BIB FINALIST 2013

Unbelievably I have been included in the list of finalists for the Brilliance In Blogging Awards – a BIB Finalist, in other words.  I am truly stunned but very proud and flattered – I would have thought I ought to be in the “Most Persistent Blogger with no readers” category (although perhaps I’m being a teensy bit unfair on myself – I do have at least three readers).

I’m in the “Lifestyle” category – how gorgeous is that? Makes me think of blue skies and cocktails and sunshine and sparkly water and champagne and beautiful skin and dancing and laughter and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc on tap and gorgeous beautiful children wearing designer clothes and boats and sand and Jimmy Choo shoes, Chanel everything and long floaty clothes, oh and beautiful hair and gorgeous expensive perfume, rich men like J Gatsby who love me unconditionally and want to build me enormous houses (even if built on immoral earnings, I don’t care) and beautiful friends who also wear Louboutin shoes at all times, even when taking their children to school or in bed.

What it doesn’t make me think of is crumbs on the floor, a fridge full of mouldy food, an unbelievably disorganised and untidy house, cat hair everywhere, body hair everywhere, wrinkles, cheapest wine on offer (as long as it’s NZ sauvignon blanc – I do have some standards), socks that never match, feet that don’t fit into any beautiful shoes (trust me, they don’t), a very limited budget for clothing, loads of laughter sprinkled with grumpy children moments, hugs, arguments, door slams, stress (daughter driving mostly – she texted me at work the other day to say “what happens if you accidentally go through a red light?” My reply “usually you die by crashing into a car coming the other way or kill someone so you are very lucky and don’t do it again”), perfume indecision (no signature perfume at my age?? come on..), living life as a single parent…

HOW COOL TO BE INCLUDED AS A SINGLE MOTHER OF THREE??! I couldn’t be more pleased and the sign on my fridge says it all:-

(courtesy of Vimrod)

Because you know what? Our life is messy and chaotic and bringing up children is a massive learning curve and a challenge every day and my new job is the same, but I have beautiful funny gorgeous children and family and friends who are also wonderful and fill me with happiness every day.

I went through a very difficult and sad divorce, but have come out the other side, massively scarred but a little bit stronger and a lot more independent. Actually, I like our new life – because we are being true to ourselves and honesty and acceptance is important I think. It is by no means perfect – in fact it is probably massively flawed, but I have learnt to accept where we all are and my children and I talk. About everything and anything. Communication is key. We don’t always get it right, but I’m doing the best that I can – and that should be good enough for anyone.

Yesterday, as I peered out of the window from my office building we could all see a drama of some sort unfolding at London Bridge station – police and ambulances everywhere, nobody allowed in the station. On Twitter it said that a man with an axe was loose at the station. Possibly the general public over-reacting to the Woolwich atrocity as I haven’t heard anything else since, but I texted my daughter:-

“Going to be home late, station shut as apparently man with an axe there”

she sent back “OMG HIDE!!”

and then…”RUN AWAY!!”

and then…”GET A TAXI!!”

and then….”I”LL PAY!!”

So you see? Even though after a class I taught the other day, I arrived home tired and she said “Mum, you properly stink, you need to go and have a shower immediately” because that is what having children is all about – the unexpected.

This is the other mantra in my kitchen that a girlfriend gave me years ago – it’s so important to remember (and so me that this is my lifestyle message to you all and it’s got glare and an image of me and it’s all a little bit rubbish, but you get the general idea):-

and then here’s another picture in my house that a girlfriend gave me during the time that I felt I was trudging through treacle that helped massively (“When you are going through hell, keep going” Winston Churchill):-

oh and this is also on my fridge – because it’s a good message for the children to be aware of:-

I don’t think I have any more messages stuck on walls, so that leaves me to say a huge thank you sooooooooooo much to the Brit mums team.

Couldn’t Be More Delighted.