bigfoodiemama

2015...what a year. In this, my 45th year on the planet, I played many roles. As well as my usual roles of mother, wife, daughter and blogger I was also a victim, a patient, a runner, a model and a judge. This year saw me at my most stressed ever, my sickest ever ( yes, of course they are connected), my fittest ever and my most philosophical. What did I learn ? I learned that I am not indestructible, I care a bit too much about what others think of me , that your real friends come to the fore in a crisis, that your family are all it comes down to when the s**t hits the fan, that your health is priceless and that I am very lucky. I am rich beyond money, wealthy beyond precious jewels and that I should be grateful on so many fronts. This year we started a little ritual at our kitchen table, at dinner each evening of each , in turn, saying what we are grateful for. It is a little but important part of our day now and even on the hardest days, it is great to find something positive to end...

The adorable Jackhammer Jones phoned some weeks ago, to ask if GASP and I would attend his 50th birthday. I was honoured and privileged that he phoned ( I thought someone had died!) and immediately said yes, dizzy with the excitement of meeting up with my other family, in my other home of Oswestry, in Shropshire. That evening I mentioned it to GASP, who said he'd like to come along ! Those of you who know GASP, know that this was a monumental development as he is happiest at home, stroking his bullocks, reading the Journal. I was thrilled, as the mere thought of 36 hours in my husbands company had me excited...not bad in our 13th year of marriage ! Now, those who might be more sceptical, might suggest his enthusiasm to come with me, might have more to do with the fact that Jackhammer Jones is a handsome, single 50 year old...ya see where I'm goin' ??? Rumour had always been rife that Jackhammer and I had some romantic connection...(actually completely untrue ! ) but worth ...

At 8.30 on a sunny , cold, fogy morning four Marathon Mary's met in Lidl car park, piled into one car and headed off into the sunrise to take part in their first Parkrun. Previously at this time on a Saturday morning these four warriors would have been either asleep, hungover or both but now rose like athletic goddesses to take to the cross country track. We arrived, about 45 minutes too early and parked up in Oldbridge on the grass, speechless with the beauty of the view of the estate, the Boyne bridge and the sun glinting through the clouds...it was breathtaking and at that moment it felt really good to be alive. I stepped out of the car to open the boot, to be greeted by a fellow runner who asked " are you ready for the pain ???" " Oh, I said, please don't mention pain as we are Virgins" I heard myself utter. He looked at me strangely and trotted off. It was at that moment that I realised the value of such events for the single ladies, and by the look on...

PERI MENOPAUSAL ! OH YES ! Just when you think you have it sorted, your kids are big enough for you to actually enjoy a day out, you're broke but want for nothing, you're the fittest you've been in years, you've kept the 2 stone off for 2 whole years and Nadia has won the Great British Bake Off.....the fff*** hormones strike. The clues were there.....! "Am I the only one who finds it very warm in here?" I asked repeatedly at work, only to be told that yes I was. The heating has been switched off in my office and I relish walking in there to the cool. I have to have a window open at night for fear I might actually suffocate in my apparently airless bedroom. If you asked GASP however he may point to one particular feature. The one week out of every four he actually fears for his life has become a lot harder to predict. Now it can happen ANYTIME ! The mere request for some mayonnaise on a sandwich the other night saw the bread knife point straight upwards and gli...

So the weekend had arrived when we were heading off to celebrate the Blonde's big birthday. Myself, The Wicker Keepers Mott ( WKM), the Financial Advisor (FA), Vanilla Ice and the Blonde headed off Friday afternoon to the mystery venue of Mullingar ! .....Yes, Mullingar !We checked into the lovely spacious apartments of the Annebrook House Hotel, popped open the bubbly and the party began. Night one saw us dine in the hotel restaurant, exclaiming over the dark brown bread like an ICA committee and thoroughly enjoying Seafood Bon Bons, Pork Belly, Butternut Squash Risotto and other such delights. Needless to say we had to wash it down, so a couple of bottles of the house wine did the trick. The FA and I who were sharing one apartment headed off to bed after a long weeks work, leaving the other 3 to enjoy a few more tipples two doors up. As a woman who had spent the previous night in a single bed with a nearly 6 year old, I was in my element at the prospect of an undisturbed nights...

Cantering Clare, MILF Mullarkey, Trotting Tracey, the BG and myself, still glowing from our first ever 5K decided to take part in this weekends 5K charity event. By committing to another 5 K so quickly after the first we were convinced, a) we could manage it and b) we were now athletes ! We gathered in the local football filled with all the other walkers, runners, cyclists and over our compulsory Jaffa Cake decided the first hill, about 200m into the run, was far too severe to actual run up, so we would use it as our warm up and run the rest. This was all very well but we forgot how excited we get when someone shout "Go" and shot off like women at an Arnott's Sale. Moments later I realised ,in shock, that I was actually running up a hill and that it was actually alright...so on we went. Yet again the BG, Trotting and myself took up the front row with the eminently sensible Cantering Clare and MILF Mullarkey taking up the rear ( unfortunate term!) Now, I could be wrong b...

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