October - Trying To Start As I Mean To Go On!

I am trying to start October the way I mean to go on!  Gah!  It is a Monday and today was not a great deal better than last weeks Monday.  I shoot out of the door in the morning to take Euan and the dog to my parents.  I would be late for work if I took Euan to school.  His Dad works nights so he can't take him to school either.  Luckily my parents take him and I only work for three days a week, thank goodness!  I shoot out of the door and inevitably back in again for something forgotten.  I start my day chasing my tail and I end my day chasing my tail.  It is ridiculous.  At work I do not get proper breaks, I snatch five minutes.  It is not enough to come up for air.  I eat my lunch with nattering children and come home to nattering children!  Good job I like nattering children.  I try not to get stressed and ratty but I just can't help it sometimes when I have too much to do or more than three things at once.  Today it was not a 'School Book bag' full of letters it was 8 year old's homework.  We did not do it at the weekend because the teacher had a mix up and I did not know what we were supposed to be doing.

Bertha Benz

Task 1:  To research a famous inventor and write a Fact File.  Euan chose Karl Benz.  I actually think his wife Bertha was the more interesting character.  She took his car without consent...probably the first ever case of 'Twocking' and she drove herself and two of her sons for the first ever 'long distance journey'.  She drove 66 miles...where did she go?  Her Mother's house.  This proved to the world the reliability and potential of her hubbies cars.  Behind every great man there is an even greater woman...and all that!

Task 2:  Take three newspaper articles, estimate the amount of words for
each article, count the words for each article, find the difference between the estimate and the actual amount and round to the nearest ten!  Problem numero uno!  No Newspaper...fly to the shop for a news paper.  I read all my news online!  The poor boy was counting words with heavy eyes!   Homework completed and one boy fast asleep.
          I am still trying to get my house in order!  If you remember I started this de-cluttering malarkey in January.  I am still at it!  On Saturday I managed to clear out my Wardrobe.  I dug so far into the back of the wardrobe I nearly met Mr Tumnus in Narnia!  I gave a large bag of large sized clothes to the charity shop.

 There were large sized skeletons in my closet!  I am glad to be rid of them, I can tell ya!  I am losing weight and losing my knickers and trousers. . .but I do not want to spend money on clothes I am not going to be wearing for long. . luckily I found some nice pairs of pre pregnancy trousers in Narnia (baby is now 8yrs old)!  I have not worn these trousers for years.  Now they fit comfortably and they are non stretchy trousers.  My thrifty squirreling has paid off for once.
      I have also discovered Fly Lady on the net.  I am using Fly Lady to try and get my house in order.  It is early days yet, but I have a shiny sink!  I have used the kitchen timer tonight to clear two of my 'Hotspots' and de-clutter.  Fly Lady helps you to develop a routine as habit!  I shall see if it works for me!  Blessing my house and respecting myself!  Blah blah blah! Lol!

Have you ever come across Fly Lady and her concepts?  I think she may help me!
      Thank goodness for the Trusty Old Slow Pot again!  I had a delicious Chorizo, Butternut Squash and Bean Stew to come home to!

It really was rather good.  The ingredients and method were all a bit chuck it all in and run!
Ingredients
Serves six
Half a Butternut Squash Chopped into large chunks
Onion
a can of chick peas
a can of Borlotti beans
a can of tomatoes choppes
300g of Chorizo chopped
leftover sausages
Carrots
A couple of left over potatoes
A tablespoon of Paprika
A tablespoon of Apricot Jam

Method
Whack it all in the slowpot and leave it all day!  The result was a sweet, spicy stew, great for the colder weather and October the 1st.  We ate the stew with some bread rolls I made at work today to celebrate 'Harvest'.

Cute 'Snail Rolls' and 'Turtle Rolls' there were also Hedgehogs but they got munched!  This was a really fun activity with children and they loved it today, making bread dough and then the animals.  Euan felt upset eating his and I caught him kissing his 'Turtle' as he felt so guilty eating him!  I used a tutorial from Here.  I would recommend this activity if you find yourself with kids that need occupying!
XXX