Legally Blonde

thinking I should start putting my house in order round here, since the move. I went in the admin bit to try to find the archive button, and it doesn’t seem to be there any more. hey ho. actually that first sentence could apply to stuff in Windsor st too at the moment! the pit of chaos, currently, but I’m still just about managing to stay focussed on how lovely it will be, eventually, when it’s all done and sorted!

sorry, return to deep ‘n’ meaningful, or anything approaching thoughts, sometime, but for now just home, housework, paint and tired.

Happy new year to anyone still reading, in case I don’t get back online before Thursday

Yesterday Benjamin and I had a safe journey across the widest part of the UK - three motorways, 5 hours and one radio appearance later, we are ensconced at my parents’ and helping with the mammoth cleaning, cooking and preparing for the entire family to descend over the next few days.

My parents moved here just over two years ago. I am 31. This has never been my home. But there is a certain something about family that becomes home, whether or not it has anything to do with where we grew up. It is so seldom that my three brothers and I, with all attendant families etc, are in the same place at the same time, that it is very rare and special when it happens. Having said that, there have been three such occasions this year – my wedding, my neice’s Christening and now this week.

Maybe it has something to do with having our own kids, new families, different and spread out homes (three countries, two continents), that makes us want to gravitate back to the ancestral roots more often.

I’ve been humming “wish I was at home this Christmas” on the way back from the playground with B earlier on. Well, in a roundabout sort of a way, I think I am. Roll on the arrival of the others – middle brother and family tomorrow afternoon, husband tomorrow evening, eldest brother and family over from France on Thursday, and youngest brother (and dogs) when he comes off call on Friday.

People have been asking me what we are getting B for Christmas, or his birthday, or both, this year. A week’s holiday at his grandparents’, a rare gathering of all the cousins, a new bedroom – do these count? well ok then - a lovely wooden train and some smart new clothes (he doesn’t go online on his own yet so I am safe to spoil the surprise here!) But for me? enough to be “home.”

this was the closest I could find to the old strawberry background and pink sandal, but I don’t think it’s as clear and legible. hmmm, we’ll see.

ahh. having said that, it doesn’t in fact look as though I have changed anything. shows how useless I am at this flashy new stuff. feeling glum, behind and left out. I’ll get there eventually … maybe.

I know I haven’t blogged for over 2 months – this is partly due to no computer, no web at home, no idea what happened when the site changed, and no energy to blog let alone much else, but hey! – but now I wanted to clock in just to say hello, still here, and finally set myself up to write on the new shiny wibsite.

So, um, news… facebookers among you may have picked up already but yes, next summer we three will be 4! A suitable end to the social services saga from earlier this year, and a lovely proper seal on the new family that getting married and getting D parental responsibility for B makes legal and official and everything due first week of June, so hopefully less complicated and clashing with major public holidays than B’s birthday (next Thursday – can you believe he’ll be 4 already?! no, nor me).

Preparing for another occupant has meant some careful rejigging of the house, bedrooms, storage space etc and as with all such projects, what started a relatively simple job has led to another and another, so I have been coping with the chaos and looking forward to what it will be like when finished rather than letting myself be too overwhelmed with the current situation. Suffice to say what with all the packing and juggling, it feels like we’ve moved house, only not changing address!

last night we had a proper date for the first time since we were married – B stayed over at the in-laws’, we went to a drinks party with friends from church followed by a fab meal at Truffle, and didn’t even set an alarm for this morning – bliss, luxury, an absolute treat!

My husband has gone out to get absolutely trolleyed with his biker boys, my son is asleep after a hectic day of a swimming lesson and two parties, the cards are written and posted, the presents are mostly wrapped and now I am watching Mamma Mia with girlfriends and fairtrade black chocolate in front of a real log fire… what more could a girl ask?!

If I don’t have a chance to blog again this weekend, have a lovely holiday (and holyday!)