Kiera Price

my wedding 21/6/08

paper stars

Danz and Jeff at the station.....

post strike

Ridiculous, old fashioned, idiotic.
BUT....

"Flexibility is the main issue at stake," he said.

Earlier, the CWU had said that some of its members would come to work at 6am, do a full day's work and at the end a manager could arbitrarily say whether they had worked hard enough for them to go home.

"I call that slavery," said Dave Ward, CWU General Secretary"

Bloody heck, sounds like my place.

(Steve better get his new hoody in time for Switzerland you damn postmen!!)

superstorm

Hartcliffe Superstorm.

master carpenter

One man and his shed and a little help from his friends


Bailey watches the progession.

Heidi ever helpful. She's got massive with the fluffiest tail ever.

DJ Yay

Lyn's party 18/8/07. Danielle, Ali and a friend show us how it's done!!! Crikey!

update

Sorry guys esp Jude. Seems life has overtaken blogging. My birthday was ok. We did a disco for a friend which was fun and met Lenny Savage who was cool and had a great voice. She did a set for Lyn my mate whose birthday it was AND she sang me Happy Birthday.
I still hate work but it's a bit less traumatic. I'm more empowered and it's a bit more interesting... and wow am I brilliant at taking blood from 3 day old babies now!
We booked THREE holidays before the wedding... Switzerland next month, Budapest in December (a floating hotel on the Danube) and Prague Valentines week. Decadent or what?
The wedding is all booked and sorted. The receptions in Bath now at Browns. Much classier and less hastle for me than that train station.
I'm still very much in love. He rocks my world. He's kind, clever, generous and lush. I am a very lucky girl.
See? good things come to those who deserve it.
Loves you all
xxx

A Tale Of Metatarsal Proportion

ALIEN


vs


PREDATOR

Dear Mr Young

I am very sorry I wasn’t in to receive your telephone call today. I was at work at the hospital. Thank you for calling. Abigail informs me that Danielle is allowed to wear the ‘Trainers’ for one more day then we HAVE to purchase new shoes.

The whole situation amuses me greatly. I drove past Colston’s Collegiate School today on the way back from Frenchay Hospital and observed their shoes as they left school. Most of the girls are wearing the dolly type shoe chosen by so many girls nowadays.

It seems ironic to me that when I went to Hartcliffe School many years ago I used to try to creep in wearing 4 inch high cork wedges and Danielle is being reprimanded for wearing black flat enclosed shoes that my mother has a similar pair to.

I enclose some research from Clarks about shoes that may educate you about children’s feet. "Trainers are considered to be good footwear for kids because they are supportive, and well cushioned".(Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists 2007 http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/health/heat_medi/heat_medi_08.html)

Dolly shoes "Cause stress to the structures of the sole of the foot and back of the leg resulting in pain and inflammation."(Soc Chiropodists & Podiatrists 25th May 2005)
Considering most of the girls at school wear this type of footwear in preference to an enclosed trainer type I really think the school is not promoting health at all.

But who am I to say? School policy is school policy after all and all shall conform.

So Danielle, as you may note is wearing her old Dolly shoes today to school. Finances do not allow a single parent to buy another pair of shoes so soon after the first pair.

I wonder what will happen way in the future when research has shown that schools, by not allowing children to wear sensible trainers, have damaged children‘s feet irreversibly. I wonder whether schools will face litigation?

You may think I am OTT. No, I’m not. I just think that education doesn’t hinge on what my child has on her feet, rather the type of teaching, educator and individual approach that inspires and fills the mind of all things brilliant.

Incidentally. Mr Crocksford’s comment that my child’s shoes had a logo on? Well so do Clarks Shoes as illustrated by my enclosed picture.

Maybe they should be banned as well?

I am, however not saying at all that a shoe free for all should commence with huge garish trainers with sequins, glitter and flashing lights. Just a little bit of common sense and an individual approach.

Hope you have a wonderful start to term. I look forward to a very good year 9 for Danielle.

With best regards



(So? which shoes do you think are more sensible? Crazy crazy old world this is........)

Ashley Kate

Newes Steve's cat loves it here!!
We've renamed her Ashley-Kate as she is a hybrid of Mary-Kate and Ashley. Stays in Danielle's bed all day and night, loves TV. Disco Music, dressing up and lipstick.
The two other cats aren't quite as easy. Elvie wants to be the boss. Hisses and cries at my cats and is mean as mean can be. She seems to love me though.
Pye is the worse. Cat sick all the time so bad that we took her to the vets. They said she had Colitis and gave her a steroid jab. Then she went all kitteny, running around and went missing outside (she'd onl moved her 2 weeks). Eight hours that cat was gone. We walked the streets of Hartcliffe calling her and getting worried. Then 10 o clock at night she turns up in the lounge happy as can be.
But she has to have food from the vets, pre digested or she pukes everywhere.... hmmm cats are great ;)

cornwall

A week at a naturist resort in Cornwall and it was brilliant. Hot weather and no stress. Perfect. There was a funny happening though. The man in the next caravan to us only stayed one night. Seems he booked in with his family without knowing it was naturist and spent the night squirming behind the closed curtains till they could escape. Silly lot!!

stuff

We are all very tired. Since we got back from France the kitten seems to have gone weird. She won't leave us alone. Follows us from room to room and wakes us 6 or 7 times a night to be petted... you think she missed us?
Back at work now... same old crap basically... I'm thinking of applying for another job... 'cept I don't want to let people down.... what ever to do!!?
Just been to see Harry Potter with those girls.... hmmmm it was ok... bit too lacking in humour for my taste.

Josselin

Josselin, France

Steve and Danz showing off.

Abby sunbathing

picture postcard village. Josselin

Well we're home and we had a brilliant time. The best holiday I've had I reckon. The villa was so gorgeous with huge rooms, dishwasher, the most wonderful cooker, white leather sofas and a lovely pool.The weather was ok. We had no rain and about 4 days of sun... one of which was actually hot. They all burnt except me.
Josselin was very pretty and my most fav place on the planet. I was at home there. I got to speak french and eat masses.
So now we're back... it's dark and rainy and England really doesn't seem terribly inviting. Sigh.

smoke no more

Britain goes smoke free... and it hasn't come a day too soon. The thought of actually being able to go out without the hideous smell smoke is just pure joy. We've had fun driving past those little shelters with the losers outside puffing away on their cancer stix bemoaning about the hardship they are suffering.
Hope the poor little souls don't catch a cold in this wonderful summer we're having.... tee-hee
ps... tut tut Lady P... remember the days when even the puppets on TV used to smoke.

over and over and over... like a monkey with a miniature cymbal

Thanks to Mrs Woman for her really nice comment the other day. However things don't seem to be getting better and I'm quite worried about my ability to burst into tears at various times during the working day.
I think it's because I've lost the control I had. Before if I wasn't happy, they'd say 'OK. We know you're good and wouldn't take advantage... so it's fine. Don't do what you can't do'. Now they just repeat over and over... 'but this is what you are meant to do'.
Every time I lose control I think I can't cope and I had a few times when I really thought I was going to just walk out and come home.
I just don't want to let my two bosses down who really are trying to support me.
Things are OK here though, Abby was camping the weekend in Southampton.. yep in the rain. Yeuk, can't think of anything worse.
We're off to France on Saturday for a week. Please let it stop raining for a little. The grey skies are not helping my mood at all.
Hope my baby kitten will be OK.... she'll miss me. When we get back we're moving Steve's cats up here permanently. Should be an experience. Anyone got any advice on rehousing 16 year old cats in a house already infested with moggies?
S'il vous plait.
x

still sad... tut

I arrived at work today got out of the car and immediately had tears streaming down my face. As I walked towards the place I was getting so cross with myself for being so stupid. It's been 3 months and still I can get like this?
The day was ok though and I came to the conclussion that I really do like some people who work there. There are some I don't really know yet.
I reckon I'm still a bit bereft for my old place. It wasn't like work... more like home. Steve laughed at me tonight... yeah I know I'm silly. But I guess I never did change too well. That's why I stayed there 21 years.
It's really hard to go from somewhere where you're in charge. You call the shots, to somewhere where you have to report in the office at 08.30 and be told where to go, what time to go for dinner and what time you can go home.
Maybe it's time to go self employed. Any one want a mobile nurse?

creature features

At present Steve has our lives dominated with horror movies. But not just any old horror movie. Oh no, the silliest and most ridiculous ones ever made. Recently I've sat through Raptor, which was about a man cloning T Rex's to end the world, the monster was a plastic dino with a plastic red mouth and a Grrrr that made Heidi's meow seem scary.
Then Carnonsaur which was a woman implanting T Rex embryos into women. When they gave birth the little monsters ripped through their tummies like some Alien Joke. Worse thing is the fully grown T Rex was the exact same plastic toy used in Raptor... but wait. Even worse the scenes were the same. They cut the raptor film and used loads of scenes but with a slightly different story line.
Then we had to suffer Minotour. Every 5 years teenage virgins were sacrificed to the legendary monster dear dear dear... what a bunch of tross.
We sat through 3/4 of Leprechaun until I could stand Steve saying "I'm gonna fucking kill them" in a slightly crazed Irish accent anymore.
Tonight we have "The Snake King". A 5 headed monstrous snake that silently slithers around surprising people. Then some film about crazed zombie nurses..... bet we have to watch THAT one... help

apologies to trin

Well seems I was wrong in some aspects. I did write a letter of complaint...well of distress really about last Friday's party.
I really didn't expect a reply and in my last post I did consider that the place was chav because they were unable to deal with a complaint in a decent manner.
It seems that they received my letter and were very concerned about it. The shouty man wasn't in charge at all. He wasn't the committee head. He'd just said he was.
The actual person in charge rang Steve. He did apologise and was very amenable and concerned about our experience. He said no one had ever complained before. So I guess we did have just a bad night.
However, just to spoil the apology he did say that somehow?? No idea how. (Read Grumblemag's post about online exposure) They'd discovered the blog and were appalled at my small piece about the place. He said they'd contacted their solicitor as it was probably slander.
As you know Slander has to be something written that is untrue. This blog expresses my opinion on things. I live in a free country and can say what I like. I told the nasty man on Saturday morning that we shan't be recommending it to my friends. He said quote "He didn't care"
Oh dear, it seems he wasn't speaking for the management at all when he said he didn't care because they do care.
At least that at given me faith in them. I'd always liked the centre and found it friendly and welcoming before.
If only he hadn't said he was the big boss. Then none of this would have happened.
As for a solicitor? If they thought that would worry me, that was really unkind. After all the trauma I had last week. I'm sure the publicity that involves such a case of an employee being so nasty to us, especially with Wulf with us, would be very interesting.
I'm dropping it now. They won't ever see us there again. I am very pleased they rang and discussed it and said sorry. That's the right way and they obviously are run by people who are decent.

the party

Never give Abby a Mic

Ooops upside your head.... lol

Least they enjoyed it

The cha cha slide in progress

the weekend

Steve and Wulf at a BBQ we went to Saturday night at an old friend of mines home. Daryl is just lush. These are his carp... big buggers they were!

Deb and Dave. Deb is my oldest friend.... umm not in years lol. We known each other since babies

Abby strutting her stuff

Danz, Hollie and Grace.

stuff, nasty and mediocre

These last few weeks have been weird. I've had several people tell me I'm not very nice... not to my face of course but it got back to me. The railway has been a huge headache. I seem to have put in a lot of work to no avail. The management are pleased, the workers hate it. They are rude and obtuse. They make comments about my size, my personality. I had an apron on with a cat on the front and they laughed about stroking my pussy.
Now I took this in good humour but after a long day serving the ingrates you begin to wonder if it's all worth it.
It ended up with Steve tendering his notice at the Railway and all hell let loose. They say it'll fold without him... well and me but I really don't think my input matters.
So it's on hold for a while and we shall see what happens. But for the time being the coach is closed and we need some well earned space from it.
Friday night we had a 17th party for Abby. I can't go into the trauma of it because I'm sick of it all but the venue was the Hartcliffe Community Centre. If you live in Bristol and are thinking of a venue keep well away from that chav nasty and vile dump.
We arrived and this vile man immediately set on me shouting that I hadn't told them it was a 17th. They didn't do 17th. They always ended in fights. Despite my reassurances that my family certainly didn't 'do fights' he continued with his nastiness and we packed up early and went home. The next day we went to collect our deposit with Wulf. This man was there again and once again he yelled and was completely vile. He shouted at us to "Go away" which upset Wulf.
I cannot understand why anyone would book a party there and feel if they have people like that working there they should be closed down. I write a letter of complaint but I expect it'll be trashed.
I think Abby enjoyed it though and Shannie said it was the best party ever.... love her.
Seems I managed to hide all the upset.
Work has been ok. Very dull and tedious but at least it's settled down and I don't cry every night.
We go to France in a few weeks. I forgot to renew the passport but was well relieved when it came this morning. It's got a chip in it...cook huh? Well £66 cool hmmmm.
Hope you're all OK.
Loves u
Tx

random

That bloody train station in the rain. This place has given me so much grief lately. Seems you can't please everyone... in fact you can't actually please anyone truth be told. Today the chips are too thin. Last week the menu was dull, the week before 45p was too expensive for a hot cup of tea.
Maybe when the sun shines again we'll see some happiness there? I got Mivvi ice lollies after all.
This is the girls and Paul and John under the leaky gazebo.

Hollie Marie and her mum's home made cakes at the coach. Hollie is exactly the sort of person we need at the coach. She's strong sassy and gives as good as she gets. Hollie will go far (btw I asked her to be a bridesmaid. We got 5 now. Water, earth, spirit, fire and air. Very pagan)

Wulf, Shannie and Danz at Pontins. We took Wulf swimming the other day at the gym. It was kids time and they had old ladies doing bloody aerobics in the pool. He couldn't move anywhere.
I complained and he got a free guest pass for his best mate and he choose Shannie... awwww

Steve's picture. The girls and Wulf on the big ride at Pontins. Very clever and lucky shot Stephen.

This weekend in Clevedon. For some reason I've been in a such a down mood this weekend. So pissy and miserable. Why do I get like that? Hope Steve doesn't leave me ever. This was a good evening though with a long walk on the front and drink in a sea front pub. Danz poses everywhere!

Abby moaned about having to walk so far.. as usual.

Our Sunday times wine rack. How I love wine. Isn't it pretty?

Danz at the Harvester in Littlehampton. I wasn't impressed with it at all. Food was dull, service was good though but quite expensive and hot and packed. Littlehampton was a trial this time. It's so far from Bristol. Took nearly 4 hours to drive there and 3 1/2 back. Almost 8 hours in the car for a couple of hours seeing family... oh yes it was good to see them but I was so tired afterwards.

bridesmaids

 
Practice posing.... oh help

car cat

Heidi loves the car!