How Do you Know You are brilliant ?

How would you know you are brilliant if no one told you ?

Being told you are good at something goes such a long way to improving your self confidence and self worth and you feel part of life. you don't feel that you are peeking in on things. We tell our children all the time that they are brilliant * mostly but the lift that you both get from it is amazing.  Being told you are brilliant is a simple kindness that does back itself forward in turn you will tell someone that that brilliant .


The thing that we mustn't do is let self doubt creep in ie put ourselves down .

Beating myself us is what I'm trying to do less of.

I'll let you know how that is going just as long as the cat doesn't run off with my knitting ...

How I can feel

Mental health is something we talk about yet we don't talk about , it can be very hard handling it day day and a battle can be going on in your mind especially if this is coupled with anxiety. I work in a school so obviously I get the the long holidays which is super but it can also be a curse to my mind. I work with wonderful people and it is a superb school but I have to engage myself with more people than I have been used to in the holidays.  And while I did pop to London on my own and this is a huge step it took a lot of courage to do so.


I am talking about the return to routine which if you have a mental health condition you yearn for but at the same time you don't want it . It is very much a double edged sword I feel I have to justify my feelings so much at times to people but all I am simply am going through is a blip . I can't help it at all and nowadays if I am feeling it I make sure I stay away from situations where I could dig myself a very big social media hole.


I should be off to a knitting club later, I have not knitted since I was 7 and I knitted a scarf for my teddy bear , which was very long  ( similar to Doctor Who Tom Bakers )and it is with people which I find worrying at the best of times. I think the cats would like a knitted scarf and wouldn't they look a treat.



Tomorrow I have to go and listen to information about sons sixth form and ask questions ( of which my family told me I am very good at )


You see I know I can be confidant but I dislike being called on when I makes errors I feel so small and embarrassed , some people do seem to take pleasure in correcting others a very erroneous grip on power !


But for now the light is shining though the windows which are clean hurrah ! and I can plot and plan holidays you see I need something to focus on to get me through.

Happy Place

Happy place is 

Getting the kitchen sorted a itty bit from this

to this 

A bag like this 

A cat in a box 

Dreaming of my bicycle 

Hugging a tree 

Tea 

However an opinion is a where I come unstuck especially when I said " I don't like Moulin Rouge " I suspect I should have sugar coated it with some sort of a back story. You see it takes a hell of a load for me to give an opinion without causing offence .  

And while we are at it I don't like marzipan either ...

Things That Like to GO Whee

Are you ready for the adventure ?

Where my blog will take you from September onwards ? I am hoping by the end of the year I will have my beloved bicycle with a basket as it is really my hearts desire . To whisk down the lanes round here with my feet off the peddles joyfully going wheee. There're so many villages round here that I will be able to cycle to the next door which holds a well dressing each year. which is very indicative of Derbyshire.

Well it is September and my bicycle is still a dream , I dream about her everyday and she will be called Myfawney and I think many hope I will get a bicycle soon so I can finally shut up about one. I keep thinking about where I will go , I know you can buy one for a few hindered pounds but the one I want is rather more than than than . Why settle for polyester when you can have silk , I want to eek back to a simple time and cycle down to the shops and wander around with my basket. Did you know the bag tax is coming into force by the 5th October so no longer will you hear after the cashier has glided 60 items through the till


"Do you want a bag with that ?


And you are ever so tempted to say

"NO I will walk each one individually to the car"

You think it but don't say it.


Your inner monologue keeps you in check , very ,such I think life have an angel and demon on your shoulder keeping you on the straight and narrow but that flash of "what if I did say this"

I had my haircut the other day, nothing understand in that other that i only ever go between 2 hairstyles as my hair will never go long and silky and swishy like the lying  adverts. The usual hair dresser chit chat ensued which way does your fringe go ?where did you go on holiday ?

"Washington D.C "

Replies I

"What's there then ?"

" I 've seen it in movies "

I really had the devil in me spluttering , no doubt that will be because horror of horrors they served me instant coffee and not latte ?

Oh and today I did my first aid course at school , and if you've got an injury probably best not to see me !!

Don't worry you'll survive * probably 

But for now I'm channelling my inner Mr Flibble ...

Family Frugal Things Do In Washington D.C

You're going to love Washington D.C you feel feel right at home immediately and it is so easy to get around the city. The moment we arrived in Washington D.C we didn't immediately go into the city instead we got to know the neighbourhood where we were staying at the Omni Shoreham which is brilliant for the urban explorer. Though you are in a a city the Capital of USA it is so leafy and green and the pavements are so wide you really did not feel jostled as you might on Oxford Street for example.

The first day we were there we took the Metro from Woodley Park ( which is the Washington Zoo stop) and went to see the sights so we could get our bearings for the subsequent days. We immediately headed for the White House as will everyone else and we weren't disappointed as not only will you get a great view of the White House but you will also get a cracking view of Washington Monument as well. And be prepared to be moved when you are gazing upon the White House for when the Secret Service say move this is what you do and you do it with speed !

Now you can go up Washington Moment but do make sure that you book on line for this , I have heard that you get a awesome view and the lift is jolly fast ! However even with your feet firmly planted on  terra firma you can still appreciate the majestic nature of the monument.


Just a quick note if visiting Washington DC in the summer months do take a hat, carry water and possibly an umbrella ( for shade) as the temperature soars and the humidity is very high.

The Washington monument is like an exclamation point on the landscape and is 555ft , the reason that the monument is 2 colours is after construction started in 1848 the Civil War stopped work at 156ft. And when work restarted in 1876 the stone from the original quarry had dried up and contractors had to go else where by Federal law no building can be build higher than the monument.

Then we went onto the Lincoln Memorial where Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream speech) you'll know instantly the spot as this is where everyone gathers to have their picture taken or taken pictures from that spot. The Lincoln memorial is the monument for the countries 16th President  the style is evoked by a Greek temple design. Lincoln gazes out over the Reflecting pool and it really a defining DC visit moment.