An award

It's been a while since I've had one of these so thank you very much Mrs Twiggypeasticks ;)

A much needed bit of sunshine as we awoke to snow again this morning and it's soooo cold.

I'm passing this lovely award on to everyone who comes to read my blog, here to a bit of sunshine warming all our bones :)

We have ways

Is it just my local charity shop ladies or is it just me? Yesterday I took a wander down to my charity shop, as I can now because I'm not at work for the whole time it's open, and after persuing the books and crockery I asked to see the button boxes.

The lovely grey haired, usually mild mannered, lady immediately asked me "Why?" eyeing me suspiciously.

"Because I'd like to have a look please" I replied.

"Hmmm. What is it you're after exactly?"

"Nothing in particular I just like to have a look to see if any catch my eye."

Honestly the way she hovered over me when I was finally allowed access to them, you'd think I was away to throw them all in my pocket and run away to Brazil with the riches of the world.

I did buy some lovely green buttons but even then I felt I'd done something wrong. Maybe she just loves her buttons too and doesn't like anyone else taking them away. Maybe one day I'll be the old lady in the charity shop who tries to hide the button tins. LOL

Blanket day

Well yesterday was my last shift at work - woohoo! and then I had a couple of drinks with some customers before i had to leave to meet up with a pal.

I got to home around 7am this morning, why does carrying on the party always seem like such a good idea at the time?

So today I awoke around 11am and as the smalls were at their Dad's and I didn't know what time they were coming back I dragged myself down to the couch with several blankets and I pretty much haven't moved all day. Just lay here all cosied up watching rubbish on tv and drinking lots of water :) Thank god I'm only tired and don't have one of those horrendous hangover heads. I can't even have an early night as big one is out on her first paid babysitting job tonight so I've got to stay awake to collect her....hopefully some time soon. :)

Ladies what lunch

Thanks for all your lovely comments ladies. I really am looking forward to moving into the new decade, older and wiser and ready for new adventures. I know once I've worked my last shift the wee cloud will bob merrily away and I can roll up my sleeves and get on with things. Sorry for sounding such a misery yesterday.

Today was my day off (yes I know I've only been back at work for 2 days) and my good friend E called round for lunch. It was good to catch up with her as I've not seen her since before Xmas, what with my constant house guest, anyway she said I sounded full of plans and that she noticed a change in me. A good change in that I seem more focused on what I want to happen thisyear and what I plan on doing about it. E is always good for boosting me up and so are you all. Thank you.

Is anyone watching the Hairy Bikers latest offering Mum Knows Best? I've not seen any of their shows before so I'm enjoying this one. So far I've downloaded all the recipes and there are a few I plan on trying out. I'll let you know and if I find my camera lead hopefully show you how we get on :)

I've actually got a bit of a crush on the one on the left, whathisname, Simon that's it :)

Right well back to work tomorrow and hopefully I'll find out how many shifts I have left.

Had to add this image because it makes me chuckle, I hope it does the same for you.

Fat, Forty and feeling Flat

Yep that's me. I'm now officially ancient, well so the small people tell me :)

The only bit of my birthday that I got to do that I actually wanted to do was have my smalls with me. But hey ho, so on and so forth, blah blah and bleugh.

I've handed my notice in at work and feel sooooo much better for it. Just waiting now to find out if I finish this friday or next friday. Fingers crossed it's this friday! I have a million things zooming about in my head that I want to do once I'm home. The small people are happy knowing that soon Mum will be waiting for them when they get back from school, family meals will become the norm again and we can all spend more time together.

Despite having a pleasant enough birthday and being happy about giving up my job I seem to have a wee dark cloud bobbing about over my head again today. Winter blues I guess, fed up of snow and ice and being cold and they say there's more of it all coming! I still have 2 swap parcels sat here not sent. I will never ever be allowed to join another blog swap ever and quite rightly. I apologise and they will be with you (you know who you are) if I have to walk to your houses to deliver them. My house is a mess. I can't see my bedroom floor for boxes and bags, all things that have been dumped there from everywhere else. My craft room - well I know it's in the house somewhere but it seems to have either been sucked into a black hole or it's that really messy room that anyone passing seems to dump things into. And no my craft room and bedroom are not one and the same room but actually two different rooms. :(

Anyway enough gumping (moaning) watching the news brings home the fact that I really don't have anything to actuaily moan about. So next post? Happy things....I promise

Oh one bonus...My Mother finally went home - after 4 1/2 weeks here! :D

Well here it is

2010. A whole new year full of promise. Happy New Year to you all. I hope you saw the new year in with more cheer than I did. I'm currently coughing lots and my poor chest is so sore. I should have been working a day shift New Years Eve but as I'd spent most of the previous night awake coughing hard my Mother and wee one took the decision that I was NOT going into work. Just as well as I slept for pretty much the rest of the day. I just know my name will have been mud for phoning in sick the morning of my shift but I am soooo fed up of my job just now that I'm past caring.

I've actually come to the decision that once I've had my week's leave (the week after next) I'm handing my notice in. I really don't earn enough for all the hours I do to put up with all the rubbish I have to. It's minimum wage and maximum stress. A friend told me that me being ill and worrying about there being no one to cover my shift was the manager's problem and not mine. I actually laughed, then coughed for several minutes, as that is pretty much the main problem. There is no manager. It is a family run pub and it all seems to be done on a wing and a prayer. I work 4 day shifts a week, not finishing till at least 6pm at night. My tag team partner then takes over from me and does the opposite shifts. Then the rest of the shifts..... well whoever the boss can get to fill the spaces seems to do it and they just seem to do what they feel like doing while they're there. Me and my ttp do all the cleaning, stocking, ordering etc etc etc.

Sorry I'm just moaning. I've been there 3 years now and have just burnt myself out I think.

I need to take some time out and spent it with my small people, see my friends, deep clean the house and spend some time just catching a breath.

It's probably not the wisest thing to do during a credit crunch but we will manage. Me and me small people need some us time and not them coming home to an empty house waiting for Mum to get home in the dark.

So New Years Eve I sat up on the sofa trying to stay awake while the smalls played Just Dance on the Wii - fantastic game! I can't recommend it enough for fun value and exercise, my arms were killing me Christmas Day night.

Christmas Day and New Years Eve the former him indoors was here to spend it with the smalls. I've also had my mother here for nearly 3 weeks now slowly driving me insane. She won't be leaving just yet as it's my 40th birthday next sunday so wants to be here for that too. Just keep smiling Taz, all your washing and ironing keeps magically disappearing!

So that's been the end of 2009 for me. Not one of the best years but certainly one that has given me the kick up the backside that hopefully will propel me into 2010 with determination to make things better. Plus turning the big 40, well they say life begins at 40 don't they?

I don't do resolutions but things I'm hoping for this year are.

• More quality family time.



• Making this house a home.



• Getting my crafting mojo back.



• Living frugally but bountifully.



• Nuture my important friendships.



• Have a holiday even if it's only a weekend in a tent in a field with a campfire.

I have nothing planned for my birthday, sad but true. I did book a party but then decided that I didn't want to spend my birthday at my place of work and paying for a party that I really wasn't bothered about having. Maybe if someone else had organised it for me it would have been fun but there was no chance of that. Ideally I would love to have spent my birthday in New York, I just love New York. But that too is just a pipe dream.

So I'm guessing my birthday will be what it will be. I didn't have anything 'big' for any of my other landmark birthdays so nothing new there then. As long as the small people spend the day with me then I'll be happy.

God I'm a right whinge aren't I? First post of 2010 and I'm moan, moan, moan. Oh did I mention we've had snow, snow, snow and lots more snow? Ok I know you're not shocked, I live in Scotland LOL