Hi bloggers, hope your bank holiday's been good, mine has been ace. The weather in south yorkshire has been good all weekend - cloudy at times but warm with lovely sunny spells.

Hubby finished work on Thursday lunch and to start the weekend off we went to a local for the pub quiz on Thursday night which we really enjoyed. Woke up on Friday with a bit of a thick head but got our packing up ready and we headed into Derbyshire for a lovely walk starting at the Grouse Inn (which if you've never been is a lovely country pub). Can't remember Friday night but on Saturday my lads went off to Blackpool and we won 3-1. Its the first time the blades have won an away match when our M's attended so the lads were pretty happy and it was also great cos it was M's birthday on Sunday and the match was part of his pressie from us.

Meanwhile I met up with R. We did a bit of shopping then got a DVD of PS I love You and came back with some Ben and Jerrys and had a girly afternoon watching the film.

Yesterday R&R came round and M's girlfriend Hayley also came and we had a Chinese take away to celebrate M's 20th. It was great to get the kids together. By the time 12.15 came I was pooped and went to bed leaving the family to continue the celebrations.

Today me and hubby went to Debenhams and I treated myself to £56 of lingerie, hubby got some new jeans and we also got a lovely quilt cover for our bed. This afternoon I've been to the allotment collecting runner beans while hubby's been finishing off the patio which looks absolutely superb. I've blanched some beans which I'm about to freeze. Hubby's just gone to the hospital as yet again his ma is an in mate - same problem water infection. This time when she's allowed home they're going to keep her on a low dose antibiotic which hopefully may help to keep the infections at bay.

So back to work tomorrow but its my birthday next Sunday and me and hubby are going to Stratford on Avon for the weekend on Friday. Can't wait. We've booked into a B&B in Stratford which from comments posted on a booking website looks pretty good.

So bring on the next weekend and its only 3 weeks on Thursday till we go to Lanzarote. Brilliant, Life really is a Gas!

Hi all. Well I'm done at work now till next Tuesday and what a week I've had. For the past two years I've been doing a job well below what I'm capable of but as I was nursing myself back to good mental health it was the best thing for me. Now the time has come, as I knew it would, that I'm getting bored and need a new challenge. Anyway a couple of part time jobs have come up in the NHS trust which I work in which are both on the next grade and would give me more responsibility and a more varied job.

I spoke to one of the people who I currently work for yesterday and asked if she'd be happy to provide me with a reference. I could tell it was a bolt out of the blue for her but I explained why I was looking for something else and she agreed to supply a ref.

Got called into a mtg with my manager this morning to find out that its sent my boss into a spin and she wants management to see if they can do anything to keep me with my present team. I explained to manager my position and told them that the only way I would stay would be if they could put me on a higher grade, which at the moment they can't. Anyway during the coversation we talked about one of the jobs I've applied which would have the same manager as I've got now. We discussed the fact that I'm going on hol soon and I asked that that be taken into consideration when the interview date is set, manager told me she wasn't sure she could accommodate my request. Hence I told her that if that happened I would be most unhappy and although I didn't say it basically I would put going elsewhere. Game on see what happens.

On a different note my mate S who's expecting twins has found out she's expecting a girl and a boy - how amazing is thta I'm so pleased for her.

N&G are away on hols to Florida on Sunday although they're a bit worried after hearing about the current hurricane scare - will cross my fingers for them.

Now for the weekend. Hubby's off now so we're planning on going walking in Derbyshire tomorrow. On Sat the lads are off to Blackpool for the footie match. Me and R are meeting for lunch. On Sunday its Mat's birthday so we're having a chinese in the evening, R&R will be coming and Mat's girlfriend which will be good.

Its my birthday next weekend and me and hubby have just booked a B&B in Stratford for a couple of nights which will be lovely. Also on the holiday front, this time four weeks today I should be having a nice drink in Lanzarote. Me and hubby are going for 11 days and we're really looking forward to it.

Well that's it for now. Have a good weekend.

Hope you've had a good Sunday, mine's been ace. First though an update on last night. We went out with N&G and to be honest I was a bit brassed off with them. Firstly, they'd not been talking all week and I'd said to N would they be ok for last night and she said yes, going out last night had been their idea in the first place. So we met in the pub and there was obviously tension between them. It turned out G had a bit of an hangover as he'd had a few pints before the match and by the time they met us he'd got a bit of a headache. I think N was a bit brassed of with him and whilst hubby and G were chatting I was talking to N but to be honest it was a bit of a one sided conversation and I felt that she didn't really want to be there.

We went onto the Italian and the food was lovely, I had garlic mushrooms with king prawns followed by lasagne. It was delicious. However, by the time G got to his main course he was already quite full, it turned out that he'd had some chicken before coming out hence his lack of appetite. We went back to theirs after for a couple of drinks which was a nice end but I had felt a bit brassed off with them.

Anyway onto today. Me and hubby had a bit of a love fest this morning, then went to Wilkinsons to get some bulbs for the garden. We came home and did some gardening, I washed the car and now the lambs in the oven roasting away. R&R are coming for dinner and hubby'll be picking M up after work and it'll be ace to have a family tea.

Found the secret to getting the most out of my weekend - don't have any wine the night before. Went to bed last night and turned the light out about 10.15. Didn't have a drink as I wanted to save myself for tonight when we go to town with N&G.

Got up this morning about 9.30 after having brekie in bed courtesy of my hubbie. Popped to the shops, then after a coffee and a read of the paper I put some washing up, cleaned the kitchen and popped down to the allotment. Managed to get some kidney beans, beetroot and courgettes. I decided to make some soup for lunch ingredients were courgettes, green pepper, yellow pepper, veg stock and some fresh basil. It was lovely so me and hubby had soup for lunch with a sandwich.

This afternoon I've cleaned the bathrooms, hoovered upstairs and downstairs, made a strawberry flan for tea tomorrow and I've also made some strawberry jam.

Then it was time for me time so I put on a face pack, went in the shower, defuzzed and made myself gorgeous for my night out.

My tummy's already rumbling and our tables booked for 9.00 so me thinks I'll have a bit of toast and fresh strawberry jam.

Have a great night and see you soon.

Its been a difficult week on the family front. N&G haven't been talking all week basically cos their 15 year old daughter is playing up, just as our R did at the same age, and consequently N&G have fallen out about it.

In our house we've had a difficult week with M. Came home last night to be told basically that he'd packed his job in. After talking to him we're hoping that he can straighten things out with work till he gets something else sorting out. Me and hubby then went to pub and came back to find M pulling on his T shirt and his girlfriend in his bed!!!! Yes ooops. We were not impressed and severe words were had but to be honest you have to be very careful how you say stuff.

Anyhow back to N&G and we've booked a table at an Italian restaurant for Sat night. N says they'll be ok by then and if not they'll just have to pretend cos its my birthday night out and I want to party, party, party!!!

Well I did good. No hangover at all today although I feel tired and had to go to bed for a nap this afternoon. Two nights out on the trot is getting hard to cope with at the ripe old age of almost 45.

We went to N&G's last night and had a lovely meal. The duck in plum sauce was gorgeous and we finished off with baked peaches with ice cream, yum yum. N&G's having probs with their 15 year old daughter at the moment. True to form she's an arsy teenager and I think she's creating tension with N&G. Dad's always seem to favour their daughter's who in their eyes can't seem to do wrong. However, when mum's spent all day trying to ignore their daughter's acid comments or throw away put downs it gets hard to cope with which the dads don't see.

On another note though I'm missing R tonight. Rang her a short time ago for a little chat and it made me miss her even more. God its hard being a parent, you want your kids to be independent, be happy and confident to lead their own lives but when they do you want to take them by the hand and bring them back to the fold. No-one said I'd feel like this when she was first passed to me as a 6lb8oz baby but now she's gone and my nest feels empty. Its strange that you realise your dreams of bringing up children but still end up feeling empty when they've gone. That's life and I expect it'll get easier as time marches on, I think the next big hurdle will be Christmas but I'll just sit back and see what they want to do.

Sorry for rambling tonight. Tomorrow I'm out with my ma who's going to Ibiza next weekend with my sis and her family for a fortnight.

Next Saturday we're out on the town with N&G in honour of my birthday as they'll be away when I hit the big 45 so we'll party, party, party!

I wasn't going to write today but have been to see ma in law in hospital and I'm feeling quite sad and so hopefully writing will get the sadness out of my system. MIL's not too good, she was sat in her chair but she's in a world of her own. She can't see, is stone deaf, is increasingly getting senile and today she looked so frail and old. We only went to see her a week ago in the old folks home and in one week she's deteriorated so much. It brought back feelings of when my stepdad was ill five years ago. He had a brain tumour and from being diagnosed he had about six weeks to live. The decline was rapid and so upsetting but at least it was over in a few weeks and we didn't have too long to see him like that.

Whereas MIL's decline is very slow and draining for her and for her loved ones. Yet one of my hubby's workmates lost her 28 year old son about two weeks ago when he went into a diabetic coma - how can it be that a 28 year old can have a quick and sudden end whereas an 86 year old can just steadily decline.

Right, well true to form that's out of my system now. Moving onto more cheerful things. I went out with R for lunch yesterday and then looked round Meadowhall before she went to work. Now she's left home it really is quality time that we spend together, I do miss her being here but its nice to see that she's happy with R.

Last night me and hubby went to our local. Tonight we're off to N&G's who are cooking a meal for us. Duck is on the menu so we're looking forward to that. It's really nice to be invited into someone's home when they're taking time to cook for you.

Not sure what we're doing tomorrow yet, just hoping the hangover won't be too bad!

Can't believe its 2nd August, where has the year gone to? Its true that time really does seem to go faster the older you get and I'll be a year older at the end of this month.

A quick update: I went back to work on Tuesday to find thta P's not put her notice in as management have asked her to consider some alternatives. She's on holiday till a week on Wednesday so she's got time to think but to be honest she needs to get out of our dept for her own sanity (and mine if I'm honest). Anyway with P on holiday this week we managed ok.

Yesterday I went to Meadowhall for a couple of things and then went to Aldi. If you've never been then you ought to give it a try, its a load cheaper than the big supermarkets but the quality is great and you always have a bit of cash left when you've paid the bill.

Last night we went out with D&R. D picked us up and we went to their local for a meal and a glass of wine, then back to their house for more drinks. We didn't get home till about 2.00 this morning so have I've felt a bit jaded and definitely needed my power nap.

Other news this week is that ma in law is back in hospital with another water infection, poor thing. Hubby saw her yesterday and she wasn't too good and we're waiting to hear from his sister to see what she's like today.

Tomorrow I've got to get my bro's birthday present and hubby's carrying on with the patio. Monday I might be going to the seaside with R, ma, sister and her kids we're just waiting to see what the weather's going to be like.

Just watching the programme about Mamma Mia, if you've not been to see the film yet then get yourself off its fab.