Month: September 2017

This time last week, I had a very different view from the computer screen I look at this morning!  I was in the middle of a beautiful forest… just me, no hubby, no children… just me… and 10 girl-friends!

I’d literally been dreaming about this weekend for the entire summer holiday, which, I don’t know if I’d mentioned, was pretty crappy!  A weekend all to myself, full of laughs,  alcohol, food, naughty card games, delicious pancakes… and even a bit of water slide riding!

Last weekend 11 of us went to Centre Parcs in Warminster and what made it more exciting was that I was a Centre Parcs virgin! I always figured it was pretty pricey for a weekend away with the family… and don’t get me wrong, it is.  However, now having been there, I totally get why people go back.  Its glorious!  As I opened the patio doors, I found myself stood in the middle of what can only be described as the Gruffalo book (if you have older kids and have no idea what I mean, Google it). Tall trees absolutely everywhere and squirrels running up to the window.  It was simply stunning.

What made it even more special was that we were celebrating a special birthday… no, not a 30th (where did those 10 years go?) but a 40th. This weekend however, was a far cry from others we have spent away… like partying down in Newquay, an all adults weekend in Butlins, or in sunny Torquay (back when they welcomed Hen Weekends!) etc, etc.

However, this was just what the doctor ordered.  Just a few days to chill out and enjoy doing simple things, like eating breakfast without being interrupted, walk through the forests and not worry that your little one is about to fly off his bike or fall down some steep slope!  I felt really quite smug walking around, taking in the beautiful autumn sunshine and having this ‘me time’.

Being away with your best friends is by far the best form of therapy.  You often think that all the shit that is going on in your life is only happening to you. Being away for a weekend, lets you relax, talk out your worries, concerns, your fears and also celebrate your successes.

You see, with the rise of social media, everyone else’s life looks amazing from the outside looking in because that’s what they want you to see. We are all guilty of that.  There are so many pictures that I have posted in the past of us all on a day out or on holiday, that took place seconds after a huge meltdown and me losing my shit… then its…”SMILE” (through gritted teeth!).

My hubby was once accused of oversharing our ‘rosy life’ on Facebook by someone that was obviously having a tough time of it.  However, as you will read in other blogs, the last 11 years haven’t exactly been rosy! Its not that we were being fake,  I just figure that people don’t want to be reading about how crappy your life is all the time… I’m a glass half full kinda girl you know!

However, just chatting to the girls, I realised that so often what looks to be the perfect situation ie; a holiday, whether it be camping in Cornwall, a sunny Greek island or fun-seeking in Florida, everyone at some point was having a shitty time of it and they too had posted holiday pictures ‘post-meltdown’ with fake smiles.   The fact is, the day we got home from our Florida holiday, I got home and balled my eyes out… but I sure as hell wouldn’t share that on social media! Maybe its time to be a little more truthful?

Being away from it all  also gives you an amazing sense of freedom. One of my highlights of the weekend was going to the swimming pool and going on the huge flume slides, with nobody else to worry about but me . They had a couple of amazing new slides called Tropical Storm and Tornado which did not disappoint.  I felt like I was a 12 year old kid again – I bloody loved it!!

As expected though, my weekend was interrupted many a time from the phone… with messages and declarations of love from dearest daughter, bless her. I answered a few of them, but the more I answered, they more she would message, so I had to be a mean mum and ignore them after a while and just go grab another bottle of beer!

You see, going away doesn’t just do you good, it does the whole family good.  When you finally get chance to leave all the washing, cooking and cleaning behind you for a few days, the guys left at home appreciate you all the more.

As a very good friend once told me …. ‘Happy Wife, Happy Life’!

Until next time,

Love & hugs xxx

So, this week I have started a new journey… a learning journey.  I took the plunge last month and enrolled myself on a distance learning course to become a Social Media Manager… ooooh, fancy eh?! This time next year I may even have a few more Twitter followers (@TalesofaMD in case you’re wondering)!

In the run up to this starting on Monday, I started to feel a little nervous, mainly because its been around 14 years since I last did any kind of learning…. unfortunately, this doesn’t make me 30… I did a evening college course in my mid-twenties!

This got me thinking about the things that make you feel old… or that you have matured in your years. Not necessarily a bad thing… isn’t 40 the new 25 anyway?!

So here goes, my top 20 of things that make me feel old…

1. You appreciate a nice hanging basket. One of the first signs that I knew I was getting old was when I was mesmerised by some beautiful hanging baskets… I think I even put an FB status about it… they were really that beautiful!  
2. You think most of the tunes on Radio 1 are utter shite… but I still can’t seem to make the move over to Radio 2… I’m still trying to be down with the kids and know who the heck Dua Lipa is!
3. You go all Victor Meldrew about parking… it could be any parking… someone taking up two spaces, someone parking in the mother & child spot at the supermarket.  I’ve been known to tell people off for both… being told regularly by the kids “Please don’t have a go mum”.
4. You appreciate a beautiful view… and you will even start walking places to find one!
5. You look for holidays that aren’t near the nightlife.  Me and Hubby once went to a resort just up the hill from Magaluf.  We ventured down for the night to see what’s what… an hour later we found ourselves back in our resort watching an Elvis tribute with the ‘oldies’ but at least we felt younger there!
6. You think that the latest beauty trends look ridiculous… think eyebrows.  Beautiful girls with perfectly good brows make them up like hairy slugs.  They’ve got plenty of time to be doing that when they go all thin and sparse… when you get OLD!
7. You cross the line over to big knickers… its hard to go back to a thong once you’ve put on a pair of comfy big girl pants… non VPL of course!
8. Two nights out ‘on the razz’ takes four days to get over.   I swear to god, I’m still struggling on Wednesday!
9. Going Nightclubbing is now your idea of HELL!  I’d much rather be in a cosy pub with a large wine!
10. You try on heels in a shop… and wonder how the hell girls wear them without breaking their ankles.  I believe I have uttered the words out loud, “How the hell do they walk in these”.
11. Storage excites you!  When we recently decorated our kitchen, I was so thrilled about having a larder cupboard and additional storage in the boiler cupboard, I swear, a little bit of pee came out!
12. Conversations with the girls turn to how hot you are…  in the temperature sense, not the looking good sense.  Along with that there’s also, mood swings, veins (in all number of places) and discovering grey ‘pube like’ hairs spurting out of your head!
13. You remember your Mum reaching 40… and thinking ‘man, that’s old’.
14. Your kids think you’re weird… rather than funny! What do they know anyway!
15. You envy the kids having YouTube… no need for compilation tapes full of Going Live interviews and appearances on Top of The Pops!
16. You think, Thank God… we haven’t got anything on this weekend.
17. You literally can’t remember… more than two things…ever!
18. You love a nice scarf… Me and my bestie once had to stop ourselves mid conversation about our love for a scarf and keeping your neck warm.  We swore we would never speak of it again!
19. You know someone from your year at school who is a granny!  When you’re an older mum to younger ones, it just freaks you out!
20. It’s been well over a decade since you last did any kind of learning… the thought of trying to retain information (and definitely more than two things) gives me nightmares.

I’ll let you know how that one goes in six months time!

Until next time,

Love and hugs xxx

Hi-Ho, Hi-ho… it’s back to school they go!!

I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it… but we’ve had a tough six weeks summer holiday!  Oh, I have, yes.. just a few times!!

Anyway, the day has finally come that both our children have returned to school and I for one am pleased as punch! I know it sounds really cruel and I feel rotten when I read statuses saying how much mums are going to miss their little darlings now they are back to school.. but I’m not one of them.  Its been a bloody hard slog!

Quite often… I lie… very often (!) I would be asked by Ellie if I would miss her when she goes back to school, (which usually comes half an hour after she’s got very cross about not having a third packet of crisps of the day!) and of course I say “yes” (see, not entirely heartless) but I’m simply not that good an actress… I know she sees right through me!

I love the part of the holidays when you’re not having to do the lunches, wash the uniform and you can ignore the clock in the evening, it is bliss. However, six weeks of it is just too long.  Even with little angels for children, I still think I would find it too long… or just too expensive!

Anyway, I am hoping that yesterday we turned a bit of a corner… not a full 90 degrees, but a slight bend in the road! 

Last week, I emailed key special needs staff at school and gave them the lowdown on what had been happening over the holidays.   I figured it would be better to catch them before the rush of children return and I was right! 

I was relieved to get an email back last week from the school Senco who then arranged a meeting for yesterday with myself, hubby, Ellie along with the school PFSA (parent & family support assistant) to talk through what had been going on.  The senco explained the feelings Ellie had been having and how her reactions to this were not appropriate.  Along with lots of drawings and explanation, I think (I hope) the penny dropped.  Just having someone in authority sit and talk to her really helped. If I had done it, I would’ve either messed it up or would’ve biten back at any sign of attitude.

We’ve also managed to get Ellie down for some counselling at school, as we believe that the loss of my mum is only just really hitting home with her 18 months after her passing. 

So, with some strategies in place, and making some tweaks to the morning routine, today went very smoothly, though I’m certainly not getting cocky!

I suppose what all this waffle is about is being pro-active and not afraid to speak up.   If I hadn’t sent the email, we wouldn’t have had the meeting before Ellie went back to school, she wouldn’t be on a waiting list to see a counsellor and all this would’ve taken much longer… all the while, not doing any of us any good.

What I’m trying to say is… don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for help… and if that doesn’t work… start shouting!

 Until next time,

Love & hugs xxx