Our engines are on fire .. Will you please exit the plane......

Now when I travel let's me honest I am usually plagued with some trouble of other believe me if there is a travel disaster to behold I am there. One holiday woe was my honeymoon you know the one where you are whisked off into the sunset on a romantic jaunt not leaving your hotel room. Well mine started in disaster there we all were sitting on the plane ready for takeoff to Toronto Canada .  The trolley dollies had already done their safety talk exits are here , here and HERE. You listen with half an ear because you know nothing is ever going to go wrong on your flight. You are just busy looking through the duty free magazine looking at the stuff you can't afford. or you are jostling for space with the passenger next to you

We heard a click, clunk and rattle and a half hearted roar and the Captain announces over the the air" The smell of oil will dissipate in a minute, We will try the engines again"

So the Captain turned the key again to start to plane  and rev up his engines  more clunking , rattling and what's that I see black smoke wafting across the window. Now at this point I wasn't worried I just hate plane takeoff they scare the pants off me , once I am in the air I am fine.. sort of.

The Captain voice comes over the air " The Control tower has informed us our engines are on fire, please Do not panic and exit the plane in a calm fashion...." And so started my honeymoon with the engines on fire  and all the plane passengers were calm to be fair. We followed the lights that come on in emergencies and went to the appropriate exits. The doors were opened and We were met with all the emergency services under the sun. So   I calmly slid down the inflatable emergency shoot to be whisked off to the safety on an airport lounge.

We waited hours in the lounge will they figured out what to do with us they fed us sandwiches and drinks etc. We were then ferried off to the Metropole in Brighton for the night whilst they organised another place it was my honeymoon night. We were all standing in the line and some Canadian lady pipes up " Surely all the English people can go home as they live near"


Well I just flipped my new husband gave me that look men give you when they don't want a scene . I gave the Canadian a polite piece of my mine and a quick Geography lesson of the Uk.  She backed down though now strangely her left eye was twitching .




We finally got to the checking desk  and just said" it's my honeymoon night I WANT A NICE ROOM please" What we ended up was David Blunkets room he had just checked out he had been staying there as it had been the Political Party Conference.


So of course we finally got to Canada and all was well. So When we went to Egypt this happened.......

What do you call a collection of bin men ?

You know what its like you are strolling through the centre of Birmingham and you happen upon this scene..........

A collection of bin men talking rubbish in Birmingham.

It would appear after much debate on twitter the correct term is Refuse Collector . I am never shy of being corrected but there is a polite way of doing it . Such is the topic of this subject it prompted a debate over on digital spy many moons ago http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=814900 . Right I am off now to listen to some

Is your child a Fusspot ?

Is your child a Fusspot? I am not talking a just being foodie fusspot here but a fusspot  in general? A Fusspot will expert many signs from not liking the foot on their plate to the fact they don't  WANT to wear pink today. Working in a school you get fussiness all the time " Miss so and so won't play with me "  "Me Well did you ask them?' The child "No but they won't play with me.."

The problem with a fussy child is that is can lead onto other behaviours if not managed correctly. I myself am battling a fusspot eater and a fusspot shopper ...

When it comes to a fusspot in the classroom I heard about a clever idea that seemed to work for teacher that I know. You simply draw a pot on a whiteboard  and when the situation arises you put the fussy child's name in it.  The thinking behind this it will stop other behaviours escalating and thus produce a happy and harmonious classroom.

Of course simple ideas like this can be transposed to the home... Only wish I had thought of it years ago then perhaps I would have a boy who would be happy to shopped till he dropped?

Silent Sunday

Simple things are free the price of Love

The simplest of things for children cost nothing and evoke a lifetime of memories. You don't have to buy them expensive toys for them to love you. The simplest thing to do is to write them a note and perhaps leave it in their school pack lunch or if they are school dinners leave it on their pillow to find when they get home from school.


I witnessed a girl at school had been given a handwritten note(in her pack lunch)  by her dad and it said " I shall be thinking of you when I am at work eating my dinner'

A handwritten note shows love.

The joy it bought to their child was beautiful to behold I only wish the parent could have seen this. I encouraged the child to write a note for her dad. So in this fast paced world its the simplest of things that make us smile and help us know we are loved. And the same I hope can be said of you or I when our child or children give us a handwritten note.