Argh - The frustration!

I love doing what I do - I'm a Maternity Practitioner, I spend my life moving around living in other people's houses - I get frustrated at the lack of "life" I lead, but I am hoping that one day, I'll be able to pick and chose when I work, being able to have time at home that I can enjoy, but so far, I haven't managed to get my work/life balance how I want it.

The frustration I have with the job is the lack of listening skills of the parent's I work for. It seems to me that I'm employed to do the job, and the parent's expect some magic cure for their child and family to be working in perfect harmony - well, yes, and no! Yes, I can intigrate the baby and family together - which is my job, that's no problem, BUT, I can only do so much - I can't MAKE the baby react to the parent's they way they want it to react if they have so little input!

Take this current position - I've been employed as a night nanny for the last 4 months - the baby is sleeping through the night , he happily does 7.30pm to 6.30am - I'd prefer a full 12 hours - but I finish at 7am so there's little I can do, technically speaking he IS sleeping through. However, when mother had him (for the first time since he's started sleeping through) this weekend - he woke twice, both nights! This is frustrating for the mother, and ultra frustrating for me! It's lovely he's sleeping through for me, but I need to get him sleeping through for his mother.  Apparently she left him to "cry it out" for a while, until she gave up, wrapped him and put him back down. She did right by wrapping him and putting him back down, but why did she leave him to "cry it out" where on earth did she get that idea?! When I questioned it, she said "I thought that was what I was supposed to do!"  - Um, I've never condoned screaming it out - I HAVE discussed with her sleep training methods that I WISH to use during the day to help her settle him throughout the day - I have never left him to cry anything out during the night - the whole idea is to keep him in a dopy state, not to wake up completely and work himself into a frenzy overnight!

I spent a few hours last week, working on and writing out a plan to help sort out the daytime sleeping issues (he refuses to be put down, mother has always held him) I left the plan in the kitchen for the parent's to read while I was away, I asked for the cot toys to be taken down and a chair to be put in the nursery - it hasn't happened, I said I'd start putting him in his cot at night, so he'd learn to sleep there, I came back to find the crib and the changing mat dumped in my room!

The frustration is that the parent's just don't seem to listen to me - perhaps I need to work on my communication skills! I'm sitting in my room waiting to see if mother will ask me to help her when sleep time comes, I wrote in the plan that the baby had to be wrapped and put in the cot at 9am, it's 8.36am - let's see. I also pointed out in the plan that the schedule I'd written had to be adhered to EXACTLY for as long as it takes for the baby to cotton on to what is required of him - first statement from mother was, "we have baby sensory at 2pm, and such a such appointment at this time etc etc - how does that fit into the plan?"  !!!

Well, I can only do so much, it's not my call to help during the day - but if mother wants to be able to put the baby down - she has to accept that the baby WILL cry - and that someone has to be there to do the sleep training, be it me - or her, so far she has not accepted his crying (except in the middle of the night!) so I'm at a loss, I can't do it on my own! For a start - I need a baby to work with !

I have offered to help, I have stepped back to let mum experiment and chose her own way, I can't do more, they either accept or not - I'm not entirely sure what mother wants -  but either way, whatever happens,  it'll be my fault!

How DARE they!

This morning I'm just so upset - I'm not a particularly good muslim, I try to follow the five pillars, but I'm not that fantastic at it. It's easy to be lazy and complacent I guess. I don't even partularly eat halal meats, I've been slated many a time in the past for this, but my argument is that, with my lifestyle, it's just too darn complicated - maybe I'm making excuses, but that's how I am, I do TRY to eat halal whenever it's available, I do eat a lot of vegetarian dishes, but I MISS meat, my body craves meat intermittently, and so, if no halal food is readily available, I eat non halal.
HOWEVER, my two BIG no - no's are alcohol and pork, for all my failings, I will not touch those two, there have been intermittent "accidents" in the past - for which I've been deeply distressed, but never before have I come across such NASTINESS!
I work with a family at the moment, they're lovely, I work only nights, but I live in with the family - now, after last night -  if I had the choice, I'd move out and live on my own! Mother has gone off to America for a few days, so Father is caring for the baby, and Grandma and Grand dad have come down to help, I'm still just doing the nights, but I loiter in case I'm needed (not that I ever am) Grand mother cooks dinner, I have offered to cook, but it's always been declined - yesterday , I offered to cook, but she said there was some chicken in the fridge that needed using up. I've already said - I don't always eat halal, so I didn't think anything of it, I tended to eat my evening meal with the family, so I went upstairs to my room and left them to it - saying they were to call me if I was needed at all.
I was presented with a meal of stuffed pasta and breaded chicken with a sauce and carrots - I sat and ate it with everyone, the baby was mithering, so Dad and I rushed our meals, him - so he could bath the baby, me - so I could prepare for the night, I didn't really think about my food, it was just food, wasn't particularly pleasant or unpleasant, it just went down.  However, over night I felt yucky, and I couldn't stop mithering over what I'd eaten, I just KNEW something wasn't quite right!
This morning, I came down to wash the bottles as per normal, and - as usual, I was the first one down, my NIGGLES came back as I was finishing breakfast, so I did a quick rummage through the bin - to my HORROR - I found the packaging for last night's dinner - yes, it was breaded chicken, but it was CLEARLY labeled homogonised, reconstituted chicken/pork mix! My heart sank, delving deeper into the bin I found the pasta packaging, again, mixed meat - containing pork! The reason I couldn't pick it out was because it wasn't a full pork product, and it was all reconstituted, so I couldn't even see it was pork! I am devastated at this BLATENT  disregard to my beliefs. I feel sick to my stomach, and from this moment on I will not eat meat with the families I work for.

Two women, two paths, one aim!

I was reading someone's comments on facebook the other day (yes, I'm a TOTAL fb addictee) the sister who's page I was reading and I have known each other for almost our entire time as muslims. She reverted 4.5 years ago, I reverted coming up to 4.  As I was reading, I was suddenly struck at the stark differences our lives have taken us, on our quest to find the deeper meaning of life.

I remember a young lady who was having quite a traumatic period in her life, when I first "met" her ( inverted comma's because I haven't actually had the delight of meeting her in person) she'd been through divorce, bringing up children on her own, marriage and yet another divorce. I heard about how she lived her life, her choices, her mistakes, her regrets, through hijab, niqab, removal of both and back again, her meeting gentlemen, her thoughts, and finally her marriage to (by all accounts) a total stranger - she did things the "muslim" way, it was shocking, moving and, alhamdulillah, she has turned her life around competely.

This young lady has become a beautiful person, she still has a lot of pain in her life,  it hasn't been an easy journey,  mainly through misunderstandings and refusal  to accept her life choices by her nearest and dearest, but, she IS a beautiful person, kind and caring, very thoughtful of other people's pain and suffering, she works hard to bring her children up islamically, and has developed such an understanding of Islam.

However, I, on the other hand, am older, my life choices have lead me down a different route - maybe rockier, maybe more convoluted (but what in my life ISN'T convoluted?!) I doubt any more or less difficult though, than the sister I've just spoken about. I remember at one point and time, her becoming quite exasperated with me, and us having quite a heated discussion over the fact that I was older than her and I "should know better" ooh! that hurt - however, we are all products of our upbringing and I learned early on that - to act the fool, and to laugh at yourself first, was an effective diversionary tactic when facing uncomfortable/painful situations.  This is my way of dealing with life, it may not be everyone's ideal, but it's MY way.

I have remained married to my non muslim husband - hoping above hope that he'd see the good in Islam, it hasn't happened, and life with all it's issues, has now stepped in and we are currently living separate lives. It is directly as a concequence of my nomadic, isloating lifestyle that I have "drifted" into Islam, my understanding of the day to day ethics of Islam is fine, but the more indepth stuff? well, to be honest, I haven't a clue, I can't quote from the Qur'an, or hadith, I don't understand "words", it's like a different language to me sometimes when I read what people have written - it takes me hours sometimes to trawl through someone's elaborate writing on FB, scrutinising every "foreign" word, then forgetting it almost instantly as I move further down the page. Yes, it's all very frustrating.

I don't wear hijab, I did once - but I realized (in one of my moments of clarity) that I was wearing it for all the wrong reasons, so I took it off - inshallah, when the time is right, I will wear it again (can't wait, I've hundreds of scarfs!) I'd love to have the knowedge this young lady has, I'd love to have the strength of character this young lady has - I have no doubt, if she reads this, she'll I'm talking about her, and I hope, she will realize that I have TOTAL respect for her, and admire her so completely.

May Allah reward her hard work in striving along the path towards him - I hope in some small way inshallah, that I will end up with some kind of reward for bumbling along behind her, tripping up over countless stones that pave the way.

Two women, two paths, one aim!

Friends and eggshells.

Don't you sometimes feel that, by trying to please your friends,  you're stepping on eggshells all the time? I've felt like that recently! I know it's impossible to keep everyone happy all of the time, I'm quite happy if I can keep some of my friend's happy most of the time - but I'm really begining to feel like I'm swimming through treacle on this one!

This week I've lost (at least) two supposed friends - one was a bloke who called himself  "Sheikh" , we'd only known each other a few weeks on facebook - to give him his due, he did say that he only kept friends on his list that were useful to him, so I guess I was surpless to requirements (mainly after he found out that my friends are married) It did upset me though that he just deleted me on a whim - we'd been chatting happily on the Saturday, but by Monday, I was on the trash heap! OUCH!

However, even MORE painfully, came a message from a dear friend of mine who I've known for years, we used to work together as nannies in Twickenham when we were in our early 20's, she finally contacted me and said that she felt she had no option but to delete me as a friend on her facebook account because of my religious standing- her comment was, " I have the Jehovah's witnesses on my front door, and you on my facebook, I never wanted to change, and if I did, I wouldn't be looking here, I do not feel the need, nor do I want to be influenced"  hmm,well, ok, but I HAD been ensuring the Islamic stuff only went to my muslim friends - however, Facebook, in all it's glory had managed to ensure that some of my "non muslim" friends had (metaphorically speaking)  fallen out  of my "non muslim" file - unfortunately, she was one. I apologised, and begged her to give me a chance, and prove to her that I could send messages and hide the islamic stuff.

Unfortunately, in the process of writing a note this evening - when it came to the privacy settings, I couldn't find her name, she has decided I'm not worth her friendship - ah well, perhaps people just grow too distant! Maybe she was under pressure her end, I mean, she still called me Ruth and I'm obviously muslim with my Islamic name being Amena - which of course is the one I use in Facebook, maybe she came under some wierd peer pressure  - who knows, it's just so sad to lose yet another friend because I chose to become Muslim.

It's so sad that people can't see beyond their noses, why do we all have to belong to different sections of society - I'm still a person, I'm a woman, a mother, I work, I cry, I feel pain, I bleed - really I'm no different to anyone else, I JUST call myself muslim, but for that - I (like many reverts) pay a heavy price.

!!***!!! Passwords!

You know?! I've decided my life would be SO much easier without passwords. It seems to me that each and every time I log into something somwhere, I'm asked for a password - which I've inevetably forgotten! Ugh! It really does drive me potty, I must have about 20 + passwords BUZZING round my head! Non of them are useful at the time of my needing them!

Of course, it wouldn't be so bad if I could use the same one each time - but nooooooooo, I'm not allowed to re- use a password, AND it has to be X number of digits long, AND contain both numerical and alphabetical digits..... but no icons - so swearing with my exclamation marks is out then! (says she in a droll tone!)

I must have TONNES of pages of varying use floating around cyberspace - I'm constantly trying to set myself up with a decent blog - I have a personal one (this one now, but there are at least 4 others that I've lost in cyberspace somewhere) I have a professional one (or six) unfortunately, I can't seem to think of anything sensible or professional to write on any of those - so perhaps it's a good job I've lost all but one of them! I have several skype alias's, ICQ, Yahoo, MSN, Badoo (don't quite know how I ended up on there, but I managed it !)  and as for facebook, well! an initial set up (many moons ago, that disappeared almost instantly) a "professional" one (again, never to be used, because I can't think professionally when I'm not working, and when I am working, I can't type on my computer! ) I have a non muslim page, and a muslim page, I have a "time out because I'm in a grotty mood and don't want to face the world but still want to play my games page"! They ALL want passwords, and they ALL have to be different!

It's SO frustrating having a mind like a sieve! Hmm............perhaps I should set up a password recollection page!

I've just found out Fish and Chip shops are out!

I am TOTALLY devastated - and this is not going to be a happy ramble tonight. I've just found out that I can't eat fish and chips - I've always thought I could because fish is halal, but of course (I didn't even think this) sausages and burgers are cooked in the same fat! So, for the last 4 years (near enough) I've been eating pork!!!

I'm really upset, not because it's fish and chips, but because a) I've duped myself these last few years, and b) I see it as yet another isolation from my family. No-one understands, they think I'm being totally OTT in my reaction - but then, THEY are married to muslim men, THEY live islamic lifestyles, THEY don't spend 90% of their lives alone and isolated from everyone both christian and muslim. To me it's like it's another nail in the coffin.

I really can't explain how upset I am, I struggle just to get through the basic's of an Islamic life, this is just something else, how many other things am I doing wrong, just because I don't know or understand? Indian restaurants, I know aren't necessarily halal, what about pizza places? everywhere I go to eat when I'm working? It's different when I'm at home, I can cook, but I'm rarely at home, so what do I do then? :(

I am tired of struggling, Islam is NOT supposed to be compex, but here I am struggling with everything - sometimes it just all gets on top of me - the lonliness (especially the lonliness) the constant feeling like I don't belong, and now - food, I feel like quitting! REALLY I do :\

Ramadan, ramblings and reasonings

This is a blog from my heart - I hope people don't criticize me for being honest, but I am what I am and I can only be as such.

I've been away working and, as usual, been working extremely hard - for those of you who don't know about Maternity nursing (I call myself a Maternity practitioner, it clears any query about my medical abilities - which are zilch!) When I go off on a contract - I work 144 hours a week - yes, that's 24 hours 6 days a week, it IS  a lot, obviously I'm not awake the ENTIRE time, but I AM on duty, and as such, it's my responsiblity to get up at night and care for the baby.
The concequence is that I tend to get EXTREMELY tired, exhausted tired, the bags under my eyes would probably enable me to take enough clothes for a world trip if I could pack them!

All this rambling IS leading somewhere. Ah yes! Ramadan! the reality of the matter is, how on earth to cope throughout Ramadan when I'm working so hard? I haven't a clue how I get through most times, last year I stunned my clients, they couldn't understand how I went without sleep, food and drink for X number of hours - to be honest, I don't know how I did it either, but I DID do it, and I succeeded throughout Ramadan. However, this year is different, everyone's noticed a difference in my demeanor. I'm tired, and crabby, I'm struggling with the simplest of tasks and certainly I'm going through a depressed patch.

I don't know fully what's causing it, I am tired (as always) I've managed to combat my bags with some "miracle" number 7 bag "disguiser" stuff, I actually look quite alert when I put the stuff on. I've had my hair cut and coloured, I'm "resting" at home, I bought myself a lovely little car a few months ago - depressed I shouldn't be, but depressed I am. I think, if I think hard enough, that perhaps it's because I feel bad for leaving my family to work - yes, I did it for all the right reasons, but I can't help thinking perhaps there might have been a different way, I couldn't see it though. My son's are leaving home, spreading their wings, Tom's now at University (I'm not allowed to call it that, but I don't know what else to call it!) he's studying to become an actor.......sorry, a "Professional Pretender!" he's linked up with Helen, and hasn't come home for the holidays - he says he has to work, but Helen's had to work too and they've got the house to themselves because everyone else have gone off on their holidays - who can blame them for wanting to spend the flush of their romance alone. Alex is leaving home for Nottingham, he's going to live with Katie's family, I'm devastated, but what can I do ? My baby is leaving home, the home I'm hardly ever living at anyway, but the THOUGHT that he's left home, is niggling away at me. Katie, thinks it's her that's the problem, her and where she lives - it's not, but how can I explain without making it sound like I'm being selfish - I WANT my sons to have happy, healthy lives, they ARE happy and I am happy they're happy, but I'm still struggling with this so called "empty nest syndrome". If anyone should be struggling with it , it should be Neil, he's here all the time, and soon, I'll be gone again, as will Alex and he'll be rattling around alone in this house.

I'm off to London soon - Orpington to be exact, to work for a family who have just had their first baby. He's a cute little thing, 9 lbs, 27 inches and has an "awake" time at between 3am and 5am :S It's a 4 month contract, it's not a high earner, but it'll pay the bills (just) I'm missing the boys 18th and 21st birthdays, but at least I'll be in England, I'm kinda hoping we'll hook up somewhere and do something special. I haven't, as yet, told the family I'm muslim.

My relationship with Neil has improved, he's a bit more affectionate, but there's still just a platonic friendship kinda thing going on, I really don't know what to do about that - I had thought I'd found someone but I guess he's not that keen, I text to ask to meet (we've met once) he ignores it  - or so it feels, eventually, after I've text again, he'll respond, he's busy, working, college whatever. I guess it's time to take the hint. I feel old, fat, ugly and abandoned.

All this is leading to my state of mind, I'm VERY down this year, and now Ramadan has arrived! Normally, I'm fine, I LOVE Ramadan, I always feel trepidation, wondering if I'm going to manage to fast, how I'm going to cope with no food or (more of an issue) drink for X number of hours, but I've always managed to get through and have always felt fantastic - however, this year I'm different, my mind set is bad. Everyone's talking about Ramadan. The week leading up to it was terrible, just the mention of Ramadan, what everyone's doing, where they're going, what they're cooking, and I'd feel SUCH  a bubble of anger and tension build up in me. It's SO unlike me, I'm normally such a placid person, but really, it's all too much for me this year - so much is happening, and so much is wrong, but I can't put my finger on any one thing. 

I've prayed, and begged for strength - I was given a week's leave of stay for fasting, but soon I'll have to start, what then? will I manage with my mindset, and my long hours? I don't know - I keep telling myself, if I can just pray and read my qur'an, surely that's better than nothing - if I fail miserably this year - I'll have to make it up throughout the year - I KNOW it's not perfect, but this year, I just feel SO alone, SO abandoned, I FEEL I have no-one to help me, I drift around in a bubble of not thinking, because if I DO think, I well up with tears. It didn't help that I tried talking to a couple of people. Their response was, "everyone has problems, you're Muslim - deal with it!"  I don't know, I felt I was failing before but after that, I lost everything, and went off on SUCH  a "downer", it took me a while to come back from that - even my friends were concerned about my reaction to everything. This week I was told I had become a "Stubborn, grumpy child"  - not my usual bonny self.  Allah forgive me please, I WILL do my best, but I'm feeling like I'm beaten before I've begun. 

Battling hijabs and videos!

Oh boy! I've been fighting this morning - I mean REALLY fighting. I'm obsessed with hijab tutorials, I think I must have watched just about all of them on You tube. The thing that really miffs me though, is the fact that all the girls making them, are slim, young and beautiful, infact - perfect! Unfortunately, some people (like me) are a little less than perfect - I'm not a hippy just because I like flowers and saying "peace maaaaan" (not that I DON'T like flowers and wishing peace on everyone!) but I'm also majorly chaotic in my life - my house is a minimalist's nightmare, and housework gets put aside for any projects that just so happen to pop into my mind at that moment! What I'm trying to say is - I'm FAR from the perfect world that these women come from - I haven't time, inclination or patience to put makeup on, I don't actually wear a scarf, but I'd love to (hence my obsession) but I get so frustrated, I sit and watch, and try to learn, trying desperately to "get the look" -  fighting madly with bits of cloth that should be sitting in neat little folds on my head, but just end up in a crumpled mess on my shoulders, vaguely covering my hairline!
It's not that I've got anything against these beautiful women, far from it - I TOTALLY admire them, love them but, I'm so far removed from the ideal, that I made the mistake of complaining to a friend on facebook! She said, "why not do your own video?" BLAST! WHY did she have to say that?! I took it as an INSTANT challenge, and threw down the duster (didn't have a handy gauntlet, and I was SUPPOSED to be doing the housework!)
I did the video - I'm dowloading onto facebook as I type, can't hear  me, and my "banter" is what I'm famous for, so it's really not up to much, but I met the challenge with a smile, (and a grimace as I poked pins into my scalp!) it's done! My very first video as a scatty, happy hippy housewife! I await the criticism (inshallah relatively constructive) on my face book page, I don't think I'm quite up to You Tube's standard yet.

Freddy - our hyperactive guest.

We have a new guest arriving (says my husband down the phone yesterday afternoon) It would appear that a client has been admitted to hospital and temporary (maybe permanent) homes need to be found for Freddie and Freddy. The home has accepted Freddie, but my husband dutifully arrived home stating Freddy was in a box in the back of the car. Darting out I came back gleefully carrying a box full of straw - Freddy was hiding inside!

Freddy is a "Herman" Tortoise, he's about 8 inches long and weighs a ton! He's wheezing a bit, so I shall have to take him to a professional to have a check over, I'm not entirely sure what to do with him - I was 4 when we had our last tortoises - Slow and Stop, who never actually moved, but somehow managed to escape onto the Bondo when no-one was looking. (I have since been back, but I failed to find two tortoises with white paint splodged on the shells) We placed Freddy in the base of the indoor guineapig cage and I raced out to buy greens and bits and pieces I "thought" a tortoise would need.

This morning I went into the kitchen to be met by an ultra lively tortoise trying to climb out of the base, so I decided he'd be ok on the kitchen floor. He stood stock still so I thought I was safe to leave the room for a minute! how wrong was I, I swear I was gone no more than a minute, but by the time I'd come back, he'd disappeared! I knew the dog couldn't have eaten him that quickly and, to be honest, I think Konka the Plonka would have come off worse had there been a mini contratong, so I couldn't for the life of me think where he'd gone! I mean.............tortoises just DON'T move that fast! do they?!

This one does, he's like greased lightening! he'd not only explored the entire kitchen but also the utility room the INSTANT my back was turned. I decided to take him to the dining room as I spend most of my time in that particular room. Again, he was off, sitting on my feet on minute, climbing the hoover the next, darting behind the sofa to beat a rhythm against the patio doors, back again to swing (in his entirety, all four feet off the ground) on the base cross bar of the dining room chairs! I haven't a clue how he did it, he must have been exhausted, there was  no stopping him UNTIL...........I found out that I have , what must be, the ONLY tortoise in the world that LIKES  a cuddle! I couldn't believe it, but the only time he actually rested, was when he was snuggled into my neck! I've never come across it before, bless him, he is SUCH a friendly little thing, I never thought I'd be sat on the settee stroking and petting a tortoise!

He's lively and full of fun and mischief, I look forward to my days with him. Inshallah all will be well, he's got a minor snuffle, I'm hoping it's nothing serious, inshallah tomorrow will tell, and I will have more of an idea on how to care for him, but for now, he's sleeping off his escapades of the day. I'm not really surprised, I'm exhausted watching him!

                                                                    

(PS. Freddie  - is a Budgerigar)

CREASTER!

                                                                      


Most people in Lincoln think I'm a little bit potty - I USED to wander around town in "glitzy" pink scarfs arms linked with my youngest son who delighted in wearing a long black coat covered in safety pins. Don't even have to mention the long black hair. To top the image off, we'd be talking to each other with Cornish accents - haven't a clue why, it was my son's idea. So I guess it was no big surprise for people when I suddenly started anouncing my "Creaster" event. 

I very sadly prepped all the vegs. wrapped the presents and stuck them around a rather large vase of pseudo lillies, then moved the whole lot onto the dining room table. Alex came in and contributed with 6 crackers , strategically placed amongst the flowers, I threw in a handful of chocolate eggs, and the whole effect was complete.

We sat and twiddled our thumbs waiting for Tom and Helen to wake up and come in, which eventually they did - and promptly asked to be taken into town ! I headed straight for COSTA'S (I needed a slice of my much waited for lemon cake) No-one batted an eyelid when I asked for the ginger rabbit head as a "Creaster" gift for my husband. I didn't mean to walk into the chair and spill coffee everywhere, but once I had settled .........oh, the bliss of FINALLY tasting my favourite lemon cake.

I reckon we were in town about 3 hours in the end, and I think I did EXCEPTIONALLY well by buying only 3 lacy scarfs and two large material and lace flowers for my hair. I hid them from Neil (just in case though)

When we finally came home, we sat and looked at the presents, it took a short while for us to be settled to open them, it was lovely, just as I wanted it to be, just a pleasant time with family, a bit of a laugh and a bit of fun. Pulled crackers, read the stupid jokes and wore paper hats - anyone wandering past would have wondered but hey! it was FUN!

The serious business of cooking started, but we only had turkey crowns so it was much quicker and easier than cooking a proper Christmas meal. Stuffed and hatted, we ended up playing Scene it  - which for some very strange reason, Neil and I won.

A truly fantastic day was had by all, and something I truly hope and wish we could do again, just a family, celebrating being a family - what's more special than that? Creaster might become a very special time of our family's calendar.

I hope so. :)

HAPPY CREASTER TO ONE AND ALL.

Blogging

Hmm! finding this Blogging milaky a bit odd, I know I'm not the most technical "bod" in the world, but I can normaly negotiate my way round the internet and computer reasonably sucessfully, however, blogging seems to be a very confusing state of affairs for me at the moment. My main issues are a) finding my blog and (b) "following" people. I don't know why I'm finding it so difficult - if anyone has any suggestions - I'd greatly appreciate it.

It does seem to me that the world is full of women who are not only professional working people, but also mothers, housewives and charity workers too - I'm not a "PATCH" on these "Super women" as I'm on my "resting" period (and hence have more time on my hand than any reasonable woman can expect) I WILL have to look for work at some point and time - preferably before the money runs out! I'm not exactly a domestic Goddess, so dashing off to do the housework is hardly an issue, I AM  a mother, however, my babies are much bigger now and would rather ignore me in the presence of their girlfriends so  I'm redundent in that quater, and as for charity work, well.............I DO smile a lot! (considered a form of charity in Islamic terms) No, I'm no super woman, but I DO work hard, and I have the wonderful opportunity to travel and see parts of the world I'd never envisaged seeing before. I wonder if that qualifies me to write a blog that is worthy of a viewing by the general public?

Creaster is coming!

Tonight I've been cooking Samosa's with Alex's fiancee, she wanted to learn so we had a go cooking this evening. After about  an hour of preparation and cooking we had a selection of  potato and pea samosas and marginally smaller cheese ones - ok, they weren't quite triangular, not all of them, some were more pastry than filling, but hey! it was our first attempt.

The reason for all our hard work was to prepare a feast for our pre-creaster buffet tonight. What is Creaster? I hear you ask, well, in order for you to understand my thinking,  you have to learn a bit of family history. I am Muslim in belief and have been so for the last 3  years - however, no-one else in my family is of any particular religious jurisdiction. I am also self employed as a Maternity Practitioner (a newborn specialized  Mary Poppins)  and tend to work away from the family home for several weeks at a time.

Tom (my eldest)  is now fully ensconced in  Acting school (I'm not allowed to call it University for some odd reason) and Alex has other interests on his mind (fiancee) and therefore Christmas last year was apparently a bit of a limp affair. It's now March and Easter will soon be upon us - but again, no-one's going to be around, so I thought we'd lump the two events together even though we don't celebrate the religious aspect, we do tend to celebrate, just because we're a family. So, this year - we're having easter eggs on top of the yule log, I'm wrapping my gifts brought from afar even though they're just tee-shirts saying " I woz in Paris!" or some such slogan, and camel ornaments etc, and tomorrow we'll have turkey and all the trimmings (just because I'm muslim, why can't I go mad and cook a massive christmas dinner?) and call it Creaster! Religiously, it means nothing, personally it means the world as it means my (rapidly expanding)  family are together and I'm once again a happy mother, "clucking" around her children.

Deep Cleaning the house (Not!)

Ok, So Tom has come home with a lovely young girl, she's very sweet, witty and confident......and can't breathe! It turns out she is allergic to just about everything, which isn't conducive to a pleasant stay in our house seeing as I'm hardly classified as a Domestic Goddess and we live in the country. Add that to the fact that I spend more of my time away from the house than I do in it - cleaning ISN'T exactly a priority! Throw in the fact that we have a dog (Konka the plonka) and DD ( Dare Devil) the cat, some chickens and are surrounded by cows and horses, this isn't exactly a haven for ANY kind of allergy suffer, let alone someone with ALL allergies.

Having been forced to try sleeping in the car the first night - I arranged for the girlfriend to meet up with our friendly Dr who promptly prescribed medicine, inhaler, removal of the cat from the house and a TOTAL industrial clean of the house!! Reeling from shock I managed to coax Tom into agreeing to help me and we agreed to do a splurge the next day.

Tom then decided he couldn't sleep that night (probably from the fear of having to dust) which meant - 3am sleep, 11am + awaking, hardly a full day left to clean, however, I'm easily distracted - having the attention span of a gnat, and Tom isn't much better, so here we are, at nearly 4pm, with just about 3/4 of the sitting room almost completed (if you don't look TOO closely) Tom and girlfriend off on a romantic walk to the village pond (that I'd forgotten we'd got!) and me writing an ALL IMPORTANT  blog for the very first time!

I guess I'd better get going again,  I'm still in my jim jams and pink polka dot "ugg" slippers, good job we live in the country I say - what if anyone popped round !