The Cutter (Part II)

I've got a Craft Ro-bo! I've got a Craft Ro-bo! Tra la la La... Tra la la LA!! It arrived on Tuesday morning, as wished for and it's so fabby it's untrue! I've only had a little play with it so far, but it has so many possibilities and I just hope I can use it to half of its potential and I'll be chuffed. As soon as I actually make something with it, I promise to show you a piccie, but at the moment, I'm still at the cutting out boring words and shapes stage....

In other news, I finally had my hospital appointment for the jaw of doom. The very nice specialist blokey told me it's fairly common and after asking various questions such as do I bite my nails or play a wind instrument (what, at the same time?!) , he ascertained that there's probably no reason why it happened but that there's a little piece of cartiledge loose in the joint and all I have to do are some exercises each day to strengthen the muscle. So, if I'm honest, slightly disappointed that it's not more dramatic, and fell very silly doing my jaw exercises in my car on the way to work, but relieved that my face isn't going to fall apart.

Now I'm off to play with the Robo! Might see if it would like to cut up some of my new DCWV Christmas papers....

Back In Business

Woo hooooo!! Look!! I made a card! Actually, I made two, but I can't show you the other one just yet.

I just haven't been feeling very crafty of late. My mojo is more like mo-go and it's mo-gone. I get very frustrated that I see all these beautiful cards and scrapbook layouts and I just can't compete because of a) lack of time, b) lack of suitable stash and c)lack of talent. I would love to be able to buy everything I wanted for my crafting, but, of course, it just aint possible. Ideally, I wish I was good enough at this lark to be asked by a mag or website to design for them, then I would get to play with loads of pretties for nowt! Unfortunately, this is never likely to happen, so I'll just have to sit and admire the lovelies from afar, while a puddle of drool seeps through the keys on my keyboard...

What I am chuffed about with the card you see here is that I have managed not one, but two 'firsts'. I finally found my Dymo Jr and used it and I also used that bloomin' Quickutz car that everyone has and nobody uses cos it's so flipping fiddly. Yay me! Just hope the inspiration continues once I have my Robo....

The Cutter

I just wubs my parents!! They are the bestest, most generous I've ever had. This year is D's 40th birthday and next February I hit the big three-oh (I've decided to tell people that I'm 26, as pretty much everyone who asks is surprised when I tell them I'm 29 as I look about 19. I am going to be 26 for as long as I can get away with it.) My lovely parents have paid for us to go away for a week to a villa in Menorca with them, instead of having parties and other such nonsense. I absolutely cannot wait, as I really missed going away this year (a week camping isn't quite the same!). How generous is that? We are going here , so I hope it's as nice as it looks (apart from the bedspreads 8-0 ). I've only ever done Mallorca, but the parents have done Menorca before and loved it - and I totally trust their judgment.

Not only that, but they are going to lend me the money for one of these . I have wanted a craft robo for soooooo long, but the price was far too out of reach for poor little me. However, they've now dropped in price and as it's more attainable, I thought I might save up my babysitting money to put towards it. Last week I turned up at the house (after a 15 mile drive) only to be told that they'd had a row and wouldn't be going out - eeeek!! 30 mile round trip for nothing - and I could have gone for a meal after the meet but had to pass. Grrr! This week, a different set of parents/children - had a phone call at 5 pm to cancel as the baby was ill. Aaargh!!! Someone is trying to thwart my attempts at owning a robo!

So, I'm telling this to my Mom, when she says "oh, we'll pay for it if you want one now - you can pay us back." Ooooh, thinks I, that sounds like a deal to me! So, with any luck, by Tuesday, I may be the proud owner of a Craft Robo. No idea what I'll do with it yet, but at least I'll have one...

Crying in the Rain

The title of this post is one of my favourite a-ha songs (along with Manhattan Skyline) and I'm listening to it now - good ole Napster.  I just love a-ha! Plus, it's been a bloody miserable afternoon here, so it just seemed appropriate.

Anyway, to the point of my post.  I'm afraid I'm having job wobbles again.  I know, I know..!  I have a great job really.  I've made it to a senior position from being a temp in about 6 months, I get a fairly decent wage for the kind of job it is (although compared to the so-called 'national average wage' I'm so far behind I wouldn't even catch up in a super-fast car with go faster stripes.)  I love, love, LOVE the kids I look after and they never fail to cheer me up if I'm down. Most of the people I work with are fab and we can have a good laugh, but not with all of them.  And that is the problem, I think.

*Rant alert!! - Please ignore if you don't like whinging!*

I am utterly fed up with the bitching and back-stabbing that is going on between certain people lately.  I know that there is always a certain amount of this from time to time no matter where you work, especially if it's all girls together. But, FOR F***'S SAKE LADIES!!!  I must admit, I think the management have made a couple of questionable appointments recently and there are staff who aren't as good at their job as they think they are (or should be), but it feels as though everyone is trying to get everyone else into trouble, outdo each other and generally act like pains in the arse.  I'm finding it very difficult to ignore, or even to intervene, as I think that as I work with them, I'm too closely involved, as opposed to the manager and deputy.  Gah!  I hate this seniority malarkey.  I just don't know if I'm ready to take over the deputy role in January when the manager goes on maternity leave...

The other problem I have is the travelling.  It's just so flippin' far to go each day.  I wouldn't mind if there was no other traffic on the roads, but sitting in a jam for 15 minutes when you're just a mile-or-so from your house is no fun.  Every day.  It just seems daft when there are plenty of nurseries so much closer to home.  I am just so petrified of interviews that I think I'm better off staying where I am.  I mean, if I have to have an interview, they'll find out I'm a fraud!  I know I can do the job - and do it bloody well - but in a 'question and answer' scenario, I know I'll get all flummoxed and tongue-tied and cock it up for myself.

I'm sorry!  If you're still reading this, you deserve a medal - or carting off in the van with the men in the white coats...  I just needed to get it off my chest really.  D just says "whatever you want to do, darling, you know I'll support you".  Which is lovely, but not altogether very helpful!  Bless him.

And Jane - you know you wanted more regular blogging?  Well, are you sure, if this is all I can manage?

You Wanted More (Part II)

Some more piccies from yesterday's meet. I didn't take many as I've left my camera at work and had to pinch D's, which is, of course, vastly inferior.

See that gaggle at the back? They're the norty ones...

Rachel and Nicola very studiously spent much of the day making cards to sell for charidee.

Em professed not to know what she was doing with her encaustic kit, but gave a demo anyway, bless her!

You Wanted More

Jane's been moaning that we haven't been blogging again! Believe me, I know how frustrating it is to keep checking a blog only to find it hasn't been updated since the last time you looked. However, some of us don't have as much time infront of the pc as we would like; life just kinda gets in the way! Sorry Jane.... :-( (Plus, you have the added advantage of those gorgeous boys to blog about! I am short on material in the week...)

Anyhoo, yesterday we had another meet up of ladies from the CBC forum . It was a much smaller affair than earlier in the year, but just as much (if not more) fun than last time and I, for one, didn't feel as overwhelmed as I did before.

What I liked about this meet, as opposed to the last couple I've been to, was that we all sat around a big table and actually made some cards. Well, some of the girls did. Some of us just sat and watched the creative juices flowing! It was great to all join in, doing the very thing that brought us all together in the first place and I think it helped to break down some of the little groups that tend to form at these things.

Once again, it was lovely to meet some new faces as well as catch up with those that are more familiar. I was again amazed at the lengths some people will go to to come to these events. I am lucky in that it's only a half hour drive for me, but others spent hours in their cars, on trains or even flew to be there. Guest of honour Annmarie finally made it after several disasters involving knickers and train delays and it was fab to finally meet her for real!

We all had a real laugh, especially at Em, demanding poor Barry in Burger King give her more paper bags (after the disappointment of not finding any in the ladies loos.... - the lengths we crafters will go to for our art!) and Lucy's fantastic new range of greetings for the charity cards ('Let In Snow, anyone?) and I only have to say "Code 54, MOD DOWN!!!" and several people will be in hysterics.

Thank you to all involved for a fabby day out and shame on you to those who dropped out - you missed a brilliant time! Here's to the next one.....

Mad About You

Nothing interesting to say - just wanted to share some of the latest piccies of my babies...

Sorry about the poor quality of this one, but it's my favourite. One of those 'quick, grab the nearest camera (mobile phone)!' moments....

Ocean Blue

Eeeeuuurgh!! I've just spent the best part of four days on that there ship. I can honestly say it was one of the least pleasurable experiences of my life. Way back in the year, D decided he would really like us to go on a mini-cruise, to celebrate our anniversary in September. At the time I didn't give it much thought and was impressed by the very reasonable price, so told him to go ahead and book it. Big mistake. It was only recently that I began to realise that this little jaunt would mean around 35 hours stuck on a ship to Spain, about 4 hours actually in Spain and then another 28 or so hours to get back to good old Blighty. Add to this that I am a renowned motion sickness-sufferer and I started to panic. "You'll be fine!" everyone told me. "You can hardly feel it move - take some tablets and you'll be okay." Yeah. Right....

So, I spent the whole of Tuesday inside my teeny cabin, trying to stop my stomach from rolling with the ship. It was like trying to sleep on a roller coaster. I wouldn't mind, but the sea wasn't even remotely rough! Never have I been more happy to see dry land than when we reached Santurtzi in Spain early on Wednesday morning. It didn't matter that it was one of those slightly crap port-y towns where not a lot is open and you have to eat weird food for breakfast as there's not much choice. I would have eaten a scabby Spanish donkey after refusing all sustenance on Tuesday for fear of its reappearance.

I was gutted we had to get back on that floating hell-hole after just a few short hours. However, I decided I would peruse the on-board shop while the ship was still docked and discovered the miracle of 'acu-bands'! Now, I have tried these before, when I worked on the trains and, quite frankly, they were crap. However, desperate times and all that, and these seemed quite swanky, so I thought I'd at least give them a go. I sat out on deck as we left and there I stayed for the next 8 hours or so. I felt fab! No ickiness whatsoever while I was out there. I even managed to see some whales blowing and dolphins frolicking, which is what I was really looking forward to. I also managed to snap this bootiful sunset, which, believe me, was no mean feat on a rocking boat with a force 10 gale blowing around you.

I have to say, that Thursday was much the same as Wednesday, just chilling out on the deck, sitting in the glorious sunshine (and the force 10 gale!) and watching the scenery go by. Well, when I say scenery, I mean the sea-nery really. I even quite enjoyed myself, but was very disappointed not to be able to take part in the bingo, game of Family Fortunes or to watch the P&O Players do their Abba tribute.... Hmmm, maybe not!

I was rather glad to get home last night after our somewhat epic journey. I don't think it's one we'll be repeating again soon. Or ever.

Anyone

1. Which famous person would you most like to learn that you are descended from?

Hmmmm, this is tough. It depends on why they’re famous. It would have to be someone who gained notoriety for their good deeds, rather than because they married a footballer or bared their boobs on Big Brother… Florence Nightingale – brave and caring.

2. Which famous person would you hate to learn that you are descended from?

Apart from the obvious peeps, such as Hitler, Stalin et al? I guess John McCrirrick…

3. If you could be ancestor to any living famous person, who would it be and why?

Someone really clever like Stephen Hawking, so I could say I taught him everything he knows…

4. If you could go back in time and meet any known ancestor(s) of yours, who would it be?

I would love to meet my Italian ancestors. My Grandad’s (Mom’s Dad) grandparents came over from Italy many years ago (apparently they brought with them the baked potato machine doo-dah’s you see on the street and were the Italian ‘king and queen’ of Birmingham at one time). We descend from a family by the name of Fezza (I think) from Assisi, so I would love to know more about them.

5. Tag 5 others....

Okay, er, Jane, Carolyn, Lucy, and two random readers, if I have any!

4 Ever 2 Gether

D and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary yesterday. Wow, where did that year go? We've had a really uppy-downy kind of year too, but we seem to have made it through. D's sister died just days after we returned from our honeymoon; I found a job after 3 months unemployment and then have been promoted twice since; we have an ongoing problem we're dealing with; I've come off my anti-depressants; we've increased our bunny-family and decided that maybe it's time we started trying for a real baby too. Through all of this, our love for, patience with and understanding of each other has remained strong - grown even. Marriage - I highly recommend it!