OH..... HELLO THERE.......

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well folks, hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and wish you all a wonderful, happy and healthy 2010!

Our Christmas was a good un!

Had all the family round at my flat for the day, cooked them breakfast, then we all opened our prezzies, Little'Un had SO many, it took ages! Nothing big or expensive but lots and lots to open! 
I did my famous Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, if I say so myself, brag, brag, I do a fantastic Christmas dinner. The local big store had actually ran out of turkeys so I had to get a great big chicken to roast, with it we had mashed potatoes, roasties, mashed carrots and turnips for Little'Un (the only veggies she will eat), roast parsnips, sprouts, roast carrots, pigs in blankets, fried mushrooms, fried red, green and yellow peppers, enormous bowl of stuffing with added onions, apple sauce, cranberry sauce and thick rich gravy. YUM!
Always do way too much but that way everyone can have seconds or even thirds! which they usually do!
I made a plate up for my ex for when he came round Boxing Day. Max the dog and Tess (Lil'Sis German Shepherd) both got loads to eat too. Nobody had room for the Christmas pudding, mince pies and chocolate fudge cake we had got for afters.

Not been on here much due to going on facebook, found quite a few of our American relatives so email and go on chat with them regularly. We visited them in Arkansas back in 1976 and one of our cousins I had been emailing rang Mum on Christmas Day. Mum was over the moon! She spoke to each one of us. Little'Un loved it and was amazed at her real Southern drawl.
Little'Un has been going round saying "Hi yawl, yawl have a real good time y'hear" at every opportunity.

Well, I am now setting wheels in motion for our move down South, aiming for some time in the school six weeks holidays so we can settle in before Little'Un starts the new term at a new school, she is getting excited about the move and a new school. I have a lot flat hunting, planning and saving to do before then.

At the moment Lil'Sis is extremely ill with some kind of viral infection, her gas meter isn't working so there is no heat whatsoever in her flat and with the freezing snowy weather (see pretty picture below) she has had to move into Mums until she is well and the Gas company have been to sort it all out. I said she could have come here but she needs rest and no-one gets any rest with Little'Un around! At first we thought it could be that swine flu but we are not too sure? She has a really bad chest infection so is struggling to breathe, a persistant dry painful cough, can only talk in a whisper and last night came out in a vivid pink/reddish rash from her ears to her toes. We did the pressing a glass to the rash test but couldn't make up our minds about it so Mum rang the NHS helpline, they said it sounded like a viral infection and if she is not feeling any better within 48 hours she is to call out a doctor but if it gets any worse in that time she is to ring an ambulance and get to hospital, other than that, she was told just to rest, drink plenty of fluids and take paracetamols. Fingers crossed that the rash was the peak and she will start feeling better soon.

BRRRRRR! IT'S FREEZING! A foot of snow and everything has come to a standstill! No traffic (cars or buses), hardly anyone out and about, airports closed, schools are closed, are the gritter lorries anywhere to be seen? Nah!
Pretty scenery though!
That's all the news I have for now, as I said at the start of this post, hope you all have a brilliant 2010.

Loadsa luv.
Azzy.
XX

FISHY FALSE ALARM!

Nothing happened with my fith eggs, they just went all slimy so I had to flush them before they stunk out the flat! Since then, my ickle fithies have laid again, I hadn't noticed at first. Well, it was first thing in the morning and I have to get myself and Little'Un up and ready for school.
By the time I had taken Little'Un to school and returned home, they had gobbled them all up!
Oh well, maybe I'll be a fith Mum one day!
That's all for now, hope you ALL have a fantastic Christmas and a happy New Year.
Love Azzy.
XX


P.S. Lookie, lookie! We splashed out on a new tree! Look at all the presents! Whooo hooo!

FISHY UPDATE!!!

Don't think I will be a momma after all, not sure?
Not much has happened but it looks like they are all turning that sort of solid creamish colour!
I will give it a little longer to see if there are any developments but think they may have died or weren't fertilized in the first place? All I can do is wait!
  

Love Azzy
XX

I'M GONNA BE A MOMMA!

Oi! What's all the laughing for?
Wadda ya mean I'm too old!


Stop it!... Wipe your eyes and read on....

The other day I was cleaning out my fish tank, must admit it really needed it couldn't even tell there were any fish in there!
When..... I discovered, stuck to the glass bottom, all over the ornamental pebbles and the ornamental plants.....DAN, DAN, DAAAAAAR!
EGGS!
Hundreds of them!
Arrrrgh! What to do????

I had already scraped some up before I realised what they were.
Well, I decided I might as well carry on cleaning the tank so I then very carefully removed EVERY LAST ONE! There must have been at least 500!

I transferred them to my spare tank (I normally put my fish in this one while I clean the main tank) and sent a text to Lil'Sis to give her my news, she is down in Somerset for three weeks at Big Bruvs with her German Shepherd, Tess. She told Big Bruv who immediately went on the internet to find out any information he could for me and got her to text back saying I had done the right thing by removing them from the main tank.
I thought it was best to do that because of the filters, didn't want any eggs or fry being sucked into them.
Later that day, my neighbour called and I told her about it, she said to put them back but turn off the filters. I wasn't too sure about it but she said her ex used to breed fish and I should have left them where they were, so I decided to do a little test and only put about 30 back.
Good job I didn't put them all back, the parents immediately gobbled them all up!!!!


Anyway, some are now a sort of solid light beige colour and the rest are a sort of clear caramel colour, guess that means some are fertilized and some are not????
Didn't even know my two fish were different sexes. How on earth can you tell? Then again, why should I bother what sex they are, it only matters to the fish.

I went on the internet myself to see if I could get any more information about what to do and it seems I just leave them to it now. If they hatch, they hatch. If not, there's not much I can do about it.

I've read that you should mix cooked egg yolk into a paste with water and put a tiny bit in their tank after they have hatched and been swimming about for about three days, so that's what I'm going to do. I also read they can go back in with their parents but only when they are larger than the parents mouth!

Because I have been on the internet for information, I have discovered that they are not just pretty goldfish as I call them, they are 'Veiltails'.

As I say, I don't know if the eggs will hatch or if they do, how many will survive.
They are so tiny and my eyes aren't what they used to be but it looks like there are about 200 or so clear caramel colour ones and about the same amount of a sor of solid creamish colour so fingers crossed. (and eyes and toes!)

That's all for now, I'll keep you updated but think it will be at least another week or so before anything happens. I'll know immediately though as I sit and stare at them for ages to see if there is any movement.

Good grief I need to get a life!

Ta ta for now.
Love Azzy.
Until my next post.

MWAAAAA!

HOORAY!!!! THEN... BOOOOO!!!!!

THIS IS THE HOORAY BIT!.....

She went to the show!


Her Dad actually turned up and took her!

She came back with candy floss (cotton candy) two crowns with Micky Mouse ears (they came with the candy floss, she got TWO big bags full), she had a flashing wand and the biggest, loveliest smile I have seen in a long time! She then proceeded to tell me and Lil'Sis all about it.
I haven't seen her that excited since we went to Disneyworld, Florida.
All the characters from all the films she had seen were there and it sounded like it was quite a spectacular.

She was still talking about it (and still grinning!) the next morning.

*****************************************************************************
THIS IS THE BOOOOO BIT!!!!!!!.........

Unfortunately, he reverted back to his normal self within days and was back to letting her down.
She had a small part in her school Assembly play and had asked her Dad to go see her.
He refused because I was going! I text him saying he should be there for his Daughter and that she wanted him there. He texted back that he didn't want to be in the same room as me! I replied that the school hall was large enough for him to sit as far away from me as he liked and I couldn't understand why he hates me so much.
I had hoped we could stay friends, had told him when I left that I still loved him but just couldn't live with him due to the way he was treating us both.
I don't make things awkward, I don't ask for money, I let him see her whenever and as often as he likes, and he has got the house! So I can't understand why he is being hostile towards me????

He said, when I left, "Don't go turning her against me!"
Well. sweetie, I don't have to say a word, you are doing that all by yourself!

Anyway. I just hope he starts being honest with her and turning up when he says he will, it is not her fault we split and she shouldn't have to suffer for it! Hope he gets to read this blog sometime and it actually sinks in what he is doing to her because no amount explaining by me helps, seems I'm just a NAG!

He had one hell of a go at me the other week, he rang Little'Un on her mobile (cell) then asked to talk to me, he then proceeded to scream down the phone his usual comment of "GET A BLOODY JOB". And how he wouldn't be in all this debt if it wasn't for me and that I have shirked and ignored my responsibilities by not going to the house every day to walk Max and feed him!!! (I don't have any keys, he took them back!!!!)

He had almost cried when we split (not because I was leaving, but because of Max) he begged me to leave Max with him because he loved him so much, so that's what I did!

Don't think he realised the amount of work involved with looking after a dog. He was only used to coming home from work, patting Max on the head and then going to the pub! Now, he has to walk him, feed him, play with him and put up with the destruction in the house when he is left on his own. (Sorry sweetie, that's how you wanted it, you got your house and you got your dog!!!!)

One of his other Daughters has recently taken him to the Small Claims Court over a loan of £500 she gave him about two or three years ago of which he had promised almost every week to pay her back but she hasn't received a penny! My Mother should do the same! He has owed her £1200 for two years now and has promised her repayment over and over again! HA! NOT A SINGLE PENNY!!

The other day I was bloody livid. He wanted Little'Un to stop over at his as he had a couple of days off work, I'd said OK and she happily skipped off with him. Later that evening there was a knock on my door and there they both stood. He said she just wanted to come home then he left.
Once inside Little'Un burst into tears and told me what had happened....
Seems his girlfriend was there, (Little'Un has met her before and likes her) but this time the girlfriend wanted him all to herself and told Little'Un to go and sit in the bedroom while they 'talked'. Little'Un said she sat for ages on her own just staring out the window until she eventually went back downstairs and asked to be brought home. I rang him the next day saying that that was Little'Uns time with him and that his girlfriend had no right to tell her to go sit in the bedroom on her own, neither should he have allowed it!!!
I told him he can do what he likes with whoever he likes wheresoever and whenever he likes, but not on the times he is supposed to spend with Little'Un!
THAT'S NOT FAIR.
THAT'S HER TIME!!
ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!

Phew, I feel better for that.
Sorry, but I needed to scream, good job there is no sound on this post!

Any absent Dads out there, please take note.......
Put your kids first no matter what you think of their Mother. They are the innocents!

That's all for now.

Luv Azzy.
XXX

WE HAVE CONNECTION!!!!

Whoo, hoo! We now have internet!

Little'Un has a laptop thanks to a brilliant new Government scheme called 'Home Access' that allows struggling families without computer/internet to get online, thus enabling the children to make use of the laptop for study purposes. You receive a set package of a laptop with pre-programmed security and free connection for a year. After which you can, should you wish, purchase the package yourself at an affordable (?) price.
We have had the laptop since early July this year but there was some kind of connection problem with it and the pre-installed security programme was blocking all internet access including its OWN website!
No idea what was wrong, it just didn't work from day one, all we could do was play solitaire. Not exactly educational!
I have spent a fortune over past nine weeks ringing from my mobile (cell phone in USA) as I have no land line, to try and get the issue resolved and suddenly today..... PROBLEM SOLVED?
The computer company actually rang me this morning to see if they could try again to resolve it, I told them it was suddenly up and working and they seemed as surprised as I was!

Anyway, Hello everyone!
It was Little'Uns Birthday on Sunday (20th) TEN YEARS OLD!
Wow, where does the time go!
I had been saving for a freezer but decided to use the money on her present.
She wanted to take a cycling proficiency test they were running from school but the bike she had had brakes that wouldn't have passed the roadworthyness (if there is such a word?) test, they did work but not well enough as sometimes they sort of slipped. Plus she is growing so fast, another few months and her knees would have been hitting her chin as she cycled so I decided to sacrifice my freezer and treat her to a brand new bike. Big and bright pink! She loves it!
I have told her it's her Birthday and Christmas present rolled into one. Though she knows I will still get her something to open on Christmas Day.
I did her a party at our flat the day before her Birthday with six of her friends although it sounded more like forty!
Think everyone had a good time, they made enough noise and mess!
Her Dad offered to go half towards the cost of the bike and I foolishly believed him like so many of his other previous promises/offers of help.
Ha, ha, ha, he gets me every time with these little jokes he plays on me!

Don't particularly mind it myself, I'm used to it. Just hate it! Hate it! Hate it! When he does the same to Little'Un!
He doesn't get to see her tears when she is stood watching out the window waiting for him to visit or pick her up when he said he would, then he just doesn't turn up, most times, she doesn't even get a phone call or even a text of explanation!
Sorry, starting to winge again aren't I?
Just hope he sticks to the latest promise he made her (when he called with a card) that he is going to take her to see Disney on Ice for her Birthday. I will let you know if she actually goes.

It's so difficult bringing up a child on your own, I am terrified I am making a mess of it. How do you manage a balanced upbringing? I sometimes feel I am over compensating for the lack of a Father and she will end up a spoilt little brat but at the same time, I want to make her happy and give her everything! I want her to be independent yet don't want her to think I don't care about her! What if, what if, what if?
Good grief it's hard!

Anyway folks, now we are up and running, I will be posting more often and hope you all get back to me with any little bits of wisdom to help. Thanks.

Love Azzy. XXX

PUXTON PARK

Yesterday we had a lovely day out at a place called Puxton Park. It was an Alice in Wonderland weekend so all the staff were dressed up as the characters. Little'Un really enjoyed herself, there were all types of farm animals, even alpaca, a petting zoo, things to climb up, on, and over, slidy things and bouncy things, she had a whale of a time. As you can see in photo number 3, that is me being a bit of a silly moo and pulling my face (the things we do when we have kids. Sigh.....!) Photo number four was taken by Little'Un, how it was not blurred I will never know as she was laughing so much due to me being attacked by chickens, they were pecking at my legs and shoes and pulling my laces. Little'Un rode a pony for the first time, which she said was fantastic even though she said it was a little bumpy on her bum.We sat and watched cows being milked. Little'Un (and me to tell the truth) were amazed at how the machinery does it all automatically then drops off when it has finished! Little'Un wasn't too impressed with the smell though. We have ended up staying at Big Bruvs longer than originally planned and will not be leaving until Friday of this week.

We have had a wonderful time and the weather has been perfect on the days we have planned to go out, sunny while we were out and about and only rained when we got back to the house tea time.

We are planning to go to Sedgemoor Splash again later this week, the local pool in Bridgwater which has slides, fountains, whirlpool and a wave machine Little'Un absolutely loves the place. Unfortunately it seems it isn't making enough money and the local Council will be closing it down this month.

Will post again soon.

Love Azzy

XX

SOMERSET RESCUE!

What a day we had the other day. We were in the lounge when I suddenly heard a thud on the decking outside the sliding doors, when I took a closer look I discovered it was a poor little bird, a house martin, I assume it had misjudged its flight between the houses and hit the wall. Well, there it lay, on its back with its legs in the air looking quite pathetic so I called for Big Bruv to see what we could do.

Big Bruv gently picked up the tiny little thing and sat on a chair outside with it cupped in his hands, positioned over and under the bird so it was similar to the actual nest it makes and with a gap to see from or fly out of.

(SEE PHOTOS BELOW)
The little bird eventually came round but seemed quite happy sitting there, meanwhile the heavens opened and I had to cover Big Bruv with my coat as he was getting soaked, TWO HOURS and one soaked Bruv later, I suggested putting the bird in his minature chimnea on the table under the gazebo cover, thus giving Bruv a rest from sitting like a soggy statue trying to keep the bird warm and dry until it had recovered fully.

Another forty five minutes passed and it had a go at flying but crashed onto the decking then fell where we couldn't reach it. I stretched my hand between the decking and the wall as far as I could and it slowly struggled towards me and hopped onto my hand. We put it back in the chimnea and put the chimnea into the greenhouse for the night as by now it was getting late and we didn't want to leave it to the local cats or foxes. We checked on it now and again and watched as it settled itself for a sleep. Next morning at about 5am, Big Bruv opened the greenhouse door and we just kept our fingers crossed. We were going out for the day and just before we left we checked on it again, this time it wasn't there. We went inside and checked all round to see if it was in there but the greenhouse was empty so we are sure it must have fully recovered and flown away. What a lovely feeling that gave us.

Love Azzy

XX

LOOK WHO'S HERE!

Hi de hi folks,

YES, IT'S ME!

In Somerset this week staying with my Big Bruv so am taking the opportunity to use his PC. (He, he!)

Wow, didn't realise how long had passed since last time I had been on here!

Guess I'll have to do a lot of blog reading while I'm here to try and catch up with all your news.

Good grief I've missed you all so much!

Been very, very busy and stressed out for a while. I left Hubby in March.

Me and Little'Un have got a little flat just down the road from my Mum and Dad. It's perfectly situated, just a short walk (about a mile) to Little'Uns school and the local pool. Grandparents just down the road. Across the road facing our flat is a general store, Indian takeaway and a Chinese takeaway. next door on the left hand side is a pub where a girl Isobelle (8) and her little brother Alex (4) live so Little'Un plays there a lot of the time.
Our flat is two bedroomed and on the ground floor, it has a walk-in shower rather than bath which comes in handy for me due to my dicky knee (Osteo-arthritis). Not too good with stairs now and more often than not have to use my walking stick.

I am starting to plan for a better future for us now and one of the things on my list is moving to the South, think Little'Un will have a better and safer future down there. People go on over here in England about 'The Friendly North' What a load of ****! You could collapse in the street and they would just step over you tutting! There are a few exceptions of course but they are few and far between.

Anyway, hopefully I will be able to hobble to our local library (as often as I can) to keep up to date with my blog as I don't have a phone line or internet access in the flat.

Going to finish here as I really want to whizz round to all your blogs and see what you have been up to. Plus I don't want to come down to Somerset and spend my time sat indoors typing. Will post again very soon.

Missed Ya!
Loadsa luv.
Azzy
XX

LUCKY DAY!

What a great day I had today!

I found out from one of the other Mums that you can purchase school uniform items from lost property some of which are items returned from kids that have outgrown theirs or left for another school.

I managed to get Little'Un two larger jumpers for £1 (50 cents) each!!!
The sleeves actually come down to her wrists and kept her arms warm.
To buy two new would cost £17.00 (approx $8 - $9).

Lots of little things happened that made me feel good today, finding coins on the floor for one, not a lot but I then could buy Little'Un a cake from the bakery on the way home as a treat.

Little'Un will be doing another concert in March and this time Mum, Dad and Lil'Sis have said they will come see her so Little'Un is over the moon about that.

All in all, it's been a real nice day.

Until next time,

Loadsaluv Azzy.
XX

HARD TIMES

Hi there everyone, apologies for long gap in posts.

Been busy looking for somewhere to live, it's hard, there are plenty of flats/apartments/houses available but I am having difficulties finding somewhere as not many places want a DSS tenant on permanent sick (DSS = Department of Social Services) even though my benefits from the DSS would cover the cost of the rent. Seems DSS people have a bad reputation here in the UK and even more so if you are a single Mum! Never realised before how hard it is until now!

We have been placed on the Council housing list but only on 'Standard rate'
I could get somewhere quicker if I accepted moving to a homeless hostel in a real bad area which is miles away from where we are now and Little'Uns school, plus we have no transport so I said 'no thanks'. That means we were placed on 'Standard' and it could take up to five years for them to find us somewhere. It took them three years to house Li'l Sis' and all she wanted was a little one bedroomed flat, so in the meantime, I am looking for private rented properties but have a limit to how much the rent can be.

The atmosphere at home at the moment is not nasty but not very pleasant either, actually not much has changed since I told him I was leaving, I'm still invisible and he still talks to the dog more than me.
He disappears to the pub or his meetings, I never know where he is or what time he will be back, whether to cook a meal or not, a couple of times when I have and I have told him it will be ready when he returns, he has actually come home with a takeaway or come home first, said he didn't fancy what I had cooked, then gone back out for a takeaway!
He is off work at the moment with 'depression', so I am trying to keep out of the house as much as possible so we don't start rowing, he mainly stays in bed but when he does come down, it feels kind of awkward.


I am still struggling with money trying to find Little'Uns lunch money or buy her things. He doesn't help! The other week (on a Friday) I asked if he could pay for her lunch money for the following week as I had no money, he said OK, I asked for it on the Saturday and he said he would go to the ATM Sunday, I texted him while he was out on Sunday to remind him and he said OK, when he got home that evening I asked had he got it for me and he said "No, I will give it you tomorrow" Monday morning came and I asked for her lunch money for the week but he only gave me £5 ($2.50) he eventually gave me the balance on the Wednesday after a lot more asking or as he puts it 'nagging'!

She needs a new school jumper, the sleeves on the two she has are so short they look like she has them rolled up to her elbows because she is growing so fast, she could do with a decent pair of winter boots too, she is wearing an old pair of mine (two sizes too big but with thick socks they will do) at the moment.
I missed a decent pair at the local 'Age Concern' charity shop last week because my child benefit went into the wrong account and got swallowed up by the overdraft so I was stuck for money, I tried to request it back as it was CHILD benefit, but the bank said "no chance" so now I am down by £78 (approx $37) and I receive nothing until a week this coming Wednesday.

I know, I know, winge, winge, moan, moan! But I'm just sick to death of it all. I wouldn't be in such a mess with the bank if I hadn't agreed to have his wages paid into my account and for me to pay the bills and sort the budget for us.
Which, would have, or should have, been a good thing as I am very, very good at budgeting but unfortnately he then started demanding my cash card as his wages were going in and he needed money to get to work etc. but he would always draw out more than he put in so I then couldn't budget, things stopped being paid on time and I started to struggle, there was not much left of my benefit and eventually the overdraft was horrendous and the rows started really bad. Then... surprise...surprise... his firm kept 'accidentally' paying his wages into his savings account each month instead of my account and I couldn't pay anything at all!!!!!!
The bank charges got worse and worse, he kept telling me he would clear it all up and pay me back and now I'm in severe debt too!

Mum wrote him a nice letter requesting the £1200 he borrowed about a year ago and he wrote a nice letter back promising to start paying her back in instalments starting two weeks ago, guess what?..... he hasn't paid her a penny!!!!


Oh well, guess it serves us right for being so bloody stupid!!!

I'll try and post again soon.

Hope you are all having a better time than we are.

Love Azzy.
XX

BIG THANK YOU TO SANDY!!!

This post is for Sandy from Little'Un.
Just to say a great big THANK YOU for the lovely card and stickers.

We received them this morning (Tuesday 30th December).
Little'Un LOVES the stickers and loved the fact that the card was also from all your dogs and cats.
Going to pop over to your blog now so Little'Un can look at the photos of all your animal family.

Best wishes for the New Year.

Love and great big hugs.

Azzy and Little'Un
XXX

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Not been able to get on here due to no phone/broadband connection, I have to wait until Neeza leaves his laptop hanging about. He is in the pub at the mo, you know, his second home. (Actually it's his first! This is his second, he only comes back here to eat and sleep).

Sandi, Thanks for your concern. Me and Little'Un will be just fine, I think it will be for the best for everyone. Max is stopping here as Neeza has begged me not to take him.
Well, he had better look after him and take him for his walks!

Neeza finally realised it was Christmas on Christmas Eve and gave me £50 (approx $25) to buy presents (I had told him weeks ago that my bank had put a stop on my card due to his borrowing and never paying back I haven't been able to draw out more than £10 (approx $5) per week in the run up to Christmas and that went on essentials and Little'Uns school lunch money. Not even been able to send out any greetings cards this year)
Anyway, the present Little'Un picked was 'two for the price of one' Nintendo games for her DS, but as it was Christmas Eve, they had all sold out! She did manage to buy a game though but just the one due to it being full price, the remainder of the money (not very much, those games are expensive!), she and I both agreed would be kept for necessities as we doubted we would be getting any more off him. (We were right!).

He then went on to spoil Boxing Day by ringing me, it started off OK with him telling me he missed us but it soon turned into him accusing me of having an affair and shouting at me to be honest, tell the truth and admit it!
He has been asking me on and off for the whole twelve years we have been married, he has even quizzed Little'Un on many occasion, asking her what Mummys boyfriend is called!
Guess he didn't believe we were at Grandma's for Christmas either!
I ended up crying and Little'Un cried because Dad had made Mum cry.

We ended up having a FANTASTIC Christmas though, read on.......

We stayed over at Lil'Sis flat Christmas Eve, then at Grandmas for Christmas, back to Lil'Sis for Boxing Day, Grandmas for Saturday then HAD to go home Sunday. We had a fantastic time over Christmas, I made a great big Christmas dinner for everyone (bought for by Grandma and shopped for by Lil'Sis) and of course, we all ate too much. Lil'Sis did a lovely buffet for everyone at hers the following day and on the Saturday Big Bruv and Sis'in'Law called with boxes of food and presents and Sis'in'Law did all the cooking, a lovely steak in gravy meal with loads of wine and lots of goodies to follow YUM!.

But the very bestest, bestest of all was what me and Little'Un got from Sis'in'Law and Big Bruv -
Dan....dan......darrrrrrr........

WE GOT A Wii !!!!!

Little'Un had been asking can we save for one and I had promised I would try my hardest but she knew there would been no chance this year or even next so she was over the moon, over the stars, over everything, whooping, giggling, kissing, grinning from ear to ear, etc., etc., and has been the same ever since.
I couldn't believe what we had got and burst into tears as soon as I opened the wrapping.

Sis'in'Law and Big Bruv....... THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!
You have made one little girl and her Mum very, very happy at this not very nice time.

I hope everyone has had a fantastic Christmas too and wish you all....
A Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2009.

Loads of Love
Azzy
XXX

I'M GOING!!!

Sorry not kept up with my blog, had phone cut off again, it still is but I'm using his laptop while he is out.

I'M LEAVING HIM!!!!!!

Been to our local council offices to try to sort out rented accomodation for me and Little'Un, just waiting to see if they can help with a deposit/bond then I can look for a flat or a little house for us. It's going to be very hard as I am in dire straits at the bank and only receive incapacity and child care benefits but we will get by, it can't be any worse then stopping here.

Little'Un has been quite poorly recently, I'm not sure if it is a tummy bug or if it has anything to do with the situation between me and her Dad. This past weekend she did a lot of crying and asked could we please leave as soon as possible. She has asked to still be able to visit her Dad and I have said of course she can.

Well folks, hopefully I will be able to keep up with my blog from the library or I might even ask if I can take the computer seeing as he has his laptop.

Me and Little'Un are going to Grandma's for Christmas Dinner as I can't afford to buy turkey and all the trimmings this year and even if I could, the cooker broke about ten months ago!

Will blog again when I can.

Love Azzy and Little'Un
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MAKE YOUR OWN MAGAZINE COVERS (SEE MY SIDEBAR)!!!

Hi there folks,

Lookie what Michelle Dawn of http://halet1073.blogspot.com/ discovered.
Needless to say, I have pinched the idea!!!

First one is of me and Lil'Sis.
I just love this picture, we look like negatives of each other, me dark haired wearing white against light background, her blonde haired wearing black against dark background, me with drink in left hand holding straw with right, hers in her right holding straw with left!!!
We have always said we are like a pair of bookends!
Amazing thing is, the picture was not a set up or taken deliberate to look that way!

Scroll down to see what other mag covers I have done. He, he.

Have a go, just click on the MagMyPic link and follow the instructions.

I LOVE IT!!!!!

Azzy
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LITTLE'UN HAS A CONCERT!

Hi there folks,

Quick blog.

Just had news that Little'Un's choir group are giving a concert on November 28th at the Baptist Church in Oldham, they have said it will be good practice before the big Christmas concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Oldham in December.

Little'Un is dead excited about it all.

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......................................................................

THE CHOIR!

Well, Little'Un went to her first training and rehearsals last evening.

SHE LOVES IT!!!!!


She discovered there are two other girls from her school (the next year up from her) who are also members so she felt a lot better knowing someone there.
One of their Mums gave us a lift home and said she will take us and bring us home every week thereby saving money for buses and the panic due to the bus taking at least half an hour to get all the way up to Oldham followed by mad dash running through the town centre to where we need to be!
Of course I will offer to pay towards the petrol and if she refuses I will get her some chockies or something as a thankyou.

When I arrived back to pick her up I thoroughly enjoyed listening to all the children in all the different studios singing and playing instruments, I could only hear when they opened the doors so only got snatches of it all but it was lovely. I'm looking forward to taking her every Wednesday and she can't wait either, she hasn't shut up about it since we got home. We are off to Grandma's this afternoon so she can tell her all about it.

She is now talking about if she practices hard and becomes good enough, can she go in for the 'X Factor' when she is fourteen?

YOU BETCHA!!!!!



Azzy
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LITTLE'UN MAKES ME SO PROUD AGAIN!

She has done it again, I'm proud as punch!


First she won the school singing competition and received a certificate and prize (I did a post previously about it) and now one of her teachers has put her name forward for Oldham Girl's Choir. Seems you can't get into this choir unless you are nominated!

Reading all the paperwork that came with the acceptance form, it says they get the full
voice/breathing training, they learn all the varoius singing techniques (the full monty!) they get to travel all over the place, regionally, nationally and internationally, they have previously done radio and television appearances and have released tapes and CD's.

At first, after reading all about the term and uniform fees I explained I couldn't afford to pay for it but when I saw the disappointment and tears I knew I had to find the money, we both ended up crying.


Then...............
"NO I won't have this you ARE going!!
We'll manage it somehow! This is your future"
Hugs, kisses and tears of joy!

She starts her first training/rehearsals next Wednesday and is sooooo excited! (actually I am too!)
Don't know how.,,,,,,, BUT I WILL AFFORD IT!!!!!

I will keep you all informed of how she gets on.

Azzy
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