18 years ago...

(when he was one ...)

... my little baby boy was just born and I knew form the first moment I saw his little face that he would have been the love of my live. Although he is now officially an adult, he will be always my baby. Very soppy, but true. Happy Birthday, my dear son!

The Last Day of School

My daughter’s last day of primary school was really exhausting and very emotional too. I had expected to be like this but I did not foresee this sense loss I’m feeling at the moment. The girls and boys were brilliant during their leavers’ assembly, remembering the old times, the first day of school seven years ago, the funny moments, the important ones and above their affection for one another. For me it was just like a minute a go, for them it is already two thirds of their lives.
And although I understand that my little baby girl is not really that “little” any more (actually she is taller than me now!) and that she is mature enough and ready to go on to secondary school, I do not feel ready to “let her go”. The 'big' new school does not intimidate her but it frightens me. She won’t be alone there, but I won’t be around the corner if she needs me. She won’t be in her small cosy school any more... And she is already slipping away from me…I’m selfish, I know…but I love her...

Eleven

(Vic and her best friend Sarah)

I don’t remember life before her. Or maybe I do and it wasn’t as good as now with her. Eleven years ago this little wonder came into my life and transformed it totally. She looks after me almost as much as I look after her. She is the joy and love of my life. But time goes quickly and I fear that sooner or later I will have to let her go. I'm proud of her growing so nicely and beautifully but it's going too fast. I'd like to keep her in my cocoon and protect her forever. I know this is not possible but I hope that all the love I’m giving her will show her the right way to go.

Prom Time

My pride and joy had his prom last Saturday night. Previously just typical of the United States, the prom has become popular among high school students in the UK as well in the last few years. My son is pretty ‘cool’, doesn’t get too excited about anything, apart from football but only sometimes (when England and/or Italy lose or win!), so the organization for that evening seemed rather low-key to me.

But when he got ready in his tux and joined his friends for a ride in a limo to get to the party venue (he paid for himself!), I felt very emotional. The end of compulsory education for my first-born, the end of an era. My little baby is now ready to get into the wide wild world on his own if he wants to. Little mamma standing in front of her big son was suddenly speechless and moved almost to tears.

The Forgotten

My kids forgot that yesterday was Mother’s Day (and my husband too!). So I didn’t get any card, any breakfast in bed, anything at all! My son was immersed in his GCSEss revision and my daughter was so worried about her important cup football match that thought it was next week. Anyway, at lunchtime I was feeling very low. It’s not the present that counts, I know, but I didn’t even have that, the “thought”. Something must have clicked in my daughter’s mind as she hid a little box under my plate with a small rushed “happy mother’s day” note. She found an old bracelet of mine somewhere around the house and an even older gift box, packed all together and improvised a little present. I felt better realizing that at least she was trying to cheer me up. Unfortunately a couple of hours later I found out that the little rascal conned £5 out of her own brother for sharing the cost of “mummy’s present”. O my sweet little “angel”!!!!!

The Big Swap

Fairtrade Fortnight is when UK retailers, licensees, businesses, producers and campaigners are brought together to promote, buy and think Fairtrade.

Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives.

I know you’ve heard of this before. But did you pay attention? Did you do anything about it? Did you do your swap to Fairtrade products? And then did you keep to your swap? I tried last year, but then I forgot and I was only reminded of Fairtrade whenever I saw the logo.

But today I’ve learnt my lesson and I hope I won’t forget anymore. And this lesson came from my daughter’s year 5/6 class. A few weeks ago they read about Fairtrade in a magazine and a group of 10-11 years old boys and girls decided to take action. They went to their headmaster and asked for permission to host a Fairtrade party in school. It was today and it was brilliant.

(Some of the "Fairtrade Girls")

It took them weeks to organize everything but they did it all on their own. They wrote to Fairtrade requesting a starter pack, they contacted shops and stores with Fairtrade products asking for contributions, free items etc., then they baked cakes and prepared their drinks (tea, coffee, juices, all strictly Fairtrade products). It was a proper party, no money was asked for cakes and drinks, the kids just sold raffle tickets to cover the cost of the ingredients.

There was music, entertainment, a small stall with Fairtrade goods, a giant screen with images of third world countries producing food for us and lots and lots of fun. Just to promote Fairtrade.

I was impressed. Parents, teachers, friends were all impressed by the hard work and enthusiasm of these young people. They say that kids are our future. It’s true.

For the love of ...

…my son I went to a football match for the first time in my life. I mean, a proper football match, not one of my son’s or daughter’s usual Saturday games. It was part of his 16th birthday present and his father was supposed to take him. But unfortunately (and conveniently) last Tuesday evening daddy was late or stuck in traffic (or both?) and it was up to me to take over this duty.


I was actually feeling rather unwell and I was hoping that being the evening so cold my son would desist too. But then I remembered a post I had read in lovely Jane’s blog The Small Fabric Of My Life about creating good memories for our children and I decide to take him. After all, it was only Leeds and there was too much to drive.

Covered with 5 layers of clothing there I was among shouting and chanting fans. My son’s favourite team lost but it was a good match (so he said at least!) and to tell the truth I quite enjoyed it. Or maybe I just enjoyed a bit of bonding with my very demanding teenage son.

The Twilight Hype

So, my excuse for reading this book is that my daughter wanted to read it and I was a little reluctant. My thoughts of vampires involved darkness, blood, violence. I just couldn't imagine how it could be suitable for a 9 year old (now 10!). That’s why we agreed I would read it first and then decide whether she could read it. Maybe a little over-protective, some might say - my privilege!!

The plot is pretty simple. When Bella Swann leaves her mother's home in Phoenix to move in with her father in the small town of Forks, she is a bit apprehensive. This only gets worse on her first day at school when she meets the incredibly handsome, but stand-offish, Edward Cullen. There are rumors about the Cullen Family and they are considered outsiders, but when Edward rescues Bella from a freak accident they start to form a relationship. Edward is in fact a vampire, and Bella doesn't realize home much danger she is putting herself and her family in by starting this relationship!

I have to admit that I wasn't immediately hooked to this book, finding it somewhat boring and the storyline just a little too predictable. Having said that, by the time I'd got about a third of the way through, there was no chance I was going to put it down. This is mainly to do with the fact that Stephenie Meyer's creation of Edward is so brilliant that there is little most can do not to fall in love with him from the first page he enters Twilight, but also because (although she will never win the man-booker for her writings) she still produces a book that leaves you feeling warm and satisfied from head to toe. It's not the best thing that I've ever read, nor is it necessarily all that well written (getting somewhat repetitive in places), but all the same it is definitely worth reading if you're looking for something simple to leave you feeling stupidly happy.

Going back to my pathetic excuse to read this YA novel, I’m not sure if I’m going to allow my daughter to read it. All in all, I think it might be better for her to start with a book on first love without the added complication of a vampire...

At the end of the rainbow

At the end of the rainbow there is said to be a pot of gold. I’ve just seen a beautiful rainbow but couldn’t find any gold! Just a bunch of loud girls playing football….Too bad!

The one on the right (wiht the red socks) is my daughter, who’s now officially my boss, as I’m officially her personal taxi driver….