Fluttering ButterfliesFluttering ButterfliesRamblings, mostly of books and the adventures of raising a toddler, from a twenty-something American living in England! Articles
And now we have the whining
2007-07-22 21:34:00 Wow, have I had the worst cold ever. I know nobody ACTUALLY cares about the details, but I'll tell you them anyway. It's nice to vent sometimes. Last Friday (sorry, make that the Friday before last), I was so tired I ended up passing out during Elliot's naptime and when I woke up, I woke up with the worst body aches, fever, headache and chills. This lasted for two days. Then my fever broke, and the sore throat showed its head. That was a nice period. There was the one night where I didn't fall asleep until 3am because my nose was so blocked up I could only breathe out of my mouth, which was aggravating my throat. Once my sore throat became semi-bearable, I ended up with an earache. Fun times. I've been to the doctors, all I've heard is 'let the viral infection RUN ITS COURSE' Great. I wasn't particularly looking for an antibiotic handout, but I would have liked something. A token something. Currently, of course, my nose is still blocked, I still have a cough, a...
Woohoo!
2007-07-13 23:24:00 You're Watership Down!by Richard AdamsThough many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you'reactually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink theirassumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where theybuild their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'dbe recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.Take the Book Quizat the Blue Pyramid.
Brighton!
2007-07-12 12:25:00 I love the seaside. It was windy, but Brighton was beautiful yesterday. It was wonderful to do something different and fun, and I was in some good company! Elliot seemed to enjoy himself as well and he brought home three of his favourite rocks :)
Look what an angel sent me
2007-07-08 20:23:00 We didn't have our (precious) internet connection there for a few days, otherwise I would have shared this with y'all sooner. Look what N got me for Independence day! Isn't he sweet? A big box of American sweets was exactly what I needed just now... the 4th of July is never what it should be over here in England (and why would it be?) but in this house we always try and do something to mark the day. Once we had proper fireworks, once (or twice?) we had sparklers, usually we just eat American food or watch a typically American film. This year, we had (yummy) burgers and apple pie. Plus my sweets :) Hope everyone else had a great time... More About: Angel
Reading roundup *edited*
2007-07-07 22:49:00 I haven't been writing too much lately about the books I've been reading. I have become bored of writing reviews and such - partly because of a lack of response, partly because I've become too lazy to continue doing so. Here's what I've finished lately (and yes, all but one of them are on the 1001 books list):Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood - which I adored. Seriously, with just the two books of Atwood's I've read, she's catapulted to the top of my favourite authors list. I'm looking forward to some of her other books, but unfortunately, they look just a bit too thick for me at the moment. Currently I have the attention span of a fly. Will write a proper review of this over at the Dystopian Challenge website eventually.The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark - I hated every minute of this book, yet something unnamed and unknown kept me from putting this book down forever. I hated the characters, the plot, the writing style, everything.Veronika Decides to Die by Paul... More About: Books , Reading , Roundup , Round
Mmmmm, Lamb
2007-07-05 14:46:00 I've always been a bit squeamish about animals rights (having given up McDonalds and KFC, not because of health reasons, but because of reports of animal cruelty) but thanks to Gordon Ramsay's F Word in which he raised lambs in his back garden only to slaughter them on television, I am now seriously considering becoming a vegetarian. Apparently, quite a few people are. It really does make a difference to me when I see exactly how these things are done. Thoughts? Opinions? More About: Lamb
Elliot's Big Toddle
2007-07-03 13:19:00 At Elliot's toddler group this morning, he participated in Barnardo's Big Toddle - a charity event raising money for vulnerable children in the UK. And you know me, people, anything for charity. But oh how I did regret joining in... It was meant to be a nice quick 'toddle' in a nearby park. Like an ass, I just ASSumed that the walk would be paved in some way, not just trodding all over marshy grass. But seriously - half a mile with Elliot was absolutely painful. 10 feet into the walk, he started a tantrum as I tried to lift him over a massive puddle, and instead fell into it. He grabbed a stinging nettle, tried to run into the river, stopped three times to sit and pick flowers, veered off into some trees and got scared by a man walking his dog. I had to carry him the last bit as he starting crying because, yes, we were the last ones out there. I just had to keep repeating to myself, 'it's for charity, it's for charity' as his muddy shoes smeared all over my favourite pair of...
...And counting
2007-07-02 12:29:00 Welcome to July! It is exactly 3 weeks until my birthday. And even though both my husband and mother-in-law thought that it'll be my 26th birthday this year, I'll really only be 25. Birthdays are strange for me. I don't ever really get excited by them for two reasons really:1) birthdays weren't well celebrated in my family growing up. We'd usually get presents either well before or well after the actual day, no cards and maybe a 'oh right, happy birthday' on the day. A bit of a letdown. and 2) very few people remember my birthday. I blame it on the fact that it's right in the middle of summer. Friends are usually busy or away during summer. N always makes a big deal about my birthdays usually, which is nice and I love him for it, but it seems to be an uphill struggle for him as I can never decide on what I'd like for my birthday or what I'd like to do. Is that just me? Are you supposed to do something extra-nice for your 25th? More About: Counting
Because I have nothing interesting to write about...
2007-07-01 11:42:00 ...so I give you pictures of the ever gorgeous Elliot. Hope your weekend went well! More About: Interesting , Write , Thing , Eres
1001 Books to Read Before You Die
2007-06-28 14:46:00 By the way, THIS is the list I've been working my way through. I've currently read 69/1001 of the books (and own maybe 30 of the others) and if my (calculator's) calculations are correct, that's only 7% completed and rather a grim statistic. I don't really think I'll have missed out on much if I never read any of the other books on this list, but it bugs me that there are literally hundreds of books there that I've always meant to read. So, I will. In time. And I may even write about them on this blog. How many have you read?! More About: Books , Read , Fore
Where I try to write too much to make up for my recent absence, bulletstyle
2007-06-24 21:38:00 First off, thanks for the massive response to my previous Wordless Wednesday post. In answer to the few questions I had regarding the photo - no, I'm actually a terrible gardener, so much so that my mother-in-law comes around sometimes to mow the lawn for me; I have no idea what type of roses they are - they could well be Don Juan climbing roses but they all sort of look the same to me; they were here when we moved in, I didn't plant them or anything; and last, I don't have the slightest idea if they smelt nice (they died a few weeks ago I've just been lazy about posting the photo) because I hardly ever go out into my back garden. I agree though, they do look pretty and they cheered me up as I stood at the kitchen sink doing dishes day after day...I am not pregnant. This is the real reason I haven't been posting of late. For the last three weeks, I could have sworn to you that I was pregnant and expecting a little girl. This is actually the second month in a row I thought ... More About: Make Up , Write , Recent , Make , Make-up
Another little gem from N...
2007-06-14 21:50:00 N: When I'm not here and Elliot's asleep, do you dance around like that crazy teacher in Billy Madison and put glue on your face?Me: (blank stare)Me: It really makes you happy to think that I do, doesn't it?N: Yes. More About: Litt
#5 on my list - Buy and maintain a houseplant
2007-06-08 13:28:00 ...which means I'm halfway there! Sorry for the lack of posts, everyone in this house has been ill. N even stayed home from work yesterday, and he never does that. Bring on the weekend! More About: List , Plan , Ouse , Plant
I've been waiting a long time for this...
2007-06-05 17:37:00 ...After saying it a million times a day for the past 18 months, Elliot can now say 'ay ub oo' (baby translator: 'I love you') and it melts my heart everytime he says it! And in other Elliot news, he's not been feeling great the past few days. Over the weekend he had a raging fever. It lasted three days and then disappeared (after almost a whole bottle of Calpol down his throat!) but he's still feeling under the weather. He doesn't seem to have any cold symptoms apart from a runny nose, but he's very clingy, wakes up in the night crying and then sleeps more than normal during the day. He's also incredibly tantrum-y. I find myself losing patience with him and then feeling incredibly guilty, because, of course, he's not well. It looks like a combination of teething (which he's never had a problem with before, even though he has 4 molars)(molars are what the back teeth are called, right?) and the terrible-twos. Whatever it is, it better go away quickly. (I'm also poo... More About: Parenting , Time , Long , Waiting , Been
The travelling bug..
2007-06-04 13:52:00 It feels like everyone I know is going on holiday or doing something exciting (like getting married, having babies, or emigrating to foreign lands) and I want to too! Because of our lovely big house, the expenses of spoiling our son with toys and clothes to his heart's desire, and the fact that no one wants to hire me, we will not be going on holiday this year. But I do have a small challenge for you. Let's say there is 10,000 US dollars handy available in your holiday savings(Monopoly money perhaps?) what would you do with it? Plan me a holiday! Use expedia or whaever travel website you use, but be sure to use it all! Will it be a bunch of weekend getaways? Lots of time in one location? A trip around the world? Plane tickets and hotel bills only, spending money is a different issue... More About: Travelling
One of the hardest posts I've written.
2007-06-01 12:49:00 All children need acceptance, love, encouragement, discipline, consistency and positive attention from their parents. Children who are denied these things often grow up thinking they are deficient in some way and that they somehow deserved to be treated badly. Sadly, when they become parents themselves they may emotionally deprive their own children because they don't have a positive model of parenting to draw on.I took the above from the NSPCC website in their section dealing with emotional abuse. That last sentence, by the way, is my absolute worst fear. But the abuse I suffered as a child is not something I normally talk about, and for good reason: few believe me when I tell them. Isn't that awful? This cruel thing has happened to me, and it feels like something shameful and that I'm to blame for them and if I ever get up the courage to tell someone about these things, I come across disbelief.My father was very inconsistent in his parenting skills. He was both my most loving p... More About: Posts , Written
Heritage
2007-05-31 16:46:00 Did I ever tell you that I am part Tlingit? When I was younger, and my mom was still around, it was a heritage I was proud of, and I celebrated the fact, it made me feel special. I wrote many a term paper on my Tlingit backround, I went through a reading phase which solely consisted of Native American stories and creation stories likes this one. My mom used to take my brother and I to powwows in the area, to potlatches and a Native American arts and craft workshop. I went to a Native-American camp for a week every summer (and have some of the best memories). I made my own dreamcatcher and started a beaded belt using a loom. My mom made me hand-beaded earrings. When my mom moved out, I felt a bit lost. Not only because I had lost a mother, but because I felt like I'd lost my connection to my heritage. To part of my history. In highschool I made a half-hearted attempt to re-emerse myself by joining the Native American Student Union. We made elephant ears once or twice as a fundraisin... More About: Heritage
Another list
2007-05-30 15:42:00 I've been working on a really difficult post over the last few days, and I just can't get it right. So instead, I give you another list. List s are something that N makes fun of me about all the time. I love making lists and I have at least four different notebooks filled with them... here's my most recent list of library books:One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey which I'd always meant to read and am loving now that I am reading it. I didn't realise how much I missed home but while reading this, my heart jumped at every reference to the Pacific Northwest that I recognised. I do miss Oregon. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak which I picked up this morning - I was shocked to see it there on the shelf, I was expecting it to not be available for a few months! I can't wait to read it and might bump another title off the list to read this sooner!The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster - I remember SOMEONE I used to know raved about Paul Auster, I just can't remember who. ... More About: Books
Fun at Thorpe Park...
2007-05-25 12:44:00 N took me to Thor pe Park yesterday. I'd wanted to go to a theme park for ages and I'm so glad we went yesterday... it was warm, but not too warm. It was busy, but not busy enough that the queues to all the good rides were ridiculously long. We went with a friend that N works with and his wife and their daughter (who was born 2 and a half weeks before Elliot). N and his friend aren't a fan of the roller coaster, whereas me and his wife were perfect roller coaster buddies! :) Elliot and N had lots of time to spend together going on the rides and playing in the park while I went on this and this. I had such a fabulous time and was on such a high... doesn't it look like Elliot had a fantastic time too?
On moving to England
2007-05-24 15:46:00 My friend Shadowfalcon is moving to Australia for a year. It's a huge change. And I felt somewhat bad that I may have contributed in the decision making process in that she's seen how happy I've become after moving to England almost 7 years ago. Though I am happy now, that wasn't always the case.I moved to England a few weeks after my 18th birthday. I wasn't able to work, I knew nobody apart from N's family (his mother and older sister) and N's friends. In the beginning, N and I lived in a cosy flat nearish to the High Street. Though I would have been able to easily walk to the shops, I never did. In fact, I hardly left the flat. With N at work, most days I had to force myself to change out of my pyjamas. I didn't eat properly, I couldn't bring myself to do the dishes or make the bed. I was slowly sinking into depression, even with my wedding day just a few short months away. I ended up putting on 10-15 pounds in less than 4 months. My wedding dress had to be taken out to t... More About: Moving , Ving
Chicken Jambalaya
2007-05-23 13:32:00 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (9oz/250g in total) cut into bite size pieces4 oz (110g) chorizo sausage, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch (2 cm) pieces1-2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion, cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) slices2 cloves garlic, crushed2 sticks celery, trimmed and sliced into 1/2 inch (1 cm) pieces on the diagonal1 green chili, deseeded and finely chopped1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) slices6 fl oz (175 ml) white basmati riceabout 1 pint (570 ml) hot chicken stock1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce3 medium tomatoes, dropped into boiling water for 1 minute, then peeled and chopped1 bay leafsalt and freshly milled black pepperFirst, heat the frying pan over a high heat and brown the pieces of chorizo sausage, without adding any fat, then remove from the pan to a plate and set aside. Then add a tablespoon of of the oil and, when it's hot, brown the chicken and transfer that to the plate with the chorizo. Next, fry the onions for 2-3 minutes to brown them a l... More About: Chicken , Jambalaya , Jamba , Alaya
Gina's Questions
2007-05-22 12:45:00 Awhile back, I saw over at Just Another Day, Gina was offering to do a mini-interview and in a lapse of judgement, I put my name down for it. Apparently, I'm meant to offer to ask other people questions, but I'm shy. Please don't. Here are Gina's questions, I had fun with them :) What is the best concert you have ever attended?I wish I had been to more concerts to have a selection to choose from, but sadly, I have been to a total of two concerts in my entire life. I'll tell you about both :) The second was a few years ago, when Shadowfalcon and I still worked together. She invited me (and our husbands) out to this cosy little bar in London, where Rosie Thomas was playing. I hadn't heard of her music beforehand, but I really liked it. She has an .. interesting alter-ego that comes out in between sets. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but honestly her music is beautiful and I've got all her CDs now :) And my first concert. It'd have to be my favourite. When I was ... More About: Questions
Thanks for the traffic!
2007-05-17 12:56:00 I saw this on Lil Duck Duck once. I waded through my sitemeter and have listed the blogs that have recently brough traffic to my site! A big thank you to all of you! (sorry, those of you who use bloglines!) Check them out and maybe consider thanking those that link to you as well :) Love all around, I'm sure!Jim and Katie had a little mishap with an exploding barbecue recently...What I Do... has taken a little break from blogging, but the archives are still there!Random Stuff and Ramblings is busy moving homes!I'm Me, What More Do You Want? has had a loss in the family :(A Meyerific Life has the most adorable children, but they seem to be a bit of a handful at times :)Abundantly Blessed recently had a birthday in the family!Exorcise My Devils is feeling a bit under the weather!Mis-adventures of Captain Poopy has a 'fig' growing inside her (and I'm so jealous!)Books. Lists. Life. is walking down a musical memory lane...Adventures in Babywearing LOVES shoes! Go check them al... More About: Traffic , Thanks , Hank
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
2007-05-16 14:20:00 Wednesdays are the days that Elliot goes to his grandma's house for the day, and I usually spend my freetime catching up on housework or laundry, but today was different. Today, I had The Road by Cormac McCart hy to keep me company. I stayed in bed all morning reading this haunting yet beautiful book. I could have wept, but I didn't. I almost couldn't. Here's what the front flap has to say:A father and his young son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. Their destination is the coast, although they don't know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing but a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food - and each other. I couldn't believe this heartbreaking world, set in a time after an unexplained catastrophe. With many forced to abandon their humanity to survive in this new world, a father and son try to get by and be ... More About: Books , The Road
Fahrenheit 451
2007-05-15 18:57:00 I finished another one. This time, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I'd been meaning to read this book for awhile, but I'd never gotten around to it until now. It's a fantastic book! And really powerful. It made me reconsider the amount of time I spend watching TV, it had me wondering if I really listen to the people I care about, it made me more aware of how little I am aware of current events. If ever a book made me really stop and think about my, then this book was it. It's set in a future where books are banned and no one thinks for themselves in order to achieve happiness. No one listens to what other people have to say, everyone's lives are very superficial and based around silly nonsensical TV programmes. Life is very fastpaced and surrounded by noise and chatter and materialism. The protaganist, Guy Montag is a fireman whose main responsibilites are to burn books and to burn the houses of people who still own books. He meets a strange girl who asks him unusual questions ... More About: Books
Camera Phone Photos Part 2
2007-05-14 11:45:00 There can never be too many photos of Elliot :) Have I mentioned that Elliot can say many words now? Here's the list: mama, hi, bye, yeah, puppy, car, bear, my bad, baby. I'm very impressed, except everytime Elliot says 'my bad' I cringe just a little bit. More About: Phone , Photos , Camera , Part , Camera Phone
Camera phone photos
2007-05-13 14:06:00 N transferred the photos from the (three) camera phones to the computer yesterday, and I thought I'd share a few with you. Blogger only let me upload 5 photos, so here are the first five. Now if only I knew how to share the videos with you... More About: Phone , Photos , Camera , Camera Phone
Something nice
More articles from this author:2007-05-12 11:22:00 A few weeks ago, I was sitting in a cafe with a friend of mine from antenatal class, drinking our mint frappes, and my friend said the nicest thing to me. We had been talking about our complicated relationships with our mothers and how that had affected how we are as parents. I mentioned that I still felt insecure about my abilities as a mother because of my own mother, and she was surprised. She said she thought I was a great mother, and that as a mother she looked up to me because of the obvious affection between Elliot and I, because of my relaxed and laid-back approach to motherhood. I almost cried. She said so many nice things that day, and two weeks later, those comments still make me feel good inside. So I hope you all read this and decide to tell someone close to you something nice. Some thing that they will carry around for weeks, that makes them smile. On another note, it's Mother's Day in America (in England, Mother's Day has already come and gone) so to all my A... More About: Nice , Thing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
|
 |
|
 |
