For research purposes the 7 year old and I did some kitchen dancing to one of our Christmas CDs just to make sure which was my ultimate song.  Whilst I chair danced she pirouetted round the kitchen and concluded that she likes it because it reminds her of the film Home Alone … our favourite Christmas film … “Keep the change  you filthy animal”.

So here is a version by The Drifters. Pass the sherry …

I pass the Ultimate Christmas song gauntlet to Insomniac Mummy, Babylon Tales, Cheshire Mum,  Two Teens a Dog and Me and Tiddleyompompom.  Hit me with your festive tunes ladies.

I can confirm that I have drunk a pint, albeit of mojito, with Mrs Lister, so in that regard I’m safe.  I was tagged by Rosie Scribble. Here are my answers…

When were you happiest?
The day after the 6 year old was born I remember standing in our en-suite having a shower and I just couldn’t stop smiling.  At that moment, right there, right then, life was perfect.  I was the best mother ever to walk this earth.  Now of course I live my life plagued by mother’s guilt. But I’ll never forget that moment.

What was your most embarrassing moment?
Sheesh.  I have loads but my most recent has to be when I sprayed red wine all over my boss because someone made me laugh.  That moment was followed by silence, a lot of stunned faces and probably some tumbleweed.

Aside from property, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?
I’d love to say some amazing fashion accessory, but having no fashion sense whatsoever it will have to be a car.

What is your most treasured possession?
Photographs of my childhood, they are a link to my mother.

Where would you like to live?
Australia. Having just endured, what feels like,  the longest Winter ever I’d love to live somewhere with more sunshine.  We’d all be far happier.  I wouldn’t need asking twice.

What’s your favourite smell?
Creosote. I love that smell.  In fact it’s around this time of the year that people start to open up those tins and start painting their fences with gay abandon.  During my maternity leave, just before I had the 6 year old, I spent many a dog walk strolling, extremely slowly, past people painting their fences inhaling deeply.

Who would play you in the film of your life?
My darling niece and Sister say that I remind them of Miranda Hart. Not sure how to take that so I’ll just say someone who also looks like an Amazonian tree dweller.

What is your favourite book?
The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.  She appeared recently at a local literature festival.  I arrived on the website for tickets approximately 2.3 seconds too late.  Luckily my Wife got a ticket, for herself, went along and brought me back a signed copy of the book.

What is your most unappealing habit?
The Husband could probably reel off about 50 without thinking about it.  I’ll give you nail biting and leave it there.

What would be your fancy dress costume of choice?
I once dressed as a nun … and not in a rude way, nor a Sister Wendy way.

What is your earliest memory?
Sitting in my cot. My sister who was 11 years older than me had made me a beautiful picture. On black card she had stuck lots of tiny white stars and planets. And put it on the wall, within reach.  Boy did those stickers taste good.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Car crash TV, although I’m getting more selective in my old age. I refuse to watch Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity or anything like that.  I watch X-Factor under duress occasionally and even then I have to fast forward through most of it.  My favourite shows at the moment are Come Dine With Me, The Hills, Katie, The Model Agency & America’s Next Top Model. The Husband despairs.

What do you owe your parents?
An awful lot of money. Apart from that my Dad passed on a wicked sense of humour.

To whom would you like to say sorry, and why?
A gentleman in Spain who sent me a document, by email, with his photograph on it.  I sent, what I thought was, an email to my friend saying ‘Check out the funny little beard’.  Six long hours later I received an email back from the man in the photo saying ‘Thanks’.  I’m hoping that due to the language barrier he thought I was being complimentary.

What does love feel like?
All warm and fuzzy with a smidgen of fork lightening.

What was the best kiss of your life?
Friday 7 July 2000, Bar 38, Leeds City Centre, at approximately 10.30pm.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
In a minute, maybe, we’ll see, later, soon, no, I’ll think about it, maybe tomorrow.

What is the worst job you have ever done?
I once worked for a letting agent who ran some halls of residence for students.  If the students left their kitchens in a mess I had to remove all items of cookware that had been left out.  I then had to charge the students a fee to get their baked bean encrusted pans back.  The owner had a badly fitted wig, an incontinent wife who sat on my chair, and a dog that once crapped under my desk.  It was all kinds of wrong which is why I moved on very quickly.

If you could edit your past, what would you change?
That instead of being hell bent on failure and rebellion I got myself some decent qualifications and that I could have more children.

What is the closest you have come to death?
My Father taught me to drive when I was 17.  He started off by taking me to an empty industrial estate where I went through the motions of kangaroo jumps and driving very slowly.  After my second lesson he decided to let me drive the 5 or 6 miles home.  It was all going well, although my buttocks were permanently clenched, when we came across one of the worst roundabouts in Leeds which my Father had forgotten about.  As I drove across four lanes of traffic amid beeps, screeches of brakes and lots of gesticulating I turned to see the whites of my Father’s eyes.  He had to have his hands peeled off his seat when we got home.  Ironically, he is now a driving instructor.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Getting to the ripe old age of 32 without having had any further near death experiences and maintaining my sense of humour at all times.

When did you last cry and why?
Tears of laughter yesterday reading this old blog post by my Wife and tears of sadness last Wednesday when my Sister gave me some shocking news which took the wind from my sails.

How do you relax?
By laying, prone, on the sofa watching TV.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
A cleaner.  If that cleaner was George Clooney or Benicio Del Toro then even better.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
I could say something predictable like ‘Live every moment like it’s your last’ but actually it’s probably something along the lines of ‘never underestimate the fearlessness of your 5 year old or the astuteness of your 6 year old’ or maybe even ‘always double check who you are sending an email to’

I pass this rather great interview on to:

Exmoorjane

My Mummy Wrote This For Me

Notes From Home

Petit Mom

Mutterings of a Fool

I have to do “interesting things in 7 photos”.

So here are the “rules”, if you will …

1. You must thank the person who has given you the award (Yeah, thanks. As if Tara Lara’s bloody Gallery didn’t test my photographic archives enough …)

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog

3. Link the person who has nominated you for the award

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting – (Mocha Beanie mummy has altered this to 7 photos and I’m liking that)

5. Nominate 7 other Kreativ Bloggers

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate

7. Let the nominated bloggers know they have been tagged

So here are my 7 interesting photos;

Number 1 – Nesting Bowls/Lights of My Life

My Sister bought these as a wedding gift.  They are beautiful.  If our house were on fire I would grab these first.  Sad, but true.

Number Two – The Funniest Lamb Ever

This is my boy, aged just 2, at Hesketh Farm Park in North Yorkshire.  Just before this picture was taken he was peering into the lamb’s enclosure when a rather friendly lamb tried to leap up at him.  This was taken seconds later.  He thought it as the funniest thing ever.  It warms my cockles so it does.

Number Three – A Sophisticated Couple, If Ever I Saw One

I don’t think this requires any explanation.

Number Four – The One Eyed Poo From Kathmandu

This work of art was brought home by my 4 year old last year.  I had absolutely no idea what it was.  I eventually found out it was, in fact, a snail, but we all had fun when I opened it up to you, my readers, to decide.

Number Five – The Studious One

This is the 5 year old.  She spends most of her time drawing or writing.  This is where she sits sometimes when I’m cooking.  she pretends to interview me.  Clearly a good day at school; Check out the remains of her lunch on her jumper and her scabby bruised knees.

Number Six – A Field of Happy Campers

This was last year’s camping holiday to Robin Hood’s Bay.  It’s a crap photo but I love that my nearest and dearest are all running round a field having fun as the sun sets.

Number Seven – Sisters

This is The Teenager and the 5 year old three years ago.  You would be forgiven for thinking we were on a beach in the UK, overcast and gloomy … but no, this was a lake in France, during ten days of drizzle. Despite the rain we had a good time …

Number Eight – The Reason I get Up in The Morning

I know I’m cheating, it said ‘seven photos’.  Shoot me.

So, the title of this photo sounds like a cliche, but without these two I would stay in bed, have a lie in.  I would need an alarm clock to get up for work.  Who needs an alarm clock when you have these beaming faces in your face at 6.48 every morning without fail?

So I am tagging you;

Audrey Horne, It’s A Small World After All, Battling On, Rosie Scribble, Chelle’s Place, English Mum & New Day New Lesson

]]> http://arewenearlythereyetmummy.com/if-my-house-were-on-fire-id-grab-these-first/feed/ 22 http://arewenearlythereyetmummy.com/1989-the-year-of-the-sullen-jean-braces-wearing-child/ http://arewenearlythereyetmummy.com/1989-the-year-of-the-sullen-jean-braces-wearing-child/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:00:48 +0000 Laura - AWNTYM? http://addcreative.co.uk/AWNTYM/?p=2979  

The epitome of cool ...

Tara at Sticky Fingers has got all scanner happy … again … and keeps goading me into finding photos that I too can scan. She’s come up with the Young At Heart Photo Album Tag.

This tag is aiming to create a giant photo album of photos across the ether. But not baby/toddler/youth photos of your children – these photos are of YOU.

So this is my photo.  I was 10 years old and visiting my Grandparents in Edinburgh.

My Granddad, an avid photographer, wanted to take some shots of me on my skateboard. I rolled everywhere on my skateboard and from the looks of it I was growing out a perm. Every so often Crazy Nan would take me to the hairdressers and treat me to a perm. Yes … I said treat.

I thought I looked fab. I wore stonewashed jeans with patches pulled up in a Simon Cowell stylee. Just to make sure they didn’t fall down I wore a tight belt and as a secondary measure some braces.

The cardigan I have no recollection of, in fact it looks like it may have belonged to my sister.

To top off my look I wore a George Michael T-shirt, tucked in. I knew all the words to the Faith album … and probably still do.

Not much has changed, I’m still THAT cool.

Mellow Yellow

This tag has an air of mystery about it. You have to guess who I’m tagging . . .

I’ve already done it behind the scenes and she’s all ready to go. And she’s primed her tagee etc. See if you can guess who it is before you click through to find out who our mellow yellow blogger is . . .

My favourite song is The Time Is Now by Moloko.

This song reminds me of those first months of meeting The Husband. I refer to that time as ‘when we were young and in love’. Now we are older … and in love.

Some men reading this will know it for a completely different reason. It will twang their heart strings. To them it will signal joy, to their other halves perhaps it will signal misery. In August 2004 Sky Sports’ Football decided to take it upon themselves to use part of the song as their theme tune. It was only supposed to be used for two months. Six years later they are still using it. 

It tainted my love for the song.

Tonight I decided to forgive and forget. I decided to listen to it again because every time I thought of a song which I really liked this one kept popping up. Tonight I could see past the football connotations and I was taken back 10 years to when we were young and in love.

You’re the first thing
And the last thing on my mind
In your arms I feel
Sunshine

So without further ado, here it is sung by Roisin Murphy, lead singer of Moloko, on Jools Holland live.

So, what is your favourite song and why?

If you have already been tagged apologies;

2 Teens A Dog & Me

It’s a small world after all

Rainy Day

Scrummycupcake

Super Fiona

Never Goes Without Saying

It’s simple, I have to list 10 things that make me happy.

At first I thought it would be difficult. Once I got thinking though I couldn’t stop and to be honest, it could have been a 50 things that make me happy list. Not wanting to bore you to tears I have whittled it back down to 10.

1. The husband’s cooking - I really fell lucky in this respect when I met Mr Driver. Not only is he very handsome but he knows how to cook. In fact he’s very good indeed. His tapas is the best I’ve tasted. He cooks the most unbelievable curries and I salivate when I think about his beef wellington or his duck breast. Unfortunately he’s not interested in baking, so I have to get my cake fix elsewhere.

2. Remembering pre children holidays with the husband - Particularly Edinburgh Festival and Barcelona. They were the best. Far too much laughter was had.

3. The smell of creosote – Yes. I could seriously sniff creosote for hours on end. I love it. When I was pregnant with the 5 year old I would take the dog for a walk and linger at all the newly creosoted fences. The husband once lost me in Homebase only to find me loitering next to the cans of creosote trying to get their tamper proof seals off. Sad but true.

4. Books - I like nothing more than having a mooch in a bookshop … the sort that let you just sit on the floor, make yourself at home and pore over books. Since having the children I don’t read as much as I’d like, but I always read before going to sleep. I have a pile of books waiting to be read. If I like a book I can’t bear to be parted from it and won’t even lend it to a friend. I hope to one day have a whole room of floor to ceiling shelves packed with books.

5. My children - Just sniffing their heads is enough to make me happy, unless they haven’t had it washed in a while, but even then I could do a blindfolded sniff test and always pick out my children.

6. A cold beer on a Summers evening - Whether it be on holiday or in the back garden there is nothing more refreshing or relaxing than feeling the last of the sun going down after a hot Summers day whilst holding an ice cold beer. That is all.

7. Belly laughing - The sort of laughter that makes tears roll down your face and your stomach ache. It repeats on you every time you remember the moment. Of course the laughter lines appearing on my face are testament to that.

8. My big little sister - Being with my sister, wherever we are always makes me feel at home, at peace with myself. She makes me happy.

9. Freshly laundered sheets – For one night only, when they are freshly laundered.  Hotel sheets are good too, especially because they are changed every day and by someone else.

10. Camping with my children - This year was the first time it was truly enjoyable. The children running wild in the fields, on the beach and just having a sense of freedom they don’t get at home. Then putting them to bed and stargazing. Just bliss

So there’s my list. Now I have to tag ten people of my own to make the same list on their blog.  Here goes;

3 Bedroom Bungalow, Brits in Bosnia, Clarey Babble, Diary of a Surprise Mum, Four Down Mum To Go, Lost in Translation, Milk Breath & Margaritas, Maternal Tales From the South Coast, Ready to Wait & Island Mum of 2 (or 3 if you count their Dad)

It sounded easy. All I had to do was find a favourite photo and post it on my blog.

It wasn’t easy.

I spent quite a lot of time going over photos.  I decided that I’d found THE one and then I found another contender … and another … and another. When I whittled them all down to THE one I felt guilty because there was only one of my children in the photo.

Eventually four hours later I slapped myself about the face with a wet fish whilst shouting “Pull yourself together woman!” and Hey Presto! ….

So without further ado and any more waffling, here is my favourite photo.

Messing about on the river

I didn’t actually take the photo, Facebook Wife Mother of 1 must be credited with the glory.

This was taken during the Summer at Teacher Friend Mother of 3′s caravan. The picture is of the 5 year oldl playing on the rope swing after an afternoon of messing about on the river.

She just looks so bloody happy.  She’s been through a lot recently, which I haven’t blogged about, but she’s doing good. Despite everything she still manages to smile just like this most days.

When I look at this photo it makes my heart beat a little faster.  I love that girl.

So. What is your favourite photograph. And why?

… and because I want you to spend hours poring over your photos I am tagging the following people …

Mummy Mayhem, Caution Woman at Work, 2 Teens a Dog & Me, Double Trouble – Maia & Lara’s Blog, Insomniac Mummy, Glowstars, Beetroot & Gherkins, Mocha Beanie Mummy, She Was Not At All Domesticated, The Moiderer, Wendy Mallins & Notes From Lapland

April – Our family tradition of egg rolling is such a big thing. All the family and some select friends gather to roll eggs at Easter and it is always followed by food and merriment. I never win, but I love taking part … ahem.  Maybe next year when the egg roll is in Scotland …

May – My review trip to Walt Disney World,Florida – I am still in shock that I was lucky enough to go on this incredible trip. One of the best things to come out of that trip is six new friendships with Erica, Lulu, Alice, Becky, Linda and Jane. I still smile when I think of the laughter we shared.

July – Camping at Robin Hoods bay in the Summer was great. The children are now old enough to enjoy camping without it being a chore. The 3 year old was in his element (the outdoors) and we made new friends. Such a relaxed time was had and I can’t wait for more of the same next year. Hopefully heading for Scotland to relive some childhood memories and perhaps take in some of the Edinburgh festival.

August – Wearing Magic Pants and celebrating my 31st birthday with my friends. I have battled 3 or 4 more times in a toilet cubicle with the magic pants since then.

September – Hiding behind that wagon in Port Aventura with friends old (Alice and Erica) and new (Tara and Jo B).

And so I pass the challenge onto 5 other bloggers!

Little Mummy

English Mum

Dulwich Divorcee

Insomniac Mummy

Sticky Fingers

So, I asked the 5 year old to draw a ‘nice’ picture of me whilst I went swimming with the 3 year old.  This plan worked well in that the 3 year old didn’t get to draw the picture.  I would have just been a circle with some stabby eyes … it’s not a good look.

It didn’t work in my favour in that I couldn’t stand over her and say things like “How many fingers does Mummy have?”, or “Does my wig always look like it’s falling off?”, “Where is my nose?” and “Are you sure my face is THAT big?” and “How do you spell Mummy again?”

Needless to say minus a nose, 3 fingers, 2 ears and a head that could be mistaken for the moon I reckon I look pretty good.  Cough.

To see the 5 year old’s past efforts and to see how well I’ve aged go here and here.

So, are you up for it?  The rules are simple;

Ask your child – their age doesn’t matter – to draw a picture of you.  Post it on your blog.  Call it the Picture Perfect Meme.  Err, that’s it.  Pass it on to your friends/enemies if you want to.

I am tagging you;  Insomniac Mummy, Two Teens a Dog & Me, English Mum, More Than Just a Mother, Caveat Calcei, Caution … Woman At Work, Snaffles Mummy, Clareybabbling

A couple of months ago as the bin van came crawling round the corner, our neighbour, ‘Mrs I might smile at you today, I might not Cockney’ came out of her house to speak to the bin men. She reached the van just as our bin went up and over into the van. There was an almightly crash as the bottles and cans came out. She put her hand to her mouth, looked aghast and then looked at our house in horror.

And the reason I am telling you all this?  Well, I’ve been tagged by Jo Beaufoix to join a merry band of parent bloggers in supporting Recycle week 22nd-27th June. OK, the post is a little late … but it’s never too late to recycle!

Because we are moving I am going to have to cheat. I have pledged, you see, to recycle glass, cans and paper; which as you can see above is something we already do in abundance.

And the rules are easy:

1. Visit www.recyclenow.com and sign up to one of the pledges to waste less.

2. Share details of your pledge on your own blog.

3. Chose five other bloggers, who will also be up for a bit of recycling fun.

4. Come back to this post at The Rubbish Diet and share your pledge with others, by placing a link to your pledge in the comments field.

5. Optional – as a thank you to all involved The Rubbish Diet will be publishing a British Mummy Bloggers’ Recycle Week carnival on Monday 29th June. To be included, simply submit your favourite post revealing the progress of your pledge by Saturday 27th June – email to karen[at]therubbishdiet[dot]co[dot]uk.”

So I am tagging;

Caution … Woman at Work

Englishmum

Exmoor Jane

Wife of Bold

Single Parent Dad

Apologies if anyone has already done this … I am claiming Iammovingtomorrow-itis as my excuse.