2009

I pulled the short straw and have to work the new year, so I wont be on line to wish you all the best for 2009.

As for me...... I willbe putting a lot of thought into what I want from 2009 & what I'm going to have to do to get it. Watch this space - Mrs M is on a mission!!!

Destination Scotland

Have you ever been totally wrong about a person? I like to think I'm a good judge of character and my gut instincts very rarely let me down, however when I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong.

Many moons ago my path crossed with that of Mrs G and man, did I hate the woman on sight? I took an instant dislike to her, really tried to avoid being in her company at all costs and thats how it stayed for a while.
As the days and months passed I have found that the more dealing that I had with Mrs G I began to doubt my instincts - could I have been so very wrong about this woman?
In the summer of 2005 Mrs G found herself to be pregnant after a lengthy battle with infertility and no-one was happier for her than I. As I was pregnant with Lola at this time we found that we had much more in common and began to spend more time together. Mrs G miscarried her baby at 14 weeks and I was so devastated for her. I totally understood when she couldn't stand to see me, still pregnant.
When Lola was born Mrs G was amazing and although her heart must have ached for what she had lost, she was there each and every time that I needed her. Our friendship blossomed and I can honestly say that she is a true friend in every sense of the word.

Mrs G became the proud mother of twins Mini Muz and Smidge in March 2007 and I hope that I was there for her when she needed me. Then when I had Dora in September 2007, despite having baby twins herself, she batch cooked beautiful meals for my family, made the 1 hour drive and even them in the freezer for me - she really is a star.

Today Mrs G, Mini Muz and Smidge have been to visit. We exchanged Christmas gifts and the kids played together for a few hours, we've had lunch and then we said our goodbyes - nothing out of the ordinary there.......

.......except that Mr and Mrs G, Mini Muz and Smidge are moving on Monday. They came to visit today whilst the removal people were packing up there home. They have took the plunge and decided to move to the very north of Scotland. They are going to a beautiful part of the country in the hope of a fantastic lifestyle for each of them. I really do wish them well and whilst I know there are telephones, e mail, postal services etc,l I can't help but feel that I am losing someone special.

Mrs G, you mean the world to me. I adore your kids and you have an amazing husband. You have been a fantastic friend and someone who I will hold close in my heart for the rest of my life. Regardless of the distance between us and the fact that you always call me a nick name that I hate - but from you I find it endearing!!

Love you hon,

Mrs M x

Last minute me

Why do I leave Christmas shopping to the last freaking minute?

Tonight I am sat stressing about all that I have to do tomorrow - I still have several presents to buy and like old mother Hubbard my cupboards are bare!

So, plan of action.......
Phase 1: Alarm clock is set for 3am so I can go to Tesco food shopping. I'll get back just in time for Mr M getting up for work.
Phase 2: I can shower & get dressed before Lola & Dora get up.
Phase 3: Get the girls up & dressed then head off to their Godmother's to exchange gifts (luckily I have bought hers!)
Phase 4: Convince said Godmother to mind the girls whilst I nip to the shopping outlet to buy ridiculous, expensive and useless last minute gifts.
Phase 5: Collect Lola & Dora and drive home.
Phase 6: Feed, bathe and get the girls to bed (praying the settle well)
Phase 7: Cook for Mr M, Charlie and Woody who will be ariving home about 8pm. Open the wine!
Phase 8: After the boys are in bed, wrap all the presents, including the ridiculous, expensive and useless last minute ones purchased earlier
Phase 8a: Huff and tutt at MR M for being useless at Wrapping.
Phase 9: Wish I'd not opened the bottle of wine at Phase 7
Phase 10: Finishing touches..... sprinkles, footprints, mince pies and sherry for Santa
Phase 11: Crash into bed and pray that sleep comes quickly (only 3 hours until the first cries of 'Santa's been'


I love Christmas - just wish I were more prepared. But hey, I'm the same every year & we always have a blast!

Merry Christmas to you all. xx

Home Alone

Today I cried - big, fat tears with uncontrollable sobs!

Mr M & I had a wonderful 5 days with Lola and Dora on our winter break. The girls loved all the wildlife and Lola went on two pony rides - she's a natural. She looked so darn cute and had her picture taken for next years brochure! We came home yesterday on such a high & couldn't wait to see the boys today.

Cruella dropped them off at 1pm and by 1.15pm the tears wouldn't stop.
We'd told her in February that she would have to make arrangements for the boys for this week, yet just a few weeks ago she claimed she didn't know we were going away. Sorry F*ck Face, but I've got the e mail delivery confirmation that clearly states you recieved and opened the email & just to be doubly sure, I handed Randall a copy of all of our booked holidays for 2008. Sorry, but my eyes are not painted on!
So the reason for the tears? Woody (10 years old) had the winter vomiting flu Monday and Tuesday with a spiking temperature of 40 degrees. What did Cruella do....... she went to work 8am till 8pm!
She left him home alone - both freaking days! But wait, don't condemn the evil bitch of an excuse for a mother just yet, please hear her plea.....
'Woody wasn't home alone all day, Randall called at home evry 4-6 hours to give him paracetamol to try to get his tempertaure down'.

Whoopyfuckingdo!

Mr M & I feel like crap now, and in some part feel that we should not have left the boys with her on our contact days. But what we fear most is that if she is willing to leave him home alone when he is obviously very poorly, she will not have second thoughts about leaving him home alone at any other time. What beaks my heart most is that neither of the boys can see any harm in what Cruella has done.

So Monday morning will bring a elephone call to social services and our solicitor - we just can't let this one go. Are we totally off the mark here?

See you on Friday

Tomorrow Mr M, Lola, Dora and I leave for our winter break. We are off here for 5 days and I am so excited!

I'm sure I'll have loads to update you on when I get back - like Cruella is going to let us have 5 days of peace & quiet?!

She should be ashamed of herself!

Charlie's school trousers - sent for him to wear from Cruella - remember this?

The other leg! Like I would honestly send him in these? I sat & lovingly sewed a nice hem on them yesterday, so they are now 4" shorter & fit him a treat!

The crossing out in Charlie's homework book (remember this and this)- accidental my arse!!

The final straw!

Our day with Charlie

Today we took Charlie to visit his favourite Football Club - a late birthday gift as Cruella would not let him come over last weekend....
Anyway, Woody stayed with Cruella (another tale for another post) whilst Lola and Dora stayed with my mum.

So off we tootled this morning, just me, Mr M and Charlie. We had breakfast out, were able to have a 3 hour car journey without having to stop to use the toilet, pick up something that has been dropped or change a stinky nappy - heaven!
We arrived at the stadium and were able to look around the museum, trophy room and stand without having to negotiate a double buggy, listen to 'I'm bored 30 times', listen to 'Can I play my DS?', stop to use the toilet, pick up something that has been dropped or change a stinky nappy - heaven!
We then drove to the Docks and were able to enjoy hot chocolate and cakes without having to negotiate a double buggy, find a clean highchair, find a table big enough to take 6 + said highchair, listen to 'can I play on my DS?', have numerous visits to the toilets/changing room, repeat 'sit down Lola and est your cake' 30 times, having to avoid the glares of those on the next tables because Dora is just so loud - and Lola has to be louder! - Heaven!!

All in all, we had a fantastic day, Charlie smiled all day long and has never stopped talking about it. I honestly think we need to make more of an effort to spend time with the children on a 1:1 basis, as much for me & Mr M as for them.

Pistols at Dawn!

Cruella,
You've crossed the line yet again - will you ever take your head out of your backside and live in the real world?
Not only did you fail to tell us about Charlie's 1st football match today - my mistake you sent a lovely picture of him to Mr M 30 minutes after kick off, not giving us enough time to get there.
Yesterday was Charlie's birthday (happy birthday honey) and knowing that we would be patiently waiting to see him today when he was supposed to arrive at 4pm, you sent a text message at 4.05pm saying he wouldn't be here until 5.30pm as Randall was running late and wouldn't be able to drop the boys off until 5.30pm. Like we were going to stand for that?
When Mr M phoned to tell you that Charlie's friends were here waiting for him (we'd invited them for tea) you were most disgruntled that you would have to get out of bed and bring him.
Then to top it all off, you have freaking crossed my signature out of his homework diary again and signed your name next to mine. WTF is that all about? I wouldn't mind so much (ok, I would) but I support him to do his homework every week, I check the homework he has done at yours that you can't be bothered to check and probably wouldn't understand anyway - I then support him to correct it. I sign his book every Wednesday morning and date my signature to indicate I am signing for work completed at our house up to Wednesday.
So where do you get off?
I have tried so hard to have no contact with you, you are blocked from my mobile and I don't do any handovers with you - but today, seeing your fat arse and miserable face (difficult to tell the two apart) I could have ran out of my door and knocked ten bells of crap out of you.
I hate you so much, but even more I hate myself for letting you upset me and getting me in such a state.
I hope the Karma Bus tootles your way soon you pathetic excuse for a mother!!

From,
Mrs M - the one who gives a damn (not that you would know what that means!)

Second Guessing

I am sick of trying to second guess Cruella and the depth she will sink to to make life difficult for Mr & and I.
Mr M has had his papers issued to say that he will be deployed to Afghanistan in October 2009. Thinking we should get things in order (you just never know) we have been trying to second guess Cruella and her behaviour, not only when he tells her, but also when he has gone. My head and heart hurt and I'm not sure how much more I can take of this.
We have taken legal advice and basically we have several options:-

• File for a residence order which states Mr M and I to have 50% care. With this I would gain parental rights and responsibilities
• File for parental rights and responsibilities
• Do nothing and deal with any issues when (if) they arise

We initially thought the residence order would be the best option, but with a £5000 plus tag and no guarantees that Cruella wouldn't revoke it the minute Mr M leave the country.....

We then thought the parental rights and responsibilities was the way to go, but again with a £2500 tag and the bomb shell that follows I'm not so sure!

As it stands as soon as I accept parental rights and responsibilities I also accept financial responsibility for the boys until they are 18yrs. In itself this is nothing as I provide for them anyway...... but the minute Mr M leaves the country, Cruella could revoke contact and file for full maintenance from me. Also if Mr M were not to return or if we were to separate at a later date, Cruella can withhold contact from me but still file for full maintenance until the boys reach 18yrs and I would be 100% liable!

So do we carry on second guessing and trying to plan for all eventualities or do we just deal with the crap should it arise?

Wet rain?

Walking out of the supermarket - into a spectacular downpour - I overheard a conversation between two elderly chaps & it just tickled me.

Chap 1 - Shall we wait under the porch for a while?
Chap 2 - We could do, but we could be stuck here for a while if this rain continues.
Chap 1 - Perhaps we should just head for the bus stop?
Chap 2 - We could do, but we'd get soaked - it's raining that wet rain!

Laughing to myself I dashed to my car and after unloading my trolley, clambered into the driving seat absolutely soaked to my skin.
I guess he was right - it was the wet rain after all!!

We all need an Em

I think it should be compulsory for us all to have someone like my dear friend Em in our lives.
I could use so many words to describe her and still they wouldn't do her justice. I could share many experiences with you and still you'd only get a snap shot of her inner beauty.
You see Em is one of those ladies that until you get to know her, you just can't quite sum her up. Yes she can be a bit ditsy at times and has the most amazing sense of humour. She will share her own heartache to try o show you a way out of your own. She is compassionate but never patronising. Em also has another side to her character, she can be the most professional and articulate person you'd ever get the pleasure of working with. She's not a quick fix type of person and will never give an easy answer just to cross another task off her list - I never feel short changed!

Em is such a rare find, she is honest (even when it hurts), she is so good at what she does, that rather than make me feel inferior, she inspires me. In every sense Em is a nurturer, she knows just what to say to get you through the hard times and she gives the most amazing advice, support and encouragement.

Em, I just wanted to say that yes you are nice, and kind and sweet and softly spoken - but honey you are so much more and for that I am truly honoured to call you my friend.