Swotty swot swot

Officially my OU course doesn’t start until tomorrow. Would it be really swotty to say that I’ve completed TMA 01 already?

I need to get ahead, you see. My brother, Adam, is visiting this weekend with his girlfriend, Tracy, and their baby, Jessica.  We’re paying a visit to my mother’s grave.  What fun!  The following weekend is filled with kids parties. The weekend after that we’re celebrating Cait’s birthday with a movie night, courtesy of the projector from work, and a day of bowling and eating till we burst.

TMA01 is due on the 15th February.

I’m still a geeky swot aren’t I?

When I was your age, television was called books

Thursday Thirteen

Some lovely people have suggested titles for future Thursday Thirteens.  I’m going to do them in the order I receive them and would be more than happy to receive suggestions for future entries

Suggested by the adorable Michelle:

• 13 things you love about your house;
• 13 things in the room that you are in right now;
• 13 things you would do if you suddenly won the lottery and;

13 childhood memories suggested by the fabulous Tracey.

And Mas suggested these:

• 13 things (that mean something) on your desk, (shelves or noticeboard/pinboard/wall/bag) ? (oh, that’s similar to the 13 things in the room you’re in which was suggested. Hmm)
• 13 decisions that changed your life?
• If money was no object, 13 places you would rather live.
• 13 things that keep you going when the world’s against you.
• 13 (bad) things that the world always seems to throw at you.
• 13 truths you’ve learned.
• 13 secrets you’ve not told.
• 13 of the best gifts ever given or received by you.
• 13 people you would bring back from the dead and meet if that was something that could be done.
• 13 food or drink items we might not expect you to like, but you do.
• 13 hours in one day.
• 13 mistakes you regret and
• 13 mistakes you do not (regret)

Better get started then…

13 things I love about my house:

1. The people who live there.  My house is just a place to live.  It’s my family that make it my home. 
2. My bedroom.  My favourite room in the house.  It’s usually piled up with ironing or stuff that needs fixing but it has a big bed which is ideal for snuggling.
3. The value of it.  I know it’s greedy but I’m making money just by living there.  Think of it as an investment for the future when the country can’t support me in my old age.
4. The spiffing laminate flooring that I laid throughout each bedroom and the downstairs.
5. My book cases.  I have stacks of books despite regular donations to the local library and I have to store them somewhere.  Fortunately we’ve got these really old oak bookcases that are very useful for holding books up.
6. Having two loos.  Don’t laugh.  There are six people who live in my house and queuing for the loo isn’t fun.  Neither is having my “reading” interrupted by the plaintive wails of an eight year old announcing that they’re “desperate”.
7. The elephants that live under my stairs.  I have these ancient wooden elephants from Africa that live on a chest in the hall, under the stairs.  The Hildy has added an elephant tapestry to the wall for added effect and, when we don’t pile junk up near it, it looks rathy good.
8. The back garden is small but it’s good just to sit out there and relax sometimes.
9. The bounceoline is an 8 foot diameter blue trampoline that gets regular use by the kids and their friends and one or two “adults” who fancy a quick bounce.  Little Al christened it the bounceoline.
10. My L shaped living room is really treated as three rooms.  One for the computer and music, one for sitting and watching TV, and one for eating food and doing homework.
11. My two seater sofa is soft and warm and fits two full sized people, usually me and The Hildy, with one kid able to squeeze in between us for a huggle.
12. The clutter.  I know that clutter really bugs some people but it makes my house feel “lived in”.  It’s dynamic and you can usually find something interesting near the bottom of a pile of clutter when you tidy up.
13. The communal green that the back garden leads on to was placed there for everyone to make use of.  Only my kids make use of it so I’ve essentially got a giant lawn that someone else mows once a month.  I’ve even got a tree to climb.

Next week (if I remember) is Michelle’s “13 things in the room that you are in right now”.

Thanks.