Wednesday 27 March 2013

Sorry, been a bit rubbish at keeping in touch. All you've missed is Twin 1's 'suspected appendicitis' - she had a whole day off school, but it turned out just to be a big poo. Am feeling a little dejected for various reasons, but I'm sure it's nothing that the imminent chocolate fest won't sort out - yesterday my sister came over and brought a kilo bag of mini eggs. Yes, I have just eaten the last one (oh, it wasn't that bad, the kids ate most of them, honest). I've been doing easter egg hunts in my English classes - to revise prepositions of place, you understand, not just because I can't whip up the energy to teach a new grammatical structure and would rather have a bit of fun. Hmmm, what other news? Finally fished out the old child-rearing bible and stopped shouting at Twin 1 today. She's now decided to write a journal for herself describing her behaviour issues and giving herself top tips on dealing with her anger. All her idea, and not mine. Phew. That book is just magic on paper, it really is - should really use some of the techniques on myself (and should really have used it on the hairy professor the other week, too, might have stopped me going into meltdown).... xxx

Wednesday 20 March 2013

Hello you, how are things? It's all good here. Dog is still teetering on the brink, but managing to cling grimly on to life. Clearly his diet of Tesco Everyday Value horse mince suits his constitution (the vet thinks the bute might be adding value to his medication cocktail). Kids are madly excited about science dress up day on Friday. Last year it was all a bit last-minute, but I managed to get away with dressing the Twins in matching outfits and labelling them as genetic clones. Not sure I'll get away with it for a second year running, though, so have just ordered some tinsel from Amazon because the three of them have decided to go jointly as an atom (Twins as proton & neutron, Son as electron). Twin 2 was a bit sad that she couldn't go as Queen Elizabeth, but was persuaded by Son that she wasn't a scientific queen and also that protons could be pink, with red tinsel, so it's all good to go now. But what I want to know is why schools can't just do easy dress up days with things you actually have in the house? Why not a leggings-and-fleece dress up day? Why not? Oh well, we might be able to salvage some of the tinsel and keep it for Christmas, I suppose.
What else? I've started cycling to work. Well, cycling on one of the days, if it's not raining, and I feel like it. Oh, alright, I've done it once. And I might not do it tomorrow because apparently there's a fifty per cent chance of rain, and I've got to be at school for a meeting about Twin 2 in the afternoon, and I don't want to turn up wet, breathless, dishevelled, and late. So, actually, I suppose I should just say that I went for a cycle ride, last week. Still, it totally justified all those chocolate chip cookies at the weekend.
And, I'm finally getting paid a little bit for the voluntary work job, hurrah. Although it means I do have to turn up on time and be professional about it now - not that I wasn't before, you understand, but it does make me think I might have to be a bit more organised about it all.
We still see Hubby from time to time, most weekends, really - although he does turn up looking like sleep is an unaffordable luxury.
And talking of unaffordable luxuries - what am I going to do when my Protect & Perfect serum runs out. Since I've rid myself of evil Rumplestiltskin and his spinning-straw-into-gold job, I've realised that, well, I can't really justify the whole anti-ageing skincare thing. Any ideas? I've heard lard is good...(and Tesco does an Everyday Value horse version, I'm sure).

Wednesday 13 March 2013

Hi, 'Sup? (I'm morphing into an American because I'm watching so many episodes of 'The Big Bang Theory').
Anyway, I'm fine. Which comes as quite a surprise, given my mini-meltdown last week. It turns out that my life is not falling apart and everything is pretty much as it should be, which is good. Phew. Apart from being less hormonal this week, I have also jettisoned one of my three micro-jobs. I would tell you more about 'Rumplestiltskin' and my 1am  decision to press send on the email handing in my notice. But it wouldn't do to get libellous, would it?
So, today, instead of attempting to spin straw into gold, I finished writing a chapter for my book, planned my lessons for tomorrow, went for a nice walk in the sunshine, didn't have to panic when I got a call from school to come in because Twin 2 was complaining about toothache, made a batch of cinnamon rolls and helped Twin 2 with her physio. Life is back to normal again, hurrah.
I'm not ruling out the possibility of another wierd oestrogen-induced blip in the not-too-distant future, but at least it won't be exacerbated by having to work for an evil fairy-tale character.
Hope you're not trapped in your own fairy tale (or if you are, it's not one that involves angry little bearded men).
Take care xxx
ps - did you know that, statistically six out of seven dwarfs aren't happy?


Monday 4 March 2013

Turns out the 'day five dip' was postponed until day seven. Damn those pesky hormones - spent a not inconsiderable amount of the weekend sighing, crying and apologising to the kids (Hubby was away with work, conveniently for him). I also totally OD'd on St John's Wort in order to try to herbalise my way out of the hole it (looks like the year's supply of St John's Wort I just bought will barely last four months, at this rate) and ate my body weight in toffees and cinnamon rolls. I do feel normal again now, and there don't appear to be any side effects - will let you know if I suddenly develop a green tongue or purple wee or anything - other than massive weight gain.
Perhaps one of the reasons I'm feeling less depressed today is the weather: sunshine, flowers, happy faces - spring is in the air (the PTI at the gym said we will be having a heatwave next week, although when I asked for clarification he bellowed, "It'll be sixteen degrees!", which hardly counts as a heatwave in my book, but is admittedly about twenty degrees hotter than it's been recently).
And in the lovely, bright, lemony early spring sunshine today, I saw unequivocal evidence that I do in fact have nits, again. So I had to spend sixteen quid and the best part of the afternoon de-lousing myself and the Twins. I can think of better things to spend sixteen quid on (like another year's supply of St John's Wort and a supersized bag of toffees, for starters), but hey-ho, at least I'm vermin-free in time for my hairdresser's appointment on Wednesday with lovely M at the salon (she's the one with gorgeous black hair but a strange yellow complexion: wrong shade of foundation or chronic jaundice, not sure which). I'm hoping she will banish my greys and turn me into the gorgeous L'oreal advert I know I am, somewhere inside (on the days when I have no nits and am not crying my eyes out through a hormonal crisis).
Right then, washing up and downstairs bathroom now, can't wait...

Friday 1 March 2013

I'm pretending the washing and the washing up don't exist. Or the upstairs bathroom (no, I still haven't done the downstairs one, either, and you can't make me!) because I'd rather talk to you. I ought to be being sociable tonight and going to book club, but I was expecting to have my 'day 5 dip' and be on the verge of tears for most of today, so I decided to make my excuses. However, as it happens, I'm perky as you fancy, so I could have gone after all, without fear of emotional outpourings. Ho hum, too late to get a babysitter now, and anyway, I'm already in my PJs, so I shall just have to drink wine and talk about books to myself until midnight (no change there, then).
News of the day: twins are learning a One Direction song in choir. I thought we might have avoided the whole One Direction palaver, but now it's being foisted on us by school. Thanks for that, Mrs W. Twin 2 has now decided she is their biggest fan and made me find their videos on youtube for her. Once I'd clicked 'play' she made me leave the room - she wanted to be alone with those boys with the silly haircuts.
And so it begins...