Where should I start?

Sorry to have been absent for a while, I haven't even managed to read and comment on all the blogs I follow, or find new ones to read. Life has been even more hectic than our average June, if that's even possible. I think I start each post with the words "life has been a bit busy....."!

I've written several blog posts in my head whilst driving to and from various events, pitches and around the country in general but I've not managed to find the time to write them down.

This time of year is usually very busy but we've had several unexpected happenings (some good, some not so good) which have meant there's been an extra workload for both myself and The Builder. Heaps of paperwork which I thought was all done & dusted has been returned to me with queries and the need for T's to be dotted and I's to be crossed.... or whatever! - don't you just love local councils??

Various business problems (nothing dreadful) have arisen and it seems sorting them out is in my job description - who knew; I maybe need to check my contract? Obviously I don't have a contract; or pay for that matter! It would be a little useful if I actually knew how to sort these particular problems out but there you go!

I don't really know where to start and this could be a very boring post for everyone except for me so I thought I do a little selection of photo's from the last few weeks........

I do now have a new camera, a slightly more up to date point-and-shoot than I had before as the old camera had stayed missing.

However after a month, and exactly as I typed the paragraph above Little Miss popped her head in the door to say she'd found the old camera, can you believe it? It had fallen down behind a piece of furniture along with a bit of post I'd been waiting for!

 

Anyway here we go.....

 

Little Miss graduating for the Norfolk Children's University. A council sponsored scheme open to all 5-14 year olds to recognise the work they take on outside of school hours.

A lovely ceremony held at The University of East Anglia where she (amongst many others) was presented with her certificate by Louis de Bernieres - cue tears!

 

 Little Miss also had her second gymnastics competition where she did really well, no prizes this time though.

 

There was a 14th birthday with a very chocolatey cake, with added chocolate and a little extra chocolate for good measure - well why not?

 And guess how he spent his evening? No family meal out for us....

 

The new 14 year old had 6 matches that week, and on the one day there was no game guess what he did? Went to the Oval to see England play (thank you ebay & next day delivery!) - I think he did take his bat, just in case England were 1 short!


 We had primary school sports day and did get a first - no tears, I've just about had my fill of these type of events (bah humbug!)

After the sports the children opened their café for refreshments - an event that happens occasionally. They had baked cookies in the morning and donned their waiter & waitress outfits to serve the customers. One customer arrived unexpectedly (for the children anyway), our local MP, Norman Lamb. He enjoyed a cup of tea and a cookie but didn't join the races! Little Miss and best-friend-George had the pleasure of serving him (and his press photographer!)

Little Miss and I went to The Royal Norfolk Show (1st time in about 15 years for me).

We went with best-friend-George and his Mum as George was being presented with a prize in the education tent.

The first free game we came across was the cricket - like we don't have enough of that!

 

We enjoyed a fair amount of junk food along with as many free tasters in the food tent as we could get away with (returning to some stalls in varying disguises!) 

And a couple of fair ground rides were had, just to mix up the chocolate a bit!

 

 

I had a jaunt to Nottingham with number 1 son on Friday to look around the university, not a great drive but that's what all roads out of Norfolk are like - it's to stop you escaping I think!

 He has put no effort whatsoever into researching a potential Uni, he thinks maybe he should go

"up North" - why, what are the courses like? - that he doesn't know but the beer is probably cheaper!

We will be travelling many miles it seems, over the next few months, from Sheffield to Exeter - home in between, obviously! (Unless we get lost en route which is a distinct possibility)

He liked Nottingham, the bar and common room looked good; some of the rooms had double beds too, the food was tasty - he didn't like the sound of the course though!!

(I gather that might be important?)

 

An finally today, a 100 miles done and I don't seem to have been far from home, two cricket pitches and a bit of Go Go Gorilla hunting - we know how to live!

Well worth hunting them down if you're in the city centre, they're there til mid September I believe. We found 17 of the 53 today so will go back to find more as soon as we can. There were some really super ones, we particularly liked the builder (by the information desk in the Castle Mall) who was showing a little builders bum!

And just top off the week it seems our email account has been hacked and emails have gone to all our contacts (over 450) to request money to help us get home from the Philippines as we're stranded, apparently! I have had these from other people but always ignored them. We have had several phone calls and offers of money since the emails went out - nice to know some people worried about us. As a result of the hacking all old emails and all contacts (except a random 13) were lost, BT have been very helpful and tried to restore what they can but it has been a worry;
especially for a technophobe like me!
 

I'll finish now and try to catch up with a bit of blog reading. I have to be
up early tomorrow for a day of cricket - whoopee the children said, there should be cricket from 9am til 11pm at the club tomorrow! We have two New Zealand international players coming for the day, no chance of me recognising them as I didn't recognise Alistair Cook when I met him! If they stand too near the bar I'll have to assume they're both new barmen and order my drinks.

Did I go whoop, whoop at the thought of in excess of 12 hours cricket in one day? What do you think......??