Happy With our Lot.

Time for a little reflection.....to be grateful for the things I've got that I take for granted. my mobility, my health, my friends and family, I have enough food to eat and many of life's luxuries. A loving husband and a funny, happy daughter. What do I want? I don't want for anything, I'd 'like' for everyone, everywhere to be able to have what I have.

In other news, Nelly came 3rd out of 9 in the spelling bee, stumbled on a word she knew and kicked herself all the way off the stage - it looked very nerve racking. It was sports day today and she came 2nd in javelin (11.4m) and did some overtaking in the relay. At the end her form won the day.

So with all this good fortune and mellow vibes kicking about, I'm keeping my head below the parapet and not drawing attention to myself. the Chaos Fairy can go and play elsewhere!

Boaster

• Beaming moment 1: Nelly is 1 of 13 students entered into the school spelling bee. Competition to be held next Wednesday. Update to follow.
• Beaming moment 2: Nelly and some of her peers are performing their self-written play infront of paying guests in 2 weeks time.
• Beaming moment 3: Nelly and 1 other student have been chosen to attend a 2 day course in creative writing at another school. The leader of the course? It's Michael Morpurgo, the writer of War House and Children's Laureate.

Catchers and Keepers

I've been reading a blog by an American mother which I've found thought provoking and bloody funny.http://kvetchmom.wordpress.com/ try to take time out to read a couple of her stories, great writer.

Well Kvetchmom makes a good point about friends, in one of her blogs. She calls them 'Catchers', those friends that dust you down, stand you up and set you back on the right path when you are feeling low. the original idea came from watching a youtube video of a man catching a toddler who had climbed up the outside of an escalator and fell. No drama, just caught the boy in his arms and sent him off back to his mum.

I have several Catchers in my life and also some Keepers. Keepers to me are Friends that I don't communicate with every week but  when we do catch up, we are at ease with each other and can put the world to rights. Friends that would do anything for you or with you. These friendships last a lifetime and I am very grateful to all my Catchers and Keepers, you know who you are. xxx

Yabbie Dabbie Dooo

I caught them - I caught them! vicious little blighters they are too and they don't half crawl fast. They are currently residing in the freezer to render them insensible (as per RSPCA instructions) then I'll cut the nervous system, removing the alimentary canal (gut) prior to boiling them for 10 mins and scoffing them with hubby and daughter.
The traps are repositioned to see if i can get a few more for friends and family!

Crayfish countdown begins

The traps are in the water! It took me ages to find a decent spot, it wasn't deep enough in much of the river. The access to the water was tricky too, most of the ground near to the water wasn't ground at all, it was interlaced reeds, which I found out when I stood on it and started to sink!
I've baited the traps with Felix, prawn flavour cat food! Hopefully no one will steal the traps and when I go check on them tomorrow, we'll have crawdads for tea?
Watch this space......

Proud mum!

Little Fink was awarded the highest badge a Cub can get, the Chief Scout's Silver Award at Cubs today. She has worked hard for it and I am very proud of her. She also moves on the Scouts in September.
The parents and Cubs spent the early evening playing Non-Stop Football Cricket in the nearby playing fields. Great fun and I even got 2 runs!
Little Fink is also going to be one of fifteen scouts that travel to Denmark for 10 days next year as a visiting party to the Scout Jamboree in Sweden. They'll camp on the island of Zealand in Denmark and have a day trip to Sweden! She's really looking forward to it.

Walk With The Stars

Last week, Astral spent her second week in the local hospice. what a beautiful, serene, 'happy' place. While I was visiting on Monday, I came across a leaflet, "Walk With The Stars" raise money for the hospice by completing a sponsored 5 mile walk. "I'll do it." I thought.
I registered, i set up my sponsor page and as an incentive I said, if I were to get £100 I would do the walk in my pyjamas. The next thing I know, The Foggs (and many others) had sent £100, just to make sure I wore my pyjamas. I said If I were to raise £200 I would carry Graham T Heron round with me on the walk. My work chums pitched in and Graham was on the team. Lastly I said if I raised £400 I would wear the flashing bunny ears. Friends, family and old school chums didn't let me down and the picture shows what I looked like as i set off on my very first sponsored walk.
I was terrified, I didn't know how far 5 miles looked like, could I walk that far? How would I explain if I couldn't make it? Anyway. I met up with Bionic-Woman (had a new knee and a new wrist) and she and I walked the 5 miles. It was hard going for the last little bit and i have a decent sized blister on the ball of my foot which gave my gyp, but I did it. I walk 5 miles in 1 hour 30 minutes and felt a huge sense of achievement. (Mr Fink went to bed early as he had a Father's Day golf game in the morning) so The Glums had kindly offered to 'pick me up' and take me home. I shared my triumph with them and went home to bed.
Just one thing makes me wonder - I wonder what people would have asked me to do for £1000?

Proud mum - Diving duckling

Today Little Fink had her first visit to Diving Club.
(First rule of Diving Club..
...you don't talk about Diving club ;o)  )
She did pike jumps, tuck jumps and pencil jumps and even a backward pike jump. She jumped and dived off the first board (1m), jumped off the second board (3m) and after a tiny hesitation, jumped off the third board (5m). My heart was in my mouth. I went off the second board once and it scared me silly so I appreciate how brave she was.
Well done Nelly!
So that's another string she'll be adding to her bow over the coming months!

HSJ Awards 2009

Last night I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the HSJ Awards at the Grosvenor Hotel in Park Lane, London. One of the doctors I work with had been nominated for an award for the system he has created to make the Radiology department work more efficiently.

We were collected by limousine, drank champagne all the way to the hotel (I learned a new skill - how to open and drink champagne in the back of a moving car), enjoyed a brief champagne reception and headed for the Grand Room for the event. My eye was caught by the beautiful chandeliers - stunning. dinner was delicious, asparagus starter and lamb main. For dessert we had lime creme brulee - hmmmmm yum.

Then we had an introduction from the Secretary of State for Health - scruffy man didn't even wear black tie. We were entertained by the host, James Nesbitt - all the awards took ages as all the women wanted a kiss from James! My boss met him outside and instead of getting his phone number, she told him off for smoking!

Unfortunately our doctor did not win the prize but we are all very proud of him and know how hard he and his friend worked on the project.

After the awards there was a charity sale of paintings, Dali, Matisse and Picasso no less and also a charity Casino in the top part of the Great Room.

I went for a wander and ended up standing next to a croupier, I was observing a lady playing next to me (poker) and thought she had a good hand by the standards that I play to, but she folded? I asked the croupier about the hand and she immediately knew that I had been playing Texas Hold 'Em poker, she was dealing Diamond Stud poker. So I learned how to play that too!

She was very kind and informative.

All in all I had a brilliant night, I'm not sure that my birthday meal on Wednesday at the local carvery is going to be so swanky but I'm sure we will have a good time!

Waiting For Katherine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQHX8sZG8wA

This is a music video of a single, sung by a chap from school that my mate went out with.

It's rather catchy don't cha know.

Little Fink astonishes AGAIN

Little Fink amazed me again today. A couple of weeks ago I took her for her 6 monthly checkup at the dentist. She appears to have 2 rows of teeth as some of the adult teeth are erupting through the front of her gums and not pushing the baby teeth down and out. The dentist said that if the teeth didn't fall out on their own, some would need to be removed.

I booked an appointment for her return to see if anything further could be done and we went today.

The dentist said 2 would need to be removed. Little Fink was unfazed. The dentist said, "I can do it now if you like." "Okay!" said Little Fink. And she did. Little Fink didn't bat an eyelid. She was a star. I am so proud of her.

Afterwards we all went for a Chinese (Little Fink struggled through) and she went off for an hours hack through the countryside on a horse!

Little Fink - you rock!

Go Neil Go

The Fink clan are all willing Neil on today. Neil is running in the London Marathon today in aid of Cancer Research. Last year Neil's father and Mr Fink's namesake and Uncle was diagnosed with cancer so he decided to run for a worthwhile cause.

I know he will make us all proud and raise a ton of money.

Go Neil Go!

Finks taking over the world

After making Shouty Grandad speechless with her Cub shield the other week, I thought we'd had our moment of triumph for this year. Nope.

I picked her up from school and she gave me the news that a story of hers is to be published in the school's story book! the same day I received news that I had won a school competition to design the look of the new tyre-play area!

Today the builders came in to install the tyres to my design, the children would then be let loose on them to climb and play (on the tyres, not the builders!)

I spoke to the chief builder who pointed out that none of the tyres in my design were sticking up out of the ground for the children to stand on.

The builder showed me some designs of other installations they had done.

I chose one - it was much better than the one I had designed and I thought the children would get much more out their one!

I only have one question, as it's not my design, do I have to give the chocolate prize back?

Coz, if I do, there might be a problem!

I'm So Proud

OK, I'm boasting, but who wouldn't. We've just come back from Little Fink's Scout Group AGM where the annual presentations were made.

Little Fink won the award for Best Cub and if that were not enough, she was awarded a shield for being the best overall member of the Scout Group (out of 200 young people!) for joining in, helping people and putting others before herself.

I was so proud, I had a tear in my eye. She is a wonderful little girl and I told her how proud I was of her. We usually play down her achievements and don't crow about what she wins and earns, but today I am crowing and pleased to know such a pleasant and joyful young lady. (end of boasting!)