Jun 30

It’s the first time I havent spent the day with my fella on his birthday.. It feels very strange. He wont open his cards or gifts until he gets back Friday, But i hope today manages to bring him some smiles even though he has to work..  Happy Birthday Steve!

He said hes holding the picture of what we did last year in his head today so hopefully will be able to add to that when he gets home.

We are going out Saturday to see our friends which we are both really looking forward to and Sunday im taking him out for a meal. Hes been waiting for a restuarant to open here, which has its grand opening this weekend..So its perfect timing ..

Today i need to walk miles to go pick up some sausages my grandad got the kids so im gonna grab a shower before i start, Ive already done the packing and emails so am ahead of myself this morning, it was too hot to sleep anyway so i got up at stupid 0 clock as usual.

Ive got the size converter working in my old site  now so am trying to figure this out later and see if i can mend it in the new site, im halfway through taking it out of the templates and prefer them with it in.. Its because the new site automatically caches that it doesnt work in there so i need to sort one out that will work with my new system.. its so boring doing the same thing over and over, I do a bit on one site then move onto the next, but its getting done slowly. Im getting my eldest working with me tonight and getting him on the directory.. I can see now exactly why my fella works nights! theres always a list that never gets finished and  just grows..and this type of work you cannot do when you have kids buzzing around you..

The Royal Norfolk Show is starting today which so many of my friends from the stables are competing in, so ill be catching up on what the day has held in store for them throughout the equestrian events and posting it.. I hope next year me and Mandy will have our own horse to share so we can join them there.. Id love that.. My goal is to get up to her level so we can buy a horse between us that is suitable for us to share..I loved the dressage competition last year and intend on doing a lot more of that as well as jumping…

My legs this morning are a nice shade of black and blue from riding, I dont think its riding Kenny that did this its more like saturdays awakening on the bigger horse, im walking like John Wayne today with hips that ache on top from belly dancing.. 

Perhaps that walk is a positive move this morning..lol

written by Joanne \\ tags: ,

Jan 23


This weeks been a bit of a blur, ive tried to make it interesting but inside im bored to tears, winters always the same, it stops you doing some things, that do make all the difference.

My fella came home last night from another week working away, i dont mind that so much now though, it gives me a chance to have some time to myself, i think everyone needs it, time to think, sort out and organise. god theres so much i want to do.

This week ive had friends visit, which has been lovely, some weeks in here i dont see a soul, except fay on a wednesday afternoon for her weekly feel better hair do.. trouble is at the moment i dont feel better, as hard as i try im bored.. yes i can just find more work, theres loads that way i need to get on with, but sometimes i just dont want to do it, im trying to find a balance of getting the work done and having some kind of life, i will get there one day, that much i am sure of ….totally…

Today i went to my fellas office after dropping off my eldest at college, they keep asking me to go up and i never go, so i just carried on driving today, i enjoyed it.. even if i did get roped into hoovering and cleaning the place up for them… they know i wont stand there and not do anything, so theyve got me weighed up well…… I met K this morning who is one of their good customers, its strange as she nothing like i expected, shes got so much life in her, so im glad i did..

This weekend i am looking forward to, we have guests up saturday, and are going out for the first time on sunday for a nice meal,  its a chance for me to get to know these guys my fella knows and likes and a night out socialising…… i thought it was another meeting…. so theres a bonus!

What do i do today? thats an easy one, ive now got 3 hours to pack, get emails done and sort a meal out for tonight, the house looks like a bombs hit it again……….. guess that has something to do with my fella arriving home, mark coming up for the evening and a night where everyones knackered except me… I reorganised the sofa so they could both just eat, stick their feet up and relax, i was intrigued to see who fell asleep first !.. The downside to the night was not having the bed to myself.. i quite like that, instead i was pushed into the corner and woken at 3am again as the twit had left his mobile in his suit jacket (which id hung up!) so heres me thinking, a whole night of sleep ahead…………..nope, every 15 mins the alarm went off and i couldnt get out of bed to stop it, hed rolled himself into the duvet like a sardine, so i couldnt move…………I was giggling away at myself though and should have really taken a picture.. he looked hillarious rolled up like a mummy, you could only see his eyes peeking out over the top..

Marks been a gem again today and has given the kids 2 wardrobes and a chest of drawers which ive just been to look at, so next week ill get my butt into gear and do something creative, and get Laurens room done… ive got enough to do it now…

Roll on spring….. ill grab the tents and go make the most of the warm weather then…….

I need to get back riding now asap.. ive had a week out and know how much it makes a difference to how i feel inside… i dont know how i feel at the moment.. just kind of numb

Right got to go and get this place into shape.. ive already done one house so im not looking forward to this ………

written by Joanne \\ tags:

Jan 20
Its been quite a week….I fell off Jack on Monday night big time!
My word did he make me eat my words of wanting a bigger horse…lol

Since Jacks ‘show of defiance’ on Monday and my argument with the wall, ive been trying to get on with things as normal, i havent done badly, just everythings taken twice as long..

The kids i have to say for once have actually been helpful, my eldest has been doing the post office runs for me and the others have been making me tea in rounds, nothing like a cuppa to sort everything out is there? lol

Im happy to say this morning it feels like my nerve is freeing itself up, i can now put my weight back on that leg, im so pleased……….what an improvement, my fella was threatening to drag me up the hospital if it stayed the same, which meant hours of lectures about me hurting myself riding, trying to talk me out of going anymore.. and we didnt want that! The board break showed what listening to the negative stuff does, i know he means well but i dont want to be put off riding , I love it..

my argument was i bet people have done worse to themselves on the ice this week…so im sticking to that..

Today i have packing to get out of the way first, its been surprisingly busy, which im pleased about, i didnt quite hit my fellas wish amount yesterday (he is totally bonkers and on another planet money wise) but im happy with whats happening and thats all that matters.. so the weeks off to a good start.. They both looked so tired last night, im glad at least i can help out with the meal side…

I have to get the stock take into the computer by lunchtime as this afternoon my aunts coming up for her wednesday wash and blow dry… its like an odd job place here at times, im trying my hand at all sorts, ill be glad when i can get my own hair done though…
My fellas going to be off all over the place shortly, hes hitting Scotland, Cyprus Italy and god knows where else, i am secretly wishing i could go along.. im screaming for a break and know i still have a while to go……….his is work so i cannot complain, id just like to feel some sun on my skin, ill have to go to the tanning center and use my imagination instead.. its amazing what thoughts i get in that place…

 

Its 5am im on cup number 2 of my wake up tea and lady Gaga is belting out ‘Bad romance’ on the radio so i feel strangely awake and energetic at the moment, what is it with songs like that? i totally love it and find myself turning to music all the time now to find some drive…
ive come up with a plan that if i hit the bath by 6am i may just get an hour to myself so ill take the radio in there with me now ……………
Ive got to get myself sorted out today as its salsa tomorrow and im not losing that bet!
he says i wont make it as im too bruised, so of course im out to prove him wrong again…

Nothing like a challenge to make me feel better quick…lol

Right time for that bath…………Todays gonna be a rock day i think.. I may just get this all done then….

written by Joanne \\ tags: ,

Jan 14

The weekends gone so quickly, do you ever get that feeling like youre hemmed in? its a time when you want to find some peace and quiet but it simply doesnt come..
We’ve had our friend here for meals which has been really nice ..

I came back from riding yesterday to find him and my kids all cooking brunch.. hed got my fella out of bed at 9am on his day off, which made me laugh like hell, and managed to get the kids all involved with cooking.. then took all the kids off ice skating and to the cinema…lol he really is totally nuts..

Riding went much better, Phil gave me an in between horse, hes not small but not huge either, my bum actually fitted his saddle without hurting for a change so it went pretty well.
He is good and know what hes doing with me, by the end of the lesson he had me cantering round, and using a whip (even if it was just twice) but feeling much more confident in myself as the horse was doing what i wanted him to.. its like he says, if you get on that horse the first 20 seconds dictates how the horse will act, i did what i was told and hes shown me that his way does work, so even though im not so keen on whips, ill use it if i have to and mean that, hopefully cutting out all this crap im giving myself, by trying to do it my way.. being stubborn isnt how we learn so that needs to go….

Ive asked for Jack tonight, I dont know if that was stupid or not, he was the first thing that came into my head when Phil asked me who it is i really want to ride…
The girl who had him last week was so bloody good, and only my size, so my fella pointed out quite correctly.. it can be done Jo..

The only difference between her and me, is my attitude and lack of confidence in my own abilities and the fact she did it so well, i would love to be able to ride like that, so tonight i need to prove i can and want to do this to myself.

Today i am getting the packing done before 12, doing the stock take with the help of my best mate stelli (whos kindly offered on her day off to lend a hand) and hopefully find some time to dye my hair.. im cooking again for everyone, but leaving it to my fella to dish up, as when they get home at 6 im off………….riding is earlier tonight at 6.30.. by tomorrow i can start my new project on my site and be able to find some quiet, ive got the rest of the week on my own then, as it looks like my fella may be going away…

Thank god the kids go back today, i love them to bits, but finding some space in this house has proven impossible, im starting to feel pretty frustrated and just want some time to myself now………

I think today my headset may start to make its appearance again….Im needing music to get me through this lot, and half a dozen cans of red bull… Its only Monday and im already shattered…

written by Joanne \\ tags: , ,

Jan 10

Ive had a week filled with all sorts of thoughts… Well id be in serious trouble really if i hadn’t got any wouldn’t i !  sometimes i don’t half come out with some blonde stuff, i dont even have to think about it, it just comes naturally ..

What i meant was, Ive made some decisions, kicked myself up my arse and decided to sort out the riding problem, it wont get me anywhere if i quit.. its not something i would normally even think about, so Sunday I’m going with my confident G string on and am just gonna do it..

I spoke to Phil last night on Facebook, hes a nice guy and said he only got angry with me as he knows i can do it, i only got angry as i know i can too so was upset with myself, it was silly, having my Monday night defeatist attitude made it worse i know that. He says he has a plan for what he is going do with me, so ill trust him and not worry and just get out there and do my best.. I’m really hoping inside he gives me a bigger horse for once, but knowing Phil and his love of the smaller horses ill probably get a frigging midget now…., ill have to show it who is boss and harden up a bit, I’m what the dressage ladies called me, a sympathetic rider! that means im too bloody soft with the horses for my own good…. they were just talking posh to make it sound interesting..

This week Ive adopted a new lodger, my fellas invited Mark for tea everyday as his partners now gone of skiing, he is used to microwaved pizzas so I’m not sure how hell enjoy tonight’s Tobagan chicken, its probably not the type of food hes used to, but they have a lot on and i know he wont bother as hes on his own, so its the least i can do is do some extra, its already caused one discussion today as he kept insisiting he was providing tea tonight and buying everyone a chinese. Im really enjoying cooking this week and already have the meat out.. We certainly dont invite someone round for meals and expect them to provide them… what ever sort of people does he go round for tea normally..anyway id like to be able to get a couple of hours out tonight so i can go grab a tan and dye my hair so he will keep my fella company while im out of the picture..im out all night mondays now anyway so they can talk about work and craze the kids while they eat…

Today ive got to do a full stock take while hopefully keeping an eye out on the kids, theres a couple of extra up there as 2 had sleepovers, so as long as they dont trash my house i dont mind, my fellas list of ‘to do stuff’ means i need to know every garment i have, so im getting it done out if the way so i can then start what he wants me to do, its gonna take me weeks and isnt a small job, but its a good idea so ill get stuck in.. if i work hard today, he’ll be in a good mood and wont moan when i disappear Sunday and

Monday to go riding will he……………lol

Anyway im up with the birds, now going to feed them (as they are already forming a queue along the fence) and going to get stuck in early, this lot will sleep til lunchtime anyway, so i may even get the stock take done before they wake up..

I hope today’s a good one….

written by Joanne \\ tags: , ,

Nov 24

Its been a blurred few weeks, I haven’t blogged as i simply haven’t had anything good to write, Its all been work for me and being ill , so I’m now on a mission to sort myself out. I missed riding and salsa so badly, but by the time evenings get here i wasn’t in any fit shape to do either, so its been a time Ive also reflected on whats important to me and how i can change things for the better to find a happy balance of what i love and have some kind of life back.
Its started when my fella sat me down to speak to me, i was getting pretty down even when i wouldn’t admit it to myself, so many changes and balls to juggle it seemed like a never ending pit of ‘need to do’ stuff.. He was constantly working away so i was trying to help the kids with homework as well as run a business, i was ashamed to call mine…
I decided i wanted to change my website so have now started to do just that, im really enjoying this side of it and its bringing back the reasons why i love it so much, its part of me and always has been, over the last few years Ive had much of my fellas influence involved with my business, as he used to work on the roofs and got to the point he couldn’t do it anymore, part of it was his good friend falling off and dying in front of his son, it hits home, they had 4 kids just like us, so it could have been me getting a call just like Simon’s wife did. The other part was it was such a physical job and a fit mans world, he would come home soaked through to the skin and be so physically exhausted theres only so much of that a person can take and although the money was good he paid for it in many ways….
We decided then whatever he wanted to do, we would take the steps needed and indeed the risk, and he would learn a new career. Partly as i was treated so crap by several so called website builders and SEO people, he started on his journey of learning all what he could in that field.
The last 30 months has gradually been a build up of the workload hitting heights non of us imagined, we work all day and feed the kids then out come those laptops and off we go again, the lights always on here, regardless if its 4am..its no way to live though…..
I used to moan and feel if I’m honest a bit left out, i didn’t understand his new world, but knew the things he was learning would be invaluable both to him and me, so we persevered and found ourselves living on my income for the last 2 years which meant things were a real struggle here, the kids never moan and always tell me i work too hard, but for them i would do anything so you try to smile and be strong for them, sometimes it wasn’t easy though.
i tried to look on it as a new future and new adventure but when you are trying to hold up a home with 4 growing kids in it, its not cheap..
My aunt has been i have to say, my guardian angel… shes helped me through thick and thin and is always here for me on those days i wake up feeling exhausted before i even start, she knows just by the tone of my voice when i need help and always manages to make me see some positive in everything, that part of me i felt was lost somewhere buried in the mountain of where was my life heading and how can i get back on track?
I listened when my fella needed to talk, tried to tell him it wasn’t him when everyone around him called him stupid and told him to go get a paid job… but we are now coming out of the other side of the cloud, its been one hell of a journey and although Ive had some challenges in my time, I think apart from when the triplets were born too early and the stress and worry we both felt, this chapter in my life comes a close second..
It all came to a head over November as i spent week after week being riddled with migraines as my head simply couldn’t shut down, i was asking it questions no one had answers to, including myself… I know now why they call us dizzy blondes…….. I slotted into that category perfectly……
Now hes gone off into the big wide world on his new venture things are starting to make sense again, he wont be second best at anything, so has learnt his new job inside out just as i hoped he would… We were living off what takings i took through my site and stock levels were hitting the floor, theres nothing worse than watching something good, disappear slowly like that, i have worked my arse off and worked on this site for nearly 10 years, its my baby yet i felt like it was being strangled……
Over the last couple of weeks, Ive managed to start again in regards of my work, i have found a part of me i thought id lost and wake up again excited about whats to come, the stock room is looking amazing again and has huge promise as everything she takes goes back into her again now so everyday when i wake up i think myself lucky that my fella learns quickly and somehow through all this there was light at the end of the tunnel..
I finally started back riding last night, but for the first time i felt my nerves a little uneasy, would the horse pick up on what i was feeling and was this going to be my rude awakening , but thanks to some bloody good people up there and my teacher Phil they have managed to restore my confidence and i came home totally happy.. My fella had cooked me a surprise meal which was an amazing steak in pepper sauce and I sat there fat and happy, like the cat who got the cream,with the biggest smile on my face and felt something i havent felt in a while ‘contentment’..
Tonight we are bribing the kids with a video and getting some salsa tracks on, we both really miss our friends there especially Sharon and Richard as the whole salsa world had become part of us, we have both forgotten our moves so are going to make a start tonight and practise here, hopefully we can rejoin our class again on Thursday and start to find some kind of normality and balance back..
The best part is my fellas partner has now been handed the keys to his new place, so they now have an office that’s a stones throw away, and for the first time last night, in i would say over a year my fella came home without his laptop ! Its his new rule of the house and was promised when he said about this new office.. It means no more weeks of working away, just an occasional trip when needed, and my fella and me back on that road of learning to be Steve and Jo again ..
We have had to make big sacrifices and part of it meant we lost ourselves there for a while, but just like my website when i look at her everyday now, its all looking so much better and exciting ..
The futures bright and starting to bring the feeling, that this has all been worth it……..
Now we just have to listen to ourselves and dig out that part of us the work load burried..
It takes a cloudy season to make you appreciate, just how good that sun feels when it shines on you doesn’t it?
Hopefully now i will have some good stuff to share on here again with my friends too…

written by Joanne

Oct 14

Its been a while since Ive been able to find myself and start to write again, you know when you have so much flying round up there, that you cant quite manage to put everything in order? well that sums my head up to a T…
I’m feeling much brighter now thankfully, have been a good girl and am taking the pills, which seem to be keeping the blackouts at bay, so I’m thankful for that, at least i don’t rattle for nothing ! :)
Ryan seems to be settling back into school life nicely again, we are managing to keep up with the home tutoring and he seems to be much better in himself, it went on from all that crap straight into my fella working all hours and the new stock run, so its been pictures, editing, working and falling in a heap..
I have managed to get to riding which i have to say is the one thing that’s kept part of me sane, i took Lauren this week so the pictures and videos are thanks to her. If you notice Phil is leading me out, do you know why? Jack is so thoughtful and likes to make a quick dash exit usually leaving his riders in the large pile of horse manure as a thank you….hehe Told you i get all the badly behaved horses didn’t i ! its s good job i like bad boys………….
Christmas is fast approaching and boy am i panicking !
I’m starting to feel better in myself but needed some time out to get myself together, wash my hair and start again, if that makes sense, i feel more like my old self now and cant wait to get back to everything.
The new stock is in theres still as some to go in but somehow we managed to lose the photos, so as my fellas away again tomorrow until Friday, I’m hoping we can finish up so i can get back into my work with enthusiasm again by the weekend..
I had so much to say but it was all so negative and i didn’t want to depress you all when reading it, somehow it all manages to sort itself out and calm down doesn’t it…
Here’s to hopefully no more weeks like the last few……
Anyway the good part of my week so far has been my horses.. This week Kevin’s away on the start of his 3 week holiday so we got Phil to take the lessons, hes been brilliant and managed to pull out of the bag one of the best lessons Ive ever had.. talk about sore legs today !
Anyway i hope you like the pictures, I’m riding Jack again (who i am loving to bits) we did the lesson without stirrups and i learnt to rise and trot and canter without them, it was really good..
Although I’m paying for it at the moment and taking plenty of hot baths…….hehe
Will be back to normal now and come to see you guys every day..xxx

written by Joanne

Aug 27

I dont believe it myself but i overslept this morning, i must be getting good at this now..
Thankfully my fella will be coming home today~ im so pleased ! not sure yet if it will be in time for salsa but i know he will be tired so im just happy that hes coming home full stop.
Ive managed to sort myself out for him this week but didnt get much time out, yesterday was mad as people were popping in all day, i never found a part of the day when someone wasnt here, which is fine but i did want to grab a bath which you cant really do when you have visitors, i had to do my aunts hair which took ages (5 hours)but got to spend time with my grandparents which is always good and spent some time last night with my good friend Stelli, I cant believe im saying this but guess what i did? I gave away my X-pole to her (shock, horror) lol
I enjoy riding and salsa so much and i dont need the pole anymore, it did keep up my fitness when i stopped kickboxing which was lovely, but its been sitting in my shed waiting to be put back up and never quite got there so ive given it away, im welcome to go to hers if ever i get the urge to sling on those thigh highs and swing round the lounge, ill just knock her ornaments over instead..
Today im now going to start the packing and get the orders out, someones being kind to me this week and is keeping me busy which is always great, the house is actually in good order and the kids all seem to be happy today ~ probably as they know dads coming home, i know im happy about that too.. is it normal to get excited about seeing someone youve lived with for 16 years?
Tomorrow is the party ive been waiting for at the Staithe, ive pulled out my wardrobe several times trying to find anything other than jeans to wear, but no matter what i do my eyes always wander back to my faithful friends, i know they are comfortable so ill feel happy and its probably what ill end up wearing as usual..
Its just the way i am and always will be i guess
‘Forever in blue jeans’ …………………………

written by Joanne