freebies

I go on two websites every day they are called Magic Freebies and Offer Oasis and they list all the free stuff going and some competitions.  I'm always getting free samples of shampoo, face cream and these are great for when going travelling.  Totally recommended.

My Beauty Compare-your best friend for beauty

http://www.mybeautycompare.com/product/1955366-5(Garnier)_Adult_SPF50+_Miniature_Lotion
I use this Garnier sun tan lotion factor 50 because its so effective it lasts all day, its thick, creamy and smells gorgeous, recommended through the website My Beauty Compare- hundreds of reviews of beauty products and quality products.

Mother to four teenagers

When the children were the little, I almost couldn't wait for them to grow up and we could have adult conversations and all would be swell. Little did I know that when they reach teenage hood, they almost revert back to being toddlers.  Don't get me wrong when I have conversations with them, they can are interesting, articulate, sometimes opinionated, but now they don't really want to talk. When they were little they would tell me every little incident, now it's like pulling teeth to get anything out of them. They are shockingly private about everything, and if you as much as glance at their phones, all havoc breaks loose. At school they have to give their phones in to the office, but I know they don't, apparently they are worried that the school will read their texts, oh yes because office staff really have the time and inclination to do that don't they? As for being friends on social media, you just be joking, they blocked me years ago and when I started to read my 17 year old daughters tweetes on twitter, she reported me to twitter! My sweet little fourteen year old, well she was when she was ten has now turned into Kevin the teenager, everything is embarrassing to her, when I went o parents evening, she said I talked too loud and my shoes didn't go with my clothes. Then there is my nineteen year old, he is right about everything, the world, the universe, religion, once a believer, now a confirmed athiest. Don't they just break your heart? My twelve year old turns thirteen this year and the signs are starting to show. Do they do gap years for parents?

school stabbing

Awful news about the female teacher that was stabbed in a secondary school today. It seems that in the UK, teachers are in the terrible position of not having the backing of parents when disciplining children.  Parents these days(I sound so old) are so defensive and protective of their children, that teachers can not do their job properly.. This story is incredibly sad, this child has ruined his life, his families lives, the teachers life and family and what for?

London

Just been into London today at the Old Bailey for an interview, it was nerve wracking, btu I feel confident about the whole thing.  London is still as busy as ever, saw St Pauls Cathedral, had a coffee and a croissant in cafe nero.  I so want the job now, so I'm going to have to put it out of my mind for a few weeks.  I love visiting London and feel so lucky to live s near.  For all those all have never visited, I can recommend some good visiting points.

Britian

I love my country and everything about it, we are so lucky to have good healthcare,  a welfare system and good education.  I love the sprawling countrysides, quaint churches and small lanes that weave in and out of the countryside, I love the pubs that are dotted around, where you can have a pub lunch or  a pint of beer. I love fish and chips, egg and bacon and shepherds pie.   I love our music and TV programmes and our humour.  Above all I love the people, we are generally so polite, reserved and courteous.

me feeling happy happy happy

most embarrassing moment, well one of them

I was fifteen at the time and had just started my period. I was also working after school at the local supermarket and loved it there.  Having no particular knowledge about sanitary towels, I used one with no sticky back.  Well as the story goes, I was filling  the shelves, when suddenly one of my co workers said 'whats that?'. a sanitary towel was lying on the shop floor, I picked it up hastily exclaiming 'how disgusting!' and shoved it in the bin. I think she knew, I knew and realised that my days were limited there. There have been other embarassing moments in  my life and will reveal more in time, but first I'd like to hear of other peoples embarassing moments, please comment.x

Being a mature student at university

My four years at University of East London as a mature student was one of the best experiences of my life. I studied criminology and criminal Justice and achieved a 2:1. I also had to manage the household, disabled husband, and undertake soem voluntary work. I got involved one everything, joining the going global scheme and went to Sweden on a criminology conference for two days! went to all the criminology conferences at the uni and met some lovely people. I used to grab myself a coffee and sit at he back of the lecture theatre, taking it all in in a relaxed manner . I would recommend anyone to go to university as it opens up your whole world and changes something within yourself. Any comments or questions gratefully received.

Tomboy artist, writer and mother of four: Housework

Tomboy artist, writer and mother of four: Housework: Housework is the bane of my life, with four teenagers, one husband who can't do that much and who are all particularly messy, it's a...

The brave young man raising money for cancer

What a brave and courageous nineteen year old man who has incurable colectoral cancer, but has set up a website to help raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust. This a wonderful example of selflessness in the face of such adversity and an inspiration to those who are suffering. Cancer is a horrible disease, but because of people like him, it is slowly but surely being fought by new drugs and treatments. It also seems that he most loveliest and kindest of people seem to suffer the most hardships, it is a lesson to us all, live life to the full, but remember we are all on a journey and the people around us are on that journey with us, so let's me kinder, more patient and make more allowances for people.  Life is hard enough without criticism, gossip and meanness.

Housework

Housework is the bane of my life, with four teenagers, one husband who can't do that much and who are all particularly messy, it's a nightmare. I decided that as long as the bathroom and kitchen are clean and tidy, then the rest of hg he house has to take care of itself. Having a routine helps, so I will always clean kitchen and bathroom every day, making it particluarly clean and smelling fresh. It's amazing for years I've been telling everybody to pick up towels and clothes after using the bathroom , no one listened until I put up two large posters on the bathroom door, telling them to pick their stuff up after use. That was three months ago, apart from the odd sock, no one has left their stuff on the bathroom floor, it's unbelievable. I think that a constant poster sinks into their brains more than a nagging voice. I also decided that for my house I want that fresh washing smell, like when I go into soem peoples houses, it smells gorgeous . So I always use plenty of fabric conditioner every wash an lo and behold my house smells of fresh washing almost constantly. One other trick in cleaning a bath ,(my auntie erna told me this) is when having. A bath use plenty of bubble bath, it naturally cleans it after wards, easy peasey. For my windows I his amazing cloth I bought in Tescos for £1.99 and it cleans my windows just with a little water, simple.   Any comments and tips would be very grateful received.xxx

paying for NHS treatment

The idea that the government want to charge people ten pounds a month to use the NHS is something that goes against all that Aneurin Bevan the founder of the NHS in 1945 stood for. The start of the 'free' NHS heralded a nation that made all people equal in terms of being medically looked after and made a massive difference to peoples lives.  The government seem to be so desperate for money that they will take it from those who also desperately need it.  I believe that charging ten pounds a month will not make a difference to those who visit the doctors or A&E for silly things,but will make people want to make the most of their ten pounds and will use the NHS more.
Also the payouts given to people who have allegedly suffered negligence at the hands of the NHS is completely bizarre and is ripping the money right out of the taxpayers hands and affecting the quality of the service.  This needs to be closely scutinised, every pound given in compensation affects the safety and quality of the NHS even more, it is counter productive. Please comment on your thoughts, thye are very welcome.

helping with anxiety and depression

About four years ago, I started to suffer real anxiety, so much so that I couldn't function at all, my husband was in hospital at the time, my brother in law had died and my friend had also died that week, It was also Christmas, the kids were all off school and it was snowing heavily. It was awful and I couldn't talk to anyone in my family as everyone was grieving. I remember just putting DVDs on constantly and trying to amuse the children.I went to the doctor who prescribed citralopram and offered a counselling service. I also kept thinking that I couldn't breathe and that I was literally going mad.  The anxiety did subside after about two weeks and haven't really had it since.  I went to the doctors two months ago as I was feeling so tired, more depressed than ever, even being on citralopram, and i was putting on loads of weight.  He sent me for a blood test and was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid!This had caused my depression, Im feeling so much better now Im on tablets, but Im also eating better and walking loads.

If you want to subscribe to my blog, it would be most appreciated and you would get daily articles on all different subjects. Any questions will be answered promptly and again if you could check out 'Running' on amazon kindle, this would also be most appreciated. thanks for reading.

Road rage

It's funny how little things that Happen in cars make drivers act in ways that they wouldn't normally act face to face. Perhaps it's knowing that when in a car, they are safe from repercussions from other drivers or that when driving people are in such a hurry to get places, patience is in short supply. I am guilty of this, I despair of drivers that drive ten miles under the speed limit, or when I get cut up or if there is no indication. I think we as a society need to think how we behave in cars, because they are dangerous when abused.  I've decided I'm going to be ultra patient to other drivers, give them the benefit of the doubt and let people out of a junction. Mostly we are all pretty okay about this sort of thing, Any thoughts, please comment.

Insecurity

I have  always been plagued by a sense of inferiority and being different and I'm not sure why that was. I always felt that my dad always disapproved of me, maybe because I didn't conform enough in terms of behaviour.  this left me with a feeling of not fitting in and that keeping friends was such hard work.  I would often have a friend for a certain time, then they would get fed up, even now I don't really fit in, but I have had counselling and have come to the conclusion that this is the way God made me, just like someone who has been born with a big nose or whatever. I can't do a thing about it, but I just have to keep on believing that I am important and not invisible. That probably sums up how I feel that I am perceived ' invisible'. I know I am important, but in reality I'm not important to other people. But that's okay, I have four amazing children, four amazing siblings, and a couple of friends I can always meet for coffeeif I want to.

Tomboy

I grew up in the 1970s, the youngest of five children, with a German father and a mother with Irish heritage. It would be fair to say that I was the tomboys above tomboys, Shiloh Jolie Pitt move over, I didn't call myself john! I called myself Barry ?My hair was cut short, I wore shorts, tee shirts, trousers, catch me in a dress, no fear.  I remember my dad chasing me round the house trying to put a dress on me. Shopkeepers called me son and I loved it, I played with action men! not Barbie dolls! I played soldiers! climbed trees! made dens! got muddy, all my friends were boys. I longed to be a boy.  I joined the local football training team, and was viewed with suspision by everybody, of course I wasn't allowed to play in matches, but I was really good at football, but there were no opportunities in the early eighties for girls to play football. Who knows what I might have been able to achieve? Anyway as I reached teenager hood , I started to wear more girly things! got interested in boys! but at heart I am the biggest tomboy going, I don't think it ever leaves you, but I've learnt to love who I am. 

Tomboy artist, writer and mother of four: my son who has ADHD

Tomboy artist, writer and mother of four: my son who has ADHD: Theo was born in 2001, the youngest of my four children and proved to actually be a relatively easy baby and toddler, being completely out ...

This is another review of my book 'Running'. Its available on Amazon Kindle for $1.99, its the book to really get me started into the business of writing for pleasure and to make some money, life has been pretty tough financially, basically since I got married 20 years ago, as my husband never stuck to a job in the early days and has been sick with ill health over the last ten years. Enough said about that, Running is a thriller of all thrillers, Maggie's husband has been chasing her around the UK, after she leaves him and has been a serious victim of domestic violence, she becomes a fugitive,but falls in love with a Scottish man Duncan and her life begins to unravel yet again.
be sure to check 'Running' out and even give me a review on here, good or bad.

theo in pastel aged 18 months

news of the mother who killed her three young children in London

Absolutely heartbreaking to hear of the mother who allegedly killed her three young children.  When I was doing my research dissertation on 'Mothers who kill' -available to anybody who wants to read it, it became apparent that many mothers who do this sort of thing are either extremely depressed or have no support.  Before I undertook the project I was very clear cut about what I thought of mothers who do this, but things are never black or white.
In terms of this particular lady, who knows what was going through her mind, but I'm sure she wasn't evil and I'm sure it will all come out.  Anybody who has any thoughts on this issue, be sure to comment.

my son who has ADHD

Theo was born in 2001, the youngest of my four children and proved to actually be a relatively easy baby and toddler, being completely out of nappies by his second birthday,above all he was the cutest little boy ever and loved him more than I could say.  One particular day Theo had wandered upstairs, had got into the bath with just a nappy on and turned on the hot water, I could hear him screaming upstairs. It was probably coming up to the age of three that things started to become different or much more noticeable, such as when he bit  both of my friends twins.  I was horrified, the parents were horrified, but worse I didn't get invited over any more, of course I was defensive, stating that two years olds often bit other children.  Then my older children started to get scratches on their faces, again I put it down to him being over excited or boisterous,because of I reasoned that that was what boys were like.  Even when my eight year old son recieved a stick injury from Theo and had to be taken to A&E for  a split lens in his eye, I put it down to Theo just being Theo.  

When he started nursery,  the teachers noticed that he was highly intelligent, but a parent complained to me that Theo had punched her son, it seemed that when things were going well Theo would do something and it would all go wrong and I started to be really concerned. He became extremely bossy to other children, used inappropriate words to adults and I could sense that the son I completely adored, was viewed with suspition by other adults, hardly ever invited to any parties in  primary school and I was absolutley heartbroken.  At home he talked incessantly, became obsessed with things and was extremely hyperactive. When I tried to go to the doctors. it was hard to put into words what he was like and after being referred to the peadiatrician, the questionaire for ADHD came back negative. I couldn't believe it, I just accepted the fact that he was a difficult child and I would just have to put up with it.  When I changed his primary school.in year 5 I thoughtperhaps that things were looking up, as the teacher rarely complained about him and he seemed to be really popular,because despite everything he is a very funny child.  Then in year six I recieved the bombshell from the teacher who had explained that they had made many allowances for theo,but he just was not learning, he was well below the average and had caused some problems within the school with a certain child.  A few days later  a parent took me aside and said that the party invitation her child had given Theo was to be revoked and under no circumstances was Theo to ever talk to her son again.  I cried for a month.  Again there was no where to actually turn, I felt alone, isolated and at my wits end.

The turning point was when Theo started secondary school, I explained to the school the week he started that there  might be some problems with Theo, the learning support didn't know anything about him and had no complaints so far. I knew it would come , about three weeks later this same lady rang me up to say that Theo was a complete whirlwind in most of his classes, didn't listen, used inappropriate language and it was affecting his relationship with his peers, his learning and whole education.  Apparently Theo didn't just walk into a classroom, he danced.  The ball began to roll, Theo was assessed again for ADHD and this time when it came back that he did indeed have it, I cried with relief, joy and a sense that now things could begin to change.  He was put on ritalin and from that day, he has become a different child to teach.  He still has ADHD, he still needs some kind of social skills input, he still has tantrums at home and he still needs proactive intervention to help him become a mature young person, but this is a journey and he is still my clever, funny, kind little boy.  

Theo daniels

Abbie and Jacob 1997. So beautiful and cute, my proudest achievements ever.

Abigail Francesca daniels , the most beautiful little baby! taken 1997.

My son theo when he was 18 months, he was so cute. This is a pastel drawing.

I have four children Jacob, aged 19, Abbie aged 17, Maddie and 14 and Theo aged 12, they run me ragged, but they really are my life and everything I do I do it for them.

Im currently looking for a job, caring for my disabled husband and have just completed my degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice in which I got a 2:1.

My novel 'running' is on Amazon Kindle for a fantastic $1.99, which is about 99p.  A fantastic read about a woman who is a victim of domestic violence and her journey as she leaves him, taking with her her small daughter Meg. The story has twists and turns that will leave you in the edge of your seat.