Cool Kid

WARNING - BOASTFUL MUMMY POST

First of all, welcome to my new follower: Donna Scott.

Up until this point, I have hardly mentioned my 2 children.

My [almost] 14 year old daughter [Alice, aka superscout] is super cool, even though I say it myself.  REALLY.

She properly does not run with the pack and is not motivated by money at all.  She is motivated by happiness.  She is into photography and writes her own blog.

Anyway, this week she used ebay for the first time.  She bid and won a pair of skinny jeans for £1.21 plus £2.99 P and P.  She is so proud of herself. 

She is now researching/watching DM boots, in preparation for a winning snipe.  That is so like her; she always does her research about things.

This is her, wearing my 'Underground' shoes, that we share!

Today, I hope to capture the skinny jeans look; so watch this space.

Driving Lessons - Not

First of all, a very warm welcome to my new follower: Lisamaywalters

Well, today I had a great day and came home feeling really good.

When I pulled up on the drive, my nice neighbour was in the front garden.  He is, I believe, a bit shy, and, I believe, does not find it that easy to make polite conversation with me.  Nevertheless, he did engage with me.

Last year, at about this time, I informed him and his wife that Aidan was going to be having a 16th birthday party in the garden.  I was pre-warning them, just in case of any potential noise.  They were lovely about it and, as it happened all went v well, as expected, and there was nothing to worry about.

This evening, the guy asked me if Aidan was looking forward to driving lessons, as he was going to be 17.

I am an honest person and said that we are not planning on driving lessons.  I think he felt awkward that he had raised the subject and I have pretended for a few hours that everything is OK.

However, everything is not OK.  I feel like a complete failure because I am not giving Aidan driving lessons.

I live in quite an affluent area.  The house we have is lovely, but quite modest relatively speaking.  The reason I strive to live here is for the school and sixth form attached.  Both my children are benefiting from a great education.  However, they are poor in comparison.

Aidan IS the only child not having driving lessons in his friendship group.  One of his friends, who is a lovely gir,l and who cannot be put into some stereotypical category of being an unpleasant girl by any means, not only has had driving lessons, but has also had a car bought for her - a brand new Mini.

This post is not about how I should feel, but how I do I feel.  When I had my wanted children, I wanted to give them at least what I had, perhaps a little bit more.  Reverse is the case.

I feel awful.

In so many ways I they are privileged, but still I feel I failure,
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Norfolk 5th to 8th April 2013

Superscout [13] and I [!] had a lovely time in Norfolk.

We stayed at Pontins Pakefield, at £9.50 per head, courtesy of The Sun.  However, there was an approx £45 supplement to pay on top of that.  From a frugal point of view, once cost of fuel, approx £60 [2 x 3.5 hours] is taken into account, I am not sure how economical it was. I know, for example, that Sarah across on Little family of 3, has gone on a similar break, but for £65.

I will be very interested to find out more details when she gets back, because next time I might be better off waiting for a late deal, closer to home.

That said, someone I work with says that once you have been on a Sun holiday, and are therefore in the system, you receive a priority booking code in the future; thus securing wider/better choice of parks.  I did want either Devon, Cornwall, Gloucestershire etc, but all where gone.  Hence Norfolk.

Anyway, to the break itself:

On the first day we drove to Toad Hole, a Victorian eel catchers cottage.  It was small, but interesting. [I have a degree in History and love all that stuff]

Whilst we we were there we walked along the banks of the Broad that runs adjacent to it.  It is a very beautiful and peaceful landscape.

 

On the way back, we had fish and chips in Great Yarmouth.  Both superscout and I  were not impressed with GY.

On the second day we went to Somerleyton Hall.  We spent several happy hours together looking around the gardens, where superscout took lots of photographs. [When she has edited them, I hope to post some]

We also treated ourselves to lunch in the cafe.  I had spinach and potato soup; delicious.

 

It was lovely to get away and to be with SS, she really is a wonderful child.  We had a laugh, seeing the accomodation for what it was....................I wanted to go to the Disco Bingo, but she is too well brought up and wouldn't allow it!!!!!!!! We ate well, because we took out slow cooker and had some nice treats.

We really are very lucky.

x

Hidden Saving.

I knew that I would have to buy supercout and the teenager new school shoes this Easter.

I have done so online.[Clarks]

I tried buying superscout cheaper ballet pumps,but they just fell apart,. They simply could not take the walking to school.

Anyway, this morning,it dawned on me, that I could order them online, which I have done.

So, the hidden saving is the petrol, parking and snacks/lunch out.

[I looked and looked online to find discount voucher codes, but sadly could not find any valid ones]

That said, I have never really got the hang of cash back sites.

I KNOW IT IS EARLY DAYS FOR THIS BLOG AND FOLLOWERS,BUT IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS ANY ADVISE RE CASH BACK SITES, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
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