holiday makers!

This is the first photo Becci and Ric have shown from their recent holiday in France. Can't wait to see the rest!! I looked at some taken by another friend from their group but they were not that interesting to be honest - too many shots without people in them!!! I've never really been to France very much, only one real summer holiday and two trips to Disneyland Paris. Becci was only 18 months old when she went for the first time - shows how long ago it is since THAT holiday!!! I know that it is a very popular destination for many families in Holland, and Becci said that they met a lot of Dutch people whilst in the Dordogne. Must admit that Tim and I have started thinking about next year and where to go in the autumn if a chance comes our way...............yes, we love to dream in our family!!! Never hurts to have a germ of a plan always in the back of one's mind, right? But first things first - Tim is going next Wednesday to theirs so time to check trains and timing etc as I am working all week and need to feel prepared! He is looking forward to his week with his big sister, meeting Ric, and generally getting out of the house and away from mum for some young living!!!! Must make that list of goodies to bring back home...............polos top it every time!!!

I have my first supervision this evening, with one of our trainers and at my study mate's house. Looking forward to seeing them both as its been a few weeks. Lots to catch up on first with Karen and then the nitty gritty of supervision. One down, two to go; three counselling sessions, when I have the money for them, and we are getting closer to me completing the requirements for year 1. Gosh, you have no idea how fantastic I am going to feel when I have that certificate! It will be my affirmation of my year post divorce, my joy at doing what I absolutely love doing, and my ticket to a better future. That champers in the fridge has been there too long already just waiting to be popped!!! Glasses at the ready m'dear!
Sue xx

Utterly ashamed

One cannot have gone the last few days without reading or hearing on the news about the terrible rioting happening in England right now. It is shameful to see what some people actively chose to do to our great cities, how they spare no thought for the livelihoods of others, or their welfare, and how helpless we are to stop them. It is spreading like a mexican wave across the country, only this one is accompanied by flames and looting, violence and destruction, and it is deplorable.

At the same time I read with joy and pride about the army of 'morning after' local residents who stand on the streets the next day, armed with brooms and cleaning materials ready to clean up their neighbourhoods again. Look on twitter and facebook and see just what having community spirit means. These are the Brits I am proud to associate myself with!! Tim is going to England a week from today. He will arrive in Birmingham, wants so much to go to Manchester and it is simply not safe to do that right now. The pleasure of visiting these two great cities has been swept away by violence in just a few nights of erupted anarchy. Reverse the trend and fast, my friends. Return to normality and regain control of the spiralling domino effect being created by those who are not capable of stopping themselves. Please.
Sue xx

A must-see film!

This is one film I've been looking forward to seeing this summer! I tend to agree that her Yorkshire accent leaves much to be desired, and it fluctuates between reasonable and terrible the entire film, but I like her as an actress ( she was Jane, after all ) so I can get over it! Who can I see it with?

This morning it was gorgeous. Me and the cats sat outside under the sunshade having breakfast, sunning ourselves in brilliant sunshine, and I thought it was looking like a summer Sunday. Tim came outside and said that it was 'bright too soon' and he was right. Shortly after that the heavens opened and the rain is currently coming down with incredible force, and pouncing off the rooftops, the sky completely grey and heavy and the prospect of thunderstorms later on. A huge disappointment! And proof that one should always 'seize the day' and never leave anything to chance. So there is nothing else for it than to give in to doing the bathroom, since all other excuses not to have just been swept away!!!
Sue xx

out with the old...

and in with the new!! We've been looking on and off for a new blind for the garden end of the living room, as there is no space for curtains etc and it needed something pretty to make sense of the new decor. There was one we liked in Ikea which was fairly similar to the one we ended up choosing, mainly because this one was wide enough for our huge window. I liked them both; both white with grey flowery pattern etc, and so we took advantage of the discount this weekend and went out and bought one! Tim begrudgingly put it up for us.............see what you think:-

This one is a light cream colour which was left here by the previous tenants.

Boy Wonder doing his thing with the fittings!!!

Pretty new white and grey patterned blind in place!!!

The end walls are a very light grey paint with the one long wall now white, and the other one waiting to be painted in September. We will go for the same white shade now that the blind matches those two colours though there is a small temptation to add some tiny red sparkling stick-on gems to make it 'custom-made'!!!! I might try it and see what I think of the result.....................anyway, we are happy with the choice and it lightens the room up even more, so when the other wall gets painted we will be giving out sunglasses!!!

Last night we had our ladies night dinner party. It was really enjoyable and we had a great time. They brought me presents, which touched me as I was very pleased to receive such lovely gifts as a surprise. All the food was devoured which pleases me immensely as I feel satisfied when I see clean plates! I was particularly pleased with the Churri - it was delicious even though I say so myself. The curry was not too hot and the only thing  I don't do so well is cook rice. I was disappointed with that so won't be buying that brand again. Tim has just finished the Eton Mess as I had saved him a portion on request. I am looking forward to eating the remaining dishes with him this evening. Easy cooking, lazy telly watching evening and a good sleep to follow!
Sue xx

Curry on the go!

My friends are coming round tonight and so I am making Chicken Curry for the three of us. Back by popular demand!! I am taking a break from the kitchen as it got rather hot under the collar downstairs, and I'm sure that its not all me!!!
I've got my favourite Vegetable Samosa's and Spinach Pakhora's which I lurve, and I made a Churri as well - Indian Rice as the last thing to go on, and not forgetting the delicious Mango Chutney and Naan Breads!
It is a feast alright! We are having Eton Mess for afters; I figured since curries are as English as Strawberries and Cream, made into an Eton Mess they are even more irresistable. Yummy!! There will be wine, and chatter and laughter and sharing, and music and its all good. I do love cooking for our friends and family!
The weather is mixed today. Neither sunny nor dull, hot nor cold, just humid and damp and a little overcast. It is perfect weather for sitting outside with a cold beer and contemplating ones navel!!! Think that might be next on my to-do list, only a glass of rose would suit me better. I'm saving the rest of the afternoon for some other pleasures I'm hoping are going to come my way...........
Sue xx

no sun, go shopping instead!

It rained early on this morning so Tim and I decided to go shopping instead. We went to Ikea and he bought a new desk and some stuff for his room. I got some little items for the house, saw plenty we liked for the future, had something to eat, drove home and did the shopping for Friday's meal with my girlfriends, and came home again! It is so hot and sticky and feels like a darn good thunderstorm ought to happen tonight. Maybe it will..........
Sue xx

Times they are a-changing

I suppose it all has to do with growing older, and acquiescing to the things that happen to our bodies as that occurs. For me personally, I was wondering when it would happen - the final change that women experience - and how I would feel about it. I believe I am starting to find out!!! Given that most of my female friends have already been there, done it, and got the t-shirt, I sort of felt I was lagging behind!!! I wanted it to be over as well, but instead showed no signs of it starting for longer than I had imagined. But now, suddenly, I think I have arrived! And the sensation of breaking out into a hot sweat whilst you are sleeping, is just as unpleasant as I was warned about! Quite unlike anything else but the closest would be comparable to a high fever in some tropical disease..........I woke up in the middle of the night to experience, literally, beads of perspiration bursting out all over my body. Even on my eyelids! As each one rose to the surface of my skin, I felt the bubble form, grow and then burst and trickle water all over me. I felt so acutely aware of it at  that moment, it was quite strange really. Fortunately I  could throw off all the covers and just lay there, still, until it passed. Does this happen every night from now on, ladies, or just sporadically?! You know the answer I am looking for!!! So now it is the daytime flushes that I am waiting for.................happy days!!

Yesterday was a funny sort of day at work. I felt that we were being wrong-footed all day long, and that meant it was a long, hard day. I am glad to be off today. Its always the same at the start of the holiday period when we as relief workers take over the running of the show and our colleagues have all disappeared. They leave great notes behind, what to do, when to do it etc but it is never possible to write the ultimate guide to where things are, and how they work!! Simple things, like how to work the mobile phone............where to get the money to buy our shopping when the admin is off too.........where envelopes, rulers, pencils, notepaper is stored when you are working in a different space...........so yesterday was all about searching for what I needed, pacifying others, reporting incidents, going to new locations, eating ice cream, lunch an hour too soon, squabbling...........and differences of opinions. I heard someone tell me the other day that when they go on holiday from work, they leave behind a detailed board with everything written down in detail, so that nothing can get missed. Maybe that is not such a bad idea after all.............but at the end of this month, I will have learnt so much more than I knew before, and it will have all been down to my own endeavours, and I like that better.
Sue xx

What a day!!!

I couldn't agree more with the sentiments of the daily quote...........I am so glad this day is almost over!!!
Sue xx

August 1st

and summers arrived just coincidentally with my full month of work!!! Bang goes any hope of a tan!!!!
I woke up this morning to the sun blazing in through the bedroom window, at 6am, and no wind, birds singing merrily - wow, we've been waiting for days like these!
At least I am outside as well as inside today I hope - Im working with some clients away from the centre so we might be able to 'catch some rays' at lunch time.
So if you are on holiday or working outside, or just at home doing the everyday stuff, have a good one!!!
Sue xx