Better than a shopping spree

I love that feeling of excitement as I open up the bags, take out all the clothes and lay them out on the bed. Today's haul consists of...

• 3 white shirts
• a red shirt
• 4 pairs of work trousers
• 2 pairs of casual trousers
• 2 pairs of jeans
• 6 tops

Shopping spree? No. Just a short trip to the loft, where I'm keeping all the clothes that don't fit yet. Getting back into all those clothes again is even better than going out to buy new clothes.

Now to wash all the clothes so I can wear them this week!

What I did this week...

(No, the title is not clever or imaginative. I'm trying out 'functional' and I think it meets the criteria.)

Well this week has flown by in a blur of cold, early mornings; forgot-to-go-to-bed-early tiredness; what-am-I-supposed-to-be-doing-again? memory failure and is-it-really-the-end-of-the-holidays? realization, as is usual for the first week back to school after Christmas. 

With Christmas almost forgotten, I was very excited to receive a belated present from one of my colleagues. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love shiny things and that I spend far too much time on my computer, so this was the perfect present for me...

It came with a personalised notebook (writing pad, not a laptop!), as I also like to make lists and carry them around making it look like I am organised and know what on earth is going on.

I spent the week off Facebook, for various reasons, and felt liberated. It was good to not care what other people were posting, whether I was missing a 'really meaningful' e-card or who had and hadn't commented on my wall posts. I have returned to Facebook today, but will no longer be wasting hours of my life trawling through everything and anything other people felt it necessary to share with the Facebook world. I'd probably better stop this thread now, before I insult someone (that's if I haven't already!).

Our school trip to the Sea City Museum in Southampton was a great success. I highly recommend the museum to anyone who lives in or visits Southampton, particularly if you have an interest in the Titanic. It was well laid out and very interactive, so appeals to both children and adults. Take a look at their webpage here.

Friday evening should have meant I was relaxed. It was, after all, the weekend. Instead I was a bundle of nerves, thinking only about my first karate lesson which would take place on Saturday... 

As it turned out, (and as I could have predicted) I had nothing to worry about. I felt much better once I got there and saw that my partner in crime had not deserted me, but had come along for her first lesson too. With our sons as high grades (mine a brown belt and hers a first Kyū) we will not easily be able to make excuses to miss a lesson.                                                     Although the warm up made me wonder if I would be able to keep up for the rest of the lesson, I found that I was fitter than I thought and while it took focus and concentration, I really enjoyed it. I think it is fair to say that it looks a lot easier than it is. Having sat on the sidelines for 3 years telling Big J what to do, I guess it is time for me to put my money where my mouth is.

After a week like that, Sunday will definitely be a rest day... as in, I will have to get the rest of my 'To Do List' jobs done.

Happy Weekend everyone.

Holly Hill Woodland Park

We made it. After reading the weather forecast last night, I really was not sure we were going to be able to go walking at Holly Hill Woodland Park today, but although this morning the BBC was still predicting wet weather all day, the rain had stopped by just after 9am and the sun was beginning to shine. So, off we went.

All winter I have been moving the bag with my wellies in from one place to another. Today, when I really could have done with knowing where they were, do you think I could find them? Then I had the added frustration that Big J left it until 10 minutes before we were leaving to tell me there was no point taking his wellies, because they don't fit him any more! Perfect timing!

So, off we went; me in my old trainers and Big J... hmmm what did Big J decide to put on, I wonder...

Anyway. A good day was had by all. Not entirely dry; we had a very short rain shower and a hail shower, but the weather was definitely good enough to be out. It was very muddy, but that just made it more fun. Kids (and adults) should be allowed to play in the mud from time to time, don't you think?

Here's the obligatory slide show. Music? What else, but Stone Cold Sober by Paloma Faith.

Oh yes... and what DID Big J put on his feet? School shoes! Note to self: Check what he chooses as an alternative to wellies next time.

Common People

These are the last few days of the holidays before school and work start for the children and me. After all the excitement of Christmas and new year, it would not be unreasonable to spend the next few days just sitting around the house eating what's left of the Christmas food and watching rubbish on TV.

I want to make the most of these last few days, so today we decided to go out for a walk on Southampton Common. As we parked the car, Big J commented on the dark clouds suggesting that it may start to rain soon. A friend recently said to me, "There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing." I agree entirely, and therefore we were not put off going for our walk (despite the fact that my thin hooded sweater almost certainly falls into the 'bad clothing' category in terms of keeping me dry!)

What a lovely walk it was. We did get caught in one short rain shower, but, for the most part, it stayed dry, although it was quite muddy under foot.

Now I am hoping for it to stay dry for tomorrow's walk...

Kick Start The New Year

Back in September 2013, in one of my crazy and impulsive moments, when I shook hands with a friend and sealed the agreement that I would start going to karate with her in January 2014, it seemed such a long time in the future. I didn't want to start straight away as I needed to lose some weight before I felt confident enough to get up there in front of other people. Since then, I have lost 2 stone and I have gradually begun to feel more positive and self-confident. Now only days away from our first class, I am feeling rather less confident and a lot more nervous. 

Having sat on the sidelines for over 3 years watching James progress, itching to have a go myself, but not quite daring to take the plunge, I am looking forward to it, despite regularly asking myself, "What the hell was I thinking?"

Once we had agreed to start, I made sure I told as many people as I could that I was going to do it. In general, I'm not someone to go back on my word or give up on something before I have given it my best shot, but I also knew that I would rather do something I was feeling nervous about rather than back out and have to make excuses to everyone. 

So, I will be spending much of today altering my Karate Gi so that it will fit me... for now.