Memorandum Monday .... learning the hard way.

A big wave to Sian and the fellow Monday greeters.

What did I learn this week?  Well I found that reading the list of side effects on a prescribed medicine will not tell you that it may bleach your towels!

That is what I learnt the hard way, when strange marks began appearing on towels.

They were first spotted on The-younger-by-one-minute son's bath towel.  I assumed one of us had been over enthusiastic with the bleach.

Then we discovered a hand towel that hence forth will be a 'mopping up' towel.

I was wondering just how either me or my DH had got bleach on the bedroom floor (which of course is where any teenage boys towel lives) when I realised that the pharmacist had mentioned his new acne cream contained benzoyl peroxide.

On closer inspection, one of the marks on his towel is definitely hand shaped!

So this led to another new for us (or at least him) - new towels.  New WHITE towels - which up to this point is a colour I have avoided due to trying to keep them white!  (And for the physicists amongst you I know that white is not truly a colour but a total reflection of light).

I'm off to visit you now and learn some more new things

Louise x

Memorandum Monday ....the kindle weekend.

A big wave to Sian and anyone else reading or taking part in Memorandum Monday.

I had what could be described as one of the best Christmas presents ever ... although it could also be one of the worst.

I got a kindle.  It has changed my life, or perhaps that should be taken over my life!

I've always enjoyed reading.  I used to get through several books a week in my younger days. 

Then I had children and had neither the time nor the spare money for books (although I did visit the library often, I'd struggle to get the book read).

Then 4 or 5 years ago we had new bedroom furniture and I sacrificed a bedside table in order to have the space for a chest of drawers.  This meant no bedside lamp.

So although I now had the time and money to read more often, I struggled to do so without keeping my other half awake.

In the 3 weeks since unwrapping my present I have read 6 books from a series by a completely new to me author.  I've downloaded quite a few free books and discovered him this way. 

Now those of you who are already shaking your head that I've resorted to a kindle in place of proper paper and ink, will probably be further distressed to discover that my favourite type of book is fantasy. 

Sword and sorcery to be exact, with lots of epic battles, some magic thrown in for good measure, as well as elves, dwarves and the odd dragon or two.

I'm a simple girl who likes a yomping adventure story with a 'good beats evil' theme.

Back tracking a little it was the newly discovered author (Ben Cassidy) that prevented me from joining in Memorandum Monday last week (well that and being in a strange/bad mood for several days.) 

I became so engrossed in the books that I couldn't put them down.  I even took my kindle to work with me, sneaking odd moments to read it when I should have been doing some marking and also snatching the odd glance whilst stuck in a traffic jam.

It's been years since I've been so caught up by characters and a story line.  When you can't stop reading because you just HAVE to know what is going to happen next.  When it doesn't matter if you should be putting on your make-up and getting dressed to go to work .... you must just find out how this particular part of the story ends.

I have learnt (again) just how much I love reading. 

And I have spent this weekend reading some more books by other authors I did not know (which is as good an excuse as any to avoid housework and mock exam marking as any).

Oh and as a first ... I took the newly teenage girl to have her first 'hair colour'.  She is a dark blonde so we asked for it to be brightened.  I think I maybe stressed that it shouldn't be too obvious, because of school.  I'm not sure it looks greatly different but she is happy enough, which is all that matters.

I hope you have had a fun weekend, with something new you have learnt or done.

Louise x

Memorandum Monday

The wonderful Sian has put a new spin on her Monday posts and I am hoping to join in most weeks.

I'm not sure if I learnt anything new as such this weekend - although I did discover a few things.

The first was that if you place an order, during the sale, with Next (even if these items are not even in the sale) they will not arrive within the usual day or so.  No they will all arrive in dribs and drabs over the following WEEKS!

 

I also discovered that you CAN NOT rely an a teenage boy.  And the surprising thing is that I knew this already.

But, fool that I am, I trusted that when he requested me to order and fetch a water-cooling system for his PC he had checked it would fit!

So I also discovered/learnt that you can fit a quart in a pint pot but it involves cut fingers, the odd curse, several losses of temper and the removal of other objects to facilitate said operation.



Finally I discovered that fellow blog readers are wonderful people and would like to say a HUGE thank you for all the lovely, encouraging, kind and wonderful comments left over the last week or two.  If any of you are ever visiting the Nottingham area you are more than welcome to pop in for a cuppa and a chat.

I'm off now to visit YOUR blogs (so you better have something for me to read :) )

Louise x

Slightly late ... but a very Happy New Year to one and all

We are a family with a lot of birthdays in December, I have to hang my head in shame and admit I forgot to buy a card for my Brother - his is on the 27th. 
 
I've tried to make myself feel better with the fact that he went to visit friends in Geneva on Boxing Day, so wouldn't have been at home to get the card.  However I also forgot to text 'Happy Birthday' to him as we were out visiting family for the day.
 
*hangs head in shame*
 


This is him on his first birthday
- he's a lot taller and quite a bit older now!

 
The last (or perhaps it should be first) birthday is my Mum's which is on New Years Day.  I'm not one that enjoys the whole New Years Eve thing, so this helps distract me from that. 
 
In fact if I allow I can get quite maudlin that another year has gone, that life seems to be passing by at increasing speed and that I still haven't finished painting the bathroom ceiling.
 
* Which now needs re-doing since we have leaking guttering/roof that is causing a damp patch.*
 
The last few years we have stayed at my sisters on NYE.  We have a lovely meal and then watch a film.  My brother-in-law chose 'Ex Machina'.  Normally I like a sci-fi film but this one was strange. 
 

 
 
And we almost missed midnight because their telly his hooked up to an xbox (to watch certain movies), a sky box AND a home cinema system.  This requires the use of at least 3 remotes .... we only wanted to put BBC 1 on for the countdown.
 
I remember when changing the TV channel involved standing up and pressing a button on the front of the telly .... although the programmes rarely stayed on past 11pm in those days!  And you got the National Anthem.  And the disappearing white dot.
 
I didn't get one photo of the whole event, partly because I am a complete numpty and also because my BIL's parents were also in attendance and I felt awkward about snapping away, in case it made them feel awkward!
 
I did take some photos including this one from the Winter Scavenger Hunt of ...
 

#8 A Wreath

 

Which was a slightly poignant photo because (all being well) this is the last Christmas/New Year we will share in this particular house as my sister and BiL are in the process of buying a new place.
 


And this year I'm extra grumpy about the whole thing, since discovering I go back to work a whole day earlier than the rest of the family.
 
(These things are important you know!)
 
I also avoid New Year Resolutions - that is just setting myself up to fail!  But I would like to get fitter in 2016 and perhaps use my bike that has sat forlornly in the shed for nearly two years.

So this in not exactly a 'ta-da' post and I've slightly missed the New Year slot but at least it means that things can only get better.

And whenever I think of that phrase I immediately get the D'ream song going around in my head.  And then I think about Professor Brian Cox.  Now that reminds me that we haven't watched the International Space Centre go past of late, details of which you can find here.

So if you've stuck with all that randomness a huge THANK YOU.  And also a very Happy and Prosperous 2016 to you all,

Louise x