Saturday 29 June 2013

Where should I start?

Sorry to have been absent for a while, I haven't even managed to read and comment on all the blogs I follow, or find new ones to read. Life has been even more hectic than our average June, if that's even possible. I think I start each post with the words "life has been a bit busy....."!

I've written several blog posts in my head whilst driving to and from various events, pitches and around the country in general but I've not managed to find the time to write them down.

This time of year is usually very busy but we've had several unexpected happenings (some good, some not so good) which have meant there's been an extra workload for both myself and The Builder. Heaps of paperwork which I thought was all done & dusted has been returned to me with queries and the need for T's to be dotted and I's to be crossed.... or whatever! - don't you just love local councils??

Various business problems (nothing dreadful) have arisen and it seems sorting them out is in my job description - who knew; I maybe need to check my contract? Obviously I don't have a contract; or pay for that matter! It would be a little useful if I actually knew how to sort these particular problems out but there you go!

I don't really know where to start and this could be a very boring post for everyone except for me so I thought I do a little selection of photo's from the last few weeks........
I do now have a new camera, a slightly more up to date point-and-shoot than I had before as the old camera had stayed missing.
However after a month, and exactly as I typed the paragraph above Little Miss popped her head in the door to say she'd found the old camera, can you believe it? It had fallen down behind a piece of furniture along with a bit of post I'd been waiting for!
 
Anyway here we go.....


 
Little Miss graduating for the Norfolk Children's University. A council sponsored scheme open to all 5-14 year olds to recognise the work they take on outside of school hours.
A lovely ceremony held at The University of East Anglia where she (amongst many others) was presented with her certificate by Louis de Bernieres - cue tears!
 
 Little Miss also had her second gymnastics competition where she did really well, no prizes this time though.




 
There was a 14th birthday with a very chocolatey cake, with added chocolate and a little extra chocolate for good measure - well why not?
 And guess how he spent his evening? No family meal out for us....
 
The new 14 year old had 6 matches that week, and on the one day there was no game guess what he did? Went to the Oval to see England play (thank you ebay & next day delivery!) - I think he did take his bat, just in case England were 1 short!


 We had primary school sports day and did get a first - no tears, I've just about had my fill of these type of events (bah humbug!)

After the sports the children opened their café for refreshments - an event that happens occasionally. They had baked cookies in the morning and donned their waiter & waitress outfits to serve the customers. One customer arrived unexpectedly (for the children anyway), our local MP, Norman Lamb. He enjoyed a cup of tea and a cookie but didn't join the races! Little Miss and best-friend-George had the pleasure of serving him (and his press photographer!)







Little Miss and I went to The Royal Norfolk Show (1st time in about 15 years for me).

We went with best-friend-George and his Mum as George was being presented with a prize in the education tent.

The first free game we came across was the cricket - like we don't have enough of that!
 
We enjoyed a fair amount of junk food along with as many free tasters in the food tent as we could get away with (returning to some stalls in varying disguises!) 
And a couple of fair ground rides were had, just to mix up the chocolate a bit!
 
 
I had a jaunt to Nottingham with number 1 son on Friday to look around the university, not a great drive but that's what all roads out of Norfolk are like - it's to stop you escaping I think!
 He has put no effort whatsoever into researching a potential Uni, he thinks maybe he should go
"up North" - why, what are the courses like? - that he doesn't know but the beer is probably cheaper!
We will be travelling many miles it seems, over the next few months, from Sheffield to Exeter - home in between, obviously! (Unless we get lost en route which is a distinct possibility)
He liked Nottingham, the bar and common room looked good; some of the rooms had double beds too, the food was tasty - he didn't like the sound of the course though!!
(I gather that might be important?)
 
An finally today, a 100 miles done and I don't seem to have been far from home, two cricket pitches and a bit of Go Go Gorilla hunting - we know how to live!






Well worth hunting them down if you're in the city centre, they're there til mid September I believe. We found 17 of the 53 today so will go back to find more as soon as we can. There were some really super ones, we particularly liked the builder (by the information desk in the Castle Mall) who was showing a little builders bum!

And just top off the week it seems our email account has been hacked and emails have gone to all our contacts (over 450) to request money to help us get home from the Philippines as we're stranded, apparently! I have had these from other people but always ignored them. We have had several phone calls and offers of money since the emails went out - nice to know some people worried about us. As a result of the hacking all old emails and all contacts (except a random 13) were lost, BT have been very helpful and tried to restore what they can but it has been a worry;
especially for a technophobe like me!
 
I'll finish now and try to catch up with a bit of blog reading. I have to be
up early tomorrow for a day of cricket - whoopee the children said, there should be cricket from 9am til 11pm at the club tomorrow! We have two New Zealand international players coming for the day, no chance of me recognising them as I didn't recognise Alistair Cook when I met him! If they stand too near the bar I'll have to assume they're both new barmen and order my drinks.
Did I go whoop, whoop at the thought of in excess of 12 hours cricket in one day? What do you think......??
 

27 comments:

  1. I think this is a delightful, information packed post that was well worth waiting for. Great gorillas, attractive, talented children, a politician, a fabulous looking Chocolate Cake, and a tale of woe from the Philippines. Who can resist?

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    1. Thank you Beryl, anyone who knows me would realise I would never ask for money to get me home from holiday- to send me on holiday then maybe!!

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  2. Lovely post, lots of delightful happenings and family events. Your children are gorgeous and a credit to you ... as is the chocolate cake! Hope your weekend's going great ...

    Love Claire XXX

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    1. Ah thank you Claire, I've sneaked home from the day of cricket as I'd about had enough of it - especially as the 3 men in the family drove off elsewhere to play in their 2nd match of the day - they hadn't told me that bit!

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  3. Crikey you must be exhausted with all that going on. I'm off to hunt gorillas this week, like the look of the safari one. As for that chocolate cake - OMG!

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    1. Exhausted isn't the word for it this week, and I've got a summer head cold too! Enjoy the gorillas, there were some beauties, we'll definitely be going back to tick off some more.

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  4. congrats to you daughter! Well done! Love the gorillas! Our son is still debating about uni himself. He is suddenly very interested, but I think this is more of a product of not finding work than genuine interest....

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    1. The Uni debate is a difficult one, I'm so worried about the cost (despite student loan)but would like him to grab every opportunity that comes his way.

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  5. Great post, I LOVE the idea of the Norfolk Childrens' University - never heard of it before, but then my boys are long grown up and none of our grandchildren live in-county.
    Oh you must have just missed my Other Half representing GAIA on the Salmon and Trout Association stand, or perhaps my friends Rob and Julie with their English Willow Basket Making? (Small world, Norfolk, isn't it??)

    Love those colourful apes/monkeys, I must have a visit soon to Norwich, once the Mum's Kitchen Project and festivals are out of the way...phew, am I wishing away the summer?

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    1. Wow I probably walked passed your other half, I think we saw the willow basket making because we had a conversation about the baskets. The children's university is only 3 years old I believe but such a great idea - my 10 year old is the 1st in the family to wear a cap & gown!

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  6. I got one of your 'stranded in the Philippines' emails! I thought perhaps it was a joke after my comment the last time you emailed me (when I'd won your giveaway but thought your email was a scam.) sorry I didn't respond and send you any money!

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  7. I got one of your 'stranded in the Philippines' emails! I thought perhaps it was a joke after my comment the last time you emailed me (when I'd won your giveaway but thought your email was a scam.) sorry I didn't respond and send you any money!

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  8. And if you need anywhere to stay for your trip to Exeter Uni, we're only about 45mins away, up the A30

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    1. Ah thanks for the offer Justine, it's in September but we'll combine it with a visit to my Gran, she's in the middle of Exeter itself. I've told number 1 if he gets into Exeter he can save money & live with his 95 year old Great-Gran instead of on campus!!

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  9. Those gorillas are very impressive. So the game is to hunt all over town for them? Looks like they are well worth finding!

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  10. You have been so busy I'm not surprised you haven't got around to visiting blogs. I struggle sometimes too. It's always the way discovering a lost item after you have bought a replacement! The gorillas look great hope you have time to find some more!
    Sarah x

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  11. Loads to read in this post but, having a son the same age as your eldest, I'm drawn to the
    Uni visits. My son has no real idea where he wants to go either, although my home town of Newcastle appeals. But he doesn't know which subject he wants to study. I shall pass on the Nottingham info to him, that will save us a visit!

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    1. Our son's sound similar! We're looking at a different course at each university we visit - this makes it so much harder. A joint honours degree is slightly more varied - he's looking at English & Sports Science at Loughborough next although they ask for really high grades -so we'll see!

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  12. Glad I'm not the only one who spends hours writing fabulous blog posts in my head which never get translated onto the actual blog!

    Victoria x
    FlorenceandMary.com

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  13. Wow really busy ! I write my blog posts in my head all the time !
    Oh those hacked emails are awful - we had one once from a lady who does travel a lot saying she was being held at gunpoint in Nigeria & needed ransome money !

    Happy looking children & fun gorillas !

    ( My husband lived with his Nan for a while when he was at college in Glasgow - but soon dumped the course & headed for the sea & has been on or near it ever since ! )

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  14. Goodness Jay, you certainly have been busy!
    Love the Gorillas.
    My daughter has lived in Nottingham for the last 6 years, I finally went into the city centre with her last September - I was very impressed, and that from a city hater!
    Rose H
    xx

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  15. Wow you've been busy! I remember well doing all the Uni visits...they seemed to take a long, long, time and cost an awful lot of money in train fares and petrol. Let's hope he finds a few he likes fairly soon and (if its any consolation) my son also based his choice around beer prices and reputation as a 'good party Uni' - they're all the same!

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  16. Fabulous catch-up post Jay! Love those Gorillas. Where do people get their ideas from I wonder! Look at your girl there doing her Gymnastics, just gorgeous. No surprises your boy was with the bat on his birthday and I like his taste in cake, very much! Hope you have a more relaxing week ahead. Mel x

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  17. Love this having a good old catch up and fab family photos - gloriousness!!! Congrats to your daughter, she's such a cutie. I thought summer would herald lazy days and much more time but with kids that never quite happens does it? I am useless at paperwork, my husband ends up doing a lot of it, feel very very sorry for him....Hope you're feeling all clear and caught up!

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  18. Jay... oh my gosh!!!
    This wasn't boring at all!!!!!
    I don't know where to start, my daughter is in dance and I hope she can continue in England. Your family is absolutely gorgeous!! Col Chester has a giraffe thing going on with giraffes all over. I so want to visit colchester right this very minute but tickets are at their peak price!! I'll have to wait until Fall I'm afraid. And picking a university where the beer is cheap?! That's hilarious! Please keep me posted on your Uni adventures!
    I know absolutely nothing about Cricket! Will I be forced to learn? :)
    Have a great upcoming weekend!!
    Tammy x

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  19. Hi Jay! That was a very lovely post packed full of family memories! I always smile when I read your posts, you have such a lovely straightforward, here's-what-happened way of writing them. Love the birthday cake, awesome gorillas (I particularly like the teapot lady one and the wild animals one), and I hope it works out in the end with #1 son and Uni. Computer hackers are so annoying, blasted troublemakers! Wish you and your family a lovely weekend and perhaps some non-crickety moments for yourself if possible?

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  20. Belated happy birthday wishes to your son.
    So much going on with all your children, lots of wonderful achievements to celebrate.
    You must be very proud of each and everyone for all the different things they do.
    Not to mention exhausted after all that travelling, hope the Uni looking proves to be a useful!
    Love the gorillas!!!
    Lisa x

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