A London visit...

Get your cuppa and have a seat, it's a long one...

The Bucket family visited London this half term -  the idea being to visit the Natural History Museum, grab some lunch and then onto the Science Museum.

Well, you know what happens to best laid plans.

The Natural History Museum was our first port of call. We headed straight for the dinosaurs (what else) and it was fun to see Bucket jnr looking at the exhibits. Although the animatronix ones freaked him out slightly, he kept saying "look mummy they're REAL, they're REAL".

After a while we wandered through the other rooms, looking at bugs and things in jars (really creepy looking); walking through a big cocoon and then onto the large animals which is always a favourite.

We had a brilliant time but by lunchtime our stomachs were growling and we headed out, the queue at this point for the dinosaurs looked quite long and we patted ourselves on our backs for our early start. As we stepped outside we noticed two things - it had been raining (glad we missed that) and the queue didn't end inside, it snaked outside, round and round a barrier, out the gate and down the street. WOW!! I'm soooo glad we got there early as the kids would have hated standing around (in the rain) in a queue that long (and so would I).

Right, lunch....was a nightmare. Didn't appreciate how packed places got. We are definitely spoiled by living outside of London where you can generally get a table anywhere straight away. We'd headed to Leicester Square as has loads of choices of foodie places but it was totally heaving. We eventually found a place which seemed nice but I've never been more surprised by an interpretation of a dish. I'm gutted I didn't take a picture as it was a picture.

Try to imagine - Chicken Stroganoff with rice. Now I thought of some succulent pieces of chicken in a sauce and either on or beside some fluffy rice. Right? Like this picture...

mmm, looks yummy - what a shame I didn't get to eat this

What I got was some chargrilled chicken pieces that had been lightly brushed with sauce on some rice with piles of peas either side and across the top slices of tomato and across the bottom slices of cucumber. It was the strangest plate I have EVER seen but then again Mr Bucket ordered Beef Stroganoff which also came with the tomatoes and cucumber.

Note to self, next time don't go to a steak house restaurant that's in Chinatown.

After some discussion we gave the Science Museum a miss because time was getting on and we couldn't face more queues. We said we'd treat the kids to some toys at the Disney store and set off looking for it (I couldn't remember if it was Regent or Oxford street) which took some time. On the way we got to Hamleys - the excitement of the kids was catching and we pushed our way in (with the amount of people this was the only way).

I have to say, what a disappointment.

It's not the best laid out shop in the world and there are loads of floors to navigate but what disappointed us more was how they'd jacked up the prices on toys. Imagine you've walked around (who am I kidding, herded would be a better word), the kids have found some toys and then you look at the price and realise that you can get them at least £3 (or more) cheaper at home - cue the tears and the upset. And then because of the crowds you can't make a quick getaway out the shop. We survived, JUST!

So we set off again and, after some helpful directions, found the Disney store which was charming in its own way with soft Disney music and a more open store. We were there AGES just not by choice - the kids couldn't make up their minds.

Eventually we escaped left and as it was late decided to go home.

Bucket jnr charmed a pretty blonde lady on the tube and he whispered to me "this might sound odd mummy but I think she loves me" - altogether now "aaaahhhh".

It was a long day and our feet now hurt - it was good to get home. Sam xx

Woodland wanderings...

At this time of year you grab your good days where you can, so when there was a nice sunny day (a bit cold, but not too much) we downed tools, grabbed the wellies and gloves and set off.

A leisurely walk through the woods.

Trying not to step on the wildlife.

 Looking at the Autumn colour.

After all that, we were starving and stopped off for a delicious pub lunch. No pictures I'm afraid, but it was tasty and filling enough that I needed to just sit and rest for a little while afterwards.

Sam xx

Pruning & Baking...

Today started off pretty well - the kids weren't arguing, which was a start.

There's meant to be colder weather (frost probably) coming our way this weekend so I thought that I'd give the roses outside our house a haircut. Out I went, all prepared in coat and wellies into a misty, damp day.

 

 getting the tools ready

I have a bit of love/hate thing with trimming the roses as during the summer they look gorgeous and we've had a few people say that they look great. But when this time of year comes around I have to be fairly vicious with them and they always look a bit sad and pathetic when I've finished. They are normally the main flowers at the front of our house and it makes everything look a bit derelict and abandoned once they're cut down. Plus I'm always worried that I've cut them too much and they won't grow back.

the ones on the left done, now to start on the right

At this time in the month, money can be a bit tight so I said to the kids that I would bake some cakes. Now this is something that I've done many a time before - I'd even go so far as to say I'm rather good at it.

Well today I took my eye off the ball....all looked good when I took them out of the oven and set them aside to cool. A few minutes later when I turned around.......... THEY HAD SUNK!! 

WHAT???!!!

This has NEVER happened to me before, and I mean never, ever, ever.

I tried one (ok, a couple) to taste them and they seem fine, so I looked online to see what went wrong and I think it might have been because I put them on gas mark 6 and not 4. I did briefly wonder why they cooked faster than normal but it was only a fleeting thought so I didn't take too much notice of myself.

Some of them look really sunken but I suppose if I shove enough buttercream on top then no one will notice. It's not as if they last that long anyway once the gannets get their hands on them. Sam xx

p.s. definitely the temperature - had a little bit of cake mixture left for a couple more and they look perfect if I do say so myself.

The tooth and nothing but the tooth....

Source: Google Images

Well I did it....this morning I admitted to Miss Bucket (9 years old) that I was her tooth fairy and that it was ME that had, for the last soooo many years, been putting money beneath her pillow.

It was me that crept into her room, trying not to let the door squeak too loudly.

It was me that rummaged under her pillow, trying to find the bag with the small tooth in (she like to try to hide it).

It was me that answered her notes to the 'tooth fairy' - making sure my handwriting was completely different.

It was me that ran full pelt out the door when it looked like she was about to wake up.

It has been fun joining in with her excitement and wonderment, keeping a straight face as she got older and had her suspicions. Only last night saying "it can't be me, I'm broke and what on earth would I want your old manky tooth for?".

There have been a couple of times when I went to bed and completely forgot to put any money under her pillow. My excuses of "the tooth fairy must have had a really busy night" never questioned and then when she went off to the bathroom/sitting room, racing into her room to grab the tooth and stash the money for her to find 10 minutes later.

It has been fun and she thought it was really funny when the truth came out (thank goodness) and she realised all the subterfuge that had gone on. I don't think she realised before how sneaky both her parents really are. But, then again, it's a little bit sad that she's growing up and the magic fades a little.  

One good thing is that there is still Bucket jnr, he still has a mouthful of baby teeth so the fun can continue and this time we have a willing helper in Miss Bucket.

The magic goes on. Sam x

Let it snow ...

...Today I'm going to do some crochet.

Sitting here with my coffee (what a surprise) and looking at the early frost out the windows, I thought I'd look back at earlier pages in my blog to look for something that I'd promised to make a while back (December 2011) - I know, SHAMEFUL!!!

It was a little crochet snowman from Jill at Dapper Toad.
 

 These are NOT mine - what I'm hoping mine will eventually look like

I used to love crocheting but what with kids, school stuff, housework, baking, cooking and lots of other fun stuff, I haven't got around to making anything in a LONG time.

My main concern is the magic circle/ring but I've found a really good video on You Tube that shows how to do it really clearly and I'll share it with you if it works.

So I'm determined this is going to get done, by hook or by crook (definitely pun intended there) I'm going to finish one of these today.....hopefully. Sam xx

Reflection...

It's been a funny old week... I know we're currently in the middle of a week but I haven't posted for a little while so was just thinking back.

We've eaten all the cakes finally.

I've had a couple of job interviews - didn't get one and waiting for the other.

We have a tween in the house - won't say too much but if you look up 'tween behaviour' I'm sure you'll see what we've been coping with.

Bucket jnr has one of those lovely hacking coughs.

But, there have been a few little upsides...

I bought some seasonal socks which for some reason make me feel better (think red, white and grey nordic style).

There have been some lovely foggy, Autumnal mornings - hate rain but love the fog.

Yesterday was a calm, smiley tween day.

Read some good books and some good blogs.

I wouldn't say a lot has happened recently, things have just been ticking over with some good and some bad. Just wondering what today might bring. Sam xx

Happy Birthday...

...to Mr Bucket.

It was actually his birthday yesterday but I didn't want to embarrass him on his special day - I have plenty of other days to do that (only joking).

I won't let on how old, let's just see if you can guess.

His only request was that I made a HUGE coffee cake and here it is. It's a bit plain but he doesn't really care for all the extras that the kids like on their cakes.

This is the reason that we haven't completely finished off our chocolate fudge cake yet. Sam