What An Idiot I Am

Well, this has got to be one of the more stupid things I have done lately. I decided to shut the garage door - my car was a bit close so I stood in front of my car and pulled down the door. Passed my boobs quite happily but then I had a technical hitch - the car was too close after all - so there I am stuck between the garage door and my car - no one around - felt a bit of an idiot. Couldn't move the door up or down. Lucky for me Rhea who had been put to bed was peeping out of her bedroom window - I managed to call her to get Zollie to rescue me. Obviously, it made Zollies week to see me pinned to the car - he thought it was so funny - lucky for me he reversed my car whilst laughing a great deal. Oh well that has to compete with being shut in the chicken shed a few months ago.

Cheerio Necklaces

We had great fun making cheerio necklaces before breakfast - needless to say they got eaten quite quickly.

All Was Quiet

It is not always good for there to be quiet when Jonny and Rhea are playing - well yesterday it did go a bit quiet - they were playing in the front garden - where was Jonny - pretending to sleep in the rabbit hutch. Rhea had locked him in at his request. Well if he every needs therapy for confined spaces we know where it started!!

Lifes a Beach

It was very exciting at last to get the house in Selsey. We have a bit of a trek to the beach it takes about 40 seconds to walk to the beach. It is lovely to go to sleep listening to the waves. A couple of pictures of the kids playing on the beach. Rhea loves to muck about on her boogie board - she really thinks she is surfing - don't worry I haven't put my wetsuit on don't want to be harpooned as I look like a whale. A big thankyou to Zollie and Csubi for helping to pack and unpack the lorry they were true stars - enjoy your beer boys.

On the Move

At last we completed on the new house in Sussex - so Stewart hired a huge lorry to transport all our furniture from our Isle of Wight house. The kids thought it was great fun and I had a sneaky drive of the lorry too - took me back to my army days.

If You Ever Need a Button

Well, I have this dark secret - on a Sunday morning I like to go to the local car boot to have a mooch about. Well the other week I spotted a huge dustbin bag of buttons - well I couldn't resist them for my scrapbookings stash. I just love buttons one of my earliest memories is digging in my grandma's button box. Well the kids love them and have been covering boxes in them.

Meeting Great Uncle Malcolm

One of my latest things to do is geneology. I have been tracing down my Father's maternal side. My grandmother who died before my parents got married was a McFarlane. Due to circumstances my widowed grandfather did not keep in contact with her side of the family. My Dad is an only child and so is my mum so I have never had any aunts or uncles. My Dad thought he had no living relatives on his mum's side as he had had no contact for 45 years. Well after a lot of investigation I unearthed Great Uncle Malcolm whom Dad and I telephoned - he is 85 year young - well a couple of weeks ago Dad and I drove up to Barnstable to meet him - I was so excited, Dad was a little nervous. Well we all got on like a house on fire. The first picture is GU Malcolm on his wedding day with my Great Grandparents on the left. The second is my dad and I GU Malcolm and his daughter. It was a very exciting day and we heard endless stories about Dads familly.

Odds and Ends

First day of the school holidays we had fun making real pizza dough - the kids loved it.

Jonny has a bit of a thing about wearing Zollie's wellies - good look Jonny.


Asked the kids to bring a couple of loo rolls down - even we don't get thru that many in one day!!

Fun with a Box

Zollie and Jonny had great fun making a helicopter out of some old boxes. Jonny spent ages playing in it - both of them even managed to get in together. Pansy our cat also slept in it every night.

Beached Whale Spotted in Hampshire

Well we did have some nice weather in June so I put up the pool for the kids - Rhea was desperate to go in so we all donned our wetsuits and went for a dip - yup the one on the left is not a beached whale - although difficult to tell the difference. Well can't say we have been in since.

I'm Back

Things have been very hectic and I have got out of the habit of doing my blog - but I am going to make a real effort and get updated. We have been on school holiday now for 3 weeks - feels longer - before we broke up Rhea and Jonny had their sports day (or fun day in Jonny's case) a couple of pics - Rhea even came 2nd in one race - that has to be a record for the Johnstons.

Jonny's in Trouble

Taken aside by one of Jonny's classmates mother. Jonny has been saying to his friend John what to say when anyone gets in their way

"Move out of the way you git goddamit"

Ooops - didn't get that one from me - must be daddy!

Luckly the mother saw the funny side of it - Jonny had already taught her son to say "for gods sake".

Hope I don't get dragged up in front of the headmaster - wouldn't be the first time.

Words were had with me when my delightful daughter did a moonie at someone in the playground because they would'nt let her join in. Can't wait until she is 16.

Having a Blonde Moment

Feel a bit of an idiot - when I telephoned to make Daphne's appointment for the vet I only dialled the wrong number and telephoned the doctors for a chicken appointment - daft or what - strange thing is it is easier to get an appointment for a chicken than a child??!!

Little update on Daphne - she had a jab and is now on two pills a day for 3 days - she looks so much better and is bobbling about like her old self.

PS How do you get a chicken to take a tablet?
Pop it in a piece of cheese - easy - so if you ever need to give a chicken a pill you know what to do.

Daphne a Bit Peeky

My beloved first chicken Daphne is a bit peeky - I am off to the vets with her this morning - I wonder whether the hot weather has upset her - last night she came and sat with me all evening - she loved having the cold fan on her and dozed off. Just hope she will be alright as she is a very special chicken to me. Zollie was a bit surprised when he came in to see a chicken in the house. Didn't enjoy my dinner last night as we had roast chicken - I told Daphne to look away when I took it out of the oven.

No Fear

Kids have had a great weekend playing on the new waterslide in the garden - they are both completley fearless and come down it backwards, forwards, sideways. Only wish I could go down it but I am touch too big for it.

Rollerblades

Well I finally caved into Rhea pressure and got her a pair of rollerblades - Rhea being Rhea wanted to be able to do jumps and spins straight away - anyway with a little practice I think she will master it - here are her first goes.

Its a Cat Thing - Giving Presents

Well the night before last I was blissfully asleep about 4am I could feel Pansy my cat jumping around on my duvet I then realised she was jumping after something - well I woke up put the light on and low and behold she had brought a mouse on to the bed and was happily pouncing on it - great just the way you need to woken up - so I quickly caught the mouse and set it free out the front door. Thanks Pansy for that - good thing I don't mind mice. Anyway, I get up the next morning and she has kindly laid out a dead mouse on the floor on my side of the bed - thanks Pansy for that present. I know it is my birthday coming up but I don't want anything small and furry!!! I have figured out how she keeps opening the door to come upstairs in the night - the catch on the door does not click in unless you really pull it hard - so from now on that door is going to be firmly shut.

My Bright Boy

Having lunch today and Jonny holds up six fingers and proudly says "thats six mummy"
- so I hold up seven and ask him how many is that? Jonny replies "not six". Well can't argue with that - smart boy.

A Casual Conversation over Dinner Tonight

Zollie, Rhea, Jonny and I were sitting having dinner tonight when Rhea piped up in a very authoritive voice

"I know how babies are made"

"Oh" I said

"Yes Mummy you have to have no clothes on and then you have a baby".

Well there you go - didn't know that. Thanks Paloma for telling Rhea about that I can't believe at 6 years old they are discussing this.

Camping - Why?

I just don't get camping - I live in a very nice house with hot and cold running water - why would I want to commune with nature, get smelly and have a very uncomfortable nights sleep - its beyond me - nevertheless the children think it is great fun so Daddy got the tent out, sleeping bags, midnight snacks - trekked for hours into the deepest part of the forest - battled with wild animals and finally pitched the tent in the back garden. After a lot of chatting, giggling, laughing I could hear snoring - yes Daddy was asleep (7.30pm) the children were still wide awake - eventually they all went off to sleep - they spent a happy (uncomfortable) night in the tent - I could hear Stewart snoring all night - but I think Rhea took over the job of kicking Daddy.