Busy, busy, busy

Well there have been another two trips. The nice man, who helps me unload my car, at the recycling centre and I are now definately on first name terms and he's even been telling me his 'bad' jokes. Trust me they're bad! LOL

This morning a friend called round to collect the home gym that the ex bought years ago, used twice and very 'kindly' left behind along with a whole other load of cr*p that I'm having to work through or maybe he thinks he can just leave his stuff here forever? I'm thinking after two years I can start insisting things leave right?


I did ask him to take the gym but he said he didn't want it and to do whatever I wanted with it. So I have. I made a half hearted attempt at selling it a while back but it was more trouble than it was worth and with my new clearing out rules firmly in my head it was time it just went.
So it is now living at my friend's house ready for when his son is home on leave so he can keep up with his training. :D


Then it was off to town to collect the two desks that I reserved online last night from Argos. Both reduced in their Spring sale and because I also bought a much needed lockable filing cabinet and my bill went over £100 I got a £10 voucher back. Result!
Before I picked them up though I quickly ran into good old Farmfoods to see what bargains were to be had. Is shopping at Farmfoods the same everywhere I wonder? You see loads of bargains but you can't buy too much as you can't park anywhere remotely close and those bags are heavy!

So a quick shop in FF's and a stop over at Lidl's and that's our meals sorted for a good wee while.

Then it was home to begin the build...



I think there must be something wrong with my technique as every single chuffing time I build a flat pack I end up with a blister on the palm of my hand. I obviously grip too tightly ;)

So wee one is now the proud owner of a new desk and is very excited to fill up all the drawers with all her art stuff and fill the pots on the wall hanging thingy I bought in Ikea yonks ago with all her pens. :) Yes I put that up too AND a mirror AND I took down an old tv stand that I think the ex had welded onto the wall as it was near impossible to get off but off it came. Hmmm actually I think that might actually explain the blister on my hand.

Tomorrow's job is to build up big one's desk who desperately needs it as she's cramming like mad for her upcoming pre-lim exams (mocks to those of you south of the border) and subsquent Highers (A Levels) and I'm sure she'd find it much better being able to work at a desk, well her back will thank her in years to come anyway LOL


Another job will be to tell you about the award I have been awarded by the lovely ME no not Me but the ME you'll get to meet if you click on the link ;)

I scream, you scream...

We all scream for ICE CREAM!

I took the smalls swimming, yes I expect my good Mummy award in the post any day. I do love swimming, I love floating about and almost feeling graceful. I love being able to carry both the smalls around in the water as it is pretty impossible out of the water especially as big one is nearly as tall as me now. I love that they carry me about in the water and think it's funny.
I do NOT love walking around in barely more than my underwear for everyone to see. I'm guessing I'm not the only female who doesn't like that bit of swimming too. Oh and the trying to get dry and dressed in changing rooms that are freezing cold!

After swimming I took the smalls to the ice cream shop....




Oh yes I scored multiple good Mummy points!

No waaaaay!

Another award! I am a very lucky girl indeed and to be honest it's so nice getting them as I've been feeling a bit sorry for myself of late. But enough of that.

Thanks today are due to the lovely Pea Green Kitty at Memoirs of a Vintage Magpie
She is an awesome lady who is not only a Nurse, something I wanted to be when I grew up but then I knackered my back so that was the end of that, but not only is PGK a hardworking lady is a whizz at home and is currently painting up a storm in her garden. ;)



Right so I'm to tell you 7 things you don't know about me
1. I once played the Dame in our Young People's Drama group Pantomime. We were short of older boys and as one of the tallest girls and the owner of the daftest sense of humour I can't think why they picked me and I was only in my early teens at the time.
2. My 15 year old won't let me watch Hollyoaks cos she says it's SAD! LOL
3. I would love to do a course on Dry stone walling. I'm not even sure why but it's always fascinated me. I know I'm odd.
4. As well as being 6ft tall, wearing a size 9 shoe (just call me Yeti woman) I have a huge head. I love hats but going hat shopping is no fun when you put one on your head and it just sits there...on the top of your head...like you're a giant with an Elf's cap on.
5. I gave up Clarinet in school as I hated the way it made my teeth vibrate, I actually wanted to take Drum but there were never EVER any spaces.
6. I have no idea why people think Ricky Gervais is funny. He is soooooo not!
7. I made Goats Cheese Tart for tea last night, ok I struggling to find 7 interesting things to tell you.

Now I'm supposed to pass this on to 7 other bloggers. As I've already said I've been on the receiving end of quite a few awards lately to I'm awarding this one to you all, every one of you lovely human beans that takes time out of your day to come visit me here at Ratbagsville! :)

I got an award

from a lovely new friend. Arewenearlythereclaire





The award is for always looking on the brightside of things, thank you sweetie, can't say I'm entirely sure that that is me but I try :)


Now there are rules, why are there always rules? Life is all about rules. LOL

Ok will stop wittering on....

I have to:

1. List the top ten things that make me happy.

2. List 5 trivia things about me.

3.Share with 5 people and ask them to do the same.

4. Link the blogs you choose and link the blog of the person who gave it to you.




Ok so, 10 things that make me happy;

1. My beautiful small people.
2. Cuddles.
3. Laughing, good jaw aching, belly aching laughing. Both laughing myself and making others laugh.
4. Sunshine.
5. Travelling, I fully intend being a back packing Granny. Well maybe not the Granny bit but definately once the smalls have grown up and are doing their own thing I'm off to see the world.
6. Being cooked for. Trust me as a single Mum it is absolute bliss when someone else wants to cook.
7. Music, love love love my music. Nothing beats turning it up full blast, singing your head off and dancing like a loon.
8. Being by the sea. I grew up right on the coast, there is salt water in my dna.
9. Coal fires or wood fires. Fires. It's ok I'm not in the habit of going around starting fires willy nilly. No honest I'm not.
10. Reading. I am a bookworm and I am raising two new bookworms for the world. Now see the fires makes sense now doesn't it. Fire lit, snuggle down with a book with some music playing in the background. ;) Hey I'll take what kicks I can get.



Now I have to tell you 5 trivia things about myself!

1. My second toe is longer than my big toe. Apparently that's a sign of high intelligence. Aye right! LOL
2. When I was pregnant with big one my craving was cottage cheese and pot noodles. Yes at the same time. Spoonful of cottage cheese....dipped into pot noodle. Yes I know - gross!
3. I found Paranormal Activity very funny and not at all scary. Apparently I am a freak as my friends found it terrifying.
4. I've always been able to roll my tongue but only learnt to flip my tongue on the side when I was 30. Yes that's nearly 30 years of practising but man it's worth it when you do it to a small person and they then spend the next 20 minutes contorting their faces trying to do it. Did you know if your parents can't roll their tongue then you won't be to either. Fascinating eh?
5. I am full of useless information...see most of my above comments.


Ok next bit...

Choosing 5 others to share with. I apologise now it you've already been given this award but here goes....

The Tremendous Twiggy
The Lovely Lydia
The Amazing Alex
The one, the only, The Girl
The Lovely Lisa

Woohoo I did it :)

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 :)

My thoughts and heart

are both with all those being so deeply affected by the fires in Australia. I have friends who live over there that I have been out of touch with for too long so tonight I had to jump online and let them know they were in my thoughts.

I've noticed a lot of people are putting the proceeds of their Etsy shops or other donations over to help out those over there. What a fantastic community the blogosphere is. ((((((hugs))))))

While I have yet to dip my toe into the worlds of either Etsy or Folksy I would like to make a step forward in that direction. I have noticed quite a few people sell things through their blogs but I am clueless as to how you get those pay now buttons etc. Can anyone help out a dumb Taz?

Safe dreams my friends, tomorow I will be back with awards I've received, a giveaway that I received that is gorgeous and what I have been up to with my flowery new teacups. Well that's tomorrow as in later today, as it is now 1.20am here and I have to go now wrap up my big one's birthday presents and write her card. My wee baby is 14 tomorrow! How can I possible be old enough to have a 14 year old?!?

Baking, bargains and blogger awards

Get me with all my B's :)



Award - Lets be Friends

Samsara has passed this Lets be Friends Award to me. Thank you hon!

The award says: “These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.

Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

So here goes dinosaurtoes , Flossie and Tom , ShabbyChick , cocoa and blankets , Alex ,
MarmaladeRose , Twiggy ,
Deanna

Remember the other day how I was saying I am not very domesticated well check this out. Today me and eldest small person did baking.
She made these lovely blueberry muffins,


and some ginger cookies.


Both taste devine. Wee one was out playing at a friends but when she got home and saw the goodies her little eyes lit up.

And yes I did say we did some baking although technically I'd have to say that my 21st Century gadgets did most of the work.
Firstly I made my first ever Lentil Soup and used my Slow Cooker for the first time. Ok the picture probably isn't the most appetising but honestly it's a much nicer colour in real life and it tastes gorgeous. Wee one is not usually very adventurous with soups but she had a massive bowl and is already planning on having another bowl tomorrow.


And my ever faithful bread machine baked me some sun dried tomato bread. This recipe is another first. A friend brought me up one of her loaves last year or so and it was lovely so I've always wanted to try and make it myself.


As you can see the loaf was a bit big for my machine so maybe next time I'll reduce the ingredients a bit.

See the lovely goodness?


And that yes that blurry hand is wee one helping herself to go with her soup.


And my final B. The bargains. How could I resist these mugs from Matalan. Each was filled with sweeties and wrapped up with a pretty bead flower. And the best bit? Reduced to £1.71 each.


Am sitting here watching Underworld: Evolution having just watched Underworld. Good old FilmFour you sit down to watch just one and suddenly you find yourself still sitting up at 1am in the morning and there's still 15 minutes to go.

My fire and another award

I realised today as I was lighting my fire that I have never shown you all the final product of all that work. So here we are one glorious fire.


Please excuse the mess but the smalls seem to fail to understand the concept of putting things away properly at the moment so everything is piled by the sides. Oh while I'm showing you the fire you can also see two of the lovely bunches of flowers that I got for my birthday. The ones on the mantlepiece are from him indoors and the ones on the hearth are from my friend L.

Just to remind you of what it looked like once the boiler had been removed and the awful plaster job chipped off.


Oh and this is the kind of thing we get up to with the poor mutts when the days are a bit long.




Can you not see the pleading in this face? "Please take it off now Mum I'm a boy and tiara's are sooo not my thing"


And as I mentioned I got another award from the lovely Alex

A Fabulous Award. Isn't it Fabulous?
Ok now to tag some lovely people.
Twiggy
A lovely blogger and how can I not award someone who owns a pink guitar AND it's her birthday ;)

Fiftiesgirl
Another inspirational blogger and have you seen the fabulous record player they have!

The Devil Makes Work
Woo is an amazing woman and I think she's fab

Kookie
Because she is a wonder with the old crochet needle and one day she is going to come sit by my fire and teach me. :)

I could go on and on with all the fabulous people who's blogs I love so I'm just going to say to everyone who comes visit you are hereby awarded with the fabulous award because you are damn fabulous. ;)

Just like buses

I've never had an award before but today I got 3. 2009's not shaping up too bad really is it? :D

The lovely Alex gave me my first award. And I am blushing at the lovely things she said about my blog.


Marie Antoinette Award
a real person, a real award

Here are the Rules for the Award:

1. Please put the logo on your blog
2. Place a link to the person from whom you received the award
3. Nominate at least 7 or more blogs
4. Put the links of those blogs on your blog
5. Leave a message on their blogs to tell them.

Ok so to nominate 7 or more people now. This is the long bit it takes me an age to work out how to do the linky thing.
Ok so here goes.

1. Kookaloo-starr

One of my first blogger friends and she always inspires me with her amazing craftiness.

2. ZombieCazz

Another great craftster and a fellow N East-er. I originally met Cazz on the Neeps forum many moons ago.

3. The Devil Makes Work

An inspiring young lady who enjoys lots of the same things as me.

4. ShabbyChick

Another lovely blog and blogger and she makes such cute things.

5. JustFee

Cute kittys, great fashion and she crafts. :)

6. Dinosaurtoes

The creator of some gorgeous goodies go see and salivate.

7. Twiggypeasticks

More crafty goodness and she has the same childhood memory as me. Playing in Mum's button tin.

If there is anyone else who I visit or visits me and you would like this award please just give me a shout.

And awards 2 and 3




They were given by the lovely April to all of her followers.


Here are the "rules" for sharing these awards with eight other bloggers:


* These blogs are exceedingly charming.
* These kind bloggers aim to be friends.
* They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.
* Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.

Please give more attention to these kind writers.
When you pass the award along please include these guidelines.
I am to choose eight friends to share this with....

but I like April's idea and am instead giving it to all of my followers. All
12 of you. Wow I can't believe I've got so many people who think my wee blog is worth keeping an eye on. Thank you so much and I hope you keep enjoying the journey with me.