The important things in life?

Anyone who knows me will know I am a positive upbeat person who enjoys the simple things in life even when the complex ones aren’t going to plan. I think this is a healthy attitude to have and I try to maintain this sunshine outlook on life.

Unfortunately the music industry seems to be filled with singers and songwriters who are either drunk /on abooty call or depressed, most seem to lack genuine depth. British singer Adele is a sexy lady with a very soulful voice, her music is loved by millions across the globe and her latest melancholy song “Someone like you” has had extensive airplay on both radio and TV. . . . . I hate it! I disliked it on first hearing and with it’s repeated over playing I find I am more and more annoyed by the song and the coverage it gets.



Sure it’s a touching song full of sorrow for a lost love, we can all relate to that and its beautifully sung but if you listen to the story its just pathetic. The character turns up at the house of a man she lost, and since that time he has married and had a kid. Someone who not only holds a torch for that long but also acts on her heartache and despair so long after their parting is not in a healthy place. Love is important but dwelling on the past is depressingly sad and not in a good way.

Here instead listen to some Palo Nuttini, the cheerful chap who brightens up my day with his bouncy tunes and appealing lyrics about enjoying the simple important things in life :)



Remember that if you have shoes on your feet, a roof over your head and food in your belly you are better off that 2/3rds of the worlds population, stop winging and enjoy good health and the warm sunshine on your face :)

A Zombie in your home?

Each night people go through several cycles of non-REM and REM sleep. Sleepwalking (somnambulism) most often occurs during deep, non-REM sleep (stage 3 or stage 4 sleep) early in the night. Sleepwalking can occur at any age, but it happens most often in children aged 4 - 8 and appears to run in families. It can be effected by hormonal changes, stress, anxiety, diet and medication. I have always had parasomnia (unwanted actions during sleep) and vivid REM sleep dreams and realistic night mares but the sleep walking has been an on and off issue during my lifetime. I started as a child but that was only for a few years, from around 8-15 was not affected at all and during puberty it came back briefly. As an adult (from 19 to present) it generally only occurred at stages in my life when I was stressed about money or work. My mum has very strange vivid dreams and my dad has history of sleep walking too - the most famous was him trying to climb on-top of a wardrobe to escape aliens during a very stressful time in his life, I was very young and my brother was a very sick baby.

When people sleepwalk, they may sit up and look as though they are awake when they are actually asleep. They may get up and walk around, or do complex activities such as moving furniture, going to the bathroom, and dressing or undressing. Some people even drive a car while they are asleep - or in rare cases become violent. I can get very physically active during sleep but this due to vivid dreams, night terrors or nightmares and not related to sleep walking. Generally a sleep walker will use muscle memory to calmly do every day tasks, tasks they could literally do with their eyes closed or without thinking.

The episode can be very brief (a few seconds or minutes) or it can last for 30 minutes or longer. If they are not disturbed, sleepwalkers will eventually go back to sleep. Sleep walkers are vulnerable and suggestive, its easy to guide me back to bed. Its thought that sleep walking inspired the first voodoo stories of Zombi's - the walking dead. It actually your subconscious that does all the work whilst sleep walking, that is why you dont remember any of it, the part of you that makes you "you" is not actually present, a body without a soul if you like. Voodoo zombies were slaves to their mistresses and were very suggestive, slow and methodical in their tasks much like real sleep walkers.

Since I've been pregnant I was very worried about sleep walking, I was worried if I tripped or strained myself I would harm the baby. I've not hurt myself before but have gone out side and often move furniture or go about every day tasks. My husband sleeps like a log and doesn't wake up most of the time, I have tried shutting myself in with towels under the door - the idea is that my zombie brain can't work out why it wont open and I just got back to bed. We have bells on the bedroom door handle now, its not enough to wake Dave but for some reason it seems to work. Given time my mind will get used to the noise and it will stop working and we will have to think of something else. Its not enough to wake me up, it can be very traumatic for the dreamer and is much like coming up for air whilst drowning and seems to take a very long time - not a pleasant experience in the least.

I think the dog gets a bit confused by me walking about, if I spend too long roaming around Monty (our German Shepard dog) goes up stairs -which he is not allowed to do normally- and wakes up Dave my DH who then wonders where I am and comes to find me. Last week I woke myself up (doesn't usually happen) and the dog was laying on the stairs. I assume he'd gone to get DH and after finding him missing given up, Dave had been away with work. Around me were dozens of folded / screwed up bits of blank paper and some sticking out of the letter box, on inspection there was plenty of paper on the door stop too >_> I do worry myself sometimes.

Since being pregnant I often woke up craving burgers / junk food and meat quite a bit in the first trimester but now that has chilled out and I wake up in the night thinking about food. I cant go back to sleep before I've had a piece of toast or cup of tea and biscuit, so the dog must get thoroughly confused by my midnight snacks and sleepwalking. I do wonder if I give him commands in myself, I certainly tell him to be quite enough times in my waking hours!

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is a TV adaptation of George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, with 5 published and more in the pipeline, the series has been critically acclaimed and has a huge fan following spanning the 15 years since the first book was realised in 1996. Anticipation for the series adaptation has reached fever pitch, and I for one will be glued to the screen!

Sky Atlantic will begin broadcasting Game of Thrones, the fantasy drama based on George RR Martin's novels, on 18 April – the day after its US premier. It has been adapted for TV by David Benioff and DB Weiss. Benioff said no one had ever done fantasy "the HBO way, where the focus is on character and psychology rather than spectacle".

A great deal of attention is being paid to fine detail. A shot of Grand Maester Pycelle's desk reveals scrolls bearing the names of previous Targaryen kings, whilst King Robert's crown has a stag motif to reflect the Baratheon heraldic symbol. Eddard's small council seat has the symbol of a hand imprinted on it, whilst Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish wears a small clasp in the shape of a mockingbird.

The drama focuses on the struggle for power between competing factions in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of the mythical continent of Westeros – a time and place "reminiscent of medieval Europe" – with a cast including Sean Bean, Lena Headey, Mark Addy, Aidan Gillen, Charles Dance and Iain Glen.

Court Dates

Many of those reading will know I lost my job last year, my employer owed me a lot of money and we had a disagreement regarding said money shortly before the company went under. I wasn’t asking much; wages owed to me and expenses that were agreed upon before hand -namely vet bills for the company owned dog. At the time of our disagreement the largest chunked owed to me was from 6 months prior and I had enough of waiting. I had been supportive and patient as the company was getting off its feet but had been fobbed off too many times, I’d had enough, my demands for payment were met with some choice words from my “delightful” former employer and he then ignored my calls and attempts to contact him. I decided to take him to small claims court and fight for my money.

It wasn’t about the cash (although it was substantial chunk of our family income) but more about not letting him getting away with it. He was nice enough guy to start with but due to his poor management and business skills the company was struggling and left many employees and contractors without the simplest of rights – their pay. I believe that as managing director he had a responsibility to those people, whom were owed hundreds of thousands, and should be held accountable for his actions. It’s taken me over 5 months but I feel the end is finally in my sights!

It has been stressful and has meant sleepless nights, health issues and general hair pulling but it is great how everyone has been so supportive. I am feeling very positive about the court case as it draws to a close, its been heard and tried now its just final stages of getting a CCJ against my former employer and then enforcing that with the sheriff (&bailiffs if he doesn't comply). It finally feels like the hard work is paying off, the only shame is can’t charge him for the many man-hours I spent putting forward and representing my case!


Specials thanks to Lorraine for letting me complain, my dad for his counsel and to my David for his calming influence and patience, I couldn’t have done it alone xxx

Street Party

It wont be long now intill the big day arrives, The Royal Wedding. Kate Middleton will marry our Prince William to become Princess Windsor, the country will rejoice (for the most part) and we all get a bank holiday and have a 3 day week - huzzah!

The realm at large will commemorate the occasion with many street parties up and down the country, a traditional celebration often seen with bunting and cucumber sandwiches. Applications for road closures have been received in record numbers, particularly in Wales and Northamptonshire where William has ties to the Spencer family. Public Liability insurance is not necessary in most cases when no money is being exchanged and many people are planning festive feast for the occasion.

Unfortunately there are some issues with red tape, some councils charging for road closures and others refusing for approval without certain insurance policies. I hope that more councils consider slashing the forms and charges regarding these events following the example of Sutton council Its a time when encouraging community spirit should be applauded :)

Our little military community is having a fanfare event for 50 people (which is 90% of the residents!) with bouncy castle, races games and a hat making competition. There is also some face painting being done and if its warm enough David will put the stocks out and you can soak dad with water bombs ;)

Garden space

I wish the bloody chooks wouldn't think the fence is a fun obstacle to jump over several times a day and keep them fit, they are digging up the lawn and making a mess. Monty the German Shepard just watches them like the killer guard dog he is, once they were even in his kennel and he just cocked his head at me as if to say "what do you want me to do about it?" I suppose I'm lucky he has learnt not to chase/eat/maul them I can hardly have it both ways eh?

With plans to set up an allotment on our camp this spring I'm hoping I can put flowers in my raised beds instead of boring veg. I love growing a kitchen garden but they don't look as nice and with all the roaming animals I need some floral perfume in the garden. Neither will be possible if the chickens insist on their great escape. The enclosure fence is only half an inch shorter than the perimeter and yet they never jump outside, It would be fiddly to raise the trellis and yet I dont think it would stop them.

Last year they seemed to know where their place was and kept to it, only jumping every so often, where as now they have spent all winter digging up grass and killing thier lawn they have decided to jump fence and try our grass too! I try to keep them interested with handfulls of seed, different items but with green house they are getting a little crowded in there. We have seeded the lawn but so far not much is happening, I'm hoping we can protect the new grass shoots long enough for them to take root and withstand the chickens appetites. I think there will be nothing for it other than the expense of some rolled turf *sigh*

Any other suggestions will be greatly appreciated!