Baby's age counter

Wednesday 31 January 2007

Maybe things don’t change

Yesterday I went on a course about being a tutor and having students in your care etc. It was quite interesting but fast-paced which was tough going after a hard morning teaching! But the weird thing was that although we were all grown people being taught, there was still one person who kept talking the whole time the instructor was talking! It really annoyed me because we all knew, as teachers, how irritating it is when students talk over you. I just about managed to hold my tongue but it was a close thing. So after all that time, even though I was surrounded by adults, there were still childish people. Perhaps growing up so straight forward!

Other news... amazingly the lamp is still working. My spirits are (relatively) high. I LOVE this little piece of modern technology.

Saturday 27 January 2007

Woo hoo for the veggies!

My veg box arrived as promised on Wednesday and I've not been disappointed. We got loads! I've had to have major cook-off and have made: curried parsnip mash, a massive lasagne packed with veggies and a slow cooked beef casserole. Even better... there's loads still left! Not sure we'd cope with a box every week but it's nice for a change.

Other news.... yesterday was a bit of a family do and we went to a really nice pub/restaurant in Godalming, Surrey. It was funny because we spent lots of time with Matt and he only lives in the flat above ours! Still, it was a nice way to end the week.

Monday 22 January 2007

Veg Box

After many months of um-ing and ah-ing we've done it! We've ordered our very own organic fruit and veg box which should be delivered on Wednesday!! It will hopefully really increase our intake of fruit and veg and cut down on our wasteful, extravagent trips to the supermarket. It should mean we can just buy milk and eggs every couple of weeks until we've eaten EVERYTHING out of the freezer.
They sell loads of other things. The best thing is that they distribute their stuff from local places so there are fewer carbon miles. We chose a medium box because that had loads of stuff grown in the UK and it's nice to think we're eating what's in season.
To add to our virtuous new pledge we've installed a giant compost bin in the back garden. Luckily the wall hides it quite well and it's quite exciting to think that we'll have made something so useful. Now it's just a case of eating our way to a healthy diet and a gorgeous garden.

Sunday 21 January 2007

House headaches

The main thing that has been going on this weekend is working out possible mortgages. Oh my gosh there is so much to think about. Fortunately I've been given the thumbs up in terms of financial health from Dad but that still leaves so many confusing things to think about: how much, how long, what type and so on and that's after we've managed to pick somewhere to live. It's a bit daft really as it'll take months but it's quite stressful just as a thought. It was so bad I had to have a bath to calm my nerves!

25 or 30 years seems a very long time. I don't even know what I want to do tomorrow let alone with the rest of my life and a commitment like that. On the other hand it would be sooooo nice to have somewhere that you can do what you like and not worry about a landlord coming around or having to put up with boring coloured walls because they aren't really yours. At least then I might be let loose in a furniture shop and not be moaned at for wanting a new sofa instead of the comfortable but not particularly sexy sofa we have at the moment. Already I am collecting magazines of how I want my pad to look. I mean our pad. Haha.

On a lighter note away from the headache I've finished the book about Extreme Parenting I am relaxing and starting on 'Blackbird' by Jennifer Lauck. It's about a girl's perspective of her mother's illness in America. All these books half make having children sound great and sort of terrify me so that I wake up and think "Oh no never!"

Thursday 18 January 2007

Triplets are thrice the trouble!

Currently I’m reading Extreme Parenting by Jackie Clune. It’s a fantastic book about a real story. Jackie is a comedienne who has sort of jumped into motherhood. She had a baby who was just over a year old when she found out she’s pregnant…. With triplets!
It’s a hilarious book but it’s made me think. Sometimes being a parent quite appeals but the idea of triplets or any kind of multiple birth makes me feel exhausted at just the thought. I am sure that when they are older it’s just amazing to see these 3 people that you created do things and hang out together and argue… but it can’t be denied that there would be a lot of work in the mean time. And to be honest I am just not the hard working kind of person that would be required. On the other hand there are few people who would put their hand up, relishing the idea of taking on newborn triplets. Perhaps if it did happen I wouldn’t be so pathetic. It could be the making of a person!

Monday 15 January 2007

The Beer Van Man

Yes after a short spell in hiding (or near enough) Dial4Beer has re-emerged as all new and totally improved: The Beer Van Man! Hurrah!!
As of Thursday 22nd February - subject to the license going through – the people around Fleet, Farnborough, Aldershot and Farnham can order alcohol on weekends to pep up their parties and gatherings.
Brand development is going to be key to success. Already there is a blog instead of a website as it’s important to encourage customer feedback.
From now on I am going to dedicate lots of time to making sure this venture succeeds and reaches its full potential. Any marketing ideas are welcome!

Tuesday 9 January 2007

Eco-Living vs Saving Money

I’ve become really interested in living a less environmentally harmful way. However, the tension lies in going for the cheap option (from big companies like Tesco – did you know £1 in every £8 spent in the UK is spent in Tesco! How disturbing is that?!) and then the environmentally-kinder option which is generally much more expensive. I’ve found some excellent websites but usually in order to be lower cost you have to buy masses at once. At least this saves on the postage and carbon emissions from shipping.
Oddly the big companies have started stocking organic versions of items and fair trade, but it is those very companies that are pushing producers to use chemicals in the non-organic farming. Surely they could just call a truce. Prices might rise a few pence but overall the customers would love it. This leads me to think that these multinationals are simply cashing in on consumers desire for organic/fair trade produce and charging them excessively. Not something I want to be a part of.
In the long term I see myself buying more and more online but when you have run out of something and really need it, what else is there to do?

Pimp That Snack!

A really hilarious

Thought of the Day

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
An interesting thought… this is one of those messages I have to read to my class. It’s quite good as it usually stimulates discussion but on the other hand there can end up a shouting match! The question with this thought is what is ‘what’ in this scenario? Hope, happiness, sadness, or a hollow empty feeling.
Anyway, is that statement really true? Lots of people live in the past and when you are young it is hard not to live in the future by planning what you are going to do with your life. That is what is on my mind the most. Historically people did not get as much choice about what they did with their lives and in some ways that is enviable. Now you have to decide whether you want a career (and if so what kind), whether or not to have kids, where to live and what kind of property to have – buy or rent?
This has turned into a kind of rant but it wasn’t meant like that. The statement just got me thinking and the thoughts snowballed. Sometimes it’s best to view these things in a more shallow and simplistic way or we’d all be ending it.

Monday 8 January 2007

Bentos

I just love them! For those who have not heard of them they are basically Japanese lunchboxes. But unlike normal lunchboxes with nasty white bread peanut butter sandwiches and bashed up bananas, the Japanese take pride in making them beautiful. I have only made one and stupidly I was so excited I ate it already before I remembered I’d wanted to take a photo! Still there are loads of inspirational websites to look at to get ideas and I hope to post some photos soon of my creations. Websites I really like are:Bento Corner and

This isn’t something I would usually take part in but….

Yes I gave in. I cannot give a number of how many round-robin text messages I’ve received lately but I thought with the latest one that I would pass it on instead of deleting it immediately. It was something along the lines of: Send this back and describe me in one word. Then forward it to 10 more people and see what they say about you. I thought “what the heck! Why not?” And the responses have been … interesting. The first 3 responses all began with ‘f’ which freaked me out a bit – were they all doing it on purpose? Anyway they were fidgety, feisty and friendly. I liked those ones. Then I was given daft, which is not so complimentary but often true. But then it went back to f’s with funny, which is not something I had considered myself before so I was quite pleased with that one. The last 2 were unique and gorgeous (guess who said that last one?!) So there we are… a little insight into what people think. It’s quite an interesting idea really. I mean, it could have turned out more depressing e.g. annoying, incessant etc. I suppose that is why you send it to friends rather than random numbers. I wonder what my students would have written.... then again maybe that is better left unsaid!

Sunday 7 January 2007

I'm a SAD-o

You may (or may not) have noticed this little title underneath the main page title. It refers to something I have each year at around this time... Seasonal Affective Disorder. Or at least that is what the doc says. Anyway it's a pretty annoying affliction; basically I'm a miserable old trout for the first couple of months of the year. I think it's a combination of rubbish weather, cold short days and the end of the festive season. So this year my New Year's Resolution is to stop the darn thing taking hold of my life. I was given one of those lights to sit under for an hour each day and I am making a conscious effort to go outside and get up and DO something. This is a real challenge and I shall post updates. I imagine it'll be quite an up and down sort of ride and things are rarely straightforward, are they?

Random Question of the day

Why do cats chase their own tail?

I'm sure there's some medical reason, but think about... the cat must know that the tail is attached because when he catches it he'd feel it. Or does he have a really short term memory? Nevermind, it provides us with hours of entertainment. Perhaps he just likes the challenge.

The First One

Ok so I have taken the plunge. After much advice and mulling I have chosen to start this blog. The aim is to have an outlet for my projects, thoughts and ideas - with the added bonus that I might get some feedback!
So about me... teacher, daughter, girlfriend, cook, crafter, eco-warrior.... call me what you will. I'm 23 (not long until the big 2-4) and live with my bf in a little flat with our cat, Liam. The main thing to know is that I have a lot of interests and I float in and out of them to varying degrees as there just aren't enough days in the week to fit the all in. This week I have been focusing on using my new slow cooker/steamer/rice cooker and making crafts - I've made 2 scrapbook pages, 5 cards and started a project for Valentine's Day!