Journal of a Rock Angel

A while back Me and That Boy offered to have our friend’s son round for tea. Our friend is having a rough time and we wanted to offer her a little break from the craziness and figured that having her son round for tea one day after school/work would give her that little bit of breathing space (especially now it’s the school holidays).

In the end we had our friend’s son and one of the other little boys from church round for tea as well. I went to work this morning feeling so tired that in a way I wanted to cancel having them both for tea but by lunch I was feeling a bit better and more and more got excited about them coming round.

I got in from work and That Boy had taken the boys for a walk through the woods and to the Country Park to hang out by the river. They ended up playing Pooh Sticks at the river and on the way back popped into the supermarket for me to get a cucumber to have with some tomatoes and lettuce from the garden with our pizza (we were going to have garlic bread as well but I couldn’t cook it and the pizza’s at the same time lol)

So I get in, read for about half an hour and then I get a text from That Boy telling me that they were on their way back from the supermarket. I was about to put the pizza in the oven and realised that the trays hadn’t actually been washed up since we had pizza on Tuesday (oops!) so I quickly washed them, dried them and stuck the pizzas in the oven just as The Boys and The Kiwi walked through the door.

While the pizzas were cooking, The Boys and The Kiwi started work on a den in the garden. I kept running backwards and forwards to help and join in but also check on the pizzas.

This is what the den looked like.

We ate tea around the den. The Boys took it in turns to eat either in the “porch” or the teepee bit of the den. I tried to get into the den, I managed it I got to the teepee bit and then one of the boys told me I had to leave via the emergency exit and pointed me in the direction of the door lol. We had lots of fun and when we dropped them back at our friend’s house, we explained what we had been up to and all the fun that they’d had. We’ve offered to have them again at some point.

I found a new blog to read today.

My fab friend Kaelah has lots of buttons along the edge of her blog and one there takes you to a blog called Under Those Neon Lights.

Well…

Ashley (who writes Under Those Neon Lights) is hosting two giveaways in August.

So if you can go take a look and be sure to join in if you want!

Yesterday I lay in bed and had a serious word with myself lol. For as long as I can remember on and off I’ve wanted to be a teacher, through my first and second year of uni, I kept telling myself I’m here to get my degree and then I’ll go do a PGCE and become a teacher.

I then did my teaching experience and kinda fell out of love with the idea of teaching upper school kids, so then looked at teaching Primary Ed, again not so keen. I decided I’d work for maybe a year and see what I felt then, however in that time That Boy finished his course at university and then the church decided the youth worker would be part time – so money wasn’t really around for me to quit my job and go train as a teacher.

Anyhoo, I’ve been graduated university now for 3 years, and decided that something needed to be done. My job is okay and in the grand scheme of things could be worse (I could be flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant)

So here I am on the 28th July deciding that I am going to go train to be a teacher. I’d quite like to teach English and/or Drama at Secondary School level but I’m going to go and discuss with the local SCITT service and see what they say. Hopefully I can get on a course where I work in a school for 2 or 3 days a week and then go to uni for the other two or something like that depending on how the course works.

For now I stick with the day job and have to start saving so that if I need to I can pay the £3k fees myself, unfortunately it does mean that Italy next March/April could be off the cards – unless we can fit going in the Easter Holidays maybe – I guess we’ll see.

And as Ruby quoted to me via Twitter earlier today email “Run with it. Invest all your time & energy – pursue that dream. As Yoda says ‘do or do not, there is no try’” – Yes she did quote Star Wars at me – I blame it on the fact that it was like midnight in Aussie when she wrote it lol.

Man this weekend was crazy – I knew it was going to busy but it was super busy lol.

Saturday

So after the crazy week I had decided that actually having a lie in would be the best option so that I was nice and rested for today when I did Race For Life. However my neighbours had other ideas and started the lawnmower at like 9:15am, how rude lol!

I’d had a text from my friend about going to the cinema with her and my Goddaughter. So I replied a second time saying that actually I would get up and meet them at the cinema. We went to see The Princess and The Frog. I don’t think my Goddaughter really like it as some of the characters would be a little scary to a small child.

After the cinema I came home and flopped in a heap. I have two favourite chairs that I often flop in. When we get our new sofas I’d like to buy my own comfy chair to curl up in. You know the kind that you bury yourself in to watch your favourite DVD or read your favourite book – do you have a chair like that?

The Kiwi came and sat with me in the living room and we talked about the lawnmower and whether it would be worth getting a new one (The one we have was a second hand that a family friend was getting rid of – it does work but it’s too heavy and it take too long to cut the grass.) So we discussed the two that were in the catalogue and weren’t too expensive and we came to a decision. I think That Boy was a little annoyed that we’d made the choice without him but due to the price (it was reduced from the catalogue price once The Kiwi got to the store) and the fact that we’d cut the grass out the back and the front (and I’d done the edging lol) so it couldn’t really complain because it saved him doing it lol.

After all that hard work we decided to grab some cake and park in front of the TV with a nice girlie DVD. We ended up watching Sense and Sensibility. We also discussed how it’s really funny – Emma Thompson is nearly 15 years older than Kate Winslet and yet at that time they look like the perfect pair to be sisters. (In 1995 Thompson would have been in her early 30s maybe and Winslet was 20)

Following our DVD session, That Boy decided that we’d go out for tea – I also suggested going to the cinema to either see Toy Story 3 or Shrek Forever After. We invited The Stig and The Kiwi but they were both busy doing other bits so they decided against coming.

We went for pizza which was lovely and then headed to the cinema. We ended up watching Toy Story 3 due to the showing times.

Toy Story was great – it was kinda sad in places and happy in others – my friend told me to take the tissues – I didn’t need them but it was like closing a chapter lol. Toy Story 1 and 2 were part of my childhood and me growing up.

Sunday

Today was the day lol. Last year after our friend was diagnosed with Cancer we decided to do Race For Life.

Then earlier this year we decided to do it again. We signed up and got on with our sponsorship lol.

We decided to move towards the flag before we were technically asked to move so that we would be nearer the front. We crossed the start line about 5 minutes after the start of the race and I timed us on my phone as we went round. (I also tweeted lots on the way round.)

We finished at 59.46 – this was about 5 minutes quicker than we did it last year which is really exciting. My Uncle was stood with my Dad and my cousins and shouted to us that we should run the last little bit so I did. Mum did stick with me then told me I was running too fast lol. I tried to slow down the but it was just funny because walking would have been faster lol. In the end I crossed the finish line just before Mum so turned round and waited for her just after the finish line.

My Dad took a photo of us with our medals (will post when I have it) I think he was really proud that we did it and was chuffed that we’d finished quicker. He was there taking pictures and cheering us on.

After doing the race, we dropped Mum at home then I nipped home for a change of clothes and a hi speed shower – me and dad then went back to Mum and Dad’s for lunch. We watched Extreme Home Makeover and ate pizza and garlic bread for lunch – I also had couscous with my pizza.

After lunch we went to my parents church to help set up for holiday club – we were then there all afternoon so that we could stay for the commissioning service – at the moment they have an expected group of about 10 but are praying for more to come.
(If you live in Bedford or the surrounding area and would like information drop me a message)

Following that we then came home and I just crashed in a heap – my legs are killing me and are really achey. I really am kinda worried that I’ll get up for work in the morning and not actually be able to walk lol.

Okay so I pretty much live in jeans, trousers or shorts – I’m not really a fan of skirts or at least I didn’t use to be – skirts are growing on me. These are some things that I really like.

Ummma’s Boots!!!!

Fab!!

My friend Ummma has an awesome dress sense – she has this one dress which is purple with white spots and has a funky petticoat. And her amazing dress sense rubbed of her gorgeous fantastic daughters who are like super lovely!

I love the style of clothes that Zooey Deschanel wears – especially her outfits in (500) Days of Summer. They are often very girlie and vintage looking – so quite Fifties style I guess.

I found these two dresses on a supermarket’s website I really like them but don’t think they are really me lol. Then again maybe I just need to adapt me lol.

I bought this dress from the same supermarket earlier this week. I really like it but I didn’t have time to buy some leggings so I ended up wearing it over trousers to work this week but I might try it with shorts this weekend (and if I have chance to buy leggings I might go with those next lol)

Okay I’m going to try and not dwell on this as much as I can because that would be boring and you’d all close your internet windows.

I think it’s writers block but then again I’m not sure. Maybe I just feel like I don’t have any thing to say of worth – but then again I’m sat here with a word document and 5 ideas that I’m typing into and lengthening each time I open the page (so there must be some ideas up there).

Then again I could just be in a funk and be bored of the whole blogging thing – I know how can I be bored of this thing lol. I thought about a redesign but this design hasn’t been live very long so redesign probably isn’t the way to go about it. I thought about certain days being certain topics but then I got stuck on what topics and on what days and then got stuck on the idea that if I was blogging about each of these themes each day would I then stop writing about other stuff.

So I came up with a plan of sorts. I am going to try the theme a day thing up until the end of August and see how it goes – that gives me about 40 days to do that. If I blog Monday to Friday on the themes then the weekend can be catch up time or free for all on the posting front.

Now to the next question. What themes? My friend KaelahKaelah does Mixtape Monday and Wedding Wednesday and Cardiogirl has a Book of Questions post on a Friday.

But these are their ideas – so how can I come up with my own ideas? Do you have suggestions? Comment in the doobley doo lol. (Do you watch Vlogbrothers – if not why not!?!?!)

I’ve been having one of those weeks I think. I spent most of Tuesday when I was at home watching Eureka and trying to write a blog post – I kept trying to summarise what we had got up to and then kept getting my days muddled!

So rather than try and rehash each detail we have a bullet point (nearly wrote bulletproof) list of each day:

Sunday

• Funfair rides with the InLaws
• Engineering lesson about the carousel from my FIL.
• Trampolining (too hard the harness kept cutting into my legs and the whinge thing was too high)
• High Ropes (That Boy thought it would be great for me to have a go – I had a go and then couldn’t move for most of Monday – my arms were killing me!)
• Playing Crochet on the lawn (hehe)
• World Cup final – come off it Netherlands you spend most of the match cheating you have very little right to contest the fact that Spain won!
• Bend it Like Beckham – I have seen this film like once a year since it came out and yet I still like it. I realised how funny it is that Parminder Nagra’s character goes off to USA just as she started in ER. (Bend It came out in 2002 I think and then she joined the cast of ER in 2003)

Monday

• We travelled home today.
• Garden Centre – on the way home we stopped at a Garden Centre – it was 16 acres of various different bits and pieces – I went for a walk round a craft store that was part of the garden centre – that was okay but nothing different than the local craft stores. I found a really nice craft bag but there was no tag on it and I don’t really think that I had the money for it lol.

Tuesday

• Town – I got up this morning and went into town – having been up for breakfast every morning at 8am ish my body wouldn’t really let me sleep even though I was kinda tired. I went into town wearing a t-shirt and shorts. The temperature has dropped and from what I heard it was around the 15 degrees mark! (US readers that’s about 40 Fahreinheit) having spent all weekend sweating because it was so hot it was kinda funny to be cold lol. I was in two minds whether to put my jeans and a jumper on when I got home.
• Ikea – While we were away The Kiwi had collected all the DVDs together that had migrated around the living room. It ended up that we needed another shelf unit for them. We already have two Benno units from Ikea so we just needed another one of those – here’s where I’m wrong – I estimated that one would be enough but actually having got home and put the unit together I’m short of space for about 20 DVDs – I think I might have to start thinning out my collection – I know there are a couple that I probably won’t watch again lol)

Wednesday

• So originally the plan for Wednesday was to go get the tickets for Eclipse then come home and flop. Well me and Tubi went to the cinema only to find that on most weekdays they don’t open till 12:45. Well I’d forgotten to get Zoza a present in town when I was there on Tuesday, so I gave Tubi the option I could take her home and go back for her around lunch or she could come with me while I window shopped and got Zoza a present.
• We went to Interchange followed by town and got something for Zoza. Then at 12:30 we headed back to the cinema. While we were in town we grabbed a drink from Costa Coffee – I had a Iced Caramel Latte and got Tubi a Frappucino thingy (okay so that is a Starbucks name rather than a Costa name but I can’t remember what they call them lol) My Iced Caramel Latte was nice but I should have gone for a fruit based drink rather than coffee – it was a little too strong for me – but I guess the fact that I drank it all showed that I’m beginning to like coffee.
• We went back to the cinema to get the tickets for Twilight: Eclipse – this was fine. The cinema sign said 12:45 but actually it was closer to 1pm when they actually opened.
• I then dropped Tubi back home and my Aunt was enjoying her study break from writing her dissertation – as we got there she was just finishing and going back to her Uni Work. She literally sat down and noticed the fly that had been flying around all morning – she got back up again and started trying to swot the fly. I pointed out that she was just procrastinating and that she could leave Tubi to catch the fly and she could get on with her work lol. I think catching the fly was some form of carthasis as well so I left her to it lol. She once again recommended that I watch The Vampire Diaries. So that’s what I did I went home and watched the first three episodes of the series – it was definitely closer to traditional vampire stories (and shows like Angel and Buffy) rather than sparkly vampires that can go out in sunlight lol. (Yeah I like Twilight but the sparkly is just a little silly).

Thursday

• I had the best day out with my Mum today – I was really tired and so the journey in to London was a little fraught – we were going early as we had to be at Great Portland Street for 10:15am but it was so worth it. We went for a makeover thingy at Studio London so the morning started and we had our make up done and then our hair. We then got dressed up and did our best Vogue impression in front of the camera lol. (I have my pictures but need to get them from the CD onto my Mac at some point). That took up most of the day. After our photo shoot we had a break for lunch so we wandered up to Regent Street and went to La Tasca for lunch. I think I’ve only been to a Tapas bar/reastaurant twice before – boths times were Los Iguanas (first time I had food and wasn’t really sure about anything on the menu lol, the second time was just for drinks) Anyhoo! The food was lovely. We got a deal thingy where you pick some dishes and then you share them between two. We had Tortilla Espanola, Ensalada de Pera y Jamon, Croquetas de Pollo, and Paella de Verduras. While we waited for our food to come we had Aceitunas Mixtas and Pan de Barra. (Yep okay so I don’t speak Spanish either lol. So the translation is….Spanish Omelette/Tortilla, Pear and Ham Salad, Chicken Croquettes and vegetable paella. Our nibbles were Mixed Olives and bread with Balsamic/extra virgin olive oil dip.) All in all it was yummy unfortunately the service was a little slow. (It got to the point where at the end of our meal we stood up and acted like we were about to leave so that they would bring over the bill and then come back for the money lol.)
• Following lunch we went back to collect our photos – it took a little while to be seen and then it took a little while we decided what images we wanted. Following that we headed back up to Regent Street and Oxford Street. We stopped off at John Lewis’s but our main goal was to get to Marks and Sparks at Marble Arch (one of my Mum’s favourites lol) We found some nice clothes in Per Una once again lol. There was a really nice checked top but they didn’t have my size) – I think it’s the one in the picture but I thought it was brighter than that.
• After going to Marks and Sparks we headed a bit further up to the tube station to catch the tube back to St Pancras so that we could come home. We got on the tube and it was like an oven it was soooooo hot – I’m glad I don’t have to do that every day that’s for sure!
• We then grabbed a drink at Starbucks in the station (Come on M&S Simply Food it’s heading towards rush hour you need as many tills open as you can manage – especially when your queue has doubled back on itself and it heading towards the door.)
• We caught the train back to Bedford, we had to stand from St Pancras to St Albans but after that managed to get a seat for the rest of the way home. I read an article in the Evening Standard about moving out of home and living in London. (Article)

Friday

• Back to work – It’s quiet and I kinda don’t want to be here – then again I’m on a 1 day week lol. Then again can’t complain too much. My manager is going on holiday later today – not just any holiday she’s going to Russia. Talk about slightly off the wall lol. She sent me her itinerary and it looks like so much fun.
• It was briefly discussed before we went away but it’s so exciting I want to talk about it and come up with some kind of exciting plan already lol. And me being me will probably have to organise some kind of itinerary lol. That Boy, The Kiwi, JulesO, The Kiwi’s Sister (she can be the Kiwi-ette lol) and Me are looking at all going to Italy next year – I have a list as long as much arm of places I want to visit – we’re working on which city we most want to see and then working from there. I’d love to see Casa Giulietta in Verona, The Tower of Piza, the ruins at Pompeii, and The Sistine Chapel amongst other things! Having studied Italian for 4ish years at school I can’t wait to actually get to use it lol. Unless I find what happened the other night – I was trying to mentally practice asking stuff in Italian and it kept merging into French – so not going to work!

Since we went to see New Moon back in November me, my cousin and my Aunt have been wanting to see Eclipse – after all it’s the next in the story. We’re all massive Twilight fans and have read the books at least once (My Cousin has read The Short Life of Bree Tanner but both me and My Aunt haven’t read it yet.)

The book of Eclipse was probably the one that raises the most questions about whether Bella should pick Edward or Jacob. I came out the other side wanting her to pick Jacob whereas my friend told me that Edward is so the right person for her. (I am still very much in the Jacob camp – He never tried to change her, he wanted to be with her whoever she was.)

Just like New Moon, there were whole chunks that had been dropped from the story line – I guess this was mainly due to the screening time and things like that. Having just flicked through New Moon there is over 70 pages between Bella and Edward breaking up and Bella taking the bikes to Jacob. She’s supposed to be drawn and really depressed and the film doesn’t show that – I guess that’s all crammed into the “montage” of seasons.

Anyhoo we got to the end of the film (Eclipse – that is) and from the screen to dropping me off at the front door we reviewed the film and talked about reading, books and book clubs. I think to do it justice we might all have to see it a second time. After all you spend the first time through taking in the story line rather than filling in the gaps.

If you have read the books go see it. If you haven’t read the books I would recommend reading the book first before the film, but in the end it’s up to you lol.

On the other hand this afternoon we have a thunderstorm. My friend’s facebook status said:

is going to move to Forks because Edward and Jacob are totally her brand of heroin. And so the lion fell in love with the lamb. Swoon. Ps Stephanie Meyer is one of the greatest writers in the literary canon.

She hadn’t really written this as she’d left her account signed in on her friends phone and her friend left it for her but back to the thunderstorm!

So I see my friend’s status on Facebook and I respond with:

Looks like the weather came to you. How about game of baseball?

Okay so I know how to play Rounders rather than Baseball but it would have been fun lol.

Trailer:

The ever so lovely Danielle – aka Biscuit-Girl – is hosting this fab giveaway – I would sit here and describe everything that is up for grabs but I wouldn’t do it justice so take a look here.

Be sure to enter for a chance to win…(theses are just some of the bits that I really like….)

• You can win this adorable handmade beanie from Amy @AmySchamamey
• 4 Pack of Faux Polaroids and a Custom Print from Creating Myself (Find Creating Myself: Shop/Blog)
• Win an adorable Kawaii Themed Package from Cute Stew (Find Cute Stew: Blog)
• Win a $35 Gift Card to Bleubirdvintage.com (Find Bleubird Vintage: Shop/Blog)
• Crochet Headband and Sticker Mustache Set from PardonMyFFrench (Find PardonMyFFrench: Shop/Blog)

There are so many other goodies up for grabs!