Photo - Dog tired...

Rohan relaxing... Oh to have a dogs life. :) xx


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Photo - Zonked...

I just had to share this photo...


It is such a long time since she fell asleep in my arms watching television. :) xx


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Photo - Speed shopping...

I am on holiday for the rest of the week so decided to take Katharine shopping...


After running around she found a wheeled seat to plonk herself on and then spent the rest of the time zooming about.

Made her smile though. :) xx


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Photo - Recyclable...

Katharine decided to sit in the recycle box today...


I suppose it's forward thinking. :) xx


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Musings - Letters...

I want a pen pal. And I mean an actual person I can write to using an actual pen and a post box.


No one writes letters any more. It makes me feel a little melancholy to think that email and texting is it for our future.

So I have a new mission! To find someone around the world to give me a moment of their time and the price of a stamp.

But where do I start? :) xx


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Musings - Sunday in Stafford...

Sunday we visited the in laws and has a wonderful time in the garden. Katharine wheeled around the doll...


She contemplated the baby wood pigeons...


And shared a private joke with her cousin Ewan...


Good times. :) xx


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Musings - The Plaza...

In my town centre a new Plaza has been built with new restaurants, a cinema, a gym and a hotel. This weekend two of the restaurants officially opened.

And we sampled one...


Frankie and Benny's is a chain, excellent atmosphere and food repeated the world over...


We really enjoyed ourselves. A little expensive for an every Saturday venue but as a treat it was well worth it. :) xx


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Musings - Mann's response...

I posted earlier in the week that I had purchased a book of poems by Michael Mann. After reading through them I have my favourites already. :)

Here are two verses (from a larger poem) that Michael wrote in a response to an Elizabeth Barrett Browning poem...


How beautiful. :) xx


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Photo - Caught in the reflection...

So I twirled the mirror around in a wee circle until I found something in our living room to snap a photo of...


I happened upon the husband. :) xx


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Musings - Postcard bookmark...

Odeon cinemas always have a stand with random postcards on it. Next time you are there have a look for yourself.

Every time I go to watch a film I make sure I collect any postcards that I don't already have.

You see, I use them as bookmarks. They make the perfect marker for the page I am on and I like to leave the postcard in the book when I have finished. This is my current one...


I might have told you about this before in a previous post but I thought I would share it with you again as it is something that has sentimental relevance for me.

What oddities do you have that are special to you. :) xx


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Musings - Book within a film...

Do you ever watch a film and they mention another film or a book but then when you hunt for it you can't find? And you end up disappointed?

Well I love Field of Dreams and they state that a certain book had an impact on them...

'The Boat Rocker' by Terence Mann.

Well this week I googled that book and look what I found!!!!


It's a real book of philosophical poems by a man who might not be thee Mann but it's near enough!

Am I a geek to find that really exciting? And an even bigger geek because I bought it? :) xx


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Musings - Blues...

The world seems to still be misguided by the colour grey, blah blah blah so this week I have spat in the shades and added a little blue.

You see I have come across Blues Traveler...


And while not usually my type of music, the CD I downloaded has grown on me. Sort of blues meets folk meets rock.

Great for driving to and even writing to... :) xx

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Photo - Classy bird...

Sat on a box of nappies while eating her crisps...


Classy bird our daughter. :) xx


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Musings - Getting creative...

Does anyone else find it easier to write if they have an awesome soundtrack playing the the background?


I currently have Ernie Halter, Blue Traveler and Ryan O'Shaughnessy aiding my creative flow. :) xx


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Musings - Target set...

From close of work today I have set myself a writing target of 3000 words. This has to be achieved before I retire to bed on Sunday.


And it has to be freehand. I am going old school, going to see if pen and paper can get me all inspired again.

Fingers crossed... ;) xx

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Musings - Romantic notions...

I have this vision; it comes to me when I am listening to a particularly beautiful song. It is a flash of a story, maybe an inner desire, an idea?

I am slow dancing in a darkened room with a man. A band plays on a stage behind us, wooden floors are beneath our feet, light comes from a dimmed shiny ball above us. It’s warm but not hot, there may well be a crowd of dancers around us but we are not conscious of it. This man, this mystery dancer, is holding me close with one hand at the small of my back, the other hand hovering as if to cup my face. His brown eyes set in a pale face search mine, glance to my lips, his breathing shallow. This dance, this embrace, this song, this room has us bound together in an oblivion of anticipation.



He closes his eyes and in that moment I almost feel a kiss like a shiver of breath on the back of my neck…

And at that point a new song starts to play and my vision fades but it is always the same man, same room and same feeling of being completely and utterly overwhelmed by one person.

If only… :) xx


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Photo - Too much?..

Well...


And this isn't all the memorabilia we have been collecting!

Geeks to the core! Hurrah! :) xx


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Photo - Small spaces...

At the moment Katharine has a thing about squeezing herself into small places to play...




Down the side of the television is her current favourite. Me thinks she will soon be up for building a fort or imaginary fairy castle out of an old sheet and the sofa cushions. :) xx
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Poem - To have hope...

Hanging, grasping at that budding vestige of a dream coveted true,
Open mind and heart, warmth budding, expectation escalating,
Pessimism drowned in an overflow, promise rising cloaking doubt,
Evanescent, a mere moment yet felt, sensed, emoted,
… springing forth astoundingly.


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Review - Batman Part 3...

I went to see ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ because Tom Hardy was in it.

I’m honest at least! I was conscious that his face would be covered the whole 165 minutes and bar about three seconds it was; but I am a die Hardy fan (get it?) and let’s face it… his face might have been hidden but those muscles were not.

And you know what? He was out done. I went for Tom but was bowled over by Joseph. But before I wax lyrical about young JGL…



As an ending to the trilogy this film was immense. I never get to use that word on a day to day basis but in a one word summary that is it… IMMENSE!

The score, the visual effects, the acting (minus Christian Bale – wooden as ever), Anne’s bottom and the twists of the story kept you so entertained that the three hours (including trailers; I quite fancy going to see ‘Lincoln’) flew by. I love my action and I was not disappointed. I was not expecting such a poignant ending either but it worked. The whole thing worked and without revealing any spoilers I have to demand / scream / chant… that was so a hint at another movie!!!!

So, Joseph Gordon-Levitt… I know him of old; at university we had a poster of him up in our bathroom. His wee self would grin at you the whole time you were in there. He saw some sights, owes all our fathers a few goats. And he grow up FINE! And he can act! The last thing I saw him in was ‘500 Days of Summer’ which was fantastic though it did not offer him up as Man of The Week potential. In TDNR he was phenomenal (see another of those big out of the norm words), intense, emotional, charming, buffer than usual and he utterly stole any scene he was in.

He definitely has MOTW contender status.

Overall I would highly recommend the film; even if you haven’t seen the first two you can always back track when you get home.

Score, hmm… 8/10. A little more facial offering from Tom might have gained those extra points. Ha ha. :) xx


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Lyrics - Tomorrow's hopes...

It has been a VERY long time since I posted some lyrics that really caught my attention.

Today I am giving you a snippet from 'Hoping For Tomorrow' by Stars Go Dim. You need to listen to the song to get its full beautiful effect but if ever there was inspiration to make more effort in our relationships, this is it. Enjoy...


...If I would have said
That I loved you
A million more times would you stay
If I would have taken the time
To show you
Just how much you mean to me
Now would I be lost in this world
Searching for a love
That I already had in front of me
And I'm hoping tomorrow
I'm gonna hope, I'm gonna hope for you
And I'm hoping tomorrow
Will bring you home...

:) xx


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Photo - Big Blue Frog...

Our Friday outing was to the Big Blue Frog play centre...


Katharine and Daddy (who surprised us by having a day off) lived in the ball pool.

We will definitely be going there again. :) xx


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Musings - Time with my girl...

I had some holiday to use up this week while means I have been able to spend some extra time with the little barmpot that poses as my daughter.

We played in the play house...


Cooked in the kitchen...


And then had a well earned nap.


Never mind Katharine, I am absolutely wiped out. :) xx


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Photo - Exercise...

Today I ran up this hill...




Eventually I managed to breathe again. :) xx
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Photo - Husband cooks...

A lemon, bean and chickpea medley...


Delicious. :) xx


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Photo - Cashing in...

The country is awash with Union Jacks, I even purchased some themed nappies for Katharine...

But Tictacs...


Is this patriotic or merely cashing in? ;) xx


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Musings - Blackpool...

Today we took a road trip to Blackpool for some sun, sea, sand, fish, chips, ice cream and 2p amusements.


We had a fantastic time, the weather was glorious and we walked around all day enjoying ourselves.


The tide was in so we didn't really get to play on the sand but Katharine stomped along the promenade in her explorer outfit.


Great times.


Next trip I think should involve a zoo. :) xx


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Photo - Union Jack...

If she is going to win an Olympic Gold some day I think she needs to work on her stamina...


:) xx


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Musings - Curbing the speed...

Where I work they like to know what you think and encourage you to put forward ideas...


I wondered if it would be possible to lower the speed limit outside the building from 30 to 20. Cars zoom on at frightening speeds and even though there is a crossing you still fear for your life.

And by the nature of the place I work in hundreds of people cross this road daily.

I was informed that unless there is a fatal accident, that is unless someone is actually killed then the council can not do anything about the speed limit.

How is that for backward thinking!? :( xx

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Photo - Olympics...

The world is currently focused on one thing... The Olympic Games 2012.


The world is currently putting aside all the troubles of day to day conflict and coming together to enjoy... The Olympic Games 2012.

News stations and radio are discussing and covering the cheers and excitement that only come with... The Olympic Games 2012.

And someone in my office today complained that the whole world has forgotten itself and got 'stuck on'... The Olympic Games 2012...

And I replied what a wonderful refreshing change you utterly miserable idiot. :) xx


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Photo - Our hands...

Poppa, Momma and baby bear...


How fantastic is that photo? And how HUGE are my husbands hands? :) xx


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