I took the kids swimming at one of our newly opened municipal pools earlier this week here in the U.K. The last week of their summer holidays was typically raining and windy so what to do?

“How about a trip to the swimming pool”? I suggested. So we arrived, spent an age getting a ticket to enter (one receptionist you see) and then – to the pool.  I was hoping for a slide – maybe a water jet or an inflatable – no, none of that. Typically, a rectangular whole filled with water (surprisingly warm for a council pool) and a chilly breeze blowing from the ventilation system. Lots of fun to be had in a pool you know:

Rather than have diving contests we played Sharks – one of us is the shark and has to ‘catch’ the others (think tag in a pool), we played jumping in, we played splashing each other, we swam (for a bit), we did all of the above three times and then it was decided to get out. We’d been in there about an hour and a half.

Not bad value for £6 – 1 adult (me) and 3 children – we had a quick play in the park next door and then headed home. The £1 locker money (x2) being spent in the food vending machines on the way out. Of course, driving home, it struck me that it’s pretty crazy really – I mean it’s just a hole filled with water and yet we managed to pass the time quite successfully I thought.

What’s your take – do you have a local pool, is it nice or grotty & when did you last go swimming?

Ever had yours wires crossed? Confused communication?

Hands up , I have and so have the boys at family guy:

LOL! Comments welcomed: Over!

In the United States,  we are beginning the holiday.  I started thinking (run, she is thinking again!) about all the people that we “have to go see.” (Well, the “have to” is another post)  How many of you like every person that you work, visit, or interact with including family.  No one, if they were honest, would have been able to answer, “everyone.” 

There comes the dilemma.  What do you do with aunt Sally who continues to call you her “sweet baboo” and you are 46 and not six anymore (not that you liked it then either).  Or sister Lucy who complains all the time or needs to be in charge.  Or Charles who just isn’t exciting to talk with.  The neighbor who talks about all the wonderful things that he has done in his life, but doesn’t listen to anyone else.  Your brother the minister and philosopher, who is a wonderful person, but eventually talks above everyones head.

Help, what do I do…?

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What’s your survival strategy? No not the one where you fill 20 black bin liners with soil from the garden, pile them around the kitchen able and climb inside and sit with a tin of baked beans for a month, until help arrives (in the event of a nuclear attack). No, I’m talking about survival of everyday life.

The problem is everybody always thinks their problems are more severe than anyone else’s, so much more un-surmountable, so much more on the brink of meltdown.

Take us at the moment. Mandy’s very busy with her business here in the UK- Fabulous Photo Gifts – as we head into a frantic 3 weeks of Christmas shopping before last orders are called. In my day job – the ‘ecomonic climate’ means we’re exploring ever more creative ways to get business which means working much more than the 9 to 5…..

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I’m having a hard time writing anything this week here in Canada. The temperature keeps going up and down and the situation at home is crazy! It’s been a rough one. My daughter has ADHD and she is in the middle of a re-evaluation. So this week, it’s no meds.

Now, what trouble can a 12 year old get in to anyways right? Wrong! I understand my job as a parent is to be patient, But what happens when your patience runs out? I am exhausted from trying to be patient. Everything inside of me holds in the screams and cries.

I can just hear the judging now. But, how can we learn from others when we don’t have anyone listen to us and help?

I was a young when I got pregnant. I was dating my first boyfriend at the time. I decided, yes, we would get married and have the baby because that would be the right thing to do. Little did I know he was abusive and liked to drink A LOT! I stuck it out for me and my daughter because I didn’t want to be done with my marriage at 23. But soon it was beyond safe and I had no choice, I had to leave. We snuck off in the middle of the night to a woman’s shelter.

Now, they are trying to rule out Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome because of the years I stayed. Life is not fair…

(I took this picture at the Calgary Zoo when I went this summer…his screaming really sums up what I am feeling.)

Part Two Later this week.

What do you wish you could do over and change in your life?

“Sometimes we are too busy with the concerns of living to give much thought to life.” ~ Thom Lemmons

I had a different post about a different book recently plotted and planned for this garden of ours — that all changed earlier today when I went shopping with my daughter at a local thrift store for her Homecoming Dress. 

(For those of you in other places not stateside, Homecoming is an annual high school ritual marked by a football game [the other kind, not soccer] with the local rival school, and a formal dance the following evening — it’s a great excuse for the kids to get very dressed up and for the parental units to take pictures.  It’s usually the last time we see our kids looking this good until Prom, or the “Spring Formal”.)

While my daughter perused the clothing aisles of the GoodWill Store, I perused the massive used book selection.  For reasons still marginally unknown to me, I snatched a small hardbound novel off a shelf and flipped thru the pages. 

Well I’m going to be in bad books with the kids when they get back from their holiday in Anglesey!

I’ve had to reformat the sky+ box after trying to watch the Bourne Ultimatum on Anytime for the last four nights. Just at the dramatic bit, it stops playing and freezes. A reformat is the only cure.

Gone are all those soap episodes they’ve been following and the full series of House the middle one has been saving. A couple of Mandy’s art programs and my Thunderbirds are Go recording, along with the last episode of Doctor Who – boo hoo.

So what task have you had to do today that made you unpopular with the family?

(I am somewhere in the above picture — taken last night at the Italian Festival in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)

With the blessing of J&E, I’m going to repost the letter I sent them this morning:
==================
This Blue Collar Goddess doesn’t have the time to write on her own blog, let alone anyone else’s.

Movin’ along, J & E made a recommendation that I toss out to y’all a heads up regarding ideas for “Flower Smelling” time management strategies whilst enduring that 14 hour weekly trip. 
I was considering investing in some audio CD’s to learn a foreign language, any other suggestions?

• ==>I went to the Italian Festival in Cuyahoga Falls last night. 
• ==>I am behind the camera (I took the picture!)
• ==>My soon to be fourth ex-husband is a douche bag.  (okay okay okay, I’ll define it a step further and give you a single example: the man is trying to take back the vehicle that he GAVE me when we were married … IDIOT!)
• ==>Just moved from California to Ohio.
• ==>I have three nearly groan up (pun intended) children who are more time consuming than when they were in freakin’ diapers.
• ==>I have a shiny new kick ass job.
• ==>Aussie Cynic should have a column in the forum called “Ask Aussie Cynic” so I can ask her lot’s of advice needed type questions.  You too!  In fact, I’ll be a guest commentor from time to time!  (my brand o’ knowledge and what not, eh?)
• ==>I apologize for going awol.
• ==>Bullet points make up half my work day.

Hi from Toronto and a BIG thanks to our flower smelling pal Dave Ross for introducing us to the show the family guy. With us not having TV in our Dubai abode we’re far from being up with the ‘must-sees’ of TV and have opted for the box sets of the likes of 24, Prison break and House.

Here’s a family Guy clip that takes us back to last week when we were sat around the ‘camp’ fire in Calgary:

So has anyone else seen this show or is it just a Canadian thing?

What others are on your hit list to watch thesedays? Do tell!