Purple Dragon

Earlier in the week, Mum had to go for her annual meeting with the Managers in Sue's care home.
She had seen Sue the week before, but was stunned at her appearance because she has lost so much weight in just a few days.
Mum put her arms around Sue to hug her and found she had a really high temperature.
She called the nurse and they said they knew Sue had a temperature and the Dr was coming to see her Thursday (two days later).
Mum said this wasn't good enough and she wanted the Dr in the following day.
He duly came and said he thought Sue might have an infection, but he wasn't going to give her anti-biotics - he would see how she got along.
Mum pointed out her weight loss and it transpires that she hasn't been eating because of her bleeding gums and mouth ulcers.
Apparently Sue doesn't like getting her teeth cleaned because 'it hurts her'.
Yeah, well, gum disease hurts, but they should still clean her teeth because that is the only way to get rid of gum disease.

ANYway, Mum went along again today, and Sue was sleeping when she arrived.
Again, Mum was stunned by what appears to be further weight loss, and she still had the temperature.
Upon askng the staff about her, she was told that Sue hadn't had anything to eat since Mum was last there because she can't swallow.
Bear in mind this girl only has pureed food anyway because she can't chew.
Also, she hadn't had anything to drink for about 48 hours, but they didn't want to give her a drip 'in case she pulled it out and hurt herself'.
Sue couldn't make herself understood because she couldn't talk - only make noises.
She wasn't focussing just staring.
Mum managed to get her to swallow a bit of mashed banana and part of a cup of tea, but then she fell asleep again, so Mum left to allow her to rest.
When Mum got home (an hour later) the phone was ringing, and it was the home to tell her that when they had gone in to check Sue and change her, she was unconscious.
They phoned the Dr, who called an ambulance.
An ambulance car arrived and the paramedic ordered a 'proper' ambulance and she was rushed into hospital.
They have put her on intravenous anti-biotics because they say her temperature is so high (over 100, with a heart rate of 112) that her body is obviously fighting an infection - chest or stomach they don't know till tomorrow's tests.
She is also on a drip for dehydration.
Mum phoned tonight to see how she was and they said the Dr had been to see her, but that the nursing staff were not allowed to tell Mum what he had said, over the phone, and they would discuss it with her tomorrow in person.

Got this in my inbox this morning and it made me grin :

Caution: we continue to be informed that customers and non-customers are receiving fraudulent phishing emails requesting confidential information and credentials.
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For Additional information please see the events page

For security measures, we need to confirm your challenge questions :

A while ago, a pal of mine decided she wanted hens. So, I jumped in and gave her half a dozen of my pullets.

About a week later, one fell ill, and eventually died. We still don't know what was wrong with her, she even went to the vet and was diagnosed with depression.

My pal was here the other day, and we were talking about the change of decor in her kitchen, and as I was passing there today I dropped in to see the changes, and we decided to pop out and have a look at the remaining 5 birds, 4 of which we seem to have failed dismally with and appear to be male.

When we got out there, the only bird she could say for sure was a hen was limping around the place so we had a look at her, and couldn't find anything obvious. I put her down, she took fright and tried to fly away, but because she was lame, she couldn't get height (they need to fly from a leap) and she crashed into the poultry house, landed in a heap and didn't get up again.

Pal took her to the vet who thinks she's had a stroke. Bloody hell.

Anyway, Pal came round this afternoon and we chased up three more birds for her. Hopefully they are hens. We've given up on Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall's feather sexing and have been guessing based on how they walk, and whether their faces seem feminine or not

I have a toilet off my utility room and it is the most godawful room in the house. I hate it.

The sink is fine, albeit rather cracked and tatty looking. I like the style of it, and so does Himself. I reckon I can keep it but replace the dreadful taps. They are old brass ones, and I think they were manufactured when god was a boy. They are awful.

The cupboard that the sink is housed in is made from some old kitchen cupboard I think and again - the only word is 'dreadful'. It's gotta go. I don't think I have ever stored anything in it. I also have a cupboard above the loo which is where my loo rolls and other bits n pieces are stored. Another recycled kitchen cupboard.

The pan is really bad. It has stains under the waterline that I can't shift, no matter what I use, and it also has a nasty brown stain under the rim where the water comes down. What the hell that is I would rather never find out. However I reckon if I get the water out of the s-bend I can get down there and get the stains shifted, and thereby, get the loo back to it's former glory.

Not so the toilet seat. It is well past it's sell by date and I think it probably harbours the bacteria that will cure Aids or something. But can I find a toilet seat to replace it? No. Of course not! Even the plumber had never seen a seat so big.

Anyway, I am gearing myself up for sorting the room out. My list is - new taps; a new cupboard under the sink, or failing that, new doors on the cupboard there; new loo seat; new floor tiles; and a damn good coat of paint.

I'm very excited about it

While I am vegging on the chair, Rachel is watching Dora the Explorer. At the end of the programme, Dora had the 'thank you' 'de nada' exchange and Rachel shouted out 'banana' instead of 'de nada'.

Well, it was funny here.

Dropped the boy at school at 9am, to be collected by my pal D. She generally collects him on a Tuesday because he and her son have a swimming lesson together. Then he had tea at hers.

Pal A collected the baby at the back of nine from here. She stayed at her house for the day.

Lala and I left at 10, and drove thru to Aberdeen, and couldnt find a frickin parking space, so we had to park ages away. I spent the day worrying about whether she would be well enough to walk the distance back to the car, and if I would be strong enough to carry her that far if not.

She got booked in and weighed and measured and listened to and blood pressured. She was very well behaved. The poor wee girl in the bed opposite was really scared and cried a lot, which I thought would scare Lala, but didn't. The girl in the bed next to us was severaly disabled, in a wheelchair, unable to speak, fed thru a tube, but Lala just took her in her stride as well. I guess having a severaly disabled Auntie makes it less scary.

She went down to theatre at 2.45 and the procedure went fine. There was some question as to whether the anaesthetist was happy to put her out because she has a wee cough, but in the end they said it was fine. They took two biopsies, and she ended up asleep till 4.45 and when she woke she was bright as a button, wanting food and juice.

They were so happy with her, they let her out and we walked out of the hospital at 5.20 and she was fine to walk back to the car. Bought her a balloon. Took her to McDonalds.

She cried a couple of times on the way home, but that was mainly because she hardly slept the night before and she was still quite tired from the anaesthetic.

Picked up the boy from my pals house, and the other pal brought the baby home, and after baths and cuddles, they finally went to sleep at nearly 10pm. I did hmm and hrr about whether to take them to school today, but then decided to go ahead.

We get her results in two weeks. Here's hoping it isn't coeliac because it can lead to crohns in later on and also fertility problems.

I have a really sore throat today. I am SO cold and I just want to go to my bed. I feel really weary, and like I need a break.

Thanks to everyone who left good wishes, yesterday, by the way

My little girl goes into hospital today for her colonic biopsy.

I've hardly slept. I've got up from bed with a vague headache, so I have taken some anti-stress pills, because I know that is why.

Yesterday was a complete write off really. Well, perhaps not - I cleaned a lot, to take my mind off today. Didn't work.

I hate this. Poor baby

Rest in Peace

Another message from her family

24/09/07 @ 03:29
Comment from: Jennifer Edwards [Visitor]

Unfortunately Rosemary’s body was found on Saturday 23rd September in woods about 6 miles away from her home. Her family is devastated.

Jennifer Edwards – Rosemary’s mother.

I wrote a few days ago about Rosemary Edwards and her family on the telly. Some folk thought she had gotten in touch, but it turns out this wasn't the case, and her Dad left a couple of entries in my comments section that I have decided to reproduce here in an effort to keep her in everyone's minds as well, and hopefully find her.

Comment from: David Edwards [Visitor]
We have had no contact at all from Rosemary, but the longer it continues, the more we cling to the hope that she is still alive. A local company has offered a reward ( http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/display.var.1706679.0.100_000_to_find_rosemary.php ) in the hope that this will re-awaken press interest and remind the public that Rosemary is still missing.

David Edwards (Rosemary's dad)

and

22/09/07 @ 14:40
Comment from: David Edwards [Visitor]
Carol,

I forgot to mention in my last message that there is a Facebook group with over 7000 members, dedicated to finding Rosemary. This is helping to publicise her disappearance and is a means of keeping people in touch when we have some news.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11048270421

Thanks,
Dave (Rosemary's dad)

I got woken up this morning with a pile of pressies on my bed. including a set of lovely different sized candles on a tray, a massive pyracantha in full berry, on an arch, in a blue pot, and an MP3 player!

I've been having a wee play with it, and it is quite fun. Apparently I can get about 20 albums on the diddy little thing. Amazing. AND I will be able to plug this tape thingie into it and play songs thru the tape player in my car. Progress, eh!

On a scarier note, I decided to take the opportunity to change the light bulbs in the expelair thingie above my hob today. The bulbs have been out for ages, but I only ever remember when I have been cooking and unable to change them because of the heat and condensation. I was unscrewing the 2nd bulb when there was this massive flash and bang, and I got zapped. The lightbulb was melted where it attaches to the metal bit and I couldn't talk or stand up for ages. My poor man was trying to get some sense out of me as to what had happened to me, and all I could say was "bang. bang." Pathetic.

I'm alright now.

Well, I was born 43 years ago today. Crikey! I suppose that must mean I am middle aged, but I don't feel it.

I do feel like shite today though.

I have the rotten cold that my son had. I feel like crap. My head is pounding. I feel totally spaced out. Sore throat. Fortunately I haven't got the gook he had. I certainly don't have it as bad as he did, but he only had it a few days, so fortunately it isn't a long lived one.

I spent most of the morning dozing on the chair with the wee'un.

Girls Only Alert

Also, I have my period, and it is a really bad one. The worst I have had in ages. I think that is why I feel so light-headed and tired. There have been a couple of times I thought I was going to pass out.

Was on playgroup duty this morning. I didn't think I was going to manage in, because the boy was up in the night. He's got a rotten cold, a real rip-snorter, and he was feeling poorly. He rallied this morning, after a dose of Tyxylix cough & cold, and decided he was well enough to go to school, but once the medication had worn off, he was failing and asked to go home.

This meant I had to leave playgroup early, and as we had walked to school, it meant we were walking past the school playground when all the other kids were out playing for morning break.

I passed the P1 playground and looked about for Lala with the rest of the kids, but she was nowhere to be seen. Their playground is in two parts. I passed the tree and there she was, sitting on the sandpit lid, all by herself looking bloody miserable. Man, my heart broke.

Her little face lit up when she saw me, and she ran over to ask me what I was up to, and I explained I was taking The Boy home coz he was poorly. She was like "why do I have to stay here all day?

I had to walk away from her and go home, leaving her there, and I felt like I was leaving her in prison or something. Abandoning her. I can't stand doing this to her.

When I moved up here, I found it rather hard to make new friends. I went to neighbours houses and introduced myself, and eventually insinuated myself into everyone's consciousness, making acquaintances and some friends on the way. I have, actually, just recently met a woman who I think I will really get on great with.

I have a lot of acquaintances with whom I am on nodding terms. There are a lot more people who cut me dead. I have a few people I call friends, and am pleased to do so.

However, there was one person who I got on with like a house on fire. She wears the same sort of clothes. She is interested in the crafts I am interested in. She reads the same sort of books. Her son is my son's best friend. And she told me today that she is moving abroad. Selling up and going half way round the world.

Talk about how to ruin your day, eh?

A week or so ago, just before the McCanns were made suspects, the parents and family of Rosemary Edwards made a heartbreaking plea on national television for their daughter to come home.

Apparently, they had a wee family tiff, the girl had taken offence, and walked. The father was begging her to come home, and his grief and fear came out of the telly in waves.

I've heard not a word since.

Has she come home? Been found?

Why do the media feed us this heart rending stuff, then leave us stranded - not knowing? I've tried searching the 'net, to no avail.

Sitting after tea, helping the kids with their homework, and I smelled something bloody awful. Turns out the mutt has the skitters. I shant describe it to you, but I will tell you now - the scrubbed bit of hall carpet is about the size of an easy chair.

I couldn't get rid of the smell. I scrubbed with disinfectant, then got the Dettox out and sprayed, but no luck. Decided to go to the pet shop tomorrow and buy some stuff for puppy training - it has 'enzymes' in it that apparently kills the yeuch that makes it smell. Nice.

Still smell it,, still smell it.
Bath the kids, put them to bed.
Let dog outside again.
Still smell it.
Go to lock up the doors in the playroom.
OH BLOODY NO!!
He's only had the skitters in there as well.
More scrubbing and the smell is finally waning.

Still gonna buy the enzyme stuff tomorrow though.

}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Anyone watching Escape to the Country?

The bloke seems really nice but the wife? Gee-zo - she is SO pretentious! "Oh, I have to have an en-suite". It's just a bloody toilet!

So, what have I done, so far, today? Very little is the answer!

Dropped the kids at school on time - remarkably, we weren't rushing or pushed for time, because everyone was organised. That makes a change! No matter how many times I tell them to get their school stuff ready the night before, then ask them before they go to bed if they have everything ready, invariably there is something they have forgotten and can't find when we are getting our coats on to leave.

Drove thru to the tip to drop my recycling. As I pulled in, the heavens opened. As I pulled out - it stopped. Bloody typical.

Popped into the supermarket to pick up the things I forgot to put on yesterday's list. Impulse buy : a pretty pink scarf in candy stripes. I'm wearing it now, and I am very pleased with it.

When I got home, I thought "well, I shall be at home all day, so it is time I introduced Doodle to The Big Fella. Cockerels don't get on very well, and I was expecting feathers to fly. They were fine to start with, wandering around each other, basically ignoring, and then suddenly all hell broke loose. Talk about your classic cock fight. I split them up, and they started ignoring each other again, then it kicked off again! Split them up, then someone turned up to pick up a piece of furniture I was getting rid of, so I had to leave them. We came in for a cuppa, and watched them still fighting out the window, so I went out and seperated them again - yeah, it was becoming dull.

Doodle is a stupid bird. I know chickens aren't reknowned for their intelligence, but really! He got thrashed, submitted, Big Fella struts off, Doodle chases him gets battered again

When my visitor left, I went out to see how things were doing and Doodle was missing. I walked up and down the lane, Litt'lun in tow, rain pissing down, and I couldn't find him anywhere. Eventually, Litt'lun splished in a puddle too deep, and we had to give up and come home.

I was so upset. Not only was Doodle out there by himself, in unknown territory, he was potentially hurt, maybe hurt to dying, and I couldn't do anything to help him. I was seriously regretting letting them come face to face. They had seemed so used to each other - no longer squaring off thru the wire, and I thought it would be less ... agressive ... than it was.

Next thing - there is Doodle wandering around his enclosure. I went out and caught him in the net, popped him back in the coop and next thing - stupid bird shoots straight out the pophole. Talk about asking for trouble. Caught him, closed the pophole, and that was that. All the white on him was pink with blood, even though I couldn't find a wound. I reckon he was wounded and it closed.

So, apart from chasing poultry, I have achieved absolutely zilch today. So much for getting lots done when the two older kids are at school, eh.

I'm feeling a wee bit low just now.

Himself has taken off to work and will be away for a week. Comes back Friday, so I guess it isn't a full week, but you know what I mean. Well 'take off' sounds like he wants to go - he doesn't.

I am feeling a bit low because Lala starts school full time tomorrow. They were away on a trip on Friday, so they were both away all day, and it is SO quiet in here without them - even with the little one. She is lost as well - asking when they will be back. I think I shall go and have a keek in a wee shop local that I quite like. It's a bit dear ,and I don't have any money, but I can save up for something I guess.

Sportacus is making me feel blue as well. It can't be healthy to be that fit, surely? Really, I am just jealous. I did some yoga with the kids yesterday, and they are SO supple, and I was remembering when I first met Himself and how I could bend my legs in directions I wouldn't even dare try anymore. I have a couple of bellydancing DVDs loaned to me by a pal from NEEPS so I think I shall dig them out and try to sort myself out. I'm always happier when I'm gorgeous

I'm not being a good Mum just now. I'm just blobbing on the couch, feeling sorry for myself, and not being any fun at all.

Ah, pull yourself together, you bloody winge.

Men, eh?

They know that their loved ones can't eat chocolate because it gives them migraines.

They still bring chocolate into the house.

Their excuse?

"Well, you don't have to eat it, do you?"

Have we been married for ten years?

Venus and Mars isn't in it

Why is it that the nicest people are the ones who seem to fall foul of evil diseases?

Last year, a woman I know and respect, and who is really nice and friendly, got hit with the cancer. They removed the cancer, and after physio she seemed much better.

Well, guess what. She got out of hospital yesterday having had a mastectomy. She isn't coping. Her man isn't coping.

I'm totally gutted.

The bitch inside says why can't the entity that dishes out the shite give all these horrid diseases to the wasters, the paedophiles, the perverts, and leave the nice folk alone?

Yeah, I know. It doesn't work that way.

But it should.

Inside every older person is a younger person -- wondering what the hell happened.
- Cora Harvey Armstrong-

Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out. But I can usually shut her up with cookies.
(Unknown)

The hardest years in life are those between ten and seventy.
-Helen Hayes (at 73)-

I refuse to think of them as chin hairs. ?I think of them as stray eyebrows.
- Janette Barber-

My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first one being -- hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.
- Erma Bombeck -

Old age ain't no place for sissies .
-Bette Davis-

Thirty-five is when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart.
- Caryn Leschen -

If you can't be a good example -- then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.
-Catherine-

I'm not going to vacuum 'til Sears makes one you can ride on.
- Roseanne Barr-

Behind every successful man is a surprised woman.
- Maryon Pearson-

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.
-Eleanor Roosevelt-

When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt and call me over!

Well, after I took the little one into school, she was absolutely fine. Wasn't bothered about being left AT ALL. Apparently she was fine the whole time, and never cried or got upset at all. My little girl is growing up

After I picked her up, she was so very tired I decided to give her tea early, but she barely ate a bite, and of course - the other two have their swimming lessons today so she fell asleep in the car. When I brought her back she went straight up to bed, so she has been sleeping since 5pm. God, that means she will probably get up at 4am or something

I shall need to sort something out about her tea, otherwise she will be very hungry every Wednesday morning.

My man got a new contract today. He starts in Glasgow on Friday. It was a toss up between Glasgow and Leeds - I'm glad it was Glasgow.

I need to do something with myself. My hair is a mess - it has no style at all, and the grey is coming thru AGAIN. Doesn't seem like a week since I ran a dye thru it. I'm Sooooo FAT - I couldn't even get my jeans done up this morning, and I have expanded my belt by a notch. I'm a blob. And blob and a slob.

Went to the Doc this morning to tell him he can keep his damn migraine pills. He has decided I am allergic to them, and I am to take nothing for 2 months, and then come back with details of when I get migraines and whether the other pills he gave me are doing any good (the ones I take when a migraine hits).

I didn't take one of the pills last night, and this morning I feel like a different woman. I am awake, and the world isn't seen thru a fog. I felt almost sedated.

Incidentally, my alarm just went off and it tells me it is a New Moon in 15 minutes Perhaps that is why I feel so clear headed. Nah - definately the lack of the damn pills

Well, my youngest starts the long hard trek on the road of education this afternoon.
She starts playgroup.
She will be there from 1pm to 3.30 today, and every Tuesday and 9am - 11.30am every Wednesday.

She doesn't seem too impressed about it. She fell over this morning walking her brother and sister to school, and got a nasty graze on her palm, so she thinks she is too poorly to go to school.

When the boy went back to school after the holidays, I missed him. It was so quiet here with just the girls. The following week, Lala started, and the silence deepened. Conversely, the mess lessened and I started getting a view of the carpet. Now the little one is starting, and although it is only 2.5 hours, twice a week, I can already hear the echo.

It has been nearly 8 years since I've had no children with me almost 24/7 and I'm a wee bittie ... scared. Just me? Alone? Do I even still LIKE my own company?

Well, I'm sure you are all fed up of seeing posts starting "6 years ago today" but I'm joining the bandwagon, and it's my blog, so shut up or leave

My memory of that day? We had kids telly on, and didn't really watch the news much even back then. My man phoned me to tell me a bomb had gone off in America and to have a look at the news to see what it was. I came in when the pictures were showing of the first building. I phoned him back and told him it wasn't a bomb - it was a plane crash. An accident. Who could have believed otherwise? I lamented the dead, and cried for them. He was telling me to turn off the telly if it was upsetting me so much.

Then the second plane crashed. Even the newsreaders lost their professional distance. I couldn't believe it. I could barely talk. My son - at 18months old - was getting upset because Mummy was upset.

I phoned my Mum to talk about it all, and they hadn't seen one bit of it. I couldn't tell her. I told her to just switch on the telly because I just couldn't say the words.

Six years on, and I am, once again, fighting tears for the lives lost, wishing I wasn't someone who has such empathy for others.

Well, I had a word with Lala's teacher this morning.
Apparently all the other kids have got about 20 words and she is still on 6.
The teacher said she could see there was a problem and she is going to discuss it with the SENCO at the school.
She thinks with The Boy's dyslexia there may be a problem with Lala too.
The teacher said she knew Lala had an issue with the words, and we are going to go about her homework in a different manner to see if we can get to her from another angle.
She also said that she felt Lala was settling in great in all other aspects of school, including friends, so I think that the reading thing is colouring Lala's view of school, and once we can get thru to her, things will settle down.

You know, sometimes I feel as if my whole fucking life is spent in futile fucking waste - no matter HOW many times I pick up toys and clothes, the minute I turn my back, I come back to another huge fucking pile of jigsaw puzzle pieces, bricks, stupid fucking McDonalds toys and either crisp or biscuit crumbs.

"What is the fucking point?" I ask myself about 20 times a day.

I am about fifty quid short of calling in a fucking tipper truck and burying the fucking lot in some massive fucking landfill in the middle of my fucking garden.

I'm fucking sick of it.

If I drank, I would go get fucking pissed.

Fuck it.

And if I swore once or twice in this monologue, I apologise. Not.

Have had a busy day today.

First thing this morning, a fellow NEEPSter came round with her man to take some of my pullets away. We sat and had a great blether - she doesn't stay too far from me - and I really enjoyed both of their company. Really nice, genuine folk. That is one of the things I like about NEEPS - it tends to attract genuine people who share my interests. There are a couple of people on there I can take or leave, but I just avoid talking with them, and so that is fine.

Anyway, I had left the hens locked away in the coop, and I went in there to catch them. As we decided on a pullet and boxed it, or discarded it (for being male) it was removed from the coop - a very satisfactory way of catching hens Anyway, we thought we had two in one box and 4/5 in the other, but there wasn't and they only have 5 pullets after all. We tried sexing them the Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall way - by feathers - so when they are bigger we will know if we were successful or not.

Then, after lunch, I took the kids across to WildGarlic's house (which is a 1.5 hour drive) for a NEEPS meet. It was great to see everyone again. Naturally, Lala's stomach didn't manage the trip, but she was okay eventually.

Marhar came along with wife and daughter, and I got my spinning wheel, thanks to my Mum who has bought it for me for my birthday. I can't wait to get it all set up Marhar also let me take the loom away even though I can't pay him for it just yet. Now I need to get the room all sorted out and get set up. I can't wait. I have SO many ideas of things I want to weave.

Now I am totally knackered, and ready for my bed, with a vague headache. It was starting to head towards a really nasty headache - potential migraine - but I zapped it with the new pills the Dr gave me and it has receded somewhat. Now I need SLEEEEEP

I am sitting here watching this just now, and I HAD to write about it, even though it isn't finished yet.

Have you watched it?

Man, can you imagine if he had become President? Can you now understand why he isn't? They couldn't LET him be president.

I watched a film last night called Dogma, and in it, the Angel of Death had resigned from his job after Sodom and Gomorrah and, because of that, had been cast out of Heaven and banished to earth. Hence no major destruction like said S & G. When you hear about the complacence in the government - not just in the States - makes you want The Big Fella to get his pal back up, give him back his wings and his fiery sword, and let him loose.

I was invited to a Pampered Chef party this morning. Took the smallest one with me. The other two were at school.

There were a few faces there that I know, and some that I am friends with, and a couple I've never seen before.

The woman who did the presentation was very attractive - she came across as the earth mother type, which I always want to be friends with. She doesn't stay too far from me, either, and at the end, expressed an interest in some of my poultry.

The party invite offered a cookery demonstration using the items that are in the catalogue. Well, I was shocked. It was packet food! Really! She made this cake thing out of a packet. I couldn't believe it. It tasted pretty damn fine though

Also got the opportunity to try sheep cheese, which was slightly different to cows. The woman who held the party has a son who keeps sheep, and I asked if it was her cheese, but it was bought from a farm locally.

We had a raffle which I won, although the thing I won had been demonstrated and I had been sitting there thinking - "what a complete waste of money THAT is!" and then I end up owning one

D'ya know, I had a chocolate fudge brownie, then a sheeps cheese croissant, then a big slice of the cake they made (with cream), which probably covered my calorific intake for the next three days. I cn barely get my arse outta the chair just now

I ordered a really nice crinkle cut slicer and some bamboo spoons (my wooden spoons are done), and it came to £15.50 which I thought was a bit dear. I wanted the stainless steel mixing bowls (set of 3) £55; the apple corer £27.50; and the slicer £24.50 but I couldn't afford them

I also managed to rehome some of my poultry. I have someone coming from NEEPS tomorrow, she wants 8-10 birds. A woman today at the party wanted half a dozen, and would take some boys for the oven if they were going, and the demonstrator also wanted some birds. Yippee! And they say networking doesn't pay! It is great because it frees up the other animal house and I can use it for sheep instead of birds. YES!

My poor Lala - she hates going to school. All the girls there are princesses and Lala is a right tomboy, so none of the girls will play with her. The boys aren't really interested in playing with a girl, so she is feeling it.

The hates the work, and although she is really bright, she just doesn't 'get it' and because she is unhappy to start with, this just compounds the issue and she is getting mental blocks that are stopping her picking up the stuff she doesn't get.

Every morning is worse. This morning she was clinging onto me, hiding her face in her coat and refusing to change her shoes.

It is SO hard because she was SO excited about school, being a 'big girl' and going to school like her big Bro, and now it is just a nightmare for her and she hates every second of it. Every night she is begging to be homeschooled.

When I got back this morning, I was in tears. Naturally I didn't let her see me upset, but it was hard.

I just don't know how to make this better for her.

I am SO fed up, I really am.

I am SO tired of seeing this message

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when I am trying to leave a comment on someone's blog.

Here's me, being a sheep

Two names you go by
Mum
Mrs M...

Two things I'm wearing right now
bright pink plastic clogs
ameythyst pendant

Two things I want (or have) in a relationsip
Respect
Trust

Two things I should do
some ironing
some knitting

Two things I want very badly at the moment
A latte
some chocolate (hello migraine!)

Two things I did last night
attended a (virtual) NEEPS meeting
blogged

Two things I hated today
going grocery shopping
forgetting to pay in a cheque

Two folk I talked to
One of my friends came round for coffee
Another one of my friends phoned me

Two things I am doing tomorrow
Going to the bank
Taking No2Child to dance class

Two longest recent car rides
Here to Aberdeen train station (twice)

Two favorite holidays
Dublin
Somerset

Two fave beverages
latte
tea

Two things that would surprise you about me
I don't enjoy socialising
I hate parties

Two places I have lived
Australia
England

Two places I'd rather be right now
In bed
Gossipping with my pals S & T who live far too far away from me

I appear to have become addicted to what, on first examination, was an innocent vegetable, but has ensnared me in it's succulence and now I'm trapped.

What is it? Roasted sweet potato sprinkled with cinnamon.

Don't try it. You will never stop

Well, the update on my small prang the other day

The wifey I bashed came round this morning with the quote for repairs. Just under a grand. So, we will be claiming on the insurance after all - had it been just a couple of hundred we would have paid it ourselves but I havent got a grand. The excess is £370 so anything under that would have been fine.

Bugger

Well, this morning was my very first foray into the world of livestock auctions. Thainstone, just outside Inverurie.

The plan, originally, had been for me to attend said auction sans kids. The plan, after saying I was leaving in 15 minutes, was for everyone to decide that they couldn't live without also attending said auction, so 45 minutes later we piled into the car and headed off.

Ten minutes later, cue the chorus of "Are we there yet?"

Anyway, we gets to the auction and there were very few folk there. I expected the place to be hoaching with folk but there were less than half of what I expected. Never having been before, I don't know if this was normal or not.

First, we ran into LA and her tribe. They were there to buy middle child a pair of Jacob sheep. Apparently sheep are his hobby and he shows his Ryelands (was it Ryelands? Hmm. ) and he had his heart set on a pair of Jacobs.

Next appeared J and her Dad who were in the market for a few Buff Orpingtons. Man, were the poultry going for bonkers prices?!? A trio of Rhode Island Reds for £125 Yep! One hundred and twenty five quid! I reckon I should have taken my RIRs and paid this months mortgage! She ended up buying some hatching eggs, and I last saw her in the poultry scrum around the auctioneer in line for some quail.

Who next? Sassinak and her man with their grandtwins. Then Ina, along with Mike & Louise, fellow NEEPSters all.

Zombiecazz and her two, sitting with Alimum and a couple of hers. ZC was up for some more silkies I think, and they were totally gorgeous (the silkies I mean) but the prices were steep. Did they buy? Time will tell.

Oh, also ran into Andy and Dallas who had a couple of geese up in the auction. He swore he wouldn't buy today, but knowing him he probably went home with more than he came with

Me? I didn't register so that I wouldn't buy. Just as well really. I saw some totally gorgeous Shetland ewes with lambs at foot. I could SO have brought them home with me Don't know how much they went for. There were some Gloucester Old Spot/Tamworths that were just lovely and also some GOS piglets that I could have quite happily tucked under my jacket. However, my new love? Silver laced wyandottes. Oh, me oh, my! I SHALL have some! I don't know how much they went for either, but I can probably get some eggs and hatch my own. I would love to breed them. I need to find out some more about them.

The kids thoroughly enjoyed looking at the sheep, pigs, horses, cattle, and one lonesome donkey (who, IMO, had seen better days). There were some lovely wee ponies there - I watched on auction for a very pretty pony and he went for 150gns. I don't know how much that is in 'real money'. I don't know what guineas are worth. Some of the rams were very aggressive.

Poor Ger was practically vomiting with the smell. He has a really strong sense of smell, and although I hardly noticed any smell at all, he was practically gagging and had to go outside after a while of walking round the animal pens.