And the award goes to.....

.....after much deliberation, cogitation and head-scratching my five winners are:


1. Sal of Sal'sSnippets.


2. Julia of Miss Frugality


3. Sara at The Fabric of Meditation


4. Sarah at allabouteden


5. Beth at Felting in Fibrespace


Sorry to those of you who I didn't pick. There are just too many damn fine blogs out there to choose from but at the current rate I'll get another award soon as can share the love with some more of you - lol.

Had a bit of a rejig of the blog today. I spent so long faffing about on Meez again today that I thought the fruits of my labours should be more visible and not lurking at the bottom of my blog where noone will see it. Hump Day??? If you don't know what this is click on the linkie-poo. It's something that I first heard back in the olden days. Before I discovered Radio 2 but when Radio 1 had lost the plot I endured the crackly, non-stereoness of Virgin Radio for a while, and Russ and Jono used to talk about it on their brekkie show. Chris Evans must have picked it up from there and now he marks the day on his drive-time show. Cheers everyone.

I have also added another banner on that side of the blog - the S.O.P.H.I.E. banner. This relates to the murder of Sophie Lancaster, the girl who was stamped and kicked to death while trying to protect her beaten up boyfriend, just for being a Goth. For some reason this story has really upset me, whether it's the fact that I used to dress that way or whether it's just the sheer mindless thuggery I don't know. It just really horrifies me that this kind of thing can happen in this day and age. Much as I love this country it grieves me that an element society has so little respect for human life. How can anyone be so evil and narrow-minded? OK - rant over. Just didn't want this to pass by without comment.

On a lighter note, I have been on another little shopping expedition today. Kiddie has been to the cathedral to see the Duke of Gloucester today. In case you didn't know what he looks like here he is.

He seemes a nice enough chap but not very 'royal looking'. He came down the steps and nobody was sure which one was him. We all had balloons which we released when given the nod (not that I'm too sure about this as an idea - what about when they come back down? Litter, wildlife injury...). Then the kiddies all trotted back to school in time for lunch.

And tomorrow they have to do it all over again. They are at the cathedral for the Ascension Day service. Apparently children from most of the city schools will form a huge circle around the cathedral and do a Mexican Wave.... Anyhoo, to get to the point, she asked if she could have a new school dress with a bow at the back for tomorrow. Hence the shoppping trip. (How much do I waffle?!)

So I trundled over to Tamworth to the big Woolies there. And it's closing down!!! How dare they!! Nobody asked me!! On Saturday they will shut for good!! On the plus side their lease has been bought by M&S next door and they are expanding. Hooray! A nice big Marks. On the negative side, Woolies had no school dresses left so I pootled over to Sainsbury's and managed to get her two from there, but not before filling a basket with bargains I didn't really need but couldn't not buy! Here is just a selection...

Fimo craft sets for about £2.50 each. The jewellery one has the findings in it as well. Fab prezzies to stash away.

A rainbow of tissue paper for 93p. You can never have too much tissue paper and simplesparrow - a new blog I've found - made these fab tissue flowers which I want to have a go at with kiddie. Admittedly sparrow used recycled tissue but never mind. On another new blog (new to me that is) Flossie teacakes made these great butterflies with her two 'smallies'. Sometimes kids' projects are really rubbishy but these two are lovely.

Pretty ribbon. OK it's not anything very special but for 93p you can't say no can you?

And these were the bargain of the day. Little buzzing presents or cakes with a candle - you know where you pull a cord and they vibrate - well they were 1p each. Yes I did say 1p - one new penny. Some of them no longer buzz but for a penny I can chop off the cord and still use them for something.

After that I headed for Sainsbury's where I managed to find the dresses plus a new bra (woop woop!!) and a pair of cropped jeans for £8.00. That's totally put the kiss of death on the weather for the weekend - Sorry!!

When I finally got back hime MIL had collected kiddie from school and they had departed for the wilds of Leicestershire. But they had left me this touching note on the hall floor so I couldn't miss it!!

To translate, one of the cats had thrown up on the hall carpet and 'X' marks the spot. Still, at least they had cleaned it up for me. I do love our cats **grinding and gnashing teeth** no really.

I do really hope the weather is OK at the weekend as it's the Upton Folk Festival this weekend. Evie and her friends are dancing on the Saturday this year - Irish dancing, that is. I know many people think it would be their idea of Hell but it's a fab day with all styles of music and dancing - folk, Morris, clog, Irish and last year BELLY dancing!!! Yay! Click on the links to see last years photos. Sadly it doesn't look like they (Barefoot Bellydance) will be appearing this year but we'll have to wait and see.

I was seriously tempted by the idea of Morris dancing after last year. We have a few good ladies sides in and around Lichfield but then I suddenly thought of belly dancing and that was it. Hopefully we should be shimmying at one or two of the festivals and things around Lichfield during the summer. I may let you know...

I've done no crafting today at all. How bad am I? And I could be doing stuff now but instead I'm sitting here typing away and listening to Mr Harding. Tomorrow won't be much more productive either as I'm in work. Interim assessment time already and the girls are panicking slightly. Only four weeks left 'til they finish their final projects and have their end of course assessment. Ahh I remember it well. Tomorrow it's give-them-a-rocket-and-try-to-get-them-motivated-day. Last push before the end. Think I need one of those myself. OK enough. I'll go and do something now.