Looking back over 2006

A final UKS Blog Prompt: What has made 2006 for you!??! What has made you smile, cry, laugh, reflect and what have you learned?

I have tried to do this once and got all maudlin and I do try not to be too depressing on here, so here is my second attempt which hopefully is not all about tears and crying either in pain or in joy.

What has made 2006 for me?
My Darling Girl growing up fast and starting school.
Moving house
Leaving our other house and garden
12 years of marriage
Fertility treadmill – operations and time in hospital
The loss of my Uncle, my dad is now the only sibling from a large family.
Toasting my Uncle (not knowing how ill he was) at the Disney breakfast he treated us to!
Disneyland Paris
Meeting Woody and Buzz
Darling Girl’s first flight – getting excited about tables in the back of seats
A nightmare journey on the Paris metro following a mini strike
Getting to say fork handles about DD’s birthday cake
Having a massive crush on David Tennant as Doctor Who
The rest of the world liking Doctor Who at last!
Working with infants
Job sharing
Giving up Literacy co-ordinator with relief!
My parents’ 40th Wedding Anniversary
Starting to blog
Cropping in Chorley
Meeting old friends – like they had never been away!
Making new friends
Decorating
Days out
A magical Christmas – complete with K9!

What have I learned from 2006?
Treasure each moment with my beautiful daughter, she is growing up fast.
Not to worry about taking responsibility for everything at work, some people are workaholics and paid more, so let them do the worrying!
Cry and laugh as much as you need.
Enjoy my family.
Enjoy friendships
Baby girls grow up too fast!

Wishing everyone a happy, peaceful, prosperous and inspiring New Year!
If you do pop in to read, let me know you have visited.
See you in 2007!

Squeee!

OK so that is a noise frequently heard on a certain sci-fi forum...but I needed something exciting!
I have a new camera!!!
It's a fuji 5600 and it is mine thanks to the sales! I have already had a bit of a play, photos attached, and am loving it already. It just feels like a good camera. I am so comitted to trying to become a better photographer with this camera that I have actually started to read the manual!

Darling Girl wanted another plait day today...who am I to refuse? The face is the stunned look she gave me when the flash popped up out of the camera...she couldn't wait to try and have her turn!

Looking back

UKS Blog Prompt: What are you doing now, or what have you done this year, that a year ago would not have seemed possible?
Well the first part of this is easy...we moved house! Well, actually this time last year we wanted to move house, but we never considered moving to this village! We wanted to live in our old town and had seen a few likely houses all based around one location. But when Darling Girl's application for all three schools in that area was rejected (since we had not already moved) we needed to think again.
We found a good school with places which we believed we could get to easily from a new location. And then we had a thought! Why not live there? So here we are - at last!
It is a lovely place to live. Darling Girl gets to walk to school. My parents are just 2 minutes drive away. We are quite rural, but it's easy to get into town. We are much nearer some of our friends. And I love this idea of living in place that is quite convinced it is a village (and not a suburb!).

What else did we do this year? We went to Disneyland Paris. Although it was something I wanted us to do, I never believed we would. But thanks to a nice monetary apology from Abbey National we were able to go. Hub was so cynical. But it really was magical. Darling Girl was utterly entranced and I cried during the parade! But most unexpectedly, we all want to go again. But I don't think it will be 2007.



Finally what is the last last thing I thought I'd be doing? Keeping a blog? Being an infant teacher - and not hating it? No, it's to do with yesterday. I'm staying on the fertility treatment treadmill for another year. We both thought it would be over by December one way or another, but we discussed what Mr I had to say and we are going to give it another year!

Challenges met!

I think we made headway on all our challenges today!

Firstly, Darling Girl has a new K9. He is already well-loved and has been racing my new black dalek (yes I got one today!) down the hall!
Secondly we are on track with the bathroom - we finally have the right colours!

Thirdly, our meeting with Mr I. He wants us to remain upbeat, the effects of the op I had in March are very positive and should continue for up to another 12 months. He is changing my drugs (hurrah!). I cannot have the course of injections I was hoping for since new clinical regulations now rule that out (well, that's NICE for you). However, he wants to try me on a drug that has only recently been proved to work with PCOS. It is usually prescribed for something else but it is now being used for women who are resistant to clomid and other fertility drugs. I will be on a middling dose for 4 months and if that does not work I'll be going up to the highest dose. He was very, very sweet and said how determined he was to do his best for us since we make "such a good family" and that he wants to make "his" girl a big sister!
This wonderful, honest, caring man has already done so much for us, and the very first thing was to save my Darling Girl's life, that I would trust him to the ends of the earth.

Challenges

I couldn't resist another Christmas Day photo. Here is Darling Girl and her K9. But tonight we faced heartbreak, K9 has broken, he will only go round in circles. It may not sound much to most but to my four year old daughter, who loves him, it is the end of the world. Despite both Hub and I taking him apart we can't fix him. She is so upset and has cried so much this evening.
Fortunately we have the box and all the packaging, but unfortunately no receipt. We have promised to replace him, but when you are four it isn't quite the same.

So that is our first challenge for tomorrow. Our second will be to continue with the bathroom decoration. The artex-smoothing filler/paint thingy has worked well - mostly so we have given it another coat and are hoping for the best. Especially since we want to start painting tomorrow. Not mint julep (too pastel) bambbo leaves instead.

And tomorrow also has a third challenge, a meeting with the consultant to find out our options for Baby 2. We have been on this second treadmill now for almost 3 years. After going through it for 6 years before that waiting for our Girl. We both feel like tomorrow is really our last chance since we can't keep hoping against hope forever.

Before and After shots

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas. Of course Christmas morning was magic in our house! So I have included two photos of the morning. If you like they are a "before" and "after"!

The fact that Father Christmas had been made the morning magical and that the remote control K9 that Darling Girl had been longing for was finally here made the morning just extra special. Infact in the after picture it is K9 that is being cuddled extra hard.

As well as K9, I am pleased to report that Barbie's walking horse can get up a fair speed down the hall - with or without a Barbie perched precariously on its back! Plus the games all work and have been played. The books have been read and enjoyed, and Arial the mermaid has been officially introduced to both Belle and Cinderella.

Then Darling Girl discovered that Santa also visited her grandparents...wow! He left a TARDIS with Grandma (don't try to construct one without the aid of a safety net or a large gin and tonic) and with nanna he left the dolls' house that Grandad made. Her face lit up. It is superb! Both the back and front open out, it is fully furnished and the roof opens up! It is even better than the one he made me when I was four!

As for Hub and I, I don't think there were many surprises, but at least I got my Doctor Who DVDs and my squeeze and crop-a-dile. If you need a hole punching in a CD, I am now the woman to contact!

Unfortunatley we got an extra Christmas present. On Christmas Eve, just after blogging, the bathroom radiator suffered a massive leak. It is now repaired but the bathroom carpet is ruined and the kitchen was flooded. The kitchen we can live with, knowing it will be gutted soon, but the bathroom was a bit of an unpleasant surprise. Admittedly we didn't like it and couldn't wait to be shot of the grim carpet, but we needed to decorate elsewhere first. Not anymore. So today we started to get rid of the artex and tried out a few paint samples....mint julep anyone?

'Twas the night before...

So how have we spent Chrsitmas Eve?

Well, I spent part of the morning coughing - still - and then putting finishing touches to mum and MiL's presents. Hub and Darling Girl went to deliver the neighbours' cards.

This afternoon we had a lovely time with old friends. Met old school friends for lunch at their parents along with more old school friends and their children. What a houseful. We spent a lot of time talking about the "old days" and all the parties we had at that house - all 18 to 20 years ago or so now. The old photo albums came out, and the old political discussions (am I still the only socialist?) and the the "do you remember whens?"

We may only all meet up occasionally, but we all still friends. So in an attempt to do something about this a new email and phone list is going to be circulated and we are all resolved to do more to keep in touch. After all in a year or so we hit the first of the 40th Birthdays...

Personally, I am resolved to do more. I want to make 2007 the year when I keep in better touch with old friends. I'll be putting a link to Liam's blog on here. And I will do my best to take up Laim and Brett's invitation to stay with them in London.

Darling Girl was, of course, a complete star! Chatted to everyone, although she told Pod off for arguing with Mummy! We weren't - just a discussion that has been going on and off for many years! She was most taken with the cat - and Brett, maybe it was the Texan accent!

We got home via mum's, since she had cooked our turkey for us. Got to see the lovely house that Grandad made which will be waiting tomorrow. If nothing else, Dad says he has loved making it! Then back at home to sprinkle reindeer food in the garden; and, prepare a carrot, a mince pie and a glass of whiskey. Two presents were mysteriously waiting for Darling Girl - new pyjamas and a book! Just right for bedtime - thank you Christmas Elves!

So now she is tucked up in bed, all warm, cosy and excited!
I love this Christmas Magic.

Christmas Greetings

Darling Girl was thrilled to bring home her first school Chrsitmas card...so here it is for us to share with you all. She is so proud of it and the inside is beautifully written.

Being a horrible cynic, although I love it because she made it, I think this is a bit of a let down by the school. I know what an effort I make with Christmas makes at this time of year, and what a YR class can achieve, so I was saddened to see it was just glue and sequins and nobody got out the paint or scissors.

Maybe I am feeling a bit sad. I love Christmas in school and Christmas with Infants is even more magical but I am missing it all. I really wanted to be well enough to make it into work tomorrow but my throat is still raw and the neighbours have mentioned they can hear my cough! Ooops.

Never mind. Our own Darling Girl is creating enough excitement for 30 as she checks off the days on the advent calendar. She has brought us a present from school it wrapped in handmade wrapping paper and she put it carefully under the tree announcing: "You are not allowed to open it until Christmas Day, and I am not supposed to tell you that its a calendar!"

To cheer me up today, as I was coughing away, I had two blasts from the past. A lovely letter from one old school friend and a phone call from another. Both want to make the effort for us to get togther soon, so I really hope we can!

Something else broke...

Me!
I have finally caved in and been to the Doctor's. I have been battling a hacking cough for a fortnight and whatever I have taken has not been enough. So I have to rest my voice since my throat is all inflamed and I have a chest infection.
So I will be doing plenty of typing rather than talking!

In threes

Well they say that things break in threes, so hopefully now we have had our share nothing else will boom, bang, break, snap, shatter or explode. Well, not until Chrsitmas is out of the way!

1) The saga of the exploding oven. Looks like we will have nothing to roast our Christmas Dinner in at home!
2) Darling Girl's door handle. The mechanism has sheared apart inside, fortunately she was locked out of her room, rather than being locked in. New door handle bought and installed!
3) The kettle. That blew up this morning so we now have a new shiny kettle!

At least the Christmas Tree went up without too much fuss! And Darling Girl was so pleased. Pictures tomorrow - once I have tidied up.

She had another party to attend today. It was just at the club down the road so Hub offered to walk her there. He came back two hours later! The hostess wanted parents to stay so he had been stuck there all afternoon, instead of putting up Christmas lights outside. It looks like they will have to wait for Christmas Eve now.

Sparkly shoes

I am not one of those women who get all silly over shoes. I don't own many pairs and they are all practical and none of them were bought on impulse. But these shoes are different. They are my not practical, impulse bought, pointy toed, very glittery party shoes and I love 'em!

Social Whirl

Well I think my daughter has a better social life than me! What a busy day. First of all Dancing Class Christmas Party. Followed by a party at a play barn type place for her friend's birthday. After that whisked off to buy a Christmas outfit and who should we meet when "shopping for decorations"? Yes, Santa! And there's another party tomorrow.
We went to see Father Christmas where we have been before and where I know him! So when Darling Girl walked in to be greeted by her name and, "...I don't think I have seen you for a whole year, haven't you grown?" It was just magical! Plus he knew that I had been to a party the night before....
I think you can see in the photo how happy she was!

Saying that Darling Girl has a good social life, I forget that I went out on Friday night for our Christmas Night Out! I had begrudged the cost earlier in the year, it was a lot more than normal, so I was not going to let the cough I cannot shake off stop me from going out. Plus I had impulse bought some glittery shoes for the occasion - and I don't even like buying shoes!
It was a great night out! Reasonable food, good company (P and G; L and A couldn't make it), lots of dancing and some G&Ts! I think three things made my evening: no boss; able to chat; and not driving home!

Nativity

I think today was a milestone. Darling Girl's first Nativity Play. And my first from "the other side!"

Reception didn't have a huge role in "Santa's On Strike" but walked on near the end to sing "Hush Baby Jesus!" Then they all sat in varying degrees of attentiveness to watch the ending.
Darling Girl was right at the front (near her teacher). She looked right at mum and I and sang every word.

At the end was opportunity for photos. This is the best one, since she was having too good a time playing with the sleeves on her new jumper to look at mum. And after all, how many pictures of her do I take?
I also apologise for the soft -focus oval...not usually my style, but good for keeping other children out of the photo so I can publish it here.

I really surprised myself. I did not cry. I had been so prepared for tears. Mum did have a moment, but I remained dry-eyed. Maybe I was focussed on the camera, or the little production wasn't set up for making mothers cry. Or maybe I was too busy looking at how another school puts on a nativity and comparing. I think that it more like it.

Oven update: still no oven!
Curtain update: hung new curtains and the curtain track fell out of the ceiling! I think we will be living with blinds over Chrsitmas.

New readers start here!

I realise I put my blog address in a few Christmas letters, so just a few warnings!

Yes there are pictures of my Darling Girl, but I do also go on about scrapping, altered art and Dr Who (and maybe David Tennant)...but not much!

I try not to go on about work ...because it is depressing.

And the blog is littered with typos because my own brand of six-fingered typing leaves me with lots of reversals or mis-hit letters!

And I don't mind an email or comment!

Famous

UKS blog prompt: Have you ever met a celebrity (from any field, even a politician)? Which celebrity/celebrities would you like to meet and actually spend some one-on-one time with? What questions would you ask? How would you spend the time?
I suppose this is when I begin to sound like an anorak...I have met a number of Doctors! Jon Pertwee (about 3 months before he died); Tom Baker (as mad as a box of frogs!); Colin Baker ( a real gentleman, even if a rubbish Doctor); and Sylvester McCoy.
I have also met a number of companions including: Lis Sladen (Sarah Jane); Caroline John(Liz Shaw); John Leeson & David Brierley (K9!); Nicholas Courtney (the Brigadier); and Sophie Aldred (Ace). Plus a number of behind the scenes types including Mike Tucker (author and SFX) and Gary Russell (writer, editor and once played Dick in the Famous Five TV serial!!).
I have book of Dr Who autographs and it is one of my treasured possessions.
Sylvester McCoy was really nice. I had been talking to other people and was looking for Hub when I saw him chatting away to this small man in a rumpled suit and glasses. They were talking cricket. I could hardly contain myself...didn't he know he was chatting to the Doctor!!!?
No, he didn't! And bless Mr McCoy, he didn't make a fuss about it either. It was just me getting giddy!

When I was a student I used to love going to book signings at Waterstones in Manchester. I met a number of sci-fi authors that way. Anne McCaffrey especially stands out, since she recognised my friend and I on her third visit!
But the highlight of my book tours has to be Douglas Adams. It was a lunchtime talk at the Royal Exchange and I was skipping lectures to attend. He was charming and polite and then during the signing, he was happy to chat with all who wanted, nobody felt pressured to hurry.

And finally in the bar of the Royal Exchange after a performance of Waiting for Godot, one of the cast came in and asked to sit with us and wanted to chat about the play and what we thought about it. So we had a pleasant chat with Richard Wilson (I don't believe it!) .

Who else would I like to meet? Well David Tennant is on the top of my list at the moment (whether I would want to chat is debatable!) and then Russell T Davies, because I could be a sad Dr Who fan with him and no one would mind.

Jane has been supplying the UKS blog prompts and she is "resting" them until the New Year. I know she sometimes pops onto my blog, so I just want to thank her for the prompts and the time she has taken to come over here and read how I have answered them.
Thanks Jane!

Blotchy

Sorry no blog yesterday...I was asleep!

I am blotchy! I have had an allergic reaction to something and I look sunburnt, swollen and feel sore! I obviously can't go into work so I am at home sitting on my hands so I cannot itch! However, how silly do I feel phoning work with that explanation? I can't even catch up with Christmas shopping - since I don't want to leave the house!

But to cheer me up, look at what my Darling Girl brought home yesterday - a note for Santa. Please note she did write her name!

I think K9 will be on the sleigh!

Darling Girl has been writing her cards for her class mates. She is also keen to write and has been asking a lot how to spell things. So it is great to see what she can do at school.

All I want for Christmas...is some time!

Thought I would show off my UKS Christmas avatar, it comes with the tagline : "All I want for Christmas..." and since I am hoping to find DT in my stocking on the 25th (albeit on DVD) it is quite apt!

Apart from work I have several projects on the go. Christmas cards are now on their way - so people will know we have moved! Hello to any new readers!!! Darling Girl has started her cards. I have begun Shimelle's Christmas journal (thanks to Tree) and the projects I was working on at Chorley are almost done. I am working on a 2006 mini album of Darling Girl for them, but a crop-a-dile accident nearly ruined one at the last minute, and it is only thanks to my Chorley mates that it was salvaged. I also have the CK "me!" album to look forward to! Plus a group of us on UKS are going to try a monthly album/journal for 2007.

I just need the time to get through everything...if only I didn't need to clean my house!

I am feeling a bit grotty. I don't like going into details (I don't like being depressing on my blog) but I may not be going in to work tomorrow, but I probably will! Since it isn't phoning the Boss, but confessing to my parents!!

Another disappointment. Hub had a medical today and came in with some bad news...he isn't 6 foot! He is 5 foot 11 and a half! All this time I had been telling people I was married to a 6' tall man. He has either been lying to me all these years or he has started to shrink!

I like multi-tasking!

UK Blog prompt: What you like best/least about being a female? Have you ever wished you were a male? What do you like best/least about being where you are (stage of life not geographic location)? Although growing up I was a definite tomboy growing up I don't think I have ever actively wanted to be male. I could be horrible here and say : I like being able to multi-task!
I think in the 21st Century it is easier than ever to be a woman. I am so glad that Darling Girl will have more opportunities than I had, and I had more than my own mother. But I was not allowed to learn woodwork or technical drawing; and, at the same school, Hub was not allowed to learn cookery. And fortunately our daughter does not have these artificial barriers!
In a way when it comes to careers it is easier for girls, as it is with toys. Girls can play with anything: dolls, dress-up; construction; guns; books. But if a boy wants to play with a kitchen or a pram that is so often seen as "wrong." And this follows into careers. Girls are now encouraged to think they can do anything, but boys are frowned on when they consider "caring" professions. Look at primary teaching and the ratio of women to men!

The upside of being female is that I can be a mother, the downside...all the gynae stuff, especially when it doesn't go smoothly! Oh yes, and I am thought to be strange because I like Dr Who, but I can live with that!

So I am glad to be a girl and I am so pleased to have a daughter!

All downhill to Christmas!

Darling Girl has been very good. She waited until she got home from school before opening her Barbie chocolate advent calendar! And we found our "proper" advent calendar as well, so that is up and in use as well.
I feel that I can now start to think about Christmas, all the tough stuff at work is now complete. All action plans and policies complete. Reviews undertaken. Planning handed over. Just all the usual Christmas bits: nativity play, party, fayre, carol concert and all the making and doing before the end of term.
I have done a lot of online shopping - but some of it is for me! Ordered something for me from mum, only to be told not to bother! So I have a mini fastenator and a dilemma...open it now or give it to Hub to give me for Christmas? (open it now!!) Also my Lisa Bearnson kit arrived yesterday...it looks fabulous, but it is my new year project, can't wait to get started!
Croppin' at Chorley tomorrow - our Christmas crop - so out for a meal afterwards so I will only be home late tomorrow. Have my projects lined up ready: mini albums of Eleanor's 2006 for mum and mum in law. Then to keep cracking on with my disney album. Although how much I'll get done is debatable.
Oh dear... I can hear a little voice, still awake, singing Christmas songs...she really is excited about this Christmas malarky!