TV nostalgia.

One of the lovely things about having a mischievous toddler is that it gives you permission to relive your own childhood. I have watched a serious amount of kids TV in the last 3 years, at the moment we're (LV is) mad keen on peppa pig, Ben & Hollys Magic Kingdom, Tinkerbell and inappropriately Home & Away. Thankfully she has pretty good taste and I quite like these programmes (particularly Home & Away), well, as much as someone of 29 years old can enjoy watching snorting pigs. As we sit here on this Saturday morning watching Scooby doo together I started to think about all the programmes I used to enjoy when I was little.....and I feel far less guilty about LV watching Home & Away....

I used to watch:

Birds of a Feather - Set in Essex, the story of two women whose husbands are in prison for armed robbery.
The Upper Hand - A male housekeeper moves in with a single mother, after 6 series of fuelled innuendo they marry.
The Brittas Empire - The running of a leisure centre by an incompetent manager, the receptionist keeps her baby in a desk draw.
Family Ties - I can't remember what this was about but I watched it religiously, aspiring to be like the materialistic Mallory.

So above are the more adult orientated programmes, then there were the early teen programmes:
Sister Sister
Boy meets world
Sweet valley high
Saved by the bell
Hang time (wasn't great)
California dreams
Brandy
Heartbreak High (Drazic!)
The Wonder Years
I was quite clearly addicted to American high school relationship based dramas.

Then there were the actual children's programmes:
The Jetsons (my total fave)
Green Claws
Why don't you? (This was a treat to watch when we were over in the UK)
Bertha

Adverts (We didn't get these in Germany and I used to find them massively exciting!)

As you can see LV comes from great TV viewing stock, I have high hopes for her...and I watched a mass of totally inappropriate TV programmes and I turned out ok, I think. I can't wait for LV to look back and list all the random programmes I used to let her watch. Most importantly though is where you watch the programmes you shouldn't really be watching..I remember my sisters and I watching Birds of a Feather in my mum and dads bed...mega cool. 

xo.

Snowy Sunday.

 

Sledging smile.

 Sledging focus.

 Snowy park.

Warming up.

xo.

Banana Bonanza.

Yesterday afternoon it snowed, so LV and I baked. I used this recipe from pannasbaking and it truly is the best banana cake I've ever tasted. I knew it would be because Rose of pannasbaking brought one to a friends 30th birthday a couple of weeks back and it made such an impression that I've since dreamt about it! Bonkers I know. I also ate it for breakfast the day after the party and it helped me feel normal again so I'd say not only is it delicious it has magic hangover curing properties!

The quantities suggested made 12 muffins and a loaf. Most of the muffins have been eaten (yikes) and I've frozen the banana loaf ready for my next work baking day (organised or what?!). There's nothing complicated about this recipe and there was lots LV could help with: mashing bananas, stirring flour in, pouring buttermilk in.....and eating the mixture of course.

xo.

Is that a Gplan mirror? Thirfting fabulousness.

It has been weeks since I last thrifted, I lost my thrifting mojo, it's not that I haven't been on the hunt, more that I just haven't seen anything that I can really say I love. That was until today. Today I had low expectations, I sauntered into town and after finding two amazing treats in the first shop I made the decision not to continue to the others. Very unlike me, but I'm trying to reign in my thrifting ways and I'm under strict instructions that we really don't need any more junk! Junk? hardly.

Today's delights:

Is that a fabulous Gplan mirror I hear you ask? Why yes, it is. It matches our wonderful Gplan sideboard. Was it a total steal at just £10? Why yes, it was. The only caveat around this purchase is that in order to hang this in the living room I think we might just need a new wall colour....I've already started the groundwork for this with the resident ex-painter aka my husband.

Second delight of the day:

This beautiful vase caught my eye straight away, it's a 1960's Newton Abbott pottery gem. I love the pattern. Initially I decided against buying it because it was too expensive at £10, I tend to decide how much I'm willing to spend before I consult the price tag and if it doesn't meet my max then it doesn't come home. However, as I was looking at it the shop assistant said she loved it too and that it had been there for ages which she couldn't understand, I said I also loved it and she offered it to me for 50% less so I went for it and it's now part of my merry 'junk' filled home, horay!

xo.

Train etiquette part quatre.

I spent three days in London this week, that meant plenty of to and fro-ing on Eastmidlands mainline service...and we all know how well I get on with trains. My first whinge is in relation to the price of tea, totally outrageous. £1.70 for boiled water and one peppermint tea bag!! A disgrace. I've made a pact with myself to carry my own teabags, surely they won't charge me for water?!

Now onto the real etiquette related content, so as I boarded the 15.15pm back from London st pancras on Friday afternoon I anticipated a busy train, what I did not anticipate was a cattle carrying experience. People were jammed in the aisles, people were practically having to stand in the toilet. It was jam packed. So, the only available place to settle was in an entryway, not exactly comfortable and with a two hour journey ahead I wasn't happy. I was momentarily even more unhappy when three youths attempted to bed down in my chosen location with plastic bags full of wine. The look on my face encouraged them to try another doorway. Then the saviour announcement came 'due to a very busy train today please use the first class carriages and take any seat available'. Like a cheetah I lunged at the doors that divided my doorway and first class and claimed a chair...phew maybe this journey wouldn't be so bad after all. Then it happened, a man was actually looking for his reserved seat, he was wading through the masses to find his reservation..please don't let it be my seat, please...then he focuses on me 'sorry that's my seat' me 'ummmm sorry I have a seat reservation too that I can't get to (lie)' I panicked, I couldn't move, I couldn't stand for two hours! As my colleague reminded me afterwards the actual truth was that reservations were cancelled because the train was so busy, but when the pressure was on I crumbled. I didn't move and I ended the conversation by dismissing the seat claimer with my eyes. I know I'm awful. I moan about train etiquette and it seems I'm guilty of being a horror of a passenger too...yikes. Maybe I'll be more tolerant of train behaviour after committing a faux pas myself. Maybe not (wink).
Xo.

Say what LV?

Setting the scene, pj's are on and I'm walking LV up to bed:

LV: Benjamin bit me
Me: oh no, that's not nice, did u tell the teacher?
(based on the assumption Benjamin is a boy from nursery) LV: No, I'm telling you mummy
Me: ok, well I don't think that's very nice behaviour so I'm going to speak to your teacher tomorrow
LV: Why?
Me: Because I don't think biting is very friendly and you should tell your teacher if it happens again
LV: And then he pooed on me
Me: (in my head) Holy Shit, what kind of nursery is this, who are this child's parents????
Me: (out loud) oh my goodness LV when? Where?
LV: Yesterday. When I was in bed Me: What bed?
LV: My little bed upstairs

I ponder this.....I realise.....Benjamin is not a boy, he's a toy rabbit.

Me: oh LV, Benjamin didn't bite or pooh on you, he's pretend
LV: He bit me and pooed on me, by pretend
Me: oh ok then

She gets into bed

LV: will you watch me sleep
Me: yep, ok
LV: but don't bite me
Me: I'd never bite you poppet
LV: and don't pooh on me
Me: I can promise you I will never ever do that
LV: ok, night mummy
Me: night sweetie

Another night passes in the house of peculiar conversation.
Xo

Hi, is this Alfie?

LV has been psyched about starting swimming lessons for months, well, as psyched as a 3 year old can get, but she was definitely super excited. Rob was almost as excited as LV as he usually takes LV swimming but unfortunately for him he had to work the day of her first lesson. The job was mine, I was to take LV to her first swimming lesson. My excitement was dulled down by the fact that I don't own a swimming costume and I cringed at the thought of showing up in my holiday bikini as the other mums tutted at my inappropriate attire for a child's swimming class, but I needn't have worried, thankfully the mums don't need to get in the water...phew, my bikini stayed firmly under my faux 'gym attire', I say faux because I very rarely exercise but I wanted to look the part for LV. So I walked LV over to the swimming teacher (she had a tshirt that said Swimming Teacher, sensible)and was confronted with what I can only describe as a total fox (blonde, tanned, fit, 21 etc) suddenly Robs desperation to get LV booked in with this particular class became very clear...tut. But then she said 'Hi is this Alfie?' ummmm no this is not Alfie! This is my girl daughter, LV.. the main reason she is wearing a swimming costume and not swimming trunks is because SHE is a girl!! Awkward. What I actually said was 'no, this is LV'. So LV throws her costume clad self into the pool and has a whale of a time. I grinned, clapped, cheered on from the poolside and had a hoot. I'll be taking her again Saturday, Robs in work again...(unlucky), but this time I might really mess with the fox and take LV in a pair of trunks. I suppose when u're that beautiful being able to identify the gender of your class members is irrelevant...I just thought it was a skill most people had..maybe not, I'll put the fox to the test Saturday. Xo