How much is too much for a cup of coffee?

This one is a little out of my price range.
John Lewis very kindly emailed me to let me know that they have this coffee machine on clearance from £999 to £750. Cough cough splutter splutter!

To get to my nearest Starbucks or any of the others is at least a 70 mile round trip so lets just say I'm quite used to drinking instant.

It does sound very nice though apparently it creates the perfect cappuccino, latte or macchiato, you just fill it with water and fresh milk, load the coffee beans, or ground coffee and voila a nice cup of coffee.
It even does that steamy thing that they do when you have all the frothy milk.

I did have a Senseo coffee maker but it was actually the ex's (a fathers day present one year funny how he always used to get good presents and I got flowers) so that left when he did.

Ah well for now it's me, the kettle and my instant granules. If I'm honest that big thing up there looks like a whole lot of washing up to me. :D But if anyone would like me to review one I'm more than happy to give it a go...just for you ;)

60 Things Not To Say To A Naked Guy

1. I've smoked fatter joints than that.
2. Ahh, it's cute.
3. Who circumcised you?
4. Why don't we just cuddle?
5. You know they have surgery to fix that.
6. It's more fun to look at.
7. Make it dance.
8. You know, there's a tower in Italy like that.
9. Can I paint a smiley face on that?
10. It looks like a night crawler.
11. Wow, and your feet are so big.
12. My last boyfriend was 4'' bigger.
13. It's ok, we'll work around it.
14. Is this a mild or a spicy Slim Jim?
15. Eww, there's an inch worm on your thigh.
16. Will it squeak if I squeeze it?
17. Oh no, a flash headache.
18. (giggle and point)
19. Can I be honest with you?
20. My 8-year-old brother has one like that.
21. Let me go get my tweezers.
22. How sweet, you brought incense.
23. This explains your car.
24. You must be a growing boy.
25. Maybe if we water it, it'll grow.
26. Thanks, I needed a toothpick.
27. Are you one of those pygmies?
28. Have you ever thought of working in a sideshow?
29. Every heard of clearasil?
30. All right, a treasure hunt!
31. I didn't know they came that small.
32. Why is God punishing you?
33. At least this won't take long.
34. I never saw one like that before.
35. What do you call this?
36. But it still works, right?
37. Damn, I hate baby-sitting.
38. It looks so unused.
39. Do you take steroids?
40. I hear excessive masturbation shrinks it.
41. Maybe it looks better in natural light.
42. Why don't we skip right to the cigarettes?
43. Oh, I didn't know you were in an accident.
44. Did you date Lorena Bobbitt?
45. Aww, it's hiding.
46. Are you cold?
47. If you get me real drunk first.
48. Is that an optical illusion?
49. What is that?
50. I'll go get the ketchup for your french fry.
51. Were you neutered?
52. It's a good thing you have so many other talents.
53. Does it come with an air pump?
54. So this is why you're supposed to judge people on personality.
55. Where are the puppet strings?
56. Your big gun is more like a BB gun.
57. Look, it fits my Barbie clothes.
58. Never mind, why bother.
59. Is that a second belly button?
60. Where's the rest of it?

I wonder how many of us have said or at least thought some of these. LOL

Father's Day 2010

Oh how I wish I could wish mine a Happy Day.
I wish I could speak to him just that one more time.
I wish I could feel his arms around me.
I wish I could hear his voice say my name, tell me he loves me just that one more time.

I miss you my big Daddy, my hero, my bear. 6 years gone but never ever forgotten.

To everyone who still has their Dad here with them...give him an extra squeeze for me.

Things I never expected to hear as a parent.

Getting a phone call at 10 at night from big one to say she and her friend love me so much right now for suggesting they take a toilet roll with them is a new experience in my Mothering journey for sure.
To explain big one is on a selection weekend with the Scouting Association if she gets chosen she will spend up to 5 weeks next summer in Malawii.
When big one was getting her bags ready this afternoon I suggested that they take a toilet roll with them because you never know what you’re going to have to face for toilets on some campsites
The phone call to tell me they love me is because the toilet there is gross and for some bizarre reason the lock is on the outside of the door and there was something said about the toilet seat but I didn’t quite catch that bit as they were giggling and ewwwing too much. At least there is a door girls!!.


Good to know I have my uses eh?

People are mean

Big one is having issues with a 'friend.' I use the phrase friend very loosely.

Do you think bitchyness is catching? In fact how do you even learn how to be bitchy. I'm not talking about the everyday kind of bitchy that I'm sure we're all capable of. I'm talking about that mean kind of bitchy where you purposely try to undermine people, make they feel bad, draw others into your way of thinking.

I've studied psychology and sociology so I know about the theories of how and why some personalities try to bring those around them down to make themselves feel better etc etc etc But when it's your baby that's hurting....

Let's just say this Mama Bear is being pushed to her limits.

Who knew

that soggy Dandelions could looks so pretty?

Did you know that Dandelion comes from the French language dent-de-lion, meaning, lion tooth? Named thus because the raggy leaves look like teeth. I didn't.

Do you remember being told not to pick them when you were a child because if you picked a dandelion you'd wet the bed that night? At least that old wives tale had a grain of truth. The roots of the dandelion have a strong diuretic effect but you have to eat them not just pick the flowers.

It would appear on doing some research that we should actually encourage a few dandelions in our gardens and not be intent on killing them all (take note my next door neighbours!) Dandelions are actually good for your lawn, bees love them and so do butterflies.

See I knew there was a reason why I keep a natural garden. :)

My latest bizarre buys

My fabulous £2 Charity shop toadstool.

It said damaged on the sticker, which I take to mean this big crack down the side but I think it adds character.




I picked up and put down this tile about three times but at £1 I just couldn't resist the bright colours. I think they are Kookaburra's what do you think?




And finally my £2.50 large jar with vine leaves all over it. It is now the proud receptacle of my white button collection.


Not a bad wee haul eh? I'm trying to not buy any books from the charity shop as my book collection is getting to crazy proportions again. In fact I'm proud of myself for having a box full of box waiting (for someone without a sore back) to be taken to the charity shop. Proud that is that it's a box leaving the house and not entering!

New Art and Broken Parts

I was one of the lucky 10 over at Kazzy's blog.



It's always lovely getting parcels especially when they are wrapped so prettily.



Loving the card and the wee lavender mouse is so cute.



My personalised piece of art that I am going to frame and add to my craft wall. Everyone who has seen it has commented on how wonderful it is. In fact I've had to promise wee one that I will run a copy of it off so she can colour it it. Maybe you should think about doing your own colouring book Kaz? ;)



Wee one is full of hayfever at the moment so she carefully peeled all the stickers off the parcel and envelope and decorated her tissue box. :)

As for the broken parts - my back is feeling better, still twinging and I certainly won't be swinging off any chandeliers for a while but thanks to the pain killers I'm getting there. Thanks for all your lovely comments about me and my failing body.

Speaking of which I actually got to see my consultant yesterday and I will be having my gall bladder removed via keyhole surgery - once I have lost 2 stone. That's me on the salads then, shame it keeps raining :(

I broke myself

Yesterday I woke up full of determination to get a heap of things done.
I swept the floors, did the dishes, hung out a load of washing, did general chores then thought I deserved a nice cup of tea.
So I sat down and had one, then I stood up!


Nothing pinged, crunched or clicked but my back felt a wee bit sore, within half an hour I could no longer stand up straight and felt like one of those little old ladies you see who are all hunched over. It was agony to sit, stand or walk and I was exhausted just trying to do any of them. Fortunately the ex popped round to collect something so I was able to take myself off to my bed, find a semi comfortable position and get some sleep and he fed the small people.

Today after much nagging from eldest small person and a friend I phoned the Dr.
Not for the first time I was manipulated by a man but this manipulation was in a good way and when he'd finished I could actually stand up straight. I'm still sore, the Dr has prescribed me some nice strong pain killers and given me a set of exercises to do to stop my muscles seizing up.
I can never do things by halves can I?