Four Eleven.

4:11am is the moment Mr 18 got in. 

My relaxing NYE in front of the telly  - DID YOU SEE PANDA BABIES? - got a whole heap frettier once we were informed that Mr 18 was going out with his friends into town. 

I warned him about alcohol poisoning and that he could die. 

I warned him about hypothermia- also he could die - I did actually make him go back and put  a t shirt on under his shirt because he was going out without a coat!! 

I warned him to stay away from morons and dickheads who were just out looking for trouble. 

I took his photo to mark the occasion ( and also so the police would have an accurate description image should they need it for when I rang them to say he's not come home ) ( I'm not even kidding!!! ) 

His mate Dave arrived to pick him up. 

I told him to have a good time!! 

I did!! 

It was his first significant night out. I don't know if I worried more because he's my only child left at home, or whether it's because he's a boy or whether he's that much quieter and less social than his sister!! 

My friends ( unhelpfully) reminded me of when we used to go out without a coat on and get absolutely leathered on Diamond Whites and vodka!! But the pubs shut at 11pm then and no club was open past 2am. And no one seemed to get stabbed and set upon for no reason. 

Anyway, he sent me a Happy New Year message at midnight. Me and Jools woke the HG to do the same. I stayed awake what iffing till 2am. I sent the boy a text instructing him to come and wake me to let me know he's in. 

At 4.10am the HG woke me to tell me he wasn't in yet. The HG hadn't really slept at all!! At 4.11am, just as I picked up my phone to ( RING THE POLICE ALL HYSTERICAL) see if Mr 18 had texted back - he had!! "OK" was his reply. The front door opened and in he rolled! The HG went to check him over to see everything was alright and he went straight to bed!! 

I've been to check he hasn't choked to death on his own vomit and he's still asleep! He'll probably have a bad head! But also some happy memories of a great night out with his pals! Like I do, with mine!! 

I'm glad this right of passage is done. This parenting lark gets harder!! Bring back toddler tantrums and potty training!  

Today there is roast beef for tea. The Dining room will be de- decked and I'll knit a bit having not done any yesterday! 

The first of the month and I forgot to say white rabbits!! Mind you I can't be that unlucky; I won £10 on the Postcode Lottery, I've two great offsprings and a lovely HG. There's food in the fridge and cupboards and it was payday yesterday! So until all the bills zap out electronically, money in the bank!! I've a job I love, hobbies to do, loads of friends. 

I'm a bit of a spoilt brat compared to some. So 2016, lets be having you! 

This picture made me laugh. 

Lots of love from 

Rachel *a few more worry lines* Radiostar xxx 

The world and his wife are....

Juicing. Or it seems so. EEEVERYone at work is at it. Eeeeevveryone on fb is at it and I've seen a few bloggers at it too. Me? Not on your nelly! Even if you lose 14 stone in a fortnight!

Have you SEEN the mess that a juicer makes? I have. We have a juicer, bought by my son on a whim a few years ago. We bought carrots, oranges and apples etc. He was so excited with his purchase and was so eager to make one.... The world  me and the HG held our breath. This boy had lived off plain crisps, beans, mashed potato and wafer thin ham for months - bloody kids - I'm sure they all go through a fussy eater phase; ergo I was FRANTIC with worry he wasn't getting enough vitamins etc. I bought vitamin supplements and he did eat weetabix but I still admit to being neurotic mama.
( I was v grown up during this phase of his, I simply and calmly served up the family meal every night, quietly removing his plate with no fuss all nonchalantly like - even though I was BURNING WITH RAGE AND ANGER BECAUSE MY FOOD WAS BEING REJECTED AND HE WAS BEING SO NAUGHTY AND JUST EAT YOUR FLIPPING TEA ON THIS INSIDE, and eventually he did start eating properly again! Although he still won't eat pasta or scrambled egg. WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM?????!!!!!!

Anyway, we held our breath, he sipped the first one - orange, it was acceptable. The apple was ok, but the minute a carrot went in hailed death to the juicer! He didn't like it. I tried it. It was rank. I tried a recipe I'd found online, with ginger, lime and cucumber. It was frigging revolting. It was wrong on so many levels. Firstly electricity to make it is KILLING the planet; NOT healthy. A billion quids worth of oranges a week, NOT healthy....for my purse. A fruitillion hours spent dismantling the juicer and scraping pulp from nooks and crannies, NOT healthy for my temper. What a mess. It gets under your fingernails. The outside of a juiced courgette stinks and feels like nothing pleasant on this earth.

So, as you can probably guess, I WILL NOT be hopping aboard this latest juice band wagon. I'd rather have my 5 a day as main and pudding, not as a down it in one because its trendy. Oh my word, how uncool of me, using the word trendy!

In other news, my purple chillies are now fruiting! The do look like they have gone bad, but the label says they are purple, so I believe it! I have some juicy tomatoes coming along nicely too!

I spend most of my day outside in the garden on 'death to all butterflies watch'. I watch, incredulous, as they fill up on nectar from my lavender plants at one end of the garden, gathering energy for fluttering up the other end of the garden to where my beloved vegetable plot is. I am currently defending several Cavelo Nero plants, sweet potatoes, beetroot, turnip and basil. I have netting. I have a tennis racket! Butterflies don't make a satisfying thwack sound though! They are not even pretty butterflies. Just bog standard Cabbage Whites, this year there are tons of them. What is a natural predator of these pests because they can come to my house and naturally predate to their hearts content!

So, if you are juicing, good luck! How are you spending these sunny days? What are your top butterfly tips? Do let me know xx
Rachel x