Stressed Mum

Posts Tagged ‘life’

I have been having a sort out. You need to understand that there are currently seven people living in our house. Two of them have moved back home complete with all their student house possessions and one is just here for the summer. One has a collection of shoes to rival Imelda Marcos and one is into music. He has keyboard and digital drums in his room. The main problem is the piano which is being delivered tomorrow. It has to go in the lounge.

I began by moving a pine bureau from the lounge into the hall. I opened the drawers and found many photos from when the children were young. I couldn’t just put them back without looking could I? So I spent an hour looking through them, remembering good times when they slept at night and played out during the day, unlike now. Then I moved the shoe rack in the hall into … nowhere because I need to clear out the cloakroom to make room for it. In order to clear out the cloakroom I need the owners of the coats it contains to identify and remove them so that only those which are actually worn remain. Ditto shoes. Everyone was asleep or out so I gave up and made meringue instead!

When I managed to pin them down they didn’t want 90% of what was in the cloakroom so I now have a lovely streamlined look. I also have a big bag of good coats for the charity shop and a few items to freecycle. There are still a few stray items but a job well(ish) done I think.

Now does anyone have any idea where to stash the contents of two student houses?

I saw this on A Mothers Ramblings and loved it so thought I would share it with you. It originally came from American Mom in England.

I have only managed 37 so far and am unlikely to do most of the others so maybe I will have a go at my own list. I’ll share that too when I’ve done it.

1. Started your own blog (You’re reading it!)

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped (Never!!)

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child (or 4!!)

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt (No but seen a couple of good ones in Iceland)

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (They don’t come much stranger than my family!!)

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance (why would I wish for that?)

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkelling (Snorkelling on The Great Barrier Reef – I’m so lucky!)

52. Kissed in the rain (A long time ago!!)

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theatre

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favourite childhood toy (My Barbie dolls)

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar (not very veggi!)

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone (No thanks)

78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book 

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve (Does been kissed by a stranger count?!)

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club                                  

93. Got a tattoo

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

 

I don’t actually think I want to do all 99 anyway! Most of the American ones are a no-no for me as I have never been to America and have no particular desire to go (sorry to all my American readers – nothing personal you understand!) I’m sure The Blue Lagoon in Iceland, where I have swum, is better than The Great Salt Lake!

Do let me know if you put this on your blog or have any great ideas for my list (be sensible, I’m not as young as I was!)

When I decided to join the 21st century and write a blog I wasn’t entirely sure what I was going to write about. I still have no idea. I do know that I like to write. I also like to cook, read, garden, watch Manchester City and sew. I do not like to clean, tidy, wash, iron…. you get the picture. I may write about cleaning, tidying etc. as I do those (almost) every day. I am more likely to write about the things I love.
The things I love do, of course, include my husband and four children so I may write about them too, but only if they do something interesting!
Currently the thing I love best is my new Kenwood Chef. My Mum had one of these when I was growing up but I was never initiated into its mysteries. I recently did some research (Google and talking to friends!) and decided to buy one with the proceeds of a few days teaching in March. I am a convert. I have chopped, sliced and mixed. I have made bread (lots), pasta, soup and cakes. I think I may be addicted to bread making. Looking for and trying new bread recipes takes time but the end result is very satisfying so I am trying to collect together a good selection of recipes. I will post on here any good ones I find.