So long Percy....

After my posts about Brio trains being overpriced and all.... and after forking out for a single 'Percy' train.... we've been really miffed to find him missing!

I suspect Elias might have lost him while we've been out as I must have forgotten to frisk him for toys before we left to go someplace.

Has anyone see our beloved Percy? No? Oh dear. Back to Ebay auctions I think.......

Don't get caught out!

Okay, many of you will have noticed that I have had a lot of good things to say in the past about Tesco, and on the whole I have found them to be pretty good - and up till now, their customer service has also been great.

Today though I was near furious with a member of staff who would not take back a pair of kids cord trousers because the tag was off - in fact, the plastic portion was still there - it's just that Elias had found it itchy and torn it off before I could intervene. So, I was told that they can't put the tags back on and therefore I could not return the item.

HOGWASH!

Anyone who has worked in a clothes shop has come across a little gizmo which does exactly that - and to have such a sizeable clothing section and not even one of these is frankly ridiculous. So, I am currently in possession of an entirely useless pair of cords that fall down. (have tried to buy a belt but can't find one small enough)

And I am pretty cheesed off.

Feeling worn out!

Last week Elias started nursery every weekday afternoon, as far as I can tell, the only drawback of this is that he is worn out every day after school time. Joy too has been really getting stuck in at school, and today starts karate/keep fit after school - making her pretty tired too. I thought this snap was pretty sweet, showing the two of them worn out and snuggled up on the sofa - a common sight in our house around 4:30 most days........

Winter warmer

I dug out a soup recipe that my good friend Wendy gave me years ago and made a load up this morning. As the weather is cooling down I've been feeling a bit more like eating more wintery food, and soup is a classic I reckon, normally pretty good for you, filling, simple - fab.

Carrot & Celery Soup

1 1/2 lb carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 oz butter
1 oz plain flour
1 1/2 pints of chicken stock
14 oz can of evaporated milk
2 tsp lemon juice.

Boil carrots to soften for about 15 mins. drain.
Melt butter and soften celery and onion in large pan and cook until softened, lower heat and add flour, stirring constantly.
Add carrots, milk, stock and lemon juice gradually - stirring all the time.
Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 mins.
Season according to taste then liquidise.
Return to pan, heat through and serve - garnish with a little parsley (if you have any, which I don't!)

There you are - so straightforward. And if you are like me, lunch time does not inspire me to eat dull sandwiches - so having some fresh soup in the fridge saves me faffing trying to think of something to eat. Speaking of lunch.....

I've 'discovered' mp3 players!

So, okay, I'll be the first to admit that I am not all that technology savvy - I often am not curious enough to spend the time learning how to work gizmos and gadgets - especially if I don't see the need for them.

I'd pretty much felt that way about these portable mini mp3 players that every other person seems to have. But recently I'd been missing listening to as much music as I used to, and when Robin got his I-River his 'old' (that is, a few months old!) one was up for grabs. I was a bit slow on the uptake, but last night I got Robin to take me through how it works, and most importantly - how to store a pile of songs on it!

So I'm now here, happily typing and listening to Paul Weller's Studio 150 album on MY mp3 player! Brill.

Only thing is - I wish it had even more capacity - I'll have to keep shuffling songs on and off so I don't get sick of these ones really soon!

Soggy September day

I've been noticing that we're entering a new season - Autumn has arrived quickly this year, right now it's dark and rainy.

The rain though is a bit of a problem - a few months ago Elias, Joy and I got caught in a freak storm at school pick up time and he has been scared of the rain ever since. Not a good thing when you consider where we live, and bear in mind that it rains a LOT here! So he keeps going to the window and looking for the sun, and telling the rain to go away, and our trips out in the rain involves wellies, umbrellas, rain coats and lots of re-assurance!

Not only have I been noticing the change in yearly seasons, but a change in the stages our kids are at. Elias and Joy are now in the same school (although Elias is in the nursery for now) and that in itself is a big change. Joy is in year 3 already, and her teacher is talking about encouraging her kids to be more independent - oooh, they're still only 7! Plus Joy has been making new friends along our road - which opens up a whole new world to her for after school time.

This autumn, it's not only the colour of the leaves that's changing is seems!

Elias goes to nursery...

Well, the day that I have been waiting for has finally arrived - the day that Elias started afternoon sessions at nursery. It has been 2 months since he was last in pre-school, and I have been anxiously awaiting this day!

But it was not an easy start. Unfortunatly Elias spied the trains and refused to cooperate whilst I was dropping him off. Thankfully, the teacher took it all in her stride and suggested that it was probably all for my benefit and encouraged me to leave him, even though he was being a nightmare!

So now, I am home again - a little embarassed, and anxious about how long it's going to take for him to understand the new structure - and comply with it! I was hoping to be sipping a coffee and enjoying my new found peaceful moments - maybe I will, in a few days.....

Following in my Daddy's footsteps?

Elias has his eye on Daddy's guitar! Although, it's a bit big for him just now!

Family Breakfast

Last Saturday we did something which we'd been meaning to do in a while - we went out for breakfast as a family. Our selected venue - Cafe Rouge, Little Clarendon Street, Oxford.

We had a great time, the staff looked after us very well, and we ate breakfasts as varied as mini croissants with chocolate dipping sauce, croque madame, and a continental breakfast. All of it was delicious! We'd noticed their breakfast menu on a previous visit (just Robin and I that time) and had been interested to note that their kids menu was varied and well priced. Plus they had little colouring booklets and crayons on stand by to keep the kids happy until the food arrived.

It came in at a smidge over £20, including coffees and juices for the kids. And we used Tesco Clubcard vouchers so it was essentially free - even better! It felt like a real treat for us all, and I'd highly recommend the place.

Happy Birthday to my sister!

Well today is my sister, Heidi's birthday. (I won't divulge how old she is, that would not be fair!)

We marked the occasion with a roast chicken meal at our house, with Heidi, Mark and their children, plus our sister Abi and us four too. It was so much fun to pile our plates high with roast goodies and enjoy time with family, belly laughing at silly stories and daft kids antics.

We did miss my parents, but they were not able to join us, and our other sister, Anni and her family were travelling elsewhere today - there was space around the table for them, I hope we can all be together again soon!

Oh, BTW, I would add a picture of my beautiful birthday sister - but she is a camera dodger and I couldn't find one!

Finished!

We've finished 24 series 4.

Aaaaaaaaah. It was great, and you'd better all watch it soon or I'll burst keeping it all to myself.

Free case of wine (but only if you really hurry!)

I have been saving up my Tesco clubcard vouchers and now sent off for our free case of wine with one of their deals. Cool!

I was chatting with a friend who had not noticed the deal, but turns out you have to have sent the vouchers off by Oct 1st as they are discontinuing the deal.

So, if you have £20 in clubcard vouchers, like wine and have no other deals tempting you.... send off super fast! Thought I'd mention it as I know a lot of you shop with Tesco.

Novelty Mugs

I really don't go in for novlety socks, ties, or T-shirts for that matter - but for some reason I have been noticing that we have a number of novelty mugs.

For my birthday this year Robin bought us all Incredibles mugs - which is really fun. Robin has a special one with a blue Goldfish and his company logo on (This one is for his first cup of tea in the morning!) Plus we have a couple of other random Easter/Christmas/kids mugs you know, like most people.

I have just found my next novelty mug - it's sad I know, but readers of my last post will understand.........

Coming to the end of 24 (series 4)

If you've been reading Robin's blog of late, you'll know that we are watching our way through 24 Series 4 just now. This however presents me with a blogging quandry - I am enjoying it SO much that I'd love to go on and on about this plot twist, or that character but I can't.

Because there is a queue of family and friends who are also really into the 24 series who would probably hunt me down and give me a very severe talking to if I let even the smallest thing slip before they got to watch it! (form an orderly queue - we'll be finished in the next couple of days BTW)

Grrr. Will have to just let it be known that it's great. Very gripping. (see, I didn't say anything that might give anything away... this is so hard!!!!!!!!!)

My only problem is that I feel like there's a huge void once we finish a series - and of course 24 has been picked up by Sky (which we don't have) so we'll have to wait probably a year to get our hands on series 5.

So, I've done a really sad thing, I've joined the 24 fan mailing list! But it just won't be the same when we've watched it all. I'll have console myself by revisiting series 1 and 3 (Didn't like 2 all that much - too violent) waiting on the shelf...........

Dwell

I was browsing on the internet today, and stumbled across Dwell.

I was just struck by how many of their products featured a simple, elegant and modern design - and the prices were about the same as say Habitat. I am now waiting for my free catalogue to come.......... This place might just become another of my favorite furniture places!

Elias and his trains

Image(817)
Originally uploaded by Joy Mayfield.

Further to my previous post - here Elias is enjoying his train set - thank you Joy for taking this!

Brio con!

Elias is mad for Thomas the Tank, he has a train set that we've been steadily adding to over the last 18 months or so - but until now he didn't have a single Thomas character train. Last week, he was given some belated birthday money and I knew exactly what he'd really like - his own Thomas.

So I packed the kids off to Toys'r'us and we very really looking forwards to buying a couple of trains for him to bring home and play with.

But Brio Thomas trains cost how much??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We eventually settled on a Percy (as they had no Thomas (!!!) that cost us £9.99. That's basically £10 for a little piece of wood with plastic wheels and face - RIDICULOUS! I was so disappointed, and cross. I know Brio are the expensive ones that's't exactly why we've only a tunnel actually made by them - but even so, it's a bit of a con I think.

So we started looking on Ebay, and have so far been outbid on a couple, seems everyone is wantinThomasas at the moment (And not wanting to pay Brio extortionate prices!)

I hope we can find our boy a Thomas soon, but I guarantee we won't be buying a new Brio one, not at the prices they are charging.

Max & Julie's Wedding

We were thrilled to go to Max and Julie's wedding a few weeks back - I've just stumbled on this great picture of all the bridesmaids bundled in the Stratton-mobile - great photo I thought!

It was also a great, really relaxed wedding, many congratulations to Mr & Mrs Muncaster! (And the kids too)

We really went to Amsterdam!

I realised I'd not provided any photographic evidence to support this so here you are a couple of mediocre shots from the camera phone we had with us!

So, you have the cliche boat on the river shot, and a picture of a tram. Ta da!

Not a lot beats blackerry ice cream!

The blackberry's are out in force this year - we've been picking about three times already. The primary reason is to make some home-made blackberry ice-cream. We discovered a recipe about three years ago, and now eagerly await the blackberry season each year.

Here's the evidence that this ice cream tastes yummy....... (and does not last very long in our house!)

BTW did you know that blackberries freeze really well - they are great for an out of season treat, just be sure to wash them really well and freeze on the day of picking.

Google Earth

Robin introduced me to this amazing new FREE program from Google. You can download it and then literally zoom in on any area on Earth - it is amazing.

Some areas have so much detail that you can see cars, maybe even people! There is also a tilt function to change the way you view your selected area - awesome. I just could not get over the fact that this was all free - just a few years ago we'd have been talking hundreds of pounds for something like this!

Robin and I have been having a play with it, it then struck us that it is a perfect thing for the kids to have an enormous amount of fun with - but be learning heaps on the sly. Both Elias and Joy thought it was pretty amazing too, we've looked up where I lived in the US, where friends and family live, and of course, Oxford - where we live.

You can find it here take a look, have a play, see how the world just got smaller!

It's been 5 years

Yesterday, September 1st, marked the end of our 5th year in this house - and of course, the beginning of year 6.

We moved her when Joy was just 2, and of course this is the only home that Elias has ever known. We have come to know some of our neighbours pretty well, and since we got married, this is by far the longest time we've spent anywhere (we moved 5 times in the 3 1/2 years before that)

So today I'm thankful on the one hand, for the stability that we've had,(even though we've never been sure from one year to the next if we'd be able to stay.) Pleased the kids have benefited from the stability.

But very frustrated that we're still here, in a house that we can't make truly our home.

(fancy helping us paint???? - we've now been told we can,and there's a lot of old wood chip which is looking pretty tired!)

Last days.......

I must apologise for not having posted anything in so long. This last week of the holidays has been so full on that I've not had a minutes break from being whined at, washing, cooking, cleaning, doing errands, being whined at some more, and all the other normal family diversions.

Now it's the last week day before Joy goes back to school and I have to admit I feel a bit guilty that we've not done more exciting stuff in the past two weeks - we started off pretty well but the fun activities waned as the weeks went on. I did of course have a brief trip to Amsterdam which threww a few days into a muddle, but even so!

One of the problems has been that Robin and I are totally absorbed in our thoughts about the big changes we have been making, He has been interviewing a few times a week, as well as doing contracting work as well - and all that has been compunded by an unwelcome return of his insommnia. All that sure makes for a lots of worry and stress. And I think the kids have bourne the brunt of it. They too seem unable to get to sleep - making for very snappy parents of an evening!

So today the boys in particular seem really shattered, and Joy has little patience with her little brother. I have turned into some sort of shrieking mad mum. I really hope that when school starts it will bring a more normal routine with it, and on the 22nd, when Elias starts at nursery, I am looking forwards to a bit of a breather! (roll on the 22nd!)