Second lesson

Isobel had her second riding lesson at the end of February. She's only going once a month at the moment, so I don't suppose she is going to progress too much in between, but she does practice on Bono her rocking horse at home!

Half Term

How can it possibly be the holidays? Surely they've only just gone back to school?

We haven't done a huge amount with the children, in fact I've felt quite sorry for them as Pete has been cracking the whip and making them de-clutter and clean when he's at home with them and I'm at work. Poor little souls! I took them to the indoor play one day, which was a good thing as it rained from the minute the sun came up to the minute it went down. We walked the 20 minutes there and back so were slightly damp from our travels. Taylor also went to a special holiday karting session today, his second this month, that he saved his birthday money and paid for himself. He was competing against 8 other boys his age, and won the time trial session. No surprise really as he drives like a lunatic.

I finally have a new full time job, I start in a week and I'm very excited about it! It's been tough these last few months to keep our heads above water. Today we have been a bit spend happy in celebration of me getting the new job, and have finally bought a new TV. We've been without a proper TV since the summer, after our big monstrosity inconveniently exploded. It hasn't bothered me too much but all the other family members are total telly addicts. We almost broke all our own rules and got one on credit, but held firm and walked away. We were glad we did once we'd had a look in Tesco on the off-chance, as we got a real bargain. I had quite a lot of vouchers to spend that I'd been saving up, so we got a Sony 40" LCD for £150 cash. Excellent! I also have a nice shiny new moped winging its way to me as we speak...well, once the new plates are released the first week in March. I cant wait to get back on the road and have a bit of independence.

Happy Birthday Taylor!

Blimey, twelve years old! Not that you'd think it, he looks and acts like a 14 year old. How can he have gone from this cute little thing:







To this great big monster?




He is 5ft5 and wears a size 8 shoe. Yikes!

Horseriding

Poor Isobel has never had a hobby because we've spent every spare minute and penny on football for the male members of the family for the last few years. We told her she could have a some money to choose a hobby, and with a little gentle persuasion from me she chose horseriding. It's a family tradition, we've all learnt to ride at some point.

Finding a good riding school here is tricky, they all seem so snooty and unfriendly when you look around, it is very offputting. I remember it being the same when I was a kid, when you found a good yard you stuck with it! We had a look round one just outside Wickford and it was just perfect, there were kids running around everywhere helping, and the owner was really approachable.

She had her first one last weekend and she loved it. She was a real natural, and was trotting round like a pro, and even did a little bit off the lead rein. We were all very impressed! My Mum has bought her a hat, jodhpurs and gloves ready for next time.

Bloody Ebay!

The people on there get right on my nerves. Our massive new-ish plasma TV broke in the summer last year, we couldn't afford to fix it so it has just sat there mocking us blankly ever since. I listed it on Ebay for 99p, and someone won it for about £55. They mucked us about for two weeks, sending messages about collecting it, then no one would bother, so in the end I had to open an unpaid item thingamijig. It all worked out fine in the end as I relisted it and got £65 cash for it, but it annoyed me that there is now no way to give that dodgy buyer negative feedback, so they can just go on messing sellers around. Buggers. I had the same thing happen when I sold my moped on there.