You should've not accepted him!

As if I didn't feel bad enough yesterday, we woke up to snow. NOOOOOOOO. Just a little bit, a tiny sprinkling, but still, what happened to the unseasonably (there it is again) warm weather for this time of year. Climbing out of the pit of warmth this morning in order to get everyone ready for football was not fun. So much so, that Small and I decided not to go and tried on Winter attire instead. Snow boots, snowboarding boots, ice skates, boarding helmets, skating helmets, goggles, snow pants, thermals, coats, gloves, hats. PHEW.

Huffle and Smallest went to the football where Smallest's team, minus the main coach but plus the annoying head of the club who loves the sound of his own voice, played Unionville. If I remember rightly from the Summer, this was one of the better teams they played. Huffle edit: the boys were easily beaten 5-3 by a better team. They were missing the coach and a couple of players but despite that they would still have been outclassed. The replacement coach and assistant soon had the team in complete disarray with players out of position looking confused. Smallest was a little isolated on his own and wasn't having his best day. Then the frustration boiled over when this poor lad was about to shoot and smallest put in a 'grandadesque' crunching foul. The lad went down with many tears. I confirmed with smallest after the match that it was indeed intentional. I made him apologise after the tackle. A day at the office to forget, and learn from.

Small and I played on the Wii - tennis, baseball and racing. He found out I was better than he imagined. We had fun. After Smallest's shower, a list was created for Winter things we needed and then we had dinner out. It took forever because it was busy, Huffle got the wrong side order, I got a burnt Portobella Mushroom and no fork but the waitress gave me 50% off when I told her I wasn't giving my mushroom back as I was too hungry. After dinner we went on to the Sports place where they had a huge sale. It was so busy. Half of the shop is a good Sports shop with useful staff and the other half is a discount warehouse with useless staff. Small is now too big and tall for kids boots or snow pants. Boots we sorted by getting him a pair of men's snow boots. He has one foot size 8 and one foot size 9 (bearing in mind this is US size not UK), Huffle said he would be forever walking around in circles due to his different sized feet. Anyway we found him a really nice, lightweight pair of waterproof, which withstand -35* pair of boots with a really good name.

For his Snowpants we had much difficulty. Too big for kids, too small for Men's, not the right body shape for men's or ladies. When I asked what people do when their child is on between they said "either don't get any or get them too big!" When we asked about belts for Snowpants (bearing in mind snow pants have belt loops) they knew nothing about belts, didn't sell them and had no idea why there were belt loops. You can imagine how cheery I was feeling about all this. In the end we came away with a football for Smallest (which he paid for himself), a Christmas present, a pair of boots for both of them (Smallest's hopefully for next year because that's what clever people do), a pair of trainers for Small, ski gloves for Smallest, a birthday present and a yoga mat. We spent a fortune but saved nearly $200. It was a horrible experience once again but it had to be done.

We treated ourselves with an ice cream milkshake and came home. Smallest had a warming bath, I relaxed and undid last nights knitting and Small and Huffle played on the Wii.

The weather is supposed to be better tomorrow, a bit warmer (unseasonably ha!) and Huffle says that Winter is cancelled for tomorrow. Let's hope so. My throat hurts again but it could have been because of Smallest's spicy potato things at lunchtime. I suppose I am feeling a bit better but it is also coming up to that time in the year when we made that move over here just four years ago. It was a tough time for all of us, maybe that's why I feel unsettled!?

 

Posted with Blogsy

Bad Mum

When Smallest went to school with a homemade crochet Yoda hat by yours truly and the Librarian lady told me I showed up all the Mum's because they had bought their little darlings outfits instead, I was secretly pleased. Today that same Librarian lady made Smallest call home to get me to bring him a coat because I didn't send him to school in one. Damn! Then I was humiliated. Now I'm the mum that bakes and crochets but can't dress my kids appropriately. Awwwwww that hurts!

So, the kids went off to school without coats despite the fact that when I went outside to put the recycling out, I told them it was cold. Maybe I expected it to warm up a little, after all it is November and it has been unseasonably warm (I do like that word, unseasonably) lately. Even while Smallest stood outside in his two very thin layers of clothing, I shouted, shall I get you a warmer hoodie or a fleece, but Smallest pretended he couldn't hear me. He's tough you see!

Huffle went in the to the office today which is always good because he passes the nut and seed shop and he comes home with bags of pumpkins seeds and the like. I decided to go to knitting this morning because I needed nice wool to make the boys some slippers for Christmas. I took my latest sock made from leftover sock wool. Knitting isn't the same anymore as all the original people have now left. It's all new and I don't really connect with them. I don't really want to go to lunch with them (and I'm sure they don't want to go to lunch with me either) and found I was sitting in between two very loud conversations and not really wanting to be a part of either of them. That's when I realised I need more friends. That's a bit sad isn't it, especially as I don't really know how to go about making new friends. You can't just find them in the supermarket or on the street. Friendships are hard to make and don't just happen overnight. So I came home and had lunch by myself and watched netflix and wound my wool into a ball and started on a slipper for Small.

The poppy wreath that everyone helped to make wo their knitted poppies. Beautiful.

I did go to school (for the second time today, the first being to ask the Principal if she could give my youngest a coat without getting out of my car because I was still in my PJ's, with no make up and wet hair from the shower - I'm sure she never noticed!) to pick up Small's Tuba, even though I never got a phone call asking me to. When I saw him he said he called but no-one answered and he didn't leave a message because the phone just rang and rang. I wonder why I carry a mobile?

It was nice when the boys came home because there was noise and chaos and I felt just a little bit less lonely. Maybe I have got more used to Huffle being home than I thought I had. I made dinner which was just a warming up of all things not eaten during the week. Nice and easy.

Huffle and Small went to football and got new kit (hurrah red, the best colour to wash with everything else NOT). Smallest and I stayed behind and played Home you Go (one of my childhood board games with just a few pieces missing) he beat me twice and then we played Rat on a Skateboard on my IPad. Smallest tried to be very cheering to me tonight as he knew I was a bit sad.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Salmon Tree Planting

Can't remember the last time I slept all the way through and woke up at 7am. Bliss, well it would be bliss if I didn't have to get up, wake the boys up, make them have a shower and provide them with breakfast and lunch.

It was raining when we got up (and pretty much rained all day) which is not good when the boys are tree planting for school today, rain or shine. I saw the school bus and the muddy array of kids when I passed by - poor buggers. Glad I didn't volunteer. The trees are being planted to provide shade and protect the salmon they hatched and released from the heat plus to stop erosion. Smallest said he planted ten trees.

I took a scratched photo frame back to the shop today hoping to swap it for a not scratched one but they didn't have another one, and bought a few small Christmas things plus a few essentials on the food list.

Huffle and I had lunch and I rearranged our Venice photo picture as I bought a new frame. Ahh lovely memories, loved Venice. This afternoon I went for a long walk around the Hamlet with ClownRose and LittleF. We walked and talked and talked some more. We were supposed to stop for coffee but the cafe was shut, I didn't know it ever shut. The bank was closed yesterday too for Remembrance Day - that's strange isn't it? We had a lovely walk and stopped by the school. Unfortunately we weren't supposed to be there but the students (including Small) saw us. The teachers wanted to know who we were (they asked the kids) and I have sworn Small to secrecy. Whoops!

Trees on our walk

The boys had had a good tree planting day and were all muddy, wet and cold on their return to home. They had a Hot Chocolate to warm up and then Smallest's friend came to play for a couple of hours. Small played on his tablet and I made dinner. Tonight we had Fish Cakes.

After dinner we played a game of Lego Creator and then Smallest regaled us with his Piano tunes. Small had practiced earlier. They are both sounding very good.

This evening we watched Don't tell the bride which was filmed in Leicester. I think we watched where they were more than what they were doing.

Wishing the Rumbleskins all the best in their newly renovated home. Hope it's fabulous. X

 

Posted with Blogsy

Poor Mouse

After five weeks absence, I went back to aerobics this morning. ExercisNic changed it up a bit today and we did more weights and less cardio. I expected it to be hard and I know I will pay for it tomorrow, but I did enjoy it. I dropped Small's Tuba back at school and came home for a shower. What a shame to mess up my new hair but actually it was much easier to wash, dry and style. There is so little of it now. I had limited time but it looked okay.

After a quick lunch with Huffle where we watched a bit more of Jekyll and Hyde (ITV Player) - weirdly strange, I went off to pottery. Today we made Brie Bowls and were given a recipe for Sun Dried Tomato Pesto on Brie - nice. It wasn't as hard to do as last week's yarn bowl but it was challenging. I seemed to do everything wrong today and came away with a horrible headache. In one of the teachers other pottery classes, someone's bird exploded in the kiln because she hadn't made a hole on the bottom. It impacted on some of the other pieces in the kiln and one of them was my Leaf Cheese Plate with the little mouse and curly tail. Apparently my mouses tail got blown off. Oh dear - it would be mine wouldn't it!

I came home, blew up my flat tyre and then hurriedly took the boys for their hair cuts. The hairdresser had bought them a Greek biscuit each (and me) and they had a quick play together before I rushed them back home for dinner.

After dinner, piano practice and a spot of Wii, the boys and I left Huffle in a hot bubble bath (he too has headache and is feeling a bit sicky) and went to basketball. Both boys worked extremely hard and sweated well. They are coming along really well.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Lunchtime Harbinger

Nothing much to say really today. I had my hair cut which was the highlight of my day. The boys hairdresser cut it. She is lovely and cuts everyone's hair in the Hamlet and as I haven't had my hair cut for nearly two years (well my hairdresser moved two hours drive away and it takes me a while to get used to new hair people), I decided it was time. She cut off probably half of my hair and then we had a cup of tea and a long chat.

I don't know where that silly lopsided face came from! Also I look a bit cross eyed!

Huffle had a mid morning visit from a Pensions man, all the way from England. Between Huffle and I we have a variety of pensions gathering dust and no interest so he is going to find them (I say find them because mine is in my maiden name at an address we are not sure) and get in touch to let us know our options. I didn't get to meet him but he did make Huffle and himself a cup of tea!

I FaceTimed Moo and made a soup (parp), a Soda Bread (which tasted like a huge scone) and a Rice Pudding (yummy) for dinner.

The boys came home armed with class photos and individual photos. Their individual ones are horrendous as usual. Why do they have to be so stiff and boring. I would much rather have one of them jumping in the air or giggling. Not a dull, let's pretend we are in front of a bookshelf or a pretend tree, fold your arms (which they never do) and drag out a fake smile wearing scraggy clothes because their mum forgot to dress them in nice clothes for the occassion. Luckily they have a mum who takes endless photos and every now and then takes the perfect lovely one.

Huffle got his appointment for his MRI which is on a Sunday in January! The letter said 7:30am, on a Sunday? He called to check it was correct but it was a typing error (but they didn't need to apologise of course) and should have been 7:30pm - still, on a Sunday? In the meantime he has been doing some exercises that he looked up on the Internet (no help from the doctor then!) and it is helping slightly.

The kids piano teacher came and Smallest perfected his recital piece with a little flourish at the end sweeping across all the piano keys. Like it.

After dinner, Smallest and Huffle went off to football practice. Small and I stayed at home and watched TV together. Everyone is tired - hope the bugs are not back!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Gravy Head

A sleep that was good and only disrupted by Huffles strange breathing noises! I dreamt the other night that I was playing baseball and at the end of my bowling (probably called pitching really) the coach said "I guess you haven't done that before". Well that told me! Last nights dream was about the boys piano teacher coming round and bringing with her the smallest piano I have ever seen. I really struggled to get my fat sausage fingers on the keys. I'm a failure at baseball and piano!!!

We had a frost overnight and everything was white this morning, thankfully just frost though and not snow! Despite the frost though, the boys still went to school without coats. Fair enough, it ended up being a beautiful day full of sunshine.

Late morning I popped to the wooded area beyond our garden and cut some red dogwood stems for NoCustards outside pots and then met her in the forest and we walked the longest trail. It took us about 80 minutes. We used to be able to do this in an hour but we must be out of practice. It was gorgeous as usual and very calming. She gave me a bag of Apple Rings which are delicious and I was very grateful because I was starving after I shopped straight from the walk.

Huffle and I had lunch, put away the shopping and then I prepared dinner whilst catching up with Downton Abbey.

The boys piano lesson was postponed until tomorrow due to an emergency meeting for the teacher, so they practiced anyway, plus the Tuba, did homework and played on the Wii. Their chore today was to set the table and clear it all away afterwards. Good boys.

Huffle finished painting the landing. It looks lovely and clean and bright. Before it was 'Canada Grey' and now it is sparkling white. We decided we would call it 'Venetion White' if anyone asked because there are so many whites out there in paint world and we can't tell the difference. So we just bought plain old white to go with the plain old white stairway and the plain old white basement. We like it.

After dinner the boys had a fight. I'm not sure who won but it all started because Small tried to put gravy on Huffles head..............

 

Posted with Blogsy

Yes it will actually because yes!

A morning of Football for Small and Huffle with a guest appearance from a different coach who helped Small a lot and made the session much more enjoyable for him. The coach also knows Mark Hughes and we think he is English. Small had a nose bleed before the session (not during this time). I wonder if it's the time of year because both boys have had a few lately.

Smallest and I stayed at home and played Alhambra and tidied and cleaned his room. After lunch and a bit of jigsawing, we walked to the Royal Legion and deposited the kids there for their Cubs and Scouts Remembrance Service. Both had to have their shirts tucked in (neither were happy with that) and Small had to lay a wreath.

Huffle and I then walked around the Hamlet and back home for a cup of tea. We have been to the service three years in a row and decided we could have a year off for good behaviour. The boys sabotaged their posters this year so they wouldn't win a prize in the hope that they wouldn't have to go to the ceremony (it is very long for kids, well it's long for me, even longer for kids). However, they missed out on prize money but still had to go because the Scouts requested them to go as the Legion supports the Scouts and their meetings. What it did mean was that Huffle and I didn't really need to go as there would be no prize giving for our boys. Silly things might think again next year!

We picked the kids up but not before we stood and watched the flags, piper and the laying of the wreaths. Back home the boys played on the Wii, we FaceTimed Grandma and Grandad, we all played Carcasonne and then had dinner, played some table tennis and watched a bit of TV

This time last year and two years ago, it was snowing. Today was beautiful sunshine again. Keep that sunshine please, I am not ready for Winter yet.

 

Posted with Blogsy