thief of time

If anyone tries to tell you it's not possible to catch a cold if you already have a cold don't believe them, because I am living proof that it is more than possible. This is getting beyond a joke. It's been three weeks now and, several grammes of vitamin C later, I'm actually getting fed up with not being able to get on with my life. Sitting by the fire, wearing fluffy jumpers, knitting socks, staying in bed all morning and going to bed early are all very well, but when do I get to actually do anything?
I just spent a slightly frustrating hour or so trying to make the webcam on Fergus's computer work, and trying to make Freddie's computer work. It is a sad fact that although they have a computer geek for a dad, they have the most ridiculously inadequate pieces of junk for pc equipment. As I said earlier, I'm not very good at making computers work out of thin air. I can do many many other useful things but that isn't one of them. Anyway, I did manage to find a programme already installed that makes videos from a webcam, which is what is now going on upstairs. And Freddie is playing on the Macbook- easy.
We are having a stay-at-home day today. I have excused Freddie from his party invitation in Halifax. What I sometimes forget is this could be the only day in two weeks that we all get to stay at home all day, and, believe me, we need it. I have a vague idea that I will get a few things done. Have already marked half-term, with a mental note to spring clean the house, so I can forget about all those annoying little jobs till then, hopefully? Maybe not... What I need is to make a to-do list so I can remember what I need to do, like find my chequebook and pay the coalman, etc.  So the first thing I did was browse on Amazon for a calendar- OK a slight distraction, but I do need one. What I didn't reallise until recently was, Amazon remembers everything you've looked at at reminds you later. So when you've been having a laugh with your mate surfing the most ridiculous things, like 'shag yourslef slim', 'and what is your poo telling you?' it comes back to bite you on the bum, as it were. It even sends you emails reminding you that you were looking at toasters the other day and do you still want one? This is taking it a step too far as far as I'm concerned, the ultimate conclusion being Amazon noticing your toaster is broken and sending you one, just in case you had forgotton.
... O no Fergus's video is beginning to sound like something off Southpark. Well, I suppose it's better than watching what Freddie calls 'fighting games', ie anything vaguely too grown up and scary for a six year old, bless...

O, lord won't you buy me a camera that's suitable for WINTER

O no, I've been doing facebook blogging again! It's scary...I just go on facebook and automatically want to start blogging. One of the reasons I slowed down blogging is the photo-upload went difficult. But it was just explorer on windows vista, and I use firefox now. Only thing is it doesn't edit right in firefox- the words don't match up with the pictures. O well.
Anyway, on the subject of computers, while we're on the subject (ha!) I have just acquired some opensource stuff, well, really the info and the disk to make it easier to install Ubuntu, which I'm going to use on Fergus's computer instead of Windows. I have already got Firefox, Open office and Gimp on my laptop (equivalent of internet explorer, ms office including Word for windows, which I have been missing, and Photoshop, which I have also been missing, as the laptop didnt come with anything so useful as that- why didn't I buy a Mac???.) I went to an event in Manchester yesterday, which was supposed to be about a new arts project that my friend Clare is involved in, called ArcSpace. It was a bit shambolic, to say the least, but there was a free lunch and talks and workshops on all sorts of enabling computer-related stuff, so I went away with something.
I have been taking loads of photos, as usual, and putting them on facebook, probably to draw attention to myself ;-) ha! no it's because I do get friendly comments and stuff and it makes it more fun to share them. Haven't been using my pro-Flickr account for some reason. Anyway, I think I have pushed my little snapshot 6mpx limited zoom Sony to it's absolute limit I think and it's about time the universe provided me with something more appropriate. So there you go, I've said it now. I've been talking to lots of friends about their cameras, ranging from pro photographers with massive SLR's to people with cameras slightly better than mine. I wish I could try one out as it's really impossible to tell, really.

Anyway, I took these on a bike ride today along the frozen canal. It was pretty cold, but I got some fresh air and excercise. I went to Dawn's and then, with her, a bit further that Tom's boat, where we stopped for coffee. Only thing was: It was nearly dark by the time I got back to Dawn's, but I stopped for a cuppa and a go on her mandolin anyway. Then we tried to fix a light on my bike in the darkness!!! That was a bit comical. Then it only went and fell off halfway there. I found the pieces of light and reassembled them, using the light from my mobile phone. But I couldn't find all of the attatchment pieces. O well. It was pretty scary cycling home between the river and canal in the dark, so I took a shortcut after the Stub. It was really cold after dark, too.

Got back and the kids were already here. I spent a bit of time doing all the forms homework for school, etc. Still need to order the school photo's. Also the uniforms are still on the creel. I hope they're dry. How come I always leave it till Sunday to do them? Seems like it's Joy's turn to have the cold then...I am getting another, after about a week of being better. I don't think there's been a single day in 3 months when we have all been well. O well, maybe we'll get used to the physical strain of school routines. Only 3 weeks till christmas holidays anyway...

technical difficulties

This blog is experiencing technical difficulties:
Every time I try to post a picture Explorer crashes. It's not the same with out pictures. Firefox won't work at all. Maybe I've got some sort of virus. Hope not.
Might come back later when I've got something to say that doesn't require pictures...

long days (2)

So, as I was saying, today seemed to last about a week. We were at home for most of it, with the drizzle falling gently outside. The morning was mostly taken up with a shop game, which took over the living room, instigated by Fergus, and involving me buying a LIDL catalogue for 50 cardboard pence, a piece of marmite on toast from Freddie's cafe, and some paper signs and money were produced and written by Fergus (what has he been overhearing???!!! well, I haven't been talking in front of him, but perhaps he overheard a phone call, which I tend to shut myself in the utility room for...). This had been preceeded by the scene, pictured, of quiet playing with toys and cards. (Maybe this was all because I had hidden the laptop till lunchtime, when I had an energy lapse, though they didn't go on it till later)

After lunch Guy came over with Phizbah (supposedly to discuss a grant application, but we gave up on that one- deadline was tomorrow, fgs!). So the playing went a bit pear-shaped till all the kids got used to each other and we ate some Royal blue Calderdale cheese ("yuk!"- I liked it though). Later we decided to show Guy the garden- I've been wanting to ask him about my fruit trees... By the time we got outside the kids were bouncing on the trampoline, and we found windfall apples that can be cooked, (also loads of blackberries and redcurrants). We ended up going for a walk down by the river and saw the pigs, too.

By the time we'd eaten and scrubbed the boy's feet it was way past bedtime, and I had been promising myself all day that I would be in bed as soon as they were, but here I still am. Not for long though... I'm taking the (kid's) laptop to bed and not handing it over till I get a cup of tea at least!

fringe

OK this is what I've been doing. Among other things. I have been maintaining the website, (as well as organising workshops and doing Holme Street Arts Centre stuff) but, really there's not a lot I can do to make it look any more interesting as it's been set up in a CMS called Drupal. (And you may know how much I hate CMS's). I can add images. hmm... Any ideas? (I don't think it's possible to change the backgrounds or text colours).

Blogs I can do- they're easy. Maybe I should do a Fringe blog. Maybe I should do an Arts Centre blog...

I'm also regretting getting a PC and not a Mac- they're so much better and I still hate Vista. I've been using the borrowed Mac for doing the website- it just works and has photoshop. I haven't got any software for this PC as it's Vista. grumble. The children are revolting. Must go for a walk...

a rock and a muty place

Well, I'm sure you're dying to know what I've been up to as I haven't blogged much, but I can't possibly catch up now- one thing at a time. I'm still getting used to Windows Vista, which is a bit weird.

So, today we went out for a rainy walk to the Muty place (being the name of the dogg that we sometimes borrow, 'cept this time we borrowed Winston the poodle.


We just did the usual circuit, taking in the enchanted allotment, which is sprouting all over the place, and a heron on the river.
Freddie found a stone that was too big for his pocket, but it was magical and had to be brought home to add to the bed-stone collection...

I liked the patterns the rain was making on the trees. (No, I'm not on that sort of medication, just the homeopathic kind. Mind you...)

The rest of the day was just blurrr rainy day inside... I fantasised about what I will do with the house when Meg moves out, and tidied my bedroom a bit. Joy made some peppermint ponies, which I don't think I have been allowed to see. Fergus did WoW (I do so hate those fighting noises). then i spent the whole evening in anticipation of a visit from at least one or more people, but now it's nearly midnight I think I'll just go to bed and try to get up tomorrow.

new laptop, new life

Hi. I'm back. And all excited because I got my new laptop today. Sorry no pics yet. It's still a bit early for me on a Thursday, well it was when the man came-Freddie answered the door... "no I'm not the postman"... and I'm sure someone said "it's a bill..." I almost didn't answer the door- wasn't expecting it yet. Only ordered it a few days ago. Anyway, it's so cool I just havent quite got used to the idea yet. O, and my brain isn't working yet, due to open mic night being on a Wednesday. I was all blurry eyed when I had to sign for it and open the box. It was like Christmas, only better, because this one I bought for myself!
So, of course it has Windows Vista on it (which doesn't have anything wrong with it, contrary to popular belief), it has an integral webcam, (which I am currently engaged in an extended video call with the back of the local computer shop, just cos I CAN. O dear I think I just got Nick into trouble again).
So why did I get such a fancy super dooper laptop? Well, I just decided I might as well get one that WORKS, ie, does what it says on the tin and all that. And So far so good. Hopefully this will help me change my life. Well having my own computer at all is a luxury I have not had for nearly a year, since my life fell apart. OK, I dismantled it because I didn't like it. (That's the life, not the laptop.) I've got a feeling things are going to get a bit easier from now on.
Now I can organise my photos. You know how much I like taking photo's, right? Well I've hardly taken any recently, because nowhere to put 'em. Same with music... I now have an amp and speakers and an IPOD, so i should be able to listen to music soon. And, of course, I will never get bored again! I can spend many an hour or three quite easily pottering about on myface/blogland. Yippee!
Mad thing is I have an appointment with the Homeopath this afternoon as I thought I was going a bit mad again, well, I was...OK you can't solve everything with a new laptop but it helps, hopefully...Anyway I think I'd better join the real world as I've been pinned to the sofa since I got up.
OK, you know you really wanna watch this to see what my LT is like... that is if you are a geek.

it's never tomorrow, it's always today

I've just spent a very lazy morning in bed with one of Meg's magazines, and Nick (who is now more Clooney* than Kilner, due to a lot less hair) playing WoW with Fergus, who is now a level 15 Draenai Mage, whatever that is. Before your eyes gloss over, I won't be going into any more detail about WoW, or playing it myself. It's all a bit matrixy-weird for me. I prefer my cyber-life to bear some relation to the real world, that's why I do Myspace/Facebook, (AKA Myface) with only real friends. Mind you this is wierd enough for me.
So I thought I'd start the day with some wholesome blogging. It's gone all dark and hailstoney, so That rules out any outside activities. It's still a bit cold for my liking, anyway. Mind you I have reduced my layers to a T-shirt and a skinny thin hoody since the faintest ray of sunshine appeared in this grim northern clime.
Yesterday I made a long to-do list, as is my Monday morning tradition. I couldn't quite work out whether it was an outside or inside day, so it included things like getting more willow, as well as sourcing magnetic paint, which I attempted by a couple of phonecalls, but still haven't found any. Thing is it's very heavy and I don't want to be paying loads of carriage. I only want one tin.
Anyway, it did end up raining, but not before I had line-nearly-dried one load of washing, and had all sorts of plans for sorting out the shed/wendy house and the under-stairs outside shed thingy and yard. I'm sure this will ease the house situation as I should be able to shift some of the things that are in the utility room, leaving room for miscellaneous junk lying round the house, notably my room.
I did also manage to get hold of Mark, the shelf-putter-upper (I won't drill...), who is going on holiday but will be back next week, giving me chance to get sorted and decide exactly where I want shelves. The boy's room desperately needs tidying, and now, I have to face the truth, this will have to happen before the shelves are up, as access to the other side of the room is impossible.
I also had quite a good tidy, which involved hoovering and mopping floors, and microfibre cloths. And I put Joy's blinds back up, which had both come out of the wall, but just needed bigger rawl plugs and screws. (hey I never managed to get the spell checker to work before!)
Also there were computer happenings: Joy's PC was moved into her room, having been fitted with a wireless card and aerial. It's in quite a good position, being near the door, at the top of the landing, it doesn't feel too shut away with the door open. Yesterday Joy and Fergus were both playing WoW and could shout across to Nick and each other- Fergus is still struggling with the written word, but when threatened with certain death, he may just learn quick... well, it's an idea.
My work computer has gone now, after a brief revival. I was getting quite used to the Mac thing and still walk past my desk expecting to be able to check my emails... maybe I should just buy a laptop. I don't think mine will ever be fixed- is it possible to get the right screen for a laptop, with the right connectors? Mind you, I have even considered getting a Mac powerbook of my own, I liked it so much, but they are quite expensive, I think. In the meantime I am using Joy's computer and from my vantage point near the top of the stairs I can keep an eye on Fergus and Freddie running in between computers to see what it looks like from a different angle. I suggested we tidy his room today, and he said, "not today, tomorrow, but it's never tomorrow, it's always today, is that right?"
So, did I mention Joy went up to the stables at 8 this morning, leaving me a note saying "Mum, can you feed and water the rabbits, I don't have time today". OK, mustn't forget... We had to have a day at home yesterday so she could have a rest as she had been up there for 6 days and she spent the day on the computer or her bed reading. I have a vague idea that I will go up and get some willow on the way to picking her up tonight. O, no, but it's taichi... so... maybe she will get a lift... Text Joy. O and I have a Fringe Festival meeting tonight... have I really got time for this? Maybe best to keep busy.
Anyway, I uploaded most of the photos off the powerbook before giving it back- they're on Flickr (see left) under March 2008 and Callis Easter 2008, which is what we got up to on Easter Saturday. I think there are a few on my camera, some on Freddie's broken laptop, which has been returned to Daddy, again. I'm not sure what to do with the ones I have now- I hate all my pics being scattered- I have such a good filing system which has totally gone to pot now. Maybe I should get one of those phones which you can send pics straight to flickr... I'm really clueless, but I am planning to get Meg to help me get a new mobile on 3 network I think, as it will be cheaper than using the landline to call mobiles, which nearly all of my friends seem to use exclusively now. Not much use having anytime free calls to landline numbers, huh? and pay as you go on my little Nokia on O2. O this is getting too technical. I think it's time for coffee and toast.

*O yeah, talking of George, we saw Intolerable Cruelty last night, after a failed decision between Fargo and Millers Crossing, and another episode of Futurama (Kerrist! how may can you watch in a row?). It was much lighter than the title suggested to me- A kind of rom-com with a difference, A chick flick that your boyfriend will sit and watch all the way through. Could've been really cheesy but saved by the usual Coen bros perfection.
Anyway, Fergus is being particularly anarchic in WoW, disregarding all the rules, letting Nicks low-level character die repeatedly, and having fun...Freddie is still running about with glee. Time for lunch?

Tuesday's always worse

I'm just feeling a bit wobbly this morning. I just read this which I wrote just after my dad died, with tears streaming down my face. It just happened to be there on the computer as I had been showing someone something else and having a laugh looking at the same old stupid things that I wrote. But I had Clare here yesterday afternoon for five hours. She just got back from her dad's funeral and needed to talk. Well I listened, and it was hard. I almost couldn't do it. If she leans on me any harder I think I might fall over.

Anyway, it's probably due to nicotine withdrawal and small blonde things asking too many questions before I've had chance to even get out of bed. They're quiet now, eating porridge and maple syrup. At times like that I could happily send them to school and go to work. Maybe I need a job...But I still can't bring myself to do it, really, the school thing, that is. Clare actually reminded me of how hard the playground is when you're not a desperate housewife. I'm not the only one who used to drop off late so as to avoid the plastic smiles. Is that a good enough reason not to do it?

I was doing so well yesterday, too. Painted the kitchen, well, 2 walls. And ended up quite exhausted, but having achieved. We didn't go out, but the children played quite happily with farmset/playmobil/etc and had little Lu the play for five hours. O, and the dog's gone, too, of course.

I'm just stuck about how to make the house work for everybody in it. The main problem seems to be the computers being in a room that have stairs leading directly up to Meg's attic with no door in between. So no privacy. Nowhere to put a door. The room's not really big enough either as the stairs stick out too far. So I could: Move the stairs and add door, move computers but where to? swap Meg with the boys.  

I keep trying to get the house sorted with shelves, but too many movable factors; I can't decide anything. So I'm doing the kitchen. And now I've inadvertantly bought and amp and some speakers from Ebay, and where do I put those? And when exactly am I supposed to find the time to got over to St Helens to pick them up?

Anyway, the tears have dried now into salty crusts on my cheeks. I haven't felt like that for ages. Must have been stuff about my dad, but sometimes I think it's not that I'm sad about, it's just like watching a weepy movie, just something to jerk the tears out that are always there, lurking. O, I'm so not a morning person, am I?

barking up the wrong trees

It's been a lovely day today and I've been out hacking down bushes in the garden and burning them all. This is to make way for the new washing line position, and make the lawn bigger. Can't believe how much stuff got burnt on that fire. I also sorted out some more raspberry canes at the top of the garden and pruned the hedge and picked up a binbag full of cans that had been lobbed over the wall. I seemed to achieve loads once I got down to it, despite getting up late, due to Meg having friends round till after 4am, which wouldn't have bothered me too much if one of them hadn't woke me up by singing drunkenly in the bathroom.

The kids were out for most of the day, too, helping with the bonfire, trampling on rhubarb, etc.

Joy mucked out the rabbits and left them out in the chicken run for a few hours (no chickens yet, apparently they would not stay in that chicken run but would jump out and eat the raspberries.) Still have dog. She played with us in garden also.

I made tea really late (shepherds pie and yorkshire pudding..."can I have some more of that spongey stuff, it tastes like blueberry muffins...") as a result of being outside all day. Now I can't believe it's after 11. I should just change my clocks and have done with it, but can't seem to quite get my head round that... So I've put the bath on. I now have the loan of the Mac powerbook again, which is great and much better than my rusty old laptop (which I thought was ace). I still haven't quite worked out how to do the photo thing on it, but I might have managed it if the camera battery hadn't run out on me.

Now there's the other lot of washing up to do... I did wash clothes and line dry them, or line-damp, anyway. There is wood on the fire, not coal.

Do I seem a bit scattered? you should've heard me this morning: barely coherent. But I did get stuff done, so that's good.

Photo's later, maybe

Easter Week

So... I've been having computer problems, ok? This week we lost both laptops. My work one and has gone back and Freddies is broken: needs soldering apparently. Joy's and Fergus's have been having a major overhaul due to lack of hard drive space on Joy's, and, I suspect, the downloading of World of Warcraft had something to do with it too. I have just realised that I could try my laptop out using the old monitor I was given, as it's only the screen that's broken, I think. But I haven't done that yet. Meg's new one still doesnt have Office, which makes it a bit difficult for her applying for jobs, etc, so she has to use one of the two that work.

Also I have to move these two as they are really in the way up to the attic, which is Meg's room, with no door in between. I have thought for 4 months how to make this space, which used to be a bedroom, and now is a stair-room, work as a computer room, but I haven't managed it and I think the only option is to move them, but where to? Well Joy's can go in her room. I will have to get them wirlessed up, which I am working on getting the bits for.

And to top it all I seem to have lost my camera. Last seen at Callis on Saturday, where I took some lovely photo's of Easter egg hunting and egg pinata bashing. I have asked Dawn to look for it. We all slept on her boat on Friday night, much to the delight of the boys and the disgust of Joy. I sat out round the fire in the snow after the kids had gone to bed, celebrating the Spring Equinox full moon, etc. Hopefully I will find my camera with these pics on. Well, I was thinking of getting a new phone to take photo's on, so maybe the universe has taken my old camera away and given it to someone else.

Easter was a long weekend, as we didn't get that much sleep on Friday night, due to the cold, and Saturday felt like Sunday, and Sunday felt like Sunday, and Monday felt like another Sunday. (Well, actually I did get a head start by going out Wednesday and Thursday night!). I didn't get any Easter Eggs, until I buckled on Saturday afternoon, when I had to get petrol and there were some in the garage, so cheap... I just had to get four. And we made crispy cakes out of choco-rice and green and blacks- yum- will have to make more, I think, maybe today... It's still Easter, isn't it?

This week seems to have gone by really fast without doing a right lot, apart from changing the table round in the kitchen, which has made it much much better.

We just went out for a walk with Clare's dog, who we are looking after as Clare has to rush over to Ireland for funeral. We went to the enchanted allotment and I stole some willow. Hopefully it it has some magic in it. It's a bit late for it as it has buds on some of it, but there's still some growing higher up that is not too late to cut. It's actually quite sunny and spring-like, and I want to get out and do stuff in the garden, or should I go to the market first?

midweek madness

Yesterday I didn't quite manage my early start, but we were out by 12 at the flea market, where we got some lovely coloured twig pencils. We headed down to the group, with a new roll of lining paper, for some drawing and painting.

It was quite a small group, but we managed to get six of us around a parachute to play some games, including "washing machine", where someone sits in the middle of the chute and the others walk round, twisting it low to the ground and then walk outwards, sending the person round in circles (some care needed not to injure the person in the middle!), and "orange, apple, banana", where opposites pairs of people run underneath while the chute is up in the air, which is always great fun when it works.

Other news: Meg got a job and texted me in the afternoon, saying "I've got my own office!". She's so grown up.

...And I got a new job! here's my desk- at home. I've not quite got the hang of it yet and it's on an Apple powerbook, so I've given up fighting with it for tonight.
After my work initiation meeting I went to the pub for some midweek madness, which inevitably lead to a quiet pyjama Thursday for me and the boys.

bimbling

What have we been doing for the last week? Well, last Friday we made it over to Skipton to a home-ed meeting, where we had a play with some electrical ciruits from the STAR centre, plus saw some lovely old friends we havent seen for ages. That was me and the boys; Joy was up at the stables all day.

It's been a quiet week of bimbling around the house this week. We did the Hebden meeting, after some sound advice from a friend who knows: I decided to go along and open up and hang around for half an hour or so and leave if no-one else turned up. We ended up staying as there were a few things to sort out in the cupboard, Dave turned up and made me a coffee and the boys found the Duplo and got stuck into that. I even found the chalk (that walks); it had been borrowed and put away somewhere else, but I spotted it. Meanwhile some people turned up from Tod, very late but now at least they know it's on. Must set out earlier next week so we have chance to call in at the flea market on the way, as I'm sure there will be a few people coming.

It was funny when we left as we finished dead on time, which is exactly the same time that the school across the road comes out, so we found ourselves walking down the road with hoards of families, which was quite a novelty. I then had the idea that of course Dawn and Ro would be around, too, so we exchanged texts just as her van came round the corner and she gave us a lift home and came in for a good old chinwag and Ro played with the boys.

Yesterday I went out on my own for a haircut, and a good excuse to wander around Hebden aimlessly. I did get a new mouse, though, so now all the computers have one each! I got some new sketchbooks, too, the ones in the market for 99p that actually have nice thickish paper in, in the hope of inspiring a bit of non-computer based activity, which Fred and Joy both got into.

Today was a combination of computer games and Playmobil, which took off when Clare and Lu came round. By quarter to nine this evening (I'm a bit slack about bedtime when it's just me in for the evening) it had reached it's ultimate conclusion, that is, the Playmobil people were lined up on top of Freddie's laptop, along with a sea monster, watching the big screen. I couldn't get a picture as Freddie insisted on going to sleep with this going on, but now I've temporarily removed the audience so I can do this.

I am trying to upload some pictures to Flickr, as I am about 8 months behind in this, but my broadband connection is ridiculously slow. I am going to sack Pipex as soon as the contract runs out. Nick said he would get me a new router today, which might help, too. Yep, I new laptop would be nice, too...

my beautiful compost heap

OK, it all started on Saturday, which was a perfect day of sunshine, strolling down to Hebden to pick up a paper and Clare's dog, taking in the little park on the way where the boys played battleships gleefully. I left my tea mug on a bench in the park but it had gone on the way back. Strange. Actually it was Gill's mug, from when we went camping a few years ago and I meant to return it, but now I never will.
Anyway, the afternoon was spent in the garden, which has been overwhelming me for all the soggy winter months, but I finally began to feel positive about it. I had chopped off an overgrown bush and this, among many other things needed tidying up. So, in the process I ended up mending the compost heap in a rather creative way, which I quite enjoyed, using bits of said chopped overgrown bush. Somehow I felt liberated from the shackles of mundane domestic life and momentarily saw glimses of hope for the future. Hope that I can be truly fulfilled being creative and, and... well, I can't quite remember it now, like I dream, its memory peters out before it gets to the good bit. But I have managed to keep myself going throughout the wobbles of the last couple of days, of which yesterday was totally wasted with an all day migraine. (no one else will accept that this was anything else than a hangover but I know, alright?).
So, today, after rather a late start, admittedly, which resulted from another late night after being in bed all day, I set about more garden tidying. I had decided on a couple of places to plant the willow I have been saving and this afternoon I dug in two rows of baby willow whips... in the front garden, with the hope of creating (finally) a bit of privacy in the best suntrap around.
So, that brought on a great sense of achievement. i hope the willow will take as it has been in water quite along time, but it looks alive and some of it is even sprouting pussy willow buds.
I also "dried" two loads of washing on the line. The children played at territorial games, such as locking each other in the chicken run and "you can't be in our gang unless you find me a coathanger". I think they made another treehouse later on but they were getting on my nerves too much with their constant bickering to intervene. I do wish they would get along.
I think I'll have to take them out tomorow, if only for a LIDL run. We need: hot chocolate, oregano, bread flour. Hmmm?
Wonder why I'm suddenly blogging again? well, kind of the same reason I started really, apart from Freddie's got a laptop and I can use it. (Actually I do have another old laptop but I seem to have lost the power supply and I think the wireless thingy doesnt work. No good then). Yep- if you can't beat 'em join 'em. I have a new, erm, boyfriend, who is so into World of Warcraft I just give up trying to talk to him. What's the point in it really? Exactly. Bla bla bla, so I've been on Facebook, Myspace, you name it, what else can you do?

why don't you just send them to school?

*Disclaimer: there's not much about the above question written here, unless you read between the lines, which I'm not sure is possible, but it's something that's been on my mind a lot recently as it's been said to me too many times.
Well, I did start out with good intentions this week. I looked out of my bedroom window and resolved to have a go at tidying up the garden. I never got as far as getting my garden tools out as I seemed to spend hours tidying up the back patio, which involved carrying bucket loads of rabbit muckings-out up the garden to the compost heap and speeping, and cleaning out the rabbit hutches. Joy is usually on top of this but we have had a lot of wet weather lately and she was up at the stables six days last week.
Anyway, as a result I ended up with four rabbits in the kitchen and utility room. Yes my lovely bit of space got immediately commandeered by rodents, which I have only just got all outside again. And I can't find the long-handled brush! grrrr!

Later on Monday I asssembled the trampoline which Meg got for the kids at Christmas, and which she had been promising to do all day but never seemed to quite get round to it. It is still in the living room.


I also laid some of the decking slabs down at the back in an attempt to solve the tricky runnning water situation. Basically I have a watercourse running past my back door, hence the watercress gowing there. It's only a bit of a trickle by the time it gets past the door, but it is a constant film of water, which very quickly turns to mud, which, in turn, becomes muddy footprints on the green kitchen lino. I brought the decking slabs from the old house as I noticed the new people had taken them up. They clean up quite nicely and if I lay the other 2/3 of them I think it will be a lot more pleasant out there. It was putting me off going out of the back door and I felt a bit trapped!


O, yes, and I've had a birthday this week. The boys made me this cake. (I helped wit the baking) It seems to have been going on for a long time, the birthday. I went out on Monday night on a joint birthday celebration, (after a few nights out the weekend also!) and spent most of yesterday, and today, for that matter, recovering. I didn't get any pressies till today, apart from the bottle of wine and choc from Meg, still untouched. (She still hasn't grown out of waking me up at 8am with the card she has made me! 'cept she was still up from the night before! Groan, thanks a bunch, Meg). You can see in one of the pics the food mixer she got me and was intending to take back and swap for a blender when she went to Bolton yesterday, but forgot it. (it's in red bag on chair). I got a copy of The Idler from Mel and a lovely little velvet dress from Dawn. I copied her a Gillian Welch CD, (well, actually, Nick did it)- these are both things we have been meaning to give to each other for quite some time but never seemed to get round to it.

The children have now gone to their dad's for the night. This is a regular thing, plus every other weekend. I have been struggling at times with the whole kids thing and been talking to the wrong people about it, who of course tell me well, why don't you just send them to school? Argh!!! Thing is it wouldn't really help in the short or long term I don't think. I just need to get my act together a bit and start getting into a bit more of a routine with things. Joy seems fine, educationally. I mean she is doing lots of blogging and stuff and loads of horse stuff, but she has been extremely trying at times with her constant moaning and inane questions. The boys seem happy enough, but I do worry about them spending so much time on the computers- now they have one each and have got into vitual reality games!!!
OMG I suppose I, and, inevitably, they are spending quite a lot of time with a man who spends lots of time on a computer. I find WoW mildy irritating at best, but I get to watch quite a lot of films, and have a handy IT manager, which is what I need as there is always at least one computer in this house that needs fixing (Meg's PC currently has new hard drive; needs windows re-installing; She has a Mac, but her CV and basically everything she needs to find a new JOB are on the PC so I'm keen to get that sorted); my laptop's still not mended!).

No, well, the boys did do about 15 minutes of Jolly Phonics before they went to their dad's this evening, plus bouncing on the trampoline, of course...

ps: don't any of you go on Facebook any more? if you did you would know it was my birthday!

sorry

OK I'm sure you're getting really bored of me being at least a week behind at all times, but I do intend to rectify this sometime very soon, maybe even later on today... But don't expect me to be up to scratch until after the big C. Not that I'm really participating in festivities, you understand, but I have my mum coming tomorrow for a few days and then it's solstice.
Today I am planning to make a fire pit in the garden and I think I just saw Dave walking up the road to help with this. Better get some warm clothes on, then.
I just got an accidental delivery of coal, intended for another house, but since it was already in the bunker I said I would have it, even though it's spewing out all over the place, as it wasn't empty. Ahh well, they are going to give me a big discount on it and I think, being Exel, it should be a bit easier than the temperamental anthracite.
Other news: You'll be glad to hear I've just ordered a new screen for my laptop, after finally having it diagnosed at the computer shop, so that can only mean an iminent increase in blogging activities! (Ok it was 80 quid, *cough, splutter*, I do hope there isn't anything else wrong with it as well)

greetings from Hebden Bridge

So we've arrived. No internet yet, but the phone's been on a week so it shouldn't be too long now. We went to the library this morning to exchange books, etc and go online, but I only had a few minutes after changing my address, etc etc.
The house is fine and it feels like home, although we are still really getting used to our new life and it all still feels a bit disjointed and new. It's lovely and cozy and sunny and the garden is great. There's stuff everywhere! Yesterday Dave came round to help in the garden and we ended up dismantling the climbing frame (long story) to make a bit of space. And I got some new pegs and a washing line to dry the endless amounts of washing that have appeared since Milly came round and plumbed in the washer (and fixed the toilet.)
I don't suppose I can make much sense now- as I'm in the Arts centre with the kids and they all want a go on the internet, too. Plus I'm dying for a coffee and one of Meg's friends broke my cafetiere the other day- must get one.....

Wahay! I've just moved the computers upstairs, in preparation for the party tomorrow! and one of them works, at least. I just had to say that.
I don't know what's happened to the rest of the week, really- we haven't done a right lot, except a bit of art. Couldn't face Hebden yesterday afternoon, so we walked up to Sarah's instead. It was a lovely evening, but it did get cold later on.

moving slowly

I really should get an early night, which would be the first one in at least two weeks, as I've a long day ahead tomorrow. But I just thought I should check in and spread my chirpiness throughout the world, as though tired I've had a generally good day and am feeling quite chipper (or is that just sleep deprivation making me too crazy to care?).
Anyway, I seemed to achieve a few things by continuing to move very slowly, still recovering from slightly hectic couple of days (yesterday probably didn't look that hectic on here, but it was 2am by the time I went to bed). We went shopping for more party stuff for tomorrow's BBQ. Not completely put away yet, but I did a little bit of tidying and looked everywhere for Joy's Judo thingy she needs for her grading on Sunday (found it). Just need to get firewood and tidy up a bit more and partify the house/garden, before making food. Joy went riding and had a really good time there today.
It seems like the house thing is back on now; still need to iron out a few details. I bumped into the lady selling us the house and she stopped for a chat and said to let her know when I wanted to go round to talk about what she's leaving. I managed to keep a fairly even smile and said I'd been busy with birthdays, etc.
Well, that seems to be it, actually. Except that I just found out that sitting cross-legged on a bench is not a good positiion for blog-reading. Must get some more ergonomic seating for these computers for the kids.

sexing rabbits

We just decided to sex the baby rabbits, as someone wants two of them. 3 are three months old, 3 are two months old. Right, so far: I recon Flopsy and Peter are both boys, as I suspected, especially Flopsy, who is bigger and harder to catch than the others. Joy held them while I *looked* under the tail; I think they both had quite a bit bumpy bit, but I'm no expert.

Freddie seems a bit obseesed by Club Penguin, and also knows how to type the right letters in to get CBeebies!