Amy Winehouse RIP

Lets face it no-one was surprised to hear the news Amy Winehouse had died.  It was evident from her appearence she was unwell.  For years we have seen her image degenerating.  It is sad that someone so talented and only 27 years old could only find some sort of solace in drugs.  It is a warning to us all of how destructive narcotic substances are and how they can wipe out a life.

There has been much debate about the 27 club, who includes Jim Morrison, Janice Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Curt Kobain.  My theory is that the human body can only go on for so long being poisoned with drugs until it can take no more and ultimately one day gives up.  Looking back at the images of Winehouse you can see when the rot started to set in.  She was catapulted at a young age into a global mega star and evidently did not have the resilence to deal with it.

Paul Gambacini made a really good point that all fame and money does is emphasise all the problems that were already there.  Fame gives you the vehicle to supply your habit.

Amy had an amazing voice and was a talented musician who broke the mould.  Now when I listen to her voice it is almost haunting.  I hope all of those media types that hounded her feel guilty for exploiting a sick young woman.  For me personally, it has made me realise that drug addicts need more help and support to kick their habits.  I applaud Amy's Dad for starting a foundation to help drug addicts.   

With decisions you design your life!

This is my Husbands mantra, with decisions you design your life.  It is so true.  This week I am on operation flat stomach.  I was weighed last week at the Doctors and I am about half stone heavier than I should be.  We all know what to eat or not to as the case may be.  It is so difficult when nice food is put in front of your face.  I have my determined head on, I will not deviate from my diet. 

I am doing slimming world which I find easy to do as it is a low fat balanced diet.  I watched a programme that said your brain wants you to eat the foods with the most calories in.  I am going to blame my brain and my human instinct for lard. 

I am cylcing into work this week (16 Mile) round trip and running.  It is working I think I have lost 4lbs, but you have got to be resilient and resist temptation!  When I see something yummy I repeat to myself, "Nothing tastes better than being thin,".  Wish me good luck!

Get the pidgeon!

I am having a strange time with nature at the moment, pidgeons in particular.  I was walking through the garden to put my washing out, and noted a pidgeon on the step.  At first I was confused as to why it was not flying away and though it was odd.  I then realised it could not fly.  Poor thing, it looked really scared.

My Husband then took charge and decided to catch it and put it in a tree!  He has apparently tried to save pidgeons before by putting them in a box with some bread, in case they get hungry, unfortunately they all died.  This time he put the pidgeon that could not fly in a tree.  Whilst he was getting his ladder out to put it in a tree, our next door neighbour was finding the whole situation extremely funny. 

The next day the bird was still in the tree (as it could not fly).  Being the generous animal lover that he is, he chucked a piece of bread at it.  It was so scared it jumped and fell out the tree!  Poor birdie.

The next day there was another pidgeon not flying in the street.  It looked badly hurt and could not fly.  My Children were fascinated by it as they walked on by to school.  When I returned it had gone.  My neighbours Daughter Georgina came and asked me if I had seen what had happened to the bird, as she had rang the RSPCA of course I did not know.  Later on, I went into our back garage, and to my surprise in a black box, there was a pidgeon with bread next to it!  I ran back to see Georgina and she informed me the RSPCA told her to take it to the nearest vets.  That is what I did.

We must have an evil cat or something stalking pidgeons in our area!  My Husband obviously fancy's himself as a pidgeon rescurer and like to feed them bread!

Getting a snail drunk?

I have noticed since we have had the extension that there are a fewshiny trails in the kitchen.  Me thinks there is a snail or a slug in the vicinity.  At the weekend my Mother-in-law advised me to put down a saucer of beer to catch it.  At the time I did wonder if she was taking the Mickey out of me.

That night I put down a saucer of Guiness.  The next morning I came down and my Husband shouted "Have you caught anything?".  I had totally forgotten about it.  I went into the kitchen and there was a drunk snail on the edge of the saucer.  It was hillarious, it's tenticle thingys were slowly going in and out.  Obviously pissed as a fart.  I was really pleased with my endevaour to stop the snail trails, and put it out in the garden.  Thinking it will sleep it off and have one hell of a hangover.

When I got home the Children were playing in the garden and I found the snail.  He was dead!  Whoops.  I gave it alcohol poisioning and then it snuffed it.  At least it had a good time before it died.  I am going to look at it as I gave it one hell of a send off!  Great way to go!

Later on that night, my Husband informed me, he had got the snail out of the garden before I got up and put it on the saucer.  Technically he murdered the snail and not me! Aparently they don't live long anyway.  I might have to do it again to get the little blighter!

School sports day or get your hair done?

I had a tricky choice today, sports day or get my hair done?  Yes you guessed it, getting my hair done won!  I get my roots done every 8 weeks and I don't work on a Wednesday, which is my one day to get all my bits and bobs done.  Being a bleach blonde my roots need doing and I feel like a new woman when my hair is done, I love it. 

I did contemplate not going to the hairdressers until my boss told me she went to her Son's sports day and said they sat around for 4 hours and saw them in 2 races.  My question to her that sold it to me was, "Would you do it again,", she immediately retorted with, "No,".  That was all I needed to know.  It was touch and go whether it was on as it was raining intermitently.  I thought if I cancel it then it rains, the blasted sports day will be moved to next Wednesday when I have rebooked it.  Another 2 weeks on my roots!  If I left it that long I would get heckled in the Street and people would give me money thinking I sell the big issue, get my drift.  Okay I am exagerating a bit.  My friends thought it was hillarious that I was sacking sports day for my hair.

I went last year and had a lovely afternoon.  It was sunny and only lasted for an hour.  This year it started at 9.15 and went on until 1.30.  Mmmmm sitting around a school field for 4 hours with a bored 4 year old was not appealing.

I know one of the Mum's has branded me a bad Mother for not doing all that ra ra stuff, but the fact of the matter is she does not work and has no concept of having to juggle and squeeze everything in.  Any way I have nothing to prove to her or anyone else.

I turned up for the last hour after it had finished.  My friends said I had the right idea and it was too much sittting about and other than watching their children race it was dull and that they said they would not go next year.  None of the Dad's could go as it went on too long.  The children came out to have a picinic when it had finished but unfortunately it started raining, so we left.  My Daughter is none the wiser that I did not see her race and thinks I saw it all?  Great result for me and my hair looks great!

Our headmaster always asks for feedback, but as I did not go, I could not really comment!

Naughty Little Birdies!

My 4 year old Son said the word "Twat", to our Neighbours Grandsons, nice one!  Great for our relationship with their Grandparents thinking our Son is rude, probably that we swear all the time in front of him, and worst of all that we have said they are "Twat's", which of course we have never said, nor do we use that type of language infront of him.  They are very humble sweet natured people, I think they are Indian.  Any way, great Neighbours, just how you want them polite and will help you out if you need it, but most of all keep themselves to themselves.

When questioning my Son, "Where did you learn that word Twat from?", he paused for thought and then told me, "A birdie in the garden told me it,", I then explained to him that it was a rude word, not to say it again, and next time he speaks to the neighbours very well behaved boys to apologise.

On Saturday, we had a BBQ in the garden, and my Son was told that if he did not finish his food he could not have his pudding.  A few minutes later he came in the House with an empty plate and announced, "Finished,", great time for desert.  My Husband and I had a cup of tea and were enjoying the wonderful Summer Sun on our swing bench, near to the table where we had eaten our dinner.  The kids were playing in the garden, when my Husband noticed my Son's half eaten burger under the table, "What's that under the table, it is your burger,", my Son then nodded and said, "It was the birdie,".  We all then cracked up laughing.  That damn pesky birdie, teaching my boy bad language and then throwing his food on the floor.  I wonder what the birdie will get up to next time!