Snow

We have Snow, its white over out there and its very,very slippery underfoot. The weather forecasters are forecasting very heavy snow overnight so Im tipping there will be loads tommorow. Which is good news for little bear who wants to make a snow man as big as the one they made next door. By the time me and little bear went out yesterday the snow was too powdery to make a proper snow man. So we ended up with a midget person in the garden and little bear was not impressed. Its ideal sledging weather but unfortunately we don't have a sledge.

Anyway we had a good christmas, although it was quiet, but at least we got chance to chill out a bit, which is nice. Bear no 1 has gone down to visit his girlfriend in staines so its even quieter now lol. I am relieved he got down there safely with all the train cancellations that were announced yesterday, but he texed us to say he had got there and it was frekin freezing.

Hope everyone had a good christmas

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Last minute Christmas Shopping

Well me and hubby managed to get to town, without little bear, to do some last minute Christmas Shopping poor old hubby got dragged round the shops, and we shopped till we dropped quite literally. Anyway when it got to the stage when we couldn't carry anymore we came home with most of the shopping done. Still leaves son of ours to get for tommorrow but everyone is more or less sorted. Ive just got to wrap them all up now, so maybe I will be free sometime next week lol.

Anyway it was nice to get out, just the two of us, to do some shopping, not something we do very often. What was even more amazing was I went into a pub to use the toilet and I didn't even have a drink lol.

Anyway lots of family visiting tommorrow which will be really nice, as we don't see them very often. I was really touched today because my nephews have made me a home made card with a photo of them and their baby sister on it. I thought you can buy all the cards you like but something like that is priceless you can keep it for ever and ever and it will be a reminder of them at that age and will never fade. So thank you nephews I love you.

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Christmas Baking

Today me and little bear did some Christmas Baking we made some mince pies for me and a friend that visits and a chocolate cake for the kids because they don't like mince pies. Little bear really enjoyed it and the mince pies are really nice.

I let little bear decorate the chocolate cake with chocolate icing and hundreds and thousands so she is really pleased.

We have a bit more Christmas Shopping to do tommorrow and then I think we are about done, and we can put our feet up and relax.

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Deck the Holls with Tesco's Trollys

Tra la lal la la la la la la

Little bear was ill today and sent home from school, so instead of going down town I went and did the dreaded food shop, hence the title. Trouble is I was gone so long that hubby thought I had gone to town.

Anyway at least thats done and I can concentrate on all the other stuff.

It occurs to me though perhaps we get so bogged down in the run up to Christmas with all the work we have to do that we miss out on all the Christmas spirit such as Christmas carols and love for your family and friends, its only when Christmas Eve finally comes that I sit down and listen to carols from kings, and then it feels like Christmas to me, and I can relax with my family, that to me is what Christmas is all about.

Hope all this makes sense.

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Christmas Trees and Caroling

Well weve finally put up the Christmas Tree and it looks fantastic. So now little bear has stopped bugging us and she is happy.

Today little bear went round the local area Carol Singing with the School, and afterwards they sung in the school playground which is were I saw them. She sang really lovely and she looked like she was enjoying it. That's what makes christmas for me hearing children singing christmas carols, theres something special about it.

On the Christmas Shopping front I am about halfway there Ive just got to wrap them up now. Bear 2 wrapped me a lot up yesterday because she is much better at that sort of thing than me.

Anyway must go now been visited by my mother-in-law.

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Tree Shopping

Today I went and bought a tree (hurray) now little bear can stop nagging me, for two weeks, everyday its have we got a tree yet, have we got a tree yet, have we got a tree yet, Yes weve got a tree. I haven't put it up yet because I am going to do it at the weekend when I have more time but I bought little bear a pretty fiberoptic one for her room and hubby put it together for her, so she is pleased with that.

I have been to the a meeting at the tara toninght and told them I am resigning in January, but I am told I have to write to the council, so I will do that before 3rd January, Anyway at least I won a ten pound John Lewis voucher before I left :) Not that you can get anything for ten pound at John Lewis's. I will stay on as a committee member until the next AGM and then I think I will finish with it all together. I want to do other things with my time, finances and circumstances permiting of course.

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Little Bear

Ive just said to little bear what should I talk about, and she said talk about her, so here it goes.

Little bear is eight years old, she loves school, art, karate, music and computers. She likes helping me about the house, yesterday she tidied up her bedroom without being asked, and she made a really good job of it as well (she didn't stick it all under her bed like some kids would) she put everything away neatly. I gave her some money for some sweets because she worked so hard.
Im thinking of getting her to do the rest of the house:)

she has been to karate tonight and she has worked very hard and done really well.

Im really proud of her.

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Just a quick one

Hi everybody

Hi Dr Nick

I though I would just post a quick blog so that you know I am still here lol.

Have felt a bit rough today, have picked up a bit of a cold and my eyes have felt tired all day, but being the bear I have been carrying on has normal. Tried to tackle a pile of ironing the size of the North Face of the Igor, but decided it wasn't worth it and gave it up after half an hour. I cooked tea and then chilled out watching Tom Cruise (scuze me while I finish drooling) in War of the Worlds. Very good film though it was a bit scary for little bear who went to bed instead. She has come down again now and is watching Red Dwarf her favourite programme.

Anyway She came down to tell me she has tidyed up her bedroom as well. Cool!

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Crunch time

Yesterday reached crisis point with me and the TARA. Net result is one of the committee argued with me in the street, and I came home in floods of tears. So I decided to quit while I am ahead. At the end of the day I don't get paid for doing this so why should I put up with the hassle.

Anyway I feel a lot better for having made the decision its like a big weight as been lifted of my shoulders. I am now looking forward to christmas and it should be more stress free because of it.

Hoping to go and get a new tree tommorrow, and put up the decorations, little bear is delighting me at the moment by singing lovely carols that she has learnt at school. Thats the best thing about christmas hearing children singing christmas carols it always brings a tear to my eye, sentimental bear that I am.

AS for the committee they can go and stuff themselves with their own stuffing.

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Stressed out bear

Been a couple of stressed out days, to do with the local tara of which I am a committee member. Bears got a bit fed up, so I have decided that being the weekend I am not going to think about it. It will all come out in the wash I guess. So I am using the old age technique of standing well back and letting everyone else get on with it.

On the home front money is a bit tight at the moment because of the CTC (Child Tax Credit) who have been paying us incorrectly for the last month, but I am not going to let it get me down. Im just thinking of all that lovely back money lol.

No snow up here but its starting to feel a bit Christmasy with them accross the road putting up their Christmas lights already, its cheered me up a bit.

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Bit of a hetic day today

Lots of rushing around today. First I went to doctors with hubby to get a letter from the doctor for his travel pass. The doctor was very mad that social services had wrote to us for a letter. not at us at the social services.

After taking hubbyhome again and after getting warm, I went to town to get a few christmas presents for the nephews and meices. Then it was back to school to pick up little bear.

Then home again to do a quick tea and take little bear to Karate. She's still doing really well at it.

Then I decided to go on the computer for a bit and have been teaching little bear a bit about the internet. Shes not to bad at it.

The christmas lights are on in town now and it looks really nice all lit up. Little bear went to town on sunday with her friend to see them switched on.

Anyway now it is time to get little bear off to bed, and time for bear to put her feet up with the new Sue Grafton book.

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Thank Bleep its the weekend

Im really glad its the weekend, I feel so tired today, don't know whats up with me. Looking forward to putting my feet up (as much as you can with little bear running around). We have to get up early tommorrow to get oldest bear off to London on the train. But after that I intend to rest, rest, rest.

Little Bear enjoyed her war time street party at school, she came back with a red white and blue, union jack hat that she had made herself which was really cool. Now she is fast asleep which is a rare luxury at this time. So I am making the most of it and taking some time to blog.

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War Time Memories and Recepies

Tommorrow at little bears school they are having a celebration to mark the 60th aniversary of World War 2. They are having a street party in their classroom and the children have had to provide the food which the teachers want to be as authentic as possible.

In the spirit of this I decided to look for a war time recepie for some buns I came accross a recepie for some war time carrott buns. So I have made some, I just hope the kids like them now. They look kind of strange but they taste really nice (couldn't resist trying one). The children have to make their own paper hats out of newspaper because the teacher said they wouldn't have coloured hats then, and they have had to draw and colour their own union jack flags. I think the whole thing is a good idea. This week in school they have had a special table in the school with war time memoribilia (think thats how you spell it) with gas masks, identity cards and so on on it. Little bear thinks its really cool.

Also tommorrow they are having a special showing of Air raids and School days which is a video the school made when they came accross some underground tunnels and bunkers hidden beneath the playing fields of the school. They found them when they were laying the foundations for a new sports building. So I plan to go along to that as I have never seen it before and A friend of mine is in the video.

Anyway will let you know if the kids like the recipie tommorrow if successful I will post it on here as they are low in fat and sugar so they seem healthier than normal buns :-

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Christmas Shopping

Its official I have started Christmas Shopping, true I have only bought one thing but at least its a start. Normally I dont start till December at least and frequently not until the week before. But I got so fed up last year running around at the last minute that I was determined that this year would be different.

I have decided to get for the meices and the nephews first. Because the bears either don't say what they want until the last minute Bears 1 and 3 or they change there mind about 10 times like bear no 2. For example bear no 2 said to me the other day mum can I have some straightners for Christmas ok I say. A day later mum have you got them straightners yet. No I say, good says she because I want a coat and a tracksuit instead. Had I gone out and bought the straighners I would have had a problem. So I have decided I will get theirs much later. Its guaranteed that she will have changed her mind again before Christmas ;-

Hubby also is a problem at Christmas because he never says what he wants so I have to guess.

Anyway we had a trouble free Halloween and Bonfire Night this year, which makes a change, it must be because we have a section 30 operating in this area. Where the Police have the authority to split up groups of teenagers and take under sixteens home. So it has been quiet not one single egg thrown at the window.

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Half terms over yippee

As much as I love the bears I am glad that we get the house back tommorrow. The upstairs looks like a bomb has hit it lol.

Still I think little bears had a good half term playing with her friends and going to playscheme. Still only seven weeks to Christmas now, I must go Christmas shopping as soon as they go back to school and college. Having a bit of a cash flow crisis at the moment so I hope it resolves itself soon lol.

Not done much today, decided to have a chillin weekend because I have felt a bit unwell again nothing serious just a bit under the weather.

So tommorrow must go food shopping and tackle the house if I have time, If not must tackle the house on tuesday.

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Busy Bear Again

Another busy week I have been taking little bear to a local playscheme. Its only a couple of hours but she really enjoys it. I like to help the kids make art and crafty type stuff its good fun.

Its done nothing but rain here for the last few days, but tommorrow promises to be a fine day so I intend to get lots of washing washed and dried. Only trouble is I have to go out in the morning so I hope its still fine when I come back.

Little bear is really pleased because she got her Yellow Belt on sunday and she is looking forward to going to Karate to show everyone. So she is full of beans lol.

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Shopping

Had a good day today in town with Bears No1 and 3. We bought a new game for the pc and some new trainers for little bear. We had tea in town as well a rare treat for us all.

Hubby went to the opticians today and has decided to buy some new reading glasses, as a spare pair incase he looses his other ones, we can get the lenses for free so he may has well. As someone who has lost there reading glasses for about three months I appreciate how valuable they can be. I like the ones he picked they really suit him.

Anyway because he is diabetic he had to have some drops in his eyes, which meant he spent the rest of the day as blind as a bat which means he couldn't see me spending his money lol.

Lots of sales on in town I managed to get little bear some umbro trainers for under a tenner which is really good.

I got some candlewick which means hubby can make loads of candles from the left over wax that we have saved up. Does anyone know what we can use for moulds. At the moment we only have one which is a bit time consuming if you want to make a lot of candles.

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A STinking Cold

Little Bear went to Karate and good news she is going in for her yellow belt this sunday which is fantastic.

Sorry I have not blogged for a while but I have been laid up with a really bad cold (or flue), I have kept Hubby up all night snoring, he's tried everything, tickling my ears, nose and everything but nothing workes. He's tried getting me to go downstairs and sleep on the settee but all I say is just a minute and go back to sleep. So he is not getting any sleep which isn't pleasing him, lol.

Anyway feeling a little better today, Hubby is totally Knacked so it will be my turn to look after him for a couple of days lol.

Anyway thanks to my good friends for chearing me up when Im feeling down, thanks teej, Mad cow and Wheelie.

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Busy Tuesdays

Tuesdays are always busy for me because little bear finishes school late and then she has Karate in the evening, so I have to fetch her from school, do tea, and take her to karate all in the space of two hours which is no easy task. Little bear is doing her next belt next week so she is really excited about that.

Wheelie is grumbling because his bod won't let him do what he wants to do and its mid October and he wants to get on and do this years Christmas Cake, his Christmas Cakes tend to way about thirteen pounds, we still have a bit of last years left. The reason they survive so long is because of the amount of brandy he puts into them, they are really nice, but they have to be made now so that they are matured enough for Christmas.

Hubby makes chutneys every year for Christmas and is scouring the net for receipies more than he has got until a few days ago. My dad has got a glut of tomatoes, which he doesn't think he will get ripe in time before all the sun goes. So hubby wants to make some green tomato chutney, does anyone know of a good receipie.

I have been getting a few things sorted out in the house, I am still sorting out the main bedroom, the idea being that if I can get it tidied out, I can get round to sorting out some storage space and some flooring. Of course its a bit like the Chicken and the Egg, without the storage its difficuilt to tidy it out, but until I tidy it out there is no room to move to put in the carpet etc or put the storage. So I feel a bit like I am going round in circles.

Hubby and Oldest son sorted out a computer for him in his room so that the family computer can be moved downstairs and out of the main bedroom so that gives me a bit more room to get organised.

Anyway will sign off now as am absolutely bushed.

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Gardening Days

Today I have spent some time in the garden, attempting to cut the grass. I got one lawn cut and then the belt came of the lawnmower, I wouldn't mind but I had bought a new belt to see if that was the problem, but it wasn't.

Anyway the mammoth gardening project is drawing to an end, with help from my dad, we have painted fences, weeded flower beds, re seeded some of the garden. Re-built one fence and repainted the bench. It has taken about three months, but at least it is coming to an end now.

Hubby is not very well today so will have to be a short blog. He had a brain attack (small stroke)
On friday and he is switching in and out a bit and he intends to get up a bit late tommorrow which means I have to set the alarm clock.!

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