Whitehaven Parade

Today May 6th was a lovely day all round.  The sun was shining, the sky was blue and it was the day of the Whitehaven Freedom Parade through the town.

Me and hubby decided to go down and watch.  Now this sounds like a good plan, except for the fact its only 2weeks since I had my knee operation, i'm still hobbling about, I didn't take my crutches or the folding chair (this wasn't thought about until the last part of the air display!)  Plus we parked at the multi story and had to park on level 5 and then walk down.  So by the time we had left the car park I was already knackered and in pain.  Oh well, we're here now!

We took a slow walk to the harbour front.  As we were walking down the harbour front we got asked by a steward if we were part of the parade - errr no we're here to watch it and we're heading down to the navy boat.  We were allowed to pass.  He did inform us that the parade was going that way and coming back the way we were walking.

As we approached the quay down to where the navy boat was they had a sign up showing its name -

and on the metal gate was a sign that said open 10:30am-4pm, we said that it would be worth getting the boys from school and heading straight down so they could look round the boat.  We walked down the quay to the boat (which was at the far end!!!)  As we got nearer I could see a rope ladder at the side of it - the only way on board - great!  I decided not to go on board as I didn't want to risk hurting my knee any more than the walking was going to do.  Hubby went on and had a  look around.  I took a few photos of the outside of the boat and then wandered back to the harbourside where I could sit down.

After a short sit down on a bench I could hear the band playing and someone said that the parade where on their way back to the harbourside.  I stayed seated until I saw the band come into the band stand and then I stood up.  I had a lovely view from where I was, that was until the police and stewards decided they were going to stand there.  However I did manage to get some nice photos of the parade.

After the parade had all been inspected and everything else done they marched past the end of where I was standing (couldn't sit now if I had wanted to as the area behind me was full of people).  The cheering and waving of flags and clapping was really nice.

It was then time for the arial displays to start.  They were really good, and I managed to get some photos that are very clear even though I only had the small cameras with me, yes cameras I had 2!

Following this great display it was the turn of the red devils parachute display team, from air to sea.  The plane had to do a few laps before it was cleared to go.

Apparently the sea was very cold, 1 of them said as they walked past - I will believe him as I have no desire to find out until the weather warms up much more! 

Finally there was another plane doing lots of tricks and leaving smoke trails.

I was glad I had gone down there for the event but I certainly knew that I had stood for nearly 2hrs.  I was in alot of pain.  By the time we got home my knee had swollen up and I have taken lots of pain killers and elevated my knee and had ice on it.  I got some really nice photos and had a lovely time.  The atmosphere was brilliant and there was a great turn out for a small town.

Spiritual & holistic event

This weekend was the Spirit of Cumbria Holistic fair at the Rheged centre near Penrith, in Cumbria.  I would have liked to have gone for the whole weekend as there were some very interesting workshops on both days, but this would have cost in the region of £80 in petrol for hubby to take me there and come home and then come back for me in the afternoon and then home again on both days, and a hotel would have cost me about £40-50 for the night, plus taxis to and from the venue.  So I decided that I would only go today (Sunday).

Hubby and the boys did the easter egg hunt, made pixie doors, had faces painted and played in the play area outside leaving me free to wander around the various stalls, try out therapies and attend workshops.

I had a bio-energy healing taster session of 20minutes, my feet felt really heavy and my fingers were tingling afterwards, which is apparently good. 

I had an aura photograph taken, and the lady said she hadn't seen anyone with as round chakras as all mine were for quite a while.  It has got lots of various colours and halos on it. 

the colours are much brighter on the actual picture than the photo of it makes them, the purple on my head is more vivid as well.

 I also had a psychic reading done which was very acurate, I had never seen or met the man before.  Some of the things he said there is no-way he would have known - like my lounge wallpaper colour, the fact my kettle turns on/off on its own and that my grandad was called Reginald and was in the army!  Very impressed with what he said.

I attended the Angel Workshop which was very informative, I just hope I didn't come across as rude as I was typing things the lady said onto my phone (as had pen but no paper in my handbag) but I was sat near the back.

All in all it was a nice event and everyone was so friendly.  I would definately go to another event like this.

A new baby......

........not of the human variety I may add!  But I have been and bought a baby bearded dragon.  It is believed that it is a "he" but as only 7weeks old this may not be correct as very hard to tell under 8-10weeks.

We have named him Hunter.  He has lots of orange to his markings.  He is very small.

 

On my 11yr old hand to show size

We only got him because our Tortoise died, she was a rescue pet and had been fed cat meat daily for her 1st year of life.  The vets said she would only live for 2-3years and we had her for 9years, so she was 10yrs old when she died. 

Mothers day 30th march 2014

Happy Mothers day MUM, I know your not here physically but your always here with us in our hearts and minds.  Today is the 9th mothers day without you.  It doesn't get any easier.  We love you always. RIP Mum. x

My mum. x

And thank you to my lovely boys and hubby for my cards and presents.  Each of the boys made me a card at school, I know i've moved "up north" as the card from my youngest says MAM not MUM. 

my cards

Happy mothers day to all my mummy friends and the mums everywhere.

indestructible boys school shoes???

DO such a thing exist???  I'm starting this post of the thought of NO they don't!!!  And I have very good reasons for believing this.  Read on.

My middle son is 8years old, he seems to be dead set on destroying EVERY pair of school shoes we buy him.  He has gone through 10 pairs since September 2013, two of which he has ruined THIS WEEK ALONE!  I wouldn't mind if he was outgrowing them or they were generally worn.  BUT he either sits and picks at the stitching/material on the top of toes so he gets a hole or he is skidding and playing football on the concrete playground and making holes in the sole.

We have had shoes from George, Next, Tesco, Shoe Zone and Brantano.  All of which have ended their life very quickly and gone in the bin.  I can't say that I remember which particular brand lasted the longest but none have been very long.  Admittedly, I don't buy expensive shoes but this is for the reason that he will do the same to them as he does the cheaper ones.

BUT is it any wonder when most of the sole are almost smoothe and have very little tread to start with and are plasticy synthetic???  Where are the thick, chunky rubber or leather soled soles of a few years ago???  Yes, that would be right they cost more money to produce, so our kids have to suffer.  Now don't get me wrong I know my son is wrecking his shoes but what use are these plasticy non grip shoes if the weather turns icy???  No use at all!!!

I have just about had enough of it.  I started a google search under "indestructible school shoes" and was very pleased to see pages after pages of mums in a similar situation to me, desperate to find a solution to their children ruining school shoes, some in the same way as my son, others through scuffing of general wear and tear. 

Well I kept reading and eventually came to a post from an American forum and the suggestion believe it or not was "Skate trainers/shoes!"  Not something I had thought of I must admit, but when I started looking and reading more on the subject the soles are much thicker and chunkier than normal school shoes for the reason when used on a skateboard they need to be thick to withstand the pushing motion on concrete!  BONUS just what I am after.  And even better is when I can find them cheaper than I have been paying for school shoes.  They will be being ordered asap.

So as you can see in the space of this post my opinion of "indestructable school shoes" has changed a complete circle from not believing they exist to finding a solution.  Lets hope that they work!!!  watch out for the update.

1week in......

......on the slimfast diet and I have lost 3lbs so far. :D

The first 3days were absolute hell, I was constantly hungry and craving everything that I would normally eat - cakes, chocolate, crisps etc.  But I was good and stuck to what i'm allowed and drank loads of water. 

I found out that almonds are low calorie and allowed as a snack upto 100grams, but instead of having them all in 1 go I have picked at them when I have felt abit hungry.  It seems to be working ok.  The only thing I have had to do is add in an extra snack as I was feeling very cold and light headed on the  1200cals a day that they suggest.  It was after a google search that I found that this could be far too low for my body and to add an extra snack.

I'm pretty sure i'm peeing for England and that this is a big factor in loosing the weight as I am going up and down stairs alot!

I've also started doing more workouts on the wii and have found some that I can do with my bad knee and they dont hurt it too much.

Fingers crossed it keeps working for me.

Facebook no-make-up-selfies for cancer awareness

I am fully aware that I will probably be shot down over this blog but I really don't care.

So over the past few days there seems to be a new thing that has hit facebook, whereby ladies are asked to take a selfie wearing no make-up to raise awareness of breast cancer and then tag some friends to do the same.  It has also been posted that this week is breast cancer awareness week, now I know that breast cancer awaness is the MONTH of october, not this week.

I for one don't see how this is actually helping breast cancer as they are not getting money for you to do it.  The following comment was posted on a friends wall "taking the no-make-up-selfie is like buying a red nose for comic relief, it is the whole "awareness" that will make a difference."  Again I don't agree with this because in order to get a red nose you have to BUY one and therefore the charity gets the money, you are NOT paying to take a selfie, so the the cancer charities are not getting money.  There is a total mix of emotions and feelings over this and everyone is entitled to their own opinion on it.

Cancer research did make a facebook post saying  that it is not linked to them but they are grateful for the amount of people taking part, and have added a text number and message of "text BEAT to 70099 to donate £3 to help us beat cancer".  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152338923534474&set=a.385681134473.162742.7950759473&type=1&theater

If all of the people who have posted selfie's donated the £3 that would be great.

I have donated my £3 and I also added a picture of how to check your boobs for oddities which is much more useful than a selfie. 

I regularly buy the breast cancer pin badges and shop in the cancer charity shops because cancer is very close to me - my Mum battled breast cancer for 22years before it turned to secondary bone cancer and combined they killed her.  I can't afford to donate every month but I do it as and when I can.

I know I am not alone in saying these type of status games effect me, I have friends who have had family member suffer from cancer and although these are meant for the good they don't always end up that way and can cause upset.


PLEASE if you are reading this stop and think about what will be of more use - a picture of you with no make-up on or picking up your mobile phone and sending the message to donate £3.