SURPRISE!

On Saturday night the Pickle family were amongst many guests sitting silently in the dark at the local community centre waiting for the guest of honour to arrive. It was my friend's 40th birthday and her husband had arranged a surprise party for her with people coming from as far as Europe and as close as the village to be there.
She was told she was going for a meal with her husband at a local pub (which doesn't even do food!) and they were stopping off at the community centre because a friend of their had blown all the electrical fuses and needed help.
The look of surprise/shock/horror on her face when she walked in was priceless and luckily for everyone she did not swear out loud and was REALLY happy to see everyone there.
I am still in shock as one of the guests was a teacher from my Upper School Days who hadn't changed a bit and said he remembered me, but I expect he says that to everyone!
The music was a bit on the heavy side for me but Pickle and the normally pink and princessy friend of Pickle LOVED it!

Headbanging Pickle style!


My friend's 40th birthday continued in style today with a Pudding Club lunch at the local pub (it's a hard life!)

We had a small pasta starter followed by 7 (yes SEVEN) puddings to choose from.
Rhubarb Crumble
Apple Pie
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Trifle
Chocolate Heaven
Chocolate Brownies
Lemon Cheesecake

Sadly I could only manage 3 but they were delicious.
Roll on the next 40th!

Happy Birthday PICKLESSISTER!

This is slightly distubring, I sneaked into Picklessister Meez account to get her latest version and the above picture is what I found! Not yet an accurate representation of her but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. Until then she will be my little Flipper and we all wish her a very happy 11th birthday for Saturday.

What on earth.....

At Rainbows the other week, Pickle and her friends decorated some gingerbread people, with icing, silver baubles and some strategically placed Smarties.

Not sure who the second one is supposed to be.....

ME: ...errrr Pickle? What are those red bits supposed to be?
Pickle : BOOBIES!


I dare not ask what the silver baubles are!

Only in England.....

...can just 2 inches of snow cause so much chaos. After following Fourpints adventures with his snowblower since before December, I am almost ashamed to post this about OUR snow.

After listening to Heart and Radio Suffolk this morning I eventually discovered both schools were to be closed today by word of mouth from one of Pickle's dinner ladies!

A big thanks (NOT) to Suffolk County Council's School Closure page which was down until the afternoon and to Pickle's Primary School for not telling the relevant people that the school was closed.

Ok, ranting over, Pickle and her sister today made their first ever SNOW ANGELS!
I am usually too scared of what lurks beneath the snow to let them make them, but today I thought 'why not?'




This is Pickle's Snow Angel.

The trains have somehow managed to keep running today, probably because they have 'SNOW PLOUGHS' attatched to the front and back of the trains.
Not seen those before.

Russell in Suffolk

On Monday evening, with our babysitter happily installed, Picklesdad and I set off for The Ipswich Regent, to see RUSSELL BRAND, in only the 2nd date of his "Scandalous" tour.

We had good seats (12 rows from the front) but sadly were not allowed to take photos of the man in action, as there were several scary bouncers telling people off who tried.

When 'Sachsgate' broke I was worried this would be the end of Russell's tour, that he may not do a show. How wrong could I be! At least the first third of the show was 'Sachsgate' from Russell's point of view, not once did he bad mouth Mr. Sachs or his slightly unsavoury granddaughter, instead it was from the angle of how much of an over reaction there was from the media at the time and how much he enjoyed being the main topic on the Ten O'Clock news night after night.

Having since read some press reviews of this ACTUAL show, I am astounded at how much reporters make stuff up. One reviewer said there was a ripple of polite laughter at some of the jokes, and people were not finding the material funny. Was she in a different theatre, because from where I was sitting the WHOLE audience was in stiches for the entire 90 minute show.

After the show Russell did a brief walk around the foyer of the theatre where many many females of all ages were pushing and shoving to get closer to the man himself (yes..me included!)
Picklesdad was in charge of the camera and managed to get this photo over the heads of all those people.




Thanks Picklesdad!

Russell Brand Shows 1 - Katherine Jenkins Shows 2

YOU STILL OWE ME ONE!

X X X X

I have tried....

Ok, I have done my bit to educate my daughters in the world changing events taking place in USA today. In spite of much protesting I switched off Harry Hill's TV Burp from SKY+ and put on Sky News so they could watch Barack Obama being sworn in as President.

Pickle : Is that him?
Me: No.
Pickle: Is that him?
Me: No.
Pickle: Is THAT him?
Me: No, that's a woman.
Me: THAT ONE!! THAT'S HIM!

I explained that he was making a promise, similar to the ones Pickle and Picklesister made at Rainbows and Brownies. Good so far.

After watching this I checked Pickle's understanding of what she had just seen.

Me: Pickle? Who is that man?
Pickle: Um, um err...Gordon Brown?
Me: No, he is Barack Obama. What country is he now in charge of?
Pickle: CHINA!
Me: Close enough Pickle.
Pickle: Can we have Harry Hill back on now?

SSSHHH Pickle!

In Tesco (other Supermarkets are available) yesterday a man walked past us. Ok so far.

As SOON as he had passed by us, Pickle said in her loudest, clearest voice..."Mummy, was that man wearing a wig, because his eyebrows were a really different colour to his hair?"

Time to make a hasty exit I thought!

Thanks to Jo for making me think of blogging this one.