I’ve moved! Come and see our new home

If you are currently subscribed to Mari’s World, you’ll be wondering where the heck I’ve been for the last week or so, well quite simply I have transfered the blog over to a new domain Mari’s World Very exciting stuff, I’ve also changed the look (which is a work in progress I add hastily!) In fact I haven’t got the photos quite right yet which is a shame but I’m sharing my thoughts with the world as usual so please pop over and have a look.

Leave a comment and you’ll make my day

Mari

Silent Sunday

One photo taken this week, no words, for others head over to Mocha Beanie Mummy and have yourselves a marvellous Sunday

You Gotta Laugh!

A blind man walks in to a bar and orders a drink. He takes one sip and senses that everyone is staring at him. In order to brake the ice he says, “Would you like to hear a good blonde joke?”

The bar tender says, “I think you should know before you tell this joke that I am a blonde, there are 7 bikers in the corner that are blond and, there is a 6’5″ 290lbs. weight lifter working the other end of the bar who is also blonde. You still want to tell the joke?”

The blind man says, “You’re right, who wants to explain a joke 9 times?”

😀 I know, it’s old, it’s done and dusted but it made me laugh again, classic! I found this over on A Funny Joke Have a brilliant weekend all x

Have you read anything interesting lately?

Following on from yesterday’s post where I mentioned the lack of time I have had over the past two years for indulging in one of my favourite pastimes – reading, I thought I’d go one further and show you just half of the books waiting to be read. A few I have bought myself as they are of favourite authors, a few have been passed to me by mum, Nan, my sister-in-law Tracey (devourer of books) and others I have discovered during the house move having been put somewhere ‘safe’ until I had time. If I had a pound for everything I had put in a ‘safe place’ and then promptly lost I’d be a millionaire but I digress.

You see the top book in my photo is The Outcast by Sadie Jones and has been in and out of at least three suitcases, has been dusted off on more than one occasion and has even moved house and not been completed BUT with only a 100 odd pages to go I’m already on the lookout for my next culprit, who I would like to believe I will finish at least by the end of this year!

In an ideal world I would like to have them all read, plus the other pile I haven’t photographed (they’re all in ‘safe places’!) and others too by the end of the year but I must be honest with myself. I Don’t Have The Time. This is why actually coming to the end of a good book (it has been an excellent read) I’m excited enough to share it with you! This is the girl who could do at least a book a week on the commute into London. The girl who would pack at least four books to take away on a two-week holiday for ‘By The Pool’ moments or ‘On The Beach’. The expat who ordered 10 books at a time from Amazon and learnt to read in Italian so she could feed the need to read.

Yes, my life is definitely missing something when I can’t lose myself in a good story when I can’t visualise myself as the heroine, the victim, the lover, the cheater, the wild one (every now and then). I believe a healthy brain needs nurturing with words and now the girls are getting that little bit more independent I’m getting my books ready to hand.

Tell me what I’ve been missing. What are absolute must reads for you that I should be adding to my pile?

T is for Time

Welcome back to Alphabe Thursday a weekly assignment held over at Jenny Matlock’s blog and this week our letter is T…Is that the Time? I’d best get a move on!

I've nearly finished the first 'S' now

Time is something I wish I had a lot more of as there is NEVER enough in my day or maybe it’s because I have too many things I want to accomplish in my days? Good point there. As if I didn’t have all of these interests I could sit on my sofa all day long, drink  tea, watch TV and eat shortbread but trust me, I’d be bored stiff after a couple of days and chomping at the bit after a week of doing nothing. On the other hand, I see so many things I want to try my hand at, I have so many ideas and wishes that I struggle to keep up with it all. That’s why it will take me two years to complete my cross stitch cushion but I shall be so pleased with it when it’s done that I’ll go and buy another needlework project to start! I have also recently managed to find time to read a book! I’m passionate about reading and haven’t read a book since the girls arrival. I did take one on holiday to Spain two years ago and I’m still finishing it, I have a 100 pages to go and I’m now reading it whilst they’re in the bath, they’re washed and ready to go but want to play a bit. Out comes my book and I squeeze in a bit of me time.

Gardening has been added to the list. Our new house has a long back garden that has been let loose on itself for the past 5 years, last year saw a massive cut back of trees, bushes and anything that blocked the view whereas this year I’m at a slow planting stage. I am no landscape gardener but I do want it to look pretty and be practical for the odd game of footie (soccer) when the family are over. I would love to start up a veggie patch but don’t think I’ll have the time this year, however, I shall be planting the odd comestible in amongst the flower beds – why not?

T is also for Tulips which I bought this morning whilst in the supermarket, I just love their elegant look and the gorgeous splash of colour they give to a room, I also bought some daffodils as we were dropping into to my grandma’s on the way back home and I wanted the girls to give a small gift to say thank you for the outfits she treated them to last week. This presented the perfect opportunity for a cup of Tea with her and a quick catch up as I haven’t seen her for a fortnight now thanks to this dreadful bug I’ve been harbouring.

I have my blog to keep up, a pastime that I really enjoy and that surprisingly has brought out many negative opinions in people close to me. ‘Why do you do it?’ ‘Why do you write such personal stuff there?’ ‘Don’t you think you could be using your time more practically being the mother of twins and a house to look after?’ The list is endless and sometimes these ignorant remarks really get my back up but I try to be civil at least. I mean if they can’t see the importance in the first place and have to ask the question – they’re not going to understand my answer either, are they?

And when I have played with the girls, tidied the house, squeezed in a bit of gardening, cooked the meals and cleared up blah, blah, blah – add your own Tasks as we all know there are plenty of them. I put the girls to bed and then have this little lot to clean up before I can sit down and call the day my own.

…and this is only a part of the Toys, you haven’t seen the other area! I don’t mind the mess, it means they have played and they have had fun but I do feel the need to clear up at the end of the day so my house looks relatively in order, some days I am too Tired and will pass or chuck everything in one box which means sorting it all out later but that’s toys for little ones for you! Lots of little things for them to create their games with, like poor Mr Potato Head here, he got a bad deal when he came to us but I’m sure one day the girls will get him right – hang on in there Mr P, you’ll have eyes and ears soon I’m sure!

Expressions – the face of emotion

“The eyes are the windows to the soul”

is one of the most capturing quotes I have ever read and one that sticks with me constantly. I do like to read people and their eyes are very good give aways. You can tell if your friend is hiding something from you, if your child is lying (well maybe not always on that one!) and what really comes out at you is how that person is feeling inside. Many a smile disguises anguish, upset and deep pain as in this world we’re so used to replying ‘Oh, I’m fine thanks.’ to the question ‘How are you?’ and it takes a little extra attention and digging to really find out how that person is if you really want to know of course.

So when Tara prompted us this week with expressions I immediately had a few old photos in mind, you know the ones that stick in your mind because they captured something you weren’t necessarily looking for?

My Three girls. Alice, Bessie and Gracey

Speaks for itself doesn't it!

Alice gets close up with the camera

having fun, laughing

You alright son? Got everything you need boy? Comfy? You sit and relax whilst I get your dinner ready eh?

Well, no fear of the lens there!

Sweet, shy and wannabe raucous teenager

 

For more expressions pop over to Tara’s Sticky Fingers and check out some of the excellent photography in the blogging world.

Can you keep a secret?

I can if it’s a really important one but if it’s something that in my mind isn’t going to hurt anyone then I could possibly be charged as guilty for letting on my snippet of knowledge to somebody else. In a ‘Ohhhh, have you heard?’ kind of manner.

I mean should you confide the style and designer of your wedding dress to me, Kate Middleton, of course I wouldn’t utter a word, or something personal that’s key to your well-being then Mum’s The Word and your info is as safe as houses with me. These lips will be well and truly sealed. I take my cue from you. If I can see you are sharing something deep it will stay with me.

On the same note, how does not knowing a secret affect you? If I fathom out there is a secret out there that I am not part of, I Want To Know It and I will go to great lengths to try and find out by asking people we have in common, trying to surreptitiously trip them up, con them into thinking I know when I really don’t have an inkling. Are you guilty of that? Do secrets bug you too?

Well, I have a secret for you all and I shall be telling all probably next Monday, and yes, as it’s my secret I am allowed to be vague about the whens and hows. But in the meantime I can give you some clues to get your detective spirits up

• I’ve been emailing Violet Posy
• I’ve been looking at these sites Tales From the Village, It’s a Mummy’s Life, Muddling along Mummy, Frugal Family,  and Mostly Yummy Mummy
• I’ve had my web designer brother on board too who decided to throw in ideas at the last hour to cheer Liz up!
• I have let loose a creative side of me I didn’t know I had and in fact I haven’t got as these guys came up with something much better than me.

So. Intrigued? I hope so, I’m keeping quiet for now but I shall be shouting from the rooftops very soon, make sure you don’t miss out on the fun xx

Influenzata!

It’s true. I have a massive dose of woman’s flu and I can’t remember feeling this bad since God knows when. (Ah, flu bug – it was this time last year then!) If you are waiting for a reply to your comment, I may not get there I’m afraid. All I want to do is curl up under the duvet but seeing as my little treasures are well on the mend (amazing how they bounce back so quick) I’m transferring my bulk from the sofa to the armchair with great difficulty and trying hard to stay vigil.

I’m gutted as we were supposed to go and see my Brand New Nephew Jacob at the weekend but 10 mins before arriving at the house Bessie decided to empty her stomach contents all over the back seat so we had to turn around and miss out on the fun. On Sunday, Alice followed suit and I was hot on their tails jumping into bed at around 9pm last night.

I have wondered if I have the dreaded Swine Flu at about 2.30am this morning when I was so blocked up I couldn’t breath. I did question my GP a while back but he was very non committal, apparently all the symptoms are just like other flus and I could have already have had it. He wasn’t even bothered about the girls getting it.

So what the hell was all that commotion about last year? And where did all the vaccines go to? Not quite the killer flu the media were ramming down our throats, mind you I am very, very poorly so sympathy this way please xxx

Sunday Roast – nearly there

Silent Sunday where the photo does the speaking

for more Silent Sundays head over to Mocha Beanie Mummy and feast your eyes

You Gotta Laugh!

A good wife always forgives her husband when she’s wrong.

– Rodney Dangerfield

I found this on Lots Of Jokes and it made me laugh, hope you enjoyed it too – Happy Weekend everybody x