New term and new ESOL students: Maria from Bulgaria and Sana from lraq. l was a tiny bit nervous about going back, but armed with a nice new notepad and hairstyle (one should always begin the academic year with a new hairstyle and notebook, don't you think?), it all went quite well, really. As well as being back to school, I'm back to fasting. l have one apple left to eat...It's the legacy of a three week holiday in the South West. Cream teas, fish and chips, ice cream - not to mention the odd pint of cider. Talking of which, l went to the village pub with my husband, what a treat! Looking forward to turning into a right old lush when the kids eventually disappear.
So, the hols are properly over now, which is a little bit sad (yes, l did blub the morning Son started 'big school'). However, now l can get back to the novel. This week I'm entering a competition with Mslexia, a magazine for women writers (mylast novel got longlisted so fingers crossed this time round) and I'm going to try my first agent. No expectations at this stage really, but given that l can expect, oh, about a billion rejections before someone finally recognises my talent, l guess l should get off my arse and get on with it.
Right, need to do Twin 2s physio and take Son to karate and ...Oh no l don't have to do the downstairs bathroom because l have finally got a cleaner (who has OCD, which in my opinion is quite a useful attribute for a professional domestic) Got to go xx

Woo hoo

Woo hoo! l have finally figured out how to write this on my phone. A good thing, because hopefully l will get back into the habit of blogging, instead of eating biscuits and watching repeats of "Not Going Out" on Dave. But now l really have to finish doing a hairy thing (oh, it's a cross between straightening and tonging, not scary at all) or l shall start the new term looking like Hagrid's angry little sister. TTFN

I'm back...ish

Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I'm still here, sort of. Well, I've been away for a bit. If Devon and Dorset count as 'away' ('away with the fairies' maybe, especially Totnes-twinned-with-Narnia). I'm just wondering whether to carry on with this blog or embrace the future and start tweeting instead? What do you think? I just always seem to forget to blog, and then it's ages with nothing and all I can remember about the intervening weeks is that I've done a lot of washing and ironing and that the only reason my children look happy in photos is because they are laughing in my face at the utterly ridiculous concept of tidying their respective rooms. Right. It's 11.30 now, so I must go to bed and have happy dreams. In the meantime, let me know if you'd rather this blog changed to a tweet xxx

Paper plates again for supper. And the ironing is finished. And I've cleared up the random mess in the other room (well, shoved it in a drawer, which amounts to the same thing). And Bertha can do most of the hoovering. So I'm almost ready to pack for the hols, hurrah. It will be sunny next week in Devon, yes it will...Just had a look on the National Trust website and there are loads of places to visit for free if it does rain (and I'm sure they won't mind if I just stop over and kip on a random eighteenth century chaise longue, to avoid sodden tents - if the rain does come), and I've bought myself a pac-a-mac just in case. Just the small issue of how to manage the whole 'camping hair' phenomenon...

No, I haven't been drinking cider all this time (if only!)...I have, however, succumbed to the two-year itch. I am so used to moving every couple of years that I get an urge to do a spot of life laundry, which this year has manifested itself in revamping the kids' rooms, having a good old chuck out,  and getting lots of old furniture and picture frames out of the garage and painting them white (which took a whole day, and doesn't bear close inspection - shabby chic for the myopic, if you will). I subsequently realised that I used the wrong sort of paint, so it may well all flake off again - don't think Kirsty Alsopp will be out of a job any time soon!
I did have vague plans about doing a bit of manuscript editing in the evenings, but I think I was being optimistic. I seem to still be washing up/ironing at ten o'clock at night, at which point I just think 'sack it' and slump on the sofa with a chocolate milkshake. In fact, yesterday I didn't even get as far as doing the washing up, and it was all waiting for me at breakfast time today. I made the kids use paper plates when they invited a friend over for lunch. Environmentally unsound, I know, but not quite as bad as driving out for a Happy Meal, which was my plan B.
Right now I have just finished the ironing and the paper plates are in the bin and the kids have gone over to their little friend G's house (except for Son, who is upstairs pretending to sort his room out, but actually making Lego spaceships). Yes, there is still the hoovering, and putting away the random mess in the other room, but maybe I'll have a cup of tea in front of Kirsty & Phil first. Oooh, living the dream!

sorry, sorry, busy! I'll write more in a bit, honest (maybe after I finish this tasty pint of cider...)

ps

I was going to be very good and do yoga tonight, but it's already ten o'clock and I'm still in crisis mode. Wine or yoga? Wine or yoga? Oh alright, wine it is!