Yesterday morning was banging! (Banging is my current favourite word introduced by my Welsh colleague/ friend)

The sun was shining, there was a summer perfume on the breeze and everything was going right, unlike the morning before when I was foiled by a screw top lid!

I left the house on time and remembered the right keys. At this point I could probably have gone back inside and say I’d won at the day and to quit whilst I was ahead, but I proceeded to work.

The boys were sat in the lounge bay window waving goodbye to me, gesturing they loved me and to have a nice day. This was even more rewarding than usual as they had been ensconced in their Nintendos and I’d told them they didn’t need to wave, the kiss and hug was more than enough.

Two boys, really is double the love, I can’t believe my luck and they were so worth the wait.

I turned the keys in the ignition and was rewarded with ELO Don’t Bring Me Down! Seriously, could life get better than this? I cranked it up and wound down the windows to share the tunes with other Saturday morning commuters whether they liked it or not.

I could not stop smiling, it was like I’d slept with a coat hanger in my mouth.

I ushered a car to pull in in front of me, part of the blue rinse brigade who might have been sat there for a while otherwise. Only to notice they had a filled dog poo bag attached to their back windscreen wiper. It got me to thinking, so many different scenarios,

• had they put it there after a dog walk meaning to dispose of it before getting into the car, if so, exactly how long had it been there?

• Are they the sort of naughty people who do not pick up after their furry friend and a neighbour is teaching them a lesson?

• Is it a prank?

• Do they even have a dog?

• Should I tell them when we stop at the next lights?

• How come you don’t see those white dog poos you used to in the eighties which looked like ET when he was dying?

All of a sudden I was at the NCP. I managed to get in without getting trapped, but that’s a story for another day.

I was singing along quite loudly to Spandau Ballet, Gold at this point only to notice a young man leaving his car opposite. I cannot say young man without thinking of Harry Enfield dressed as a woman, that will forever be etched on my brain and eyeballs.

Anyways he looked over and smiled at me, then opened the door for me and then the next and wished me a lovely day.

Oh my goodness, I thought to myself, this animal print dress is winning! Then I wondered if actually he was just being polite because I was easily old enough to be his Mum, or maybe just because he’s a nice person and there’s plenty of those left in this world.

I decided to go with the last one as it made me the happiest.

All of this and it was only 08:05, how the heck did I still manage to be late for work? Daydreaming!

My favourite song in the world is Monkees Daydream Believer which is probably pretty apt. Talking of music, I didn’t realise ELO stood for Electric Light Orchestra, thought it was two separate bands until just now, I wonder if this will open the eyes of any others?

Anyways, I should probably get on with today which is already looking delicious!

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx

It’s been a while, I should write something, but what?

You see the thing is, writing to me is therapy, but I only seem to be able to do it when my happy tanks are full.

It’s not that I’ve been unhappy, but life is just sometimes a bit much, you know what I mean? Like you’re on a treadmill, whilst spinning plates and donating an organ, of bodily function, not to lead a choir.

I say things my parents used to like “I can’t hear myself think” and such other stuff.

But the sun is returning which always helps, hands up who is solar powered?

I sit and list all things I’m grateful for and most of the time this works, but sometimes my inner demon says “shut up you loony hippy, this isn’t an animated Disney movie!”

Sometimes you work so hard to suppress feelings that I think one might accidentally squish the good ones too.

Yesterday I’d just finished work, got in the car and the first song that played was Coldplay “A Sky Full of Stars” and I was transported to Fuerteventura February 2023 and little Ollie bravely standing on a stage singing it to a crowded bar. Well that filled my tummy with the happy tingles so I put the pedal to the metal and raced home for a cuddle.

I’ve started taking St John’s Wort again, natures Prozac. It gives you the happy juice from the sun which can make your skin more light sensitive, for me it’s a weathered tan. Apparently pigs love the stuff (seriously, Google it) but it makes them get sunburn and then my mind wanders to, does that smell like bacon and look like pork scratching? Sorry Vegans x

I’ve been keeping up with my cycling to get the endorphins going (on a static bike, I can’t be trusted on a real one, you ask my scrummy and my Goddaughter!) but sometimes (now this will make me sound old) my arthritic knees are so bad I actually have to lift my legs on with my arms, but by the end of it they’re going again especially if I’ve played some banging tunes.

Music helps. Sometimes I get Alexa to pop on some happy music (if she’s feeling agreeable)and have an impromptu boogie in the conservatory, the twins often join in which is lush buckets.

We had sports day Friday. It’s the one day I can use my shopping trolley without getting teased, apart from day trips to the beach, especially in Cornwall.

The temptation to bring a hip flask filled with something naughty was great, but I was behaved, unfortunately.

My Westie Bestie came over for a coffee first, I sometimes feel I should pay her as it seems more like a counselling session for me.

We made our way over to the field and I was sure to wear something that covered my cleavage having been told off the previous day by Harry my 7 year old who asked very loudly in the swimming pool changing room in front of many many parents and guardians “are you even wearing a bra Mum?!” He also told me off for beeping at a male colleague because he was male! Oh and talking with a friend too much through BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) as I was there to watch him and Ollie and not gossip and giggle. I’m not sure how Brazilian Jiu Jitsu differs from other Jiu Jitsu, one of the topics we were chatting about and linking to shaving styles, hence the chortles.

Had to scroll up to see what I was chatting about, yes, sports day.

Allow me to have a little moan please. Tough, I’m going to anyway.

All competition has been taken out of it. I think it’s good to encourage children to have a little fire in their belly and to experience the heartache of loosing at a low level early on. Surely that’s an important life skill? But that’s only my opinion and I’m entitled to it.

The boys (predictive text changed bits to bits and I was half tempted to leave as it) did well and Harry was particularly entertaining to watch, he’s so dramatic and lanky. At one point he was walking like a crab, why? No one knows but again he reminded me of Gollum in search of his precious.

Myself and my mum crew all quickly faced the other way when the Mum race came about. There was a line of Lycra clad women all looking ready for yoga whilst we were merrily chomping on ice creams from Mr Whippy (what do you expect if we’re not allowed to drink?)

It was a fun day and it was lovely to look at my children with their friends and see how happy and loved they are.

Life is good x so is taking some time to breathe and reset. We are constantly told to turn our IT on and off if it malfunctions, ergo the same can I apply to us.

Today for us is Father’s Day as all four children are together. We have planned a lovely day of fun and the weather is even playing ball.

Stop, relax, unwind, breathe, sleep and then it is easier to appreciate the good stuff.

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx

Well, let’s start with the good news, Harry is finally better although it has taken 6 years, well that’s what it feels like anyway.

Harry’s skin is very sun sensitive, the ball in the sky not the newspaper.

The twinkles were happily playing in the hot tub for a few hours and Harry got a bit of prickly heat on his neck, poor sausage. So I slathered him up with Aloe Vera and went about my business.

Only it didn’t get better, so I put it down to another lotion allergy.

Come Monday morning he has a row of angry spots across the top of his back.

I Googled images of fire ant bites, wasn’t pretty.

He was complaining he couldn’t breathe and kept getting giddy. Now I don’t want to sound like an unsympathetic Mum, but Harry can be known to milk it a bit so I took it with a pinch of salt (all these food idioms, I must be peckish!)

I took some photos and sent them through to the doctor on AskMyGP. I was literally sat there with the message ready to paste at 07:57 as the lines open at 08:00 and can be closed a few minutes later. I’m telling you, getting in with a doctor in 2024 is harder than getting Glastonbury tickets!

But get through I did and Dr Chubb came back to me pretty quickly to say thank you for the photos and your son has Chicken Pox.

You what?

But he’s had them already and had 152, I know because he made me count them! Twice!

Turns out quite a few children are getting them twice, in fact a few in his school year.

Okay, I’ve got this. Reach for the Calamine Lotion (not Camomile as a friend and I both thought), keep the liquids coming, (not alcohol) and rotate between Calpol and Ibuprofen every two hours.

I contacted my boss who as always was amazing and told her I’d be back by the end of the week.

Fast forward to Wednesday and I was on my knees pulling my hair out. Harry wasn’t getting better. He was only getting worse and I was trying survive on fumes of sleep. Lee offered to take over several times, but we’ve always agreed it is better to have one of us firing on all cylinders. ( Changed to automotive idioms, does this mean I need a new car?)

It was time to call for reinforcements.

I put a plea on Facebook to say any hints and tips gratefully received. I’ll skip around naked, chanting and sprinkling peppercorns with a sprig of rosemary hanging out my bum if it will help him. Thankfully this was not necessary.

It was actually friends from work who came up with the goods. Who knew that Head and Shoulders was the way forward?

I beslubbered it on him before he got into a bath I had used it as bubble bath in and he actual said “that feels nice Mummy” not lying, I nearly cried!

As Harry was requesting a bath every two hours (even through the night) we got to trying all the different lotions and potions that had been recommended. The winner was definitely PoxClin Cool Mousse which not only soothed the itch, but acted as a barrier to help prevent spreading. (I’m not on commission)

Life was made easier by my Westie Bestie bringing Ollie home each day from school so I could stay at home with sick note.

The first time I saw Harry smile was when his best friend, Ollie Fleet, Mum brought him over laden with goodies. He loved being able to show off his spots through the lounge window. She even brought me a can of gin, what more can I say, but thank you and how lucky are we to have these special people in our lives? Harry had been really down and even asked me if I thought anyone was missing him. I can work on healing his maladies, but his friends give food for his soul.

Luckily one of my work friends had given me a massive bag of oats her daughter hadn’t used at home economics. I was trying to pour it into a sock (very hard to do by oneself) and Harry told me to pour it on him, so I did. Turns out he meant what was in the sock and not in the bag so we effectively made Harry porridge but it was fun for a while, until I had to clean it up.

Harry was still eating which was a good sign, but only sweet things like chocolate cake and I treated him to Coke, as in Coca Cola, I didn’t get him high. At this stage I just needed to get anything in him.

By Thursday I managed to get Harry to bed at 20:00 and he didn’t call for me until 22:38. My Fitbit thought I’d died because I’d sat still for so long. I went to bed with him then only for him to wake 29 minutes later needing a bath.

He was very apologetic, but I reminded him that I’m his Mum and this is my first and most important job, to care for him and Ollie.

I got him creamed up and back to bed when he told me he needed chocolate. Not wanted I hasten to add, but needed. I went downstairs (two flights each time) and got him a penguin and a banana only for him to be asleep by the time I got back. I then thought he might wake with it stuck to his face like he will do when he’s older and been out on the lash, swap penguin for kebab.

Saturday he still had 14 blisters left. The blisters need to be crusted over for him to effectively not be contagious anymore. I got this down to one by Sunday! I was a woman on a mission.

We got the all clear Monday morning (a week to the day) only for it to be replaced with a horrendous ear infection oozing luminous stuff. Back to the doctors to get antibiotic / steroid drops.

He was finally well enough to go back to school on Wednesday.

It was so nice to go back to work and drink a warm cup of tea, but of course I missed him and kept wondering if the school would call.

That was last week. Guess what? Ollie now has the Pox! I thought we’d dodged a bullet, but no! It started yesterday with two spots on his jaw which turned into blisters overnight and now have exploded all over his body worse than a Mogwai sprinkled with water!

This time I’m armed and ready. I hadn’t even had a chance to put all the creams away!

We’ve got this!

Love & hugs, kisses & wishes xxx

Today was the stuff of magic with many a happy tear shed!

Today, thanks to a wonderful group of hairy bikers, male and female, I got to show my boys that wishes can come true.

I know the book of Face has its drawbacks, but it also can and does get used for good.

Literally yesterday I saw a post on Weston-super-Mare community page calling all bikers to attend a cruise to the prom.

A dedicated biker named Chris had been unable to ride his Triumph having fallen foul of bad health and ending up in Weston Hospice Care. Their in house events person Rachel, talk about an employee who goes above and beyond, had reached out to the biking community and they were aiming to get a crew together, 300 strong, to make a dying mans wish come true.

A legend named Tim, not all superheroes wear capes, offered to take Chris on his trike, whilst a friend rode Chris trike alongside.

Count me in!

So I commented on the post to ask where and when as we wanted to show our support and cheer and wave until our arms ached. Dale kindly responded and fast forward to today.

We got to the seafront early to walk the dogs, tire the twins out and get a good spot.

We got chatting to the lovely family next to us who had already been speaking to another random about how Weston’s community spirit is thriving.

Every time a bike went past we thought it was the start of something special.

The wait was worth it.

Now I’m not good at maths, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be exaggerating or fibbing if I told you it was far nearer to 1000 bikers than 300!

And the roar of those engines!

We clapped, we cheered, we waved, we got some vitamin D.

Even the sun came out, ooh and the major!

Rachel from Weston Hospice Care said she wanted to create a magical moment for Chris and with the help of 1000 bikers, they most definitely did that.

It’s not every day you can grab hold of your children, point to someone in a procession and say that they had made a wish and this was it actually coming true.

I am so proud to live in a community like this.

You don’t need millions to make you happy, just the will to be, happy.

Grab every opportunity, relish the good times and cuddle the bejesus out of your loved ones. Predictive text actually changed loved to knees, considered leaving it in there for a giggle.

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx

I was actually feeling quite proud of myself, that was probably my first mistake!

I was perched at the end of a bench in the old barn soft play area at Puxton Park, mid Easter holiday break.

It was loud!

I had managed to bagsy pretty much the last seat inside. Guardians were even seated outside looking after shoes. (1, not the Guardians of the Galaxy, Puxton Park hadn’t put on a Marvel themed Easter event, however that would have been awesome! 2, no shoes allowed in the soft play area)

I’d remembered to bring the boys bottles although Ollies had broken and leaked down my back, but I still felt like I was winning.

My mobile was fully charged and still linked to the WiFi from the previous visit. I managed to get lost in Candycrush and completely forget about the hundreds of screaming children and adults about me. The Mum next to me had brought a book, good luck with that I smugly thought to myself.

I’d literally just uploaded a post to Facebook saying how much I love the farm with a few photos of the days fun events when Harry rushed over to me.

He was incoherent and inconsolable with tears and snot running down his face. He started puling at me and my bag and saying he wanted us to leave straight away. I did point out we’d need to get Ollie.

I put him on my lap to get his shoes on but to also give him a healing hug.

It turned out a teenager had punched him in the face and through the tears I could see it starting to mark.

I asked him to point out who had done it, but he was still frantic and wanting to leave before Ollie got hurt too.

He pointed to an area of the climbing frame where I could see a group of lads gathered and sure enough there was our Ollie.

I asked Harry to stay in the seat, but he wanted to come with me.

Ollie came running towards us invigorated and said he’d seen the whole thing and pointed out the bully.

The group of boys scarpered as I walked towards them.

I somehow managed to keep calm although inside me a fire was burning! I’m amazed lasers didn’t shoot out my eyes.

Ollie had run on ahead (partly due to not having arthritic knees!) He’d managed to single out the antagonist. I walked up to him and punched him square in the face.

No, of course I didn’t.

I told him I wanted to talk to him and he replied by telling me to do one and that he had nothing to say to me (not quite so politely) and walked away.

Funnily enough this made me more cross, obvs.

I caught up to him and asked him to take me to his parents. I had still not raised my voice so was able to hear him profess his innocence.

He did not want to do this (I’m not sure why I wanted him to either to be fair, but it seemed the right thing to do)

I told him that he either took me to his parents or I speak to one of the security guards. He kept trying to talk to me, but I said it wasn’t appropriate for me to be speaking to a teenager and I would wait until he had someone with him. Note to self, might have been watching too many lawyer programs!

He stormed off and I did find it hard to keep up. Of course his mum was right at the back. He had a chance to update her and she’d jumped up by the time I’d got to her. Phew there wasn’t a load of them.

She glared at me and the veins were sticking out of her neck tattoo.

I calmly walked up to her and told her that my 7 year old had been punched in the face by her son and I was coming to inform her of what had happened. He stated again that he had not done it and to be fair to her, she said he was soft and it didn’t sound like something he’d do, especially not to a small boy.

I turned to Ollie and asked him again if he was sure it was him and I’m surprised he didn’t faint with the amount he was nodding and pointing.

I turned to the Mum who was getting agitated and explained I had no beef with her and didn’t think it was right for me to talk to her son without her, but facts were facts.

It turned out he had three little sisters who were also sat at the table, one of whom piped up to say it didn’t sound like her brother.

By then Harry had joined up to us and had somehow acquired an ice pack rolled in blue tissue from somewhere.

I turned to him and once more asked if this was the boy who had hit him to which he said no!

Oh my days! Earth swallow me whole! Am I actually going to be sick on the spot?

I turned to the mum and thanked her for her time, said she had a good one there, instructed Ollie to apologise at once and grabbed my coat!

If this was a programme from the fifties I would have said “there we are then” and turned on my heel.

Well that’s certainly the quickest I’ve made it out of Puxton Park and we’re due to be going back Thursday, might lay down some ground rules!

At least we were all able to have a giggle about it by the time we got home.

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes!

Let me tell you a story about my furry best friend.

I bought her on a whim travelling home from my Mum’s funeral.

Looking back there’s a strong possibility it wasn’t a reputable breeder, but I wasn’t in a sound state of mind.

She was supposed to be a male West Highland Terrier, but ended up being a female Westie cross Lhasa Apso (there was my first clue!) The seller gave me some spiel about being high on tooth pain medication (her not the pet). I didn’t care, I loved her at first sight (the pet, not her!)

She had been named before I even got into the car! Matilda Mai Nippet. Matilda from Leon (one of my favourite movies), Mai (also my Mums middle name), Nippet (a baby female Ewok, plus she liked to nibble, a lot!)

I cuddled Tilly the whole way home, stopping on the way at a Pets at Home for supplies and dog breathe freshener (it was bad! Through her cuteness it still turned my stomach)

Tilly was my ride or die. We went everywhere together. In the early years she would curl up on my lap when I was driving anywhere, naughty I know, but no longer a problem as to fit her behind the steering wheel I’d have to push my seat so far back I might not reach the pedals. Plus I’m a responsible adult now thanks to having pesky children!

I was slightly concerned about one of her nipples, bet you weren’t expecting me to say that! Not a sentence you hear every day. I kept pestering the vet, but they made me feel like I was making a fuss. Long story short, at the age of 4 we found out she had aggressive cancer, needed surgery, meds, the works, it was horrific, but she came out the other side. A MASSIVE vets bill later, thank goodness for pet insurance! (Argos pet insurance were incredible! They couldn’t have done more!) Thanks also to Dad who encouraged me to “keep making a fuss”.

Anyway she was soon back to her Ladyship ways! By that I mean she doesn’t do carbs, she likes king prawns and smoke salmon, she will not go out in the rain and she will not poop in her own garden and when she’s had enough you will carry her and you will stroke her for hours, but on her terms!

My friend to this day swears Tilly winked at her for a bit of sausage.

Tilly has reached the grand old age of 12 years and 6 months. I know this because her birthday is the same day as my Mums.

The last two Christmas’s I have believed she wouldn’t make it through to see the next year but now I think she might just suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. She sure likes the sun and the heat. Princess Fluffypants will happily lie out in the sunshine and I’ve literally had to turn her over to the other side just in case. When Lee makes her a fire (he pretends he’s doing it for us, but I know where his heart is at) we have to pull her back as she sleeps with her head on the hearth. Also she gets a shampoo and a condition on a Sunday, she only complains when the water temporarily strays from being anything but hot.

This last few months though she had lost her va va voom, sleeping a lot and most happy in her lounge dog bed in the corner on her own. She has quite a few lumps and gets itchy ears and a bad belly but I’m not taking her back to the vets, not unless she seems uncomfortable.

Dad brought over some jars of honey he had bought from a neighbour who has his own bees. It’s delicious, really good stuff!

I saw on TikTok that giving a dog a teaspoon of honey a day was good for them in many ways (Google it) so I started giving Tilly and Holly a teaspoon of honey wrapped up in a slice of ham every morning after breakfast, the opposite of an appetiser.

Well blow me down with a feather if it hasn’t gone and worked! Her ears have cleared up, she has lost her bloat, her digestion is good, she’s scooting less and she has an abundance of energy. She has even started chasing seagulls on the beach and playing with dog toys, something I don’t remember her ever doing. She has got her sassy back.

The other day Harry’s glands were protruding from his neck so much he almost reminded me of Herman Munster. A possible case of tonsillitis so I gave him a teaspoon of the honey then and there, some more during the night and some more the next day and he was back to himself within two days. I’m not saying it cleared it up, but it certainly eased the pain for him.

Well I just Googled it and I was surprised to find these twelve uses!

• Useful in weight Management

• Strengthens Immune system

• Nourishes your skin and face

• Boosts your memory

• Home Remedy for Cough

• Natural home remedy for Dandruff

• Used for Healing Wounds and burns

• Acts as a Natural Sleeping Aid

• Eases sinus issues

• Helps with gum disease

• Natural Energy Drink

• Prevents and helps control Eczema

Right, I best be off to hide the honey before Dad asks for it back!

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx

Gosh, it has been a while since I last blogged, I haven’t had the time nor the inclination (did I just sound like Scarlett O’Hara? Wouldn’t mind looking like her too!)

But it is a healthy habit I need to get back into.

So, let me rustle around in my rusty mind for a story.

Wednesdays, to some they are affectionately known as happy hump day. This is because they are the middle of the work week and it’s all downhill to the weekend, not for anything randy!

To me they are a mountain!

Up at 5am to walk the fur babies, then get the twinkles up, washed (predictive text changed this to wasted! Thank goodness I proof read it, there’d be a few referrals to child services!) dressed for school and fed, then off to work to start at 8, typically a busy day, but who doesn’t love a busy work day? Then supposed to finish at 14:30, usually more 14:45, pedal to the metal to collect my Westie Bestie in time for us to collect our boys from school at 15:10, obviously there’s the obligatory parking wars on a daily basis. Drop our friends home then whizz to swimming for 16:00 where it is extremely hot, loud and busy, then off to the McDonald’s drive through to get car dinner before going to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu then home for 18:50. Just enough time to get the swimming stuff washed, the lunchboxes sorted and the school clothes ready for the next day before our bedtime ritual starts at 19:30 (the boys, not mine although I’d probably be agreeable!)

You feel tired reading this? Try living it!

Luckily Wednesday is also Grandad day and he comes over to spoil, cuddle and smooth Tilly and Holly and sneak them bits of ham and cheese which he thinks I don’t know about. The three of them generally snooze on the sofa for the afternoon and have a snore off!

Whilst I’m doing the after Wednesday activity shenanigans and putting dinner on, the boys get quality Grandad time. This can range from learning about bees, music in different cultures (think the Zorba), trying out new nuts and delicacies and many, many stories and books, plus they often have a story to share with him which frequently leaves him puzzled.

I get the boys to bed and finally settle down to dinner with Dad (Lee visits his children in Bristol on a Wednesday and they all have quality time with his Mum) Wait- did that just make it sound like Lee has children all over the place? I can assure this is not true, well to his or my knowledge.

I get spoiled by Grandad too and we like to share a tipple from his cellar. Sometimes I over indulge (can you blame me?) which results in comedy moments like this week for example.

I’d melted into the sofa, tension subsided, replete and ready for bed, slightly sozzled.

I was trying to muster the energy to get up when I happened to say to Dad that Tilly is partially deaf nowadays. The fur ball is 12 and has survived cancer so it’s to be expected.

Dad, looking at Tilly curled up in one of her beds, snoring her fluffy socks off “oh no she isn’t, she’s having you on!”

To explain, Dad was “big” in Malawi when we lived there, starring with Mum in many a pantomime. So we often get the “oh no he didn’t” banter.

Dad “ go and open the fridge, go on, I bet she comes running then!”

So I sighed, pushed myself off the sofa onto my arthritic knees (yes I felt sorry for myself and yes I’m milking it!) and limped out to the kitchen and opened the fridge door.

Nothing, no movement.

I hobbled back into the lounge and glanced triumphantly at Dad.

He looked at the dog, then at me and back like watching a game of tennis.

Dad “oh, okay she’s deaf then!” (Predictive text changed this to dead!)

Now this tiggled me at the time and made me laugh, but I’m thinking now it might be one of those, you had to be there moments or might I suggest you have a few glasses or red and then read this again?

Right, I should get up and doing. The boys and I are off for a dog walk and bike ride. Their bikes are too small now so they’re donating them to a local bike charity and replacing them there. Uncle Jon has offered a fiver towards it each instead of an Easter egg! Marvellous idea on many levels!

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx

P.s it’s Dad who encourages me to write x

So, we get our dogs groomed, sorry, I’m finding it hard to concentrate because Tilly is snoring next to me. The boys say I snore, but I swear it’s her they can here.

You see it’s only 05:56 and everyone is still asleep, but I’m awake because I’m super excited because today is my birthday and I am twelve. Yes, leap year baby x but that is not the story I was going to tell you today.

So, we get our dogs groomed. I’ve been going to the same lady since she got recommended to me by a school Mum. It’s been well over three years but I’m not sure our conversations have got past,

“Hello, same again please” and then “ah, doesn’t she look lovely, see you next time”

I used to try and make conversation, but I think our groomer is really shy ergo really quiet and that made me nervous and I’d start babbling on and I’d see her looking at me all confused whilst I’d wish I could just stop talking so I decided it was best in everyone’s interest if I just keep it simple, very simple. Even Tilly would start walking away whilst I was talking!

Anyway, one day, not that long ago I went with the boys to pick Tilly up. The groomer took a while to come to the door but has one of those video doorbells so I knew she was probably just finishing off. Then lo and behold she drove up in her car and parked up just a bit down the street.

Well! I thought to myself slightly perturbed. Where’s my Tilly? Why has she gone out and left her? I hope it wasn’t an emergency and everyone is okay.

Then, no word of a lie, her front door opened and out she walked with Princess Fluffypants.

It was like the twins and I were watching tennis. We looked at her in the car, slightly cross she left my dog and then looked at her on the doorstep and thought how pretty Tilly looks and even possibly slimmer.

Trust Harry to say it as it is.

“Mum! Why are there two of them?”

Being half of a set of twins you’d think he’d be the first to understand, but he could not get his head around them being identical.

In fairness, I have actually been asked if Harry and Ollie have the same Dad by someone before because they are so different. I pointed out to said individual that whilst that would be biologically possible (Google it, not on a work computer) I have not and never will cheat on Lee!

It did spin us all out for a little while there. So many questions! Had I always been speaking to the same person? Is that why she looked so confused when I approached her once in Morrisons?

However, I remembered to keep it simple and just commented on how gorgeous she looked.

But boy didn’t it spark some conversations in the way home?

Ollie even asked me that if one of them was to say hi, would it force the other to say hi at the same time and even if they weren’t actually together. I stopped him before his mind got blown!

Ooh the house is waking up! Hooray! Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx

Well the day started a little earlier than anticipated, but when it begins with your son waving a rainbow flower light adorned with a giant rainbow caterpillar boa, you know it’s going to be good.

To say the excitement was akin to Christmas would be fair.

We’d had face packs the night before and Harry joined in, but only because they were Optimus Prime.

We started getting ready, 6 hours before we needed to leave and 12 hours before the show was due to start.

I wore something pretty and had to coerce my husband into saying I looked nice.

First stop was the sweet shop that did the blue lickers. Strictly was my Christmas present from Grandad, the treats were a reward for Ollie for doing so incredibly well at school.

It was a long old journey, but I had my tunes and Ollie was tethered to my mobile so he could watch YouTube.

We only got lost at the end, but I think that was due to the roadworks, but at least we entertained some of the stewards.

Tip one, definitely pre pay for car park 1 when travelling to the O2, makes life a lot easier. Although if I won the lottery I’d opt for valet parking. Actually, no I wouldn’t, I’d stay at the hotel linked to the O2, The Intercontinental.

So we got some drinks, would have been cheaper to buy booze, but Ollie walking in with a pint might have been frowned upon.

We found our seats. I warned Ollie they would be very high up and he might feel a touch scared but his nerves would settle. He wasn’t fussed in the slightest.

Obviously we made friends with everyone around us and then the show began and what a show it was!

The atmosphere, the music, the lights, the costumes, the dances and just the sheer love filling the arena was magnificent.

Unfortunately Ollie’s little bladder couldn’t contain his excitement or the Pepsi Max and we were up and down to the toilet, but at least I had my Fitbit on and made up for my lost steps.

It got to the interval and we were Hank Marvin!

Do you think we could find anything gluten free? Don’t be daft! We were sent on a mission to 110 where we were told they’d have something for us. Unfortunately the staff had not been made aware of that until they found the bearded Oracle. Turns out there was a gluten free pizza, Ollie doesn’t like pizza. So he offered to do chips with a drink for the price of a regular wheat filled combo.

Now here’s the pinch, Ollie and I were very grateful and made sure all the staff knew how much we appreciated them and the lengths they went to, but in the commotion, I can’t actually remember paying for it! Oh! Definitely not intentional! An unintentional criminal! Not as catchy as Smooth Criminal, but I digress.

Give me a break. We didn’t roll in until 01:00 and Harry had me up with the lark, well, he was full of bogies!

Anton du Bece, now obviously we are massive fans as he looks like my scrummy hubby, but he is hilarious! I think I’d pay to watch him do stand up comedy. Him and Lionel Ritchie, now that would be a show!

We had a little cry when Leyton and Nikita won the glitter ball and also at the finale as it was literally the last ever show of season, wait a sec, Twenty-One!

It was magical from start to finish. Ollie was saddened it wouldn’t be the same contestants, but I assured him there would be new ones for him to fall in love with.

On the drive home, Ollie asked me why there was a radio station called Kiss. I told him I didn’t know but they play dance music. He asked

“ what like on Strictly?”

I replied “not quite dear!”

Although, having said that, we did get to see Ellie dance to Faithless, Insomnia!

It was terrific!

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx

So today is World Cancer Day and the day of the cold water dip in support of Young Lives versus Cancer. It does not bode well that I am full of bogies and have a hacking cough worthy of a 30 a day Rothmans smoker.

Harry asked me earlier why I sounded sad, I told him I wasn’t sad, just poorly and so incredibly hot to which he responded

“That’s okay mum, you’ll be well cold this afternoon after your dip!”

True dat!

A few people have said I should postpone, but I’m standing firm and doing it today, especially as I’ve exceeded my sponsor target. Ollie was disappointed that the excess also goes to the charity!

I have my beanie, my socks and gloves, my timer (Ollie), my photographer (Harry), my lifeguard (Uncle Joe) and my number 1 supporter ( Lee, bumped from lifeguard due to a nasty bout of tonsillitis)

Actually someone said recently that I should seriously look at the boys being sick all the time, whilst it actually came across as passive aggressive, I’m not so arrogant as to call myself a fantastic parent (that sort of accolade should really come from someone else) and I am always keen to learn and evolve.

So I did some reflecting and came to this deduction,

1. You couldn’t hope to meet two happier and kinder little boys.

2. They are enveloped with love from their Dad and I, Gramps and untold framily (friends who have become family)

3. They have never been operated on.

4. They are both excelling at school.

5. Yes they often get coughs and colds, they’re of that pesky germ filled school age, but anything serious they’ve had, like Covid, they caught from their step siblings being sent to us whilst infected. Instead of getting cross about that we locked down our home and nursed everybody back to good health. It was heart warming to hear Stepmonster 2 ( inclusive not abusive) tell his friends over the Xbox that he was living his best life and to me that was mission accomplished.

In the words of our immortal angel Swifty,

“And I ain’t trying to mess with your self-expression

But I’ve learned the lesson that stressin’

And obsessin’ ’bout somebody else is no fun

And snakes and stones never broke my bones”

She goes on to say why are you mad when you could be glad, probably not her best lyrical moment, but still, life is too short to waste on being bitter, get out and have some fun, unless you have some horrid disease obvs x

So, cold water dip, kill or cure, will find out later.

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx