Escaping!

When it's sunny and bright outside, there is nothing like escaping out of the office. I'm so lucky in that the grounds surrounding the factory I work in are stunning. The Colman family used to own the whole site and large areas have been preserved, including the Abbey, the graves of the family dogs and the sunken garden.


Today whilst taking my lunch break I took a wander to the sunken garden....it was so pretty, full of sunlight and flowers - and even a pair of rabbits who kept racing across and hiding each time I got too close!


I spent way too long just taking photographs and savouring every moment of being out of the office, in the fresh air and surrounded by such beauty! Sometimes there is just no greater thing in this world than the simplest of pleasures!

An Unexpected Good Day :)

Don't you just love those? A day that starts off pretty poo suddenly becomes a good one! They don't come along that often, and are all the more fabulous for their slow burning nature :)


Today didn't start well, Hague woke me up at 5am cos he was in agony with a stomach ache, and then went into the spare room. I was out of bed at 7.30am to get to work (never, ever a good thing) and the weather seemed to have decided that we'd had enough of that sunshine business for now. At work I had to have an investigation for my absence and so wasn't expecting much from today at all....to cap it all, Hague called to tell me that he'd accidentally squished my new glasses :(


However, from a lowly start, the day has improved! The investigation will not be progressed to a disciplinary, after work I picked up a purple mountain bike (with a basket!!) from a lovely Freecycler and even managed to squeeze it into the car!


I got home, and the lens that my friend Lee had promised me had arrived from Singapore along with extra CF cards, manuals and a camera strap and Tesco had sent me £4 of vouchers, myself and Hague then headed out for dinner. For a grand total of £18.65 we both had drinks, starters, a pizza and unlimited salad - now that's a bargain! I am now relaxing at home, enjoying the wildly changing light in the sky as a storm brews, stuffed to my earholes with food and about to get snap happy with my new lens ...... Thank you May 26th, you've been a lovely old day :)

Slightly Over Excited :)

I know it's not much in the scheme of things, but for someone who gets excited every time someone reads her random little blog, the fact that it's now been read over 1000 times is definitely something to get a little bit happy about!

I have no idea who most of the people reading this blog are, whether they are friends or strangers, or why they have decided to read about my life. I'm just smiling right now because they do!

I really would love for some of you to say hi though, or leave a comment now and again - even just sign my wee guestbook at the bottom of the page so I can put a face to the random little digits that appear at the side of my witterings!

To all of you - thank you, I love that you take time to pop by and read this, and I hope you'll return :)

The Pain of Divorce!

I am a Divorcee. My divorce was finalised way back in October 2009 and since then I’ve been slowly progressing back to my Maiden Name. My bank accounts, driving license and even my loyalty cards are now back to my old self. None of these were particularly painful to do – in fact I was surprised at how most places just took my word for it that I was now Miss Mitchell once again. The driving license was the worst I guess, but they only wanted the absolute, and it was done!
I am now faced with that pinnacle of identification – my passport. It has now become a pretty urgent job to get done, I’m on holiday in August, my current passport runs out in June, and so it does need renewing, and will need to be renewed in my new (old) name….

Now…call my naïve, call me overly optimistic, but my last (and still current) passport was issued in the name of Karen Mitchell Grimes, a change from Karen Mitchell on the strength of a signature from a Registrar, that was it. They were happy with that. I was therefore, thinking that all they would need would be my Absolute to undo what had been done before….Oh no, as a divorced woman who has decided to go back to my Maiden Name I have to proved a “paper trail” of my name change! So, rather than just a Decree Absolute to prove the marriage is over I also have to provide a Birth Certificate, to prove I am actually Karen Mitchell. My Marriage Certificate, to prove the marriage they already know about as they issued my passport in my married name I presume and a signed statement swearing that I am now using my Maiden Name again – which surely is obvious as I’m applying for a passport in that name??

So frustrating, especially as I have no idea where my Decree Absolute or Marriage Certificate are :o(

Hague on the other hand? Well, he always has been, and always will be Hague, and so the Passport Office (or the Identity and Passport Service as they are now called) couldn’t give a flying furry fig what his marital status is, married, divorced, fiddling with a Guinea Pig called Gerald? They don’t care :o(

Being Veggie

Apparently today marks the start of National Vegetarian Week. As someone who has been Vegetarian forever this is something that normally passes me by, but as a recent Twitter addict this year I've noticed it and it seemed the perfect excuse for a blog lol!


I've been veggie for 21 years now, since I was 15. I decided to go veggie on a teenager's whim, but then a few days in saw documentary on the meat industry and have never knowingly eaten meat since.


When I first went veggie, I was quite naive and just didn't eat animal flesh - as far as I was concerned if it wasn't meat I could eat it (I did include fish and shellfish in that though....). Over the years, I've become far more aware of what I'm eating and have slowly become far more educated over what being a Vegetarian actually means. For the record, I'm what's known as an Ova-Lacto Vegetarian, that means that I'm a Vegetarian that still eats eggs and dairy produce, however only Vegetarian dairy produce - some cheeses are still made traditionally with rennet, and as such aren't veggie. The eggs I eat are free-range, and the milk I drink is organic, so I do try in my own way to be ethical in the animal products that I do still eat.


However it does mean a lot of things that I once took for granted have become off limits for me....MullerLight yoghurts, once a staple of my dieting self contain gelatine as do just about every type of pick and mix sweet. Other hidden non-veggie ingredients include rennet, animal stock of various types and cochineal. To be honest, these days manufacturer's have got much, much better at their product labelling, so if something isn't labelled as Vegetarian, I won't eat it. It's funny how much has changed in what I eat over the course of maybe the last five years or so as I've started to think more about what my Vegetarianism means to me. And that is all that's important, what it means to me. I don't want to make anyone Vegetarian, I will still cook meat for Hague, and sit around a table and share dinner with meat eaters. I don't want to change the world, I have just chosen to be Vegetarian.


Although, I'd just like to add the following ....... If you eat a Kebab when you're pissed, you're not a veggie! If you eat fish, you're not a veggie (thanks for making life a total pain in the arse for Vegetarians the world over you imbecile - the word is Pescetarian, learn it and sod off). If you eat chicken occasionally, you're not a veggie! Same goes for bacon sandwich eaters, sausage roll sneakers and cheeky burger munchers!! We all get tarred with the same brush - if only I had a quid for every time I was asked "Oooh but don't you always just want a bacon sandwich?" No...if I did, I'd eat one, and as I'm a Vegetarian I won't! No-one is forcing me lol!

Internet Bed Time?

I'm a Night Owl, I am awake way longer than I should be every weekend. Something has struck me over the last few weekends though.... T'internet is supposedly a worldwide community, encompassing every country and continent.


So why the hell does everything seem to die not long after midnight? Facebook, Twitter...you name it it dies in the early hours! The problem with me is that the longer I'm up, normally means the longer I've been drinking, which means the more sociable I'm feeling, I am always thwarted however by a lack of people online :(


Damn you t'interwebs and your illusion of 24 hourness, tis all lies and poppycock!

Bleaurgghhh!

I have a serious case of the Can't Be Arsed's. I don't know where it's come from or when precisely it started, all I know is that it's taken hold.


I am slowly losing enthusiasm for everything. Work is becoming a chore, anything more strenuous than lazing about seems beyond me. This mood hasn't been helped by me being ill this week, an upset stomach is never really much of a motivator is it? 


It's not just this week though - everything seems to have lost its lustre recently, everything is a chore. Even my 365 has become something that HAS to be done. I'm hoping that this mood doesn't last for long; they don't normally, but it's a horrible feeling for me. I like feeling positive about things, looking forward to things, but right now.....nothing is sparking interest :( 


Here's hoping a mood lift is around the corner?

The Queen of Procrastination

I'm not particularly skilled at many things, but at procrastinating I am fantastic! As you may remember (seeing as I only blogged about it constantly....) I had nearly 2 weeks off recently, and managed to complete none of the things I wanted to get done.


It's now got to the stage where some of those things NEED to be done. For example, if I want to actually go on the holiday that my parents have booked for us all, I NEED to sort out my passport. I have been meaning to do this since April last year when I realised that my passport was the only documentation left in my married name....13 months is one hell of a impressive procrastination, are you impressed yet?


A slightly smaller delay has been on my repeat prescription. I was actually together enough to get this dropped off at the doctors on time this month; unlike last month where I was without my tablets for nearly a week (not clever). The prescription was ready on Friday, I only got the prescription today (thanks to Hague) and still haven't got my tablets!!


So, I need to get my tablets tomorrow. I also need to pick up my new glasses (no delay there, they'll be ready tomorrow and I've been SO impatient to get them). I have a form to post off as well. These are things that definitely need doing tomorrow. There are also a few things I'd like to get done - and even as I type I know full well that I probably won't get the rest of the washing done, wash all the towels or sort out under the bed. The intention is there though, surely that counts for something?? :o)

Drunkled :)

Well not quite drunk :) but I've had a fab night anyway! We started early, but the early alcohol hit has dissipated into a slightly smiley, very happy mood. Personally I can't think of anything better for a Friday evening than feeling very happy, slightly giddy and listening to music from your youth.


Problem is that some of these tunes that are burned into my psyche are nearly 20 years old. That scares me. How on God's green Earth can Let Me Be Your Fantasy be 19 years old?? Where the hell has all that time gone? I can remember vividly hearing that song for the first time and feeling overwhelmed by the tune, just closing my eyes and absorbing the sound. Wonderful.


The Prodigy - one of the best bands in the world first entered my little universe when I was 17 and have never left it.


I'm not quite sure when these epic tunes stopped being awesome rocking choooons and became classics, but they have. I suppose I can now understand what my Mum and Dad were going on about with their sixties tunes way back when I was about 10 - the twenty year old songs that had etched themselves onto the memories of their lives....


Where does the time go? When did Baby D become something that could be played on the "classic" radio station of our generation?? Mind you, to give me credit, it's nearly 5am and I'm still up listening to these songs,  so I can't be ready for the knacker's yard just yet ;)

A Look To The Bright Side

Today I should have been in Barnsley, whilst Dan had his contact with his boys. However, his ex texted when we were 75 miles into our journey to tell us his youngest was sick. As contact takes place at Dan's Mum's (who has two disabled children of her own) it was decided that contact would be postponed until next week.


As today started with a huge disappointment (as well as the waste of half a tank of petrol) I shall be spending the rest of the day trying to gee myself up by looking on the bright side....

1. As we were up so early, we have the whole of Sunday afternoon and evening to enjoy.
2. Bayleigh got a nice walk rather than being in her cage for 12 hours.
3. We can get the rest of the washing done.
4. I won't be utterly shattered for work tomorrow.
5. Dan will get extra phone contact tonight (I'm really pushing it with that one...).
6. As the next visit is postponed he will only have to wait two weeks between visits next time.
7. I didn't have to have a bra on all day long :)
8. Ditto jeans.

Small things, but after this morning, I felt the need to highlight some good feelings to take from today after the upsetting start.

Best.Advert.Ever

Do you need any more explanation? Just click, and giggle. A lot :)
Best advert in the world ever!

Overjoyed!

Today is a very happy day. Before the Royal Wedding I was uninterested in the variety of tat available as keepsakes and souvenirs...as the day grew closer a strange obsession started to grow...I wanted a tea towel, no, I NEEDED a tea towel. The cheesier the better, the worse the portraits of Wills and Kate, all the better. All the local pound shops were proudly advertising their own, slightly mis-printed towelley offerings, but despite popping in several times I was never lucky enough to find one (or patient enough to wait in the enormous queues the pound shops seem to generate in Yarmouth).

The wedding was a week ago, and I had lost all hope of finding that perfect anti-souvenir, I even came close to buying an ashtray, even though neither of us smoke, just to fulfill that strange little longing inside for the cheesiest of memorabilia. My heart was heavy - I was never going to find anything.

But...today....Asda came storming to the rescue, around we were strolling, minding our own business when something caught my eye, something reduced, something that...yes...had a portrait on it :)

Oh the joy, for the princely (sorry) sum of £3.50 I am now the proud owner of a tin of Quality Street chocolates, produced for the Royal Wedding!! How awesome is that? And it's full of chocolates!! You just don't get much better than that do you?

Worth waiting for :)

Me time!

Today I am enjoying that rarest of occurrences - me time! What are you on about you may ask, you've just had 12 days off work you lazy mare! Whilst this is true, Hague was also off, so we enjoyed the time together :) Today however is something different, his Hague-ness is at work, and I am not. I think I can count on the fingers of one hand the days I have spent alone in the house since we've been together so it's an opportunity for me to do whatever I like!


The car has to be serviced today, so in reality I only had 4 hours in which to enjoy myself, the first half an hour was spent dropping Dan at work and then chasing the window cleaner to get up to date with our payments. I then had to wait for my Sister who is in need of clothing for a wedding. She's now been and gone and so now at 11.45am I find myself with 2 hours to spend doing anything!


I have decided to spend it wastefully (yes I am aware of yesterday's blog bemoaning the wasting of time but I rather enjoy blogging and watching my choice of TV so really it's not that wasteful - anyway, I digress....) I thought I would share with you my favourite ways to waste time on t'interwebs!


1) Well, how else? Why argue with countless millions? Facebook is probably the biggest time waster on the internet, and I spend way too much time tending my Cafe, looking after my Monsters and wrestling :)


2) Definitely coming up a close second at the moment is the fabulous 365 Project website. It's a great little online community where everyone is trying to complete a 365 project. The discussions are helpful and funny, the photos people post are inspiring and the whole place is wonderfully positive! I can spend hours on there browsing my friends photographs and reading the disucssions.


3) Reading various blogs is definitely another pastime of mine and Allie's is the best, no question. If you've never heard of Hyperbole and a Half, get yourself a cuppa, make sure you have a few hours and click on the link, I promise you won't be disappointed!


4) Another blog type/comic hybrid is theoatmeal.com Another great way to waste an hour or so, and also to educate yourself on correct grammar. That's a win/win for me!


5) A double-edged sword this one..."window" shopping! The internet is simply the best place in the universe to buy prettyful things and I spend stupid amounts of time perusing items of beauty (and camera lenses) which I can't afford! The current fave window shops are probably:
 Whimsical Wren (which I can afford to be fair as her jewellery is wonderfully affordable). I defy you to click and not find anything you like!
Amazon It's like a one-stop-shop for everything! I love it, I also love that I have a little box in my toolbar with "Add to Wish List" and wherever I am on t'interwebs I can click on that magic button and it will add the item to my Amazon wish list - ready to be considered by anyone that want's to by me a gift! (Just in case you're feeling generous, said list is here).
Vivien of Holloway I adore her dresses, I have 4 of the halterneck swing dresses and feel so glamorous when I wear them. She will probably also be the dress designer should a Mitchell/Hague wedding day ever occur lol!
Schuh Any shop which sells Iron Fist, Irregular Choice, Rocket Dog, Converse and DM's is alright by me, and I can spend ages drooling over shoes which I will never have opportunities to wear, wouldn't be able to walk in and can't afford - but they are so pretty *sigh* 


The joy of the internet though is that a simple Google search throws up so many more shops to peruse that it can be a pastime all of it's own - a frustrating one maybe, but nowt wrong with a window shop!


Anyway - brunch has been eaten, a blog has been written, a photograph for today has yet to be taken and I need to enjoy 90 more minutes of my solitary day - Laters :)


P.S. Get thee to a polling station today! Don't forget to vote!


P.P.S I had a GREAT day :)

Confessions...

I have a confession to make….I have a very sad hobby. Now, I have a few hobbies, some are nice and mature, such as photography, cookery and reading, some are less mature, such as wasting time on the internet and being silly (is that a hobby? lol) One however is beyond immature, beyond silly and is into the realms of the ridiculous…

I am a Dog Coat Spotter, a proud member of Fleece Watch. When I see someone wearing a dubious fleece, adorned with animals I have to try and snap a photograph which I then post to a Facebook group.

Now, I can almost see the puzzled expression on your face, what on earth am I talking about? Below is an example of the wonder that is a Dog Coat / Animal Fleece.



So now you know what the quarry is, but what pleasure comes from it? Well, until you have chased down the street, or slammed your brakes on to capture one of these beauties you just won’t understand the sheer hilarity of the situation or the feeling of accomplishment you get from getting a shot of someone wearing one of these monstrosities!

So many questions arise from this hobby…what possesses people to buy one of these things, let alone wear one? The material is awful, not proper fleece but that cheap blankety material that will ensure static shocks to anyone within reaching distance. It seems to be mainly women of a certain age, who adore these abominations of the fashion world. This however, does make it quite easy to take a picture as they seem to have no idea that mobile phones now contain cameras, so you can quite easily follow them around to get a good shot.

I guess this confession of a hobby beyond sad could be taken to mean that I will endeavour to wean myself from the semi-stalking habits I’ve found myself employing just to feel the rush of a perfect picture……… but no! I love it, it amuses me greatly and each time I see one I am genuinely joyful and can’t wait to share my capture with my like minded friends!

Long Live Fleece Watch!

Sometimes Life Is Just Too Short

We are only here for moments in the scheme of things, all of the millennia that the Earth has been here for and our lifetime is a miniscule event that can’t possibly register. We measure our time in seconds, minutes, years, but presume that the years will stretch on endlessly; at least that’s how it feels when you’re young. When time is there to waste, when summers stretch on forever, when friendships feel like they’ll be always be strong.

As time passes and you get older, you realise just how wrong you were. Each year that passes seems faster than the last, babies become toddlers become children seemingly before your very eyes – the time so subjective as it goes by.

You start to appreciate what’s important, the things worth every ounce of effort you can muster, and the things that are wasteful in a negative way. The things that seep into your mind, grow and get darker, the things that seem to dictate your behaviour, seem to twist you into something you barely recognise if you’ll let them. Bitterness makes you bitter. Negativity makes you negative. Hate makes you hateful and all of them take time…time to build, and grow and become forces larger than themselves!

What a waste.

Life is for living, for seeing the beauty in everything around us. We should enjoy our short, precious time, we should keep in sharp focus the things which are important. I think the time away from work, and hearing of the sudden death of a colleague (younger than me) has really hit this home to me. I’m not one for letting myself get dragged into meaningless, harmful, bitchy negativity anyway – but I am determined to be happy, to LET myself be happy. To look for positives wherever negatives seem to present themselves, to find challenges rather than obstacles. To just dust myself off and get going again when the setbacks keep coming.

I have a lot to be happy about, the kind of things that money can’t buy really (which is a good thing lol). I have love in my life, my bills are paid, I have a roof over my head, I have good friends and my health. I will not waste my life on regrets, on “what if’s” on raking over old ground to find even worse conclusions. I’m just going to live it – every single, precious, delicate moment of it.

The End Is Nigh....

All that glorious time off, all those days stretched out before me, all the possibilities of days to come are gone....

Twelve days passed - just like that! I had a few things that I wanted to get done, and have done NONE of them! The bedroom didn't get sorted, no tidying got done, due to her dislocated toe Bayleigh didn't get any huge walks, we didn't get to a car boot sale and we haven't even cleared the backlog on the Sky+ box lol!

But - we attended a wonderful wedding, Hague got to meet some more of the family Mitchell, we had some time with my nieces, and had an Easter egg each. We had lunches out and dinners in. Days of lazing and days of drinking. Much enjoying of the stunning weather, and a visit to the Beer Festival. Watching a Royal Wedding and the last hurrah of a Time Lord. Time together, time talking, laughing and enjoying each other. A positive court hearing and a glorious hour in a spa. So all in all not a bad little holiday :)

It's going to be one hell of a shock to my system going back to work that's for sure, but at least I have some wonderful memories to keep me going for those 8 hours (Yes, I'm off again on Thursday lol)


Wonderful Memories...