bigfoodiemama

Phew ! What a sensational, satisfying and sleep deprived 8 weeks I have had. Since my last blog, we have celebrated BMM's 70th birthday in a way that made the Queen look deprived...there was the Tayto Park party, the Summer Pink Party, the Night at the Races Party and it was all topped off with the most fantastic 5 days in Verona and Soave with my sisters The Mad One and the Ambassadrice with the birthday girl BMM, The Line Dancer and Madame Corsica. We had a ball, ate wonderful food, flirted with Italians ( well The Mad One did!) and did our best to sample to produce of every local vinyard ...we did a pretty good job ! The Line Dancer does an amazing impression of Don Corleone and repeatedly uttered " Respect the Family" in a guttural low tone, usually when slightly inebriated.Turns out staying in an actual winery encourages this state...who knew! Having touched down at the airport The Mad One and I, having left our 3 costume changes in the boot of my jeep, headed straig...

Well things are really moving on ! The Lip Sync rehearsals have continued every Monday and Friday night...mind you a few people are taking it "very seriously" and insist of getting together in a local hostelry to " practice". Needless to say Lip Sync Levins, The Mad One and I did not feel that need...until last night ! After a 20 minute session with Lythe Lesley, who actually did not shout at us... we headed back to our local and arrived into a busy bar. Lip Sync Levins like the Cock of the North said to the barman " Can we use the back room?" and to much sniggering and teasing we paraded through the lounge, out to the vacant function room at the back..." to practice our moves" . The Mad One and I were delighted to see a full wall mirror , as we like to watch, and we set to jiggling, twerking and moving like the dancing experts we are. Lip Sync, who was in a pair of size 11 stilettos , was in his element and put us well and truly, through our pa...

Today has been a day of two halves. It started off sweetly by my two boys and I joining me down at the start of the Seamie Weldon 5k Run/Walk. This year I was to be in the " walk" section but was delighted to see all my old running buddies, very aroused at the sight of Gentle Gary and cheered up to see Jolly Joan's smiling face. I could feel the excitement and nerves of those undertaking their first 5 k, 2 years after I had completed mine. I was envious of the incredible buzz they would get afterwards. I suggested naively that the boys might like to have a photo with their mother going over the finish line but they gave me a look like they do when I suggest they eat broccoli ! I met up with Marie the Moocher, who was only too happy to accompany me as they took off with their friends . Off we went catching up on the chat as basically everyone passed us, but we were happy out in the sunshine alongside Lovely Leona.To my immense pride my boys crossed their first finish line...

Had you entered our kitchen last night you would have found a middle aged, mildly obese woman, in a pair of pyjamas, twerking at the island. Her bemused, amused and bewildered husband sat in the sitting room looking at her with a confused look on his face. The lady in question was, in fact, none other than BFM herself, trying to catch up on her dance moves from the Lip Sync rehearsal she had missed on Friday night. While the Mad One, no doubt, wildly gyrated around a local GAA hall under the instruction of Lambada Lesley, I was hosting a pizza party and sleepover for my eldest. The Mad One also had the joy of being in the company of the 3rd member of our trio, Lip Sync Levins, who has thrown himself into the madness with an air of "I don't give a damn" but he is carrying few bumps and bruises already as the Mad One is VERY enthusiastic. So while my younger sister had the joy of live instruction, company and rousing music, I whipped my hips left and right while trying to ...

Soooo...would you believe it. Just after writing my blog last night and the lovely GASP reading it ( still under the impression he was TOTALLY in the right) we sat down together to watch the end of Pelham 123. It gets to the critical point where Denzel the lowly radio controller is asked to deliver the cash to the crazed hostage taker a.k.a. John "Saturday Night Fever " Travolta. While walking to the helicopter with the chief hostage negotiator , Denzel decides to phone the missus, fairly confident that he might never see her again, as Travolta is a bit gun happy. In an effort to pretend that this is not happening his gorgeous wife tells him to take care and to " bring home a gallon of milk when he is finished"....AND THEN.....Denzel asks her " Are you sure we need a gallon" ????****FFFF. I looked incredulously over to GASP who viewed the ensuing conversation where she said yes she did need a gallon and he tried to convince her half a gallon would be fine...

So....GASP advised me he would phone me on his way home from visiting an elderly relative to ask me what I needed from the shop. I had happily brought the boys to football training to facilitate this visit , hence being unable to fit in the shop as well as working, collecting the boys and feeding them. I arrived at training and with joy noticed Striding Stephen looking for some company to walk around the pitch and we put the world to rights while walking lap after lap. His lovely wife Co Co Carol phoned us while we were on the way round and he briefly chatted to her, but advised her he was with his " other woman" so would have to hang up and see her at home. A few moments later, GASP, as promised, phoned me . I immediately said to him " I am with another man" ( female code for "my ability to chat is limited" ) and asked what I wanted from the shop. Wholemeal bread and ham" I immediately replied, to get you sorted for breakfast tomorrow and sandwiche...

As a result of a course I am currently undertaking, I have a bit of a positive psychology vibe going on. This is as much of a shock to me as any of you, as she who cannot abide homework or studying, has immersed herself in textbooks on the topic of Authentic Happiness, Positive Psychology and the art of Flourishing. I feel like a right swot but am delighted that in the midst of my mid life, a new yearning for learning has appeared among the fog of hormones and confusion. Just at the point that I was reading up on the value of gratitude, mindfulness, GRIT and positive emotions one of my dreams came true...I kid you not ! Now, as most of you are aware, I have a chequered history when it comes to breeding cats. Various tragically hilarious situations have seen my cat population go from 1 to 9 and back to 1 in various stages. My want for some female company has seen most of the felines turn out to be female, one of whom for 18 months until the highly observant GASP noticed 2 large glands a...