Saying Hello to 2013

After a brilliant Christmas, with lots of celebrations and family gatherings, we had a couple of days to chill before the arrival of Barry and Co, for their homecoming visit. After 7 years away from the UK, they left Minneapolis behind and moved back to Lincoln. For me, Christmas began on the day Barry called to say they'd be home for the holidays, and staying home for good; the best possible present for the entire family, knowing they'd now only be two hours away and not several thousand miles! The last two months have been nothing short of madness as they organised the move, chose new schools,packed up their belongings and said many emotional farewells to friends and their Minnesotan family.
On 30th December, they arrived!  Family favourite Shepherds Pie for tea (or is that dinner?) was followed by a relaxing night, exchanging presents and catching up. My three were bemused by the American accents of their cousins, and James particularly loved having the now sport-mad Patrick and Richard to chat to, in spite of the 11 year age gap between the eldest two! After two bottles of red wine, we headed off to bed, having planned absolutely nothing for the next two days, just quality family time! A leisurely New Year's Eve ambled into a chilled evening at home, having dinner, playing games and sipping red wine and Shloer (kiddie wine as Patrick informs me). Much hilarity ensued with the team challenge game, along with silly alphabet voices, mathematical feats from our youngest player, and many other hysterical tasks. Patrick was determined to capture a photo of 12 midnight, so we made sure we took this as he and Richard stepped out to be our First Footers.

After googling at 11.55pm to make sure we had the traditions just right, we armed the boys with a purse, bread, salt and some coal, and sent them outside, saying 'See you next year!'. They knew they'd been trusted with an important job, and even asked if they were allowed to talk when they waited outside!

As the twelfth stroke arrived, our tall, dark and handsomes stepped across the threshold, bringing in the New Year. After the hugging stopped, we stepped outside with our Cava to watch the fireworks and listen to the ships on the Tyne. We then watched London's celebrations, reminding us of the Olympics we'd all watched together...yes 2012 had been one to remember! A sleepless night followed for me, as my three were out with friends, Devon on her first trip in to town, and the other two partying locally. A family lunch on New Year's Day saw proud Grandmas looking on as the 'bairns' were all together again. Just perfect!!

Happy New Year!!

How we celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

June 2012, for many an extended Bank Holiday, but for me, the chance to celebrate with the rest of the country a momentous anniversary for the Queen. Here's a rundown of how we've marked the occasion so far,Tyneside-style of course! Friday evening was meant to be a staff night out, but exhausted colleagues opted for a night in Back to South Tyneside, and Stevie and I took our picnic rug, beverages and flags down to Marine Park, for the Proms in the Park, something I go to every year, but this year was going to be pretty special. The Sanddancers did not disappoint. Flag-waving the entire evening, and singing out loud to Rule Britannia, Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory and then BOTH verses of God Save the Queen. A sunny, but chilly evening, lots of fun,(particularly the pensioner who insisted on choreographing our flag-waving)and that lovely sense of pride. I insisted to Stevie that we watch the highlights of the Pageant afterwards, and he had to admit he was impressed, mostly with the mechanics of Tower Bridge and the Thames Flood Barrier! Day Two of the Jubilee was brilliant, and the best was yet to come! Monday 4th June, and we had a lot to fit in. A sunny day was in store so we took the campervan and our bikes to the coast, along with a picnic. A five mile meander along the stunning South Tyneside coastal path was a lovely start, and a 99 a most welcome reward! We then headed off to a Jubilee barbeque with some friends. Union Jack cupcakes, lots of bunting and even a Royal quiz, finished off with a huddle round the chiminea before we headed off to Marine Park once more. We set up our chairs,snuggled under blankets, and tucked in to picnic food whilst the Jubilee concert was relayed on a huge screen, it was almost as good as being at the Palace itself! Clearly some of the crowd had been there for the day, and were somewhat merry, but the atmosphere was brilliant! Dancing and singing along to Elton John, Tom Jones, and of course, Robbie Williams was utterly fantastic. As the Queen's presence was announced, the crowd was on its feet, whistling and waving flags, and cliched as this may sound, you could sense the love felt for our Queen. Watching the crowd was as entertaining as the concert, little toddlers boogying to Stevie Wonder, and our personal highlight, the sight of Princes Wills and Harry bombing down the bank on skateboards(bairns wearing masks). The finale of the day was the lighting of the Beacon, and the crowds headed up to Lawe Top for the ceremony. The sun setting behind Tynemouth Priory provided the perfect backdrop. We sang the National Anthem, and then the Mayor lit the beacon; a great feeling to know it was one of 4500 beacons being lit simultaneously around the world for the Queen's Jubilee. Fireworks then erupted from the end of the pier, an unexpected bonus and they were all red, white and blue. Looking down over the mouth of the Tyne, under the glow of the beacon,after such a brilliant day - a very special moment indeed! We arrived home just in time to see the Queen light the Beacon outside of her house, followed by the most amazing fireworks from the rooftop. A superb finale to the day's celebrations. It just made me think...Bring on the London Olympics, and let us show the world what we are made of! The following day was Grandma's 87th birthday,so I joined her and Auntie Val (celebrating her 67th) for tea and cake. Since we were little, we have always said Grandma looks like the Queen, so it was a lovely addition to the Jubilee holiday to celebrate with another very special lady. Another Jubilee, taking my collection to three. In 1977, I watched with my junior school as the Queen passed through Hebburn, shortly after my Dad drove up the 'closed' road in his taxi. in 2002, Devon watched with her Infant School as Her Majesty opened the Metro line, and came through East Boldon, hotly pursued by Robyn and I in the car to see her at Fellgate. This year, my bairns were all at the Evo festival, and Stevie had to witness my fervent patriotism with much flag-waving and singing, oohing and aahing, and several emotional tearful moments. He deserves a medal from Lizzie herself for his efforts this weekend, though I think he secretly enjoyed it all! A fabulous weekend, with our country, and certainly South Tyneside, showing The Queen and the other Royals that they are very much loved, and that we are all incredibly proud to be British!! Rule Britannia!

Teacher training - one month in

So many things make an impression on me, and I often think 'Oh I must write a post for the blog' yet I never seem to get around to it. I have a mountain of work to do, an assignment to write, and I really should be taking myself off to bed, so just a short post to mark the occasion - I've just completed my first month of teacher training...and I love it!
It took 6 and a half long years to get my Language degree, so it feels like an eternity since I was talked into a career in teaching. Even when I began cover supervision and felt completely at ease at the front of a classroom, I didn't think I was cut out for the responsibility of teaching, and all that goes with it. In a few short weeks, I've realised I made the right choice, and now I need to spend the next 9 months making sure I get the most from my training and qualify!!
Part of my training invloves observing other teachers, and I'm well aware that one or two of them may read this, but I make no apology for gushing about the teaching I've seen in practice! You know that feeling when you have been to see a good band, or show and you're pleased you went? When I leave a lesson at my school, it's that kind of feeling, I can't explain it in any other way. They're not pulling out all the stops 'cos they have a trainee in the room, this is what the kids at our school get regardless of who is watching. Passion, creativity and enthusiasm for their subject leave me scribbling furiously,noting down catchy phrases like 'If in doubt, write it out!' - I would not have struggled in Maths, had I had this kind of teacher! To see the most rebellious of pupils produce a worthy piece of writing and feel valued in a mixed ability class where he could feel out of his depth is down to a positive learning environment I could only hope to create in my classroom.
So this week saw my first whole lesson,Year 8 Spanish, a class I know well, but seem so different now I have a new perspective on how they learn. I'm responsible for all that happens during that hour, and it is an hour that leaves me drained and exhilarated at the same time. Whoever said teachers have it easy, with holidays aplenty, couldn't be more wrong. I've always felt that taking charge of a classroom is like that trick you see where they wobble plates on sticks (is there a name for it?)-you're juggling so much,it's untrue! I've been given a dream tutor group to share,they start my day in the nicest possible way, and I'm already very proud of them. My horror at having to team teach a sex ed lesson was soon forgotten, there was me thinking they were too young and naive...how naive was I?
I'm back at Uni, one day a week, to cover the 'theory' of teaching and it's great fun. I'm the only one doing Modern Language teaching, so I've been teamed with PE and Music trainees, and they are lovely! Assignment deadlines are once again part of my life, and I'm actually classed as a fresher, which at 42 is rather funny!
Well, that's about it, I shall try to keep this updated more often, tales of a trainee teacher and all that! The kids at school have twigged, they miss nothing,asking if I'm going to 'be' a teacher, and even wishing me luck! They are fantastic!
I'd love to see my language teachers from my schooldays to tell them what I'm doing. All I know is that MFL lessons are great fun, and there's nothing better than sharing a love of languages with eager young minds and helping them master a life skill like speaking another language.
I'm loving it more than I ever dared to hope!
Hasta la próxima

Mexican waves, meerkats and mumbo jumbo!

What a day. We filled 8 buses with 400 excited bairns, for the 2 hour trip to Flamingoland in North Yorkshire. Highlight of the outward journey was the Mexican wave which eventually reached the bus in front once we stopped in traffic in Helmsley - the kids loved it! They were also fairly hysterical when the driver took the bus airborne over the switchbacks, and I flew horizontally into the aisle!
Three and a half hours of screamtastic rides followed, as we took the kids by surprise and actually joined in the fun...were they really expecting us to watch from the sidelines? Getting stuck as I climbed onto to Velocity, the motorbike ride, was a little cringey as the kids shouted from the queue 'go on miss!!', but the embarrassment was soon forgotten as we tried all of the screamworthy rides and had a brilliant time. Mumbo Jumbo was worth the lengthy wait, during which we fought off a wasp, and we were pretty impressed with the ride,which has the steepest climb hill (Rollercoaster jargon) in the world. Just as well it was high, as our jobs may have been in jeopardy as our language was a little colourful when we were dropped from a great height!
After a stint in the cafe, I had a walk around the zoo, to find the baby giraffe, and came across the meerkats, always a favourite. So cute, yet here they were grappling with a stray duck, until the heroics of the zookeeper saved him from a grisly end. One of those situations where you don't know whether to laugh or not!
After rounding up the year 8s who'd lost track of time, we headed back to the bus, where our driver tried to make up lost time, resulting in 5 very sickly children and one brave teacher who mopped them all up. Her three colleagues, including me, hid at the back of the bus, vomit-phobics that we are!
Whenever we take the kids out from school we are guaranteed a fun-filled day, and this was no exception. Rain was forecast, but I think my manic adrenaline-fuelled laughter scared the clouds away, and we all came home with colour in our cheeks! The one consolation for the day going too quickly is that some of us get to do it all again in 4 weeks, when we take the choir and band on tour to Germany, including a trip to Fantasialand! Bring it on!!

Minnesota Wild 2011

A trip was planned a short while ago to spend some quality time with Barry, Anna and the boys. I should have known it wasn't going to be a restful week! Within an hour of arriving in a wintery Minnesota, I was togged up in ski gear and taking my first steps on a frozen Lake Minnetonka. Having only ever swam in the lake in summer, I always said I'd have to see it to believe it! Barry's face was a picture as he reassured me the cracks in the 3ft thickness of ice were nothing to worry about!

Despite severe tiredness, I tagged along to Patrick's ice hockey match, my first taste of Minnesota's No.1 sport, and the beginning of my obsession with the game. Within minutes, I was hooked! They may have only been 4th graders, but the pace was relentless and the atmosphere was fab!

Barry and Anna were concerned by the recent thaw and the threat it posed to planned winter fun. They were delighted with the snowstorm forecast, though never anticipated the 14 inches of snow that were to land on Minnesota on my second day! Whilst watching a morning game, blizzards took hold and I experienced a 'whiteout' on our return journey. Naturally, they weren't fazed by such extreme weather and we ventured out for brunch in Wayzata, knowing we may have to dig our way out of the car park. Monday saw more snowfall, and we sledged from the 'back yard' to the lake - great fun! We then bravely took to the roads, despite the snow emergency declared in the state the previous night, and we headed off to Elm Creek for tubing, after a pitstop at Caribou Coffee. Tubing on the snow slopes is entirely different to that on the lake with the boat, and tying them together creates more speed, and more screams! Two hours literally whizzed by and we took our hungry tummies to Benihana, a Japanese restaurant loved by the boys. Everything is cooked at your table by an entertainer of a chef, who created for us a volcano, a steam train and a heart attack on a hotplate, along with the most delicious food, cooked 'teppanyaki' style. Simply fantastic!
A chill day followed with board games, great food and a walk in the woods with the adorable Maxi. I was then lucky enough to go see the boys' Taikwondo class. It's been a great privilege to share their all-American lives with them this week - as well as Spongebob Squarepants!!
Wednesday was a well-deserved girls' shopping trip for Anna and I. After a great lunch at Champs, we headed to the Mall, prompted by a text from Barry to confirm the Spring Break trip to Florida was booked for them. Looking at swimwear and flipflops was bizarre, given the sub zero temperatures outside. After another of Barry's delicious dinners, we settled down to watch some TV. This has to be one of the best parts of my trip, relaxing, watching movies and having many many laughs with Barry and Anna, usually at my expense.

My final day saw me blasting around Lake Minnetonka,at high speed on a snowmobile. Barry and I rented one for two hours and had the most fun tearing up fresh snow, flying over manmade jumps, and writing Anna's name in the snow in huge letters so that she could see it from her GPS App on Iphone. I always wanted to visit the ice-huts on the lake, and we even took the snowmobile off the lake and into the woods on Casco Point,which was tricky to say the least! Fantastic fun, and the perfect end to the trip.
I had an awesome (sorry, can't help it) time. Barry and I got to act like kids again, messing about in the snow, lounging around in the house, taking the mickey out of each other, only this time the bonus factor was sharing it all with Anna. I haven't laughed so much in ages! Minnesota is incredibly beautiful in the summer, but I love it just as much in wintertime too. We had it all; snowstorms, tubing, Hibachi grills, ice hockey, snowmobiles, cosy afternoons indoors,quality 'auntie time' and lots and lots of laughter. Who could ask for more?

Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011

Having just seen in the New Year, I thought I might share some thoughts on 2010, which some might be glad to see the back of, but I can't quite bring myself to do that. The middle of the year, a fabulous summer, was wonderful. The rest of the year wasn't so good, but let me try and find the positive in all that we dealt with.

This year when we made our toasts at Christmas and again at New Year, it seemed more meaningful and I thought it best to leave out the 'wealth' bit, it's rather pointless really. I've always thought Mam and Dad to be lucky that they haven't had 'sickly' kids, and that Barry and I have breezed through life with only measles and chicken pox to deal with. 2010 had other ideas, and New Year's Eve 2009 brought me a letter to say I needed a biopsy following a checkup. To cut a painful story short, I had a near miss, and thanks to amazing staff at the QE, Gateshead, after two biopsies and intensive treatment, I was given the all-clear. It knocked me for six knowing I was so close to cancer, and Stevie, my family and incredible friends kept me sane throughout. I'm not counting my chickens just yet, as it's less than a year, but I consider myself one of the lucky ones, and my candle at the Relay this year said just that.

That brings me nicely to our Relay For Life, the Cancer Research event that has become a big part of my life over the last 5 years. This year was bigger than any other,more of my family came along, and our team put on the Mini Challenge, which was great fun, with more than 20 people squashing inside Stevie's car! Another highlight was Robyn singing Hero on stage, bringing about tears for most of us. 20 hours of tears and laughter helped us to raise more than £50,000 and this time my Relay Diary went around the world thanks to Relay friends in America. Relay For Life has always meant something to me, because I do it in memory of my Auntie Pauline, but never did I imagine it would mean as much as it does now.

In August, Devon, Robyn, Stevie and I went to visit Barry, Anna and the boys in Minnesota. A return trip to Madeline Island (see earlier post) was utterly amazing, and Stevie and the girls finally understood why I love this place so much. An action-packed holiday with fantastic weather in a stunning location, spending time with those I love was undoubtedly the best 11 days of the year. My only wish was that James should be there, and I hope he gets the chance to visit them soon.

Less than 36 hours after our return from the States, our world was turned upside down, with news that Barry had taken ill. My healthy super-active brother became so poorly within two days, we could barely take it in. Within four days of diagnosing a brain tumour, he had surgery, successfully removing it entirely, though the biopsy showed that it was particularly aggressive and he would need radiotherapy and chemo. My world fell apart. My little brother who has guided me so well over the last few years, was now seriously ill, many many miles away in America. Ironically, that distance means that he has the best care in the world, as the medics in Minnesota are amongst the best in the world. Barry writes an incredible blog (link at side of this page) which is a must read and tells of his experiences since his illness took hold in September. His positive attitude is a complete inspiration, as is the amazing way that Anna, my wonderful sister-in-law, has coped with everything. Her strength is immeasurable, and they have both made sure that things remain as normal as possible for Patrick and Richard.

James, Devon and Robyn gave me many reasons to smile throughout the year - James finished college and got himself a job at Nissan and became Men's Doubles Champion at Boldon Golf Club, Devon exceeded at school with her exam results and stunned us all when she stood for election as Head Girl, and Robyn entertained us throughout the year with her singing, dancing and ultimately acting as she played Alice, in Wonderland, obviously, in the school production.

After a lovely Christmas, seeing lots of our far-flung family, I got a phone call just before New Year, from Barry with encouraging news from his latest MRI, which meant that the surgery we'd steeled ourselves for, wasn't immediately needed. A huge relief, as this means Barry can continue with current treatment, without the added complications of further operations. I cannot tell you how much that means to be going into a new year with such a positive feeling, and having hope that 2011 would turn things around for our family.

And that is how I want to finish my post, on a positive note,reflecting on a difficult year, one which shook our family to the core, then with the help of amazing friends, knitted a huge warm blanket to wrap around Barry and Anna, Patrick and Richard.

Wishing all who may read this a happy and healthy New Year
with lots of love
Michelle xx

Christmas 2010

We're eventually enjoying some relaxation time after a hectic few days, so it's time to dig out the laptop and share a few of our Christmas highlights with you.

For most of December we have had lots of snow, which kind of took away the anticipation of a white Christmas, but it was nonetheless very pretty and didn't cause too much disruption. With the snowy weather, we have had some spectacular sunrises, the best of which was Christmas morning. Strangely, I couldn't drag the kids away from their pressies to look out of the window with me!


Christmas Eve is one of my favourite days of the holiday, and we spent the morning dashing around the shops before heading over to Charlotte's sister, Laura's house for the afternoon. This made a lovely change, and it was lovely spending time with this crazy family! All of the stresses of Christmas preparations seemed to be left at the door and we had a smashing afternoon. After an evening of wrapping and general busyness I went to Midnight Mass with Mam and Grandma, which was really lovely. There's something special about spending the first hour of Christmas morning with both of them. I then spent the next 3 hours finishing the wrapping and sorting the kids' pressies ready for them getting up. A lovely chat with my brother just before I headed off to bed started my Christmas just perfectly.
The kids were up 3 hours later, and that was one lie-in I didn't miss - I was as excited as they were. For the first time since they were small there were big boxes for them to unwrap with a keyboard and TV the 'big pressies' for the girls. The kids spoiled me rotten and there were tears when they gave me a lovely handbag, with a ticket for Take That inside!! We had a lovely morning opening presents and having a stream of visitors, with the obligatory Mars Bar sandwich for breakfast! Mam arrived to help with Christmas lunch, and it all went very smoothly. I'll never forget James' face, totally creased up as Grandma joined us in a Christmas toast, raising her glass of....prawn cocktail!! Prawn toast!! haha!!

I think the best part of Christmas Day was our Skype link to Barry in Minnesota, just after lunch. Still in pyjamas, being just after 9am, it was lovely to watch the boys open the presents we had sent for them, and seeing them all almost felt like they were close by, and Grandma was over the moon, though she has no idea how it happened. We even pulled Christmas crackers with them!! He showed us the garden, with the chairs we had lounged on in the summer, buried under the snow!!

Tea at Grandma's and then home to feast on Cadbury's roses and Bailey's rounded off a lovely day. Stevie, the girls and I played with new wii games until the early hours, then collapsed into bed, knowing we had an early start and a busy Boxing Day ahead. James and his football team did the Boxing Day Dip, which was fab fun, despite the freezing cold! A great atmosphere, hundreds turned out, and nice to have some fresh air to start the day!
We then headed off to St James' Park for the match, Stevie's first and around two years since I had been to the footy with James. I was in my element watching the team I love, with James and Stevie either side of me in the stand. We lost, but it was a great game, and brilliant atmosphere.
All in all, a fantastic Christmas so far with family all around, even those who are miles away being a part of it all.
I hope you all had a lovely Christmas too and I wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Much love from Michelle xxx

My favourite place in all the world

My blog feels like it should be shouting 'Hey Hey, over here' like it's a forgotten toy in a child's playroom. I'm reading my brother's blog, on an almost daily basis, and the link to Michmash is on the right hand side, neglected and unloved. I'm sorry blog, it's been too long,it won't happen again!
Well many things have moved me to write lately, but I think I really want to start blogging again with something positive, something that I know makes others happy, something that needs sharing...although it is probably the best kept secret in the USA. When I decided to write about this place, and the fact that it is my favourite place, I felt a little guilty. Shouldn't I be enthusing about somewhere on Tyneside? How can I overlook Penshaw Monument? What about Trow Rocks in South Shields or St James' Park? They are special places indeed, all holding wonderful memories, but somewhere else stole my heart around 14 months ago...Madeline Island, Wisconsin.
I spent four fantastic days there last year, when Barry, Anna and the boys took me as part of my 40th Birthday celebrations, and we had an amazing time. We were joined by their friends, and although the weather wasn't the best, we had lots of fun and stayed in a fabulous hunting lodge, which we shared with many deer heads!
So what is it about Madeline Island that makes it so special? It is an incredibly pretty island, the largest of the Apostle Islands, off the Wisconsin shore of Lake Superior. This year we rented two houses on Chebomnicon Bay, with our own private beach, and a beautiful creek to the side, frequented by visiting deer. We were so lucky with the weather, with hot sunny days allowing us to see the best of this beautiful island. We spent a day cycling around Big Bay State Park, and another kayaking on Lake Superior to visit sea caves. Our evenings were spent outdoors, eating dinner and then roasting marshmallows in our camp fire, for the best s'mores ever!
I dare say there are many locations as stunning as Madeline Island, but with so many brilliant memories from only 6 days spent here over two visits, then it will be tricky to find somewhere else as special. I'd have to begin with the deer. One More Lodge, where we stayed last year, had deer heads on every wall,and after a few drinks, mischief got the better of us, and we rearranged the decorations of the entire cabin until we were happy with the feng shui. During the same visit, Barry, Patrick and I had a close encounter with two young deer at Big Bay, and then this year our house was visited one evening by a deer, to the delight of the kids watching. Our favourite haunts would have to be the very cosy and welcoming Mission Hill Cafe, where we sampled hot cider (with a dash of rum...shhh, don't tell), and the unforgettable Tom's Burned Down Cafe, the liveliest, strangest and most fantastic bar you will ever visit. After a delicious meal at the sophisticated Inn on the Island, we spent a few crazy hours mixing with the locals, with a little dancing for me, thanks to a gentle 'shove' in the right direction from Barry and Anna!!
The contrasts of each visit are staggering. The first time saw us cycling along the trail to the thunderous sounds of the waves of the ice-cold lake hitting the rocks, creating fierce cocktails back at our woodland lodge before settling for a snooze in front of the log fire. On our second trip we swam in the lake,soaked up the sun and sipped wine by the camp fire, watching the moon rise over the bay. Both trips to Madeline Island were filled with fun and laughter,the kids had a ball, and the grown ups enjoyed every magical moment.
I fell in love with the United States within hours of arriving in Minnesota last August, and very quickly assembled a list of places, country-wide, that I wanted to see. I have to say though, that Madeline Island will always have that pull, and I'll always want to go back. We did question a return visit when planning this year's road trip...would it be as good as the first time? Well it was, it was different, and I guess every visit to MadIsland, as we now call it, will be. I would love to see it in the Fall, and to cross the Ice Road to see it during winter. For a first trip abroad for Stevie and I, I couldn't wish for a more romantic location,I'm so glad he finally saw what I had spent the last year raving about. I think what makes me happiest is that we took Devon and Robyn with us, and they too loved the place, and it's not easy to impress 12 and 15 year olds! The island has since inspired Robyn's writing in English and I dare say will feature in Devon's art work at some point.
So there you have it, a description from me of my favourite place in all the world - Madeline Island. I don't think mere words could do it justice. Photographs help, but a smile at a Madeline memory is all it takes to remind me of just how special this beautiful island will always be.

December delights

Hey, it's been way too long since I blogged, and I humbly apologise, but I'm sure you haven't exactly missed it! Truth is, I moved house, and dithered for far too long about my internet provider,and endured 6 long weeks without facebook, amazon and msn. The house move went smoothly, thanks to friends and family who were fantastic on the day, and will be duly rewarded at next week's housewarming with much alcohol. we have settled in to our gorgeous new home, just in time for Robyn's birthday and of course Christmas.

December has already been an exciting month, and the anticipation of my brother Barry, Anna, Patrick and Richard arriving for the holidays is almost too much to bear! First of all we had Robyn's latest dancing triumph, coming home with her arms full of trophies and a huge smile, it was just lovely. Shortly after that, James told me he'd had his photo taken for the Golf Club 'Wall of Honour', as he had been selected as Junior Team Captain for Boldon, something he has wanted since he began playing golf.

Robyn's birthday weekend was quite something, coinciding with the X Factor Final, something we had realised a few weeks earlier and was sure to feature in her party plans. With a room full of excitable 12 year olds (the girls invited all celebrating their birthdays in December funnily enough), and family, James being the token male, we all gathered round the TV to watch the programme of the year. South Shields very own Joe McElderry has been followed from audition stages to the grand final, winning the hearts of the nation (clichéd I know) and had us all screeching in delight and frantically voting to help him win.Devon was lucky enough to have VIP tickets to the live location at Temple Park for both nights and had an absolute ball! It worked, and the very next night saw the gorgeous Dermot O'Leary announcing that Joe, mentored by our other beloved Geordie, Cheryl Cole, had won the X Factor. Shields and the rest of the North East has gone completely bonkers and Joemania has well and truly struck! So much is his impact that I find myself sitting in the car on the drive if his winning song , The Climb, is still playing when I arrive home. We are all so incredibly proud of him, and he has lifted the town like nothing ever has done before. Again, it sounds cheesy, but South Shields has something to cheer about,it's one hell of an achievement for an 18year old and his CD is flying off the shelves. I was really lucky to get hold of it today - 2000 people queued to meet him this week at his homecoming, some camping out in sub-zero temperatures. I'll change the subject, I'm sure you have switched off already, but I won't apologise, I'm over the moon for the lad!
Ok, well I think that is all for now, there's still so much to do before Christmas...shopping, preparing for our visitors,oh and a housewarming to throw! Can't wait!
Let's hope the snow lying outside at the moment is here to stay for another week, it looks beautiful! Happy Christmas Everyone - have a jolly one!!xx

Granda Steve

It's 11 years ago today since we lost Granda, and I think it quite fitting that I share my thoughts on someone who meant the world to me, and the rest of the family, though I think only if you knew him would you appreciate what I say here.

I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as a child, and later once I became a parent myself. That wasn't something done out of duty, like some families do,but something I really enjoyed, loved, looked forward to. Grandma and Granda lived close to our Junior School and my brother and I would go there for lunch and tea during the week. Weekends were brilliant too, we would stay over most Saturday nights, and then back again for tea and Scrabble on Sunday. I think the weekends meant most to us, and Saturday evenings were just lovely. Apart from having to keep quiet for 5 minutes while Granda checked the pools, the whole evening would revolve around Barry and I having a great time. Saturday night TV was at its best then, with Candid Camera, The Dick Emery Show, Generation Game with Brucie and best of all, Starsky and Hutch before bed! Granda would often take us out in the car beforehand to get sweets and to make sure he had his bottle of Brown Ale, and the only reward he ever asked for was for me to 'wash' his hair, at my pretendy hairdressers at the end of the settee. By the time I got to the rinse and blowdry stage, he would have dozed off, and be snoring loudly, much to Grandma's annoyance!

I am incredibly proud of my Granda, and will never forget the weekend he was taken across the Channel to join the other Dunkirk veterans, to mark the 45th anniversary of the evacuation. All the men of the family made the trip with him, and I stayed behind with Grandma to man the video recorder, as the BBC cameras were filming Granda's visit to Dunkirk. They made a programme about him, Mongan's War, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house when it was broadcast. During the programme, Granda became quite choked when talking about friends who hadn't made it, and at that point I realised just how much it meant to Granda to go back there, to those beaches, the setting of so many of the stories he used to tell us. When Remembrance Day comes round, I wear my poppy with so much pride, for my Granda.

He's my hero for many other reasons, and it would take you an eternity to read all of my memories of him. He had a story for everything, and we knew many were hugely exaggerated, but that didn't matter. He loved to tell us how we were descended from the Kings of Ireland, how our great great Granda won lots of money at the Galway races, and frittered it all away on booze and gambling. I think a family fortune would have been lovely, but the image of Gregory as an Irish rogue is something far more appealing. Granda would take us all over, he loved to drive, though his clutch control wasn't always the greatest, we thought the 'kangaroo petrol' was really funny! Annual visits to Penshaw monument,day trips to Scarborough, Sunday mornings spent at Sunderland Airport watching parachutists, or down by the farm to see the horses. He insisted we work up an appetite for Grandma's Sunday lunch, and would take us to 'the baths' or down to Trow Rocks at Shields. We would stand by his side as he chatted to friends at the allotments, Granda rolling his ciggies, but fishing Black Bullets out of his pocket for me and Barry.

My brother got to spend lots of time with Granda, pottering in the shed, while Grandma and I baked goodies for teatime. As I got older, I got to spend lots more time with him too, he would let me drive his car, and then taking James, Devon and Robyn to visit him was just smashing. The oldest two remember him well, and I know they are very lucky to have been so close to a great grandparent.

So this afternoon, I shall go to the cemetery, to take flowers. I chat to them as I tidy around,and I know they wouldn't want me out in the pouring rain, so I will just stay a short while. I went to see a play on Friday night about an old soldier celebrating his 80th birthday. My friend Kevin wrote the play,and it was brilliant, and evoked so many memories of Granda, though I never mentioned that to Kevin afterwards..I think we would both have been in tears.

I don't think my writing could ever do justice to my Granda, but it was nice reliving just some of the many many special times we shared. I know I have a some of his personality traits, not least the one that leads me to talk so much! Pride in family is probably the strongest, I'm sure it's from him,and he's the reason I kept my maiden name when I married. My Granda wasn't perfect, his smoking was the reason he became so ill, but yet when I think of him, I see him walking, with his stick in one hand, roll-up in the other, enjoying the fresh air as we walk along the pier. I often dream about him, and would give anything to spend just one more day in his company. My Granda, always loved, never forgotten.xxx

Busy times

I really cannot believe I am starting a new post just after 1am! I'm not going to take hours over it, as I normally do, I just want to bring my grand total of five followers up to speed on the latest goings-on in my presently happy little life!

Last week was equally as busy as this one, it was Whitburn's School production: Wind in the Willows. Robyn took part, looking resplendent in her stoat's outfit, singing her heart out and acting her socks off. I do wish she had warned me that her finest moment would be when she was to shoot Mr Toad! She has well and truly made her mark at Whitburn, and I never tire of pupils asking me if she is my daughter, her singing in the Harvest Festival got her noticed; she was fantastic! I'm allowed to say that, I'm her Mam!!

This weekend saw the christening of the latest additions to our ever-increasing family - my cousin Dominic's twin boys, Vinnie and Jimi! The christening was entertaining to say the least; the vicar was quite possibly drunk, wearing a grubby jumper,almost dropped one of the babies, and then at the end of the service, he walked down the aisle without saying a thing! No goodbye, peace be with you or nothing! Charming! Bemused relatives all round gradually edged out of church to find him at the door, offering the limpest of handshakes - quite disturbing! Anyway, we all headed for the 'do' afterwards which was smashing, I had been looking forward to catching up with family I hadn't seen in ages and it was lovely to watch Grandma surrounded by 18 of her family, from all three generations! The boys were brilliant, recovered quickly from their drenching at the hands of the comedy vicar (honestly he was from the Rowan Atkinson School of Priesthood), and they were then passed round all of the family and never squeaked once! The two-tier Spongebob christening cake was fab too...at the request of our Dom, who clearly loved having us all there! A great day!

This week,thankfully and conveniently, it's half term! I'm moving house in about 72 hours, I still have 4 rooms to pack, one house to clean, another to inhabit, and many hundreds of pounds to part with for the privilege! Seriously though, I cannot wait! I'll only be moderately sad to leave this house,moving here was under difficult circumstances and although we have settled here, I never felt like it was a home to be proud of, as I did with my previous house. I think that our new house is one I deserve to live in, after working for so many years to have a beautiful home where I had the children, it was hard to swap it for one with flowery carpets and an old fashioned kitchen. It has however been host to more parties, family meals and get-togethers in one year than I had in 16 years at the other place! That speaks volumes to me!

On that note, I feel that I should retire to bed,knowing tomorrow is another chaotic day, and I need to be up early! Hopefully I shall have an internet connection quickly organised, more than 24 hours without facebook etc is just too much to comprehend! Back soon!

A very different year

I thought it was about time I shared some more of my ponderings with you, and this week, for reasons that will become obvious, has been something of a milestone. It's exactly one year since I took the plunge...and made a very difficult decision; to leave the marital home. Now rather than dwell on the emotional upheaval that it has been, I thought it would be fun to reflect on the changes that have been either inflicted on or relished by me.

For my new home, I chose a bungalow not far from my old house, so that the kids didn't have far to go in order to see both of us. Detached, spacious, with 3 bedrooms and a lovely garden, my sunny new home was soon filled with clothes, make-up and a few knick-knacks of sentimental value. Yes, I'd left home with only my personal possessions, thinking it kinder and less upsetting for the kids than taking half of the lovely furniture from their home. Instead, I had to settle for donated, mismatched sofas and second hand kitchen white goods. My dining room table, although not to my taste, has a lovely story however. When we went, on moving day, to collect it, we discovered the lady knew my Grandma, spoke fondly of her, and instantly the table became something I loved. I'd gone from living in a beautifully co-ordinated, modern home to a cared for, but very dated home in Nanaville. My neighbours have an average age of 84, and the carpet can only have been chosen by an old dear waiting for a cataract operation; green and brown swirls which I swear have images of Yoda in the hideous pattern.

As for my car, I've swapped a brand-new Nissan for an L-reg Golf, my first diesel,named Roxy on account of her feisty nature, husky growl and shiny red coat. This has probably been one of my greatest challenges; the uncertainty each morning when I turn the key in the ignition, praying I don't have to call out the AA, and of course the complaints from my image conscious daughters about riding in my 'trampy' car. She's recently undergone a makeover and Stevie has worked wonders; repainting,remodelling and taking out many many dents. I've always loved driving, but there is something about driving a car with character that adds to the experience. I've learned how to 'prime' the engine when she runs out of diesel and yesterday, for the first time in 23 years of driving, I topped up the water and checked the oil...all by myself!

Financially, the change has been costly, and forced me to cut down on my spending dramatically. It's not that I was a shopaholic or an E-bay addict, but budgeting on one salary after paying extortionate rent is pretty tricky. Having said that, I've discovered so many ways of saving money, and thinking twice about spending what I do have, it hasn't been too much of an ordeal. My latest discovery is Sainsbury's Basics Rosé,less than three quid a bottle and it's not bad at all! Home Bargains and B&M are my favourite stores, they're even cheaper than Ikea! Getting a Debenhams voucher for my birthday off friends meant I could go buy three pairs of shoes at once, it might as well have been 30 pairs, I was in heaven!

I could go on about cutbacks and sacrifices but it would sound more like a sob story, and not,as I think, the story of someone who is now standing, proudly, on her own two feet (the broken one is now recovered),and emerging from a tough year with a great big smile on her face! I've have many new friends, not least my aged neighbours,(remind me to tell you what it's REALLY like, living next door to Alice) who are a delight, and ones I am sure to stay in touch with when I move house later this month. I'm only going around the corner, to a bigger place, with a downstairs loo, utility room and room for a pony. My family has grown, with the addition of two adorable kittens, Bobby and Juno, and the kids are settled with the new arrangements, though they now have two bedrooms in which to create total chaos! They have been amazing, and are probably the reason I still have my sanity! I now spend oodles of time with them, instead of retreating to the gym or friends' houses for coffee, and I LOVE IT!!!

Time for my nightcap, I've resisted the temptation to turn to Horlicks like the old folk of my street (although I suspect the man next door is over-fond of his Guinness). Instead, I'm having a glass of Asda's own dry cider,and a cuddle on the sofa, with a duvet round my feet. Stevie raises an eyebrow when I reach for the heating controls without thinking, and for that I thank him. Living on a shoestring has a lot to answer for, and I, for one, couldn't be happier!

Walk this way...

Having spent best part of the last week on crutches, I thought it might be an idea to share with you some of the observations I've made over the last few days, as I adjust to life with four legs.

It happened so quickly, my fall, or should I say spectacular somersault from my kitchen door into the back garden( I never miss an opportunity to exaggerate, never!). I succeeded in mangling my left shin on a concrete step and crushed my other leg under my own body weight. Typical of my usual bad timing, I was en route to the fridge for a bottle of rosé, in preparation for the TV première of Casino Royale. Instead, I opted for a cup of tea and some painkillers as I settled down to watch Daniel Craig throw himself off buildings for fun! Oh the irony! 7 X-rays later, I was informed, to my immense relief, that all bones were intact, and that I had simply torn ligaments and a sprained foot! I've lost count of the number of people who love to tell you that sprains are far worse than broken bones, and take longer to heal. This is just what I need to hear!

I wouldn't say I had mastered the art of walking on crutches, but it is much preferable to shuffling like an old biddy in slippers on the geriatric ward. The downside is the strain on your chest and arms, and I am terrified I will end up looking like Geoff Capes. My friend Kelly put it quite plainly. It takes more than just your leg muscles to propel you along, something I had never thought about before, but she, irritatingly, is right as usual! Kelly was a surgical secretary, which sounds like she used a scalpel to open the post and wore a green gown and mask when typing. No, I think maybe she was a surgeon's secretary, but anyway, she comes in handy when talking about matters medical.

The kids at school have been great; most concerned and helpful as ever. I seem to have joined an elite club, as there are three other children on crutches, and they wave them at me when we pass, in the same way that Mini drivers flash lights at each other on the road! Maybe I will acquire the LEGendary status usually reserved for PE staff and teachers who play the guitar? As for my friends, there isn't an hour goes by where they aren't sniggering at me, running off with my crutches or posting 'hilarious' comments on facebook about my plight!

Now for the serious bit. This last week has revealed much to me on just how tricky it is walking with legs that don't work properly. My boyfriend, Stevie copes amazingly well with severe arthritis, and walking with a stick is an everyday necessity, one that most 33 year-olds would simply refuse to do. The simplest things are a challenge; I can't carry anything, so work is tricky, and any venue with stairs is a problem I have never encountered before. I could list many more, and I could complain loudly about my injury and its sheer inconvenience but I won't. In a few weeks, my crutches will be redundant, and I can look back on a painful but comical episode and hope not to repeat it. Stevie will be Stevie; rarely complaining and stubbornly staying out in the cold tinkering with his cars when he should be indoors. His delight in teaching me how to cope, and his smug smile when he fishes unreachables down from the supermarket shelf with his stick, shed a different light on disability. He lives with it every day and I have only had a taste of it, and, without sounding patronising, I am incredibly proud of my man. He's known at the car club as Stevie Stick, and he doesn't give a damn!

It hurts a lot and my leg resembles an armadillo from the tubigrip in permanent residence, but it has brought many many laughs. From the pensioners who stood aside to let Stevie, myself and our walking aids pass by, to my 84 year old Grandma offering to carry my bag, there have been hilarious moments. However, I can think of less painful ways to amuse one's friends and family. Thank you to everyone who has smirked at my new walk and raised at eyebrows at my insistence on sobriety at the time of fall, your support is overwhelming, and just how I like it!

Here goes!

Bear with me. Inspired by relatively recent, though brilliantly written blogs by my kid brother and my sister-in-law, I decided to venture into the world of blogging. After stumbling through layouts and templates, I create a page, on which I am meant to write something of interest. Read on.

As for the name, I trawled through some waffley lists of names, wondering whether to use my location, my job, my interests and then eventually opted for something to do with my name. I think I came up with this title when asked, by facebook, a close personal friend of mine, to create a name for a website about me. Bizarrely, when I typed this into Google, I found there is a biblical city called Michmash, in Israel, just down the road from Jericho! Wahay, my blog is educational...it has a purpose!

I have no idea what I am going to write about, I don't travel all that much, although I do need to share my summer trip with the whole world, or at least those who have the decency to read this. It was amazing! I live a reasonably ordinary life, I'm happy in my job, so unlikely to offer career guidance for disgruntled (that's one of my favourite words) employees. I'm a mother of three. Now, on that I could write a book, but I know many contented and fulfilled mothers who would say exactly the same as me, so maybe not an interesting topic. I'll share Robyn's gems with you, and if I could capture Devon's expressions of disdain at her mother's embarassing behaviours, believe me I would, she is so funny! James is still amused that I am on facebook, though not on HIS friends list, so would simply raise a gorgeous eyebrow and smile if I told him I blog. My kids are wonderful, so maybe I will talk lots about them.

Hmm, I'm enjoying this, but maybe you aren't, and now I find myself in an internal dialogue with you, worrying about you, wondering what you look like, do I know you or not? I'll do this for my own amusement if nothing else, and hope that you stay with me, for the time being. Things are constantly popping into my head, which I'll leave 'til another time.

Lovely to meet you, please leave me a comment, I'm thick-skinned, and I'm a Geordie, (oh, just thought of a better blog name, possibly too obscene for some, my brother knows what I'm thinking, never mind), yes, so speak as you find!
That's all for now.