Purple Dragon

Or should I call this post 'Confidence'?

There is someone I like a lot. She is a really nice woman, and her son is friends with my son. She shares a lot of the same interests as I do, dresses quite similarly, and is just a genuinely nice person.

She has been abroad for the last two weeks and I have quite missed her. We don't see one another too often, just as the school gate really, but she was there today and I enjoyed talking with her, albeit briefly. She asked me to go with her on a walk with the dogs, which we had discussed before Archie was old enough to go out in public.

I have been to her house for tea, and she here to mine.

So why do I hesitate to call her to talk more about her holiday? I am really interested and she would probably want to talk all about it (who wouldn't - two weeks in Singapore?) but I'm afraid that I am coming on too strong.

I feel that a lot about the women friends I have up here. When I lived in Fife, I wasn't worried. I called my friends when the mood took me, to even tell them a quick 2-minute thing, then off again, or for an hour blether about absolutely nothing. So where did my confidence go that I am too worried that I am pushing myself and my friendship on folk if I call them?

Stupid really. I will never make friends up here if I don't make the effort, but I'm scared to make the effort in case folk are saying I'm needy.

The boy takes a couple of badges tonight for his TaeKwon-do. I am worried to bits. He is convinced he is going to pass, and if he doesn't, he will be dead disappointed. I hate it when they get disappointed. I spose you can't wrap them up in cotton wool but sometimes I wish the Big Bad World would leave them in peace.

I was reading the blog of a blogfriend earlier on (http://duckingforapples.blogspot.com/) and I had a couple of really profound thoughts. Bloody forgotten them now, though, haven't I? I tell you, I'm losing it. Today Lala was outside with the dog and when she came back in I asked "Where is Rachel?" forgetting that I was actually kneeling on the floor changing her nappy. Sad sad state of affairs.

The boy is being admitted to hospital on 26th April to have his tonsils and adenoids out. Horrible thing to say, but I can't wait. He is getting almost continual pain with his right ear, and keeps having to visit the GP. At 7 years old, he should be climbing trees and getting dirty, not sitting in a heap with a temperature.

My littl'ist one will be starting playgroup in August, so I shall have 2.5 hours three times a week with no one to watch.

Scary!!

I have been having a wee think about what I am going to do to pass the time. I think I shall take up horseriding. We have a stables locally that gives lessons, and also every one of my friends either rides or has her own horses, and I feel a bit left out! I want to go hacking in the woods as well!

So, with the gym that I am about to start (I've already booked two inductions - both times I fell ill and wasn't able to attend ), the wool work I am getting into (knitting, crochet, hopefully weaving again and once I get round to getting my lessons - spinning), and horseriding, I should have a fairly full time of it.

Incidentally, the Boy has been going to archery classes, and I went with him on Friday night. I had a go and thoroughly enjoyed it. It really isn't as easy as they make it look! I have a whacking great bruise on my left inner elbow that hurts like buggery but it was great fun and the teacher was very interesting as well.

Came to the end of the 10-week swimming block yesterday.

The Boy has passed his Beginners Certificate and is now going into Improvers 1, for which he is as proud as punch. As are we

Lala has passed her Duckling certificate, but I'm not sure what she will be taking next. There is some question about whether she will be going into Beginners or skipping it and hitting Improvers 1 along with the Boy. We shall have to wait and see.

I'm as proud as anything of both of them.

While I am busy being proud of them ... they both made me Mothers Day cards and they were totally fab. I was so impressed with the care and attention they put into making them - the were really good. My babies

I also got breakfast in bed, which is a trend that one can only hope will continue, but probably not ...

The dog has now had all his jags, and we were early ready for school this morning, so I figured it was time for him to make his debut.

He walked down to the school no bother. He was really enjoying the sniffs along the way (we get a lot of dog-walkers up our lane) and left lots of messages for prospective pals. He didn't pull too much on the lead either which was a surprise.

Unfortunately, when we got to school, the poor wee thing was petrified. The buses and cars, combined with a whole bunch of kids who really love puppies, was too much for him. I had to lift him, and he was trembling like a jelly. He snugged right into me, obviously looking to me to protect him from these diminuitive terrors who wanted to clap him.

Of course, Rachel took the opportunity to make a break for it at that point, and nearly gave me a heart attack by running full pelt towards the top of the high wall (outside our school is a green, with a small 1' high wall with a drop of about 5' on the other side ). Good for Lala though - she really is very responsible for her sister, and took a hold of her hand.

I was glad of the exercise as well, and hope to incorporate this walk at least once into our daily routine. See if I can shift some of the blubber.

Spent the rest of the morning out in the back garden doing some tidying up after the winter demolition. There were loads of plants I should have pruned at the end of last season but being the fair-weather gardener that I am I didn't bother, so now I have all the work to do this end of the year. Unfortunately I can't find my decent secateurs and the others are rubbish.

Just loaded up the car to go to the tip to do the recycling, and will do that after I drop Lala at nursery.

As I haven't done a meme for ages, and everyone else seems to be doing this one, I thought I would jump on the bandwagon and have a go as well.

1. Can you cook?
Poorly. I have a bad audience that is convinced that anything different must be deadly poison, and that leaves you a bit uninspired.

2. What was your dream growing up?
Just to live happily ever after in a great big house with loads of land.

3. What talent do you wish you had?
I wish I could sing or play an instrument.

4. Favourite place?
Here or Somerset

5. Favourite vegetable?
carrots I've grown myself

6. What was the last book you read?
The Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchettt. Read it before, but liked it and fancied something simple.

7. What zodiac sign are you?
Virgo/Libra cusp

8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings?
Only got my ears pierced, but am yearning after a tatt

9. Worst Habit?
Laziness

10. Do you personally know anybody on Blog?
Yes, but that was because I introduced her to blogging, rather than the other way around. I've met forum folk whose blogs I read though

11. What is your favourite sport?
I hate sports

12. Negative or Optimistic attitude?
Generally optimistic. Too damn lazy to be a pessimist

13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator lift with someone of the opposite sex?
Depends who it was. Captain Jack Sparrow - I would be The Hussy from Hell. Mr Bean, I would slit my wrists.

14. Worst thing to ever happen to you?
As things always seem to turn out for the best, I don't really have a 'worst thing'. Have had loads of bad things happen, but you just have to get over it, don't you?

15. Tell me one weird fact about you:
I attract strange people thru no fault of my own

16. Do you have any pets?
dog called Archie, cats called Yoda and Wookie, rabbits called Waffle and Silver, rooster, ten hens

17. Do you know how to do the macarena?
I have no idea!

18. Is the sun shining where you are now?
Nope. Pitch dark.

19. Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
I think probably scary. Definately not cute!

20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
Oh God I wish I could tone up and lost my current reigning title of The Blob!

21. Would you be my good angel or bad angel?
Oh, the good angel. Too scared of buggering up my karma!

22. What color eyes do you have?
Brown

23. Ever been arrested?
Invited in for questioning but never arrested

24. Bottle or Draft?
Neither

25. If you won £10,000 today, what would you do with it?
I'd get a conservatory

26. What kind of bubble gum do you prefer to chew?
Yeuch. Never touch the stuff - it's vile.

27. What's your favourite bar to hang at?
Have you ever visited where I live??

28. Do you believe in ghosts?
Absolutely

29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
Read

30. Do you swear a lot?
A wee bit but nothing I can't say in front of my Mum

31. Biggest pet peeve?
Cruelty

32. In one word, how would you describe yourself?
Boring