The Birthday... & help from a kind reader :D

I had to laugh today when a kind reader (I have readers..... & 1 follower eekkks) gave me this link http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/shop/GIFT-WRAPPED-ORCHID-BY-POST.html now the question is do I pass it onto Martin :D Ohh don't make me naughty (I need little help) I like my books this year, truly I do! OK so the "Step by Step Cook Book" is a tad insulting since I work as a cook (& not a re-heater.... everything is from scratch!). I collect recipe books but these are generally older books, with the odd TV chef/well known cook thrown in. I can't help wondering though, why he always buys books? He's not a reader & although I am Martin never buys a book that you would sit & read. Curious how his mind works!

So what else did my birthday bring? Ellice has baked me a cake & was helped by Mrs Robin (my boss) with the decoration. It was meant to be a surprise saved for after tea, but Ellice came back so shocked she had to tell me everything :D

"The cake was still hot but she iced it anyway then put the candles in & now one's melted in the cake! Will it be ok? I've taken them all out because Mrs R tried to do a 35 but it looked nothing like it"! 

You truly can't beat the honesty of kids! I'm so proud though that she bite her tongue & just followed Mrs R's lead. Right as Ellice is about hot cakes, icing & candles.... A 12yr old pointing that out to "The Lady" of the house & in her own kitchen too.... would have been frowned upon I'm sure.

Got another 3 cards today all funny, but the best..... "vodka is better than Botox - cheaper and paralyses more muscles!". Also got an electric blue leather purse from Mrs R which had a very nice cheque inside :D Sadly with a fecked cooker I think it will be going that way :( Her words as I left this afternoon as I said thank you for the kind presents "spend it on something totally ridiculous"!

My belly tells me I need to eat & text tells me Martin is on the drive with Chinese takeaway :p Yummy!

Early Birthday Guess What I Got...

I'm at work tomorrow & possibly tomorrow night (meant to be but had two cancel so might get night off), so I thought I'd do my presents & cards now because mornings are so rushed.


Mum & Mike got me a lovely crystal necklace & ear ring set. 
My bestest bud Hebs got me all the fantastic sanctuary spa stuff I wanted & also a bath cushion from Lilly-Mae my god daughter (all Martin's idea apparently as Hebs was stuck as to what to buy).
The kids got me a FatFace t-shirt each & also a bar of Aero from Ellice (not much left now yummy but I feel sick). 
And lastly but by no means least, my (possibly a little predictable) husband brought me "Encyclopedia of Horses", "Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Cook Book" & a book "101 of the most perplexing equine questions" from Eastar. Bless you gotta love him xx


Off for bath now but not sure which delight to use as there's a new one I've never tried.... If I'm not in work by 8am look in the bath :D

What will today bring?

It's the day before my birthday & my last day off before the madness of more guests starts again *sigh*.

I got my lie-in this morning (yay & bloody yay), it was easily possible because I didn't go to bed until 3am... I know bonkers :) But the night was so clear & the sky so beautiful I had to get robed up & sit out there. Plus ( now no giggling please) I also did a cosmic request! Last time I did one was May 2006 (for a new happy & rural life), I got my wish Jan 2007. I do believe that it was the request/spell/cosmic order that got us this job & home because I still have no idea how I came to the page of the advert. I'd never heard of gumtree where the ad was placed & the job was listed as a position in London.... I was house hunting not job hunting & I was looking for a home way way north... See!
Anyway enough waffle about that & we shall have to wait & see if last nights attempt works too :D

It's the kids first day back at school today *massive sigh of relief* so that means 8 hours less bickering each week day. I have to say though, this summer holiday has gone very quickly despite us not having a holiday away. Elle is now a 2nd year & Jay a 3rd year (I think should be yr8 & yr 9?? but I still go back to the old way/non american) how time flies! I do feel real awful as I didn't see them off :( Martin was up of course *we're not total crap parents* but I normally check they're ready/ have everything & wave them off, so today I feel like a right shit!

Well I should be sitting in a hairdressers somewhere getting pamperer, but I didn't book & (as I said) wasn't up when everyone left this morning so missed my lift to town (teehee like you can call it that). So am sitting on my bed, still unwashed or dressed & wondering if another day of rest/chilling & milling , is really a wasted day?

Now what to do? Lots I should, but can I be arsed!

So my second day off & what should I do with it? I have managed a "to-do list" but that seems to have zapped my energy 

1. Clean stable 
2. Do the shopping list for the big house 
3. Do shopping (for us & B-house) 
4. Get a haircut which the boss is paying for as a birthday treat.  

Birthday presents :D umm yes lets chat about that (much better than what I should be doing). My boss asked what I wanted for my birthday, so I said a haircut as I really messed it up 2 days ago having a go at it myself (not a good idea). So I've been told to book myself in on her & think what big present I want... Ummm my horse! Didn't say that of course, but there's nothing else I want apart from the cash to buy Eastar. I think that's a tad bigger than she had in mind :D I did ask for some Sanctuary Spa body wash, but she just laughed & asked me to think bigger *HORSE!!*

My hopes that Martin was going to buy my dream for my birthday were dashed last-night when he said he had to go out Thursday & collect my present :'( All I need is the cash in the bank to post a chq to Eastars owner... No trip out needed. 

I am intrigued though as to what he's selected this year! Bless he never seems to get it quiet right & normally settles for a book that I never pick up again *does that make me ungrateful? I never really tell him, but it doesn't take sherlock to read me either..* The last one for instance; admittedly I wanted an old fanny cradock cook book (preferably signed) to go in my cookbook collection, he got me a modern story of her life, with bugger all recipes & lots of pictures. 

Lets hope for flowers/an orchid :D

Why is a lie-in so impossible when available?

Why is it that on a work day the alarm goes off at 6.45 & I have to drag myself out of bed & can't possibly speak until I've had my fist cuppa & a shower, yet everyday off I'm wide awake at 6am?

This can be a good thing & I do try to see the bright side. Like yesterday I was up early, sat reading & watching Eastar for 2 hrs, plus had his stable mucked & washed-out by 9am. Was asleep again by lunch, but that's besides the point :)

Today again I was awake by 6am, but wouldn't give up on my lie-in! I dozed in & out until 7.45 then finally gave up & decided to spend sometime with Eastar while it was still quiet. I haven't been as good as yesterday, but we did have a pleasant walk & some good scratches :) so still a nice (if not productive) start to the day.

Meet my horse

I've had my furry dumplin for just over 6 weeks & although progress is slow (still not riding & but so tempted to try again) we've defiantly bonded.
I did ride him & he freaked out, repeated & again he freaked, tried again & he really freaked out so called in natural horsemanship person who introduced me to the games of Pirelli & adviced lots of bonding before we ride. So we walk out instead & it seems to be working. I've taken a few of the tips & they've really help with my confidence & handling ability. I don't (ohh could be in trouble if instructor reads this) dedicate time to "play set games/do my home work" but do use some of the techniques when handling/spending time/playing with Eastar. He still takes a massive amount of effort to respect "my gate/leaving when I say it's time", but at times of play/work he'll back up with a wiggle of the finger, I can place his leadline through his legs & stand behind holding it while he backs up :D *so proud of those two*. I guess some will say no real point & with that last trick maybe not but it shows trust for both & gives me a confidence boost which can never be a bad thing.

While I was away last week for Grandads funeral/ 3 days down south, my fabulous & totally "non-horsey" husband took care of Eastar. This is a huge thing as Martin (hubby) would never be close to a horse & even a stable door wasn't enough to settle his nerves (still isn't at times, but huge progress overall). Anyway he turned him out each morning & brought him in every evening. Eastar was a dream the first evening & even got a walk down to the lochan/pond. Day two he wasn't to bad in the morning, but skittish by evening. Monday morning he was super jumpy & scared Martin half to death, Monday night he threw a proper Eastar tandrum, flying around his field like a plonker & forcing Martin to leave him to calm down for 20 minutes/Martin to down a beer & be brave enough to get him in, which he did on the second attempt but let Eastar dictate speed, stopping /letting him eat whatever he wanted on route. Tuesday morning & martin was ready to give up when he went to Eastars stable & he was circling around & around, being pushy if the door was opened (he's not really but will try is he senses fear & the need to run & save himself), so Martin left him for an hour before turning out & was thankful of my return that evening & me bring him in (which he did like a gent) :D Bless them both.

I'm so proud of how Martin managed while I was away & also *naughty I know* but I kinda like that Eastar played up....  Does that mean Eastar missed me? OK so really was just a security issue, but still I like that he calmed once I returned which must mean he feels secure with me. He did act up my second evening home & really threw his handbag across his field & Martin said it was the worst he'd seen him. Even I hadn't seen him this charged up. It took a good few minutes to calmed him enough to stand still (stop charging around with front & back legs really going with fantastic fart between each buck/rear) in a minute or two I had him walking in like nothing had happened?!

Since then we've had the log-men in, meaning different machinery being left everywhere on route to his stable & favourite walks, yet he doesn't bat an eye lid just looks to take them in while still following me calmly. I find this fascinating as he's such a worry-wart  & you'd think a whopping tractor or loader bang by his stable would cause a little falter in step at least, yet nothing. My big brave boy x

A mad intro... My blog virginity is gone!

Ohh I have my voice to... umm? The ether :) yes I like that! Hi Ether

No not sure about that now, I feel as though I should be placing a request with the cosmos (yes that is something I have done & it worked *bah-humbug as you wish*), so do I want to address this to the ether?

Fuck it, who needs a "Hi". If you're reading this then thanks. This will be a mix (no doubt) of my thoughts, happy moments, rants, findings & life questions etc..

Where do you start a blog with no focus & nobody to say Hi to? 

I did (& may still in time) think of doing a cooking blog, which would have made starting a bit easier I guess. As this is life/diary blog & I can't be arsed to go back 34 *ekks almost 35* years, I'll start with what's making my glass half empty at the minute & I hope that will be peppered with the things that battle on to keep it half-full! (Too deep?) I guess there will be patches where I digress to a previous time to explain myself & I hope anyone that has read this far can follow my erratic pattern (type as I talk, or so I'm told).

My Grandad died a few weeks ago & this was only the second death that had really touched my life (both within 9mths & both great men). I spent the first 18 months or so of my life living with Nan & Grandad, followed with frequent holiday & weekend stays when possible, so they both are a huge part of me. My Grandad was a leg to hide behind, a teacher of plants & life skills. Along with Nan he gave me an open mind, yet avid interest in religion & the loss of him has really hit me hard. In my heart I know he'd be blowing a raspberry flicking the v's & telling me bollocks to moping gal enjoy your life. The last thing he told me was he was proud of me & glad I'd moved north as it had been the making of me, a happy me he'd been pleased to see again........ :'(  yet  :) too 

*ahhh "The roller-coaster of grief "*.

Thankfully my life is blessed with many great things & these all help to bring us through, if we only open our eyes. For instance I have a remarkable family! A husband who's my rock, two children at home who live life by the second & have no time for what happened an hour ago, never mind last week & lastly (but by no means least) my newest baby Eastar my horse. More about all of them in time I'm sure.. On top of all that I live my life dream! Don't get me wrong I would like (need) more cash, we have no assets since we sold up & moved north & I worry about losing my job & the home/life that goes with it, but there's time... Plus I like to believe life has a way of throwing chances in your path, if you are open to seeing/asking for them (back to comsic ordering), so although I fret I also hold out a little hope still.

I love my job 99% of the time (not many can say that) & as I say above I see it like a huge dolls house/ a dream home I could never afford, but can play at cleaning & setting it just so (is that mad?). My boss is also very nice & extremely fair, so life isn't to hard there.

So you see I try /can see the sun, but of late I seem to sigh a lot & that grey cloud is never to far away.