It's only 4.00, nearly dark outside, pouring with rain and the wind is blowing wildly. Steve has cycled to work today so I may be called to collect him from work. I have sent him an e mail offering my taxi service, he hasn't replied and secretly I'm hoping he's happy to ride his trusty bike!
Last April we went down to one car for the sake of the planet and our own economy. It seems likely that Steve may have to start doing a bit more travelling with work. The dilemma will be whether we again run a second car.
Tomorrow I'm going to Lymington with two friends, were going to do some Christmas shopping and peruse the local market. While were shopping, chatting and drinking hot chocolate, the guys will be clearing up at the boat yard. I have just baked some cakes for the 'workers' and also the Christmas puddings are steaming. Unbelievably its taken me five days to make them this year! They now have to steam for 10 hours. Tomorrow In evening were going to cook on the raclette at our house, It should be easy as Elaine and Sandy are both contributing to the fare and there won't be too much preparation.
Nothing else planned for the weekend, which is rather nice, perhaps it will be a lazy Sunday.

How do other women manage to work full time? I work half time and today was one of my days off. It started around 7.30. I did some washing, ironing, washed the kitchen floor, cleaned the bathroom's! (His & hers how decadent and I clean both.) I dashed to Asda for the missing ingredient for my Christmas pudding, came back and mixed up the ingredients that I had weighed out last night! All this before my My friend Jane arrived at 10.30 as she had asked me out for coffee. This afternoon I have taken my Mother out to Garston's garden centre or should I say 'Christmas shop'. I picked up a few things, some wrapping paper, a proper advent calender, one without chocolate and it's for me!
In 10 minutes I'm off to 'rainbow's, were celebrating St Andrew's day.

I didn't sleep very well, which is unusual for me. For a long time I have been lucky enough to get 8 hours, I have friends who have difficulty ever getting a good night, so I do count myself fortunate in that respect. I knew within an hour of going to bed that things didn't bode well!
Matt had sent me a message around teatime to say that he and his girlfriend Samantha had split. I can't say that I was wholly surprised as during a recent trip home Matt had told me a few things that had concerned me. Matt wears is heart on his sleeve, as is the saying, so there is no doubt that he was totally in love for the first time and I'm sure that he must be hurt even though he says the relationship ended mutually. I rang Matt and he said he was 'fine', he was staying with Gio his best friend from school who lives now in Liverpool. Matt now has to make new living arrangements. So even at the age of twenty two my kids can be the cause of my sleepless night:).
Yesterday I went Christmas shopping at Gunwarfe Quays, I feel pleased that at last I have made a start. I'm not a keen shopper, so the best bit was the break I took in the Ha Ha bar for hot chocolate. I luxuriated on the squashy sofa for half an hour and read their newspapers, though its much more fun with my friend Janis, when we chat for ages and even have two mugs of hot chocolate!

I left Bedfordshire today after a really relaxing weekend with my friend Linda. On Friday we went and saw Rachel an ex colleague of ours at home with her two children: Emily, a very lively, friendly, four year old and Joshua a some what quieter at 10 months. On Saturday we went out with Shirley who is a friend and also an ex colleague. I was amazed to see how much building is going on in the more rural part of the county. Just a few miles from Clophill, the village we lived in for 16 years a new village is being created by the name of 'Wixams'. It looks to me if its more likely to end up a small town joining up with Bedford! Oh well things don't ever stay the same. Would I go back? No I'm really happy in my Little seaside town, but I miss what it was, the place where we brought up our children from Tots to when they left home.
I have just made a shopping list as tomorrow I plan to go out and get the ingredients to make the Christmas pudding. Yes I know I could buy a really decent one for less in one of the supermarkets, but its one of the traditions of Christmas I love, especially the smell as it is cooking, three hours initial steaming and then an hour on Christmas day.
While with Linda I did buy a few Christmassy bits & pieces, mainly small decorations for the Christmas tree. Steve & I have decided that we would like a new television, so this will be our Christmas present to each other this year. I still haven't any idea what to buy for Ian & Matt. Anyone any ideas?

Matthew rang last night for a chat. This is a rare event, he wanted to tell me that he and his girlfriend Samantha are looking for a flat as they have decided to move from Samantha's mother's house. I think its a good thing, but his second piece of news pleased me more. Matt has decided to update his CV in order to find another job. Not too much jubilation until it really does happen though!
Not too much has been happening this week, although I did enjoy my day out with Annie on Monday.
I have worked this morning as I'm taking Friday off as I'm going up to Bedfordshire to stay with my friend Linda. I'm looking forward to seeing her and were planning to meet up with other friends: Rachel and Shirley.
Steve is out with colleagues for a meal this evening, I'm not sure if its an early Christmas thing or not. I will spend the evening luxuriating in a bubble bath and spend the evening watching television. Firstly I will drive Steve into Fareham, but he will have to get a taxi for his journey home as I will have gone to bed before midnight.
It's Rainbows first, a sponsored sing for children in need. I don't know if I'm just miserable, but I hate the whole children in need campaign/programme. As you know I really like children, but I really detest the whole television thing. I usually listen to Terry Wogan on the radio, but have to turn it off in the week leading up to the event, (probably does me good to listen to radio 4 for a change) and I certainly didn't watch the extravaganza on the television on the Friday evening.
Saying this I know they raised at least 19 million pounds.

We had a very pleasant weekend visiting Rebecca, Simon & Maisie. Maisie will be one year old this week and this was probably the 4th time we have seen her. We arrived on Saturday at noon and after lunch we were bundled out of the house with the little one while her Mummy & Daddy had a sleep! We didn't mind and it was what we had expected. We had a walk along the sea path from Chalkwell to Leigh, where we called in to see Dot. Dot is Steve's aunt, her brother was Steve's father and she is well loved and respected, our boys love her and so do all her other great nieces and nephews. Maisie obviously loves her too. Despite being nearly 80, Dot is fit and active, when the boys were younger they enjoyed holidays with her, Maisie enjoys a walk weekly with Dot, although as she says she doesn't do 'nappies'. At our tri annual Christmas holidays Dot plays a pivotal role.

We drove home last night,through Kent & Surrey it was snowing quite heavily, by the time we got into Hampshire the snow had turned to sleety rain.

Today has been a really nice day with Annie. We started the day at her house with coffee then out to Sarisbury Green where we had lunch at the 'Lulworth Cafe' by the Hamble. the food was delicious and we chatted for hours.

On the news today was the news of a Russian woman who has just given birth to quintuplets. It will be a few months and many hurdles to cross before the parents are able to take their family back home to Russia. Today at clinic I saw a Mother with two year old identical twin girls. I was surprised to hear that these twins had two older siblings, another set of identical twin girls. My Mother's comments would be 'oh poor woman', she will still say how hard it was bringing up twins in their first couple of years!

I have come home from work feeling shattered. This morning I had my appraisal which took about two hours. It was very positive. I talked to Steve about it, the difference between working for a corporate company as he does and being employed by the NHS is that he would get a pay rise for exceeding expectations, but I won't get anything apart from job satisfaction! Our very good manager has just had to reapply for her job, she is the best I have had in NHS. The interview was successful and she has been told she has a job, but it might not necessarily be the one she's been doing, she could be relocated to another area of Hampshire.

Steve has come home from work with a headache and has gone for a lie down. I have stuck some jacket potato's in the oven along with some salmon fillets cooking in foil parcels along with some veg, very simple, delicious and so easy. I sometimes find it so hard to decide what to have for dinner each evening, Steve tends to leave it up to me, so its simplicity on work days.

Ian has just e mailed to say that instead of coming home on the 21st December from Sheffield, he won't be coming home until Christmas Eve as he has been invited to a school friends wedding. He suddenly seems to have reached the stage where his friends are settling down.

Today its been the first really cold day, we woke up to a frost and although it didn't get much warmer all day, it was a bright sunshiny day.
The evening spent at the sailing club on Saturday went really well. An enjoyable time with friends, a surprisingly delicious meal and then the prize giving. As predicted Steve picked up half a dozen prizes, which he was pleased with.
Sunday was a quiet day as Steve went to Dorset with a friend who was buying a boat. I had a very lazy time at home, reading, doing things on the computer and not much else.
Today I have been to meet two old school friends for coffee in Fareham. I went to primary school with Teresa and Lorraine, we are all nearing fifty, I hope like them I'm wearing as well as they both are.
Matt has finally been in touch, if he hears something he doesn't like, he freezes me out for a while, I suppose with maturity this may change. Ian keeps in contact from Australia, he e mails and I read his blog on facebook.
Tomorrow I have my appraisal at work. I have done the paperwork and am ready for it. I don't feel worried about it, so should I be worried that I'm not worried!

I have just been having fun perusing the 'mothercare' website. it is our newest nieces first birthday later this month. I have checked with her mum that its OK and I'm buying her a baby doll. Having had two sons I missed out on the girlie things, so now I can buy these things for Maisie. I have no doubt that this little girl will probably end up being an all action kind of girl as is her Mother, but for now I can indulge the feminine side of this little girl.

Steve and I went shopping today and while he packed the shopping in the boot of the car I took the trolley back to retrieve my £1.00 deposit. I had managed to get the coin out of the little slot and I was making my way back to the car, I fell over. It is so embarrassing as people came from everywhere to see if I was OK. A grazed knee and a cut hand and a big dent in my pride.
Were out tonight at the prize giving dinner at the sailing club. Steve will be bringing some prizes home, I'm sure. Jan & Stu will be staying over.

Ian is in Perth in Australia and has spent the week at a conference, he's a little bit disappointed that his evenings have been as he puts it 'socially dry'. Ian is meeting with a friend from primary school tomorrow and has an invitation to go sailing with another friend next week, so it sounds like things are getting better.
Another week has gone whizzing by, an enjoyable one at work, with this morning spent doing assessment reviews on gorgeous little two year olds. All are having temper tantrums, asserting their Independence and all the Mother's finding it hard to cope with. Its amazing when its not your own child how you can view it so differently!
The weekend ahead will be busy with the prize giving dinner at the sailing club, Steve is at present polishing his silver trophies that he has to give back. I'm hoping that he might win one in particular back. Last year it made a really nice Christmas decoration with tinsel and lights!
Well its into the kitchen to prepare dinner, crepes with bacon and eggs!

I'm in my second favourite place, stretched out on the sofa. I have been getting some of the family photos into order. Steve has been scanning them into the computer and I have found a scrapblogging site. Maggie is a scrapbooker, but if I'm honest I can't be bothered to spend hours with glue and scissors, I would find it so tedious . Putting them into an album on the computer is much easier. I will be able to to pass the link onto friends and family. Here's one for now Janis!

All around were being reminded that in not too many weeks it will be Christmas. At the salon where I have my hair cut I was advised this morning by Leanne that I needed to book an appointment if I wanted my hair cut before Christmas. In the supermarket the decorations were festooned everywhere and Christmas goodies had been crammed in everywhere! I came home feeling a bit panicky as I haven't yet started my preparations! Then I put things into perspective. I have never had a Christmas where I haven't been ready. This year it will be a relatively quiet one, Ian will be home from Australia, but Matt will be celebrating with Samantha and her family. My Mother is going to Las Vegas for a holiday at her friend Val's home, which is wonderful for her. She only booked it on Monday and by yesterday she had got her dollars! Well they are at a terrific rate for the Brit going to the USA, so who could blame her.

Second instalment today. I have just returned from taking Matt to the railway station. It was great to have him home, but it didn't end well. I'm expected not to have any opinions about his lack of ambition. I'm unable to keep my mouth shut but I couldn't and ended up telling him what I think! My language was not polite!

Matthew's visit home has been terrific, a busy few days which I have enjoyed immensely. Yesterday Matt met his Aunt and cousin for the first time. I collected Annie from Fareham station and brought her back here at about 4. Phil came over with Christo at 7. Matt and Annie talked and talked and talked together, I hardly got a word in edge ways:). Christo and Matt became acquainted over dinner and there was even more talk, lots of laughter. Matt talked about their Grandfather and Christo spoke of his one meeting with him as a small child. After dinner we walked across the road to watch the firework display on the beach. It was an amazing spectacle organised by local businesses in Lee.
Back home, over coffee and fuelled by a 'little' wine Matt and Christo debated and put the world to rights! Oh how their Grandfather would have enjoyed this.
Ironically their Aunt is visiting this weekend and staying at my Mother's flat along the seafront. Denise had travelled south to attend a party last night. I would have invited her to call in before she went out, if I could have been certain that she wouldn't have spoilt a wonderful evening, but actually I know she wouldn't have come even if she had been invited.