Thursday, 31 October 2013

Halloween

Halloween is here
Look out!
There are ghosts and ghouls and kids about!

They screech, they scream
They stamp their feet
They threaten you with "Trick or Treat?"

But I don't mind
I sit and chill
Cos if the ghosts don't get them....

The sugar will!!!!!

Happy Halloween, ghost-hunters.

Gratefully yours.
xx



Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Songbird

It was a tough decision, due to my recent chestiness (no, I didn't have a boob job!!), but I thought I really should go to choir this evening because I missed the last two weeks, for one reason or another.

I kind of hoped that there was no choir tonight, it being the mid-term school holidays, but I decided to go just in case.

I'm glad I did.

It was, as usual, joyful.

It's not that I have great laugh with the others, or meet friends there. I hardly know anyone to say more than a few words to. I just love the singing!

And I have to say, breathing exercises and an hour and a half of singing are better than any cough bottle at clearing phlegm of my chest!!!

Today I am grateful for my choir.

Gratefully yours.
xx

Tuesday, 29 October 2013

In the swing

I'm happy to report that I am feeling a lot better today, and am back in the swing of things!

I like the school holidays because I only have one person to think about in the morning...and that's me!!

Well, not quite, but the kids were off out with K this morning (there's a holiday camp at the hotel again...thank goodness!!), so I did have lunches to organise, but they left at quarter to 8, leaving me with a whole hour to myself before I had to leave for work! Bliss!

As Thomas is now a teenager, he is too old really to be at camp, so the leisure centre manager took him on as a junior member of staff today, giving him a leisure centre t-shirt to wear, and sending him off on errands all over the hotel!! He was delighted with himself, and K was delighted with the manager, who took it on herself to really treat him like staff, and make him feel so grown-up!

Personally, I think it shows how well liked K is at work, that they will go to that trouble for his son!!! I may be biased!!!

Anyway, all in all, I'm grateful that today was a good day, and I'm feeling glad to be who I am, where I am, and with whom I am!!!

What more can I say.

Gratefully yours.
xx

Monday, 28 October 2013

In the bank

Today I am grateful for bank-holiday Mondays.

More, this time, because it meant that K was here all day so I could sit back and try to get over my chest infection in peace!!!

I've not been feeling the best, which is why I've not been regular with my blogs! (Maybe I should be eating more fibre???) But the kids and K have been looking after me very well, for which I am grateful

Looking forward to getting back in gear.

Gratefully yours.
xx

Saturday, 26 October 2013

Home time

Today I was grateful for 6pm!!

Not only did it mark the end of a long, very busy day at work, but it marked home time!!

Home to a glass of wine, a husband-cooked dinner and Strictly.

I like Saturday evenings!!

Don't forget to put your clocks back an hour tonight!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Friday, 25 October 2013

Milestone

Well, today my baby reached a milestone in his life. He turned 13.

He's been working his way up to being a stroppy teenager for a while now, so God help us over the next few years!!!

Joking aside, I just can't believe the time has gone so fast, and I hope it slows down a bit!!!

Thomas has enjoyed his day, I think. Last day of school before the mid-term holidays....good day for a birthday!

He got lots of money and vouchers, and is planning a trip to town tomorrow to get a guitar. He was really taken with David and Lewis at Grandma's birthday in March, and has been planning it since then.

We had a lovely dinner out this evening, and I made a cake, which might have to stay in the fridge till tomorrow, cos we're all too full now!!!

Today I am grateful to have such a wonderful boy in my life.

And to think I helped make him!!!

Wow!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Singin' the blues

Today I am grateful for hot whiskey and a cosy bed!

Full of the cold and looking for sympathy here!!

I'm actually grateful that I have all you guys to blog to, 'cos this blog makes me smile!

Gratefully yours.
xx

PS Atshooooo!!!

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Pants

I have a new source of joy in my life.

They are a pair of turquoise, leopard print knickers!!!

Due to the fact that Megan loves, loves, LOVES leopard print, my new knicks remind me of her, thus making me smile every time I see them!

Going to the loo is now my biggest smile-inducer of the day!!!

So, today I have to be grateful for my new knickers! Long may their elastic last!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Monday, 21 October 2013

Clear the table

I like to sit at the table for our tea, all together.

I have to admit that it doesn't always happen, mainly because the table is a bit of a dumping ground, but we do manage to sit down for 3 or 4 meals a week.

We always start by saying grace, and we always ask each other how our days went.

It's never a quiet affair...the kids talk more than they eat....but it's the only time we are ever in the same room at the same time these days, so I just savour it as family time, noisy or not!!

And it's an added bonus, of course, if the plates are cleaned, or even half cleaned!

Today I am grateful for my 17 year old dining table. It has served us well, not only for eating on, but for card making, painting, lego building....and generally dumping stuff on!

Funny how you take things for granted until you focus on them for a short while! Then you realise what they mean to you!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Sunday, 20 October 2013

The rain in Spain

Stays mainly in Ireland!!!!!

I have to keep reminding myself that without all the rain, I would not be living in such a beautifully green country!!!

Meggie and I decided to go for a walk this morning to clear our heads (Meggie is stuffed up with the cold!) but by the time we got to the end of the road (literally!) the blue sky had vanished and the rain started! It was on and off then for most of the day.

Mind you, some of us have more luck....K was on the golf course this morning and reported only a couple of light showers!!!

Anyway, today I am grateful for all the wonderful greenery and flowers that abound thanks to the rain.

And, of course, if it wasn't for the rain, we'd have no rainbows!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx


Saturday, 19 October 2013

In the swim

Meggie wanted to go swimming today.

In fairness to her, she had wanted to go last week, but we didn't have time, so I promised her we'd go this weekend as I was off today.

I really couldn't be bothered!!!

Well, as I explained to K, it's okay for the rest of them, they just need to pack  swimming togs and towels and they're ready to go! But I have to de-fuzz!!!

It's not so bad in the summer, 'cos I keep on top of the de-fuzzing, but at this time of year, once the tights have gone back on, the momentum is kind of lost!!

Anyway, the long and short of it is, I am now silky smooth again, and had a great morning with my crew at the pool, and then out for coffee and cake.

Today I am grateful to have been given the shove!!

I could really be doing with a disco and a short skirt now though!!! Ha ha ha!!!

Gratefully (and smoothly) yours.
xx

Friday, 18 October 2013

Two for the price of one

Can I be grateful for two things today, or is that just being greedy?

I'm going to go for it, greedy or not!

Firstly I am grateful for K's patience.

He got the computer up and running, and has managed to get the printer working again too, which meant that I could get some cards made today.

I'm very pleased with them, and had a lovely time making them.

Secondly, I'm grateful to have had a lovely, girly evening at the ballet with my Meg.

It was the Moscow Royal Ballet's Cinderella.

We got dolled up (well, I did! Meg doesn't really do "dolled" - too uncool for her!!!) and headed out for the evening. Lovely.

Yes, all in all a very good day, with lots to be grateful for!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Thursday, 17 October 2013

Line up

Who wants a hug?

Line up 'cos I'm handing them out!!

My friend at work is going off on holiday for a week, and before I left today, she gave me a big hug.

It reminded me just how nice a hug can be, especially when it's unexpected.

It really lets you know that someone cares, which is always nice!

So, today I am grateful for hugs.

And just because I can't see you face to face doesn't mean I can't give you a great big cyber hug!! And big kisses too!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Lost and found

We got a new computer...Yeaaah!

Glad K has patience!!

He's done all the setting up, and most of the transfer of "stuff" from the old one.

I spent ages today trying, and failing to transfer all my photos, which I had very carefully saved onto our hard-drive!!

He comes home, and within 5 minutes all my photos are here!!!

What a star! Again!!!

Today I am grateful that all my 10 years worth of photos, that I love playing with so much, were lost, but now are found!!!

And to celebrate...


Through the kaleidoscope!
 

Gratefully yours.
xx

Tuesday, 15 October 2013

My second pair of hands

Today I am grateful for my second pair of hands.

They belong, of course, to the man of the house, who found himself in relatively unfamiliar territory this morning.

My back went into spasm when I came out of the shower this morning and rendered me incapable of more or less all the things I need to be doing in the mornings.

Step in the second pair of hands!

He got the kids up, sorted their lunches, emptied and refilled the dishwasher, made sure the kids were breakfasted and dressed and had them out the door in time to drop them at school on his way to work....leaving me to worry about nothing other than how to get a pair of tights on - no easy task!!!

Because I was allowed the time I needed to get myself organised, without worrying about anyone else, my back was feeling much better by the time I had to leave for work, and the walk really helped ease it even more.

So....thank you, K. You are a big, hairy angel. xx

Gratefully yours.
xx

Monday, 14 October 2013

Super soup

The only thing better than home-made soup, is home-made soup made with yesterday's left over gravy and veg!!!

Yum!!!

I did a lovely pork fillet, with onions, apple and carrots, cooked in a mixture of apple juice and stock. It was a delicious Sunday dinner, and an even more delicious Monday lunch bowl of soup!!!

Today I am grateful for creative uses for left-over dinners!!!

There's even some left for tomorrow!!! Result!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Sunday, 13 October 2013

A positive twist

Not sure if I twisted, pulled or just stood in a cold cathedral for too long, but my back hurts!!

I had to laugh though, because two people suggested to me today that I might try a heat patch, and I told them both that I was already wearing one! Had a lovely warm back all day!!

But, I have to say that if that's all I can complain about, I'm doing okay.

I know that a lot of people are living with a lot worse than that, and I am grateful to be as healthy as I am.

Health is wealth, and I come from a rich gene pool!.

Good health to you all!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Friday, 11 October 2013

Done and dusted

We had our choir concert this evening!!

After the disastrous rehearsal on Wednesday night, I was a wee bit apprehensive today.

I actually spent most of the day feeling a wee bit sick! But then I took myself aside and gave myself a good talking to!

I joined the choir to have fun, and for the pure joy of singing, not to get stressed out about every concert we do.

So, I got myself dolled up, and headed off this evening, determined to do my best (all I can do!!) and to enjoy the concert.

And I did!

Today I am grateful to have taken part in a fabulous musical evening, and to have enjoyed every minute of it!

I hope (and I think) it showed in my singing!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Thursday, 10 October 2013

Well past it

I had a lovely visit from my pal Audrey, and her wee boy this afternoon.

He was full of chat - incomprehensible, but chat none the less - and had great fun with all Thomas's discarded footballs, rugby balls and hurleys!!

But, today I can say, absolutely, completely and utterly....I am grateful that I am past the nappy stage with my two!!!

Need I say more???

Gratefully yours.
xx

Wednesday, 9 October 2013

Final rehearsals

Okay, we don't actually do a "dress rehearsal" for the choir, but if we did, tonight would have been it!

We rehearsed in the concert venue - the most beautiful 12th century cathedral, St Mary's in Limerick city.

Our director put us under no pressure at all by reminding us of the wonderful history of music there is in the cathedral, all the wonderful singers and musicians who have performed there, and telling us that we are about to become part of that history!

I think we were all a wee bit in awe of our surroundings, and our resultant singing was not what we had hoped for!

So, today I am grateful for bad "dress rehearsals"!! They almost always lead to brilliant first nights!!!

That's my positive thinking, and I'm sticking to it!!!

Fingers crossed for Friday night!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx


St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick

Tuesday, 8 October 2013

Smile please

As I was walking home from work today, amid a pile of dried, fallen leaves, a little green smiley face caught my eye.

I smiled all the way home!!

Just had to go out into the garden and create a few smiles of my own.

Happy, smiley faces!!


So, Today I am grateful for all the little things that made me smile.

Gratefully yours.
xx

Monday, 7 October 2013

A busy bee

I've had a lovely, busy day.

I was in Lidl doing my shopping at 8.45 this morning - that in itself was a good start to the day! I'm not usually that organised!! - when I got a call from work, asking if I could go in in the afternoon for a couple of hours to cover a crisis.

I always find it makes me feel great to be able to help out if I can. Both my bosses (I work in two shops regularly) are really good to me, when it comes to time off for ill kids etc, so it's always nice to be able to pay back the kindness.

I was galvanised into action!! I came home and put the shopping away in time to go and get my hair cut. then it was home again to make soup for lunch, wholemeal banana scones for my boy and get the chicken gougons and veg ready for him to pop into the oven at tea-time.

Then it was pick up the kids from school and then head off to work for a couple of hours. From there I went straight on to choir rehearsals (which, I have to say, went really well tonight! Looking forward to the concert on Friday now!!).

So today I am grateful that I found energy that I'm usually sadly lacking, just when I needed it!!

The only problem is, I don't know if I can sleep now!! Still hyped!!

Ah well!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Sunday, 6 October 2013

Chips

What is it about chips??

Not even "proper" chips! Even oven chips are yummy!

I had dauphinois potatoes in mind for this evening, but when I went to the cupboard, the cupboard was bare!! No tatties!!!!!

So we ended up with chicken and chips for tea....and they were sooo good!!

Today I am grateful to the inventor of oven chips! They have to be healthier than real ones, and are much easier to make!

And, d'ye know what??? We can't have good, healthy, made-from-scratch dinners every night! How boring would that be!!

Long live the chip!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Saturday, 5 October 2013

Check it out

Today I am grateful that I got a whole load of work done!

Quiet day in the shop, so I got stuck into date-checking! Got almost the whole dispensary checked for out-of-dates - none found, but lots of bright yellow stickers used to point out shorter dated stuff.

It's a job that no-one likes doing, there's never usually time for it, but it has to be done. So...today I did it, and I am feeling very smug and righteous!

The, of course, it was home for Strictly!

What a day!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Friday, 4 October 2013

Have your cake...

....and eat it!

Why not??

Today I had the pleasure, fun and enjoyment of making a glorious cake, with the help of my darling Meggie, and then I had the pleasure, fun and enjoyment of eating it - well, only a slice of it! I'm not a total piggy!!



So, double the fun for my money!! Can't be bad!

Today I am grateful for having my cake, and eating it!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Thursday, 3 October 2013

The bake off

Anyone else watching the Great British Bake Off??

I'm getting addicted to it! And now they've started the Great Irish Bake Off!!

I just love the whole thing, from the beautiful tent and the pastel colours to the scrumptious baking that looks like so much fun to do!

Okay, so I guess tomorrow it's out with all the cookery books and a good rake through till I find some interesting baking recipes. Or should I try starting with something really simple???

I mean, I can bake the odd fairy cake - although that's really Meggie's department - and the odd scone, but I feel like a proper challenge!!

I think what I really fancy is bread. I think I might enjoy the kneading bit!

Anyway, today I am grateful for the inspiration provided by the Back Offs!

Tomorrow....who knows! I will keep you informed!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Wednesday, 2 October 2013

The Fun Factor

"What do you do for fun?"

I was asked that question at a party a couple of years ago, and, at the time, I had no answer to give.

It has stuck with me, though, and made me think quite a bit about it.

The dictionary definition of fun is "a source of pleasure, amusement, diversion".

That definition actually puts cleaning house and even ironing into the "fun" category, because, as I have been discovering lately, these things do give me great pleasure! Mind you, it's not the "doing" that is a pleasure, it's the looking round at a clean, tidy house!!

Choir is definitely fun, as is going for a walk with Megan. Sudoku is fun! I even quite enjoy helping K out with the odd word in his crossword! It's the challenge, I think, that makes it fun. Getting lost in the other world of a good book, or sitting quietly making cards is fun....the above definition shows that fun does not have to be energetic, noisy or chaotic!

So, you see, today I am grateful to be starting to recognise the myriad sources of fun in my life.

What do you do for fun???

Gratefully yours.
xx

Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Blog-block

It's a bit like writer's block.

I'm finding it hard at the moment to find anything even remotely interesting to write about.

Today I'm grateful to K for being there for me to "vent" to. I know I am very lucky to have him.

Guess it's just one of those days!

Gratefully yours.
xx