Oscar locked me out!

Nightmare came true today. I'd just decanted the little monkey from the car and put him inside - closed the outside porch door so he couldn't get out and got the shopping out of the back of the car. Turned back round - literally 10 seconds had passed - and he'd shut the door. I swore I'd put it on the latch but it mustn't have taken - and I was locked on the outside and Oscar was alone on the inside.

I peeped through the letterbox and could see him - holding my keys in his hand. I cajoled. I begged. I pleaded. I made it a funny game. I bribed him with a biscuit from the shopping. He wouldn't give me the keys. He kept trying to insert them into the lock but he couldn't reach. Every time I tried to grab him he squealed and ran away. Then he found it highly amusing to shut the letterbox on my hand.

I ran next door and used their phone to call my friend Marion who lives 5 minutes away and has a spare key. Thank GOD she was in. I was hyperventilating at this point.

Then just as Marion pulls up in a screech - Oscar hands me the keys through the letterbox.

Typical. Marion was lovely and totally understood me calling her - I had no idea if Oz would give me the keys. It's made me realise that I must NEVER leave Oz in the house even for 10 seconds unless I have my keys in my hand. I didn't even have my cellphone - that was indoors too....

Lucky escape.

The joys of parenthood. I think I aged 10 years in 10 minutes.

I tried his Santa Suit on him today....whaddya think?

Thursday (well Friday) Thirteen time again!

Oops - forgot to post this yesterday - I'd saved it as a draft!! Forgive me world...This week, a totally random list of things about me

Thirteen Things about Sally 1. When I was two, and asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said "famous" 2. I live in South East London 3. This morning, Oscar covered me in porridge and tried to force feed me cheerios 4. I'm nuts about my son. 5. I'm going to the gym again today, for my gym induction. Who knows what that will be like....I'll let you know 6. I just found out my glucose tolerance is not good - which means I'm at risk for diabetes if I don't get my arse in gear and lose weight. 7. I've lost 3lbs this week already! wahoo! 8. I've been learning my Monkey Music lesson plan for my teaching training on 10 December - I woke up last night with "Snowman Stan" going round and round and round my head. 9. I wish I was in America for Thanksgiving (though that would make me gain 20lbs!) 10. I was looking through my jewellry box last night and found a plastic bracelet - I'd made it as a joke for my Grandfather when he was ill. My Dad gave it back to me after he died - he'd been wearing it all the time. It made me miss him a lot and remember him with a smile. 11. My dishwasher is broken (I don't mean Rob, I mean the machine). It keeps tripping my fusebox. I'm not happy. 12. My parents have decided to come to my house for Christmas - this is a first - I've never cooked Christmas dinner for them and I'm actually really excited about it. Hope the bloody dishwasher still works by then! 13. I can't wait to see Oscar's face when we put the Christmas tree up. I keep thinking back to last year, when he was 4 months old at Christmas - what a difference it will be this year! Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!) 1. Leanne (the creator of the 13) 2.Shelli 3. Jodi 4. Dawn 5. Jen 6. Carolyn 7. Jennifer 8. Renee

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Ok - random or what. I'll try and think of something more profound for next week! And remember to have it in on time!

I was on the radio today!

I've become addicted to LBC Talk Radio for London and have often been tempted to phone in - well today I did and got on the air! I spoke to the lovely Angie Greaves who was talking about black taxis - do you love em or hate em? I called to tell her how much I love black cabs - so much so that I had them as my wedding cars - black cabs with white ribbons - very classy.

I may now become addicted to calling in. I highly recommend LBC as an entertaining station - they have really good topics and some really mad callers (I am not one of them...). Iain Lee is particularly funny from 4-7pm.

OOO they should pay me to advertise for them!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to my American readers! Hope you're having a day of turketastic loveliness.

I've become a google whore

As you can see above, I've succumbed to the Adsense....I just thought I'd try it for a few weeks to see if I make any money - to be honest I don't really understand how it works....but what the hey....

So apologies for the blatant commercial plugs at the top of the blog (I couldn't work out how to do it discreetly in the sidebar). Feel free to curse my materialistic tendencies and complain vociferously about Google taking over the world....

I'll do anything for a bit of cash! (Well....not anything....)

Stolen from Dixie Peach

A fun meme - I was reading Dixie's archives today - she's moving so suggested we make do with reading her past....(miss you Dix - hope the move is going well) and saw this meme....

A is for Age - 34
B is for Booze – Cocktails – things that don’t taste like alcohol
C is for Career – Still waiting for my big break as an actor
D is for Dad's Name – Roy. Roy Reeve – doesn’t that sound like an action hero?
E is for Essential items to bring to a party - Glitter
F is for Favorite song at the moment – Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits – just rediscovered it…
G is for Goof off thing to do – I don’t get a chance! I have a one year old!
H is for Hometown – London, England
I is for Instrument you play – I don’t. Used to play clarinet when I was a kid…
J is for Jam or Jelly you like – Strawberry – Bonne Maman in particular
K is for Kids – Oscar the greatest!
L is for Living arrangement – One husband, one child and a lot of mess
M is for Mom's name – Her real name is Geraldine but she hates it so goes by Gill
N is for Names of best friends – Tracy, Joyce, Pearl, Julie
O is for Overnight hospital stays – Osteomyelitis when I was a kid – 3 weeks in hospital for that one I think, then tonsils out and finally gall bladder removal
P is for Phobias – Spiders, noises in the night and looking out of windows when it’s dark (Salems Lot the movie scarred me for life)
Q is for Quote you like – “We are all of us in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars” Oscar Wilde
R is for Relationship that lasted the longest – I’m still with my first boyfriend! 15 years next year.
S is for Siblings - One sister – hello Kirsti!
T is for Texas, ever been? – I have! Stayed with Mary in Dallas and had the best chicken fried steak and hospitality ever.
U is for Unique trait – I can put my foot on my head. Not bad for a fat lass. I used to smoke with my toes too but I don’t smoke anymore….
Vegetable you love - Corn
W is for Worst traits – Messiness. And procrastination
X is for Xrays you've had – Ankle, arm
Y is for Yummy food you make – Roast dinner –chicken in particular
Z is for Zodiac sign - Leo

I won't tag anyone - go ahead and nick it you lot!

Ok I must be a desperate housewife

Oz is still asleep so I was watching This Morning while unpacking the dishwasher and saw Il Divo.

Blimey.

I think I'm in love. This is Urs (strange name but he's Swiss.) He's a man, not a boy - same age as me. And I love him. He can sing.

Am I sad? I must be - they did a duet with Celine for christ's sake. But I think I may now put Il Divo on my Christmas list.

(I'm dreading the comments now...specially from Moxie)

Negatives and a positive

Last night was a nightmare and nothing to do with Oscar. The fusebox tripped out at around 10.45pm. I couldn't work out what was tripping it - eventually isolated it to one circuit - the one that the dishwasher, washing machine, fridge and freezer are on. Turned everything off, tried the fuse again - tripped. No matter what we did....So we had to take all the food out of the fridge and freezer and put it in the one in the shed - so traipsing up and down the frosty garden in my nighty.

This morning - another trip down the garden with Oscar yelling blue murder at the back door. I turned the circuit back on again and now it's working. Can't work it out at all.

And the TV tuning has gone - the Sky channel (AV channel on the TV) is snow. So no telly till we work out what's wrong.

Not a fun morning. Julie rang - Mya is ill so she didn't come to the gym - and I was tempted to bunk off myself but I DIDN'T! I went on my own and did a body conditioning class and actually feel much better (you were right Jodi). Oz is asleep - I'm going to have a shower, give him lunch and then go to Gambado.

Trying to keep positive.

November is the longest month

or at least that's how it feels today. We're seriously broke and I can't wait until pay day - we are going to have to tighten our belts BIG TIME next month to get through - and that will mean a frugal christmas.

I'm feeling a bit low today - don't know why. Worrying about money. Worrying about my weight. Feeling fat and ungainly - my back has been killing me for months now and I'm sure it's because I'm heavy and Oscar is heavier and I carry him round so much. He won't stay on the hipseat I have so I'm always lugging him about. I need to be lighter!

Next week is my first full on gym week - class on Monday, Wednesday, mini class on Friday morning followed by gym machines. I think I'll go to aqua fit tonight too.

FED up. Don't really know what to do to cheer myself up - not eat chocolate certainly. Not have a ciggie - and I can't think of anything else....

Spent the day yesterday sound dubbing for The Witches Hammer. Saw all of my footage - very good in my modest opinion. Certainly not as bad as I thought I might have been - Ms Beacham knocked my confidence a lot...

I had to go down to Southampton on the coach as they've run out of money! 5 hours travelling in total there and back. Not much fun. And I had to forfeit my precious lie-in this morning as Rob didn't get his yesterday. Maybe that's why I'm so fed up and blue.

Ah well -I need to go and clear up my car - it's such a mess -and sweep the leaves off the front drive.

I'll try and be cheerier next time

A new regular feature...Thursday Thirteen

This is stolen. from a friend's blog (thanks marybeth) but originated here I love it!!!

thursday

Thirteen Things about Sally 1. I've got backache today but am not stiff from aerobics! 2. I was very good and didn't eat Oscar's breakfast (egg on toast) after he'd rejected it - stuck to my low GI peanut butter on Vogel 3. I am going Christmas shopping today but am very skint so it will be on a small scale 4. I'm still in my pyjamas but it's only 9am 5. I'm going to make Butternut squash Mac N Cheese this weekend thanks to Jemma. 6. I believe in fairies 7. If I could have one wish right now, I'd lose 5 stone immediately 8. My favourite colour is Purple 9. I really enjoyed the Take That documentary last night though I was never a fan. It was quite sad really - especially Robbie saying he'd swap 14 Brits for a family and happy life. He seems such a sad person. So does Howard..... 10. I want to buy the new Enya album and I don't care what anyone says. I like her. 11. My favourite food is Sushi 12. I have been having really bad ciggie cravings but have resisted - haven't smoked for 2 years now. 13. I hope a lot of you take this meme on and do it - it's such fun! (though hard to think of 13 things this morning - I'm dozy) Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Aerobically challenged

I did an aerobics class (not in the water - on dry land and everything) for the first time since I was about 16 today. And i HURT already! It was good though - have joined a local gym with my friend Julie and she's going to kick my butt and encourage me to go. They have a creche on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and it's part of your membership. So I'll have no excuse not to go 3 times a week. They don't have a pool which is annoying but I still want to go and use the machines and do the classes.

I hurt though!!! (I know I said that already but I do). I did a good workout - sweated a lot and was red in the face but didn't kill myself or strain anything (as far as I know). I realised that although I love doing aqua-aerobics, it doesn't work me as hard as doing it on land.

Oscar is being manic again - running round like a mad thing all the time - eating sometimes like a starving thing, sometimes picky and not eating at all. I can't keep up with him!

Having a busy week - spent Monday up in town at a brilliant place called Coram's Fields - a park right in the middle of Holborn that's just for children (you can't get in unless you're accompanied by a little one). It has large grassy areas, a small animal area, a vegetarian cafe and lots of swings, sandpit and climbing frames. Oscar had 3 firsts - his first sandpit, the first time I've ever seen him climb and slide down a slide on his own...and his first nosebleed. He fell over quite badly and grazed his chin and bonked his nose. It was upsetting for me but he didn't seem too bothered...

I had an interview to become a Monkey Music teacher on Monday night and am now going forward to do a training day. If I'm successful there, I'll start teaching in January in Herne Hill - very excited about it.

Tomorrow I'm off to Bluewater - haven't been there for ages....will be window shopping only though as we're SKINT this month!

Ok - blathering over. Off to cook dinner and watch a documentary on Take That (how sad am I)

Tagged by Mama K

The lovely Mama K has tagged me! I love being tagged....so thank you! Here are my answers...

7 celebrity crushes:
George Clooney
Goran Visnjic (oo that accent - when he recited Hamlet in Croatian in ER...swoon)
Josh Lucas (in Sweet Home Alabama....yummm)
Johnny Depp
Sean Connery (I know he's older than dirt but he SEXY)
Tyson Beckford (those eyes....)
Adam Brody (gotta love the geeks)

7 Things I'm good at:
Showing off!
Mummy stuff
Acting
Singing
Networking
Laughing
Making friends

7 things I plan to do before I die:
Have another baby
Lose weight (so I can...)
parachute jump
Go to New Zealand
Scuba dive
Be in a big budget movie
Go to Hollywood

7 things I cannot do:
Maths
Anything logical
Sudoku (kind of covered by the above really...)
Knit (though I want Kirsti to teach me)
Tap dance (I've tried and I just can't do it)
Touch my toes (I'm too damn fat!)
Juggle (balls I mean. I juggle my life quite beautifully)

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex:
Eyes
Smile
Height
Laughter
Bum!
Legs
Intelligence

7 things I say often:
Oops
Where's Oscar?
Fuck (though that will have to change now he's getting bigger)
Cuddle mummy......please....
Blimey!
Babe (I have this annoying habit of calling everyone "babe". I must stop it cos if it annoys me...it must drive my mates nuts)
Yawn (does that count as a saying?)

Ok...now to tag.....
Moxie
Jodi
Kell
Jess

Sally needs....the sequel

Thanks to Jodi and Kel who have expanded on my "type your name into google followed by "needs" game and gone onto "wants..."

1. Sally wants a proud man
2. Sally wants to live with Harry
3. Sally Wants to Car Pool
4. Sally wants more than a "yes" or "no" answer
5. sally wants revenge
6. Sally wants to be a cop
7. Sally wants to avoid the frog
8. Sally wants both X and Y
9. Sally wants X more than she wants Y
10. Sally wants more presents (always true!)

And now for Oz...

1. Oscar wants to hug
2. Oscar wants to use the panolpy of unix commands
3. Oscar wants more than anything is to be something scary for Halloween
4. Oscar wants to be rich
5. Oscar wants to make poultry as pathogen-free as possible
6. Oscar wants to go to Six Crabs Yuckyworld Grouch Park
7. Oscar wants you to believe the entire civilized world has stopped to pay homage
8. Oscar wants to actually look at books instead of being thisFujikawa baby (what is Fujikawa???)
9. Oscar wants to make it big as a hip-hop superstar
10. Oscar wants to go from the safety of childhood to the coziness of middle agewithout having to muddle through the chaos of his teen years

Hmmm not sure about that last one!!!

Ah that passed some silly time! I'll be more serious next time...

Ego Trip

So I got sent this interesting email from a friend Julie asking me to describe her in one word. And suggesting I send it to my mates and see what I got back.....

Egotistical? Yes. But bloody good fun and very interesting. Here are a selection of words I got back....

Indescribable (Kirsti - that was cheating). Magnificent (my Mum - awww). Vivacious (my favourite), Bubbly, Bouncy, Happy, Sociable, Gregarious, Generous, Fun, Fun-loving.

Nice isn't it - why don't you try it - it makes a grey day sunnier.

I'm probably going into business with Julie - we've got a very good idea for a service to fill a gap in the market - aiming at new mums and any mums really....don't want to say too much (you never know who's reading this and might nick my ideas) but it's really exciting. Got me all fired up. I've often thought about setting up my own business - I have such a myriad of experience from temping for 10 years from event planning to marketing etc....but have found in Julie a motivational person who thinks like I do, but who has strengths in the areas I am no good at (like finance and business plans). We make a good team. Watch this space!

Screenshots from Basil

See below! I'm still having problems with copying the DVD but should be able to sort it soon. In the meantime for those of you who missed it, start at the bottom and work up - I should have loaded them on in the opposite order!

Trapped down the well 

Kidnapping Mr Stephen 

Gone crazy 

He loves me! 

Strong arm tactics 

Feeling up Mr Stephen 

Getting hungrier 

Staring into the camp fire 

Oscar is better

Thanks to everyone who sent emails and left comments asking about Oz - he's much better - I think he's over the nasty virus totally - he slept right through the last two nights which he hadn't done since we got back from America. So I feel better too!

Thanks to the lovely Steve, I now have Basil on DVD. I'm trying to work out how to use Power Producer on my PC to edit it slightly and copy it - I can even copy it in US format so I can send it to my Stonecutter pals (and my sister).

Ok - gotta go now as Rob wants the puter - just wanted to tell you all that Oscar is back to good health and his usual sunny self (he was so lovely today - woke up laughing and kept on all day AND ate spanish omelette with lots of veggies)

Million Dollar Baby

Ok ok - this film has been out for a while and I've walked past it in Blockbuster thinking - naa - Boxing film - I hate boxing. Well tonight there was nothing on TV but we fancied watching a movie and it was on the pay per view. So I watched it with Rob and it was amazing.

Such a beautiful, sad, moving film - nothing like I expected. A film that's made me want to read F.X.Toole. And write to Clint Eastwood to tell him how amazing he is (and can I please have a job).

It's like Fight Club - another film I avoided because I thought it was one thing and it turned out to be another.

So if anyone else out there is like me and didn't think they'd find anything interesting or moving about a boxing film - please watch it.

I think it's one that will stay with me for a very long time.

Basil Brush

Well it was on today - and I watched it with my friend Pearl and my friend Karen. I looked rough as...very swollen eyes - I had conjunctivitis thanks to Oscar - if you look back in the archives you'll see a photo....and I had flu. But I think I did a good job. They cut a lot of the stuff I was worried about -there's a bit when I fall in a well and they had me doing all sorts of silliness in there but they didn't use it!

I was happy with it - very funny episode - lots of fart gags. And I was supposed to look rough as....I'm getting a copy on DVD on Sunday and will try and get some screen grabs for those of you who won't see it (my American readers). I'm also going to send a copy to my sister and if anyone who has a DVD player that will play UK DVDs....just ask me!

It was fun to watch. Oscar didn't seem to notice so I'll have to save it for when he's a bit older.

If you saw me - what did you think?

A new toy

My clever friend Ev found this website and I love it - you get all your friends to pinpoint where they are on a world map. I'm totally crap at geography so I love it. If you haven't already click below and...

Put yourself on my map!

I am B.O.R.E.D

I am B.O.R.E.D. I know I am, I'm sure I am, I am B.O.R.E.D.

What can I say - a day spent TOTALLY indoors - the weather was horrible - I was tempted to go out anyway but he's ill and I don't want him to get wet and cold. We watched a lot of CBeebies. I made soup - yes from scratch - boiled a chicken carcass and everything. Oscar ate the soup. All of it. It took me all morning to make and he demolished it in half an hour. I should be happy because he ate....but it took so fricking long!!! Next time it's Campbells.

Though Poppy you would be proud of me and my culinary skill - I've attempted soup before and it's tasted like water. This was very yummy. I boiled the carcass with leek, onion and cabbage (left over from the chicken dinner). Plus herbs and pepper (no salt as it's for baby) Then strained it all after 2 hours and reduced it (because it tasted of nothing). Then I added 2 carrots, half a leek, an onion (all the veg I had left) and some barley. Then after another half hour I liquidised it. And it was brown and thick and looked like real soup! And tasted like real soup! There must have been at least a pint and a half. Oscar drank/ate 5 cups worth. (There's one cup left. - how many pints is that?)With toast and cream cheese. He was hungry and able to slurp. So he's had a good meal tonight. I hope he sleeps better.

I was SO bored I also ate a ton of chocolate (left over from Halloween) and made lots of popcorn and ate that too. I'm a sucker for boredom eating - it's one of my worst failings, that and comfort eating. If he doesn't get better soon I'll be the size of a house.

OK I googled with Oscar's name as per K's suggestion in my comments:

1. Oscar needs to rethink women (Kirsti's favourite)
2. Oscar needs a stunt double (he bloody does - latest trick is to throw himself backwards, arching his back, while in your arms. Suicide baby)
3. OSCAR is funded purely from donations and sponsorship (I wish)
4. OSCAR NEEDS A CHANGE OF SCENERY. (that's so true - so do I)
5. Oscar needs a good home (what are you trying to say...?)
6. Oscar needs other people’s blood to fight his infection (I'd try it if I thought it would get us out of quarantine quicker....)
7. Oscar needs a Friend (awww. He does miss his playmates. Mummy is dead boring after a while)

Ok enough. It's going to rain again tomorrow and I may just think - sod it - and go to Gambado. He isn't drooling as much.....I know I'll probably infect someone's baby but fuck it - someone infected mine! I can't take another day like today....

Post from Quarantine

First off thank you everyone for your positive comments and to the wonderful Moxie for the phone call today - thanks babe - kept me sane. I also got a call from my fellow Mum Andrea so that was nice - I sent out such self-pitying emails and the blog entry too - but those who know me know I don't do well on my own - I hate being in!!!

Actually we went out today - to my Mum's for half an hour and then to Greenwich to run in the park - Oz was going stir crazy too today. He did eat though so he must be on the mend - I got a chinese takeaway for lunch and he ate 4 mini spring rolls. And he ate 2 tidgy toads for dinner - thank god for Aunt Bessie.

Ok - as light relief here's something I stole from Nic - you go to Google and type your name + "needs" in a search and laugh yourself stupid at the results....

Here are my favourites:

1. Sally needs to be careful in applying for a mortgage
2. Sally needs to be reminded to multiply before adding
3. Sally needs to feel your desire to understand and connect with her
4. Sally needs a "leg up"
5. Sally needs an urgent medical operation costing her personally $50000
6. Sally needs $50000 to buy a Pete's Postage Post franchise (shame I spent it on the operation)
7. Sally needs new shoes
8. Sally needs to use MS-CHAP version 1 on her Remote Access Server

Ok maybe that last one was a bit boring. But it's funny - and when you're in quarantine you need a laugh! So thanks Nic!