its snow joke....

I have seen daffodils, I have seen cute little baby lambs (actually that should be baby sheep but everyone says baby lambs, you can't technically get baby lambs) I have purchased my Easter eggs and we are in the second half of March, so in my mind we are in Spring.

This time last year we had a freaky early heatwave, people were sunbathing on Brighton beach. But this morning, I woke up, looked out of the window and thought what the .....?

It was white, completely white. No bit of ground could be seen. 4inches of snow sat smugly on top of my car. Oh FFFFFFFFFS.
I absolutely hate, despise, loathe, abhor, dislike (or any other word with the same meaning) snow. It is cold and dangerous.

I live in a mini microclimate. Its weird, I can have snow yet 1mile down the hill into the village there can be barely any.

So I duly got all the children dressed for school and popped them into the car. I drove very gingerly down the hill, the wind was whipping the snow from the fields into mini tornados and whooshing them over me. My car was buffeting from side to side. I gritted my teeth even harder and thanked the Lord when I reached the bottom and the safety of the always gritted road. My road rarely sees a gritter, ok it never does.

I drove gingerly to school, pulled up outside the gate and Matthew commented, 'Where is everyone?' just as my phone beeped. It was a text message from school saying it was closed. AAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I was not best pleased. But as I was going to Asda after the school drop off, all was not lost I suppose, but it meant taking all of them to Asda. Matthews turn now to be not impressed. He hates Asda. So do I really.

So, having done our shopping we made our way home. The roads were clear, although the closer we got to our village the whiter the fields and surrounding area got. I had already decided to take the longer but less steep hill home. My hill was covered on the way down so I didnt like the thought of driving up it. So at the bottom it seemed ok, I set off keeping it steady. The road then started to disappear under a blanket of snow. Keep going I urged the car and all seemed ok. I could see the top of the hill and I was nearly there, when I drove over a mound of snow and it threw my speed and traction and I ended up sideways.

Now excuse the language, and having the children in the car I uttered it silently to myself but f*************************k.

OMG, that was scary, but not wanting the children to be scared, I was very laughy and its ok. Don't worry, I kept saying. Now this was a scenario. I had all 4 children and shopping, no pram for Harry so walking the trek home wasnt an option really. My car was sideways on a hill, covered in snow and high snow drifts so anything else coming the other way could easily plough into me. I got out to shift some snow from behind the wheels to see if I could straighten the car up, stupid idea using my bare hands, cos I cut my finger on something sharp and it was bloody freezing. Oh hell, what am I going to do.

Now what happened next completely restored my faith in mankind. Someone was definitely watching over me. A gentleman who I see walking his german shepherd past my house walked up. He pushed and helped me straighten the car so I wasnt in such a stupid position. A landrover then came behind me. Oh well done I muttered, where do you expect me to go????

BUT, he came up and assessed the situation, and OBVIOUSLY commented 'you're not going to get home in your car in this snow'
Dur I know that now.
He then said (and he'd had a chat with man with German Shepherd and they'd discussed this)I will take you and your children home and this man (who I now know is called Barry)will move your car backwards into a safer position.

I very trustingly left my car and its spare key with Barry and got into a complete strangers car with my kids and the shopping, he did a three point turn and drove me up the impassable Moorside Rd hill way (which I didnt go up). His car drove like there was nothing on the road. Mental note, I must get a landrover.

Danny was a little confused. He got out of bed he is day sleeping in readiness for his upcoming three night shifts) and wondered where the car was.
Just then Barry rang, and said his farmer friend was going to tow my car to his house, which was a little further up the hill from where I abandoned it, and he would keep it on is drive till it cleared. He would then walk round with my key.
What a superstar, my car would be safe.
But 10mins later Madeleine shouted, our car is here. OMG, how did he get it home?? His farmer friend said it was just as easy to tow it home than tow it to Barry's house and voila.
Me, kids, shopping and now the car all safely home.

I cannot thank them enough. They were all brilliant and got me out of an extremely sticky situation.

Now came the next problem, how does Danny get to work? Well seeing as the roads in the village were clear, he arranged to walk down through the drifts and meet his ambulance mate. Brr, slippy, deep snow and cold, but he made it and is now safe at work. God knows how he will get home in the morning, especially seeing as more snow is forecast. But me and the kids are home, enough food for a few days and I have the electric blanket to keep warm.

Now, I just have to say (as the whole country moans about snow blah blah blah) why on earth to people find the attraction in paying thousands of pounds to holiday in the stuff? I just cannot fathom it out.



Now looking back over my last few posts I realise they have been lacking in pics. Harry is never still, so getting a clear, non fuzzy picture is quite hard. Here's one of him taken last week. I think its cute, he loves his dummy and blankey

Fandabeedozee

As the title suggests something fantastic has happened, Harry went to Birmingham and yet again has shown cancer who is boss. He is clear again. Absolutely no sign of regrowth, new tumors or jack-shit. Fandabeedozee.
'Encouraging' the consultant said. Amazing more like.
'He's still very young so we cannot be complacent' he said.
Eh? what was that? I stopped listening after the word clear. I am still smiling the biggest smile. Disney have commissioned me for the new Cheshire Cat.


SORRY ABOUT THE BREAK, FELL ASLEEP ON SOFA (SEE EARLIER POSTS RE THIS LOL) SO AM RETURNING ONE DAY LATER

Ahem, erm where was I? Oh yeah Fandabeedozee. Well I had an extra little guest on our trip, namely next bigger brother William. I knew it would be hard work, as I would be going alone with them both. Danny was at work, so Matthew and Madeleine went to my mums for a sleepover, and now William has outgrown the travelcot and is way too old to sleep in it anyway him sleeping over too would be tricky, lack of beds and it being hard work for my mum as my dad was at work too.

So me, pram, 3 bags, Harry's carseat and 2 kids went to Birmingham. Thankfully the transport provided a carseat for William. Typically it was late, so we didnt actually arrive until teatime. I had promised William he could have his tea in McDonalds (great lol)and he was amazed when his Happy Meal arrived that it was 'exactly the same as at home'.
The novelty soon wore off when back at the hotel. The TV was rubbish, no Nick Jr. The room was like a matchbox, no space to play so at 8pm he declared it was time to put shoes and coat on and go home. I could have easily agreed lol.

Anyway, he awoke in the early hours disorientated, so I snuggled him in with me. Big mistake. I got no sleep and amazingly enough didnt fall out from lying on the 3inches he allowed me to lie on whilst he was spreadeagled. I was such a dur brain I didnt think of moving over to his bed. DOH!

He charmed the pants off all the nurses and was so good, I was so proud of him. He chatted to everyone and made friends with a grandma of another patient. And she bought her grandson some smarties but offered a few to William. I was mortified when he took the packet from her (instead of letting her shake some into his hand) but smiled inwardly when he thanked her.

The play therapists were wonderful with him, and watched over him whilst Harry went about his business. I won't lie, it was both a good and a bad idea him coming. Good in that it provided me with a distraction to what Harry went through and was company in the hotel. Also he got to see what went on each time I disappear off to Birmingham. I don't think he was over impressed really. Bad, in that it was hard work getting everything and everyone to the hospital from the hotel by myself, bad that William was subjected to seeing some of what Harry goes through and that he could see other children enduring cancer treatments. I hope I don't have to take him again, purely for the bad reasons.

So we now have another 8wk holiday til the next visit. Bring it on eh Harry!

My oven has died. Something electrical or other has gone on it. Even my superstar fix everything dad can't fix it. I am fast running out of ideas of what I can cook just using the hob, microwave and slow cooker. The kids are demanding chips! I may even have to buy a deep fat fryer just purely to shut them up.
The heating oil ran out, just as it started snowing again. It took the oil company 3 days to deliver it, despite them assuring us we had been marked as priority as we have young children. I know its not their fault we ran out, and I thank god we decided to put practicality before pride and invest in an electric blanket for the bed. This is something my grandparents had, not us tough it out youngies. But it is heaven, and it is super deluxe with dual controls, a fast 5min heat up, various heat settings with an hour and 9 hour setting and even a warmer part for your feet. GO BUY ONE.

ooh, i am fast falling asleep here and I can hear my electric blanket calling me. Night peeps x

I really should get my backside into gear

Hello Folks,

Here I am, on the eve of my birthday, sitting on my backside doing absolutely nothing. I have already given myself whiplash through nodding off with head resting on hand when it suddenly drops away and its only 9pm.
Dan is on nights tonight and tomorrow, so bang goes my tea being made for me for my birthday. Wait a minute, I don't have it made when he's not on nights so there's not much change there then.
So here I am, writing nonsense when I should be a) doing the washing up, I would let the dishwasher take the strain but I've run out of dishwasher tablets, dang and blast. b) swap the washing into the dryer but that means emptying the dryer which means folding and filling up my empty ironing basket. and that also means going outside to the garage. Its lovely having the laundry equipment outside as you don't have to listen to the racket it makes buts its a complete pain when its pouring down and freezing cold.

So instead, I shall not bother doing either a) or b) and just write this blog page. William gave us a bit of a chuckle yesterday. I was cuddling Harry and he demanded Harry be put down so he could have a cuddle. 'Touch of the green eyes' I said to Dan and William quickfired in 'but my eyes are blue'. So funny. He is looking forward to his adventure. He is coming to Birmingham with us on Thursday. Dan is working and my mum has got a lack of bedspace, plus its a bit too much hard work for her when she's on her own and I don't like asking my dad to take time off work. So Madeleine and Matthew are staying over and William is coming with me. It will be hard work, lugging a buggy, car seat umpteen bags and making sure William stays close but he's excited. I'm not. I would rather give a crocodile a scale and polish than go there. I hope the play therapists will be there to distract William. I cannot let him witness what poor Harry has to go through. It would spoil his adventure.

I suppose it will be a distraction, I am really scared. 8weeks seemed a lifetime away and now its here. The sensible part of me is telling me all will be well again, but the irrational part is in hysterics, certain that something will have grown and beyond the boundaries of the laser. Lets hope the irrational part gets a good kicking!!

Though Harry is being really clumsy at the moment. Its probably him trying to get around quicker but he's constantly bumping and walking into things, his huge black metal playpen getting the most knocks. He must have phenomenal healing powers, as he should be a mass of bruising, but instead the red bump marks disappear overnight. He's started coming to me for a love after a bump now. I think he's getting fed up with it. Its heartbreaking really.

On a plus side, he's really come on in the vocabulary side of things. He's chatting away, much to the delight of his siblings. And as he's still sleeping in our room ( i really need to get the other bunk bed from my friends loft) its really funny listening to him chuntering away to himself. You hear things you must say without realising. He said the other day, 'go for wee wee back in a minute' and I usually say it as I tiptoe past in a morning. Better watch what I say in future lol.

So here's to my last year of my thirties and another good visit to Birmingham. Both will be either really good or really bad. Lets hope its good. Come on Harry, you can do it!!