General catch up

Hi!!

So Andy got awesome news - all his hard work and dedication paid off and he got head hunted within HPE for the role of World Wide head of Pre-sales for Composable Fabrics - this is something that sits atop of all the servers, storage etc. and makes it very easy to add things in and reconfigure....that's my best attempt!! hahah

This also means that he could be working away more than he is now - or at least for longer periods, so I started to get a bit down about that.  He said to me - I won't take it if you don't want me to! Like I'm going to say - yeah turn down a job which is everything you've wanted for a long time!!  So, I had to have a think about what I could do to make it easier for myself.

So - I downloaded a free day-pass for a gym.  I went along, got a tour and used the gym and the pool and signed up! I've been again since then and tonight I went to a class.  I am so psyched up to get fit again! and VERY happy that my bad foot must be much better, as I did a step class and last time I tried that I was in a lot of pain!  Me and Andy have also been counting calories and for the first time in a long time I feel properly motivated.  It's exciting and I really hope it lasts - and I get back to like I used to be!  Actually I just stood up and realised that I'm not going to be able to walk tomorrow lol

I also have a day long course/class thing tomorrow - baking for Christmas!  If Andy is going to earn more money then I feel like I can spend more muh hahahaha....what I mean is - I can do things like these one day courses.  I was looking at spa days earlier....lol  I want to do a bread making course! There are other things like upholstery....so I plan on keeping busy!  I also plan on going around to Helen & Pauls for the occasional overnighter....

Anyway - I need to get to bed - have to get up early tomorrow and I'm not used to that!

Night!!

Family visit weekend!

Hi!!

Wow I'm just not getting around to writing this often am I?

Well - The weekend of the....erm...no idea - oh yeah 6th November - all the kids were visiting.

As usual Adam got here first! He always manages lol.  he normally turns up while I'm still cleaning or in the shower - so I preempted this (I'm sure that's a word!) and was ready when he got here!

Adam chilled with us for a while and then Lissa & Antony turned up shortly followed by Connor and Emily.  They seemed to like my newly decorated attic room which I slogged my guts out getting ready in time! Lissa claimed it - Adam could have as he was here first but he was very gracious - as he was on his own - Erika had to work which was a shame. 

We all ended up in the games room as usual and it was really really nice having them all about.  I love it! I miss my babies and I wish they'd all move to Taunton!  Especially now Lissa is having a baby! I really wanna be a part of it all - but we keep in touch a lot on messenger - not the same as face to face!

I was determined not to drink too much - but sort of did! Woke up next day feeling a bit icky - but not too bad!!  Emily wasn't drinking at all - obviously Lissa wasn't either. Andy asked me later if Emily might be pregnant too - haha - I am pretty sure that she isn't! They are not really in a position to have a baby, although ppl make it work!  They admitted that I was right when I said - if you rent in Bristol you'll be skint all the time and won't be able to save for anything.  They have decided to move to Wales. Her family live in Bridge End (not sure if thats how you spell it).  I used to have to go there for work and in my opinion...its an awful place! (sorry Welsh ppl).  Oh that reminds me!!  Lissa thought it would be really really far away compared to Bristol - and I was explaining that on a map its only like an inch away - we both ended up killing ourselves laughing when we were saying how its even closer if you zoom out! hahah

In the morning - as usual it was me and Lissa up first! I'm sure ppl just wait until they think the place has all been cleaned up - and Adam waits until he can smell bacon! 

Me & Andy fancied going into Taunton - and nobody wanted to come with us!  So we left them to it and went off shopping!  I bought a new pair of jeans with diamonte on the bottom and a top.  We got some xmas bits n bobs - an awesome caterpiller - like giant stuffed toy for Eloise - if she doesn't like it - I'll have it back!!

While we were out we went past the Pitcher & Piano and saw two for one cocktails until 8pm and were tempted to go in! lol...instead we ordered a taxi for later on and decided that's where we'd start!  We got back and discovered to our delight that they'd not burnt the house down!  Lissa and Emily were in the gym - made me feel bad about not doing enough exercise.  Emily has been dieting (as had I for about 2 weeks) and we were the same weight - so to give us incentives we are competing to lose the most weight by xmas).  No doubt she'll win as she has cut out alcohol - that's just a step too far for me!!

We all got ready and got a taxi into Taunton - and went for the cocktails!!  I was just SO HAPPY having everybody there - I hadn't felt so happy for a while!!  We all sat ourselves around a big round table - but then right next to us a bunch of very drunk middle aged women starting trying (badly) to play the piano and sing Doe a Deer....thankfully it didn't last too long.  A while later another group came along - and I said - at least they're not singing Doe a Deer - then as the words left my mouth they started again - it was the same group!!  I have a habbit of nearly getting beaten up when I'm out!!  I once (in a rough area of Manchester) said - god look of the state of that women with all the gold necklaces!!  She heard me - and said - What the F*** did you just say!!!??  I said - I said you look really nice!!  She obviously hadn't heard me properly 1st time because this seemed to satisfy her.  Once in Westfields shopping centre in Armani - I said to Andy (about an older couple wearing all sorts of weird designer clothes) You can tell they came into money later in life or they'd have better taste! They heard that too hahaha and the guy just stood with his arms folded and stared me out the whole time!!

ANYWAY I digress.....

We had a really good time having our cocktails!!

Then we realised we needed to get to the restaurant - so off we went!  We went to Guddi & Gikki, the food is AMAZING they cook it all fresh and you just choice spice level.  We've never taken anybody there that hasn't loved it!  Lissa was going to leave loads (even though she can usually eat massive amounts!) so she managed to bring some back - which she had the next day of breakfast! lol.

 There's always one....

We got a taxi back home and went on to have such an amzing night - I laughed sooooo much!!  Connor had me in stitches because we were were talking about giving birth and I was saying that I never knew about giving birth to the placenta and I was describing it as a huge disgusting piece of liver - then Connor said imagine if you thought it WAS your liver!! arrghhh my F***ing liver!!! hahahah I actually wee'd and had to go change my underwear! lol

Antony got quite drunk!  So did I to be fair although I found it easier to stand than he did hahah

All in all the best night I've had in ages!!!!

Sunday - Adam left before I got up because he wanted to get on with DIY! and we just chilled until ppl had to go home... :-(

Next get-together is 20th December for xmas!! 

and now it is November!

Hi,

So, I failed in writing more frequently!!  I've been busy!!

Firstly, Lissa is having a baby!!  I think I knew last time I wrote my blog but couldn't really say on here - but she is now 10 weeks and has had an early scan and everything looks good!!  I am so happy for her - and for me! lol.  I am so excited!!  She has said I can be there at the birth! If that happens I think it will be one of the best things in my whole life!  I think it will be hard to see Lissa go through it - but at the same time - to see her baby being born will be amazing! I expect I'd bond to that baby like a mother!!  Its weird I already feel like a bond is developing - like when it was me that was pregnant!!

The only downside of this amazing news is that Erika is still trying desperately to have a baby and is not getting pregnant.  She has known problems so hopefully she will get there eventually because those problems are treatable.  She is seeing the specialist again this month.  I'm really hoping however, that this month will be the month!! if her and Lissa can go through all this together that would be awesome.  Me and my sister (Bev) went through it together when I was pregnant with the twins - and her with Megan.  My other sisters Helen and Joanne were also pregnant at the same time!

Lissa has started writing her blog again (Lil beetroot) - so it will be awesome to have a running commentary! I think I wrote a diary when I was pregnant with Adam, I'll have to find it and re-write it on here.

so, changing the subject from that amazing exciting news - to my boring life....I have been working in one of the attic bedrooms - I have put the details in a separate post, and it can also be found under 'house renovations'.

We went out for Paul's birthday Friday night - went to the Spinning Wheel as usual in Paignton - was a really good night!!  We have also arranged to go to a War of the Worlds event in London on 23rd November - ending up very expensive but should be worth it!



Was good to see Helen and Paul - I miss them when we don't see them for a while - we can talk about anything - laugh about everything...was awesome.

Yvonne came around last weekend and it ended up very badly!!  Andy and her ended up arguing - and me - siding with Yvonne.  I don't really want to go into details but it was about - Yvonne's opinions about porn - I asked her what she didn't like about it as she is very anti-porn, and her opinions about men and also stuff about Stuart. Yvonne ended up crying and going home the next day rather than Stuart come over with the kids and stay for the football.  Its all now a horrible situation, with Yvonne wanting to sort it out and talk about it and Andy not wanting to talk to her about it!

Anyway - I've just been and got changed into my PJ's because I got up this morning thinking it was Monday - and planning my work day - I was making Andy a brew to take down into the basement where he works - and suddenly realised that it was Sunday! That is the 2nd time I have done that!!  Today is football day!! The Jags are playing the Texans in London - we really need to win this game!!  We did consider going to watch the game and one night when we had too much to drink we almost spent £1400 on special hospitality tickets!! In some ways I wish we had - but we are not that flush for money to spend that much really.  So....we are now sat in the living room, in PJ's and the fire is on - and at 2.30pm my game is being played!!  If only we had yummy food lined up - and some Desperado beers in the fridge it would be the perfect day!

work in the attic!

So...since my interview the thought of going back to work has meant I have been working hard in the house!!  I have started to decorate the attic bedrooms....I say bedrooms - I'm just on the first one atm.   Below is a pic of the room before we moved in!



I can't find any pics of after we moved in - but this is what it is looking like so far...



Changing the lights makes a huge difference!!

It has been hard work - first tons and tons of cables came out - telephone and internet stuff....then lots of holes to fill.  Then the carpet came up - then another carpet which was glued down - that wasn't easy to get up!! Then ply board was screwed down - and all the screws were filled with glue - so now it is just floor boards which I am going to try and get decent! That won't be easy as there are signs of woodworm, holes in some of the boards, big gaps between boards and some have been stained with some kind of waxy varnish paint stuff.  They are original Georgian - so are over 200 years old so I am going to try my best to bring them back to life!  I have until just next weekend to get the room livable, because all the kids are visiting and one of them needs to stay in there!! I am confident it will be done - other than the floor that I am doing last.

I have ordered a huge rug, with matching smaller one for in front of the fire, I have ordered red chairs too.  I am hoping this room has a little designer feel to it - as I've gone for colours a bit different and matching purple and red....we'll have to see how it ends up!!  When all 3 rooms are done - it will be a massive transformation - from the pic you can see at the top of the page! I'm excited - and hope that if I get the job they wont want me to start for ages!!

October already!!

Hi - well I'm going to have too much to catch up on, so I don't think I'll try too hard!

Things that have changed....not very much tbh! I read my last post and I had lost motivation to get things done in the house and that didn't change really - although this week I have finished painting the living room - and fixed the curtain rail in my bedroom and have started to paint the window frames and generally finish what I started 2 years ago in the main bedroom!  I must have done other stuff too but I can't think of anything!  We moved around a bit - put our big purple couch in (what was) the dining room - and brought our old couch down into the living room (it was on the top floor).  Oh - I got a mantle piece up over the fire in the living room - that took me a year!  I built a log store - and when we had logs delivered I realised how inadequate it is! lol.  Still have logs in the back porch!

We have a guest in the airbnb at the moment but when she leaves - we have nobody else booked in!  This is probably because we are now out of season and most ppl lower their prices - but we left them the same as it will cost us a fortune to heat it up over winter.  We have toyed with the idea of closing it altogether - but we may as well leave it if nobody is booking it anyway!

So - after 3 years of not being employed (not saying, not working because I have worked my butt off on this house) I finally saw a job I thought I'd like.  I got through the short listing and had an interview - which I didn't do well in - think I'm not used to it! Was waffling and losing my way - cringe!  Apparently I wont find out until mid November - so I can chill again.  I have mixed feelings about going back to work! Who would want to? lol.  The thought of having to get up really early, and having to ask permission for days off etc. that all kills me a little.  However, I quite like the idea of letting to know ppl again and having more of a life - and the money of course!  I can pay ppl to come and do the jobs I can't be bothered to do - like painting!

Today I got a random message from a girl called Marie - we were friends at Uni.  She dropped out in the last year which was a real shame - and I haven't seen her since.  She sounds like she has had a tough time with a shitty husband, but she has got out of that relationship (finally) and sounds happy! would be great to meet up again and hear that funny brummy accent again!

Andy is away all this week - went Monday Morning and is not back until tomorrow evening (Friday).  It's not too bad when he is not here - I don't mind my own company most of the time.  I watch stuff in the evenings I know he wouldn't like - usually crime things lol.

Should be seeing all the kids soon (6th Nov I think)...I saw Lissa a few weeks ago - we all (me & Andy, Helen & Paul and Lissa & Antony) went to an escape room with a horror theme! It was good fun! Apparently Lissa hadn't realised it was a horror themed one lol.  I didn't really know what to expect but did expect to be scared!  When we got there we had some rules explained - dont touch this etc. and then we handed over all our bags and phones - we had to stand in a line against the wall.  They then handcuffed us - put a bag over our heads - and took a picture!

We were then shuffled along to a different area and placed in different places, in prison cells! Even when I pulled my hood off it was completely dark!  So completely blind, it sounded to me like I was close to Helen and Paul, Andy was off somewhere on his own and then they started to move Lissa somewhere, and I said shouted to her - "if they try to get you to take your clothes off - refuse!!"  It went quiet for a second - then Andy piped up (from somewhere!)..."should I put mine back on again then?" There was such tension and anticipation in the air - when he said then I totally cracked up laughing - completely belly laughing - was so funny!!  After that - armed with a tiny torch we had to find clues and get ourselves out - was weird and disorientating - but fun!

Anyway - I'll try and post more frequently again, but for now I'm off to get PJ's on and settle down for the evening!

xx

Green woodpecker...fake festival...Yvonne

Hello!

So the last couple of weeks I've done nothing on the house.  Its been too hot and to be honest I don't know what to focus on.  It's the first time I've experienced not knowing what to do with myself.  Having this problem with my foot doesn't help! I miss running!!  I have just been chatting with Helen online - and saying I'm being lazy and getting myself into a rut - and Andy is working away a lot too so I don't have anybody to talk to.  I realise that I need to get myself focused and start doing something constructive - on the house, with my fitness, with my diet and cooking and making the effort.  I need a plan so I am going to work on that!

So - changing the subject - I got up the other morning - came downstairs about 8.30am - came into the kitchen - and looked down towards the cats and in my periphery vision - something from above came right at me - and I just swore quite loudly and ran out of the kitchen!! I popped my head back in - and there was a green woodpecker flying about!!  The cats must have brought it through the cat flap and let it go.  It looked uninjured.

I went and got Andy - and we got the cats out and opened the window - but it was just flying about - hitting itself on the walls and ceiling - and not seeming to see the open window!  Eventually it came to a stop on the top of the kitchen unit - and then disappeared down the back - where the fitted oven is!  Andy had to get on calls then - so there was nothing I could do!  I'd hear it every now and again trying to get out but it was stuck! At one point it start woodpecking on the back of the unit!!  Eventually - about 6pm - Andy could help - and we got the oven out - it was clinging to the back of it.





I tried to get hold of it - but it flew out - and started its erratic flight around the room again! 



Then - it went on top of the units again and disappeared down the back of the freezer! It was stressful! not fun!

We realised that it had gone all the way down the back and was in the bottom - behind the kick board



In the end - we left the room because we couldn't get it out - then after a while I popped my head in - it was on the floor and must have spotted the window and flew straight out! woo hoo - lots of high-fiving followed by a brandy! hahah

So....on Saturday we had Taunton Fake festival.  We went last year with Helen & Paul and Connor & Emily.  This year was just H&P.  We walked there - the weather was good - unlike last year where it was lovely and then torrential rain - then lovely - then rain again!  The best band was Pink - by far - and U2 were good too!  We had a good time!



We walked back - had some food and stuff and got to bed!  I woke up feeling quite blurg as we had had quite a bit to drink!!

This week Andy is away Mon-Thurday night - and I expected to be on my own all week but Yvonne called on Monday - and I said I was going swimming - she had the day off as she had been for an interview that morning to become a Magistrate! So - she came over and came swimming with me.  First time I've been swimming in ages - fancied it after going with my folks in Cirencester.  Afterwards we came back for coffee - and she ended up staying! We had food and played pool and talked LOADS! lol - we didn't go to bed until 3.30am!  She is looking great! She had a gastric bypass operation in March - she was 25 stone and is now 18 stone-something, and you can really see the difference!

So....that's it for now!

xx

Last Couple of Weeks....

Hi,

Soo....what has happened in the last 2 weeks? We are now Superhosts! We currently have 17 five* ratings!

However....the guests currently staying with us messaged me this morning to say the TV is not working - and Andy is away!! So - I went in (guests were out) and yep...TV looked knackered.  I googled it and yep...tv looked knackered! So I swapped the TV with the one we have in our kitchen - not easy getting a heavy expensive TV off the wall - above head height! But managed to get them both out and swap them! Then re-programmed all the channels - and voila! Andy calls me about 5 minutes after the TV went on the wall in the annex and tells me it would have simply been the power cable not in properly! GREAT!

Its weird today...I feel frustratingly bored.  I shouldn't complain - most ppl are working through the intense heat - and I'm at home with nothing to do!  I could go out into the sunshine and read a book.  I know I'll be bored again in 20 minutes.  I don't really want to start painting or anything cos its too hot.  I have a bit of a headache and I need to eat - but don't fancy anything.  I need to iron bedding for the annex (not needed for another few days).  I'll go and do the weedkiller.....there must be something more worthwhile that I can do!!  I'm too bored to be bothered to do anything now....

I went and spent a night in Cirencester last week - my folks were there in the caravan - was supposed to go up and stay over and come back about lunch time, before they went dancing - but whilst we were playing cards and drinking - for some reason I agreed to go swimming with them AND go dancing lol.  Glad I did in the end because it was all fun and nice to spend time with them!



Adam has now completed on the house they were buying and has moved in - and I might be going there next week to help put skirting boards on and stuff lol.

Lissa and Connor are both doing well....

Wow....what shall I do with my day? Think I need to get some chores done and then decide! Still living the dream though....