What I’m Doing Now – A Meme

June 24, 2014March 1, 2016 Jayne7 Comments

God, I love a meme, especially when it means I get to talk about myself, so when Sally from Who’s the Mummy (aka. The Ubiquitous One) asked if anyone would like to be tagged in this one, I was that annoying kid at the front of the class with one hand in the air (and a buttcheek lifted off of the seat so as to make the aforementioned hand just that little bit higher than everyone elses) yelling “Me, Miss, ME ME!”. So, here we go:

Currently I am:

Reading: Reading? What’s that? My beloved Kindle has been sorely neglected since BB came along and the only chance I get to read is when I take Sausage to her weekly musical theatre class. And then it depends on whether I’ve actually remembered to charge my Kindle. When I do get a chance, I’m still wading through Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin.

Listening to: A lot of dance music. I think it’s a summer thing; I dream of laying on some Balearic beach somewhere while Tiesto DJs in the background. Oh, and BB (or ‘She Who Must Be Obeyed’) seems to love MTV Dance, so I don’t get a lot of choice.

Laughing at: The current series of Louis CK’s TV show, Louis. He’s probably my all-time favourite comedian and after seeing him at The O2 a year or so ago, I still find him “HILARIOUS” (That’s actually a Louis joke…) NSFW

Swooning over: Is it cheesy if I say ‘My Husband’? It is? Well, tough, it’s true. We’ve been married for 8 years this August and I’m just as in love with him now as I was back then – he still gives me proper butterflies when I glance at him.

Planning: SUMMER! We’ve got a chart on the wall counting down to the summer holidays and I simply cannot wait until we get Sausage to ourselves for almost 7 weeks.

Eating lots of: Bacon (Yes, that faint groaning sound you’ve been hearing whilst reading this is the active narrowing of my arteries). Husband bought 5lb from an online butcher before I realised we didn’t have room for it in the freezer, so we’ve been working our way through it for the last week. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it…

Feeling: Snotty. Sausage has tonsilitis and every time she gets it, I end up with some weird coldy-virus thing, too. It’s cool though, I’m having my first night out since Burrito Baby was born tonight so burgers and beer are BOUND to help.

Discovering: whether or not we’re cut out for home educating. We’re not very happy with Sausage’s current teacher and we’re genuinely wondering if she’d be better off being homeschooled for a while.

Looking at: Reddit. It’s genuinely one of my favourite places on the whole internet. What’s not to love about a place where you can read just about any topic you can think of, whilst simultaneously looking at pictures of squirrels stealing Cheetos?

Wearing: A pair of chino shorts and a black and white stripy vest. It was my 30th birthday last week and I got some money to spend on clothes, hence my uncharacteristic smartness.

Cooking: See the aforementioned bacon…we’re currently looking for bacon related recipes as we’ve actually achieved the impossible and ended up sick of bacon sandwiches. I KNOW.

Wondering: How to have my hair cut when I go to the hairdressers tomorrow. Should I go for my tried-and-tested long layers, or mix things up a bit (for ‘mix things up a bit’ read: cling desperately to my 20’s with wild and inappropriate hairstyles that I won’t be able to replicate myself once I leave the salon)

Trying Out: Loom bands. I may be a little bit hooked. Ha! Hooked! Geddit?!

I’ll get my coat.

Now, because this is a wonderfully memetastic post, I get to tag three other bloggers:

Annie at Minisaurus

Vicky at A Cupcake Mum

Donna at Mummy Central

Books

My Favourite Holiday Reads

March 6, 2014March 6, 2014 JayneLeave a comment

I don’t know about you, but I do love to take a good book with me on holiday, and with the invention of e-readers, you can now take a whole library away with you, whilst taking up barely any space in your suitcase or handbag. Holiday reading should be something which is light but engaging, something which allows you to relax whilst diving into a good story, and as it’s World Book Day today, I thought I’d give you a selection of some of my favourite holiday reads, which might inspire you next time you jet off somewhere nice.

Anything by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson is one of my favourite authors, so it’s hard for me to narrow it down to just one of his books, however A Walk in the Woods was probably the one which got the most belly-laughs out of me! This might not be one to read if you plan to spend a lot of time lounging around the pool or beach by yourself, as you tend to look like a bit of a loon doing random outbursts of laughter, but if you want something to add to your holiday happiness, I wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Brysons particular brand of wit.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson

Okay, so this might not be the most light-hearted of books, but Lisbeth Salander is the ultimate feminist hero and The Millennium Trilogy from which this book comes is genuinely some of the most compulsive reading that I’ve ever experienced – you know that feeling of slight disorientation with real life when you put the book down, because you’ve been SO immersed? That’s how addictive these books are!

The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year – Sue Townsend

Yes, it’s that Sue Townsend, of Adrian Mole fame. This book is a real departure from her early works, but the wit and ability to weave a great tale remains, and this book is a brilliant sun-lounger read. It’s not War and Peace, but it’s on the decent end of the ‘chick-lit’ genre and is very enjoyable.

Billy – Pamela Stephenson

If you like a biography, there’s not many better than Billy Connollys, which is written by his wife, Pamela Stephenson, who is also a noted psychologist. Hysterically funny in places, heartbreaking in others, it’s almost hard to believe that such a troubled life can produce someone with so much humour in their soul, but this book is compulsive reading, nonetheless and gives you a real insight into the man behind the jokes.

A Song of Ice and Fire – George R. R. Martin

If you’ve not heard of this series of books, you’ll no doubt have heard of Game of Thrones, the TV show adaptation of them. I’m still on the first book, whilst Husband has read his way through all of the existing 5 books (and is now patiently waiting for the final two!). Even if you’ve already watched the show, the books are still well worth a read as the stories are so much richer and more in-depth in the novels, and I honestly think you’ll like these books even if you aren’t a fan of the fantasy genre, as the storylines and relationships within the books are about SO much more than dragons and giants.

If you need help choosing your next holiday read, Thomas Cook have put together a fun little World Book Day app which allows you to choose you to input your destination and your favourite genre and it’ll tell you exactly which book you should take with you on your holidays!

World Book Day

February 21, 2014March 15, 2014 JayneLeave a comment

Here in the Mum’s the Word household, we’re HUGE fans of reading. Husband has just finished the mammoth task of working his way through the A Song of Ice and Fire series (and is waiting with baited breath for Mr. Martin to publish the next in the series) and I’m currently doing a bit of light-entertainment with a John Grisham novel, a go-to of mine when I just want a book to pass the time. Of course, Sausage is getting on on the act these days too, with her reading coming on leaps and bounds in the last year. She’s a lover of all things Dr. Seuss, amongst other things, and just recently bought her new sister a plush tiger from The Tiger Who Came to Tea, hopefully kicking off a love of books in the newest member of the family.

Fancy Dress Ball recently conducted a survey to see which children’s books and authors were the most popular and the results were much as I’d expected:

Top 3 Favourite Fictional Characters

Harry Potter (15%)

Gruffalo (2.9%)

Winnie The Pooh (2.8%)

Top 3 Favourite Fictional Authors
JK Rowling (12.5%)

Enid Blyton (7.5%)

Roald Dahl (7.4%)

I’m a huge fan of the Harry Potter books myself and I can’t WAIT until Sausage is old enough for me to read them to her. I’m sure she’d like them now, but I reckon she’s got a couple of years before she can really, truly comprehend and appreciate the series fully, so I want to wait until that optimum time! She’s already a fan of Roald Dahl, with The Twits being her all-time favourite, but George’s Marvellous Medicine and Matilda all feature highly on her list of beloved books.

Unfortunately, Sausage’s school aren’t doing a World Book Day dress up this year, otherwise I reckon constructing a Mrs. Twit costume would have been super fun! From Wikipedia “Mrs. Twit is the hideously unattractive, menacing wife of Mr. Twit, whose formerly pretty countenance was erased as a result of constant horrible thoughts over time. She takes advantage of her glass eye to play practical jokes in revenge against her husband, and demonstrates multiple acts of cruelty and viciousness throughout the story; it has been mentioned that the main reason behind her use of a walking cane was as a weapon against innocent children and animals, she participates in the torment of the couple’s pet monkeys the Muggle-Wumps, and serves Mr. Twit a lunch of earthworms disguised as spaghetti. Albeit she also frequently demonstrates acts of stupidity, she has also exhibited intelligence; she managed to manoeuvre her way out of a prank that ended with her being carried off into the sky with balloons by chewing through several of them and landing safely on the ground. However, aside from this, she is portrayed as being hideous and unhygienic.”

Creating a costume for Mrs. Twit sounds like it would be a lot of fun! I’d find a dress in a local charity shop and add as many grim stains as I can, give Sausage a walking stick, back-comb her hair so it looks super untidy, and possibly even accessorise with a few stuffed monkeys and balloons tied to her arms!

Who would you choose to dress up as for World Book Day, and how would you achieve the look? Let me know!

Books

Best Libraries in the UK

November 30, 2013February 11, 2014 Jayne1 Comment

There are few pleasures as great as losing yourself in a good book, especially during the winter months. The ebook revolution has meant it’s easier than ever to enjoy books on the go, but spare a thought for Britain’s historic libraries. With many of our country’s finest reading rooms under threat, it’s time to appreciate anew those beautiful buildings where you can while away the afternoon curled up with a good (borrowed) book.

Central Library, Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s Central Library is an oasis of calm in the middle of a bustling city. It’s slightly more relaxed than the huge National Library across the road, and has an excellent selection of books, from new releases and graphic novels to a section dedicated to the history of Scotland’s capital city. There are plenty of nooks and crannies, perfect for grabbing a bit of peace, and the gothic architecture will leave you feeling like you’re starring in a 1940’s film. Cycle there in one of these gorgeous day dresses with a satchel on your shoulder for a truly picture-perfect afternoon!

The British Library, London

London has more than its fair share of excellent libraries, but true book enthusiasts can’t look past the majestic British Library. Boasting over 150 million items, with 3 million new pieces added each year, you’re sure to find a book to inspire you. The library also has exhibition galleries, which show off legendary collectors’ items like the Lindisfarne Gospels, original Beatles manuscripts, and the world’s oldest printed book, the Diamond Sutra. This season’s major exhibition is entitled Georgians Revealed and looks to be as fascinating as we’ve come to expect – don’t miss it!

The Library of Birmingham, Birmingham

The new library on the block opened in September 2013. While a visit to Birmingham usually involves several hours in the Bullring enjoying retail therapy and large quantities of fast food, it’s well worth making a detour to visit this unique building. The architecture is certainly striking, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts. The interior space is modern, bright and vibrant, with a café and plenty of places to sit and read. Their selection includes one of the best collections of works by Shakespeare, and an exhibition of children’s books and games dating back to the 16^th century.

Post provided by guest author, Kira.

Happiness · Parenting · Personal

More! Magazine – The End of an Era

April 23, 2013December 29, 2013 Jayne7 Comments

This afternoon, I heard the news that More! magazine is ceasing publication after reader numbers have dwindled to an all-time low, and I have to say, I was a little bit saddened. As a teen, More! was about as edgy as it got when it came to reading material and my friends and I spent many a bus journey giggling at ‘Position of the Fortnight’ or reading in horror about peoples embarrassing experiences, usually involving a boy they fancied.

My Mum hated me reading More!, she saw the candid accounts of teenage sexuality as over-exposure for my young mind and often told me that I wasn’t allowed to buy it. I did, of course, and hid it in my locker at school or buried at the bottom of a school bag. Now that I’m a mother, I straddle the fence on the appropriateness of it for a 13-year-old, however I also think that there’s a huge amount of positivity to it too.

More! was the closest thing that we ever had to a ‘lad’s mag’, meaning that instead of wide-eyed patronisation, or flat-out saccharine coated ignorance, it addressed the issue of teenage girls being sexual creatures. Regardless of how much we’d like to deny it once we become parents, teenage girls are hormone-fuelled randy beasts in the same way that their male counterparts are and More! taught us that that’s not something to be ashamed of. To my mind, it empowered girls to have a say in sex, not just think that they had to lay back and think of England, but be an active and conscious participant. The problem pages taught us about thrush and STDs and contraception and hair in unwanted places and didn’t make us feel stupid for asking.

Magazines like More! are often held up as contributing towards the over-sexualisation of children, but I refute that and would argue that giving girls an honest education (over and above the sterile account they are fed in Sex-Ed classes) about the realities of sex is contributing to giving them confidence and agency over their own bodies. Perhaps giving them the confidence to say NO when it really matters, or to speak up when something that’s supposed to be fun and pleasurable is actually uncomfortable and upsetting. What More! did best was instill a sense of humour and light-heartedness into subjects which can be tricky for young girls to navigate, which was invaluable to us at the time.

So, it’s with sadness that I say a fond farewell to More! magazine. I can only hope that there’s something out there to help girls and young women in the same way that More! helped us.