What a night!!!!

So Manny and I went to Jimmy Spices for tea tonight...................

Apart from sitting there in complete silence, Manny is down in the dumps again, the meal was OK.

So we ate our meal and left...................

What a pratt I am, I had grabbed Manny's keys to the car so the key to the crook lock was at home, I never use the flaming thing in Rugeley but decided to tonight.

So there we were in the pouring rain waiting for Green Flag to come and rescue us!!! Don't laugh it wasn't funny at the time. We finally got home at 9.30pm only waited half an hour for the guy, it took him 45 minutes to get the thing off, I gave him a fiver for his trouble, the sweat was pouring off him bless.

So not a boring night after all, it's all in the life of the Lavender-Guinto's, I just wish Manny would realise that and lighten up a bit!!!

Remember me?

Well hello there all and everybody. I know it has been so long since I blogged, but as I said at the very beginning my life at home is pretty boring!!!

So what's been happening with me then...........

I can't really tell you everything, I could get myself into too much trouble and we don't want that do we, but here's all the goss I can divulge............

Work, well that's all I do really apart from eat and sleep. So work is OK really, I have been feeling a little stressed lately with it all but I have a week off now so hopefully I'll calm down a bit. We have a new area manager, well................. what can I say, we have heard nothing good about her and I to be honest am worried sick. We have two deputies in our shop me being the second and we shouldn't have, but our old AM put me there permanently 3 years ago so I ain't going nowhere. I am worried sick this woman is going to decide they don't need me and get rid of me or try and move me. Well a couple of days ago she phoned OMG what a bitch all she did was scream down the phone to our Manager by the sounds of it, OK she was on her mobile in the car but that doesn't excuse her barking do's and dont's down the phone to him. So her big bug bear is spending too much money, so I am more than concerned at the moment to say the least, if I lost my job now we would be in deep doo doo and the only solution would be for Manny to go home we couldn't cope any other way. So please all keep you fingers crossed for me please!!!!!

I wish I could jump on a plane and go see Tracy, friends are supposed to be there for you when you need them and she needs me at the moment, she's been laid off and is very sad at the moment, I would do anything to go and see her and cheer her up!

So my Sister Sophie has moved house, what chaos has it been. She has moved because she was living next to the neighbour from hell and she just couldn't take anymore. The association who owns the house that she lived in would not do anything about this girl next door, even with complaints from all the neighbours in the street so in the end my Sister gave in and moved. The kids and her have been staying here for the week whilst they get the new house straight, they have gone now but we still have the cat Tinker, she can stay though she is so lovely.

Jordan has started High School now, he looks so handsome in his uniform, I must get a picture of him and post it but when he gets home he has taken his tie off and has his collar up, he looks just like Harry Hill it's so funny.

So Manny and I have the week off, bless him he is so exhausted, he is up at 5am and doesn't get home till 7/8pm and is doing a very physical job, I'm a bit worried about him but you know Manny he doesn't talk about things so I just have to guess what's going on. We haven't got anything planned for the week, can't afford to go anywhere so we are going to get a few jobs done round the house for Mum and a bit of gardening hopefully, the weather has turned out quite nice the last couple of days I just hope it last over the week? Mum's in bed with what I call her Boxing day cold, she always used to get a cold on Boxing day after working so hard on the run up to Christmas, that's what having your own business does for you. She had pneumonia when I was 10 very seriously and ever since that whenever she got a slight sniffle my Dad used to freak out, he always forgot what a tough old bird she was but she isn't getting any younger and I'm pretty useless at looking after her, I can't even look after myself very well!!! lol. Why can't we just have a little win on the lottery and get ourselves straight eh, I would send Mum on a World Cruise, gosh I'd probably go with her, I'd sort my Sister out with a house and I'd give a couple of close friends a bit. Then Manny and Me would be all sorted for life, why oh why can't it happen to us???? lol

Well that's all folks, nothing else to tell, well nothing else I can tell to be honest. I'll try and keep up with this a bit more regularly but can't promise anything.

I miss you T!!

XXX

Missing you!!

Well guys I can't tell you how much I am missing you all! T, Kimi, Maya, C.J and Jenn.

Tracy has probably told you we have a ship shoppie reunion in Vegas next April so Manny and Me are saving really hard to come over for it and kill two birds with one stone and visit Tracy and all and Manny go see his Mum in Houston.

I have joined facebook and does it make you sentimental and nostalgic, I'm laughing and crying at some of the picture on there.

Check them out..........

My first contract on the Regal, Tracy joined a week later and we did the next 3 contracts together. We the only two people who can live with each I think! lol

Another drunken night in crew bar! God knows how I used to get home on that ship it was like a maze?

Okay so I'm not a fan of bikes but a girl has to have a go on a Harley round Melbourne even if it's pillion with a sidecar attached, it was such a fun day, don't think I laughed so hard about anything else!

Me & Lani on the back of an Elephant in Thailand

Christmas on the Sky, the ship I met Manny on! arrh

Sorry!

I'm sorry to say that I have nothing to blog at the moment. Tracy knows the score with it all! lol

I am working as normal and not enjoying the weather. I bought a sun lounger for in the garden, but the way it's going I'll be using it Christmas Day! I'll take a pic and blog it for you all later.

Abs x

How Cute!

Meet Kye Josiah Howes, isn't he cute? He's Bee's grandson and she is so smitten with him, can you blame her? Toni and Lee have done a good job, well done guys!

TAGGED!

Kimi tagged me!

5 questions:-

What were you doing 10 years ago?

Mmm... like I can remember that far back, yesterday is a blurr!!! I was at home I think....No actually I was on the Sky Princess, I had just met Manny.

-What are 5 things on your to do list today?

I wish I could plan ahead.....if I think about it.....

1. I need to change the bed


2. need to build the bathroom cupboard that's been waiting for 6 weeks


3. tidy office up (it's a mess)


4. pay some bills when I get paid tomorrow


5. oh major job to be done...put some oil in my car it's running low!

-A Snack I enjoy?

Do I need to narrow it to 1? Ok it's got to be chocolate

-What would I do if I was a millionaire?

• Pay the debts of course!


• Buy a big beautiful house with a maid and gardener.


• Buy my Sister and kids a big house also.


• Send my Mum on a fantastic holiday.


• Organise and pay for all my friends from all over to meet up in Acapulco as I always promised

-Places I have Lived?

• Rugeley


• on 4 ships

Life long dream to live in the States, anyone got any jobs or tricks to get in easily!!!!

TAG Tracy! your it!!

Do you think they LOVE us?

Everywhere I look there's notices saying I Love You!

The best Auntie in the World what ME?

Best Auntie, Best Nan, haven't they just got the Best Family!!!

We just can't take any more praise, stop, stop, we know!!!!!

A day in the sun. Who needs California? Me, Me,Me!! lol

Wimbledon here we come!!!!

So we headed up into Cannock Chase to a place called Seven Springs, it's a beautiful spot, we are so lucky that we only live 5 minutes from all of this.

The face of an Angel!

You can't beat a picnic in this weather.

The weather was just perfect, a nice breeze blowing and the sun shining, what a lovely day off I had.



Then we headed home, we decided that we would have a bar-b-q, Jordan volunteered to clean it, isn't he a good boy?



Lolly and I chilled out with a book each and supervised Jordans work.



The heat was just too much for them so they decided to watch a bit of TV in there Nan's room. They know how to get comfy don't they?

So that was my only day off this week, can't say I'm too upset about it, the weather is back to it's old self, rain, rain, rain, so being at work isn't too bad. lol

Knickers!

Went over to Cannock to have a browse around today. Mum has an underwear stall on the market there, she loves working on it. Sophie and her were just about to close up, Manny was in the bookies and I was having a nosey in the shops, can you believe I didn't buy a thing!

Anyone for knickers, well sell everything a girl would need from belly warmers to longs knickers, we keep the old dears happy, it's difficult to get proper underwear near us so Mum has her own little client base.

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous today, it's currently 25 celcius and it's 7.18pm, unfortunately I have been at work all day and just watched the sun from inside, I did go and eat my lunch outside which was nice but a little warm in my uniform. Working all day tomorrow also but off Monday, lets hope the weather holds because we have the kids for the day and are hoping to have a bar-b-q. Watch this space eh?

My lifes complete!!!!

Isn't it beautiful!!!

It is blends beautifully with our bedroom, I couldn't be happier!! Thank goodness for credit cards and loving Husbands, I couldn't live without mine, Husband that is!!

Percy Thrower eat your heart out!

Well on Monday Mum and I went and ordered the conservatory furniture, we found a fab place that hand makes it to your own specs and ordered it there and then. It's on a 6 weeks waitlist but I'm sure it will be here before we know it! I can't wait and neither can Mum.

So then on the way home I had a brain wave.....'hey Mum shall we cut the grass when we get home?' What am I like eh, me and my big mouth!

So we gets home and I get the mower out and start cutting the grass, then Mum finishes the last half whilst I start the strimming. We don't use the strimmer very often because we can't use it very well but as it happens Manny has been having a go and adjusted it to the perfect setting. OMG once I got started I couldn't stop, just look at that perfect edge!!

Before I got my hands on the strimmer you couldn't see the flagstone between our grass and the pavement, aren't I good!!!!

Lewys decided he would come over and inspect the work, I'm guessing that this means he likes it.

He's such a cheeky monkey, on a good day that is, he can be a bit moody can our Lew, he just looks at you and turns his nose up when he's got one on him. (lol)

Food glorious food!!

Every once in a while us girls from Corals try and get together for a bite to eat and natter. We love to go to a pub called The Rag, the food there is amazing! Check it out

http://www.theragatrawnsley.co.uk/

I had Charentais melon. Vine ripened tomato, cucumber & mozzarella salad to start with, then
Roasted fillet of Pork with a bacon, black pudding & apple stuffing wrapped in pancetta with a cider & mustard cream sauce for main and cheesecake for desert. I can't describe how wonderful it all was, I'll have to take you all there when you all come over!!! It's a date!!

Dudley Zoo

So on Thursday we all headed off to Dudley Zoo. We've never been before, Mum has 50 something years ago and remembers it well because a Zebra bit my Uncle. O don't think Manny is telling me off, well if he was it must have been so important that I've forgotten!!!! The Zoo is laid out all over the side of a hill so we decided to start at the top and work our way down hence being on the land train.

The World is very heavy on those shoulders!!

Just for us a flamingo escaped, it was so funny it was flying all over the place and men were running all over after it, they eventually caught it and took it back to solitary confinement. Naughty flamingo!!!!

Laugh, the tears were rolling down my face, this Kangaroo seemed to have an itch, I should have videoed it but I could just hold the camera still long enough to get his shot, Mum says I was being rude. Jordan said he though he had nits and was scratching because of them. You had to be there! lol

A 29 year old Asiatic Bear waiting for her breakfast, she looks so docile, don't think I'd like to fall in with her and her mate though, they have very sharp looking nails!

This baby Giraffe is only 1 month old can you believe how tall it is already?

You can't see me hiding in this tree can you?

I'm sure I've been out with him or his Brother, they do look familiar! lol

I'd love an eyeshadow that colour blue so keep your eyes out for me girls! My Mum and Dad took Sophie and Me to York for my 14th birthday (just a couple of years ago!) Sophie got chased by a peacock with all it's plumage out, it frightened her so much that she hates them now, we had to sit right over the other side so this one didn't come over to us, I should tease her really it really did frighten her, but aren't they so gorgeous. Mum's got a piccie of it in full plumage I'll download it another day.

A weeks Holiday!

So Manny and I have had the week off work together. It's such a shame that the weather has been so rough and we have been so broke. I can't wait until I get my next pay cheque it will be a proper one this time not half pay.

We went to the warehouse, Costco and then Buffet Island with Mum on my Birthday, didn't do anything else too exciting, money's tight and all that. Still haven't received my new purple laptop from Dell but I keep checking on the order process and it's any day soon by the looks of it. Isn't my Husband a love buying me a lovely laptop? Oh I did go and have my works medical that night, it went well but my wee wee sample got lost in the post so now a nurse has to come to the house and have another one!!!

So the saga of the wireless Internet carried on till Wednesday. I received the wireless router on Tuesday and left it till Wednesday to sort out. OMG why me I ask myself, I was convinced it would be a 20 minute job, why do I kid myself so much!!!

So I gets the router and all the cables out of the box and starts attatching everything UNTIL I realise that my computer doesn't have a Ethernet connection in it. Huh!!!! So I get on the phone to Talk Talk in India of course and do they listen to me NO THEY DON'T!!!! I have now been trying to sort this out for 2.5 hours and I am getting very stressed but staying calm. All these guys keep doing is transferring me to other departments. All they can say is that I need to get an Ethernet thingy put into my PC, I give in in the end and drive over to Stafford to PC World to get it sorted. The guy tells me it's going to cost £40 in all, all this because we are trying to save money and it's going to cost me more!!! So Manny pops out to the car to get my PC and as he's walking through the door with it, the guy says...'I've got some bad news for you!' My heart sank I can tell you. So I said 'go on then break it to me!!' So then he hastens to tell me that my PC has an Ethernet thingy and I have just overlooked it. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, Manny just rolled his eyes.

So we jumped in the car and went back home, via the pub and a lovely carvery to calm our nerves, Manny has a bottle of cider as well I think he needed it.

Anyway here's me thinking fab I can just get it connected it'll only take 10 minutes, what am I stupid or what, hit me someone will you!!!!

For some reason my adaptor will not now connect to the router, oh yes the installation of that went like a dream. But no it's not going to be that easy! So I gets back on the phone to Talk Talk in India and keep being transferred from department to department AGAIN!!! Then I discover that the actual department I need to talk to won't talk to me! WHY?? Well it seems they have me down as Mr A Guinto not Mrs so want to speak to Mr, can I make them understand there is no Mr A Guinto it's me Mrs A Guinto, it takes me 1 hour to convince them of this with a lot of shouting I can say and I'm sorry to say I ended up calling them all incompetent idiots, I really lost it, I was so angry, just because they missed the S of they won't talk to me. FINALLY I made this guy understand and he transferred me to the department I needed. Guess where it is, you've guessed it ENGLAND!!!!! Why couldn't they just put me through straight away.

It's now 8pm and I started this caper at 2pm, can you imagine how hot and bothered I am, Mum's gone out and Manny's staying out of the way, I'm best left to it when I get like this.

FINALLY!!!! Little old Lee in Bradford ENGLAND helps me configure everything and it's working like a dream, I can tell you if he'd been standing in front of me I would have kissed him! So now thank goodness there is no cable trailing down the stairs and everything seems to be working like a dream. WHY ME I ask myself WHY ME, does everything have to be a trauma.

Take a deep breath for me guys I need one!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!!!!!

Aren't I a lucky girl!

Tomorrow is my Birthday, my 36th Birthday to be exact, 40 next big one it's just too scary!

I know both of these bouquets look the same, well that's because they are almost, the first one is of Andrew and the second off work, they all know my favourite colours so that's why they are similar. Aren't they just beautiful.

Just thought I would blog about them and show off how lucky I am!!!

Yippee I've got something to blog!!!!!!!!

So as the economic climate is so dire for everyone at the moment us Lavender-Guinto's are trying to save money just like the rest of the World!!!

I've been putting this of for at least 4 years and the reason I have has been proven.

Mum and I decided that we should change phone providers for our land line and Internet but I knew that it would cause problems, I was so right. The phone went very smoothly but as I foresaw the Internet is a disaster. I have my Internet on a wireless connection and to save a little more money and not spend £30 on another router I decided that I would configure the one I have to the new settings. It ain't working, just as I knew it would!!!!!!! So at this precise moment in time we have a wire trailing down the stairs to the phone connection. OMG what a pain the the you know what!!!!!!!!! I've given in in the end and ordered the wireless router I haven't got the time and the patience to mess around with it any longer.

On a funnier side the shop I work in is falling apart literally. We have known for over a year now that the roof is leaking every time it rains and our AM told us last year that it literally had to come in before it could be repaired. Well on Wednesday night it happened it fell in on one of the punters heads, lucky it was only the polystyrene panel so didn't hurt him but now we have a whole and a leak so everyone is getting wet. I even went into the shop with a umbrella at one stage to stop them getting wet. (lol) It looks like Corals are going to have to spend a little more than they want to, it seems the whole roof needs replacing! Serves them right for being so tight about it eh!

So yesterday was my last day at work for a week, I know, I know I've just had 10 weeks off sick but if I don't take my holiday they won't pay me for it so I have too. I must say I had a lovely day, Andrew one of my customers, I blogged about him a while ago, well he bought me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers, so did the girls, Liam and Karl that I work with and also a USB thingy for my new laptop that Manny is buying me for my Birthday tomorrow. I felt quite special and then to make my day even better, my new shoes arrived, ANOTHER pair of Birkenstocks, aren't they just so cute, I LOVE THEM!!!! I can't tell you how many pairs I have now, perhaps I should get them all out and take a picture and blog them. Between us Bee and I are keeping QVC and Birkenstock in business I am sure of it!!! (lol)

Well OK this wasn't the most exciting blog but at least it's something. Manny is off with me as well this week so perhaps we will do something together. We are all going to the Zoo on Thursday, the kids have a day off school, so hopefully we can take a picnic.

Catch you all soon, can't tell you how much I'm missing T and California!

Freaky!!!!

So what do you all make of this? (Left side half way down)

I'm reading a trashy Mills & Boon book like Harlequin books and I'm nearly at the end and well it freaked me out. How big is the States I ask you and what are the chances that the place I have just been to on holiday would be mentioned in a book that I am reading, I only started reading these types of books when over there.

Can anyone tell me what it's supposed to mean because it's got me all flustered, there has to be a deep meaning somewhere there's just got too? Help!!!

Another day another Dollar!!

My buddy Bee (Birgit), we work really well together, we think the same and help each other out

Andrew one of our customers, Bee and I have been out with a meal with him and are going again soon, he works at the local biscuit factory and always brings us a bag of biccies in, my Niece Lolly loves one certain type so he brings extra of those just for her.

Have you ever seen anything so gorgeous, Bee and I have wanted a coin counter for the shop for years, when we empty the machines of a night time we have to count all the coins by hand, well not any more Karl our new Manager (he's fab) has bought this in, he's our friend forever!!

Jill one of our cleaners and her Husband Paul.

I'm so sorry I haven't blogged in a week but as you can see and I did warn you all I do when I'm home is work work work, just like the rest of the World, I do Love my job though so it's not that bad.

I'm home alone again, Manny has had to work all weekend, had to get up at 4am which is exhausting for him but we need the money, he is still paying for my trip to California! lol I'm going to cook him lamb chops with mint sauce and new potatoes and veg for tea, he really loves lamb it's not something you get in the Philippines.

I've got a bit of housework to do, nothing much I try and keep on top of things when Mum's away and only really use my bedroom and kitchen. So I might do a bit of laundry and then sit in the garden IF the sun comes out, highly unlikely to be honest there's not enough blue in the sky to make a sailor a pair of trousers at the moment.