Witches

In my younger days, I had imaginary friends, (and since the title of the blog came from a similar theme, in my older days too).
The little guy is obsessed with witches, and has been since last August. Maybe its not normal? But it is normal for here. If you visit, expect to find any one of us fitted out in a witches hat, broom in hand, but don't worry, you wont feel awkward, we have plenty spares for callers.

Off To A Party

We are off to a birthday party this morning, so not much time for blogging. Here I am having my morning tea in a witches hat (what else would trend setting mummies wear of a morning?).
I will explain about the little fella and the witches, but not right now, I have to hop on my broom to the bathroom and take a quick shower.
Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Too Tired

The little guy is still not very well, and his sleeping patterns are up in the air. Its 9.15pm right now, and thankfully he is asleep. It is the first night in ages (it seems ages but in reality, 3 or 4 nights), when he was asleep before 10pm. Both my husband and I have turned into sleepy heads, a massive turn around from when we first met and were night owls.  My two older children were sleeping later in the mornings by then, and they spent every 2nd weekend with their Father anyway so we were able to stay up late and wine and dine when they were home, and party when they weren't. We were still in our late (very in my case), 20's then so energy was more abundant, if only it was bankable!
Amongst the many childcare books I have read there was a chapter in one called 'I am so tired, I might die' I cant remember any other chapter titles so what does that tell you? It really rang true with me, and the theme in the book was to tell you things other people or books don't explain enough. I was 39 when this baby came along, and sometimes I have been so tired I thought I might die. Luckily, my gorgeous husband it whipping up some fresh pasta and garlic bread right now, so at least I wont be 'so hungry, I think I might die'.
Goodnight
xxx

Happy Burns Day

Today is Burns days, and being Scottish we hold with the tradition of eating haggis and 'neeps' and on occasion having a wee dram. The thought of haggis makes a lot of people want to throw up, but I have to say it is delicious. I would urge you to think less about the ingredients and give it a try. And if you do

Address To A Haggis

1.
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.
2.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hudies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
3.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut ye up wi' ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reeking, rich!
4.
Then horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit!' hums.
5.
Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect scunner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?
6.
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As fecl;ess as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Tho' bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit.
7.
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whistle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned
Like taps o' thrissle.
8.
Ye pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware,
That jaups in luggies;
But if ye wish her gratfu' prayer,
Gie her a Haggis! 

You can find the translation from old Scots to English online.

I also wanted to let you know I have started Valentine Day crafting, little knitted hearts, which I intend to string together to make a sort of heart bunting. 

I never really liked valentines day in the past, but it is a nice day now, and the day before the little ones birthday too. 'Well darling', says Hattie, 'the day you were in labour wasn't particularly romantic, but at least you can have champagne and chocolates every year to toast the eve of the little ones birth'. And the truth is, Mummy is quite fond of her champoo. 

Have a lovely burns supper.

xxx

more about burns 

A Slow Weekend

Things were a bit up and down for me here. All I wanted to do was be alone, and in the moments when I was alone all I could think about was sorting out the house. I used to have a 'bit' of a routine when it came to house cleaning, but it has fallen by the wayside. Monday was big wash day, Tuesday was stairs and bathroom, Wednesday was lounge and dining room, Thursday was small wash day and bathroom and Friday was bedroom. The kitchen was done every day. It did work, but only if you had no other life, and I am quite prone to throwing off the rules in favor of something impromptu.
'Bravo darling', Hattie says. 'You cant be living your life to a schedule, you never know when your number will be up'. Hattie passed away at 58, a very young age. My Grandmother was 57, my Grandfather 62 and my Dad 62. If that isn't a poster for living each day to the full I don't know what is.
The cleaning didn't really happen though, so its waiting for me today. On Sunday I did manage to make a lovely cheese cake, some sweet pies and some fairy cakes. I haven't baked in a while so I was very pleased with myself. I have a lot of eggs to be used up today so I may have to get some particularly eggy recipies together.
I also managed to knit a new hat for the littlie over the weekend with my very first ball of Mirasol Sulka. Kat at Slugs On The Refrigerator has said several times what gorgeous wool it is and having finished a sumptuous little hat in a navy blue colour, I have to concur.
Well, onwards and upwards with the cleaning. Have a lovely Monday readers.
xxx

Kissing Cousins

My mother-in-law popped in today with my niece, she is looking after my niece for the weekend while my brother-in-law and sister-in-law are at a wedding in London. The little ones are only 4 months apart in age, but they don't see much of each other because my niece lives in Edinburgh (we are about 60+ miles away in another part of Scotland). They are both at the age of not sharing toys very well, but at least they could have an end each of the piano.
Anyway, I just thought this picture was very sweet and had to share it. The little fella is still poorly and this was a welcome distraction for a wee while. Fingers crossed he is better by tomorrow, its awful when little ones feel ill and have no idea what it happening to them. I suspect its a little virus he picked up at the newly attended playgroup, typical.

Out Of Sorts

Fridays are normally a good day for us, the end of the week is welcomed with gusto. The break in the solitude of being a stay at home mum is gratefully received on Friday evenings. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have it any other way, I adore being with the little one, but there is no denying its a lonely life at times. Hattie smiles sympathetically at me, she understands, she 'had' to work, not financially although that was a help too, but she had to act, it was in her blood. Many working mum's feel guilty for leaving their children, many stay at home mum's feel guilty for dropping out of grown up society. I don't think anyone ever really has it all.

Anyway, I was booked in for routine bloods and a smear test today. Not exactly a social whirlwind. I was told when I got there that since I had lost a baby in November I couldn't have the smear test until April. Another little reminder out of the blue. Quite sad,  Hattie nods solemnly.

As the day wore on, it became apparent that the little one wasn't very well. We met my sister for lunch (in a very 1960's cafe called 'The Deep Sea', I love it), but the poor little guy didn't eat a bite. When my sister went back to work we went looking for a coffee table in the 2nd hand furniture shops (I am looking for a small but sturdy round wooden coffee table), during which time the littlie fell asleep.I was very upset when a man accidentally whacked him with a bag and woke him in the shopping center. Some people seem to be blind to prams and fall over them or hit your child with their bags, Hattie thinks its about time I started hitting back, I am seriously considering it.
A very kind man in the British Heart Foundation saw my boys sad little face and untied a bunch of balloons from the display and gave them to him. It cheered him up no end, and he in turn cheered up everyone on the bus ride home by marveling at his new red balloons.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
xxx

Paygrup And Other Things

Hello and welcome to my blog. I'm Val, aged 41, married to Duncan aged 36 (yep, toy-boy). I am a mother to 2 grown up children, Christopher aged 21 and Aimee aged 19, from my first marriage. Duncan and I have one beautiful child together, our darling son, Oscar, aged 2, born 15th February 2009. Oscar's inception was no easy task and I had to undergo treatment / surgery to bring about the miracle that he is. We are hoping for another baby some day to fill our home with more laughter. As my 42nd birthday looms at the end of this year, we will just have to wait and see if it is meant to be.

I trained as a ENR now known as A Level 2 straight from school at 17 1/2  and I gave it up at 19 to have my first child. After a period of being a stay at home mum I went to college in Dundee and studied art and design 2 afternoons a week. The next year my tutors advised me to take my art further so I completed the Portfolio Preparation Course. My first application to Art School was rejected, and after I threw a major tantrum I embarked on a Textile HNC, which I completed and also during which time I perfected my portfolio. The following year I applied for 2 2nd year courses at Art School,  BDes Printed Textiles and BDes Constructed Textiles. I accepted the Printed Place and went to Art School for 3 years before leaving with a DHE in design studies. The textile courses have now been merged at Duncan Of Jordanstone where I studdied. INFO HEREI left art school, mucked around for a while, met my husband Duncan and ended up taking a job as a civil servant while my husband went through Art School himself, his course was Digital Interactive Design. Duncan is now working for a small but fairly successful design company. After pouring all of my creative efforts into mothering Oscar over the past 2 years, I am finally in the right head-space to begin designing again. Keep an eye on my art blog for upcoming works HERE
This blog is a daily life diary. The good, the bad and the simply beautiful.

Oscar aged 4 months