Mummy at the School Gate

Several weeks ago (March 26th) we all saw a drama unfolding on our TV's.  A woman rushed into a hotel in Tripoli, where a group of foreign journalists were staying and having breakfast and told of her torture and gang rape at the hands of 15 of Gaddafi's Militia.  It was a frantic and frightening scene leaving many wondering what had happened to her.  Many thought she would disappear never to be seen again, and little has been reported of  the case that shocked much of the world, at least on our TV's. Iman al-Obaidi was released into the care of her sister and on April 3rd gave a telephone interview on Libya TV. She told of her kidnapping, of her ordeal, and of her escape. She spoke of the 16 year old girl, also held along with other women. She spoke of her arrest and detention after the scene at the hotel, and the subsequent demands from officials that she change her story to reflect that it was the rebels that held her and not Gaddafi's men. They have offered an ap

I was recently asked by another blogger for my "must reads". I'm probably not the best person to ask as I think the back of a cornflake packet can make for fascinating reading, but there are a few that I'll spend time over and will visit several times a week.  I like to think of them as my "friends" as they have something to say that I find interesting. They probably won't be every one's cup of tea, but if you're looking for something a bit different look no further than this eclectic bunch. In no particular order Not tomorrow, but soon . Mr London Street  Wit and Pendulum  Manana Mama Miss Behaving  40 Blog Spot   Diary of a Desperate Exmore Woman Katy Acquaye Tonge  Knackered Mothers Wine Club  Diary of a Mad Housewife A Very British Dude  Babylon Lane Tales For me reading these are like visiting the homes of friends where I can relax, laugh, reflect or be peaceful...everyone has something different to offer and each of them offer somet

I have a tots100 badge on my sidebar...I have no idea why as my three are no longer tots. It just seemed like a good idea at the time!  However, I wonder whether I should remove it as I'm not in the 100 mark, or even the 200 mark...it's way, way lower.  I think it's off any scale that has been devised.  Why would I be proud to be 588th?? It's made me giggle all morning.  I think I may have to do a little bit more cleaning...of the blog; the home is filthy as it is and doesn't need any more help. While it's a great idea to find out where you are score wise and who you are reaching, it is linked to Twitter and Facebook, which may give you an idea of the work involved but it's a great way to find other blogs to add to your rss reader.  Don't add tots100 to your page if you are a sensitive soul, as it will have you reaching for the tranquillisers!

Smells evoke memories of a time and place. I say this because recently I lost my sense of taste and smell for a while, and despite not being able to smell or taste anything I could imagine and remember what they were like.  I pondered the idea of just eating just lettuce and pretending that it was chocolate.  Having tried the experiment on cottage cheese, I soon realised that it really wasn't going to work.  Cottage cheese does not have the texture of cake...it has the texture of cottage cheese! I have a candle on my desk. It's in a tin and was bought for my birthday by Bart.  I haven't lit it.  But every now and then, I lift the lid off and breath in the beautiful smell of a bluebell wood. I'm sure it doesn't smell like a bluebell wood. I'm not even sure I've smelt a bluebell wood, but it says so on the tin.  Now that spring is here, I open the door and smell the wonderful fresh distinctive smell of new beginnings. Walking the beasts, I smell growing gras

Friday started pretty much the same as most days. Get up, get dressed, kids dressed, breakfast, shout, school run, chit chat at the school gate, back home, walk the beasts...then a quick glance at t'interweb. However, the quick glance turned into a marathon 6 hour visual, visceral, disseminating experience...and I'm not sure I actually enjoyed it. You see, I have recently joined up to Twitter..(so I suppose I'm either a twit or a tweep), and let me tell you, it's shattering! Twitter is a social experience. Twitter expects interaction, after all that is its purpose, but I find  it has stolen huge chunks of my day. My phone receives tweets; my ipad receives tweets, but why do I feel this need? I've actually stopped answering my phone and text messages, in case I miss that tweet.  Why, for gods sake?  I didn't even tweet with anyone!. For the second time this week, I've read a post which explained why they "unfollow" on Twitter. "Admirable,&q