The Great South Run for Rett UK

Me? Run?..... No! But I did hurt my back just watching ha!

No, not me, but my beautiful step daughter completed her first 10 mile run on Sunday and ran it in under an hour and 50 minutes! What a girl! We are all so proud of her, she has been determined since she did the 10k race for life, followed swiftly by the 5k straight after in the summer; to do this race and raise lots of money for a very worthy cause.

Lauren has trained hard, run harder and worked even harder towards this and completed it with a flourish and a smile, in honour of her older sister who has Rett Syndrome.  

Lauren and Carly

Lauren has raised over £500 for Rett UK, an amazing charity, you can read more about them here...

http://www.rettuk.org/rettuk-public/rettuk/about-rettuk.html

Or have a look and like their page on facebook here...

https://www.facebook.com/RettUK?ref=ts&fref=ts

Lauren is also holding a charity night on Halloween to raise even more money for this cause and her link is still live if you want to check it out.  More donations are of course more than welcome, or even if you just want to read Lauren's story... Do follow this link...

https://www.justgiving.com/Lauren-Barcroft/

Lauren we are so so proud of you and we are now looking forward to cheering you on next year, in everything you plan to put your running shoes through... Including the London Marathon!!

Well done and much love to you xx

The Rucksack Project Portsmouth

I've invited all my friends to this event on Facebook, I'm very proud to be taking part again. Do have a read about it and how it all started here... http://www.rucksackproject.org

The local event in Portsmouth is here... https://www.facebook.com/events/836615246357563/?ref=2&ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming   And there are people hosting events all over the country, do check out the main Facebook page for details of events in other areas, have a peek here... https://www.facebook.com/rucksackproject?ref=br_rs

If you want to take part, but can't make a whole bag, or don't have time to fill a rucksack; if you have any of the items on the list knocking about at home without a use, give me a shout and I'll gladly take them off your hands and put them to good use.

Mum and I did this last year and will again this year put some bags together for those less fortunate, those who are homeless in our local community. I don't want your money for sponsorship, just an old flask, thick gloves, sleeping bag, tins of soup with ring pulls, anything that you may have and don't/won't use that is nothing to you, but would mean the world to someone else.

Remember, it's getting cold out, have a warm heart xx

http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Hampshire/Portsmouth/PO6/News/Local-News/278918-Fill-a-Rucksack-for-a-Homeless-Person

I must remember this...

Sammy xx

Anniversary! 10 years have passed already!

So this time 10 years ago, I was waxed, plucked, painted and primped; and all ready to get married tomorrow!

I can't believe it's been 10 years, it's gone so so quickly.

I wasn't a completely traditional bride, and I had a massive 'thing' about spending the night apart from Mr B the night before the wedding.  Everyone wanted us to stay in separate places, as tradition states, and I was having none of it! I've no idea why, or even why I felt so strongly about it.  It got as far as me refusing to get married if I couldn't spend the night with my husband to be!  Stress does wonders to your perception of life. 

Speaking of stress, I didn't just do wedding planning, I rolled everything stressful into one! It was my last year in uni; writing a 10,500 word dissertation on mental health and social exclusion, I chose this opportune time to give up smoking and was planning the honeymoon to leave the very next day of our wedding.  I also couldn't possibly have a wedding car like normal people, I insisted on hiring three mini's for our wedding cars (red, white and blue.... Think 'self preservation society'...) which needed returning in our absence, just to make it more difficult!

Anyways, this time 10 years ago, Mr B and I went out for dinner and promptly got quite drunk!  We left the restaurant and went along to a few bars to keep us topped up, when it dawned on me it would be hilarious to call my mum.  So call I did! I rang home and told her i'd changed my mind and the wedding was off, everything needed to be cancelled.... The prank however backfired on me, when my mum fell about laughing too - yep she and my dad were indoors drinking wine and were quite drunk too! Like mother like daughter eh!

Well we've had an amazing time this last 10 years, and I love looking back at our wedding pictures, it was a fabulous day. So I thought I'd share some with you.

My pyjama party hen night, with my two best friends.

With my mum and dad, two of the most important people in my life.

With my beautiful bridesmaids.

There was a moment in the Registry Office where we couldn't possibly stop laughing and this is my most favourite picture of the day.  Mr B got an attack of the nervous giggles, which brought about the giggles for me and then the whole room!  Even the registrar had to sit down and take a moment! I don't remember our vows at all, but this moment meant that all our wedding pictures have natural smiles and absolutely no one forgot our wedding day.

With my grandparents, very sad to say none of them are here anymore.

The wedding party. I still to this day feel sad we got married in a registry office, not for any reason other than we couldn't have everyone there I wanted to and that still makes me feel sad. But hey... I may manage to get my own way and renew our vows/get our wedding blessed and have a party under the pylon... Watch this space!

So 10 years on, I'm still as happy now as I was then.  I may have been very young to get married (22), there may be a huge age gap between us (19 years, nope doesn't bother either of us or our families), I had to have two wedding dresses (that's another story) but I married my best friend and love him dearly.

Thank you Mr B, for the amazing wedding, the memories, putting up with me, and everything in between xxx

Couples holiday

Well as you know we’ve just come back from a lovely holiday in Turkey, two weeks of relaxing by the pool, the beach, long walks, lovely dinners and…. Couples bickering everywhere!

 

It is hard not to people watch when you aren’t doing a great deal, but it is so funny to watch two people, who may well be married but never spend more than an hour a day together in their usual busy lives; be thrown together for two whole weeks with not a lot else for distraction!  All the little niggles and insecurities come out, tempers fray and emotions are high and my god did these people keep us entertained!

 

We went to a couples hotel, (read - no children NOT swingers hotel please!) so we were surrounded by many many couples at all times in our resort.

 

Mr B and I are very lucky, we’re about to celebrate our 9^th wedding anniversary this year and we still get on ok quite well (I think!?).  There are times when Mr B works away, Monday – Friday and is only home weekends, sometimes he goes for two weeks at a time – so I do get quite used to being home alone, so when he comes home and makes a mess it is a little bit of a shock to the system, but doesn’t end in rows.  Although my two friends H and J know about my pile of clothes gripe! – That’s another story.

 

We always talk, (I'm a talker anyway!) and we always make time for each other (I'm conscious of falling fowl of a smug girl disaster here so I won’t say too much!) and generally we rub along quite nicely together.  So going on holiday and spending all that time together isn’t a massive shock to us, but of course – we aren’t perfect and don’t go without bickering from time to time.

 

It was so easy to spot these couples around the pool – these were the women throwing their men dirty looks, muttering in grunts under their breath and arguing about whether they had the right spot or the right bed.  I must say it was mostly the men on the receiving end of these gripes, but don’t get me wrong there are men arguers out there too.  I'm pretty sure if they knew people recognised their behaviour they would be embarrassed, but by and large I'm not sure they recognised the behaviour in themselves!  Even couples walking down the street passed us would be arguing, Mr B and I just fell about in laughter. (Once they had walked passed – I by no means want to make anyone feel bad!)

 

As well as being funny to watch, it did sadden me somewhat.  Think of all that time you’ve spent saving for your holiday, all that planning and this week or two of precious time to spend together and you spend it rowing!  So ladies, give your men a break, men if you are the arguer – give your lady a break and go and enjoy your time together. 

 

I was once told by a very lovely lady, ‘its so lovely you guys talk to each other all the time, a couple that can talk to each other at any time of the day or night, is a couple that will stay together’.  So remember, do talk to each other, do include each other in your lives and for the sake of your embarrassment keep the arguing to your room or at least quiet voices and not the buffet breakfast restaurant shouting at each other full pelt over the baked beans!  Or just suspend hostilities until you get home!

 

Ttfn, Sammy xx

We made it!

So.... I don't think for one minute that the holiday curse is cured; but I am pleased to say we managed a few weeks in Turkey, (all bar a bee sting, a bank account malfunction and puppy having to have his ear stitched up right before we went), and travelled home with no hiccups!

A mud bath to make Mr B and I look 10 years younger!

I have lots to tell you and lots planned, but I'm still very sleepy!

And I only put on 3.5lbs after a two week all inclusive holiday - I'm so happy!

Be back soon.... Sammy x