, before heading home.

Royal Crescent (5 mins from where I used to live!)

The Princess lived in the garden flat on that high pavement behind her
(white front door) when she was born. Happy memories.

 Now I have to keep this short and sweet. I am too busy wondering who else may wear Victoria's Secret style pants once they draw their pension.

(goes off to throw out her grey saggy drawers)...