Mrs Badcrumble's Diary

Well that's the annual craziness over with. Roll on Easter, it's much more civilised (apart from the whole throwing eggs around the countryside thing).  I feel I am now craving normality, routine...... and fresh fruit and veg! I feel soooooooo sluggish and fat and unhealthy and generally like a big old dirty fat bloater.  For that is precisely what I am!!

My gran's car was handed its death sentence today.  Yet again, when we had it all sorts of things went wrong.  This time it was a burnt out piston (it's 6 years old, come on!!!!) that means the engine has been condemned to Death Row.  If anyone fancies going to Dundee to buy a 6 year old Corsa for spare parts, all offers will be considered!!!

Alister goes back to school tomorrow, I go back to work on Wednesday. I'm REALLY looking forward to tomorrow

So, Christmas was nice.  My mum and gran came through and we all had a really lovely day.  Went to Dundee on Boxing Day and Ross and Laura arrived on 27th.  Ross and Alister and I went to Tannadice for the match and Alister was a mascot - he ws fab!  His grandad would have been very proud.

Then we came home for a few days (in the now condemned car), and went back up on New Years Day.  I went to bed at 10.15 on Hogmanay, very poor show but i just couldnt be arsed sitting up on my own.  Martin and Alison and the girls were up in dundee by that time so we had a couple of days with them then came back (on the bus) on 3rd Jan. 

Spent yesterday afternoon with josh, from Alister's class, and his mum Stephanie which was really nice then today we have had a well relaxing day playing with al Alister's new toys.

And here I am, just about to do an online tesco shop which will be mainly fresh fruit and veg in order to stop us both developing scurvy or turning into chocolate.  Hope you all had a grand old time over the festive season and recover soon!

HUUUUUUGE luv to all.

Jill & Alister
xxxxx 

no, not a typo, I do mean Al's well!  Young master Blair was a wee trooper at the hospital last Friday.  I had prepped him to be ok with getting an anaesthetic injection and he was a bit nervous but coping admirably. Then we get there and they give him it as gas. Not good.  What would you do if someone held a mask on your face and pumped really stinky gas at you?  Precisely, you'd do everything you could to get away from it.  He puled the mask away, pulled the pipe out, he had his nails well and truly sunk into me, had 5 of us holding him down at one point and eventually went under.  I was a wreck!!!! 

But he had 4 teeth out, came home, lay quietly for a few hours and was soon back to normal, minus some teeth and looking ridicuously cute for it!

We had a fairly quiet weekend (well, apart from alister going to a fancy dress bouncy castle party!) then Monday came round all too soon.  We made Christmas cards at my craft class this week because I was feeling lazy.  Took a pile of card, paper, pens, glitter, tinsel etc and told them to let their artistic juices flow (i.e. i just couldnt be arsed thinking up anything in particular for them to do!) God knows what we will do this week...... Maybe tree decorations.  They enjoyed making modelling clay from flour and water before.

Then on Saturday my mum picked us up and we went to Dundee.  Met up with my Uncle Bill from the States and Auntie Elsie for a coffee then took Alister to Dobbie's to visit Santa.  Then today my mum and I went into town shopping and alister put his great gran's christmas decorations up for her.  He had a ball and I got a few hours peace.  Brought my gran's car back with us and the thermometer was reading -5 coming home. WAH!  Proper frosty.

Going to go to Edinburgh to do some Christmas shopping tomorrow but am pretty organised this year and dont have much left to buy.  All good!  Meant to be meeting my mate Bobby for lunch which will be nice. 

Right, I am off to pretend to be a pensioner and drink sherry and read Reader's Digest.  It's not right I tell ya.... I'm only 34!!!!

Night all. High fives and big hugs.

Jill xxxxx

So after alister had his teeth x-rayed last week I got a call on Tuesday to say the hopital had a cancellation and could Alister go in on Friday to get his teeth removed. That will be tomorrow then.  Flip.

I am soooooo scared about him going under a general anaesthetic.  And it doesnt matter how many things i read saying it will be fine blah blah blah, i am terrified.  Alister is handling it well.  He just knows he will go to sleep for a bit, have less teeth when he wakes up and be alowed to eat tomato soup and chocolate ice cream all day whilst watching his new Kung Fu Panda dvd.  He's actually quite excited, i've done a hell of a job on him!!

Am going to go and have a small glass of wine and try to relax a bit.  Wish it was this time tomorrow and it was all over with...

Night all.
Hugs
Jill
xxxxx

To the makers of Medised - a million thank yous!!!!!  For those not in the know, Medised is a kids medicine that is supposed to dry up snotty noses etc and 'aids restful sleep'.  I think I maybe used it once to dry up his snuffles but to be honest I, and many parents of my acquaintance, use it to drug their kids and get a bit of peace at night!  Go on, admit it, you've done it too!!!

Alister had gone for about 4 or 5 nights not falling asleep til about 10pm.  He was tired, cranky, downright unpleasant and yet still not sleeping.  So out came the medised.   Last night at 6.30pm he was lying on the sofa watching the tellybox with a fleecy blanket on him.  At 6.40pm i told him to clean his teeth and he kicked off so i just ignored him.  At 6.45pm he was absolutely flat out on the sofa snoring!  Took him to bed and he woke up at 8am.  He was still a little shit this morning and by tonight was resembling Kevin the Teenager but at least he got a decent nights sleep.  And I didnt have to listen to him singing and acting out little scenes with his soft toys all flaming night.

Tonight he has so far had all his soft toys confiscated but seems to have fallen asleep mid-protest. Sigh.....

We are up early tomorrow to go to the hospital to get his teeth x-rayed.  Should be interesting.

Work was funny today.  This morning I spent an hour or so tracking down some tea/coffee pump dispensers and arranging delivery. Then another hour trying out stuff for my craft class, ended up making a sparkly christmas candle out of a toilet roll tube - looked really cool!  Then had to go and find some gym mats cos I am hosting a personal safety and self defence course on saturday. Alister off school tomorrow for an in service day so he will come to work with me after the hospital.  Will go armed with lots of dvds for him to watch!

right am off to chill for a bit before bed.

Big luv Jill xxxxx

Oooo look at me blogging twice in a week!

This week is the first week that Janet and I are doing our proper jobshare days.  Which means I am only working Wed-Fri.  Lovely!!!  Made some more home made vodka today.  Following the sucessful production of Kola Kube flavour I tried Butterscotch and Rosy Apple flavour today.  The Butterscotch one looks a bit murky but smells wicked!!

Tesco man came today, went for a nose round Asda and got a few wee stocking filler sweets for Christmas.  I am soooo excited about Christmas.  Not because i know alister will LOVE everything I have for him.  Not because we are going to the panto in Dunfermline on Christmas Eve (front row, middle, of course!).  Not because my muma nd gran are coming to us this year.  Not because Alister will have his first Christmas at his own home.  Not because of the lovely decorations and twinling lights.

No, I am excited because if Christmas is at my gaff then the stockings are MY job this year!  I love opening my stocking usually but this year I can't wait to be the one up at midnight on Christmas Eve arranging stuff in my own living room and filling stockings for Alister, my mum and my gran (and me!).  I have already got a few wee toys for alister's plus some nice sweets fo them all.  I want to get a couple of nice wee extra things for my mum and grans ones too. Don't know what yet, maybe a nice wee pair of earrings or some nice little Sanctuary travel size bottles.  Any ideas for this please fire them at me!!

So back to regular humdrum - Alister should have had swimming lesson tonight at 5.15pm but he didnt fall asleep until 10pm last night.  So i decided it was an early night for him.  Actually he was asleep before 7.30pm tonight so hoping he will feel better for it tomorrow.

We have the dentist tomorrow.  Alister was suposed to get a tooth pulled out after he had an abscess on it months ago but he completely freaked out so he has been referred to the Community Dental Clinic.  First appointment tomorrow is just to talk things over and try and put his mind at ease.  GULP!!!  And then tomorrow is Parents Evening at school.  DOUBLE GULP!!!

So I am now going to lounge on the sofa for a bit watching rot on tv.  Might even have a sofa snooze.  Ahhhhhh....... peace, perfect peace.....

Love ya! Jill xxxxx

5 months!!!??? 5 months since I last wrote here??!!!!  What could I have done in 5 months??....

I could have travelled the world
I could have saved the world enough times to have material for approx 150 new series of 24
I couls have phoned Sky customer services and still been on hold
I could have lost about 2 and a half stone (must try harder)
I could have........

I didnt' travel the world
I didn't save it either
I have been on hold to Sky for what seems like 5 months
I have lost about half a stone in the past 3 weeks
I did run out of hours in the day.  What with studying, working, mummying, housekeeping, sunday schooling and craft classing I just haven't had time to be here too.

I had my exam for my literature course in October, results due December 12.  My gran blair died and I miss her. She was 95 and in a lot of discomfort by the end.  I'm so thankful that I was able to spend her last few hours with her.

Alister started school - not without its ups and downs.  Parents night next week....gulp!!!
I'm still working at Dunfermline High.
I have finally updated by Bebo and Facebok pages so feel free to add me.

I'm so glad i got 10 mins to come on here today! My mum is coming round in a bit to go out for a coffee so its just a quickie to get me back into my blog!  Hope you are all well and healthy and happy and having a ball!

Big Luv!!!
Jill
xxxxx

It's late, 1 minute to midnight as I start typing on Tuesday 3rd June 2008 actually.  Tonight I got hammered into an essay for TMA4 for OU course A210 - Approaching Literature.  I got 800 words out of the required 1500 bashed out then decided to have a glass of wine and watch something girly on telly.  After flicking between the Paramount comedy channels i plumped for The Secret Life of Mrs Beeton on BBCfour.  I love Mrs Beeton's book.  I love recipe books.  I love biographies. I didn't realise she was a very young woman but the info on Sky said she died at 28 and that roused my curiosity.

Never.  Never ever.  Never ever ever.  Not ever. NEVER have I been moved to laugh and cry so hard at a TV feature length drama as I did tonight.

I didn't plan to blog tonight but my god I have just been so moved by this programme.  I have seen it advertised on BBC4 loads of times but never ever watched it.  Anna Madeley is amazing as Mrs Beeton (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0534777/) and I honestly sobbed over every child she lost.  And when she realised her husband had syphillis and this is what was causing her children, and eventually herself, to die prematurely it was absolutely heart-breaking.

If you ever see it advertised try and make time to watch it.

jill xxxxx

ooooooo it's been a very long time since i last blogged!  now what's happened.....

alister and i had a fabulous long weekend in the lake district.  We stayed in a lovely wee cottage near penrith.  Right here to be precise.... http://www.andrewhousecottage.co.uk  Many thanks to John and Tina for a lovely stay and especially thank you to John from Alister for letting him help with all the blokey stuff like making bonfires and mowing lawns!  All good training for him to takeover gardening duties when he is bigger!

So that was nice.  My mum has moved house and it's lovely.  My Gran Blair is back in hospital again. What is it with us getting ready to go on holiday and her going into hospital???  Last time she went in we were setting off to Disneyland Paris.  This time round we are off to Lanzarote.  8th June me, alister and lynnie all jet off for a week in the sun. Can't wait.
Before then, we are going to see Playhouse Disney on Tuesday at the playhouse in edinburgh but Alister doesnt know about it yet. He has been so good for so long that I thought i would surprise him.  Then on thursday alister, lynne and i are all starting karate.  Soooo looking forward to it!  It's all free at Dunfermline police station.  cool!!!  http://www.jkawfs.co.uk/Police.html

Also have an essay due in on thursday and have only written about 50 words so far.  Ah well, only 1450 to go!  Then Alister has a birthday party at play planet on Saturday, then sunday school on sunday morning and off to the airport pretty much right after that. busy busy busy...... *EDIT* i forgot to say that it's Bon Jovi at Hampden on 21st June.  Playing it down a bit cos I think Richie will propose on stage this year.  Don't want to ruffle any feathers but really there were only so many blonde slim goddesses a man could date before he realised he loved a podgy pasty scottish lass   Your wedding invites will all be in the post!!

Oh, I need to get some toiletries for the holidays.  And maybe a couple moe vest tops.  Oh the list could go on.....

Right...very chuffed that I have bloged but am off for an early night now.

Laters,
big love
Jill xxxxx

I have a pile of £1 vouchers and a £2 voucher to use at cd-wow.com but you can only use one per transaction.  I don't need anything just now but hate to see them go to waste - they must be used by midnight 9th April.  Feel free to use them if you were planning to buy something.  I don't know if they are limited to being used by my login so if you try to use one and it says you have to be me plaese post a comment so nobody else bothers trying.  Cheers! Hope someone can use them.

£2 code is - ac636-89b2d-91336-24b6d

and 12 x £1 codes are -

962e1-e1c3c-a3f58-40f23
87ff2-f5f23-109ce-a0a16
b33c3-e939b-53640-526fb
ef788-d00b0-c54b5-35422
3ca8a-83857-46277-88460
61bce-2adef-af3da-28efc
ede46-e59a7-50ae0-ed213
72807-f74cc-3e7b8-f8ae8
d9108-d2711-39a0c-610fa
c8634-3a3db-f1b11-7b9f8
23777-45151-be0f3-12eff
15201-835a8-38322-41c8c

I should be writing my essay but decided it was much more important to set up my Google Adsense ads (see boxes to the right.  If you feel inclined to click through any then feel free.  Even if you don't feel so inclined please feel free to click them anyway as it earns me some ££s.  Not that I am ASKING you to, that would be against the rules etc etc.  I am merely suggesting that if you were curious about any of them blah blah blah.....).  It's driving me nuts actually cos someof the ads that appear look quite interesting but it is ABSOLUTELY against the rules for me to click on my own ads so I can't find out about them.  Rubbish!  Well, I suppose i could just type the url into my browser but where's the fun in that??  I like clicking on buttons.  But, like I say, you all feel free to click to your hearts content!

This is silly.  I really DO need to get this essay sorted out.  In the meantime head on over to Mrs Badcrumble's Daily Challenge.....  http://my.funtrivia.com/tournament/Mrs-Badcrumbles-Challenge-81362.html

laters.
Jill
xxxxx

EDIT it's now 6.45pm and i have written 300 words of the required 1500 of my essay.  How completely pathetic.  If anyone has any valid points to make about how Great Expectations is informed by contemporary social issues then feel free to comment!