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Brit Mums Live

Sunday 31 August 2014

Friday 29 August 2014

Wednesday 27 August 2014

Tuesday 26 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 54


I bought this in Thailand about 7 years ago. The night I bought it was one of the best nights we had. It hangs on my bedroom wall and greets me every morning when I wake up. A constant remider of that night.

Monday 25 August 2014

100 happy days 51, 52, 53 Colne Blues Festival

Since I haven't been in the house long enough for the last three days to blog this, here's three days at once.
The Great British Colne Blues Festival has been blooming amazing. Ellis had three gigs and ended up getting in on two more as well. For three days we have been out at 11am and not back until 2.30-3 am the next day! 
Here are my three favourite photos that made me happy!




Lisa xx




Thursday 21 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 50 half way!

Day 50 

After a very busy day at work enroling new students. Its pj's on and its got a bit chilly so the blankets out too!
Lisa xx

Wednesday 20 August 2014

Tuesday 19 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 48

Feeling so happy and proud of Ellis. 
Three years ago he went to watch the great british blues festival  Two years ago he got to join a band for a song. And his year! Playing two full gigs! One of them here

Lisa xx

Sunday 17 August 2014

100happy days. Day 46

Watching the ducks get blown about in the wind. They have plenty of places to shelter but prefer it here!


Lisa xx

Saturday 16 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 45

Nearly half way through! 
And tonight it has to be Georgia and Josh dressed as crayola crayons on their way to a fancy dress party.


Lisa xx

Friday 15 August 2014

My skydiving experience.

Yes I'm getting older, I'm also getting more and more into setting goals for myself. I decided before I was forty that I would pilot a plane, not a boeing 737 just a little one haha. 
I did it and it was an experience, especially doing loop the loop! 

So something to do before I was 50. 
I decided on a skydive.
I had two problems in my way for this one.
1, I was 3 stones too heavy
2, I didnt think I would be brave enough to do it!

Tackling the first one took me while to do but eventually I managed it. 



The second one was going to be a challenge!

I came to the conclusion the only way I was going to do it, was if I did it for charity. After all I couldn't let them down. I decided to do it for the Stroke association since Kevin had, had a stroke two years ago. 
I booked the skydive through skyline.com to do it on the 3rd August and set up a Justgiving page. Ok I thought thats the easy bit done.

 I did this back in March and apart from sharing my giving page on facebook and taking my form to work, I didnt really think about it.
July soon came around and thoughts of what I had booked kept coming into my mind. It sounds silly but I kept bending over looking at the floor and imagining what earth would look like from 10,000 feet!

I had to be at the parachute site for 7.30am so I decided to book into a hotel the day before to save me panicking on the drive up.
As there weren't a lot of hotels near the airfield that catered for a family, I decided to book into Thurnham Hall self catering apartments.
It ended up costing the same as booking two rooms in a hotel anyway and it looked far nicer.

As the day arrived the weather changed and I had my doubts about whether or not it would happen this weekend. I decided just to enjoy my day in Lancaster, Thurnham Hall and being with my family, minus Georgia and Josh who kindly stayed behind to look after the menagerie!

Thurnham Hall didn't disappoint the apartment was huge, modern and had everything you could possibly want.

In the morning I was up at 6am ( after not sleeping very well, from nerves, not the bed) we had just booked out of the room when the phone rang to say the weather was too bad, no flying today.
To say I was disappointed was an understatement! But I did have a nice time in Lancaster.

When I was home I rang them and rebooked...weather permitting for the next day, I couldn't leave it any longer my nerves might not stand it.

As I set off the next day, the weather was getting better and better and I knew today was going to be the day.

The 'drop' was at the Black Knights Parachute Club in Cockerham near Lancaster.
It was set in the middle of no where but I suppose it has to be but it was very easy to find.
The staff were immediately welcoming and put me at ease.
We were able to watch all the take offs and landings to get an idea of what I would be doing.
They do tell you to expect to do a lot of waiting and they weren't wrong. But they had a cafe and settees to lounge on and videos of parachuting to either help calm you or make your nerves worse!

After a couple of hours I met my instructor Ralph, who talked me through exactly what would be happening step by step, making sure I understood at each stage what was expected from me.



After this I felt much less nervous and just wanted to get up there!
After we boarded the plane, Ralph gave me clear instructions and fastened us 'together' 

As the plane got higher and higher I looked out of the window and felt surprisingly calm, it was just how I imagined it would be when i'd been 'practising', looking at the floor. At this point Ralph showed me his 'gadget' on his wrist to show me how high we were. It was pointing to one, 'that must stand for 11,000 feet ' I thought. 'Are we ready then now Ralph?', I asked. No! We are only at 1000 feet another 10,000 to go yet'
I did ask if he was joking but as the plane climbed higher and higher I knew he wasn't.
He showed me again at 5000 and then 8000 feet and at that point I did ask if it was too late to change my mind. It felt as high as when I fly on a boeing 767 on my holidays! Nothing like I expected.

The next thing I know we are shuffling to the edge of the plane and as I hung over the edge wondering what the heck I was doing, we were out! 

Falling at 120mph doesnt actually feel like your falling at all, the best way I can explain it is as if your whole body was in one of those Dyson handdrying things you find in public toilets! Cushioned by air rather than falling. I was in shock and couldn't speak for a few seconds but then realised I was falling to earth and screamed. Surprisingly, you cant hear yourself, it was so noisy from the wind.

After 50 (million) seconds and the ground getting closer by the second, the parachute opened. I didn't shoot upwards as expected, I was just thrown from a horizonal position to a vertical one!



From then on it was amazing, the views, the silence, the floating sensation Ralph twirled me around showing me some famous land marks all which lasted about 15 minutes. The landing was very smooth and gentle. Much better than I had expected. Phew! 


It was over, I had done it! 
Would I do it again?
I wouldn't ring up and book another but if someone asked me to do another, I would.

And I have now raised nearly £1000 for the Stroke Association!

Mmmmm what next.....

Lisa xx










100 happy days. Day 44


Every night after tea Sprout paws me and grumbles. He wont give up until I lay him on my knees and massage his tummy. He then falls asleep for about 10 minutes, jumps of and is happy for the rest of the night. His relaxed state makes me smile every day.


Lisa xx

Thursday 14 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 43

Open mic night at the Green Chimney is as good as excuse as any to have one of their quirky meals.
They always make me smile.
And that Ellis now has two gigs at the Colne Blues festival!


Lisa xx


Monday 11 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 40

Im I really nearly half way through? 
Well today is greengages and blackberries handpicked from my friends garden. Jam and crumble to be made now.

Lisa xx


Sunday 10 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 39

A day spent at Trawden show. Yes it was a miserable day weather wise but with great company and some great comments about my work! 

Lisa xx

Friday 8 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 37

New mic for Ellis.
It was one he had wanted for ages. His smile put a smile on my face.


Lisa x

Liebster award


Yesterday I opened a comment to find that I had been nominated for a Liebster Award by the dear Maria from  marianoell217.blogspot.co.uk  For those of you who don't know, the liebster award is a way to share recognition amongst new Bloggers which is great. You are meant to nominate another 11 bloggers but im so new im not sure I know 11 new bloggers but I will do my best
I Nominate... 6 not all new im afraid but hey

Sarah from www.extraordinarychaos.com/
Maria from marianoell217.blogspot.co.uk  
Vicky from thecurvedopinion.com
Helen from casacostello.com 
Catherine from mrsplop.blogspot.com/
Holly from www.thechapmaneffect.com/

My questions are...

1, Whats your favourite genre of music
2, Your favourite film
3, Pants or skirt?
4, Name something you would do for charity
5, What is the scariest thing you have ever done.
6, Whats your biggest vice?
7, What are you wearing now?
8, If you could rewind 10 years, what would you do differently
9, What makes you happy?
10, What makes you sad?
11, If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be? 

My Questions were 

1. Who Inspires You?
My husband for being so hardworking, my daughter for her attitude to life, my son for his commitment to his guitar and my friend Sarah for her determination with her blogging.
2. What Makes You Smile?
Thats easy, my children, my husband, my pets, a passing stranger, I smile at everything!
3. What Is Your Favourite 'Sing In To Your Hairbrush' Song?
So many, Im always singing, not that I can sing. It would have to be a guns and roses or metallica song or arctic monkeys or black keys , queen , or you see I cant choose I sing it whatever is playing. 
4. Where Would You Most Like To Visit In The World?
New england in Autumn. Just sit me in the middle of them trees and ill be happy.
5. Bold Lip Or Statement Eyes?
It has to be statement eyes since my lips are so small its almost pointless wearing lipstick! 
6. Favourite Memory?
So many! I think it has to be bringing my first human into the world! 
7. Last Time You Cried?
Last Friday When Ellis sang Candy by Paelo Nutini and let his voice out loud for the first time. 
8. What Book Are You reading At The Moment?
The Rats by James Herbert, he is my favourite author, he died last year so my reading all his books..again. I like to have more than one book on the go my reading Stephen Kings 11.22.63
9. Would You Rather... Always be underdressed or always be                       overdressed?
Undressed! Im a comfort girl.
10.What Is Your Favourite Lipstick?
See no 5
11.What Is Your Favourite Childhood Memory?
Working at lowercross stables every weekend, mucking out and riding the horses or a younger one would be making pretend rooms next to the fireplace out of anything I could get my hands on, like cotton reels for chairs etc. 


I hope you lovely lot have enjoyed reading my answers and questions and I hope who I have nominated, join in too. Let me know if you do so I can have a look at your answers...


Lisa xx



Thursday 7 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 36

Tilly has not been her normal self for a few days but today she is back to her normal happy self. That makes me happy too!

Lisa xx


Wednesday 6 August 2014

100 happy days, day 35

Decking ducks, they came into the conservatory today to remind me to hose them down! It did make me laugh!


Lisa xx


Tuesday 5 August 2014

Monday 4 August 2014

100 happy days. Day 33

Happy to have my feet back on terra ferma.
My amazing skydive was today! Freefalling at 120mph my it was fast!



Lisa xx

Sunday 3 August 2014

100 happy days. Days 31 and 32

No internet connection yesterday so heres two days worth.
Yesterday
Day 31

What a beautiful butterfly and im really pleased with the photo I took of it.

Day 32

Great day in Lancaster as skydive was postponed due to bad weather. It cleared up for a bit, in time for us to go to the Ashton memorial. Lovely photo bomb! Thanks Ellis! 


Lisa xx