May 2010

Open Your Eyes!

30 May 2010

What follows is a post about child abuse, and how to spot it. Written by a guest poster who wishes to remain anonymous it lays bare a plea especially to Mums, Grandparents, Teachers – in fact all adults who are in regular contact with children. child abuse where to go for help

Please open your eyes to the situation you are bringing your children up in. Is it safe for them? Don’t limit your understanding of child abuse to preconceived notions of gender, class, race, or circumstance. Abuse crosses the class, race, gender divide. It does not discriminate between boys and girls, between blood relatives or relatives by marriage or relationship. It can be sexual, physical or emotional – often all at once.  Read more... (924 words, 1 image, estimated 3:42 mins reading time)

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My Cup is Half Full

30 May 2010

Perspective is a beautiful, hard-won thing. Today there’s a strong wind blowing, but the sun is shining. My heart is in New Zealand, but it’s here too, in England.

Miss Ten, the resident tomboy, wandered out to ride her bike and stopped momentarily to pick this beautiful bloom in our garden. I have no idea what kind of flower it is! Is it a Peony?

‘I saw this and thought of you Mum’ she said.

So matter-of-fact. Love in our family is a given. Not something to be made a fuss about.  Read more... (192 words, 2 images, estimated 46 secs reading time)

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Put Your Hands in the Air

28 May 2010

Woohoo! Put your hands in the air

‘Put hands in the air like you just don’t care!’

So I did. Numerous cocktails played chasie in my stomach. But look at me everyone, yeah. I’m so sexy. I’m too sexy for my boots, so sexy it hurts….

Bam. Floor. Hurts.

Never mind! Up again, dancing. No one can stop the Dancing Queen. Oh sorry about that, didn’t mean to bump you. You, however come over here to Mama baby, you I mean to bump!

Woohoo!  Read more... (629 words, 1 image, estimated 2:31 mins reading time)

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Where do you get it from?

27 May 2010

I haven’t needed to know before. where does it come from?

I’ve been blessed with an abundance. Why has it changed?

Was it the kids? Finding out the man you thought had pledged to love you, had cheated you for years? Was it learning that age catches up with you, unless you dance with the botox needle?

Why am I not as confident now as once I was?

When I was 21 I was advising the partners (all forty something and male) for a world reknown accountancy firm. I worked 80+ hours per week. I didn’t sleep very much. I really didn’t need to. We did the dishes in our little flat, on Saturdays.  Read more... (539 words, 1 image, estimated 2:09 mins reading time)

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It’s Business Time

26 May 2010

As a follow on to my previous post (and in an attempt perhaps to ‘hide’ said post from my OH) I was reminded by Califlorna and London City Mum of my two favourite Kiwi comedians – The Flight of the Conchords. One of my all time faves of theirs is the following – Business Time.

Doesn’t it just say everything about romance in a long term relationship?

And as a PS to my previous post – I did sort out the bumpity bumps, and I had fun doing so!

Enjoy!!

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Things that go bump in the night

26 May 2010

My Englishman is a little like Tigger. On Speed. things that go bump in the night

He goes and goes and goes and goes…

…then he keels over, sleeps for a day and then gets up and goes again.

He’s irrepressible.

But if there’s one thing I cannot do with a grin, it’s being woken at night by a 35 year old man bouncing on the frickin bed!

I know it is 1330 somewhere in the world, and the sun is shining and it’s time to make hay whilst the sun shines, but here, in this country it’s long past witching hour.  Read more... (559 words, 1 image, estimated 2:14 mins reading time)

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Take me off your list!

25 May 2010

Ring. Ring. vegemitevix says take me off your list

I’m in the kitchen stirring the fish sauce. The cat is sitting on top of the cupboard staring down longingly at the sauce in the pan on the stove. The dog is a hairy shadow at my feet.

Ring. Ring.

Son is getting ready to go out and I have to feed him, sort out the girls, make sure he has his bits and pieces (he needs a homemade spear for eel fishing! Everyone has one of those in their utility cupboard. Don’t they?)  Read more... (361 words, 1 image, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

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I Spy Facebook

24 May 2010

I’m a new millennium Mata Hari.

I work behind the lines and I watch and listen. I very rarely report back. I just quietly keep an eye out for any funny business. Admittedly this is a dangerous admission. I may blow my cover completely, but I guess I’m willing to take the risk.

My children read this blog. Sometimes their friends read it too. I’ve even had a couple comment. I like to think they can comment and put in their two pence..

But I am a spy for the adult world.  Read more... (400 words, 1 image, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

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From this day forward

22 May 2010

Saturday 23rd May 2009

Panic enveloped me.

It flushed my cheeks. I sucked in. My sister and my niece pulled at the lacings again.

I was going to end up walking down the aisle in my basque and suspenders!

‘You need to pull it really, really hard!’ I pleaded with my dressers.

I was sure I’d lost weight since I’d picked up the dress from the dressmaker. It had fitted perfectly at the last fitting! What’s more I’d had very little to eat for the past two days, and my stomach was churning with nerves.  Read more... (1134 words, 1 image, estimated 4:32 mins reading time)

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Nowt Queer as Folk

22 May 2010

I have a personal confession.

Lean in…..Ready?

I’m going through A Change.

I know. Truly I wouldn’t have thought it would happen to me. After all I’m a Kiwi, I’m more patriotic than an All Black doing the haka! But…this past week I’ve noticed a couple of things that have shaken me to the core.

1/I called a store assistant, ‘love’. I did. Just like Hilda Ogden circa 1979.

2/I complained about the weather. Not so surprising I guess, except I complained that ‘I was hot!’ and it was only 20 degrees!!  Read more... (180 words, 2 images, estimated 43 secs reading time)

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