Day 38 - Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not the end.

This seemed like a really special day!

On the spur of the moment Ruth called to ask if I'd like to go to a movie with her that she has wanted to see in a very long time... I jumped at the chance.  When we arrived the cinema was full, no seats were available but that wasn't going to stop us.. we chatted up the Manager "Chris" in the Beth and Ruth inimitable fashion and managed to sneak in, he even hand delivered a bottle of water to us! See, we still have the charm.

This movie was waiting for Ruth and I to see together, it was incredible.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

It was a charming funny drama when a group of people in their "Golden Years" decide to relocate to a new hotel in Jaipur, India.  I could only sit and reminisce of the time that I had spent there, I laughed out loud at some of the innuendos and  the similarities of my stay.  The scenes with the tok tok's where they are in head on collision, the colours of the fruit, flowers and materials of the markets, the animals walking the streets and the complete mayhem around you, the first class coach and train travel, the children following you begging for pennies.  The assault on your senses, even in a cinema in Harrow, was so apparent, it was remarkable how it all flooded back to me.

When these Brits first arrive they are taken to their hotel and it was no surprise to me that it wasn't at all luxurious as they were promised, it wasn't even finished!

Again, I laughed out loud when Bill Nighty who plays one of the discontented couple of 40 years was taken to a different hotel in a tok tok as the driver insisted it was better..... When I was there I was also driven to a different hotel as my driver said that my hotel had burnt down! For a moment I believed him, all my worldly possessions were in that hotel, including my passport and ticket home!  Of course, this alternative hotel was owned by his father and he was given commission with every new holiday maker he took back there!

Each and every step of this film made me smile, I just didn't want it to end.  There were some beautiful quotes and some amazing photography following laugh out loud moments that are still making me smile now!  After the film, home to the children and Ruth and I made some French Onion Soup!  We did discuss Japati to keep with the theme but the overflow of Onions she had been given by her brother turned us to a French Cuisine - It was delicious with french toast croutons covered with cheese, a really perfect way to end a very lovely day - bundled up Cassidy and headed home.  Thank you Ruth xxx

Evelyn: Yes 

[It is builder's tea] 

Evelyn: , we dunk biscuits into it. 

Sunaina's Brother: Dunk? 

Evelyn: Means lowering the biscuit into the tea and letting it soak in there and trying to calculate the exact moment before the biscuit dissolves, when you whip it up into your mouth and enjoy the blissful union of biscuits and tea combined. It's more relaxing than it sounds. 

Eveyln is played by Dame Judi Dench

   

Day 37 - Pinner Hill - Anyone for Golf?

Firstly my apology for the late blog! Especially to Mandy who now takes my blog back to bed with her with a cup of tea "it has replaced my newspaper!".


Cassidy very poorly today, my poor kids have spent the last two weeks unwell and I am feeling the pressure now.  I think that as a single Mum, it really hits you hard that you are alone when your children are sick.  To run from one to the other and back again is heart wrenching to say the least.  The nights are lonely and very long when you don't get much sleep.. however, it passes, it always does and little Cassidy is tucking into egg and soldiers as we speak!

I managed a great walk, once Cassidy had fallen asleep and Savannah was at the helm, my lovely neighbour Shelley rang on the door.  In one hand a glass of wine and in the other a very large inviting glass of Baileys!  A packet of crisps between her teeth.. what more can one ask for in a neighbour... Welcomed in with open arms we managed a very relaxing half hour in the garden sipping and chatting.

Shelley is fit, very fit, in more ways that one and our conversation led to my forthcoming adventure!  She was explaining how to breathe when the altitude hits you, in through the nose out through the mouth, this is so that you don't let too much oxygen in and you don't get heady!

On the spur of the moment and a little bit tipsy, we decided to take a power walk up Pinner Hill to test out the new breathing regime.  Now, my car struggles to get up this hill so I was a little concerned how I would fair and obviously didn't want to appear out of breathe on the first hurdle I let her do most of the talking.

We had a little biddy bottle of water each that was smaller than my previous Baileys that went straight through my bladder and before we ascended anything at all that resembled a hill, I needed a pee!  Oh dear.....

My fit neighbour with her swishing blonde curls striding up the hill with gusto and me, bladder fit to burst wishing I had my She wee with me!

It was a fantastic walk, to see how the other half live, the houses were amazing, each one different from the next with stunning original features, Shelley's favourite was one on the corner on the left and funnily enough, I liked the one on the right... hey, we could still be neighbours.

We had a stop off at the golf course for a quick round (in our heads) enjoyed the view and walked on (I was still busting).  Shelley was quite suprised at my pace but it was just so I could get to the loo quicker.

Walked home through the daffodils, a great hour walk, we decided it would be a regular occurrence.

Evening came and with the goodwill of my darling Savannah, I managed to pop out with my friend for a Thai Meal!  A lovely evening with lovely company.

Day 36 - Cake Strike

I was thinking about the Petrol Strike today, I had to get to Glaxo to do a show and truly had about a thimble full of Diesel in the tank..  With Cassidy poorly and Savannah due to go to College I was adamant that I would fill up around the corner in double quick time.  The queues were horrendous, it was amuzing that people were queuing up at my petrol station as it is 0.03p cheaper than most.  They were using more petrol than that just waiting in line, the whole road was blocked... I nipped around the back with the pretense of getting a car wash, drove up and around and backed into an empty slot, just like that...waited to see if anyone was going to pick a fight with me, all calm in Pinner, chucked in £50 and drove home, all good.

I then had a thought!  What if there was a CAKE strike, can you imagine the queue's coming out of Massimo?  They would be almost at my front door!!! I should really go and stockpile with cakes just in case.  I wonder if you can freeze them?  Do you think there is any danger is stockpiling Cake?  Except of course the eating it!  All those candles could cause a problem, especially if you have any Petrol!!!!

After a logistical nightmare of childcare, I managed to get to Glaxo just in time to set up.  It went brilliantly as usual, sold loads, including one of my new nightlights at which is always good as it is a new product that Les & I invented over Christmas.


Rushed home for Cassidy and the poor lamb was sick for the first time in her life! Bless her, she really didn't know what was happening.. she coped very well but she was a sorry state... sleeping peacefully now so hope tomorrow will bring her a better day.

Today I decided that I was going to write a Children's Book, in fact a little series of books called "On our way to School", This has been inspired by  walking with Cassidy each morning and the little things that we do together along the way.  I worked out that I have been walking backwards and forwards to West Lodge School for the past 17 years so I have plenty of experience.  I hope to be able to write and publish this book within 2012, so watch this space!

I also thought I would share a few of the photos that I took last year in the Park with the kids, every time I see these photos they make me smile so I wanted to share them with you!  Enjoy.

Watch me Mummy! I can balance

I can be Peppa Pig

I do like muddy puddles!

Muuuuummmmm my welly.....

Day 35 - Big Day - The Royal Academy

Big Day today, work this morning and two children sick AGAIN!  It is a recurring bug that has certainly attacked poor Luke, just when all the sheets were washed and dry in the lovely weather!  Off I go again changing beds!!!

Work, Work, Work then..

Paintings by Beth Gevell & David Price

Prepared to take the paintings into the Royal Academy.. talk about doing this by the skin of our teeth, it was hysterical, a little resemblance to Laurel & Hardy at their best.

1.  Firstly, I noticed that we should have sent back the registration form on the 12th March but because we hadn't even so much as purchased the paint or the canvases then, we couldn't do it!

Solved:  Forged that we had sent them in previously, photocopied them to prove postage...

2.  On reading the blurb, I noticed that there was a size limit and (not being very good with measurements) I was convinced they were all (bar one) far too big!

Solved:  Dave re-measured when he arrived from his 5 hour journey down from Leeds, all painting sizes were were fine! phew

3.  Two of the paintings weren't even dry yet!

Solved:  Left the heating on for two days solid and then put them on the top in the car and the sun can dry them better on the way!

4.  None of the paperwork had been completed

Solved:  Figured out all the convoluted paperwork before rushing out the door to get to the Academy before  7pm when submissions will close!

5.  We had not named the paintings yet

Solved:  Just picked random names (and random prices) and stuck it on the back! a.  Atlantic £1,500, b. Emes £2,200 c. Equis £2,500 d. Tempest £4,000

6.  We hadn't signed them - I made myself laugh out loud saying "They will be worthless if we don't sign them!!"

Solved:  Found an old Bic pen in the car and scrawled our names on the back whilst standing outside the Academy! I accidentally put my old name.. arh well...

7.  We hadn't wrapped them carefully in bubble wrap as statement on the information sheet - we grabbed some old stuff from the back of the cupboard, a pair of scissors and some cellotape and decided to do it when we got there... we were running so late and the traffic was building up and remember, Dave still had a long long drive home as he had a meeting in Leeds in the morning.

Solved:  As we walked in the sign said "remove all packaging", now that was handy as we didn't have any!
'
8.  We couldn't get the really big painting out of Dave's car

Solved:  Took at least 15 minutes of moving backwards and forwards, up and down, seats up, seats down, this door open, that door closed.... it was hysterical!  I almost gave up, saying that we would just have to leave it in the car for ever more!  A hammer would have worked.. the frame was broken in a couple of places anyway, but, what the heck!!! 

Honest, this is not exaggerated, this is a very honest count of the events of the evening.

9.  We had very little petrol and so did all the Garages in London!

Solved: Just about managed to get to destination without running out!  Running out of petrol with Dave... hummm, that has happened once before ..... x


So, the upshot of all these events is that ALL FOUR pictures were accepted as consideration into the Summer Exhibition of 2012.  One of them was even commented on as we took them in "hmmm, that's nice she said", I think she was looking at Dave to be honest, and not the painting!

Very pleased with ourselves, what an amazing night and a totally incredible experience from beginning to end.  When we sell our first painting, then we will REALLY laugh.

Pictures to follow!

Day 34 - Bambi Bambi are you on the 1-4

Went to Cadbury's (now Kraft) today to do a lunchtime sale with So Very Crafty, normally, I spend more money on chocolate than I make but this time I was good.  I did pick up a bag of chocolate peanuts (my all time favourite) but I then took them back after looking at the calories in half the packet!  I knew that if I opened them then I would eat them all, that was a given!!

So, with two plastic bags full of Green & Blacks, a bucket load of sour chewy sweets that Cassidy loves, a few of the cream egg bars that my lovely Jane loves and a few other treats that clearly, I love, I sat patiently waiting for the punters to buy.  What I should have been selling was Chocolate as the little shop was jam packed.

I did OK, sold plenty of the wind chimes thanks for the weather... packed up and dashed home for the kids, painted another masterpiece (really, this one is AMAZING), took kids to the park for an hour and home to make dinner!

Having put the event of the 14th of April on Facebook, it has come to light that quite a number of people who I haven't seen in many many years are coming!  I feel a little strange at the prospect of seeing Ex Boyfriends and buddies from the old C.B. days... Banjo, Banjo are you on the 1.4... I remember going fishing with him and his lovely family once or twice, I didn't want them to actually catch any fish and I think I spent the whole time throwing Chicken into the water!!!!  This is just a distant memory, it might not have been chicken at all!

It is going to be like an eyeball 25 years on!!!! i wonder if I have changed much! The Pinner Arms will be like T's & C's in Ruislip all over again, it will be like a flash back... Maybe I should perm my hair and find my old denim jacket.. I think Malibu and Pineapple was my tipple back then.. yuck!

Martin, do you remember when you were busted for having one of these?  We all had a whip round for you...  Remember my house being T & C's after Ruislip closed, we had queues of cars outside the house full  friends!  Oh, the good old days.  I remember my 16th birthday party so well, as if it was yesterday... lol, the days before mobile phones and text messaging... we used one of these massive things to communicate! How times have changed, can you image one of these in your jacket pocket kids!!!?
Instead of hearing Bambi Bambi are you on the 1 - 4, it has been swapped with lmao and milf (which of course I am), doesn't really have the same appeal huh!

Now I am going to share a photo that has turned up on Facebook, I have NEVER seen this before and it was from "The good old C.B days"..... brace yourselves!

Oh dear lord!!! Yes, that is me, making Sandwiches on the hard shoulder on the way back from Camber Sands!
Now I believe it would be a perfect time to rofl (roll on floor laughing for non texters)
Age 16

• Carla Barrett Looks like they are ready to decorate something lol

  November 18, 2011 at 2:41pm · 
• 

  Tracy Turner why have they stopped on the hard shoulder and set up a decorating table. ???

  December 19, 2011 at 7:45pm ·  ·  1
• 

  Carla Barrett That's what I was wondering too LOL

  December 19, 2011 at 7:46pm · 
• 

  Tracy Turner who is the women...???

  December 19, 2011 at 7:54pm · 
• 

  Carla Barrett women? lol There is only one in that picture. Beth. She was Andy nightshifts fianee at the time

  December 19, 2011 at 7:54pm · 
• 

  Carla Barrett Del, Alastair, Beth, Redshark, and Nightshift

  December 19, 2011 at 7:55pm · 
• 

  Tracy Turner i remember her

  December 19, 2011 at 7:55pm · 
• 

  Carla Barrett Bambi I think her handle was

  December 19, 2011 at 7:56pm · 
• 

  Debbie Chambers We were on our way back from camber sands and decided to stop for lunch. See perfectly normal for the hard shoulder to help out :)

  December 24, 2011 at 2:57am · 
• 

  Andy Harper What a road trip that was! Remember feeding sandwiches to others we'd been holding up in the traffic jam :D

  March 2 at 7:53pm via mobile ·  ·  1

Day 33 - The Shewee Extreme

So... sometimes I don't answer my phone, this gets me into all sorts of trouble with my friends and family- this is a typical day and the reason why..

Up early, with the loud sound of Monika singing "Jingle Bells" , made pack lunches, Cass dressed and ready for school, walked to West Lodge, back through Pinner to the Gym.

Did class at 9.30am, this time, due to "the head of the Gevell household" not being impressed with me lifting weights, I attended the class but used very light yellow weights that were the equivalent of two small Mars Bars!

Great class and followed by Zumba!  I thought I had rhythm before this but clearly NO.... both Rachel and I stood at the back of the class not really knowing what we were letting ourselves in for.  I had done 20 minutes on the Wii with Monika but that was really just sliding around on the rug in stitches!  This was totally different, I felt like Steve Martin in "The Jerk", where he had absolutely no sense of rhythm whatsoever.. they went forwards, I went backwards, the hips wiggled one way, mine just didn't wiggle at all, it was nearby impossible and if I was going to be damaged by anything, then this was more likely to be it!

Enough already.... had to meet up with lovely Gilly so excused myself after about 10 minutes... well that was my excuse.

Walked to Massimo (now Luis, if you search for Massimo in my blog you will most definitely find it on every page) met up with Gill for a quick coffee and a tiny tiny tiny cake that was so small that it was almost insignificant! However, I did eat Gill's too...

Home to trim up Rachel's hair for her then to collect Cassidy & Rosie from school to take her to the Harrow Art Centre where she had been chosen along with just a handful of classmates to take part in a Showcase Dance.  Then home, mad dash housework then back to collect her at 3pm.  Sorted out the evening logistics  sorted dinner, sorted kids,  shower, change and off to work till 11pm.... arh... work... rest!!!!

Printed flyer's about Charity Event, enough to throw out of a small aeroplane (noticed when I got home that I had forgotten the date!!! - arh well, any date would do... must re-print!).

When work quietened down a little I managed to have a little look on the internet for some hiking gear, that was a laugh.. I think I am going to get these...

It will help when all the others are way up ahead of me having their tea whilst I am climbing up the wall in the dark way behind! I think they are fab!  With this and the water bag and of course the "she wee" so that I don't actually need to leave the wall at all!  I am going to really look the part?  I think I might get matching pink walking boots and pink walking sticks too.....

I wish they had pink ones of these!

Mum, you know you want one!

 This one is the Shewee EXTREME!!!  This actually worries me a little, what on earth do you do with the pipe!!!??? and, is the wee supposed to go into that tiny pink pot? Answers welcome.  Maybe the longer length outlet pipe is so that you can aim it off the Wall!!!  Do you think that it is bright bright pink so that EVERYONE can see you wee?  I am also quite impressed that it is reusable, it would be a bummer if you had to throw it away after one pee!

Product Features

• Includes a Shewee and a longer length outlet pipe
• Includes a specially designed pink case for easy storage
• Reusable
• Bright Pink Shewee
• Extension Pipe
• Weight: 100g
• Dimensions: 190mm x 35mm x 65mm
• Material: Polypropylene (recyclable)

Day 32 - The Wisdom of Monika

Sunday, another beautiful day in Pinner... blue skies, warm sun and cool breeze.

Lazy morning, clocks went forward so up about 11 ish... needed to make sure head was OK!!

Went over to Ruth's to help with a little spring cleaning whilst she bakes cakes with Cassidy.  I clean, she bakes, we get on so well.

Making room in her cupboards was fun!  I did promise that I wouldn't mention which friend this was in my blog when she argued with me about throwing away an old jar of mixed pepper corns dated back to Dec 1999, then again when I came across the Rosemary herbs in a Safeway bottle from 2001!  Our dear Ruth is a bit of a hoarder and was adamant that she would come across a recipe in a few days that was going to need Pepper corns and Rosemary and then she wouldn't have any in the cupboard.... anyhow, after a lot of soul searching and gentle cajoling we did manage to fill up a couple of bags full of out of date Achar Masala, Cajun Spice Cumin and Ethiopian Berbere to name but a few!!!

A sample of some of Ruth's Old Herbs!

Tea for two

We sat on her new garden furniture drinking tea and eating her home made lemon drizzle cake from old fashioned tins, off old fashioned flowery tea plates - I actually felt like I had gone back in time (at least to Safeway days anyway!!). I did joke with her that a sprinkling garam masala would have just been lovely on the cake ... ooops, I threw it away.....


I then got a call from Monika she was at work, and not feeling too good so I went to collect her in the Belingo.  We decided that a little fresh air would do us the power of good so I took her to Ashridge, near Berkhampstead for a walk in the country.  

This turned out to be just what the doctor ordered!  It was stunning, the views were incredible. We could see the chalk lion of Whipsnade Zoo from the top of the hill - on walking up, Monika get's a second wind and starts to jog and I am now seriously lagging behind... she looks down upon me and says "Beth, I see a cake shop", my step quickens, I reach the top with my nose running and my ears ringing!  No cake shop, she was lying!  


She then commented that if she was going to walk the Great Wall of China then the best incentive for her would be... wait for it....... Pork Scratchings and Dried Squid, in her rucksack as she reached certain milestones on the walk she would take a nibble... "Beth", she said excitedly "you could take CAKE" - (please use Polish Accent once again to gain full benefit from these priceless remarks).

We then made our way down a very steep hill to see if we could catch a few lamb!  Monika turned around to me whilst I was maneuvering myself surreptitiously down and said "Beth, do you have any lamb food or any salt on you - lambs, they like the licking of the salt?"... you have to say this in a Polish accent to get the real impact, I fell about laughing into a pile of sheep poo... We sat still for a while so that we could catch a few photos of these week old lambs, poor Monika sat on stinking nettles and as she stood up she commented (remember the accent).... "my buuumm is stinking ."

Monika at the top

Beth at the top