The cold edition - a week on

Hello folks. I'm still with us! The cold did not finish me off - and thank you lovely Bloggy chums for your lovely comments x

The remnants of the cold remain. It's The. Cough. Still non productive. And it's a bit like Pringles. Once you start, you just can't stop. It's gone beyond Tena on the cough scale. . It's now a more worrying Prolapse Inducing Strength. One has to now cross one's legs to stop one's undercarriage bursting forth like a scene out of Alien.

Soooo what's new? I dragged my sorry carcass back to work last Wednesday. The weekend whirled by most quickly due to the fact I spent the whole of Saturday with the Teen, in that there London. We travelled down on the 'Crack of Dawn' train. I snored. On the train! I was tired from not sleeping the night before due that thing where you wake up on the hour every hour because you know you cannot sleep in AND probably because of my Deathscalator angst. You may remember my phobia - posted here http://eternally28.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/escalators-or-as-i-prefer-to-call-them.htmlI thought that I'd just shut my eyes till we get to Crewe and I was at that halfy halfy point of dropping off, when at EXACTLY the same time I was thinking "What IS that noise?" The Teen elbowed me and hissed,
 "Wake up, you are snoring!"
Oh the shame! I asked him how many snores I'd done. He said two!! I think it was rather more a low down snort than a snore because I'd been dreaming about wild boar! ( I'm re watching Lost from the beginning - there's wild boar in that! ) I asked him why he'd  not stopped me at ONE snore??
He said - and this is where I cringed - 'WE', WE( ???? ) didn't know where the noise was coming from!'  With it being dark outside ( another reason why I hate dark mornings ) the train windows effectively become mirrors and you can easily see all your surrounding travellers. I think I must have snored/boar snorted once and everyone was looking at themselves saying what was that???? Before all their eyes settled on me!

Oh the shame!
Anyway we were in London to look at the IFS University College. There were thousands more people than usual because there were Trade Union protests about Low Wages. I nearly had my eye on on several occasions due to their flags on sticks.  I thought I was very brave and professional on the Deathscalators and the Tube. We got to Leicester Square and stopped in a cafe for Brunch. It was here that the crime of the century happened. We chose a bacon and sausage muffin for £3.50 each. Not bad, you might think, for London prices. The ONE slice of value bacon I didn't mind,  the teeny button mushroom sized muffin I didn't mind, the rusk filled, possibly contained some piggy eyelids and nostrils at most,  nasty value sausage I didn't mind. What I did mind was the £3.50 charge for this...

glass of apple juice. Most definitely from concentrate. Most definitely from a value carton. Three pounds bloody fifty. But we were sat in London, it was really warm and we people watched to our heart's content.

Then we made our way to find Lovat Lane. Which is where the University building is. Nowt to do with Sweeny Todd actually. But years and years ago, back whent cobbles were fresh ( it really is cobbled ) it was a lane where the night ladies would ply their trade and it was known as Lovers Lane. We first saw an IFS sign on a giant red building. I tried unsuccessfully to gain entry through the glass revolving door. The smiley security guard came  to speak to us and pointed us in the right direction just across the road to Lovat Lane.  Once we found the correct building I tried unsuccessfully to gain entry through the glass door. ( MUM YOU ARE SOOOOOO EMBARRASSINGGGGGUH ) and a kindly student ambassador showed us where we should be!! We were early. It's only a four minute walk away from The Tower Of London. I'm glad I had the chance to go see The Poppies. Every single walkway around the Tower was jam packed with people. It was a very moving monument and I saw people crying. It was a little crowded for me and we didn't have much time. I took some photos

and vowed to buy one for my Great Grandad who died fighting in WW1 (much to my dismay they
are all sold ). The visit was informative and only served to put the cherry on the top for the Teen, who really wants to go there. This is the view from the top of that red building were were eventually allowed to go in.

That's called the Walkie Talkie!

The train journey home was fun in inverted commas fun. I was sat next  to a right little I'm better than
Most people type. Yawn. He went on and on and on. I daren't go to sleep in case I snored/snorted. It was hot. I'd worn boots. My feet were hot. It was bliss when we finally got home and I could just relax! ( X factor + Twitter = fab Sat night! )

This is turning out to be yet another long waffley post but I've not seen you in ages so I've much to say!
The last week of half term ( an 8 weeker for us staff ) is assessment week for the children. Remember Eyebrows child? Well he has been replaced. My newest most favourite thing a child at school said ever is  this.
Teacher - what is 8x8?
Child - oh man, that's way too hard for me to do. It's like sheep having to do a hundred homeworks. It's un doable!!!!!
SHEEP DOING A HUNDRED HOMEWORKS!!!! That has made me laugh and laugh and laugh this week! I do love my job!

Then. Wednesday night. I did something I've never EVER done before. My friend indoctrined me. It was a bit scary.
I. Went. To. Bingo.
Proper Professional Standard Bingo.
It was  a bright, glitzy, attractive entrance way staffed with jolly smiley faced friendly beings who didn't have to work that hard at taking my money from me! We walked past all the slot machines, to the main hall. A vast, and I mean VAST cavern FULL of people across all the decades. There were family groups, people on their own, couples dating, young and old. We went to the bar and already mesmerised and fully brainwashed by this strange cult, I bought a dabber pen. Turquoise. We chose a seat ( though I did check first whether seats were silently unspoken for - I did not want to upset any
Bingo Mafia Triad types ) and waited for our games to begin.
At the tables there's a machine that you can put money in to participate in extra games and the big Link Up NATIONAL game. I watched people in a feeding frenzy with these games. Shovelling money in as fast as they could. We only played it once. We didn't win, but two lucky beings elsewhere in the UK won £9000 each!

As we settled ( settled is the wrong word here - it's tense stuff concentrating on listening and dabbing ) in for the games I quickly realised that whilst it all seems light n frothy on the top, there's a palpable undercurrent of seething hatred going on for people who were winning! People were very vocal in their disappointment of not getting the line for £10 or the  £100house!! I was genuinely pleased for them!
Anyway. It was a cheap night out for a midweek. I was back by 9.30pm and I cannot wait to go back!!

So it's now the weekend again. The Uni one us back home at the Hotel of Mum and Dad. She's brought her young man too. I made a Cinammon and Coconut beef curry with pea and saffron rice out of this months Sainsbury's magazine. It took ages. As always when trying out a recipe first time, I stick to it. Next time I'll add more of the spices. It was tasty and flavourful but needed a little bit more 'oomph' I thought.

I finally relented ( only because we had a visitor ) and we enjoyed the First Fire Of The Season last night.

Knitting update - the back is almost done.

But I've had my eyes swerved to Entrelac knitting and I'm dying to have a go. That's something I'm going to try this Half Term. I'm stealing my friend's baby for a walk to town with a pram, I'm meeting up with friends, I'm putting off doing the HG Tax return, I'm catching up on all the housework that needs doing and I'm going to be baking with something I found in my cupboard that I forgot I had! And that, will be my next blog post!

Phew, we made it to the end! Thanks for reading if you made it here! What will you be doing with your half term?

Rachel *will probably be going to Bingo again* Radiostar xx

Colds - the Rachel edition

I am writing this in my sick bed. Rather over dramatically, it could be my last post. Because I predict I'm going to die from coughing.
I've spent the full weekend, practically, in bed.
I am blaming the small germ ridden beings I work with. Especially the one who coughed in my face last week.
This is how your cold will go if you catch it from reading my blog. And you might, because I have coughed on the screen a lot. Infact each typed word is interspersed with a bout of coughing. I cannot put my hand over my mouth because I'm holding my iPad with one hand and my forehead with the other.

The word 'cold' is also misleading. You will be sweaty hot at times.

You will start late Friday afternoon with hurty ears and throat.
I whinged about it at work. I went home. Took as many prescription non conflicting drugs as I could find and went to bed very very early.

During the night, you will be up with afore mentions sweats, needing lots of drinks for raging throat ergo bathroom trips too.  I finally gave in n got up around 4am to take more drugs and whinge about it to the people of Twitter. I hauled myself pathetically strengthless back to bed around seven and stayed there. I'm still there now. ( It's Monday morning )

By Saturday lunchtime your throat will cease hurting but the ear pain will be lurking in the background. Before you think oh, well, It's not too bad, the worst is over, it isn't. Your sinuses and  nose will take over.
I got up for an hour or two Saturday afternoon but was soon back in bed. Tired out. More drugs and roll on Sunday.

By Sunday morning, after another sleepless pain filled bunged up night the one niggly ear now will gently remind you it's there. You will also be profoundly deaf. In a little snot bubble of your own. You will need copious amounts of soft tissue to try and blow your brains out through your nose. You will get a pounding headache if you bend down and you will need four hours rest after you exert yourself making a sandwich. Deep joy is on its way.

The deep joy I refer to it the cough. It's a dry, non productive cough. It's a dry non productive cough you like, because you keep doing it. You do it til you can't breathe, you do it til your eyes and your ahem, bladder,  water. Yes, this is Tena strength coughing at its best. You also will probably get a six pack from the stomach tensing going on during these fun filled bouts of non stop coughing.

You will have whinged by text to your real life friends, whinged by Twitter to your Twitter friends and whinged and moaned to your HG and Son in your living room. I also whinged by FB messenger to the uni one.

By nine o' clock Sunday night, you will be wrestling with yourself over calling the boss. You will talk yourself into deciding if you get a good night's sleep ( you won't ), you will feel ok enough ( you won't ) to go to work.

Fast forward to 3am Monday morning. The Internet cure of putting Vicks on your feet and then socks to stop you coughing has not worked. ( I believe anything ) You've a horrible taste of Sinutab in your mouth. You realise that realistically you haven't the strength to get a bra on and deal with 28 needy little beings all day.

7am, you will make the call.  You will probably be shouting because you are still a bit deaf. You will cough down the phone at your boss. You will say how it's affecting your bladder ( why Rachel, why ?? ) . You will admit defeat and accept the inevitability of having to take your first day off sick in
three years. She will be the loveliest boss ever and tell you to stay in bed!
I'm so glad I'm not a boss. Imagine having to deal with various grim symptoms on the phone, and having to HEAR the symptoms too. Nice.

So, having whinged about it elsewhere, I'm now whingeing about it on my blog, to you. I HATE being ill, I HATE having my breathing compromised and I HATE coughing.
I must be ill, I cannot even be arsed with watching telly!!

Please go wash your hands now and take some vitamin C or something! I might be able to sleep a while.

Love from
Rachel *coughs a lot* Radiostar x

Second try at posting

Second week in October already.

Someone on the internets told me there's only 11 Saturdays until Christmas. My ma in law is already writing her cards! When you've got a 20 and a 17 year old it's not as easy to shop for as when you have littlies.  We used to pick stuff up in the sales all year round and stash it away. I fear if I did that these days, I'd forget where things were stashed! This year we generally have no idea what to get them, so I think we will get them nowt!!! ( Yeah, right. ) We will ask them for a wish list - cue an 8 page email from the one at uni with links to a billion frock websites and a request for a £30 lipstick. The boy produced a list of computer parts last year as he wanted to build his own. It was all gobbledygook to me.

Cake has featured heavily in my life lately. We have been having weekly cake sales at work to try and raise funds to reduce the cost of trips etc. Each class, each week is in charge of providing the cakeage.   I nearly slipped into a diabetic coma from the sugar fumes in the classroom last week! Our class made a whopping £170 ish. I made mini toffee muffins and some mini chocolate coated baked doughnuts. This week I made ginger butterflies and little buns with cream cheesey icing. I'm all caked out!!

It's rained a lot too. The weather turned from flip flops to wellies strength overnight. This displeases me. Also. The. Dark. Mornings.
After the discovery of an OMG Dead Spider  in our bed yesterday, it was stripped, hoovered ( yeah yeah a little after the event ) and the semi skimmed 10.5 tog quilt went on. I stifled a sob as I put away the 4.5 tog quilt for a few weeks .... I love it in December when I join them together to make an unctuous full fat 15tog! Also, it's fluffy sheets season! Cosy! 

On Wednesday I roasted a pork fillet for tea that I did with buttery mash, carrots, sprouts ( yay ) peas & gravy. O and these bad boys....

I know, yorkshires on a Wednesday! KUHRAAAAYYYYYZEEEEE! 

The boy asked me if I'd done roast potatoes. I replied 

ROAST POTATOES???? ON A WEDNESDAY???? Are you for real???!!!! 

Um, I can't remember what else I was going to blog about. Wait oh yeah, I WAS due to be on strike next Tuesday, but it was cancelled last night. This also displeased me. I'd made extensive lunch plans involving the pub!

Right, time to get up n get at em, or at least pretend to!

Rachel * mourning for her flip flops Radiostar xx

Ps, I tried to post this this morning but something went wrong and it didn't work grrrr

Fingers crossed.