Rosie Scribble

A bad mother moment or two

Having just spotted Gappy's forthcoming bad mother carnival, I felt the sudden urge to throw a post together and get a recent bad mother moment off my chest.

Not the time I sent my daughter, at the sensitive age of five, to school in her uniform to find the rest of the class dressed up in elaborate costumes for World Book Day.

Not the time (yesterday in fact) when I sent my child to school on one of the hottest days of the year wearing absolutely no sun cream and had to 'borrow' some from a responsible parent.

But the time, this very weekend, when I was so engrossed in the fabulous line-up of writing guides in Waterstones, Stratford-upon-Avon, that I had no idea where my child was or what she was going.

I'd like to say that she was doing anything other than walking around the shop with my camera taking random shots of customers trying to quietly choose a book.

I'd like to say she did not catch her mother on film, oblivious to child's behaviour, during her photography spree.

I would like to say that at the end of all this she did not produce a copy of Loose Women with a bright pink sparkly cover and tell me it looked like an exciting bedtime read.

For the record, we didn't buy it.

Also for the record, I do know where my child is at this precise moment in time.

The British Mummy (and Dads) Bloggers Carnival

Welcome to the British Mummy Bloggers’ Carnival. For those who and not familiar with carnivals, it is a chance to promote you blog to new readers by including a link to your favourite post from the last month. There are a number of first time carnival bloggers included this time so do go and visit their sites and make them feel welcome. So relax with a cup of coffee  (or an ice lolly) and enjoy this month's entries -- there is quite a selection to choose from.

I have also included a post that has not been submitted by the blog author but it's one that I want people to read. I also know that the blogger concerned won't actually mind. It's at the end of the carnival and involves raffle prizes.

Starting us off is Lloyd who offers a dad’s perspective on family life. His amusing post Hi Honey, I’m Home will be familiar to many of us who arrive home to find a domestic scene far from the what we had expected.

Mum and business owner Antonia Chitty discusses the term 'Mumpreneur' and asks What sort of Mumpreneur are you?

Motivating Mum supports mums in business and mumpreneurs and has advice on How to network with confidence.

A mini-carnival of scribbles

The idea behind this blog post has absolutely nothing to do with me. I have stolen it from Susanna at A Modern Mother without even asking her permission (although I did hint in my comment on her post so I'm sure she won't mind).

So I, too, am reflecting on my blogging year (well, 10 months, 186 posts and 1653 comments to be precise) and publishing my favourite posts of 2009. So allow me to be a little self-indulgent.

Some posts were funny, some controversial, some serious and at least one was complete fantasy.

Here are a selection of my personal favourites:

1. A serious post in response to Kate Moss's controversial motto she quoted in a magazine interview: Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels... oh really, Kate?
2. The post where I argue against celebrities who rapidly diet after childbirth to regain their 'figures' and reveal why I feel so passionately about the subject: Skinny Mummies
3. The review I composed in the bath with a glass of red wine in hand: A taste of luxury from Simplehuman.
4. The post that was *slightly* controversial and certainly created debate in the blogosphere: Blogging is not a competitive sport.
5. The post where I outlined the reasons marketing and PR companies are targeting parenting blogs, in my opinion: Marketers targeting mums.
6. The fantasy post where I was wined and dined at the Millennium Mayfair Hotel before judging a male modelling competition for Marie Claire (but some readers *did* believe it!) : Not a lot happening here, honestly!
7. Another post I loved writing after deciding to revamp my look for the school run: Revamp.
8. The post in which I attempted to sell granny on ebay
9. The post I called Do not read this post, which of course everyone read which included a surprise ending!
10. And then there were the Hackers.
11. And the overheard conversation on a recent train journey!
12. My Pampers/UNICEF 'Gift of Life' post because it was incredible to be involved in such a worthwhile campaign. It is also proof that bloggers really can make a difference: Pampers and UNICEF 'Gift of Life' Campaign Launch with Natascha McElhone.
13. And I have been happy to support the Great Panto Review to help Linda Jones raise money through her donation page for the cancer charity NACCPO: Pantos with purpose.

So thanks to all of you for a great blogging year and for making the blogosphere a fun, friendly and at-times-a-little-crazy place to be!

See you back here in 2010.

Cheers!

I've been keeping a secret

Until this weekend, my family have been under the impression that I have absolutely no idea how to drive a car, and in fact I have never once at behind the wheel. They have believed that I have no concept of bite points, clutch control or smooth gear changes, and that the idea of reverse parking was alien to me.

Not so.

In fact, I'm a pretty good driver.

The news has come as quite a shock, but a good one, I think.

Sometime ago, hidden in the archives of this blog is a post where I spoke about my drive to, er..., drive!

So I applied for my provisional license and booked my first lesson the day it arrived with a female instructor (after hearing quite a few horror stories about male instructors). I'm sure the majority are excellent but being of a nervous disposition I decided a women might be better.

Then I kept quiet and only discussed my lessons with a couple of close friends. To my family I said nothing. Even IJ didn't know where I would sneak off to while she was at school. Concerned that my desire to learn to drive would be met with a lot of some unnecessary negativity that I knew would put me off and leave me feeling frustrated and annoyed because I am very capable, I have continued with my lessons in secret.

And it has not been an easy secret to keep. Twice my parents have driven past me. I have also been learning in their neighbourhood just 200 yards from their front door! I have  criticised my mother's driving, quite justifiably, on several occasions especially as she mounts the pavement ever time she drives out of our road (it's a difficult up hill start followed by a tight bend, easy when you know how!). Another time I pointed out that she was cruising along in neutral. Thankfully on all these occasions she seemed to have any idea where my sudden knowledge of driving and the Highway Code had come from, and thankfully they didn't ask. They probably thought I was being deliberately annoying, which is actually a little bit true.

So at the weekend I told me parents (an the rest of my family) that I have now had 13 lessons and every week I drive round for an hour with my instructor in a Mini Cooper, occasionally travelling at 60 mph. I can reverse park (but it takes a while) and I am confident on busy roads in heavy traffic. In my excitement, I have bored them slightly with the details of every lesson while they have been recovering from the shock.

 
I haven't told them that I have stalled at a major junction and stopped the traffic completely, that I've managed to put the car into reverse travelling at 40 mph, and that if it was not for dual control heaven knows where I would be today.

They don't need to know that.

So now they know I'm driving and it's okay. Sometimes it's best just to get on with things and tell people later when you have proof you can do it. Sometimes we are a lot more capable than other people think we are.

Who knows what my next shock announcement will be. There will definitely be one, I'm certain of that.

In other news: Our friend Lu had a baby boy!

The British Mummy Bloggers carnival is up over at Family Friendly Working.

Do not read this post

Do not read this post.

There is nothing here of any entertainment value whatsoever.

Absolutely nothing.

Zilch.

You need to go over to Time Management Mum's blog where the British Mummy Bloggers Carnival is up and running and read her post instead.

Go on!

It's good.

This post isn't.

This post has absolutely nothing to contribute.

I haven't even slipped in anything remotely funny at the end.

Don't say you weren't warned!