tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533321317020310022024-03-14T10:29:00.699+00:00Procrastinator General says...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.comBlogger248125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-27137344296016123452014-09-14T17:03:00.000+01:002014-09-14T17:03:00.646+01:00Lifestyle - School Days<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have started my new job and it's going really well. There has been a slow start for us whilst we have got everyone up to speed on what's going on. The new school building is still being built and will hopefully be ready for us to move into in the New Year.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Week one at work was taken up with lots of training activities. I have done restraint training, positive discipline, lesson planning, safeguarding and something else that I have forgotten the name of! We also spent time trying to make our temporary accommodation look like an actual functioning school. The building used to be a behavioural unit so was sort of set up how we needed it, but they had just ripped out a whole load of the fittings and we needed to cover some rather large holes in the walls!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week (week 2) has seen the students slowly starting to arrive. One year group at a time. Year 8s on Monday, 9s on Tuesday, 11s on Wednesday and 10s on Friday. The reaon the 11s came in before the 10s is because they go on placement for Thursdays and Fridays. This means that tomorrow (Monday) will be the first day we have all four year groups in at once. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This could prove interesting, that's for sure. The break times are set up so there are only two year groups mixed together at any one time and they are not consecutive years so they hopefully won't fight too much... We've only got the four years as we're in too small a building to fit any more. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My group of year 10s is made up entirely of boys and there is another all boy group as well as an all girl mixed group of 9s and 10s. (Confusing, I know). I have 6 in my group and the others have 7 each. We are what is known as an Alternative Provision Academy (APA) and are the largest in the country with roughly 60 students. This is not full sized. We will have 150 altogether at the new site and will range in age from year 6 (10-11yr olds) to the year 11s (15-16). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So far, my lads have been very sweary and pretty offensively racist but have behaved themselves and got on with all their work. They are in school setting so they are working towards their GCSE exams although the government only asks us to give them English and Maths we feel that they need more than that to become valuable members of society.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the new build there will be provision for lots of vocational work including a hair and beauty studio, joinery, mechanics bay and various other job specific areas. They will all be taught to drive a forklift before they leave school as well (!)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, this is a bit of a promo piece about my new school, but I'm really proud of what we're trying to achieve with these kids that society has already pegged as no hopers (one of the lads in my class is very bright, just hates school). I hope that in my role as their tutor (they're counted as my class) I'm going to be able to help them at least start to believe there is a future for themselves and they won't just be another generation of kids who grow up on an estate, get into trouble and go to prison. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">The schools official website is </span><a href="http://www.aspirehull.com/"><span style="color: blue;">aspirehull.com</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> check it out and see what you think.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pearl. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-47329316627021817342014-08-24T14:40:00.000+01:002014-08-24T14:40:53.042+01:00Lifestyle - Disney Film Perfectionism<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My mum and I had a bit of a tidy up in my house a few weeks ago and it gave me the chance to reorganise the DVDs back into the cupboard where they are supposed to live. They had emigrated to various other parts of my living room and it was getting on my nerves no end.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having a small child means I have ended up with quite a few Disney films in my collection (or at least that's what I keep telling myself is the reason) but I hadn't realised how out-</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">of-hand the collection had gotten! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I attempted to introduce madam to the joys of putting the collection in order, but she wasn't buying it... But I certainly did. Turns out we had over 50 Disney films which included 20 odd of the Classics series. I put them all in the correct order (they're numbered, helpfully) but then I began to wonder which ones we were missing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The completionist part of me gets all worked up at the thought of gaps! So I figured I had better find out which ones we were missing and then I could tick them off - hyperventilation might be happening at that thought! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having made the list I have actually ticked some off already due to Asda having an offer on! Although, I did have to overrule madam about one of her choices (Bambi 2? I don't think so...) I did lose when she insisted on replacing the Incredibles though... Its Pixar, its not part of the same collection, dammit!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now the list is looking more complete, but there are still loads missing! And I *still* don't have the AristoCats :-( Also, there are some discrepancies to the list as in the USA they don't count Dinosaur as being in the Classics collection but they do in the UK. And there is a film called the Wild which doesn't show up on the list at all for some reason... (We don't have it, but we do have trailers for it). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time for the list... Ones marked with a "*" are ones we own.</span></div>
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<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Snow White *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pinocchio *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fantasia (my parents own this one!)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dumbo *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bambi *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saludos Amigos</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Three Caballeros</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Make Mine Music</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fun & Fancy Free</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Melody Time</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cinderella *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Alice in Wonderland *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Peter Pan</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lady and the Tramp *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sleeping Beauty *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">101 Dalmatians *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Sword in the Stone</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Jungle Book *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The AristoCats</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Robin Hood</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Rescuers</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Fox and the Hound</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Black Cauldron</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basil the Great Mouse Detective</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oliver & Company</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Little Mermaid *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Rescuers Down Under</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beauty and the Beast *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aladdin *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lion King *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pocahontas *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Hunchback of Notre Dame</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hercules *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Milan</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tarzan</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fantasia 2000</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dinosaur *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Emperor's New Groove *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Atlantis: The Lost Empire</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lilo & Stitch *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Treasure Planet</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brother Bear</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Home on the Range</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chicken Little *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meet the Robinsons</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bolt *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Princess and the Frog *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tangled *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Winnie-the-Pooh</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wreck It Ralph *</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Frozen *</span></li>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This list is from the IMdB website, some of the numbers and films don't match what's on the box! But as far as I can tell we own 25 of the 53 that have been released. There is one called Big Hero 6 coming out later this year that I am *really* looking forward to.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After filling all the shelves in my cupboard with DVDs I still had some leftover, so they're on the bookshelves and under the TV. I might need more storage space for them... That'll be another thing to add to the list of things to buy once I'm earning... </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then maybe I could have a madam collection and a grown up collection *gets misty eyed* I could alphabetise mine... Yeah, I know, I'm weird... </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would kind of like to put all the different animation studios in to their own collections, too. Perfectionism is a pain sometimes...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What do you obsess over?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-9988918086485704622014-08-21T14:01:00.000+01:002014-08-21T14:01:37.282+01:00Lifestyle - Having a job is just the beginning<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You may have wondered where I've been and I don't blame you. Turns out I don't particularly like blogging from my tablet after all. I'm hoping once I get paid I'll be able to get my laptop screen fixed (finally) and then I may be able to get back to some kind of regular blogging schedule.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until then, sporadic is the name of the game. I've mainly been getting ready for starting work and also supervising madam as she enjoys her free time.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the last few weeks I've gone from being worried I would never find a job again to being gainfully employed and needing to get everything together for my start date of September 1st. The most important part of that (no, not shoes) is transport. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My dad, being an amazing human, agreed to forward me the money for a car and a years worth of insurance which I will then (slowly) pay him back. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I decided that I really wanted something similar to the hire car I had whilst my parents were on holiday. That was a (top of the range) Toyota Aygo. Now, I'm not thick, I knew top of the range was out. But a lower spec version of the same was definitely an option. It turns out there are three different manufacturers who make identical cars. The cheapest to buy secondhand was the Peugot 107. And on my budget I could afford one about three years old. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This then meant hours of trawling the internet to narrow down which ones we were going to go and have a look at. Madam pinned her heart to a bright yellow one early on and I discovered they made purple ones... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We went to a local a dealership which had a few in stock (including a purple one!) Sadly, turns out the purple was way over my budget (like, £1500 over) and after looking at the other three in stock we settled for a red one with a low mileage. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So my new baby, who has been named Peggy, was all sorted out. Next was making myself look slightly less like a wild woman and more like the professional I'm pretending to be. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gd1YqEeqWW0GrHbnDqxUmEm6vQi2n6pf2kMqEod5C8iBhSWWsMYRf5HQWF_1S2tqzcTlm2l2NuTopgAkpMopDIim4ahTdQrIhudVe-LzrhG662y5B7qYcc8n-xIJFKmuwxmsRGWgQ-rx/s1600/IMG_20140818_160942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0gd1YqEeqWW0GrHbnDqxUmEm6vQi2n6pf2kMqEod5C8iBhSWWsMYRf5HQWF_1S2tqzcTlm2l2NuTopgAkpMopDIim4ahTdQrIhudVe-LzrhG662y5B7qYcc8n-xIJFKmuwxmsRGWgQ-rx/s1600/IMG_20140818_160942.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mum very kindly agreed to pay for me to have a decent haircut and I now look much more sleek and much more like my old self again. On my travels I have also had to sort out before and after school care for madam (she's going to a place with its own farm. A farm!) and I've also been on holiday with my Guides. It's been a busy ol' summer, so far! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What have you been up to then? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-87666507298159540102014-07-18T12:13:00.000+01:002014-07-18T12:13:28.711+01:00Lifestyle - A New Beginning<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have an announcement!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">*clears throat*</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I HAVE A JOB!!!!!!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKrKP7V82IjCvTY4MCGdIc1KJ67E_Yi6gX1kfnmhAhlavEOHpjWX0OmoEjmk_al10q6GY5cz6cpc9p97GGfF986Wnd9u2azmt0-A1Z5MpxOztLlsfEtqpxdcP_3rauJOPwIWiR2Sj8PUy/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKrKP7V82IjCvTY4MCGdIc1KJ67E_Yi6gX1kfnmhAhlavEOHpjWX0OmoEjmk_al10q6GY5cz6cpc9p97GGfF986Wnd9u2azmt0-A1Z5MpxOztLlsfEtqpxdcP_3rauJOPwIWiR2Sj8PUy/s1600/image.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My volunteering has paid off and I finally managed a right place/right time ultimate combo. The main selling point? My degree. Yup, the one I have always been slightly unhappy about. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't get me wrong, I loved doing it and I wouldn't swap those experiences for anything. But I have never used it. I was all for going into Heritage Management after qualifying but then realised the route into the industry is fraught with broken dreams and living like a pauper for more years than I was willing to. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I did what most people do in that situation. Put my dreams on hold until there was a "right time" and got a proper job. I then spent numerous years working in a restaurant and dreaming of escape. I focused on education as I'd always thought I might like to teach. I applied for a couple of graduate schemes to become a French teacher but always fell down at the final hurdle. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I retrained (whilst still working at the restaurant) and got myself a CELTA. Which is a foundation level qualification and the basic minimum for a job teaching English as a foreign language. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I lived in Greece for a bit, came home, got married, ended up back at the restaurant again because I needed a job. Escape was so hard when there were bills to be paid. I dreamed some more, but just couldn't wiggle free. I spent a summer teaching English in the week and full-time in the restaurant at weekends (clocking up 70hr weeks in the process). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got pregnant and it was then I saw my chance. I *couldn't* go back to the restaurant. It just didn't fit around my childcare needs. But then they closed my restaurant whilst I was on maternity leave and I managed to get a payout for leaving a job I'd had no intention of returning to. Bonus. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then, to quote a well known TV theme tune 'my life got flipped, turned upside down'. I ended up a single parent and have battled with my own mental health for a few years. Last October my daughter turned five and the government insisted I look for a job. Now, I had been planning for this moment for a while and had tried to make myself more employable.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I started this blog because I was doing a counselling skills course and realised how depressed I was and how much I needed an outlet. That course was supposed to lead me to a job last summer, before the Jobcentre would ever need to be involved, but sadly it didn't. All the jobs I'd seen the year before that needed that qualification were not advertised. Bugger. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I, therefore, dutifully signed on in the October to get my Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) and started the long, slow process of regaining employment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I discovered the amount of skills I have puts a lot of employers off. And the government's insistence on focussing on the young unemployed by creating endless schemes to help them into jobs (which is great if you're 16-24) means employers have created millions of apprenticeships where there used to be entry level positions. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not so great if you're 36 and looking for a job. Any job, but don't have industry specific skills. I was a manager in a restaurant I can do admin. Possibly with my eyes closed. Have I had one single response to any of those applications? Nope. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then a teeny, tiny light in the dark. I found a secondary school (my preferred age range) that wanted volunteer Teaching Assistants. Perfect! I emailed over my application and a mere half an hour later they rang to offer me an interview! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I finally started at the beginning of the summer term doing Wednesdays and Thursdays with the year 7 nurture group. I have genuinely enjoyed all of it. Even those days where I've (briefly) wished I was allowed to throttle them. And then at the end of June an advert appeared on their website. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I, obviously, jumped at the chance. Made sure it was the best application I could do. Handed it in. Waited.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is there anything worse than waiting?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got so nervous one of the other TAs marched me up to the HR office so I could ask if the shortlist was ready. It was. And I was on it. Twice! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unbeknownst to me there were jobs going in three different areas. The Academy itself, the Intervention team (this has nothing to do with sitting your friend down and telling them you're concerned with their drug/alcohol use) and finally the Aspire project. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aspire is a free school that is opening in Hull in September. It is based around the Academy's Christian ethos that all students deserve to be taught. Even the ones who have been excluded from their own schools. It is taking pupils from all over the city with behavioural issues that have seen them excluded or at risk of exclusion from year 6 and up (that's 10/11yr olds up to 18yr olds.) </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, here's the important bit, they will *all* be studying Leisure and Tourism. My degree subject! After so long with *no-one* caring about my degree having an interview panel (a member of each of those 3 different areas) all be excited by my degree. And that I carried my French up to my second degree year. And that I have counselling skills was a little pleasing, it has to be said. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then yesterday I got the phone call I had been praying for. I've been taken on to work at Aspire. I can't tell you just how exciting this is for me. I'm so proud of myself for not letting my anxieties stop me from pursuing something I *knew* I could be good at. And because I'll be at Aspire the chances of career progression are slightly higher. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Moving in to teaching L&T could be a real prospect. And I'm not even scared by the idea any more. Plus, if I can make it through at least 2 years at Aspire, I think I could probably work anywhere! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have spent the last two weeks saying "if I get this job..." and planning so many nice things. First up, a holiday for madam and I. Not until next summer. But an actual holiday! My mum and dad have promised to finance a car for me. And I have been browsing dinky, just for madam and I, cars on auto trader. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And finally, I've been work wear planning :) I have created a <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/PearlSanguine/werk-wear/">Pinterest board</a> which you can have a look at if you fancy... </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am crazy happy at the moment and just want to thank everyone for being so supportive (and enthusive) whilst I've been going through this process. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As an aside, it is almost exactly six years since I went on maternity leave. I would never have imagined everything that has happened since then. But I am so ready for a change! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-13585901427645498392014-07-05T14:19:00.000+01:002014-07-05T14:19:59.408+01:00Lifestyle - I've been so busy... <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello there, my lovelies. No, I haven't forgotten I run a blog. Yes, I have been too busy to keep you all up to date. I am really sorry for neglecting you. The lack of home internet access has really scuppered me in the last few weeks as I haven't been able to fit blogging in. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What I have been doing is working. I am still volunteering at the Academy in Hull and have just submitted an application form for a paid position. I have also been assigned some volunteering work by the Jobcentre. Fun. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SBV75WqQjO6c3lkOXKETj5mMVwf2L8mHChS2bfllPM-w7YiWiGXf4vu0Ka5nYoU3KnGAij4PDbeboOjZEW51rlVN14SCNEZhLikal0Dqa0fp3avCLaGsAJz4qKhrC2ByfdbiLl4UefDH/s1600/IMG_20140629_170937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SBV75WqQjO6c3lkOXKETj5mMVwf2L8mHChS2bfllPM-w7YiWiGXf4vu0Ka5nYoU3KnGAij4PDbeboOjZEW51rlVN14SCNEZhLikal0Dqa0fp3avCLaGsAJz4qKhrC2ByfdbiLl4UefDH/s1600/IMG_20140629_170937.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This handsome chap was at the park we went to last week.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its not as bad as I make that sound as it is with a children's charity that run various drop in sessions within the community. I'll be able to keep going through the summer holidays too, which will at least keep me busy. Best of all, madam can come with me. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been busily daydreaming about life if I get this job I have applied for. I have looked into what car I might get and even where I might take madam on holiday next summer! I did toy with the idea of moving closer to work so I could avoid the need for a car, but I think I run the risk of making myself feel isolated and ill again. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have thought about what of the many broken things I have I will replace first (my bed, I *need* better sleep). And I've started to ponder a frivolous thing as a treat to myself. Sadly, I don't even know if I have an interview yet so I think I best calm myself down a bit. But I would relish having my freedom back. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Job seeking is so all encompassing and I'm bound (perfectly reasonably) by certain conditions that there is very little flexibility available. I'm not even supposed to stay somewhere overnight without letting the DWP know... (that one I think is a bit ridiculous). </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But as you can see, I can't just do things on a whim, really, at the moment. Even if I did have any money. I am also massively excited about the increase in cash flow that a job will bring. I have lived on benefits since madam was born and whilst I am so grateful and fortunate to live in a country that has a social welfare system in place. I can't say its a luxurious lifestyle, but its enough to live on. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will let you know if I get an interview and you can talk me down from the ledge when I panic... And I will get some home internet as soon as I can! ;-) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-63324947339023628682014-06-17T16:07:00.002+01:002014-06-17T16:07:35.613+01:00Lifestyle - Father's Day <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been meaning to write a Father's Day post for a few days, but haven't had the chance. It's a strange day in our house as my Dad has never celebrated it and madam's dad isn't exactly outstanding in the field! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We actually had a really busy day as madam had a party in the morning and we decided to go out for the afternoon... Madam was at the local soft play centre for 11am and was bouncing around the house for *hours* beforehand.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I loathe sitting around at parties talking to mums I don't really know which is why I tend to leave madam to it if possible. Not the case at soft play, sadly. Though, being Father's Day meant it really wasn't very busy in there. Thankfully. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After much partying and birthday lunching we decided to go to Hornsea (a local seaside town) for the afternoon. As the weather wasn't too cheerful we decided on going to the mere instead of the beach. Which was probably the best plan as it was windy enough there! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The mere is home to a pretty sizeable goose population and madam had a great time collecting together the biggest feathers she could find. She has since taken them to school for crafts :-) When she had picked up as many feathers as any one child could need we had a bit of a wander and she walked along one of the jetties to get a better look at the water. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did the parent thing of deciding whether to intervene as she made some rather scary manoeuvres horribly near the edge, but she didn't fall and I was glad she had got to do it her way. I bought her a wee windmill in the little shop that I don't remember ever being there before and she had fun running around and watching it spin. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She mentioned her kite several times and we've decided that's what we'll do this weekend coming. Quite looking forward to that, its ages since we've flown the kite!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We voted for going to the Freeport in Hornsea for a drink as we were getting a bit chilly by the mere. We had a wander round the shops and had madam's feet measured at the Clark's outlet. She is now a size 1! But her school shoes are still OK until the end of this term, I hope! They'll just have to be, frankly! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My mum is quite looking forward to madam's feet being bigger than hers (4) as she thinks that'll stop her wearing hers! Nope... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One cup of coffee and glass of fizzy orange later we headed back to my parents to see younger bro for a bit before going home for tea. We had yummy meatballs and pasta and madam was told she could have a couple of the sweeties in her party bag. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She ate all of them. I, therefore, told her off and banned her from having any more sweets this week. She was not impressed and threw some things at me. At which point I banned her from any bedtime stories for the week either. Major madam meltdown.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She was livid. But I wouldn't back down and did manage to get her to put her pyjamas on. Couldn't get her to go to bed and got stabbed with an umbrella and hit in the face with a flying projectile for my efforts. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I left her to it. She was too angry to even try to reason with. She plonked herself on the floor under my feet. Eventually, she fell asleep where she was. I merely covered her over and left her to it. She woke up about 10pm. I told her to get in bed, she wimped a bit but went straight upstairs and silence re-descended. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Sunday I was really upset she'd spoiled our nice day. But in hindsight, it was only bedtime. We still had had a lovely day. She was still unreasonable and frighteningly out of control, but I think I need to focus on the good parts. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She did, sort of in the middle, quiet down enough to tell me she missed her daddy and wanted him there and not a new one (she's a bit obsessed with me remarrying). And I understood a least a little of where this massive outburst had come from. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course she was angry that I had confiscated things she liked but she had spent the week being built up at school and at Rainbows for a Father's Day she felt excluded from. This is the first year she's really been cognisant about it. Every other year she has been happy to accept me as substitute. But I'm not her Dad. And her Dad is gone at the moment. She hasn't seen him since August bank holiday last year and he hasn't phoned her for ages. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My divorce (that's a whole other post!) is in progress and she is very aware of that. She is confused. Again. I feel heartbroken that she has to constantly deal with all these things when she is still so young. But I hope we can get through to the other side soon and she can get some happiness and stability back. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wish that we were there already though. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-28461326975194162002014-06-10T15:08:00.000+01:002014-06-10T15:08:23.839+01:00Lifestyle - A Moan About Reality<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hellooooooooo! Sorry to have been A.W.O.L. for so long. I have been rather obsessively reading a series of books and then I read my book for the month in an hour or so, so I've sort of started on next month's book! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I say almost, because technically its not the book on the list but as the one that is happens to be the 2nd of 3, I thought I could start on book 1 now :-) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been feeling a little out of love with blogging as well. Too many other things going on that I'm not too happy with for whatever reason is leaving me uninspired. I did get a bit of a boost on Sunday though as I got to be internationally famous for an evening! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">This is because my interview was up on the </span><a href="http://www.bonjourblogger.com/blogger-chats/bonjour-blogger-pearl/"><span style="color: blue;">Bonjour, Blogger!</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> site. I really enjoy the interview posts and love to read about different bloggers out there. It certainly made me feel a bit more happy than I had been so far that evening. Madam is still being a handful...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And that's another thing that has been winding me up. Now, I'm certainly not averse to social media and use it all the time. And yea, I edit the things I put out there. But why is the internet full of pictures of kids destroying stuff, crying at nothing and generally being horrid when *no-one* seems to mention that side of it!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These things are collected in one place and only if you know where to look will you find them. They're not all over Facebook or Twitter (at least, not that I've seen). It leaves me feeling like my child is in some way abnormal for acting the way she does. And she's just not. My 5yr old certainly is angrier than a lot of others, but the rest of the stuff is perfectly normal 5yr old behaviour, isn't it? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If I talk to the other parents in the playground they all roll their eyes and mention the time when their little darling did x or y or even both! I sometimes wonder why this side of parenting seems to be so taboo. My struggles with madam's temper would be more manageable if I didn't feel quite so alone dealing with it.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And if you search online for help there are hundreds of other parents asking the same questions. So, I shouldn't feel so isolated, but when you've had a whole day ruined by one, almighty, tantrum and you've been told just how much you're hated by the one person you're devoted to it does niggle. Because those are the moments when I rant on Twitter and I get to see someone else's perfect day with their child! </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, come on parents, help me out! Surely there are bad moments in your days too? It can't just be me, can it? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-22469545672697456182014-05-31T13:17:00.002+01:002014-05-31T13:17:32.378+01:00Reading Challenge - May Update<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's the end of the month already! How did that happen? Today I am mainly just overexcited because I have new glasses... Its been four years since the last new pair so it was</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> about time for a change. I have also got new sunglasses as the restrictions have changed and I could use my NHS voucher. Free second pair offers are the best...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK, so, books. I have been reading more slowly this month, just the one book at a time. But I seem to have read pretty much the same as other months. I think because I read at work on my break and at lunch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">My book from </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/a-book-month-challenge.html"><span style="color: blue;">The List</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> this month was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I did like it and I can see what all the fuss was about but I was slightly disappointed. It just felt like it could have been more. The story takes place over the course of many years and there are also several other players that we read about along the way. The main plot is a competition between two Illusionists and there protégés.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The two young students are bound together in youth and then separately taught all their master believes they need. They are then set against each other in a competition to the death. Though the students are unaware that this is the ultimate end to their game, initially. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Events are played out through the Night Circus, both creating new tents and illusions to outperform the other. Whilst one knows who his competitor is, the other does not. Eventually the participants fall in love and they try and effect an escape from their destined end. They recruit someone else to take over their enchantments and but for one final act almost completely succeed. They are trapped within the Circus, but free to be together. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I said, good story. But there were so many side plots and interruptions that it was all just a bit flabby. I would have loved a tighter, punchier tale. I liked it, but not enough that I think I will be reading it again. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The full list of books I read this month is:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Sanctum by Sarah Fine - 30/4/14 ~ 2/5/14</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - 2/5/14 ~ 8/5/14</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Fractured by Sarah Fine - 8/5/14 ~ 11/5/14</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Grounded by G.P. Ching - 12/5/14 ~ 14/5/14</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Elephant Moon by John Sweeny - 16/5/14 ~ 20/5/14</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Insurgent by Veronica Roth - 20/5/14 ~ 22/5/14</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Allegiant by Veronica Roth - 22/5/14 ~ 24/5/14</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou - 28/5/14 ~ 29/5/14.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That last book I hadn't planned on reading, but with the passing of Maya Angelou I really wanted to reread it. I also didn't read any Heyer this month as I just didn't fancy it. In fact for the first time all the books I read, barring that last one, were eBooks. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've got next months book lined up and am currently reading one that will have to roll over. I've not read much of it but am really getting into it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">And that's about it for this month. As ever it remains to say that my reading challenge was inspired by essbeevee and her </span><a href="http://www.essbeevee.co.uk/search/label/book%20club"><span style="color: blue;">books are amazing</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> posts. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">What have you been reading? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Love, Pearl. </span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-17521910566323211272014-05-30T19:17:00.000+01:002014-05-30T19:17:10.134+01:00Lifestyle - Holiday Hijinks <div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its half term and I am in that unenviable position of having had to entertain the madam for the last few days in the rather horrid weather. This has led to us spending more money than I would have liked because indoor things are (almost) never free!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">We haven't even had chance to do a </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/lifestyle-day-at-museums.html"><span style="color: blue;">museum day</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> which we always love... </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Monday we went to the cinema and finally got to see the Lego Movie. And it was as good as I had been led to believe. My only issue was the part that was in live action. I just felt like it slowed the whole movie and it was the only point where madam got fidgety. But it was awesome, on the whole. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tuesday was a fun trip to the job centre so I could sign on and then a trip into Hull to re-submit my Divorce petition as there had been an error on the first version. Despite my mum and I having checked, double checked and checked again. Bugger.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The error was mainly caused by a difficult to interpret marriage certificate, but the court sent me an example that I could follow and I'm hoping that this time it won't bounce straight back... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wednesday, nah, we didn't do anything much. We didn't even get dressed until 4pm! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday we went swimming for the first time in ages. Madam therefore got to wear her new 'kini again and I had to run the "do I still fit in my swimsuit" gamut. The answer was "yes" and all systems were go! I stopped taking madam a while ago as I find it quite frustrating to not be able to swim and have to instead pay out for us to have a bath!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mum came this time which helped no end and we tried to teach madam the basics of swimming. I can't afford the £45/term fees for lessons and she won't get them at school until year 3. So, we worked on teaching her to float. This merely requires her to stay still, which is a near impossibility for my wiggly girl! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She pretty much got it, but her fear of putting her face in the water and other little things have made mum and I determined to bring her more often throughout the summer to build up her confidence. And maybe she might get to swim by the end of it too...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today we went to the SeaLife Centre in Scarborough with my parents and brother (younger). We had a 40% off voucher but it was certainly not a cheap trip! Madam was given a pass book that she had to get stamped in various locations around the centre and also a Moshi Monster hunt form. This last was just for half term and we hadn't known about it, sadly. Madam is a Moshi Monster fan and was rather thrilled to meet Katsuma. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We saw penguins and otters, jellyfish and seals, sharks, seahorses and turtles. It was really good fun. My mum even forked out for a rather silly photo of us all. This was mainly because it had all of us in (barring big bro and girlf) which is an unusual occurrence. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After we'd seen everything we headed to the beach for a picnic and madam had a quick paddle in the sea. We had a mooch along North Bay and then caught the little train back to the SeaLife Centre and the car. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Madam slept all the way home whilst wearing her new pirate hat and hook. It was a good day :-) </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, what's your week been like? I am actually going to need aftersun later! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-86492557827774182272014-05-23T17:17:00.000+01:002014-05-23T17:17:54.476+01:00Lifestyle - A Quick Catch Up<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its been rather longer since my last post than I intended, sorry! I have been rather tired and have been spending time doing other things than writing. Mainly reading and making those loom band things all the kids are wearing nowadays! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They're really easy and colourful. My two favourite things, frankly! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Madam has settled somewhat from her manic outbursts and life is less about yelling at each other. Which I wholeheartedly prefer. We had a great trip to the beach last weekend to try out her new 'kini and soak up some sunshine. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is England after all, you have to make the most of these things :-) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whilst at the beach we were sitting under a colony of sand martins which proved impossible to photograph, sadly. I didn't really get much in the way of photos at all, really. It was so bright and I couldn't see how they were coming out. I have got this splendid shot of madam making a sandcastle... </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This Thursday just gone madam made her promise at Rainbow's and is now the proud owner of a badge and certificate to prove it. She is so proud that she read her promise out without any help and is committed to being an active Rainbow. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In case you don't know, Rainbow's are the youngest members of the Guiding movement and are aged between 5 & 7. She has been desperate to go since turning 5 in October, but it's taken ages for a place to come free! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next week it's the school half term holidays and we're planning a couple of trips to keep madam occupied. One of which will be to the Sea Life Centre in Scarborough because we have a voucher :-) We'll be making a day of it and will also be taking a trip through Peasholm Park on the miniature railway. Perhaps not in the splash boat though... </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, I think that's us all caught up now. Hope you've all been well... It's nice to be back again... </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl. </span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-11769915225649610282014-05-13T11:50:00.000+01:002014-05-13T11:50:12.878+01:00Parenting - Fear is Anger<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Having told you how much </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/parenting-how-do-i-deal-with-temper.html"><span style="color: blue;">I've been struggling with madam's temper</span> </a><span style="color: #351c75;">recently I decided I could do with being more proactive about getting to the root of the problem. Remembering that the last time she was this volatile was also connected to her fears it seemed a good place to start.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When himself punched me it left a permanent impression on madam (despite having been only 3 she still mentions it regularly). It also left her with a lot of mixed feelings to deal with which to some extent I had to ride out due to her inability to properly verbalise her feelings. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of it was outright anger and she punched everyone and everything for a while. I had to go into her nursery on the first day and explain what might happen. I then had to go through a whole child protection thing with them to ensure himself couldn't go anywhere near her without me also being there. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also, she became incredibly clingy, which, if you know madam, you will know is very out of character. This is the bit I decided to try and focus on with her this weekend. Her clinginess was a manifestation of separation anxiety. So is her current vile behaviour somehow all mixed up with that?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I took her to the cinema on Saturday morning so that we could have some alone time together doing something fun. I let her watch the film and choose where we were having lunch before talking to her about it so that I knew she was pretty chilled out.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Knowing that my going to work is something that is new to her I decided to use that as a jumping off point. And I pretty much hit the jackpot. She admitted to being worried that I would go to work and forget about her and not come back. This is another leftover from her dad as he left us to go and work in London and has not lived with us since.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her little brain does parent working = abandonment. I have spent the whole of the weekend trying to reassure that even though, yes, we dont get as much time together, I will not leave her. I have used all the examples I can think of from times we've been apart and I have come back again.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The thing that made me sad was that she can remember every single night we've spent apart! She really doesn't like it. And I had to try not to dismiss her fears as silly. They are very real to her. Daddy left her. She can't see why mummy never would, even if I have always come back before there might be a time when I don't.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She did at one point ask if she could live with nanna as she's retired and therefore won't go to work and leave her :'( Poor little thing. I have tried to make her understand that even if she is angry and worried this is not a reason to throw things at people and she has been better over the weekend. We'll see how it goes on.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Does anyone have any other ideas of ways I might be able to reassure her?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-627253264349497012014-05-09T11:38:00.000+01:002014-05-09T11:38:55.049+01:00Parenting - How Do I Deal With Temper?<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hello, lovelies. How are you? I'm kinda tired, but its Friday, bring on the weekend! I have actually got no hope of having a peaceful weekend, but I can dream...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Madam has been horrid the last couple of days, culminating in her throwing a pair of (incredibly sharp) scissors at me yesterday. I'm sure its just a case of being hideously tired as she had had a very busy couple of days, but I can't cope with her behaving like that to me! She *needs* to work on her temper. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think it frightens her when she loses control like that. My main issue really was not the throwing of the scissors, but the fact she didn't apologise. She was so busy begging me to let her keep doing Rainbows (I told her it obviously made her too tired and cranky) that she didn't consider how she might go about making amends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">I am at another impasse with her. I have to seriously consider whether her temper is worth letting her do something she clearly loves. Whilst I'm glad she controls herself with other people I can't be her punching bag any longer. She knows that I don't tolerate hitting, she remembers what happened </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/how-do-you-know-when-its-time-to-go.html"><span style="color: blue;">when Daddy punched me</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> after all. So this is why she throws things instead.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm considering throwing things away that she throws at me, so she learns to keep hold of her stuff. But then she'll throw my things at me, she's not stupid... I have nowhere that I can use to confiscate things to, either. I might try getting a lidded plastic box where I can put things that are confiscated and then make a list of ways to earn things back. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not sure it'll work, but it has to be worth a try. I dread her getting older and still being incapable of controlling herself. She will end up really hurting me, she's very strong already. This morning she pulled my hair really hard because she didn't want me to get out of bed. I pulled hers back, which was probably not very clever of me, but she needs to know how much that hurts! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's not really a cure all technique is it. I would</span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> simply be teaching her to retaliate like for like. And I spend ages telling her not to retaliate at school etc. Way to be a hypocrite Pearl. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And you know the stupid thing? Despite her size and strength it seems to be her that gets shoved around at school! She told me she was pushed over three times the other day. Each time by a different student and each time she told the teacher who then dealt with it. But it seems to happen a lot and this is obviously something else that's winding her up. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's so hard to know what to do for best. I'm not convinced raising it with her teacher will really help. She is dealing with it and I should respect that. I'm just not sure she realises that madam is as upset by it as she is. She is the master of picking herself up and getting on with it. Which must look like she's just brushing it off, but then I get it in the neck later. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I really want to be able to help her, does anyone have any suggestions? I'm not stupid enough to think that at no point she might be provoking people, she is good at that, after all. But how do I help her move forward? Should I have a word with her teacher? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-45233833566557509852014-05-06T11:18:00.001+01:002014-05-06T11:18:37.863+01:00Lifestyle - Work and Learning<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have finally started my voluntary job at Archbishop Sentamu academy in Hull and I'm loving it. It's so nice to feel like I'm actually doing something useful with my time.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been with both the year 8 and 7 nurture groups which are classes where the students need extra support than a mainstream class. This involves both some challenging behaviours as well as some vulnerable students. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was forewarned that I might be exposed to everything possible within the course of my days with these students, and they weren't kidding! Day one with the year 8s which involved a lot of belligerence and noise was a walk in the park compared to day two with the year 7s. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But, I loved it. I felt like I actually helped some of the students to perform much better than they may have otherwise and it was nice to have them come to me for help when they needed it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think I did use the phrase "can you be quiet, please" more in one hour than I have ever thought would be necessary, but these are kids who exemplify the acting out when bored mould. They also can't sit still and wandered around the classroom all the time!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What worries me is that some of these behaviours are exactly the same as madam's and I am now having visions of her being in a class like that when she's older! Some of the students in there were quite obviously very intelligent, one of the year 8s in particular really sticks out in my mind, but so incapable of self control... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So my mummy brain has kicked into overdrive and I'm now plotting ways in which I can help madam to fit into the box they expect her to, without squishing her personality. I may be on an uphill battle here, school has already taken note of her inabilities. I don't want her put in the naughty kid box, because she is not and she is capable of so much. She just is not a typical sitting at a desk learner. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having done some work on learning styles I'm beginning to draw the conclusion my child learns better when she is moving. She HAS to be able to stand up and dance when watching anything, she still puts everything in her mouth to discover it fully. She can sit at a task if it really engages her, for example she's really good at drawing, but she needs a period of doing something afterwards before she can move on to the next task. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Schools are not set up like that though. They put everyone in the auditory learner box, which works very well for me, but is definitely not for everyone. Hands up all the people who use video tutorials on YouTube all the time. They quite often confuse me... I like written instructions, not picture instructions (IKEA, I'm looking at you!) but real words. Or you can read something to me and I will follow that happily.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Madam can't really do either, partly because the kid is 5, but because she needs to take part to learn. How will school be able to help her? (Did I mention I'm in panicky mummy mode.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm hoping as she ages and matures she may learn to process things in her own way so that she can fully participate at school. Next year when she goes into a proper sitting in front of a desk style learning environment is going to be a struggle, I can tell.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you think it's worth me speaking to the teacher about this? Surely if I as someone with very little knowledge of teaching know about learning styles, she must. Then maybe we could develop a technique to help her. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OK, need to stop myself before I go into full on anxiety mode. She is 5, she is doing OK. She has all the advantages of a good school and loving family to help her. She's going to get through. And school is only a short time of her life to get past. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let's look to the good things. Madam is starting athletics after school tomorrow so hopefully she can burn off some of that abundant energy she is blessed with. And Rainbows is on Thursdays. First week was last week and it went really well (hence the silly picture!) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She is now keen for me to get her the full uniform. She'll have to wait a couple of weeks, I think! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-31982881830059114622014-05-03T14:00:00.000+01:002014-05-03T14:00:20.336+01:00Lifestyle - A Day at the Museums<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">In the last week of the Easter holidays I met up with my good friend </span><a href="http://threadcarefully.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Tabatha Tweedie</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> her two gorgeous kids for a trip to the Hands on History centre in Hull. We were glad we'd arranged to go as they're closing it down which is going to be a real loss. Hull is meant to be city of culture soon, not sure closing museums really goes with that image!</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But, moving on. We met at 10am in time for it opening and lept through the door as soon as they opened it. The ground floor is all about childhood and had a Victorian school set up as well as the chance to dress up in some costumes. Madam decided she would like to be a chimney sweep... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The kids took it in turn being teacher and then we went to check out the raised area which had lots of books and a puppet theatre. Madam and little tweedie played with the puppets and the animal shaped cushions whilst baba tweedie made a myriad of escape attempts and threw blocks through the gaps in the railings. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We then went down into the cellar which was set up as a scullery and had lots of laundry items as well as a two seated loo that amused the girls immensely. Baba tweedie chose to climb up and down the stairs with his mummy whilst I supervised the giggling in the cellar!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The girls ran off to look in the shop and when we caught up with them we were bemused to see a lot of Egyptian items. At which point one of the staff pointed out the lift and we discovered there was an upstairs gallery as well! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We found a room filled with Egyptian artifacts as well as a side room with a sarcophagus and mummy in. Madam was a bit creeped out by the mummy and dashed off into the final display area. This was all about life in Hull through the years. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They had lots of examples of really random things including a room set up as an 80s living room, complete with textured wallpaper and ruched blinds! Tabatha and I loved seeing the needlework, costumes and old sewing items. I also found a doll dressed in the 1930s uniform of Newland High School for Girls, which my grandmother would have worn. Cool. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After rounding up the girls who had found a clocking on machine to play with we left through the shop again and said goodbye to the Tweedies. Madam and I went to McDonalds for lunch (which she thinks is the best thing ever!) and then headed for the Maritime Museum. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">This is one of our favourite museums to visit and madam chose to save her favourite part for last. This meant I got to go to the upstairs gallery which was having a </span><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Beryl-Cook-exhibition-opens-Hull-Maritime-Museum/story-20917705-detail/story.html"><span style="color: blue;">Beryl Cook </span></a><u>exhibition</u></span><span style="color: #351c75;">. I love Beryl's art and was really glad to see so many paintings to look at. Madam even found a display she could play with. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I did manage to avoid having to explain the Karma Sutra paintings that were tucked in a corner area, thankfully! Madam then went to find her favourite sign before we headed downstairs to the whaling gallery. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whilst in the whaling area we discovered they were having a hands on display so we got to handle a piece of baleen (whale's teeth), a harpoon and looked at a whale vertebrae that had been used as a butchers block. I took madam to look at the scrimshaw cabinet as we always notice something new in there. She was most fascinated with the Narwhal tusks this time. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After having run several times around the museum we declared it time for an ice cream and then rang my mum to pick us up. Parents are great, aren't they? :-) </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love how many free museums there are to look around in Hull. We'll go again in May half term and look at some of the others. Do you have a favourite museum? </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-45733074091130399502014-05-02T11:10:00.000+01:002014-05-02T11:10:11.762+01:00Reading Challenge - April Update<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I apologise for this being a couple of days late, but I have been doing exciting work type activities and have had no time or internet access! I did attempt to blog from my phone, but it just wasn't happening for me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">I have really enjoyed this months reading, mainly because I've been working my way through the end of a</span><span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/how-book-can-consume-me.html"><span style="color: blue;">series I started last year</span></a></span><span style="color: #351c75;"> and seriously enjoyed. I read the final three books and am now slightly bereft there are no more to get through. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I do think its better for a series of books to end before it becomes tedious though. But, if you like YA fiction, I thoroughly recommend the Soulkeepers series by G.P. Ching which is pretty reasonably priced on Kindle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">My </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/p/reading-challenge.html"><span style="color: blue;">Reading Challenge</span><u style="color: #351c75;"> book</u></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> for this month was Wonder by R.J. Palacio. I adored this. I read it in pretty much one sitting. I loved all the characters and how they were all given their own voice within the story and it is genuinely one of the first books I ended by crying great big, fat tears of happiness. It is so lovely and so heartwarming. I recommend everyone to read this at least once in their life. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But be warned, it is hard to read in places. August, the main character, faces some pretty huge hurdles in his life. I cried big, sad tears at certain points, too. I also laughed out loud and got incredibly emotionally involved with so much of it. Brilliant book, brilliant. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The full list of books I read this month is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Wonder by R.J. Palacio ~ 31/3/14 - 1/4/14</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Divergent by Veronica Roth ~ 6/4/14 - 7/4/14</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Soul Catcher by G.P. Ching ~ 18/4/14 - 19/4/14</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman ~ 19/4/14 - 21/4/14</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells ~ 19/3/14 - 21/4/14</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Lost Eden by G.P. Ching ~ 21/4/14 - 23/4/14</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer ~ 19/3/14 - 25/4/14</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. Coraline by Neil Gaiman ~ 25/4/14 - 28/4/14</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9. The Last Soulkeeper by G.P. Ching ~ 28/4/14 - 29/4/14</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This month's Heyer was leftover from March and was called The Quiet Gentleman. I think this was the sweetest I've read so far and I also enjoyed the attempted murder plot. I am completely glad I decided to read these Heyer books alongside the challenge as it has been a lot of fun so far. I have borrowed this months Heyer from mother and am looking forward to getting started on it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have so many things to share with you all, but you'll have to wait a little longer! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">This challenge was inspired by the </span><a href="http://www.essbeevee.co.uk/search/label/Books%20Are%20Amazing"><span style="color: blue;">Books are Amazing</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> posts on the fab essbeevee's blog :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Love, Pearl.</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-84544010884369760172014-04-26T11:59:00.000+01:002014-04-26T11:59:49.120+01:00Lifestyle - My Week on Instagram #4<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My week looked a bit like this...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Madam the teacher</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. I only ate one blue sweet!</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Time for ice cream</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. "Mum, the cat wee'd on the floor!"</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Madam the chimney sweep</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Sweets from the Easter bunny :-) </span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Beryl Cook exhibition</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Somehow I have managed to jumble the order oof the photos up, but I figured it didn't particularly matter! It is still the Easter holidays here, hence all the silly ones of madam. She's back at school on Tuesday, so hopefully, normal service will resume...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What have you been up to this week? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-42938402289190494012014-04-20T15:50:00.000+01:002014-04-20T15:50:37.466+01:00Lifestyle - An Easter Bunny Trap<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Happy Easter! Hope you're all having a lovely day and haven't eaten too much chocolate. Madam and I did have some choc for breakfast, but mostly we've been good! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I decided, as madam was so excited about the Easter bunny coming, we should make a big deal about it. After all, she put whisky and biscuits out for Santa... I'd seen a recipe on Pinterest that I thought it might be fun to do. It's called Bunny Bait and is basically melted chocolate with extra bits added in and then set.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For this we used a 100g bar of milk choc and melted it down. I then poured it into one of the little disposable traybake tins I have. We sprinkled chopped up mini eggs and gummy bunnies (no, didn't think that one through, madam was aghast!) as well as a crushed biscuit over the surface. Pressed it down slightly so it would definitely stick and put it in the fridge to cool. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We took it out and put some in a glass for the bunny and ate the rest as an after dinner treat. It was yum! After madam was in bed and somewhere around supper time I put madam's present next to the glass and took most of the bait to chomp on whilst I read my book.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I went to bed I laid a trail of mini eggs down the stairs for her to find in the morning. I don't care if it was completely over the top, this morning was so worth it! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The best part was that she was so excited about the trail and the bait being gone she didn't even notice her present at first. I had to send her back to look for it. And then again to pick up the mini eggs so she could eat them! She was really happy with her gift, which was good.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We then had bacon and pancakes for breakfast and headed to church where madam learned about the Easter story and ate more chocolate. Life is good when you're 5.5! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So how about you? Did you have fun this Easter? And if you don't celebrate it, then I hope you enjoyed the beautiful Spring day that's out there :-)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-81026323135671590262014-04-18T14:59:00.002+01:002014-04-18T14:59:46.577+01:00Lifestyle - Hudl Love<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, I have been really busy the last few days as it's the Easter holidays at the moment. I really hate that it totally interferes with my being able to blog :-( </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">It does mean, however that madam and I have had a bit of time to do some girly bonding. This has entailed rather a lot of arguing, but we have been to see Mr Peabody and Sherman (better than I feared it would be). We've also been spending a lot of time playing with my </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/an-experiment.html"><span style="color: blue;">fancy new tablet...</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Minion Rush, by the way, is horrendously addictive! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLAgM6FNThPX_9W-9_m3YbbdvG1YqLVmFhqiW1OiJ20uvNWD2qdpJeYQYv2LG8gWYYi-k3WYzCS0F90eBNAzHPF5p34MYUxuzFRMS3uj0yyS-1K8bkCSpSpjNzvRPuLRWKgD_muScNrV3/s1600/2014-04-13+12.04.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVLAgM6FNThPX_9W-9_m3YbbdvG1YqLVmFhqiW1OiJ20uvNWD2qdpJeYQYv2LG8gWYYi-k3WYzCS0F90eBNAzHPF5p34MYUxuzFRMS3uj0yyS-1K8bkCSpSpjNzvRPuLRWKgD_muScNrV3/s1600/2014-04-13+12.04.19.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My netbook screen got smashed, and you have no idea how much you need that top left corner!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I bought the Hudl after much soul searching and consulting with people on Twitter. I nearly went with a Kindle Fire as the last gen ones are on offer at the moment. £60 off, if you're interested. I didn't in the end as I needed something with more flexibility than a Kindle gives you. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Hudl comes with a 16gb memory, however it has a micro SD slot so you can add extra memory to it. It runs off the android system so you can download allsorts from the Play store. I have basically put everything I find essential on my phone onto it plus a whole load of games to keep madam and I amused whilst we're offline at home!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am probably driving people on Twitter mad with my Hudl love, It's just so nice to find a piece of kit that works so well for me and fits in with my lifestyle! Though I miss my netbook and am still hoping to get it back up and running. If nothing else because of the massive amount of photos and music stored on it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, and having the ability to word process would be handy too. I have looked for an app for that, but couldn't see anything useful. Typing on a touchpad is OK, but I do like a proper keyboard and might invest in one soon... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But, yup, basically I ♥ my Hudl. I have even gone so far as to buy it a new cover that matches it perfectly. The one I got with it didn't have a hole for the rear camera or speakers and this one does. I think if you're looking for a small tablet then this is a pretty good option for you. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZp1gFDv6ks-qzM7OnOzlqyDxA827jZFLCc9iyCpJx7IRxE6i57WkG0EmGGeYn-W0NRPSFnZ4bknl2r2R0u1dE4uiWxXYzU1dUPMj2NPuEOdP4yhwR0LNMgVRKnwfwbBnUPik1jw6J88u/s1600/2014-04-18+14.31.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZp1gFDv6ks-qzM7OnOzlqyDxA827jZFLCc9iyCpJx7IRxE6i57WkG0EmGGeYn-W0NRPSFnZ4bknl2r2R0u1dE4uiWxXYzU1dUPMj2NPuEOdP4yhwR0LNMgVRKnwfwbBnUPik1jw6J88u/s1600/2014-04-18+14.31.13.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And no, Tesco have not sponsored this post! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-44588690241257337392014-04-15T16:22:00.001+01:002014-04-15T16:31:21.647+01:00An Experiment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have come to the conclusion that the laptop has had it! It needed a new screen and also a complete overhaul to get it back up to speed, it had been a bit dodgy for a while. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basically I decided that it probably wasn't worth the hassle. I have instead replaced it with a Hudl. Which is a tesco own brand tablet malarkey... </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this is an experimental post, written from the Blogger app. I used it on my phone and didn't like it much so I shall leave this as short and sweet and see what I think! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, <u>Pearl</u>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(I have decided I still don't like the blogger app! I have now edited this on the website...)</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-92017203581266457012014-04-13T15:38:00.000+01:002014-04-13T15:40:05.793+01:00Lifestyle - Birthday Fun<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">If you hadn't noticed, it was my </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/lifestyle-my-week-on-instagram-3.html"><span style="color: blue;">birthday this week</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;">. Friday the 11th, specifically. I had a genuinely lovely day and I got to spend time with some of my favourite people. Always a good day when that happens.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First up, friend H came up to stay for a couple of nights on the Thursday which meant we got to spend a decent amount of time whilst madam was at school actually doing big girl things. Though mainly we did a <b><i>lot</i></b> of eating...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Friday started well, I got brought a mug of hot chocolate in bed (madam had insisted this is what H should make for us all!) and then we had cake for breakfast. So much more exciting than toast! We dropped madam off at school and then headed into town for a coffee. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I then had my nails done. I went for a bit of birthday glitter, so basically a different shade on each nail! It looks amazing! Both hands match, I didn't get that carried away. Poor H sat and read her book whilst this was happening and it took longer than I thought it would, oops!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnkAAJOGQA4ZgZVkWpbQilYTLERv6-8NoFQwHaKnxGyuw0PEe7hypoxEwtkqQtsDKfWIwa1Ttra6T6rgL1mv7GoDXLmSjx7ZKwUa4gTVKsfMTOimXQJFb-p98ZFQiViglhZtn2LQDNjcl/s1600/IMG_20140411_113049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBnkAAJOGQA4ZgZVkWpbQilYTLERv6-8NoFQwHaKnxGyuw0PEe7hypoxEwtkqQtsDKfWIwa1Ttra6T6rgL1mv7GoDXLmSjx7ZKwUa4gTVKsfMTOimXQJFb-p98ZFQiViglhZtn2LQDNjcl/s1600/IMG_20140411_113049.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Most sparkly nails ever!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After nails we had a bit of time before meeting L for lunch. Time for more coffee then. Obviously. Also H managed a sneaky phone charge whilst we were in the cafe. Good skills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Lunch was amazing. We went to a place in Beverley called </span><a href="http://rebelssmokehouse.com/"><span style="color: blue;">Rebels Smoke House</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> which is an American style diner that specialises in slow cooked local pork. And oh, it was good! I have wanted to go since it opened last year and the girls were in total agreement once I sent them the menus over! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our main issue was how on earth we were going to narrow down what we were going to have. We each had at least three different things we really wanted to try. And then they gave us a specials menu! We ignored that in the end and made some strict choices with ourselves. L and I ended up with the Pulled Pork Sandwich and H had the Sliders (3 mini burgers). She had a side of skin on fries with hers and I had onion rings with mine. Oh, and H had some of the most amazing crackling too. She rather generously let us share it with her. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Best sandwich I think I have ever eaten. I wish I could have had more! The people on the table next to us had something called a Waffle Tower burger which was just a ridiculously large plateful of food!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0gLgQHC1BLF7XXbVn4bv8tv2Xu9aqRVUhl9YxJAxnaK84n6egdhrkCqNMFT6WD2TRRzmuBCnPLbazr0dPXng-6y48MbWT4Y1sIuHi4CmhpGhkf0hmg3bJTfJJviaJi8lNfMJKObgcsRc/s1600/PicsArt_1397241192456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0gLgQHC1BLF7XXbVn4bv8tv2Xu9aqRVUhl9YxJAxnaK84n6egdhrkCqNMFT6WD2TRRzmuBCnPLbazr0dPXng-6y48MbWT4Y1sIuHi4CmhpGhkf0hmg3bJTfJJviaJi8lNfMJKObgcsRc/s1600/PicsArt_1397241192456.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pulled Pork Sandwich, Onion Rings, Mississpi Mud Pie and shake, L with both our shakes :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After eating our mains we turned our attention to the desserts. Both L and I were determined to have a milkshake because they just sounded so tasty. I did manage to talk myself out of the booze infused one I had my eye on. I shall go back just to have one on it's own. It would do it more justice.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We both had the Peanut Butter and Salted Caramel shakes. I had Mississippi Mud Pie, L had Pecan Pie and H had a Brownie Heaven Sundae. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />Afterward we were incredibly full! But so happy. L and I got take-away cups for the last bit of our milkshakes and we went on our merry way. We hit The Works, Lakeland and Boyes before having to part ways so L could make it back to her car and we could collect madam. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having collected madam from school, seen another friend E for a quick chat and been to collect a few final things we headed in to Hull for our overnight stay at the Travelodge in the centre. Yeah, not awfully scenic, but near enough to most things in Hull that we could walk wherever we were going. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The original plan had been dinner and then cinema, but H and I still being really quite full coupled with an early film time made it a no-no. We ended up deciding to have a later meal and just enjoy that and then go for a Kids Club cinema showing on the Saturday morning.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Friday nights tea was had at Nando's. Mainly because we knew madam would definitely eat something and I wanted somewhere that would do a good salad! I had a Mediterranean Salad with Halloumi and Avacado extra. It was delicious and so refreshing after all that meat earlier! Madam had veggie fingers and chips and H had half a chicken with rice and salad. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3v1Opp3y4gNjGlzzgSTmVE2BtukrnBvz9XAjcgtWgZhjRpMsxLrSJWuZR1q151ZqyH_-PhJ8K73UvKfGxHu_-BrE2A_EFrww7dSCQM2cOxK_i3p9YaOZ3HZKXsKJ9dVQ-vO_6j76cbMW/s1600/IMG_20140411_194139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3v1Opp3y4gNjGlzzgSTmVE2BtukrnBvz9XAjcgtWgZhjRpMsxLrSJWuZR1q151ZqyH_-PhJ8K73UvKfGxHu_-BrE2A_EFrww7dSCQM2cOxK_i3p9YaOZ3HZKXsKJ9dVQ-vO_6j76cbMW/s1600/IMG_20140411_194139.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mediterranean Salad with Halloumi and Avacado</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2ERfLocODy5DB5LdggexaCXAb8SVcTrbjXcSyTikdUyObYMjmAXxA7hmkwcOnqk6C_AnwVXV8dtYrH7byKbaZW5CFVp8Jwq-HpJj2cCVUqYPiYab30QUS1BLGqUM4rSTl70DpGmqtMqq/s1600/IMG_20140411_190959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2ERfLocODy5DB5LdggexaCXAb8SVcTrbjXcSyTikdUyObYMjmAXxA7hmkwcOnqk6C_AnwVXV8dtYrH7byKbaZW5CFVp8Jwq-HpJj2cCVUqYPiYab30QUS1BLGqUM4rSTl70DpGmqtMqq/s1600/IMG_20140411_190959.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mummy and madam do duck face!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We walked back to the hotel and tried to persuade madam that it was bedtime. It didn't go awfully well, but eventually tiredness overtook her and she fell asleep. As did H, which left me watching All About Steve (possibly the worst film ever? What where you thinking Sandra Bullock?!) whilst drinking the last of my cider. Sounds sad and lonely, but I couldn't have been happier! Such a peaceful end to the day, really.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We had booked breakfast in with our room so went downstairs and had a massive cooked feast before packing up to check out before heading to the cinema. </span><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having made a slight (ok, quite big) balls up over booking tickets we ended up going to see Frozen again! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then madam insisted she needed a McDonalds for lunch. So we did that and then headed home to let the cats out. H had to head home and I rather hoped madam would want a nap. Wrong. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I napped for a bit whilst she bounced around watching CBeebies. We voted for fishfingers for tea. And then we watched Britain's Got Talent until it was time to pick the parents up from the airport. The glamour. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had such a lovely couple of days and my friend V's dad popped round to drop me off some fab prezzies from her. The only bad thing has been madam managing to break the screen on my laptop! Not good. But as you can tell from the fact I'm still blogging, it is still working, just a bit hard to see everything I'm doing!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope you've been having a good weekend.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-53330075603790419752014-04-12T14:37:00.000+01:002014-04-12T14:42:28.428+01:00Lifestyle - My Week on Instagram #3<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This week featured my parents Ruby Wedding and my birthday. There were a lot of food photos! :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My week looked like this:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Madam in her cape.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Madam gave her uncle a pretty new hairdo.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Waiting for my Parents Evening appointment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Pretty rainbow.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Glittery nails.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Big girls pouting faces.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Pudding from birthday lunch with friends. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What did you get up to this week? Hope it was as fun as mine!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-42343867733125086152014-04-10T17:19:00.000+01:002014-04-10T17:19:36.603+01:00Lifestyle - 40/40 pt 2<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Yesterday I told you that my birthday is coming up and I have decided to make a list of things to aim for before the big 4-0 coming up in 4 years. I shared </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/lifestyle-4040-pt-1.html"><span style="color: blue;">half my list yesterday</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> so today I best tell you the other half!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">40 before 40 - part the second.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">21. Visit Paris for a day.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Basically, I want to go somewhere on the Eurostar and this seems the best place to pick as I've never been to Paris!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">22. Take madam to Disneyland.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have wanted to visit Disney with madam for a couple of years. She is such a fan and if we make it there before she turns 8 it'll be sooooo much cheaper!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">23. Write the first draft of a novel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Because I have </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/p/chapterone-inwhich-it-is-first-seen-t.html"><span style="color: blue;">started so many books</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> that I have never quite finished...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">24. Have a full body massage.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have never had one. I think I need to remedy this. Possibly whilst also being at some form of spa...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">25. Dye my hair a bright colour.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have wanted blue hair since I was about 14. I have several friends who have blue hair at the moment and I am hideously jealous of them. I've just never quite been brave enough to take the plunge and I know my parents would hate it...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">26. Own a diamond!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm an April baby which means diamond is actually my birthstone. I think it's about time I owned one in some way. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">27. Give away one thing each month.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because I think it would be good for me to try and be less selfish. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">28. Always have a notebook with me and keep them when full.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've usually got a notebook on me somewhere, but I want to underline how important that has started to become for me. I think keeping my notebooks to look back on will help me to see my growth as well.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3bPnLGT_ke3MyUT_pP2NnTRbUkhQmwnUFw9ICqpXO-21CLX2aqsxe50f7LgCiOTXL8hG0hzytzEGI3P0iW9hoCvcEfg9tZFSdDkYesvW1_uYx9ik7BdK5dJnJ2es6b0lUEiGtrEIcNNi/s1600/PicsArt_1397145315974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3bPnLGT_ke3MyUT_pP2NnTRbUkhQmwnUFw9ICqpXO-21CLX2aqsxe50f7LgCiOTXL8hG0hzytzEGI3P0iW9hoCvcEfg9tZFSdDkYesvW1_uYx9ik7BdK5dJnJ2es6b0lUEiGtrEIcNNi/s1600/PicsArt_1397145315974.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally finished my clouds notebook and moved on to my new one the other week...</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">29. Keep a folder for madam's schoolwork.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I want to remember all those rubbish pictures that she's done. Because she's getting better all the time and I sort of miss them!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">30. Get a good photo of madam and I together :)</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I don't have one! So many pictures of madam, none of us together :(</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">31. Learn to make a selection of cocktails.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Everyone should be able to make a few cocktails, surely!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">32. Walk along the whole of Hadrian's wall.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This has been a dream of mine since I was quite young. I've always fancied a walking holiday and this seems a good place to start.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">33. Teach madam to knit or crochet.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These skills have come to mean so much to me and I think part of the joy I have in them is that I share them with most of the females in my family. They unite generations and they have a wonderful community around them. Plus they're both such great ways to help find inner peace.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGox0p_SNYxrGTtU4Uf390n6YrfdH0M1U7-aPdWWjW1yoELJQ7-7K9yNUn3oxTJCP9DPefuBnEuyHgL_4v2TeruASHaBKg3G0thzwsW76gA5ABdRBrwnqP3rfjUfN9sfIzrl7K5hFrBIbV/s1600/PicsArt_1397145650446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGox0p_SNYxrGTtU4Uf390n6YrfdH0M1U7-aPdWWjW1yoELJQ7-7K9yNUn3oxTJCP9DPefuBnEuyHgL_4v2TeruASHaBKg3G0thzwsW76gA5ABdRBrwnqP3rfjUfN9sfIzrl7K5hFrBIbV/s1600/PicsArt_1397145650446.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some of my latest crochet projects...</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">34. Learn to use a camera properly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rather than my "point and shoot and hope for the best" technique!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">35. Visit the Natural History Museum.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another place I've always wanted to visit. Really want a major museum binge in London at some point the Natural History museum is just top of that list.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">36. Have breakfast in bed!</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That someone else has made for me. Just once would be nice...</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">37. Grow my own food.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Um, because things taste better when you grow them yourself. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">38. Sort out the DVD collection.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we have no TV we watch endless DVDs. They have a habit of migrating from where they are supposed to be and getting into the wrong boxes. It drives me insane. Must sort them out properly!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">39. Make a Christmas tradition just for madam and I.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because every family needs a Christmas tradition.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">40. Create a work of art that I'm proud of and display it in my home.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've had a plan to make a canvas for a few years and never got around to it as I'm worried it won't be good enough. I need to take the plunge and have some fun. And displaying it will help with my "everything must be perfect" issues!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So that's it! All 40 things I want to aim for in the next 4 years. Do you think I've missed anything? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-20934028636317239172014-04-09T10:55:00.000+01:002014-04-09T10:55:30.037+01:00Lifestyle - 40/40 pt 1<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Friday is going to be a good day. I have got lots of plans with friends and with madam. This is because it's my birthday and I am going to be a whole 36. I feel incredibly conflicted about this. On the one hand I don't really care, age is nothing but a number etc, etc. But on the other I'm pretty sure my 20yr old self would be surprised at where I am in my life.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XlNsuUjP_R0/UcHnn4MZ-JI/AAAAAAAAAdM/7-Cc35pHDVQ/s1600/DSC00987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XlNsuUjP_R0/UcHnn4MZ-JI/AAAAAAAAAdM/7-Cc35pHDVQ/s1600/DSC00987.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this is my excited face...</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the tradition of these things I have decided that I should make a list of things I'd like to achieve before I turn forty. Which will give me four years to get them all done. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It genuinely took me two hours last night, wracking my brains, to come up with a list that I was pretty much happy with. I thought up 40 things; some of which are going to be quite easy, some harder and some possibly impossible! But I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't get them all done. This is just supposed to give me something to help me focus on achieving more with the next few years than I might do otherwise.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As it is a massive long list I shall split it into two posts for ease of reading. I shall do periodic updates to let you know how I'm getting on and what things I may have managed to cross off!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">40 before 40</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Make a dress for me to wear.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pretty self explanatory...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Get control of my diet</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As is this!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Sort out my divorce.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have downloaded all the forms, I hope this will be done very soon!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. Learn to finish one project before I start the next!</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am really bad for having multiple projects on the go at once. But I then never seem to finish any of them. I'm definitely all about the thrill of the new!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. Make time for reading on a permanent basis.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">My </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/p/reading-challenge.html"><span style="color: blue;">reading challenge</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> has shown me how much I have missed regularly reading in my life. I want to carry it on even after my challenge has finished.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Give books I won't read again to charity.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is an attempt to not allow clutter to build up. I know I have a few books on my shelves I genuinely will never read again, so lets make some space for better ones! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Find a job.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Um, yeah, need to do that.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">8. Take more photos of actual things.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I take so many photos of madam and food, I want to make more effort to record other things as well.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">9. Learn a new craft.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not sure which one yet though...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10. Remember I am valuable.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because I forget too often.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">11. Learn proper budgeting and stick to it!</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You know, like an actual grown up...</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ldp6mK7ejpqJhVlqfq6e1bJCto-4XuP4Wi0dumgNb7YQIV2mpnv3-8tTaWQ0H7h8RA_Mflk9ZuIhuMKHxah5duccJYsp6jT97Db_hT5P7-74muRdKsIwjyB3-9Dqfb06dHUPqtRqkeMj/s1600/100_0584.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ldp6mK7ejpqJhVlqfq6e1bJCto-4XuP4Wi0dumgNb7YQIV2mpnv3-8tTaWQ0H7h8RA_Mflk9ZuIhuMKHxah5duccJYsp6jT97Db_hT5P7-74muRdKsIwjyB3-9Dqfb06dHUPqtRqkeMj/s1600/100_0584.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are bicycles, there are canals. Must be Amsterdam!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">12. Take madam on a foreign holiday.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because it'll open up a new world to her. And she's only ever been to Amsterdam when she was tiny! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">13. Take a trip to New York just with friends.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have always wanted to go to New York and I would really like that first trip to be a selfish one where I get to do grown up things. And drink.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">14. Take madam on an overnight trip that isn't to visit friends once a year.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The amount of excitement she has worked up for our overnight in Hull on Friday has shown me I should make more effort to take her places for just us. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">15. Start saving for a deposit on a house.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because eventually, I want to buy one.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">16.Cook a meal for my parents in my home.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They've not had a meal in either of the homes I've lived in in Beverley. This is a sad state of affairs!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">17. Do something that scares me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meh! I can see that I am going to have to be high up at some point. Terrified already!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">18. Get a cat.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Always wanted a cat. A British Blue is my ideal...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">19. Have another child (!)</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I never planned for madam to be an only child. I am thoroughly aware of the practicalities of that statement!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">20. Watch a show in the West End (or on Broadway).</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm a massive fan of a musical. I'd just love to see one in a big theatre and with an all star cast.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look out for part 2 coming soon!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What would you put on your list?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-67623611305150525462014-04-06T18:04:00.001+01:002014-04-06T18:04:43.396+01:00Craft - Frozen Cape for Madam<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What did you do with your Saturday night? I ended up spending hours making an Anna/Elsa cape inspired by Frozen for madam. She, like many many other little girls around the world is totally in love with the newest Disney film.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She asked me, originally, to make a cape like Queen Elsa's coronation one, but that one is really too hard for me to recreate easily. Princess Anna also has a purple cape on for the majority of the film and this has a pom pom trim. I decided to make a combination of both of them. It is full length on her and flows really well.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHWlFqxN3xsCkbxE4fVHlhhyvYSt-vYTFsApM8AizoAfBMgxRixW5D-UKG-WBH8RGNIyxIFwYDJAjDRM3lmLEi3p2Bx9IsZ4Qi6Imjt3ayxHXbi_WK6vGkk7oRA9tVhZ145ttSbJlBSBA/s1600/2014-04-05+19.04.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHWlFqxN3xsCkbxE4fVHlhhyvYSt-vYTFsApM8AizoAfBMgxRixW5D-UKG-WBH8RGNIyxIFwYDJAjDRM3lmLEi3p2Bx9IsZ4Qi6Imjt3ayxHXbi_WK6vGkk7oRA9tVhZ145ttSbJlBSBA/s1600/2014-04-05+19.04.57.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">checking the length!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I found this </span><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/180073685075081428/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;">simple tutorial on Pinterest</span></a><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and used that to make the cape. Obviously I scaled it down to make a child sized version and also made the hood a snugger fit as I didn't want it to be sinister! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">I chose to make the hood and cape ties in a different colour and fabric to the main cloak, just to make my life more complicated! It all went well until I came to attaching the hood to the cape and then I managed to break my sewing machine needle. :(</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">After a frantic hunt through the house I managed to find the spare needle I knew I'd seen somewhere. *Mental note: buy more machine needles!* After finishing attaching the hood I only had to add on the pom pom trim and the neck ties. Simples. Yeah, except the trim wouldn't go through the machine!</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHM5uTj-HDG1DpTfTRqU2ze_iukj3-l8e0M3uq2lwKl8tFnUL_jxyTOkeRngHAwGFzsYuGoqqLsJV7brEfECQ18_ScX3IB2vVr7FYhKpfZeZFxlADkBy9VwB5EXzIjMhzGv0dERyUKjEgd/s1600/2014-04-05+21.43.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHM5uTj-HDG1DpTfTRqU2ze_iukj3-l8e0M3uq2lwKl8tFnUL_jxyTOkeRngHAwGFzsYuGoqqLsJV7brEfECQ18_ScX3IB2vVr7FYhKpfZeZFxlADkBy9VwB5EXzIjMhzGv0dERyUKjEgd/s1600/2014-04-05+21.43.09.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pom poms pinned in position.</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hand sewing trim down the full length of both open edges takes ages! And I had promised it would be ready for the morning. Argh! I just used a simple back stitch and got cracking. That's a lot of pom poms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">But I am so glad I did it. It really finishes off the cape perfectly and it makes it look less like the quick sew it really was! (She has ordered a red one and a black one as well. You know, to be Red Riding Hood and Darth Vader. Obvs.)</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5_e1uNct8u_uuyDvMFd1kfY1bPfCcGR45kNE10-iqPPpcmAmln7_DGUCje99hwQ6b8Sz9tj524jjlVmv5DsOVKiuVcpG6wq83al12AZbbLfTQkm3H2_VbKhWGRYIeNV451hePmtUyyYJ/s1600/2014-04-06+01.27.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis5_e1uNct8u_uuyDvMFd1kfY1bPfCcGR45kNE10-iqPPpcmAmln7_DGUCje99hwQ6b8Sz9tj524jjlVmv5DsOVKiuVcpG6wq83al12AZbbLfTQkm3H2_VbKhWGRYIeNV451hePmtUyyYJ/s1600/2014-04-06+01.27.41.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished! Just waiting to be snuck into madam's room for a morning surprise...</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Madam has not taken it off since waking up to find it hanging on the wardrobe door in her room. Well, except when I insisted during painting at Sunday Club earlier!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">She wore it over her coat whilst walking to church and back and she wore it to the restaurant for my parents Ruby Wedding lunch. She even wore it whilst we watched Frozen after getting home from the restaurant again.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3u9P1C6uUH0blawwIgEXUlshxrpFvpf0N2sGN_qa9BfE4EZ6qMFNHzDrN6auyQMXObEB4_gi7gxuF07Cm-rOB5Hmai_3dZ748CmSRhKvXKI7I25q0I13LlJs3tazzIw5wqorf0o3v5YoX/s1600/2014-04-06+09.23.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3u9P1C6uUH0blawwIgEXUlshxrpFvpf0N2sGN_qa9BfE4EZ6qMFNHzDrN6auyQMXObEB4_gi7gxuF07Cm-rOB5Hmai_3dZ748CmSRhKvXKI7I25q0I13LlJs3tazzIw5wqorf0o3v5YoX/s1600/2014-04-06+09.23.27.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a demure, queenly pose</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldo27O-ak5zv3Npmx4oFW-u1rRhlxF9dtsg27PSuaoGqJb65Qr87EFAM9r9Nt_eJMkkfsDGGAH7HIHk7GlLDRzipOMwnd2jgEqfqcAzhBGyK6xwjcZ3BLxnSb2gRPecvZVbicBtviHgjs/s1600/2014-04-06+09.24.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgldo27O-ak5zv3Npmx4oFW-u1rRhlxF9dtsg27PSuaoGqJb65Qr87EFAM9r9Nt_eJMkkfsDGGAH7HIHk7GlLDRzipOMwnd2jgEqfqcAzhBGyK6xwjcZ3BLxnSb2gRPecvZVbicBtviHgjs/s1600/2014-04-06+09.24.23.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">yeah, that's more like madam!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm glad all my effort was at least appreciated and the number of people who've commented on it has been quite satisfying too! But, no, I'm not making any more that quickly. At least not with pom poms!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She asked me to take a video of her dancing on her bed in it this morning, so here it is for your amusement...</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyZGS-xQlUquzaJxtNpbqjdN89SrIJUe9NpQBSAIfVDx16fkwvWnlQxJSmWOMEPvyG_4ya3BwcwMqpisEKOMQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What did you do with your Saturday evening? I think my next one will be *much* quieter!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-553332131702031002.post-5286464857968801552014-04-05T12:05:00.001+01:002014-04-05T12:07:17.866+01:00Lifestyle - My Week on Instagram #2<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This weeks Instagram round-up looks a bit like this...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O6L5fYseEKF0vqR6ebscGyb0I3Il6eEDI-p3VP6irmiv6J2Bx9Y3keNsdAjvninpbf1MbXyMNbpOMTKOBmtk1DcANIQRP_hYCBpoXt219a5adMVADbR6A2atP3zEj6IypAi5mKVQT2P0/s1600/IMG_20140329_161124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O6L5fYseEKF0vqR6ebscGyb0I3Il6eEDI-p3VP6irmiv6J2Bx9Y3keNsdAjvninpbf1MbXyMNbpOMTKOBmtk1DcANIQRP_hYCBpoXt219a5adMVADbR6A2atP3zEj6IypAi5mKVQT2P0/s1600/IMG_20140329_161124.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Went to the garden centre, looked at yarn.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Mother's Day is tiring.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. Presentable Pearl reporting for duty.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. My pretty flowers (with franken-flower in the middle)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. New dress for madam.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6. Easter present all ready for madam!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7. Breaking out my lovely new notebook and pen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">I haven't photographed any food this week (unless you count the sweeties), must be some sort of record for me. Though I did make the </span><a href="http://procrastinatorgeneralsays.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/peanut-butter-and-fairies.html"><span style="color: blue;">peanut butter and salted caramel treats</span></a><span style="color: #351c75;"> again on Wednesday... The caramel even set properly this time! So good, so, so good...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That's been my week, what have you been up to?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love, Pearl.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08967641905993709545noreply@blogger.com0