Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Kicking my own arse....

cos I haven't blogged for ever! Facebook microblogging is partly to blame but also a resurrection of Sims 2 - I dug it out of the back of the cupboard to see if it was worth buying Sims 3 - I know - that doesn't really make sense - but I figured I should see if I was going to have any time to play it. So I've been playing 2 like a demon. I made a "Simwards" family (I'm so egotistical) and did replica me and Rob - we bred and now have 2 daughters called Abigail and Tabitha. In the marvellous world of Sims I control EVERYTHING and I quite like it. Therefore I have 2 perfect A+ students and unlimited money and live in a mansion.

I wish it was real!

Well I don't really. But anyway. Today I got my usual nudge from the NCT Broodsheet editor asking me for another column. Always nice! It made me write and it made me realise how long it was since I wrote anything apart from a status update.

So here I am!

News....I got a job. Well a temporary that might become permanent job. The local community centre runs singing classes but their main teacher is ill - long term - so they need cover. And I'm it! I get to plan my own lessons - 45 minutes twice a week - and it's great. I love the centre - Oscar went to preschool there and Toby has been to playgroups and things so I know the staff really well. I had 22 kids in my class today so it's popular too. They're getting used to me- I teach a very different class to the previous teacher - she was sitting the whole time and sang along to CDs whereas I'm either acapella or use an instrumental track and do a movement section and an instrument section.

I was seriously over-heated today though. After doing Mulberry bush and Hokey Cokey I looked like I'd been in a shower - totally soaked in sweat! The kids liked it though and I'm getting great feedback. I should be there all summer and then they'll re-evaluate the position after that. Toby should be starting at the preschool there in September so it would be perfect.

I'm hoping to start doing some admin for my friend's company too soon so that will be two little part time jobs. I'm very happy about that.

What else...Rob's back is a lot better - he started cycling again this week which is a relief as I was chief Chauffeur which was a pain.

Had my first Governors meeting just after I got back from the States. One thing made me chuckle inwardly - for some reason I imagined they'd all be older than me - really old and grey and wearing dark suits and sat round a table. And that I'd be the young one/ Of course they're all the same or similar ages to me - the Chair is probably younger than me. Rob reminded me that I AM actually a grown up...I do forget sometimes....

Mum is in South Africa - Cape Town - to get her toes operated on. I've joked that she'll come back looking like Jordan with fake tits and a facelift....I do miss her already though and she's only been gone since Saturday.

I'm still feeling the benefits of my week off. Though I have been longing to go back! It was such a great week - so many wonderful friends, food, experiences and cocktails! Toby's behaviour is getting a lot better - he's very clingy since I got back and his speech is coming along in leaps and bounds. He's sitting next to me here demanding Kerwhizz on the computer and then saying his favourite phrase "I don' like it " but shouting NO! if I try and put something else on! Crazy over-heated child. Oh now it's changed to Poetry Pie (again). No...Kerwhizz....ah how fickle can a 2 year old be.

Michael Jackson - suppose I'd better mention him since there is apparently no other news of note this week - I had bought tickets if you remember, then sold them for double the price on Ebay. I've since spent the double bit in America. So I have the dilemma of the refund for my buyer. I want to refund him but I can only refund him the price I paid for the tickets - the price I'll (hopefully) get back from Ticketmaster. Legally I don't have to give him anything since he isn't really protected but I want to do the right thing....karma and all.....supposedly there's an option to not get the refund and get the tickets as a souvenir/memorabilia - hopefully he'll take that option and then maybe he can sell THEM on Ebay himself and make all his money back! That's what I'm hoping for anyway.

What else....can't think. It's a heatwave here in London - 30 today (don't ask me what that is in American, I can't work it out). I'm quite proud of the fact that despite having glow in the dark pale skin, neither of my boys has got sunburn yet. Yay me and sunblock.

Right I'm off to babysit now for my friend Liz who is going to see Kings of Leon - she's so hip. Glad I got a post in...will try and post again before August!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Some pics of St Louis...

Kirsti uploaded the pics I took in St Louis so here follows some of my faves....this is a Ballistic Elvis sammwich. Peanut butter, banana (of course) with bacon, melted cheese, strawberry jam and red pepper flakes. Every bite makes your brain go "WTF!!! This should be disgusting" but your mouth go "mmmmmmmmmmm"

Thanks again to the lovely Robin for the trip. It was phenomenal and I'm still on a high remembering it a week later....

Self portrait...

Drunk....at Ted Drewes eating frozen custartd....off the back of a truck....with one of my best gals....perfection!

Clara and I at the top of the world

630 feet high!

The arch

I went up that!!!

Poppymom and Poppymomette....

Ain't they grand?

The largest Catsup bottle in the world!

And me...and Clara Jane....we were impressed

Oregon Trail, Belleville

Clara Jane - in the best little coffee shop in Prettytown....this was my favourite pic I took of her!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Back to reality

So I went to the USA for a week. And what a week it was. Truly hectic and wonderful - spoilt rotten by my sister and sis in law and by my friends. Kara and Jan made the pilgrimage to Detroit and we had a blast - I don't have any photos as Kirsti was chief camerawoman - and the pics are on Facebook until I get a chance to download them.

I also was generously flown to St Louis to hang with Poppy and you can read all about it here - she's an amazing hostess and I'm eternally grateful for the introduction to the Ballistic Elvis sammich!

HOWEVER....while I was away, disaster struck the Edwards Household....Rob slipped a disc in his back and was immobile and in agony. At first he panicked and thought Oz would have to stay off school all week and he'd crawl around the house.....Mum swooped in and I also liaised with her and suggested friends who could help - and thank god for Hayley, Anja, Hubert and Katharine who did the school run and my angel of a mother who was basically ME for the week. Even worse - on Thursday night (as I was in a plane) Oz announced to Rob that he'd been looking at the sun through binoculars.....so they spent the night at Casualty - until 2am....again Mum holding the fort at home.

Luckily Oz hasn't burnt his retinas out but it was bloody frightening for Rob and for me when I heard about it. Mum is exhausted. Rob is walking around like Mr Magoo with his pants full....he's got a crutch and everything....

So I hit the ground running when I got back - no time for jetlag - back to it! However I'm rested and still have a sparkly inner glow from my week away. I have shortshort hair and some funky new tops in my wardrobe. The boys got great pressies which have gone down a treat. In my time away Toby's speech has come on leaps and bounds - his six word sentence today? "Daddy look, I found a chair!". Oz seems even ganglier than before....

His behaviour at school has deteriorated though - I think the mum of a certain boy is going to be waiting for me at the gates tomorrow as supposedly her son is too scared to come to school because of Oscar's behaviour. I'm going to suggest she speaks to me with the teacher present as I don't plan on getting into a slanging match. She's had it in for us for a while.....her son is no angel by any means.....It's my first Governors meeting tomorrow night as well so I don't want to start the day on a bad note!

So - that's a brief update.....we had a lovely barbeque this evening and I introduced the boys to the joy of toasting marshmallows - Oz said that was his favourite bit of the weekend! Let's hope the sun lasts eh?