Super-woman? Well, almost.

Today has born witness to my alarming productivity. The NYRs are coming on nicely and I have felt most smug, for most of the day. The inner happiness, whilst somewhat inflated by the prospect of a semi-normal evening schedule with @gazcook this coming week, is actually incredibly uplifting. So much so that despite the rotten, nightmare-ridden sleep I fell victimto last night, I have whooshed through the day with something like Super-woman strength and determination. I am sat down at the computer, relishing the memory of a day well done.

After collecting Seamus at 9 am from Manchester I have since, shopped for the week; completed an 8k run with a wee biking boy beside me (my son makes a great coach, and cyclist as it happens); baked two cherry, almond and lemon cakes complete with a side-kick of buns (for the boys' packed lunch); completed all house-work; Uni work; and even managed to prepare tomorrow nights dinner. I am ensuring excellent preparation and diary maintenance and almost sorted a great assortment of holidays, breaks and time away. Genius!

But then, with reflection, I am forced to consider that this only represents the day-in-the-life of every mother (a right Boal moment). I suppose I'm just proud to have made it to week 2 of the New Year in the clear. Am I Super-woman? Well, almost. 

Beth Orton - I Wish I never Saw The Sunshine

via youtube.com

Her voice catapults me back to some melancholy moment of youth. Love acoustic sets. Need to organise a few for this year of 2011.

City slickers, my take on Trafalgar Square in Winter

the other side of the lens

My life with @gazcook.....

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....forever avoiding the front of the lens.

 

The lost-forever tooth of a lovely one

This is my charming child Seamus Villa (here pictured with a full set of shining sparklers). 

Today he has faced an alarming trauma as he had a baby tooth removed under general anaesthetic. Shock and haunting horror for all. 

The little tooth he lost today, although clean and well cared for, was bashed dramatically last year in a head-banging collision with his step-mother. His front left tooth was pushed out of place and an ever-swelling gum almost encouraged an extraction without the need for a dentist. Ouch, and double-ouch.

It has taken almost four months (and a lot of secret wishing that all would go back to normal) to get an appointment for removal. Then the moment charged round. What a roller-coaster ride today has been. Not for Seamus though. He has, like his usual confident-self, taken it all in his stride. He happily woke, dressed and trundled to the hospital with hands suitably doused with anaesthetic cream (much to his delight). The range of health professionals that came to chat to us, dental surgeon, nurse, and anaesthetist were all greeted by my bubbly well-mannered boy.

Seamus complied (a little too well for my renegade-liking) with the health-service circus and actually skipped his way down to theatre. His only minor wobble, apart from his tooth, was when they put the mask over his face to send him to that most magical and alluring of sleepy-slumbers. I stroked, kissed and whispered to him as he closed his eyes.

So now Seamus has a cute goofy grin and has to face trying to eat and drink and adjust to his new mouth and face. The whole experience hasn't phased him at all (evidenced by his short recount of the experience - audio below). He is now running around, his same cheeky-self - well, perhaps a little cheekier!

Good job Seamus you're a real trooper.

  
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Mothering Seamus through this experience was made easier knowing exactly what it's like to lose your teeth. Here's me, aged 5 with a gummy-grin all of my own. I knocked my teeth out running (and falling on to a hard stone floor) to see my beloved Aunty and Uncle. Triple-ouch.

(The lower body amputation was far more traumatic than loosing a tooth).

 

 

Queenie, queenie whos got the.....New Year's Eve 2010. An Iconic Party.

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New Year's Eve, this time round, was brought in quite formally in the fashion of good ol' Queen Elizabeth II. Fully adopting the royal persona, Stanislavski-style, ensured that not a drop passed my lips and, in keeping with tradition, I delivered a Queen's speech (soon to be shared by @gazcook) to the watching-in-awe-delight of Yoko and John, Marilyn and JFK, Amy and Ozzy, Dorothy, Johny Cash, Kate Bush, Cleopatra, Spider man, Dolly Parton, Supergirl, SuperMario, 118-118 and PulpFiction stars . A right good collection of icons, if ever I saw any. 

The night was wiled wistfully away in the arms of friends (see Kate Bush above) and lovers (@gazcook as Tom Daley coming to a screen near you very soon!). It was a glorious night punctuated with performances and pies. I was utterly delighted to have outed my pea-green, 1950s-vintage dress, gifted to me three years ago by a loving friend.

Happy New Year, one and all (and no, Bruce Forsyth will never be Honoured by me - that's final).