Christmas in March

Mr and Mrs Fogg couldn't make it from York to us in December so we decided to make Christmas happen in March when they could make it. The decorations are up, the tree lights are flickering, Mr Fink is out food shopping.
Tomorrow after work I'll be preparing the elements of Christmas dinner (yes, GWTBO, there will be a huge jug of gravy) and greeting the Foggs with a shepards pie after their journey down South. We'll enjoy carols and festive songs and a glass of fizz.
Christmas Day will be Bucks fizz and bacon sarnies, present opening, a lovely lazy roast with crackers and party hats. Later, party games, the Queen's speech (recorded on TV) and Monsters V Aliens, complete with Xmas adverts!
Season's Greetings and Merry March Christmas from The Finks. x

.....and Relax

I'm having the most relaxing week, it's half term. I decided in the end, not to head North, the snow in the South and the Freezing rain in the North put me off. (I'm also trying to watch the pennies.)
Nelly and I have had a lovely time, she is growing up into a lovely young person. Her sense of humour, kindness, sense of justice and fair play is brilliant, I am very proud to have her as my daughter and I love spending time with her, out shopping (where I'm out of my comfort zone), driving in the car or talking about TV programs.

I know our relationship is bound to change as she gets older, I just hope she stays true to herself.

Now, if I can just get her to recite the Llama Song so that I can record it, we'll be BFF's for life!

(headline pic is of some jewellery I have recently made)

A Peaceful and Happy New Year to you all!

Wow, didn't that come and go fast?

Christmas Eve was spent with The Glums, wonderful food by Mrs Glum, great home movies by Bambi (Mr Glum). the most amazing surprise came when the glums insisted (as they do) that we open each other's gifts on the spot. Mr Fink and I were handed a long package. We looked at each other in puzzlement, this gift was about 2 metres long by half a metre wide???? as we unwrapped it, we realised what it was. (In the blog entry, "you can take the girl out of Colney" - you will remember Mr Fink and I went to a junk emporium, while there we spotted the most beautiful paining of a lady in a red velvet dress reclining, we both fell in love with it but couldn't quite justify spending the money just before Xmas, so reluctantly we left it there. We mentioned this in passing to The Glums' the next day and thought no more of it. The next day Nelly and I went back to the junk shop to get the picture for Mr Fink but it had gone. Doh!) The Glums had visited the shop early the next day and bought it for us. We were speechless, what a lovely gift. Thank you!

On Xmas Day, Mr Fink, Nelly (aka Little Fink) and I spent a wonderful day with my parents, Nanny and Shouty Grandad. Shouty Grandad spent most of the day looking for The Scotch Tape (a cassette of bagpipe music with which he tortures Nelly in the campervan) and for the campervan keys. The sight of him alternately looking worried and then smiling at the annoyance of knowing the keys are in the house but "Where?", was very funny to watch and had me giggling all morning.
In the end the keys were located in one of the many hiding places he has for items of value (you've heard the one about him stashing the holiday money in his going out shoes, forgetting and being crippled all night at a party due to ten pound notes taking him down a few shoe sizes?)
We shared gifts, swapped stories and generally had a lovely morning.
We had the best dinner ever, Heston eat your heart out. Mum, you are the best.
After dinner we played the now traditional round of homemade Deal or no Deal, which can be a bit of a trial unless Shouty Grandad is losing, then it gets really funny. Nelly made a Christmas quiz for us, this year it was boys v girls and nanny and I won! Woo Hoo - we didn't brag tooooooo much.

Mr Fink has made himself a digital jukebox, which he is enjoying playing with. 2 days ago I went to collect a pasta maker from a Freecycler and got a puncture in Mr Fink's car. Yesterday I took Nelly horseriding, Marsha was also there, Marsha's horse reared up and bucked her off. Bambi and I though we were going to have to call an ambulance for her but after a few minutes she seemed ok and has suffered no damage, thankfully. (ALWAYS wear your hat and body protector if you are playing with horses.)

It's now New Year's Eve, I received a phone call this morning from my bank, checking the validity of a purchase I apparently tried to make yesterday, £291 to Emu-Oz's Party Shop in Australia. I agreed with the lady from the bank that it was not me trying to buy £300 worth of party gear just after Xmas, so they declined the transaction and stopped my card. Well done to the bank for monitoring my buying patterns and preventing a fraud I probably wouldn't have picked up till my next pay day.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow and our traditional 'fish and chips on the beach' new Year's Day with the Glums, Southend, here we come!

Well, may I wish you all peace and good wishes for the coming year, may it find and leave you in good health, good spirits and with the people you love. xxx

Opened my mouth and put my foot in it.

Last night, Mr Fink, Little Fink (aka Nelly) Mrs Glum, Bambi, Marsha and I went to London to see Les Miserables. Mrs Glum works at a local school that organised a coach and the tickets. We boarded the bus and set off in the rush hour traffic down the M1.
Mr Fink took out his phone and began to play the on-line dart game he enjoys. Often when he goes to bed, he will have a few games of darts on the phone while I'm reading. I hear him muttering under his breath at his opponent, "miss, miss, miss". Sometimes he even tilts the phone to divert his opponent's shot.
Anyway, there was lots of banter on the coach, as there always is when The Finks and The Glums get together. I chided Mr Fink about his on-line dart playing ability and in a too loud voice said, "You're no good at it in bed, what makes you think it will be any easier bouncing up and down on the back of the coach."

You'd think that would have shut me up. No.
On the way home, one lady had been declaring that she couldn't eat any of the treats, sarnies, buns or chocs that were being shared as she was on a strict diet. During the journey through London's food quarter, she finally cracked and said, "I've not eaten for 6 weeks!" To which I replied, "I thought I could smell Lighter Life!" (Oops - i meant, "that sounds familiar - Lighter Life by any chance?" but it came out wrong. DOH!

Les Mis was terrific - I loved it, powerful voices, intimate venue, great story and amazing visuals. highly recommended.

That's NOT funny!

Little Fink and I watching the telly, advert for Alzheimers awareness, "Are you worried about someone might be suffering from dementia?"
A little voice pipes up, "Shouty Grandad!"
TV, "Are you losing someone you love?"
"Not losing him, more like giving him away!"

Cue monumental laughing fit by both of us.

Help! I've been hexed.

Saturday morning I was due to collect one of my longest serving friends (Cornish Pisky, and her daughter, LMI) and bring her to my house for lunch and a chin wag. The last time we have arranged to meet, I totally forgot and went shopping instead of picking her up. Oopsie.
So I'm charging round the house trying to get ready and get Little Fink ready. Anyway I'm just about to go out the door when Little Fink announces she needs her shoes........"We are late, hurry up!" i shout. again, just about out of the door and she now needs her socks. AAARGH, the trials of the preteen.
"That's it, I'm going." I head out to the car and drive away.
As I travel, I get 2 text messages, on arrival at Cornish Pisky's house i check the phone, message from Little Fink... "That was a stupid thing to do." The second message, again from her, "I hope you get a speeding ticket."
Bloomin' cheek. So when my friends and I arrived home i told Little Fink I got caught by a speed camera and it was her fault because she hexed me. i explained I would have to swallow the points but she would be ultimately be paying the £60 fine out of the Christmas present money I had set aside for her gift.
Oh yeah - don't mess whit da Mommy!!

(We did laugh about it afterwards.)

The World Keep on Turning

They tell us autumn has arrived, well I agree it's certainly on it's way.

Earlier in the week we remembered the passing of Mr Fink's mum who has now been gone a whole year - doesn't seem possible.
The three of us enjoyed a lovely bike ride (power assisted in mine and Mr Fink's case) down a disused railway line - apparently you don't forget how to ride a bike, but something must happen as I was scared witless for some of the time by the speed we were going!
'Meet The Tutor' at Little Fink's school was encouraging - all good reports about her from her form tutor. She has been picked to attend a special reward weekend in March for continuous effort in PE and she will be a 'tour guide' for the upcoming open evening at school.
On Saturday we journeyed to Wroxham to meet up with 30 members of our family to enjoy a day out on The Norfolk Broads to celebrate the Pearl (30 years) wedding anniversary of my cousin. What a wonderful day, beautiful weather, lots of larks (Shouty Grandad throwing water from his boat onto ours, me throwing bread onto his boat to make the seagulls and ducks dive-bomb them, Nanny even had a go at driving a boat!), lively children and terrific scenery. Thank you all for a memorable day. xxx

Reward Offered For Lost Child

We are in the midst of the change, from happy-go-lucky, easy-going compliant pre-teen to independent, self concious, self aware awkward teenager.
I welcome change usually but this one I'm not so sure about.
Hang on Little Fink, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
Remember - I love you. x

Aussies and insects

What a beauty eh? It is a Sexton Beetle, about 3/4 of an inch long, it is a carrion feeder, finds dead things by smell, buries the body then eats it. More of this in a mo.

I spent a lovely evening with my bff (best friend forever) KT Wong who had come from her adopted home in Australia to visit friends and family. Along for the ride was Big Mac, the three of us used to work for the police as 'civvies', KT as the guardian of the front desk (enquiry office) and Big Mac and I as communication officers (taking phone calls to the police, sending police to 'jobs', recording and monitoring incidents etc). As you can probably guess, things got pretty intense at times and people who work under such close circumstances become firm buddies. Well, we had stew, we tried my wine, we put the world to rights. Good times!
I invited KT to come see Little Fink horse riding (KtTwas a wiz on a horse) and also say "Hi" to Nanny and Shouty Grandad who would be taking Little Fink to the riding school.
I picked KT up from her temporary abode and headed off to the riding stables. After about 10 minutes something came in the open car window, hit me on the head and landed on my shirt. I looked down to see that bug up there. I screamed, she screamed (the bug probably screamed for all I know) I didn't know what it was so didn't know if it would bite, sting or throw a punch.
I couldn't stop the car as I was on a fast road with no hard shoulder.
The bug dropped off my shirt.......down between my legs....I was wearing shorts.
I made a turn off the main road, started to slow down....as I stepped on the clutch, I felt the bug hard and spiky under my leg, I screamed, she screamed, the bug might have screamed.
I eventually managed to stop the car, jumped out and KT flicked the bug out of the car where it landed with a considerable noise considering it's a bug.
She and i began laughing slightly hysterically, I got a big dose of the heeby jeebies - you know when you kind of shake your shoulders and shake yourself down.
After that we headed of to the horses and the afternoon (glorious late summer/early autumn weather) passed without further incident.

There you go KT, never a dull moment with me bff! xxx

Look out Year 7, Here comes Miss Fink

Well, her she is, all ready for her first day at secondary school. She is a little nervous, but in a good way and the only time she stopped smiling is when I had to use my growly voice to make her wear her waterproof coat.

Good luck Little Fink! xxx

Autumn? I'm not finished with Summer yet!

Well, autumn is officially here and the weather appears to have made it's mind up too. The summer holidays have been well spent ) and now we are ready to face the new school year, Little Fink looks amazingly grown up in her blazer (She will need a new name soon I fear).

Today I took Nanny to a metal detecting dig in the North of the county, she had a great time and even found a long cross hammered coin but I don't know how old as it still had the mud on, could be Elizabethan, or older.
While she was digging I sat in the car reading.... I'll explain why I wasn't digging in a moment...Mr Fink phoned me, "What should I use to clean exploded rhubarb wine off the kitchen ceiling?" Apparently Little Fink had been nearby when the airlock on the new rhubarb wine demijohn became blocked with fruit and blew the bung out - she said it scared her half to death!

I wasn't digging today as I can't put my boots on for another week or two, I had a tattoo inked onto the top of my foot last Monday and it must not rub while it is healing. It is of an Egyptian blue lotus flower (as shown above) a symbol of rebirth and enlightenment. It is a tribute to the memory of Astral, Mr Fink's mum who died last year. The lotus and the nine petals have a significant meaning in the religion she found comfort in.

Well the summer holidays are nearly over, this might be the last year that I spend more of it at home than at work as I'm guessing Little Fink won't need me here quite so much next year?

Two Become One

The Fink family headed off to Southend for the wedding of these two lovely people this weekend. The guy is Mr Fink's brother and the girl is a smashing, wonderful, bubbly woman.
The ceremony was moving, the vicar spoke words of truth about marriage and how it is necessary when couples are not seeing eye to eye that they can rely on the bond of marriage as a promise that the unhappiness is only temporary. There were several readings, my favourite was the one about the dinosaur and the lovely other dinosaur. (read it here... A Lovely Love Story .
After the ceremony we headed off to the venue, a huge marquee in the grounds of a prep school, there were chandeliers inside, Chinese lanterns and Pimms! The sun was good and came out for the photos, I can't wait to see the ones with the swing!
The meal was delicious, each table had it's own game to play, ours was Scattegories. Our table also had a 'hang a spoon on your nose' master-class, a Mexican wave and some magic from 'Chops'. See the video...

Other highlights of the day were the speeches, very funny, especially the best man telling us that the groom has lost so much weight as a fireman that he is now officially below the accepted weight to be a Fink! the bride's father remembered the bride's lifelong wish to have a Mr Whippy ice cream at her wedding and arranged for an ice-cream van to come to the venue and furnish everyone with 99's! Inspired.
We drank, danced and sang the night away. Good fun with good friends and family. Always a pleasure.
Welcome to the family!

It's all happening

Well, well, well. What a couple of weeks we've had.
First a lovely holiday with my mucker and her family. Very relaxed and lazy - I was!
Then Little Fink returned from Denmark/Sweden, with many tales to tell of trips to Copenhagen, long boat racing, she was blown away by the jamboree and came home with lots of badges from around the world, Japan, USA, Sweden, Norway, Kowloon to name a few. Apparently the next one in 4 years is in Japan and she tells me, "I'll be old enough to go." Oh really?!
Little Fink has taken an interest in ice-skating so her and some pals went off to skim the ice at Wally World.
I bought an electric bike with the intention of cycling to and from work but have realised I am more unfit than I thought so, more work needed.
Mr Fink has been working hard and also enjoyed a couple of long weekends in the static with Mr Hammer playing "Twack"! (that's golf to you and me)
Last night I enjoyed the company of my bestest bud KT Wong, over from Oz, we chin wagged, put the world to rights and had a lovely evening - hopefully to be repeated before she goes home next month.
Tonight The Finks will be heading North to see The Foggs and The Cadwalladers for the annual Meteorite BBQ and outdoor hot tub experience in York. I hope the skies are clear to see the meteors - having said that, last year we got so drunk we were all in bed by 11pm! I will of course be providing some liquid refreshment made by my own fair hand.

Denmark update.

http://www.hemel-scouts.co.uk/district-news/
All the Denmark updates can be found at the above link. Little Fink is due back late on Saturday, she will begin her 26 hour journey later today.

This is my first mobile blog! Hey, get me!

Meanwhile, I've been on holiday with The Hammers, much cider, dog walks, food and banter.

Little Fink update 29 July

http://www.hemel-scouts.co.uk/district-news/denmark-blog-29th-july

Ti dage i Danmark

Well, she's off on her travels. Little Fink heads out with the scouts for 10 days in Denmark with a trip to the Scout Jamboree in Sweden for good measure.
The coach/ferry/coach trip will take around 26 hours, when they arrive at Naesby Centret Scout Camp, Zealand, Denmark http://www.naesbycentret.dk/about-us.aspx they will have tents to put up before they can chill out.
I hope all the young people (and leaders) have a terrific trip, make marvellous memories and create friendships that last a lifetime.

In these times of uncertainty when sending your children off to foreign lands to camp in the great outdoors used to be happy and safe thing to do, it is hard to relinquish the care and control of my 11 year old. I wish you all back safely very soon.

(My thoughts and heartfelt sympathies go out to the families of the young people tragically killed in Norway recently - there but for the grace of fate, go I)

End of an Era

Today is Little Fink's last day at Primary School. Some children take chocolates or flowers as a present for the teacher on the last day of term - Little Fink bakes a batch of chocolate brownies for the class.
I can't believe how quickly these years at primary school have gone by. It doesn't seem that long ago when she couldn't do up her shoe laces (she still doesn't do them up even now, but that's not because she doesn't know how!) We are all looking forward to the next adventure of secondary school and all that goes along with it.

Busy times ahead, I'm off out to see a former school pal's band play tonight (Waiting For Katherine - you guys ROCK!), mudlarking at the Tower of London on Sunday (only allowed on that beach once a year), my surrogate son, J1 is coming to stay for a couple of days then Little Fink is off to Denmark with the Scouts for 10 days. http://www.naesbycentret.dk/frontpage.aspx The itinerary is immense...viking longboat racing, night hike and sleeping out in bivvies in the Danish countryside, trip to Copenhagen where they buy their own train ticket, lunch and see the sights, trip to Sweden to join the Jamboree and off to a Danish theme park. Phew.

Game - Set and Match

OK, I'm going to crow, just for a minute.. Little Fink has been nominated to receive her school year's prize for Outstanding Achievement! Prize Giving on 13th July. How proud? Ok crowing over.

A beautiful afternoon, the sun shining, birds tweeting, wind blowing. 11 year old girl bouncing on her trampoline, proud Grandad standing by watching. "Come here Grandad." she says, offering her hand. "Not bloody likely!" says Shouty Grandad, "What are you up to?" I say, "Stick your tongue out dad." He does.
Quick as a flash, Little Fink stretches out her hand, pointed digit close to his mouth, an electric static spark shoots out the end of her finger and crackles as it shocks Shouty Grandad's tongue. Hilarity ensues. Another day at the funny farm.

You bought WHAT?

Saturday the Fink clan descended on the Scout hut for the annual 50/50 auction. Anyone can donate an item and choose to either receive half the sale price or let the scouts have the whole amount.
Mr Fink was part of the IT crowd, helping log the bids and prices as they happened. Little Fink was mostly listening to her iPod and I was mostly trying to win one of the lovely bikes for her. There was also a golf trolley that Mr Fink was interested in - right at the end of the list.
The bike came up and I won it for a very reasonable sum, smiles all round. I then tried to sign/mouth to Mr Fink that I was keen to leave and go but wanted to know if he wanted me to stay and bid on the golf trolley. Mr Fink is not very good at charades and sign language. As I mimed 'golf' and 'trolley' and 'I go' getting more and more frustrated at his blank looks, the auctioneer said, "Madam, are you bidding?" "Erm, no, er, sorry." says I.

How embarrassing! The scouts did raise over a thousand pounds so all was well.

ROFL (Roll On floor Laughing)

I popped round to Shouty Grandad and nanny's house today as Little Fink and I had not seen them for a few weeks.
Shouty Grandad and Nanny have been touring the country in their camper van for the last 3 weeks. Shouty Grandad was regaling us with tales of his bad behaviour/attitude while he was away, Nanny shaking her head knowingly. Stories I shall pass on in due course, of course!

Grandad reminded me of something that happened a few years ago while they were on their travels in the camper with Little Fink. For safety reasons, Little Fink travels in the front, with Grandad driving. Nanny sits on the 'jump seat' - a little single seat behind the front passenger. the trio were heading for the Falkirk wheel in the middle of Scotland, Little Fink was navigating/arguing for/with Shouty Grandad. Shouty Grandad was folling 'brown' information signs, Little Fink had spotted signs for The Wheel, she bet Shouty Grandad a fiver that he was going the wrong way. As she shouted good naturedly, "THAT WAY!", Shouty Grandad hung a left, Nanny shot off the jump seat and landed on the floor of the camper, as she reached out to save herself, she accidentally pushed the button/handle on the cutlery drawer which locks it shut during transit.

When they had stopped fighting over the directions, Little Fink and Shouty Grandad heard the pitiful squeaking coming from the back of the van, they found Nanny, rolling across the carpet with the contents of the knife drawer all around her!

(That was 4 years ago, Little Fink still hasn't had her fiver!"
No relatives were seriously injured during the making of this story.)