longtime no see..... lots has happened since last I blogged...... the kids won the Norther league and then came second in the National finals against Bracknell - they did fantastically well and finally Dan got on the score sheet for the season with 2 assists one of which was in the final itself :D
The AGM has been and gone and so has the presentation evening - my baby got the most improved player award :D :D
Jess is in the middle of A levels and I have an assortment of "if she gets into uni" equipment starting to gather around the house!
Ben - well Ben's Ben - the kindest most caring child in the world, the sort you might say has "been here before" but oh boy what a vile and violent temper he has, I think he is bi-polar his dad wont hear of it - he's just naughty - but hes not, he's so mixed up and confused one day and as clear as you can get the next and always has been right from a tiny baby.
I'm back on the committee for the ice hockey club so that's taking up a good deal of time but I enjoy it.... and......even better news........ we are to have an addition to the family.............................................................................................................................................................
we have just signed for our allotment, now we have to wait for the council to decide that the derelict land can reallllly be used for allotments again and then we're in - lots of hard work will follow but we shall be allotmenteers!!
I'll be taking some pictures of our tiny tiny veg patch in the garden when the sun goes down a little so I'll post them here for you all to see - and when we get on site I'll take some of the wilderness that will be our allotment.
ps my cauliflowers have just started showing their tiny little white buds :D :D :D

On the waiting list

Inspires by Lee and Keith I have taken the plunge and maybe before I retire the local council will reach my post on their waiting list for an allotment!!

In the process I saw this article in the local paper (the express and star).................

Group in plea to dig deep and grow veg
Volunteers are urging people to roll up their sleeves and grow their own greens in Cannock by unveiling plans to transform an overgrown plot of land into allotments.
The plot, which is based off Longford Road in the town, was formerly used as allotments around 20 years ago but has since been left to waste. A group of residents are desperate to see the site brought back to life and have joined forces to approach Cannock Chase Council for lease of the land in a bid to turn it into new plots which would be run by the group.
With a four-year waiting list to get an allotment with Cannock Chase Council, the newly-formed Longford Allotment Holders’ Association hope the proposal will be approved.
They are currently in negotiations with the council over terms of the lease and will be writing to the authority with specific plans of 20 plots for the site.

They have been told the plans are likely to be put before Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet in January. If approved, they can begin the clean-up and tidying of the area in time for spring.
Councillor John Kraujalis, a member of the association, said: “We are going to bring it back into use at our own cost.
“We have a group of around 13 very committed people who are enthusiastic about this project.
“The council owns lots of pieces of land and in economic times like this there is nothing they can do with them.
“Why not turn them over to productive use, if people want to use them?


This land is literally a 5 minute walk from where I live so I contacted the paper for the details of the group and it turns out that the local councillor is "the man to talk to" - now it just so happens that my mum (stalwart of the local labour party) is good mates with the councillor and is indeed going to be in conference with him at the weekend as she is on the working party to choose the new parliamentary candidate........ now is your mind working like mine did..... Sarah picks up phone... Hi mom - yeah everythings ok.... mom will you have a word with john the councillor with the unpronouncable name and as him if i can join the allotment action group blah blah blah... etc etc etc.... mom replies - dont you think you've got enough on your plate working full time 3 kids husband ice hockey training to be a cambridge councillor.... yes mom i do but would you like me to grow all your veggies for you from now till you turn up your toes... ah well when you put it like that I'll put a word in for you!!

Don't you just love moms!

Newcastel upon Tyne

Blimey its a long way to go for a 45 minute game - but what a game! - yes we won ... and that win puts us top of the league. We have pushed newcastle out of the running for 1st spot but we are still head to head with sheffield, nottingham and kingston, on points we could all still make it to the finals in 1st place - but just for now we are right up there at the top spot!

jacks beanstalk

well after a quick trip to the garden centre I got the beans in a big pot and put the canes up for them .... then made a cup of coffee while I watched the lunchtime news and weather.... THEY FORECAST SNOW! poor little beans are dicing with death I'm affraid but they have to go out - they are huge and if they stay inside till the snow is passed they'll be up the stairs and round the bannister!

yes, yes, yes yes yes yesyesyesyesyes

they've only gone and done it again! the kids thrashed Whitley bay u12's!! It was a great match to watch - the kids really wanted the win so were fighting for every inch of ice.

I got to see my beautiful angel too - we were going to stop off on the way back but for some reason (best known only to technology) Jane - the stupid sat nav lady decided that instead of coming back on the A1(M) we would return on the A19 - this meant we missed the angel and ended up near Billingham :S never mind.. we're back in Newcastle next week! So with a 12 o'clock face off we shall have plenty of time to visit her on the return journey.. I shall take my camera and try to get some good photos to post.

On the gardening front - I have jack's beanstalk growing on the window ledge - the beans are all about 7 inches tall so my day off on tuesday will be taken up building a cold frame out of some reclaimed housebricks and some glass sheets I found behind the shed. All my herbs are doing well too - even the parsley which folklore says only grows in a house where the woman is the boss! The beetroot need to be planted out too so I have to construct the "salad garden" - its going to recycle the sand pit that the kids have out grown and hopefully will keep the family fed on lettuce, beetroot, radish and spring onions with tomatoes and cucumbers to follow in some huuuuuge pots that I'm hoping to con out of my dad - they're a but battered, chunks out of the rims and so he "doesn;t like them" anymore - Ideal time for me to have them I think........

ooooerrr.....

Well... junior's team forced a draw from Sheffield, which from 2-0 down in the first 5 minutes was far better than we were expected but having been 3-2 up up until the 39th minute was disappointing (they were playing 2 20 minute periods)

So this weekend we're up to Whitley Bay and will hopefully have time to stop off to see the beautiful Angel of the North. This has to be the most fantastic man made structure in the world.... I've seen the pyramids and the Sphinx and thought they were fantastic I've been in Tutankhamen's Tomb - which was very disappointing :( but the Angel of the North has a stark eerie majestic beauty that personally I dont think could be matched (ok maybe the Taj Mahal - but I've not been there!!)

I've never before followed a sports team so league tables have been totally alien to me - all I cared about was did we win on the day ... but this season I've actually worked out how they work and have been following all the stats and the Hi'Lo positions!!

we've got some busy weekends... whitley this week - newcastle next week and then Billingham the week after - oh boy my carbon footprint is going up and up ..... I'm trying hard to off set it - I have sooooo many little plants germinating on my kitchen window ledge that i shouldn;t need to buy veg all summer so hopefuly i can save some food miles to offset te ice hockey miles

Just back from the icerink...

.. oh boy are our little uns doing good! the league tables are looking good, we've beaten the giant killers once already this season and only have the return matches to paly - if we've done it once we can do it again.... Sheffield this saturday - face off at 315 at Telford... we hammered them at Ice Sheffield - their first loss of the season so we should be on to a winner (everything crossed) If we win all 6 matches we will win the league and then won't have to meet the mighty Bracknell until the Final of the Nationals, unlike last year when we had them in the semis and we lost - placing us 3rd... we really really could do it this year - how excited am I - mmmm very very mommy excited (infact if we win on saturday I think I might wet me knickers cos I shall be that excited!!)

http://www.eiha.co.uk/junioru12league.html