Billy Bonkers! I Have Lost My Marbles!

I should have got photographs for evidence.  If you are slightly bonkers and it is pouring with rain and the kids are on half term holiday...what do you suggest?   I think my weigh in today went to my head.  I don't get this dieting lark.  I lost 3.5lbs!  Whooo hoooo!  It was totally unexpected and I am convinced Weight Watchers have got their scales on the blink.  Spurred on by my weight loss I suggested me and the kids go for a run!  A bloomin run!  They both looked at me aghast!  They both declined, then I saw my sons exchange glances with each other and they both had a look that said 'Come on, let's go along for the 'crack'!'  Off we went.  It was pouring, I thought this would limit our chances of seeing anyone!  Or more to the point anyone seeing me.  I explained that back in 1981 I ran for my school in a 'District' Cross Country Race, I can run!  I came first that day back then, ok it was 101st but still first!
Well what was I thinking?  The kids both went bonkers sprinting through deep puddles and getting soaked, while I did a mixture of trotting, jogging, waddling, staggering, puffing, panting and lots of walking.  Henry went full on topless and they were both shouting a mixture of encouragement and insults at me!  They thought it was hilarious.  It can only get easier right?  I have looked at a program 'From Couch to 5K'.  I am not sure if it is quite me...I am not even sure if I will do it again.  I am wondering how much I will ache tomorrow.  I came home and had the most delicious 'Cup Cake'!  It was a Cup Cake Bath Bomb in a nice warm bath.  Aaaah that tricked ya didn't it!  I am not a bath bomb kinda girl but it was jolly decadent and it was a cup cake.  I think I am losing my marbles due to calorific deprivation. 

Orrible Mother! Who Me?

Well well well!  What an Orrible Mother I am!  Today was D Day!  I said 'If you don't keep it tidy, it's gonna go!' and I meant it!  Henry said 'but Mom you know he doesn't think you mean it!'  I said 'I know but now he will know that I did!'  Henry was my right hand man!  He felt really bad chucking his brothers stuff away. I predicted a tantrum.  This is a child that is emotionally attached and has a photographic memory for each rock, Lego brick, itty bitty piece of paper he has ever collected. . .We had just unearthed his 'Chocolate Stash'  I don't know where it came from.  Easter I think and I don't think they were all his!   We heard the front door open as Euan came in from playing outside, Henry and I literally froze, sensing the pending outrage. . .   Sure enough ( I know my children so well)  there was a meltdown.  It was not the three large sacks of toys for the charity shop that did it, it was not the two large bags for the bin that did it. . .it was one tiny Lego brick, that he found in the Wheelie bin that I had carelessly not hidden!  One Brick!  He has about 10 000 others.  Howl, yep, he howled like a wolf at full moon.  He was very very cross with me.  I apologised profusely.  We retrieved the brick and then all was calm again (eventually).  It is such a relief to have the 'Den' under his bed clean and tidy again.  After the meltdown he sat and played Lego nicely in his clean and tidy 'Den'.  He has since thanked me and says it is great.
I have been continuing with my mission to try and get organised. . .  Jeepers Creepers. . .how long is it going to take?  The people at the charity shop are starting to look incredulous at me now when I stagger in with more sacks!  All day today I have been on a mission. . .all day!!!  Let me tell you, the house still looks a tip!  Gah!  I have the car loaded ready for the Charity shop again tomorrow.  I even, get this, to alleviate my guilt at throwing my son's belongings out . . .I got brutal with my own, I took three cones of yarn to the charity shop.  My stash is out of hand.  The trouble is those cones are playing on my mind now. . . I might have to go and buy them back in the morning!
I have vacuumed and mopped and cleaned and tidied.  I have even cleaned a window!  The dog got banished outside for making the place look untidy.  She is very happy tonight though as I found her Christmas Present that vanished in December.  It had fallen behind a cupboard so she never got it at Christmas.  She is very happy with her Cuddly Turkey that squeaks, even if it is a bit out of season.
I am hoping when all the clutter has gone to be able to craft in peace again.  To be able to craft, guilt free without thinking 'I should be doing this or that'!  I am also hoping it will help me to be organised and possibly get some projects finished.  I still can not see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Surely if I keep going in the right direction I will get there.  How much stuff can one small house contain?   Tomorrow I live to fight another day.  xxx 

A Royal Visitation

Honoured I was when this Royal Pair stopped by, truly honoured.   I have to get this photograph made into a Diamond Jubilee commemorative plate or mugs for the kids, it is so funny!   You  gotta love the Great British Family at it's best.

There was a Royal Banquet...here it is in the making and this is Euan's photography!  My apologies if anyone suffers with vertigo.  Her Majesty liked the Hard Boiled Eggs, whilst the Duke gave the pickled Gherkins a bashing.  I would be proud to say I stuck with the healthy salad options but I didn't.  I am likely to actually blub on the scales this week due to all this Jubilee excess.  By my standards I have not been too bad but by Weight Watchers standards I have been hideously naughty!

After the party her Majesty let her hair down a little. . . before she slipped into something more casual to travel on to her next engagements!   In all I think she has had a fantastic weekend and so have we.
xxx

Long may she reign over us!

Jubilee Confession Time!

You can't have a Diamond Jubilee without cake can you?  A once in a lifetime celebration. . .

Euan agrees with me.  A Diamond Jubilee without cake is a no no!  (Euan has placed an order for a cake, exactly like this one, for his birthday in a few weeks).  I will just have to stammer my excuses to the Weight Watchers Leader again!!!  I also made some Lemonade Scones they are too easy to make and too easy to eat but wow...there is a lot of Weight Watchers points in a little Itty Bitty pot of cream!  The Lemonade was Sugar Free though!  Today I believe is the last official day of the Jubilee Celebrations.

My Bunting does not look as Splendiferous as it should for this time of year.  It has got welded to the fence in the drizzle!  Not to worry it adds to the typical UK feel of it all.  You can't have a Bank Holiday Celebration in this country without Cakes and rain.  In honour of the Jubilee it is a special extended Bank Holiday, so you aff to have special extended cake baking!  Today's cake is going to be;

Herman the German.  Tah dah!  Fresh out of the oven this morning.  Poor Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, has been taken poorly.  He is hospital for the rest of his Missis's Party!  In honour of The Duke's German Heritage, I will have a large 
slice  small slice of Herman the German Friendship Cake and send out my 'Get Well Soon' wishes.
Sarah left me a lovely comment regarding my 'Elderflower Cordial', she is quite right, as always. Gin and Elderflower Cordial are a perfect quaffing match for a Summer Celebration.  Don't ya just love the education you get via blogging.
So I am confessing Jubilicious over indulgence!  There it is out!  You heard it hear first.  The Chickens loved 'Lemonade Scones' too.  Today I am expecting very special 'Visitors' and I hope to share the photographs tomorrow (fingers Crossed).
I feel I must also confess on the crafty front, but really that could be a whole new post or five!  I have been decluttering again and bags and bags have headed to clothing banks and shoe banks and the Charity Shop.  It is a good job I have a weeks holiday, but I have at least a months decluttering to do.  I have had some crafting disasters of late.  Nothing to proudly 'Tah Dah' about.  I have had disasters that have been binned and disasters that are awaiting their fate.  Over the Jubilee I have been crocheting 'dish cloths'.  They are a kind of punishment to myself!  I will stick to the humble dishcloth for a while as I can actually complete those and can't go too far wrong!  Why in the 'Land of Blog' do I not see people sharing 'Crafting Disasters'?  Am I the only one having them?  I am sorry to be morbid but I would simply love to see your 'disasters' or at least hear about them. . . .
Well I better go and muster up some energy for the final day of this most 'Jubilicious of Occasions'.  I am glad these 'Jubilees' don't come round too often, I just can't keep the pace.  Her Majesty must be absolutely exhausted!

You are Cordially invited. . .

Do not adjust your sets!  Apologies for the photograph.  The Elderflower Cordial tastes better than it photographs!  I used the tray as a backdrop to hide the rest of the kitchen, that looked like a bomb had hit it.  I found a non Citric Acid suggestion for Elderflower Cordial and that was to use extra lemon.  This was easy peasy to make and it is rather easy peasy to drink too when it is diluted with carbonated water.  I also think it would be delicious drizzled over a Lemon Drizzle Cake or ice cream.  I wish I had Gooseberries...but caterpillars devoured my Gooseberry Bush, elderflower and gooseberries are a match made in heaven.


Recipe For Elderflower Cordial
10 - 20 Heads of Elderflowers ( Do not gather elderflowers that grow near to roads as they will be nasty)!
3 Lemons
1.5 litres of water
1kg of Sugar

Method
Heat the sugar and water together until the sugar has dissolved and the water is boiling.
Wash the Elderflowers well.
Use a sharp knife to cut strips of Lemon zest away from the lemons, then slice the lemons.
Put the elderflowers and lemon in a large bowl, I used my 'Crock Pot'.
Pour over the syrup and stir well.
Cover and leave for 24 hours.
Strain through Muslin or a clean tea towel and bottle.

Quaff with Fizzy Water and Pretend it is Champagne.  Chin chin!  Cheers your Majesty.  Oooh that reminds me, I would like to try making Elderflower Champagne one day.

Jubilicious

Euan and I both seem to be getting back to 'normal' health, thank goodness and thank you for your get well wishes.  They were much appreciated.  Today was 'The Jubilee Party' at Euan's school.  His T shirt says 'Keep Calm and Go For Gold'.  He looks a bit glum in this picture, but it was taken in a hurry this morning!  It was lovely to see the children all dressed in their Red, white and blue finery.  We are not allowed to take photographs in schools which is a real shame.  My Mom remembers 'The Coronation Party' at school where her Mother made her a 'Royal Crown' lined with Velvet.  She says she can remember parading from school to the local church in her 'Royal Crown' and black plimpsolls.  I can remember 'The Silver Jubilee' when I was six.  I had a crepe paper crown and had a picnic on the school field.  Henry can remember celebrating the Golden Jubilee when he was six at school and having a crown.  Henry and I went to collect Euan and the children were having a fantastic time outside with music blaring and lots of food to eat.  Euan took Union Jack plates with 'Mini Sausage Rolls' and 'Cheese and Grapes on Sticks', he said the little kids in Year 1 went crazy for them and ate them all up!  They were having the time of their lives.  One of the School Staff stopped me to tell me Euan had been a Superstar and had been helping to clear away.  He offered rather than was asked and he collected rubbish, stacked chairs and generally made himself helpful.  Bless him.  Henry was very reluctant when I enlisted him in helping to put all the tables away!  He was also very helpful though.  Euan had a few issues with his hand made crown, he made it at school and wore it with pride but all the partying made him sweat, the sweat made the dye run in the crepe paper and his forehead went a lovely shade of green.
Henry is very part time at school now and it is lovely to see more of him, when his brother isn't around.  He has a few more exams to do and then a nice long Summer before he goes back to school to take 'A' Levels.  I am glad he is staying at school because he needs the structure and discipline.  I am trying to get him to do a little more around the house but it is like shoving an elephant up the stairs.  It worries me to think that lad will ever be independent.  He can't even make himself a bacon sandwich.  He can manage 'Cheese and Crackers' and occasionally makes very interesting sandwiches with 'Pickled Eggs, Jalepenos, Reggae Reggae Sauce, Olives, cheese and whatever else he can find that is not a vegetable!   Most of Henry's friends are 16 but Henry is not 16 until the middle of July, so he is too young to find a part time job yet!  Not that anyone would want him!  (I jest he is a lovely lad really)!
I manged to walk the dog today, which was my first walk in a week.  I went to Bloomin Weight Watchers yesterday and despite counting, weighing and measuring all my food I put on 1.5lbs!  Miffed I am! Extremely miffed!  Now my back is 98% better I can exercise again.  The dog transformed from Eeyore to All Terrain Dog!  She has a blast, charging through meadows and woods.  She really has a 'Joie de vivre' when she is out she comes alive.  Back home she flops on the sofa and turns back into Eeyore.  I picked some lovely Elderflowers.

The sight of their frothy lovliness brought out my 'inner forager' again.  I was sniffing them all the way home.  They went in a pot with syrup and lemons and I am hoping by morning they will have turned in to delicious Elderflower Cordial.  How posh will I be sipping 'Summery Elderflower Cordial' for the Jubilee weekend?  If it works out well I will post the recipe and method I used.  I have not made Elderflower Cordial before but have wanted to for years.
Henry really wanted to go swimming tonight.  I am pleased about that because the average British Teenager gets up to all sorts on the average Friday Night.  I have tried the kicking his butt approach to parenting with no great success.  So making an effort to take him out is a small price to pay for an evening without having to worry about what he is up to.  Saturday is his day of freedom and I wait at home 'having kittens' until he is home safe again!  I would rather have noisy teenagers in my house then at least I know where they are and what they are up to.  It is a shame kids have to grow up!  If my parents are reading this they will feel it is justice and pay back for the trouble and worry I caused them!  I really would not want to be a teenager again!  I am happy being a grumpy, frumpy, forty something!  After swimming the kids voted for take away burgers!  I was very good and resisted and made Chicken and Vegetable Skewers for myself when we got home.  This diet healthy eating plan lark aint easy!  How can I celebrate the Jubilee on a diet Healthy Eating Plan?

I hope you are all set for a relaxing weekend.  I am hoping to get some more Jubilicious photographs to share over the weekend.  Have a great one!  xxx

I can't believe May is out!  Here is May's Photo Collage.  :)