Where: Place the code in between the Writer, Mother and Reviewer: May 2011

Friday 13 May 2011

Potty Training

Oh the joy I have had today.  Decided that it is about time my little boy was out of nappies.  He is two and half.  To be honest he knows when he has done his business in his nappy so  it was gloves off, or rather gloves on.

First off we had poo's on the carpet. A nice little trail of pebbles across the living room floor.  Great start! Then Niagara falls all over the dining chair that he was climbing on.  A wee waterfall straight onto the floor.  The only consolation at least it is a leather chair and wood flooring, so fairly easy to wipe. Charlie why not go on the potty? I asked.  To which I got the response NO!.  Toilet? No, NO, NOOOO.  I give in. 

Will try again tomorrow.  Meanwhile Charlie found another use for the potty.

Sunday 8 May 2011

I have had six children buzzing around me today.  2 of my own, 2 from next door and 2 from down the street.  I have provided lollies, ice cream, chicken nuggets and chips, finished off with loads of lemonade.  I feel like mother of the year ha ha.

I have bounced on the trampoline and watched Tracey Beaker on the Television when it rained.  Among all that chaos I have had my laptop switched on and kept snatching the odd five minutes to add bits to a competition entry that I have been working on.

Now all is peaceful.  Kids snoring soundly in bed.  It is just me, my laptop and a much needed glass of wine.  I have read the piece back expecting to have to scrap it and start again. To my utter shock it is actually not to bad. It needs a few tweaks here and there but on the whole I was impressed that I managed to produce something half decent.  I have been really unable to fully apply myself all day due to the constant demands and just typed and added bits when I could.  Maybe that is the key.  Things turn out better when you are not fully concentrating on them.

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Naughty Blackbirds!

I am starting to get rather annoyed with a certain Mr Blackbird that keeps wrecking my garden.  I have been working quite hard on my garden recently and it is starting to look rather nice.  Anyway I have a three tier planter that I filled with loads of bulbs and over the last week numerous little shoots have started to appear.

 Over the last couple of days a certain Blackbird has decided to use my coconut liners to start building his nest in my miniature weeping willow.  The results is my planter is ruined and he has left a trail of destruction behind him.

Just look at the state of it..  Can you believe one blackbird has done this?  I was adamant this morning that it was next doors cat as he has a fondness for the my garden to.  I could not believe my eyes when I glanced out the window and spotted the culprit.

I admit I love the birds coming into the garden and I have a bird feeder, but not when the cause havoc.  I watched him literally tearing it to pieces.

Yes, another success

Yeah, I have just switched on my PC to find out that my piece I submitted to the The Writers Bureau E-zine "Chapter and Verse" has been picked and published on the website.  If anybody is interested here  is the piece.



On we go swiftly to Jayne Anderson’s piece, which is called, I Will Make it as a Writer. She says this story is ‘100 percent based on my true life experiences’.


When I think back to a year ago, I can honestly say I don’t recognise the person I was. I certainly didn’t like her. The only way to describe past me would be, dull, drab and old- before-her-time. My only mission in life was housework and the school run. It was like my very soul had been sucked out of me.

Then tragedy struck. My partner of ten years and husband of two came home from work, packed his bags and walked out the door into the arms of his mistress. I was absolutely devastated. I had had no idea this was coming and my world fell apart. How would I manage being a single mum to two children under five? What would I do for money? I worked part-time, but I didn’t earn much. I couldn’t eat or sleep. I just felt physically and mentally destroyed.

For the next couple of months I was a wreck. I functioned purely on auto-pilot. I’d drag myself out of bed each day and try my best to carry on as normal. The children gave me a reason to get up. Without them I dread to think where I would’ve been. I was in limbo. There seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel.

I can remember vividly the moment my life changed. I was at work, and after a particularly challenging phone call, I’d felt close to tears. I’d looked around the office, and thought, do I really want to be sitting here in ten years’ time? Without a doubt the answer was no!

That was the easy part. I had to put a plan of action together and start to re-build my life - the life I had always dreamed of. It wasn’t so long ago that I’d been known as the Party Queen. Nowadays I was in bed most nights before ten o’clock. The highlight of my evening was the ritual soap watching. How had it come to this? My reflection was pretty awful. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d made the effort and worn make-up. My hair was scraped back in a lank pony-tail, and my outfit consisted of a pair of old jeans and a baggy T-shirt, with a coffee stain on the front. This had to change, now! I had always used the excuse that I didn’t have time, or I was running around after the kids. I was a mum, but I was also still a person.

Then came the exciting part; a long-overdue and very expensive, shopping trip. It felt absolutely wonderful. I had so many shopping bags that I had to make a return trip to the car, just to off load some before hitting the rest of the shops. I bought everything I needed to start my new life; make-up, shoes, clothes, handbags, jewellery. A trip to the hairdressers’ came next. I asked for a total re-style. I went in with shoulder-length mousey brown hair and came out with a short, trendy, bob all dark and shiny. Finally, I was starting to look and feel fantastic. I felt like a butterfly emerging for its chrysalis.

The next step I had to take was to stop smoking. My husband had always hated this habit. He’d said I would never quit. I had smoked for 15 years and tried countless times to stop. Every time, within the first few days, I gave in and started again. It was tough, and I did slip up along the way, but 11th August 2010 was the last time I had a cigarette. So now, not only did I look and feel good, I was also saving lots of money and smelling great.

I’ve always loved home make-over shows. I envisioned my house looking like the ones on TV, but my husband liked the creams, beiges and dull colours. He would say, ‘When the kids are older we’ll do it. It’s too much hassle while they’re so young.’ It was my house now, so I could do as I pleased. The thought of two little pairs of hands dabbling in my paint pots filled me with dread. Then an idea struck me, I would get the kids to bed then stay up all night decorating. A bit extreme, but I would have at least eight hours uninterrupted.

Kids tucked up in bed, I armed myself with paint pots and embarked on my task. On a small budget I managed to transform my bedroom into my Mediterranean Oasis. With pale yellow walls, a huge print of the ocean and silk curtains in midnight blue, it was starting to take shape. As a finishing touch, a trip to the seaside was needed to collect some shells. It was now my beautiful, child-free haven. I absolutely loved it! What made it even more satisfying was that I achieved it myself. Of course, that small triumph set the wheels in motion. I have now completely transformed five of the rooms in my house. One of my favourite rooms is now the sitting room, which I originally hated.

I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I could always be found scribbling away at some story or idea I’d had. This had dwindled over the last 10 years and I couldn’t remember the last time I had sat down to write anything. Life had got in the way. I went into the loft and dug out all my old boxes and notebooks. The stuff I had previously written was pretty rubbish, but something inside me told me to have another go.

I have proved to myself this year that I can achieve anything I set my heart on. I will simply climb over or find an alternative route around any obstacles that are put in my way. I’m now a new person, with a new outlook and I am determined I will be a published writer, just watch this space. All I can say to my husband is, Thank You for giving me my life back!