Write about one thing you’ve never told anyone and explain why

This is a suggestion from The Daily Challenge Blog at WordPress

I don't think I have anything that I have never told anyone. I am a very open person and keep very few (if any secrets). I don't spill my whole life to everyone I meet and can be quite private, if that makes sense, but I do talk to those that are close to me. I am selective about who I tell certain things to but not secretive.

Do you find that you have different friends that you tell different things to?

Febfast

February is close and again this year I am giving up alcohol for the month. I enjoy a glass or two of wine and I like to drink socially but I am very aware of all the youths out there who struggle with drugs and/or alcohol. I also have an 11 year old boy who in the next few years will be exposed to alcohol outside the home and at that time I will have no direct control over how he handles the situation. I do hope however, that what we teach him in the meantime will influence his decisions when the time comes.

By participating in Febfast, I hope to show him, that although his mum likes a glass of wine, she doesn't need it to enjoy herself and that it is no hardship to say no. In fact he also knows that for the last 2 New Years Eve's I have not had a drink and have been the driver, why, because it was more important for me to have a good time with friends that lived a few towns away than to have that drink.

Anyway, I know the timing isn't perfect and that you will already have dug deep to donate to the Queensland floods, but if you could consider helping me to raise money by clicking this link and sponsoring me to stay alcohol free for February I would really appreciate it.

Of course, I would love it if you could join me instead. Alternatively please just spread the word that Febfast exists and maybe more people will sign up for an alcohol free February.

Queensland

I had a few ideas for posts but given light of the events in Queensland, they seemed inappropriate. Not because they were offensive but I guess they were pretty light hearted and to be truthful my heart is pretty heavy right now.

Not only are these people suffering now but they will continue to struggle for months, maybe years to come. I just want it to be known that my thoughts are with those facing difficult times.

Winter at home

I was looking through flickr to find a photo that inspired me to write about, then I remembered that my dad had sent a few pictures to me just before Christmas.

Our home town in Northern England had quite a lot of snow recently, so much in fact that roads and schools were closed and the "bin men" couldn't/wouldn't get out to collect the rubbish!

Not only is this picture a reminder of my family and hometown but it also reminds me of my childhood.

See, when I was small, I loved the snow, we built snowmen and had snowball fights, we went to the Abbey to sledge down the amphitheatre, usually on big black bin bags because the sledges broke on the first decent.

I remember the sound of the snow crunching under my feet, catching snowflakes on my gloves as they fell to the ground, seeing that every snowflake was different. I remember coming back into the house with cold wet feet and red cheeks from the cold.

When I got older and started working and driving, the snow was a huge inconvenience. It appeared that it snowed briefly and before you knew it, it had turned to a dirty wet slush and then ice that was dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians. Trying to rush to work on ice was not fun in the slightest.

I love this picture because my dad sent it and because it reminds me of the fun times we had together when I was a child.

Evicted

I've been kicked out of my office. I finally got rid of the double bed in the spare room and turned it into an office for me.

Too much opportunity for procrastination if I use the family computer in the family room. I can see the dirty floors, the ironing, the dishes.

But, I've been kicked out. The very first day Jon was off from work, he moved in his laptop, his MP3 player and speakers, all of a sudden it was a necessity to buy a new chair 'rolls eyes'. The only time I can gain access these days is if I am bearing a cup of tea and/or food.

I have to change this!!

ps I did ponder over the title of this post given that you know my husband is out or work but then I figured, it could be procrastination so I left it.

pps I still haven't showered or snoozed from the other day, but don't panic, I have post dated these last 2 posts.... oops

Dexter

How cool is Dexter? I love it. I have always enjoyed crime thrillers but got bored with CSI and all those shows, also really really hated the TV adverts.

But... I love Dexter, it has everything and it so much better to watch it on DVD, you don't miss anything, can put it on when you want (even if it's a little too late)!

We don't watch much TV but Dexter is a must.... and House, love that too!

What is your must watch TV program?

Sleep versus goals

I really should be having a shower and a nap now. After just 4 days back at work, I am staying up until about 11pm, one night was 1am. We were watching the 4th series of Dexter on DVD and as there were only 3 episodes to go, we had to finish it. However, with my job, I don't have the luxury of late starts, my average "get up" time is 5am, some days earlier and some a little later.

It doesn't take much to conclude that I don't get enough sleep.

I wish it was as easy as going to bed earlier but I don't want to. I enjoy spending time with my husband and the only time we get to do that is a few evenings a week, after 9pm-ish.

Daytime snoozes are not usually an option due to the kids being home at 3pm, however this afternoon, I have no clients, I have done my training, made muffins with the girls, so afternoon tea is taken care of - therefore I should be sleeping, but no - because I committed to blogging more frequently.

There done for today, I'm off for a shower and a snooze - wish me luck (probably regarding the snooze not the shower) :)

Something that makes me smile

My children have the ability to stress me out, disappoint me and drive me crazy. They make me angry, they are majorly time consuming but at the end of the day (sometimes literally) they are the loves of my life and the most simple act by them can put a huge smile on my face.

Of course I am proud of them, they really are great children, they are beautiful and intelligent, they are kind and caring, they are child like but can behave like grown ups. Yet they can still drive me crazy.

They are untidy and leave the house a mess, they roll their eyes if I dare to ask them to pick up a toy or put a plate in the dishwasher or tell them to get off their computer, ipod, wii, PlayStation, to turn off the TV.

But I smile when

• I hear them laughing
• they play together
• they sing the wrong words to a song
• they help each other
• they seek my hand to hold
• I find a picture they have drawn of me with I Love Mummy written on it
• they get their words confused
• they sit on my knee
• they flutter their eyes and I am jelly
• they touch my hair
• they say I look pretty
• they think I have lost them in a store and they catch my eye and smile because they know they are safe with me
• they tell a joke that doesn't work
• they are sleeping

Twelve nights

For many this goal for 2011 will sound very lame, for me it will be a huge challenge but one that I am ready to face.

The goal - Twelve Nights out in 2011.

I guess that roughly equates to one night a month, which to me sounds difficult (when will I find the time?) though twelve nights from 365 is more than achievable.

To be more specific that is 12 nights out with company. As much as I love going to concerts with my husband the goal is to interact with people outside of my immediate family.

For financial reasons, (ie a babysitter costing a fortune) it may be that I go out on my own with girlfriends while Jon looks after the kids but I'm sure on occasion we can both go out with a group of friends.

Rules - it must be fun! It must not involve sitting around a dinner table with "friends" complaining about their lives, partners or discussing horrific stories in the media.

I will need to be selective I think.

Welcome to 2011

I have tried many times in the last year to write here regularly with little success. I have many ideas of what to write about when I am out and about but when it comes to sitting down and writing, my mind goes blank or to be honest I can't be bothered.

In my defence 2010 has also been a pretty big year for me. On the plus side my business has grown and has provided us with the much needed extra income, however that hasn't come without a cost.

Towards the end of last year it became clear that whilst I love what I do it was taking over my life completely. It didn't help that Jon's role at work was also becoming more demanding of his time and attention.

The result was that neither of us had any energy left to focus on ourselves, each other, our children (other than doing what needed to be done) or our future.

We realised this a few months ago and made the decision that this had to change. This is easier said than done when you are in the middle of it.

Now Jon and I may not have been in the same room much for the last 6 months but it seems we were still on the same page.

I signed on with a new business coach and my goals are to grow the business while providing a balance with the rest of my life and Jon resigned from his job in mid December.

He doesn't have a job to go to and we are not sure whether going back to a high pressured job is the way to go for him (despite the fact that he is very good at what he does).

Jon is very motivated and very driven and in the 10 days or so between the resignation and Christmas eve, he set up a business, is in discussions to go into partnership with another business and is applying for jobs.

This should be a scary time for us. We have a huge mortgage and big monthly expenses with all the activities we provide for our children, but we are not afraid. For both of us it feels like things are exactly as they should be.

This post was supposed to be about how I would find something to write, it seems it wasn't that difficult after all.

Anyway, some of my facebook friends are taking daily photographs and some blog friends are writing daily blogs with the help of http://dailypost.wordpress.com/

I will try and post something 5 days a week. I can't promise 7, I am after all looking for balance, though I have a feeling I may find it here.....