London Mums Blog

Half term melee

Half term has descended upon us and the air in Kensington & Chelsea is thick with panic. What to do with the kids? WHAT TO DO WITH THE KIDS? ANYONE?

Mummies stand on street corners (well, they do if they live in a basement and can't get a signal in their flat), desperately texting 'is there anybody out there?' to other mums, hoping against hope that their childrens' potential playmates are still ensconced in Credit Crunched London rather than zipping happily down some snow-covered slope in the Alps.

I struck lucky this morning and found a similarly holiday-challenged mother gagging for company and a break in the constant pressure to morph into a Butlins Redcoat, and together we decided to mount an assault on the Princess Diana playground in Kensington Gardens. It's really not far from us, but we don't go that often. If you read the following list of indespensible items I suggest you pack for this expedition, you might work out why...

Into the lists rode the brave knight

So NixdMinx is catching the zeitgeist and running a Credit Crunchista Carnivale. As we are being chewed ferociously by the dreaded 'R' word here chez Potty, I have been racking my brains on useful tips to share so that I can participate in this, but I have to say that I haven't come up with anything ground-breaking so far.

There are the obvious ones of course; turning your heating down a degree or two, and making sure that if you have pre-paid mobile bills you use those minutes up each month rather than simply picking up the landline whenever you want to make a call at home.

British recipe contest

Have any good British recipes? Just send them in here and you may win some fab prizes including a luxury food tour in the Cotswolds.

It's all part of the Best of Britain & Ireland '09, which is a domestic travel event happening in London on the 26-29 March.

London Mums Blog readers can receive 30 percent discount on a double ticket. You can book a double ticket (two adults) for just £10.50 (30 percent discount on the full price of £15.) To take advantage of this offer, call 0871 230 5588 or visit www.britainandirelandevent.co.ukand quote BOBI30.

So come ladies, dig out those recipes.

This post was written by Susanna, a London Mums Blog founding contributor. You can read more at her blog, A Modern Mother.

Chasing peas around the kitchen

I just read Potty's latest post and something in her Mother's Day wish list really resonated. Not to have to make decisions... You can have all the chocolates, flowers, cards, cups of tea made for you in the world - but for me THIS really stands out as the ultimate Mother's Day treat.

Not having to decide what to cook. Not having to cook it. Not having to pick out clothes. Not having to clean teeth, wipe faces, wipe bottoms, pick up endless clothes. Just one day of not having to do any of these things. Not even having to think about them.

Prick me, please! Nature’s way to tell me ‘Take it easy, luv!’

The first time it hit me, I was walking down Islington's Upper Street, struggling under the weight of too many shopping bags, mobile phone in one hand, clutching files in the other. The pain was sharp, sudden and so strange, it made me laugh out loud. Did somebody just shoot my bum?

I limped back home, unable to put pressure on my right foot and swearing with each step. I rang Francesca Topolski, an angel with a diploma in kinesiology and cranio-sacral therapy, and she gently rocked, jiggled and wiggled the twisted pelvis in its proper location.

A few days later the pain had miraculously disappeared and I filed my experience under 'inexplicable curiosities of early pregnancy'. Little did I know, that this was just a tiny foretaste of what my sciatica had in store for me.

The many uses of porridge...

I always have dry hands. It could have something to do with washing up three or four times a day. Or not wearing gloves while cleaning the oven. Or maybe rubbing a glob of stain remover in a banana splotch that has turned a white shirt a browny hue of black wasn't such a good idea.

The nice people at Aveeno must have a webcam hidden in my kitchen and sent me some products to try out: Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion, Aveeno Cream, and Aveeno Bath Powder.

Will the passenger in row 22 please drop her weapon?!

Ok I'm going to come right out and say it ... YESTERDAY ... WAS ... HEEELLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!

There. I feel a little better. No I don't actually. Now that I'm recalling the 12 hours trapped in economy on Virgin Atlantic from London to Orlando with a 2 year old, a 4 year old and the most miserable family of 'Chavs' (British version of obnoxious hicks) sat in front of us, I'm getting angry all over again.

Lest you think I'm exaggerating, let me come clean about the fact that I had to pop half of my 'emergency valium' (does every parent have one or is it just me?...nevermind don't answer that) only an hour after we'd boarded. Of course my decision was based on the following series of events which happened in rapid succession and caused my blood pressure to soar.

Men are from Mars, women go to Cadbury's

  Do you ever feel that you don't understand the man in your life? Do you, perchance, feel that it's hard to communicate with the opposite sex? Well, worry no longer, for, as a reknowned expert on misunderstandings, contretemps and, indeed, divorce, I have decided to step into the fray and provide the world, and most particularly Dulwich, with a quick translation service.

What a woman says:

Darling, I love it! I'm taking it back to the shops the moment they open

You shouldn't have! You should have, and weeks ago

I love you This could be it - with a little work, you really might be a decent prospect

21st century sew on and sew forth

Weren’t the Noughties meant to be all about being naughty and a hedonistic wealth fueled follow on from the really naughty 90s?

So how come I caught myself looking in a charity shop window the other day?

I was drawn to a natty pair of high heeled hardly worn shoe boots on display, and then I did a double take as I caught my reflection in the rain streaked window.

There was I carrying a huge Argos bag with a new sewing machine so I can ‘make do and mend’.  I just feel transported back to another time and one small step away from buying Butterwick and Vogue dress patterns to make ‘new work suits’.

Of course I can live without it...

I am sitting at my desk picking at panda licorice and blueberries. I was given several packets of licorice because in a moment of insanity I decided to give up wheat, alcohol, sugar, and dairy for lent and the original flavour doesn’t contain sugar.

My son enjoyed the peppermint flavour, which does contain sugar and anyway peppermint flavour always makes me think of toothpaste. My son aged 7 has given up all puddings except fruit and so far he’s stuck to it, and it was all his idea before you think I pushed him into it and start writing me letters about child cruelty.  I am craving bread and cheese and Lindor chocolate eggs.