My time in Prison ...... Malmaison Oxford

Yes I have been to prison its not something I openly admit to except  in case it was pure luxury. I was luck enough to win a luxury night stop courtesy of Horse & Hound  at the Malmaison Oxford which is a prison...

 Malmaison hotel, Oxford

This Victorian prison has been converted into the lavish Malmaison hotel. Keeping in touch with its dark past, expect  solid cast iron doors, heavy large bricks, and the ever recognisable prison-like staircases. But, don’t think you’ll be missing an inch out on luxury. Four poster beds, mini cinema system and a host of services at your disposal. You know you’re in for more than a treat.

My prison bedroom at Malmaison Oxford

Luxury bathtime at the Malmaison Oxford

The open gallery at Malmaison oxford

Room with a view a Malmaison Oxford

We then went onto the Blenheim Palace  Horse trials and watched the action ( this was part of the prize ) 

Racing for the finish at Blenheim horse trials

And then of course I got to meet an true olympic champion Mark Todd.

Myself and family meeting Olympic champion Mark Todd

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Other prison hotels you can stay at .....

The lloyd hotel, Amsterdam

This building was originally built as a hotel before being converted into a prison during the second world war. Shortly after it was uses as a work shop for artists, until re-opening in 2004 as a hotel. The quirky contemporary interiors and rich character of this hotel is simply magnificent. And with 117 rooms, ranging from 1-5 stars, you’ll be spoilt for choice whatever your budget. The 5 star rooms are a definite treat, featuring a bed big enough to sleep eight, a huge fibre glass bathtub sitting in the middle of the room, and (no less) a grand piano to rock the jail-house tunes.

 four season, istanbul

This hotel is housed in a gorgeous mustard yellow, neo-classical Turkish prison. Its 65 rooms look out onto a breathtaking courtyard, and every rooms is spacious with a decor fit for royalty. You’ll feel far removed from staying in a prison one step inside these four walls.

 The långholmen hotel, stockholm

For the near prison experience without any discomforts, the Landholmen is where you’re going to get it. Rooms come by single and double cells, and the decor is kept to minimum. They have retained the tiny blue cells door for each rooms, giving you that authentic experience until you’re released.

Magpie Monday... Stepping back in time.

I love bargain and I  do enjoy charity shops so o the rare occasions I do go to town and I am without my child ( and husband) free. I just mooch just , glide around looking at the charity shops . Well last Friday this item caught my eye .

1911 Royal Doulton Coronation cup and saucer.

1911  it so upstairs downstairs  I can just see it sitting in some Ladies parlour, I find it hard to believe this is over a 100 years old. It has a slight hairline crack in the cup but after one hundred years wouldn't you have the odd blemish or too ?

The price just 99p that's  a bargain in my opinion here' hoping it survives another hundred years.

I am not a yummy mummy........but.....

I am not a yummy mummy, I am not rocking the Ugg boots and Barbour jackets which are hiding the Jack wills jumper and I have not managed to squeeze into any  Superdry jeans. Thankfully now I don't have the playground run with eyes looking disapprovingly at my chipped nail vanish .

I still have chipped nail vanish I  should remove it but my days are spend being a teaching assistant but I am having to scrub up next week as I will have to take part in a video promoting something I did recently for my school. So I will have to be smarter and my nail vanish will have to be perfect. after this is done will I slip back into my usual chipped nail vanish state probably . I  really should make more effort with my nails as this  has been one area I have struggled with along with fashion and my weight also.

I am constantly reminded of my weight by sudden people I know and yes it does bother me I am trying  lose weight but the staff room lures me in .. the constant cakes, sweets biscuits . Willpower just walks straight out of the door along with my fashion sense sometimes.

You will find me in black legging and a long top,  stripy socks and Mary Jane shoes but I do sport a really cute Radley bag. See I am not without some fashion sense though I do think the last who stopped me in the Radley Shop at The Bullring last Saturday thought otherwise. This is how some of the  interview went..

"So What brings you to the Radley shop" asked the lady really excitedly.

"Err handbags" I said scanning all the bags around me and looking for Iphones that they might sell on the side.

"So if you were to buy a designer handbag what would it be ?" her hand gesturing towards this very extensive list.

" I wouldn't" I bluntly said.

" Surely one?" She said looking rather perplexed.

"No not unless someone thrust money into my hand and said that 'I must buy one'"

"Oh " She said looking crestfallen she shoved a lottery scratch card in my hand and shuffled off to some other unsuspecting soul.

Want to see my two recent fashion purchases..........

My little cute Radley bag

My Pocket Radley bag

My Radley handbag and my stripey sock.

So you see I really do have style .....

Autistic children games

Now this really does depend on the level of autism but the other day I was play a simple game of  'stop and go' Purely saying 'stop' and 'go' to the child ( this is an autistic child with out much verbal communication if any ). They had such joy playing this game, we then went onto playing a different game  where I stopped at one wall they ran to another wall , I then called their name and they ran to me smiling and giggling.


You might not think you are doing much when you play simple games or do simples things but you are its all part of of the social process and it' s very small important step.





-  Maintain close proximity to child (2-4 ft.) to help keep them focused  Which is what I did when they ran to and from me giggling with such joy.

Another outside game to try is
-  Use two adults (one behind and one to guide his hands) to assist the child to catch
   and throw a ball.  Use a large soft ball, as it is easier than a smaller one. 

-  Games of hide and seek can be engaged in (using two adults - one to cover the
   child's eyes and take him out of the room and one to hide the object) if the child
   has come to realize that objects exist even though they are hidden.  The assistants
   must help the child search for the favorite item and searches must be very brief.
-  Include these children in very simple games with peers for very brief periods of
   time during outside play or PE  times. 

How Do you Get it?

I am very pleased to introduce a guest post from http://mumofalltrades.blogspot.com So Thank you to this lovely lady for doing this for me.


How Do You Do It?

We all get asked this question often enough. I know the answer to this question is quite simply, 'I don't'. I don't do it, if by 'it' you mean having a smoothly running house, an organised daily routine and perfectly behaved children. In fact I don't know anyone who does 'do it'.  From talking to friends, co workers and other mummies I know, it seems to me that we are all just doing the best that we can manage. Which in my opinion is pretty brilliant. Anybody who appears to be 'ding it', has to be lying!

Whether we work full time, part time, stay at home, our conversations usually involve stuff like, how we organise the school pick ups, child-minding or lifts to swimming? What meals are handy to make? What day is best to have an on-line grocery delivery? Because we are all like ducks paddling madly below the water to keep moving along.

The majority of days tick along ok. But then along comes one that just to make me hide under the duvet. The dirty nappy that leaks all over the car seat, the football gear that has been left in the car for 3 days and isn't ready for practice, or the announcement at 8.45am that their class is having a bun sale.

Of course things like this happen and I get really worked up. But not half as much as I used to. I think the realisation that I can't do it all has made handling parenting a whole lot easier for me. Part of how annoyed I used to get was worrying about what other people's views of me were, their opinions on my parenting. Now I honestly don't have to time to think or care about what anyone else thinks.  I know my children are happy and very well looked after and that is all that matters. Frozen pizza the odd night is not going to mean they see a therapist as an adult.

My children know I would never let them down and although it can sometimes be last minute they will  go into school with a costume for assembly or a plate of something or other for the cake sale. On the other hand they have gradually come to realise that they have to remember things like PE bags for themselves. This has to be good for them and their developing independence. (Well that's my excuse!)

I have people who often ask me how do you it, when they have seen something that I have made or something like that. But the reason I have made something or finished a project is because that is what I love doing. It makes me happy to spend my time like that. The time I spend to do these things is usually in place of something like housework, as it is not unusual to find me happily glue gunning in the utility room while ankle deep in washing. The washing gets done eventually, no one has had to go out naked yet, and I am a much happier person sitting smiling at some little daft thing I have made. 

If I were to 'do it' , I've no doubt I would have myself run ragged in a month. You would probably find me rocking in a corner gripping onto the after schools activity timetable. That is not going to happen, no thank you. I will keep my sanity, my frequently messy house  and by noisy but very healthy and happy children. The world will not implode because I forgot to return a permission slip. 

So the next time someone asks you how do you 'do it?' You can smile smugly with the knowledge that of course you don't.