Angel Jem's City Cottage

My shower is not working. I hate not being able to have a shower. I hate it. Will my shower work tomorrow? I don't know. That depends on the plumber who is currently ripping apart my shower cubicle. It leaks, you see, and has rotted the floor underneath the shower. Yes, I know I should be thankful that the plumber is fixing my shower but My shower is not working. Will I smell tomorrow? Will my friends notice? Will my real friends care? When my shower is fixed, I am going to wipe it down with a mixture of white vinegar and lavender oil, replace my old & daggly shower body puff and use my best shower gel for a celebratory shower. But today My shower is not working.

When you're making plans. Or words to that effect. I planned so much this week. I planned to do my housework on Monday, to work any two days of Tuesday to Thursday and to pack for a short break on Friday. It's Tuesday (only) and already my plans lie, tattered and in ruins on my memory. Yesterday, I was shakey and shivery and slept 3 out of 5 child-free hours (Is this a record? No, my record is all 5 child-free hours and a couple of child-minding ones before my DH sent me to bed without tea. Not a good day, that one.) So, bang goes the housework. Never mind, I have today to do it and then I can work Wednesday and Thursday. OK, so Borders was a treat for me... a pick-me-up, but I deserved it. And I did get the Romantic Homes magazine featuring one of my favourite bloggers, Alicia . Then I did need my hair cutting. And once hair is cut, you can see all your grey hairs so colouring it was a necessity. And then I could do my housework. I'd love to call it 'Home blessing'...

But I couldn't resist a post today. Yes, the pink party is at 4.30. Yes, I have things left to do (like wrapping a pass the parcel, drawing a pin the crown on the princess.... and a cake. Mustn't forget the cake.) But I got the camera out to check the battery and took some photos of last week's waste of time. I got my felt out and played. You saw a set of hair bands in yesterday's post, and here are some more. The yellow and red ones still need a button in the middle, but I'm currently searching for the right ones, something small and mother-of-pearl, I think. The little case is my pride and joy. I have a red floral Cath Kidston phone. You see, I figured if I spent money on it, I'd take care of it, right? And then I got told by my 11 year old niece that it was way cool. Well, I am chuffed to have a way cool phone, especially since her Dad has every bit of tech kit going and this is a girl who knows her chips. But my baby was not travelling well, and I did have a...

The Princess of the Beautiful Dawn celebrated her birthday yesterday with a frenzy of present opening, sweets at school and the smallest dinkiest birthday cake we've ever made. She is also having a pink party tomorrow, so she won't feel cheated of a proper sized cake,a s she's getting a bigger one then. My baby is 5! I know, I know, the other mothers told me the time flies by and enjoy every minute, they're the best years of your life, etc etc. Did I listen? Did I listen? And did I hear what they said to me? Yes, I darned well did. I stayed at home until nursery hit, I passed my days in play until the house looked like a nursery itself, all toys, painting and play dough. I let part of me slide because there wasn't the time, space or inclination to be 'me' in that way. And now, God bless her, she's 5, at school, a well-balanced and happy girl. And I am free to be 'me' again. And guilt free, too. I can concentrate on getting the shadow of a career ...

I was watching Breakfast TV last week, drinking my Earl Grey... I was only finishing breakfast before I started work, honest.... and they had Seth Lakeman on. He looked pretty cute, it was one of those music videos with the water pouring poetically all over the singer... you can imagine the rest. Like I say, he looked pretty cute and, boy, the boy could sing. Now, I've never cottoned onto folk music, never could knit aran properly or put my finger far enough into my ear, but I actually enjoyed his songs... well, to be truthful, I enjoyed them so much I ordered his CD from Amazon (second home & recipient of much hard-earned cash) I'm hoping my faith in a good Dartmoor lad will be justified. He sings ballads, story songs and I like a good story. I love Dartmoor, having stayed nearby on holiday for most of my formative years, and I like Capercaille and Runrig... yes, I thought, if I like Scottish folksy music, why not give a good English boy a chance? My problem is, you see, I...

I hope that's translatable without the double entendre, as well. We had a busy weekend and are having a quiet rather than hectic week so far. With a family birthday party on Saturday, we celebrated 4 birthdays (both my parents and two of my children have February birthdays!) and had two cakes. Now, I get called a domestic goddess around these places (when my friends aren't calling me a sex-guru) because I make my kids birthday cakes, but I don't think I deserve such applause. The simple truth is I'm too tight to pay £7.00 for something that looks good but is actually virtually inedible. I don't see why Tesco's or Sainsbury's should be paid for something I don't like. So, a couple of years ago (when I didn't have the money for a birthday cake anyway) I made one, basic football sponge, you know the 4-4-4-2 style, and decorated it with that month's current obsesion. I think it was Thunderbirds. It went down a bomb, and since then I've been chief...

Well, here he is this morning opening his Batman Lego, and I know this weekend my living room will be covered in Lego as he and JW make a batmobile, batcave and everything else batman needs. And think of me tonight as I feed 7 excited boys (no longer little, I'm afraid!) pizza and coke before going to the cinema and watching Arthur and the Invisibles . Family party tomorrow (my speciality, spag bol is cooking in my slow cooker as we speak) and a whole week off next week! I'll do my best to post, but I might (!) be a little busy.

Hi again! Couldn't resist posting these pictures of my little angels; the big one, DP, is 9 tomorrow! I can't believe it's 9 years s ince he arrived. JW, the middle one, is 6 1/2 and the voice of sanity while Princess Zerlina (and that's her real name) is 5 a week on Monday. Count back nine months from February.... and remember I'm a Gemini! Actually, did I say JW was the voice of sanity... not in snow, of course! They are my pride and joy and the reason why I love my life so much.... and my hubby, of course! But we function more as a unit at the moment. When he says "Who do you love most in the world?" he expects me to answer, "Them, of course" because he knows we function as one. I love him beyond all things, and I treasure the time we have together, but since the sprogs came it's like we have this private joke. Everyone else thinks their children are special but we know ours are the mostsest special of all. And that's just how it shoul...

But I don't have a real fire. well, I have a living flame gas-fire but it's covered in pinecones, my daughter's autumn obsession, and the amaryllis are in front of it and the central heating is quite warm enough, thank you and I'm rambling (who said again? You are a cheeky lot!) First of all, congratulations to any who managed to get it to snow enough to cancel everything and settle down for the day. Fire on, feet up, coffee, chocolate or Earl Grey to hand, I hope. It is snowing here & sticking, I hope, so come 3.30 I shall go and collect 3 very excited children, wrap them up as warm as I can and get out there for snowmen and snowballs. It is bath-night, thank goodness, so I think early baths will be in order for all and then.... Mmm I can smell it now, roast chicken. I cook it in advance and then I can do the roasties nearer to the mealtime. Heavenly. I didn't post yesterday, no time with clearing/ visiting/ stroking new windows. Yes! They finished and I now ha...

That I get my windows done. And this happens. And I think, "Whoah!" Not that they can't fit the windows, because they can. It's not that bad. But because it means I'm sitting here with the front door open, the back patio window ripped off and two down stairs windows slowly being removed from their frames. It is chilly. Well, I say chilly, it's more like cold. Well, I say cold, it's actually b****y freezing. And my inner Pollyanna thinks, "At least my computer's sound is now working and I can sit here in my little (cold) study and type away whilst listening to some music." (Sometimes I hate my inner Pollyanna) Which brings me to the point of my post today. There are certain pieces of music that are inextricably linked with people and places I love. Con Te Partiro, for example, otherwise known as Time to say Goodbye takes me back to Paris two years ago. Every where we went for our 'alone time' weekend that year, it was playing. I love ...

I love to have people over, especially if, as in the case of my ex-next door neighbour, I haven't seen them for a while. Now, for some people issuing an invitation is an easy job, you say "Come on over this weekend", they say "Yes", they come over and a good time is had by all. On Planet Angel it is never quite that simple. I say "Come on over this weeke nd", they say "Yes" and then..... I have to tidy the living room, dining room, kitchen and downstairs loo. Depending on work/ children's actions the week before, this can be a simple 2 hour job or a whole day marathon. I am not a dedicated housekeeper, much though I dream of it. So, yesterday found me collecting piles of 'stuff' from one room and burying them in another (they won't see my bedroom/ the bathroom/ the cupboard under the stairs, will they?) Frantic hoovering, much polishing with the gorgeously scented orange-glo wood cleaner (I love the scent of oranges in a clean...

On Friday I had a terrible choice. I could sign off work, go out with my Mum and visit M&s for some recreational shopping. They have some lovely red & white undies I'm interested it, so I could have looked at them & given in to temptation.... Or I could work for money and fun at a local (very nice) school. I chose the money. The reasoning is this; next week is half term & the money I make this week will pay for me and my children to go out. Previous holidays BC (before cash) have been quiet affairs, a visit to Ma, a trip to the park have done, or the holiday has thrown me & my (very kind) bank- manager into disagreement. This time I actually will have the cash to say, "Let's go to the cinema!" and not have to search down the side of the sofa for the popcorn money. We can go to the lovely museum, which is free, and they can have £2.50 each to spend in the shop, instead of the 50p school-trip money we usually have. And a full-family trip to Borders w...