Sweet nothings

Two sides to everything

bad side - teen sons fight mean with their Mothers :(

good side - they do go and do what they were kicking up a fuss about in the end tho.  {it was a haircut}

Bad side - unfit legs turn to jelly on last part of bike rides.

Good side - they werent as bad as on the last bike ride!

Bad side- Daisys swim jacket didnt fit when it arrived

Good side - The company promised it would be here before Saturday 

Bad side - Teen son went to a not so nice area of town to see a gig this evening. til 11.30pm!!

Good side- He had a blast. and got home safe. 

Bad side - its still raining.

Good side - but not in portugal!!!

Bad side - I have to leave Photoshop for eight days. *aggh* sob* sniffle*

Good side - word has it there IS internet where we are going. woohoo! cant get rid of me that easily.

Bad side - there is not enough room in our bed for two small people and Mr B and I.

Good side - they did look very cute. and got put back in their beds.

Bad side - there are five TO DO lists re this weekend on my desk.

Good side - there were seven...

Bad side - my hair is hedge like.

Good side - hair cut tomorrow!

Bad side - Couldnt find the right kind of journal to take.

Good side - so I've made one :)

Bad side - My new swimsuit hasnt arrived yet.

Good side - I cant swim much anyway... LOL LOL

Bad side - Teen daughter has sleepover going on. its loud, its still going on at 1am.

Good side - she will not eat that many sweets and icecream again for about a week  hahahaha :)

Bad side - everyones away. I miss them

Good side - hey I'm going away too!

Bad side - Mollies going to want one too

Good side - I liked making that silly book!

silly book

Its silly, and the plot... well if you are expecting one forget it, but heres a link to view a little book I wrote for Daisy.  Sadly this kind of thing amuses me for hours. so yes theres another one in the pipeline!

Albert

Dont tell Daisy tho! its a surprise! ;)

Tag-a-long :)

No really, who has time for all those tags and questions? 

er... okay--> me

I really really liked this, so thankyou FF for sending it my way!

1. My uncle once: gave me a camera that closed up like a clam shell. I cant remember what the heck it was, but I do remember  it took really good photos!

2. Never in my life: have I managed to park the car well. In fact the other day I did it so well I got a ticket for being over the line! I want to but I cant... my brain and my hands just dont talk to each other. 

3. When I was five: I was so pony mad and wore my hair in  pigtails. I looked a lot like this.

4. High school was: a Forces school in Germany. pretty cool.

5. I will never forget: who helped me most when I hit rock bottom.

6. Once I met: Ruth maddock. Yes I know, youre impressed arent you :)

7. There’s this girl I know: who just lives far far away. and I hate that.

8. Once, at a bar: I found a list of stupid dares from a hen night on the floor and managed to talk my night friends into doing some of them. oh those were the days! ;)

9. By noon: I've usually eaten chocolate.  I figure its better than those who drink gin by then right?

10. Last night: I stayed up way too late doing scrapbooking. again! 

11. If only I had: my Arnie dog back.

12. Next time I go to church: will be in Portugal!

13. What worries me most: everything. anything. all things in between those two.

14. When I turn my head left I see: the filing cabinet I covered with vintage-y maps, lots of lists stuck with magnets to the side of it, and my printer. 

15. When I turn my head right I see: huge mounds of stuff dumped under which is * I think* the table,  over there abit is my bookcase, and huge map of america.

16. You know I’m lying when: I say 'no really I'm fine' 'no thats fine, really' the word fine generally means it ISNT!

17. What I miss most about the Eighties is: thinking I could do and say anything. and playing vinyl records. and youth club!

18. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be: hmm.can I be shakespeare himself!

19. By this time next year: we will have moved house. Or my husbands in trouble.

20. A better name for me would be: professional-worrier-lady-who-likes-animals-and-cameras. Catchy eh?

21. I have a hard time understanding: Maths. politics. bad manners. people who dont like animals.

22. If I ever go back to school, I’ll: still sit at the back...

23. You know I like you if: I make you things!

24. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be: the guy handing me the award! duh! ;)

25. Take my advice, never: hide your feelings.

26. My ideal breakfast is: fresh juice, coffee. and chocolate.

27. A song I love but do not have is: Okay I seriously have every song I know I like. I have an itunes habit!!

28. If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: look me up!

29. Why won’t people: be a little kinder? go here and read this.

30. If you spend a night at my house: you wont get a lot of sleep, I stay up super late and Mollie gets up super early!!.

31. I’d stop my wedding for: Gordon Ramsey! I joke I joke. *ahem* 

32. The world could do without: over religious, over political,  types.

33. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: eat meat. Yup. really.

34. My favourite blonde(s) is/are: well -Mollie and Daisy!

35. Paper clips are more useful than: I probably realise....?

36. If I do anything well it’s: going to make it on to the blog!!!.

37. I can’t help but: say what I'm thinking sometimes.

38. I usually cry: just like that. honestly I'm hopeless

39. My advice to my child/nephew/niece: travel more. see the whole world and not just one corner of it. 

40. And by the way: take more photos!!!!!!.

now I'm going to tag.... T, Katrina, and all Sarahs who read this. and you. Go on, its fun!

there and back again

I had to go here {London} {photo courtesy of my phone :)

to get one of these, in record amount of time. {and I did!}

I couldn't take my camera no cameras allowed in passport building. Didnt fancy leaving it in the car.... so it had to stay home.It was hard work not having a camera and being in London. In all seriousness I found myself trying hard NOT to look around incase I saw the perfect photo shot. LOL

We had to wait four hours for the passport {!} so we walked around Harrods and surrounding area. Mostly trying not to look shocked at the price of anything - houses outside or things inside Harrods. 

we got the kids all sweets. Including chocolate pennies THIS big.

which went down well with the little people :)

only because

and so begineth

Yes I am totally aware begineth is not a proper word. Its okay, I'm sure  you get my drift:) 

Because about here starts a busy week for us all.  

Holiday preparations, appointments and all the usual day to day stuff. I've actually wrote a list of each day's tasks,  its that scary. (Yes 'scary' -I, of the comfort bubble, find all this pressure and 'must do's' scary stuff. And I could beat myself up over being like that, or I could just get on with it and give myself room to be frightened a little. see, I'm learning!)

At least tomorrow is only a bit scary and then just busy. The scary bit? I've got to have my photo taken. Seriously. I need a passport photo and it must meet their new strict guidelines.  Which frankly, are obscenely strict. heres the first part for example-

The photographs must be: 

• identical; 

• in colour, not black and white; 

• taken within the last month; 

• taken against a light grey or cream background; 

• 45 millimetres (mm) high x 35 millimetres (mm) wide (however, please do not trim your photographs to meet this condition); 

• fit into the template, with your eyes positioned in the area marked by the shaded band; 

• undamaged, for example; not torn, creased, or marked; 

• free from shadows; 

• taken with your eyes open and clearly visible (with no sunglasses or tinted glasses, and no hair across your eyes); 

• free from reflection or glare on your glasses, and the frames must not cover your eyes (where possible, we recommend that you remove 

your glasses to avoid the possibility of rejections); 

• free from ‘Redeye’;  

• of you facing forward, looking straight at the camera; 

• with a neutral expression, your mouth must be closed (no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows); 

• of you on your own (no babies’ dummies, toys or other people visible); 

• taken of the full head, without any covering, unless it is worn for religious beliefs or medical reasons; 

• taken with nothing covering your face; 

• free from copyright (for example, do not send school photographs as these are produced under copyright). 

The photographs must: 

• be in sharp focus and clear; 

• have a strong definition between face and background; and 

• be printed professionally. Photographs printed at home are not likely to be of an acceptable quality. 

and so it goes on. you can download a several page long PDF of  instructions!!!!

Holy Cow.  Apparently over 40% of photos are turned away as unsuitable because they were smiling slightly. yikes! and seems those crappy machines in stations etc, arent getting it right anymore {this is good news tho, I look like a zombie in photobooth pictures} and the passport office suggest you go to a 'passport photo' shop to have them taken. Oh great. 

As if I didnt hate having my photo taken enough, I now have to stand in front of several members of staff, not smile, and watch along with everyone as they print me looking like a professionally taken pale faced zombie. woohoo. should be fun. I cant wait.  ack.

The busy bit is holiday supply shopping, which is not exactly a bad job but may reduce me to a sweating irate wreck with the girls in tow.  I feel a lot of coffee and chocolate may be consumed to help me thro the day.  

Tuesday will be interesting. I am going to London to collect a passport. To the official passport building. With an appointment especially for those of us who havent left enough time to order a passport the normal way. or whose  husbands havent given enough warning about needing to renew passports.... *ahem*  

The security is supposedly very tight at this place. The lady on the phone told me not to bring any sharp items or 'anything that could be seen as dangerous' and I've pretty much puzzled over that ever since. 'could' be dangerous? well heck, anything could be dangerous surely. My handbag can deliver a very nasty whack if I swing it hard enough. and my husbands pretty dangerous if ruffled.   Still I figure she means I'm not to carry any knives or shotguns that day. Like I could fit those in my bag anyway! Its too full of lists and assorted plastic farm animals Mollie and Daisy deemed necessary to take out shopping. I cant wait to see it being X-rayed with that stuff in!  ;)

And as you can see, our important holiday preparations are under way at home too :)

upright :)

Last call for....

summer!

well in the very last attempt to catch any summer we are grabbing a week away next week. Back to Portugal {my Inlaws have a house there} back in fact to this very balcony! Thats Mollie and I  in 2005 the last time we were there - I was pregnant with Daisy then :) {Yes a real low down bump that doubled as a handy toddler seat too!} I'm not dwelling on that last holiday in detail too much (suffice to say Mollie was a tantrum throwing toddler who did NOT like flying!!! I will not be pregnant this time {or ever again!} Mollie will not freak out when the plane takes off and I am taking two other adults with me to deal with her {or Daisy} if they do).  

Everyones looking forward to the sunshine {I've checked the weather- its hot} the scenery and most of all the photo taking! {with all my lenses! because lets be fair, lenses deserve a holiday too!}  There is quite a bit of crazy running around going on the next few days before we go next weekend, with all sorts of arrangements having to be made/altered/squeezed in {its alot like a sit com around here- sure it will all make blog posts soon}  but I'm getting there.   I should be used to Mr Britguy springing these surprises and crazy   insane great ideas by now.  He is Mr Lastminute.com!! - planning ahead is not his thing!

There is no internet there

 *faint* 

but my trusty pencil and I will journal onwards until I return to update here. I'm also hoping to catch up on some drawing. I have big plans! LOL

On the subject of old photos heres one of my latest pages for my all about me book. 

I'm the cute one remember? ;) {Only joking K!} theres a few sisters pages in the making... and other friends and family relationships too. I cant wait to get all the pages done, into a book  and printed!

20 things

All the things M & D would like to know in a few years time about this photo...

more words.

Okay so I promised -rashly- some people more words and less of me posting a picture and running.  LoL sometimes tho, posting a picture and running is all I get time for. 

and I have some seriously nice pictures to post too.

Maybe I'll just post one and get it  out the way? ;)

My friend and I were talking about this kind of shot the other day. never, I repeat never, suggest siblings put their arms round, hands on or hug each other. Because someone always looks throttled. Even tho Daisy was giggling....

Have you heard of the comfort bubble? Sadly I'm not about to link you to a fabulous product on the internet.. but its a phrase or term used in therapy/counselling. There you are - in your own personal bubble- and you do all the things you like which are also in your bubble. to take a risk, or to go somewhere you dont like, or to do something you dislike/find difficult is to step outside your bubble.  If you are depressed or anxious you would find stepping out that bubble so hard. And when I was 'depressed' I always always found it easier to just stay inside the bubble. I get out the bubble nowadays. I'm still acutely aware of every time I do tho. I have to make myself sometimes. or somebody does.  I sometimes wish I could have 'I'm outside my bubble' written on my t-shirt LOL. Mostly its not so bad when you get to or do whatever it is. Its the doing it, the going there.  I'm not sure why I'm telling you this, other than its on my mind  after a day of leaving the bubble a lot.  

Ever been asked to think of the impossible, and then be told to make the impossible happen? Yeah... today I hit fifty problems and had to think outside the box {or bubble as the case maybe!} to solve them. 

'I cant' is so much easier than 'how can I fix it?'  Not always sure what bothers me more, the fact I have to sort out the stuff or the fact I know its often things other people find good, challenging, fun and I wish it didnt bother me.  Which is why I am thankful of those two sunbeams in that picture. For being a comfort, for always making me smile, for playing up to the camera like that.  They make my world a better place.