H is for... Holidays

It's no secret, I love to travel.

I've been to some amazing countries over the years and passion for travel will never fade - it's just the big stuff has been put on hold for a little while.

I want to share a holiday we took last year to Lanzarote.

I'm sharing this is order to spread this amazing place to more Mums and Dads who may be a little wary of travelling with babies, toddlers and young children. With a place like this you need not be!

I must admit that the thought of going on holiday with a then 13 month old Mini Cheddar terrified the life out of me. The thought of not being able to relax in a hotel or apartment, the thought of having to be all eyes by the pool and having to try to pack enough things to entertain her for 7 nights.

I did quite a lot of searching online and then stumbled across the mention of a place in Lanzarote on a forum about travelling with kids.  I checked it out and it seemed too good to be true!  We booked it for a week in May 2010 and it's one of the best holidays I've ever had.  Which, considering all my previous holidays have been without children that's saying something.

Casa Arabella is a beautiful 2 bedroom villa (with heated fenced pool) in the lovely resort of Playa Blanca in Southern Lanzarote. I had always thought that a villa holiday would be extremely expensive but we paid £450 for the week and got cheap flights with Ryanair (don't knock them too much, we've never had a problem with them).

The service I received from the people who ran the villa was fabulous, even before we departed.  They were able to advise on flights and offered me an extensive list of what was included in the villa.  I was amazed at all the baby and toddler items that were included (a 2 page list no less!). It meant we literally didn't have to take a thing with us - which is good with a Ryanair baggage allowance.

Here is just a small selection of what is included:

• More toys and books than your child will need for two weeks, never mind one!
• All toddler and baby plates, cups and cutlery
• Cot with mosquito net if required
• Highchair - a really lovely huge one, not like the usual cheap ones you get
• A portable highchair to take out to restaurants
• The biggest bucket of pool toys and inflatables you've ever seen
• Bath toys
• Potty, step stool etc.
• Terrace play area with slide
• They can supply a buggy if needed and a carseat etc.

I could go on and on.  Basically, the people who own the villa have a little girl who has now grown out of these things.  All the items are still in great condition - don't worry, there are also plenty of boys toys in the villa...Mini Cheddar grew very attached to a toy truck while we there!

I don't want to bore anyone with this post - I just want it to serve a purpose to tell you about this place so if you are thinking of holidaying abroad with babies/young children it may give you food for thought.  We had a fabulous holiday.

Now here are a couple of links you need if you're interested but be warned - book in advance! It can get booked up very quickly.... obviously.

Lanzarote Lates website for the villa - details everything much better than me!
Tripadvisor reviews - one of them is mine!

Finally, I'll leave you with some pictures and just say that obviously this is NOT a sponsored post and I did not receive any sort of payment for this post.

Mini Cheddar with some of the toys at the villa

The dining room - you can see the highchair at the back

Lounge and kitchen 

Lounge looking out to the pool

Lounge to dining room (Mini Cheddar STILL playing)

Main bedroom

Twin bedroom (with cot in place)

One of the two sun terraces

The removable pool fence for peace of mind

Cupboard full of baby and toddler feeding equipment

The heated pool

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E is for...Eighties

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I'm well and truly an 80's girl at heart.  I love the 80's as I spent most of my childhood in them - from the ages 6 to 16 in fact.  I know some people hate the 80's so much that they shudder at the thought of mullets, curly perms and banana clips.  But for me, the 80's was the best decade, the decade of fun, the decade of high fashion and neon clothing, the decade of new romantic music and the decade when my Dad made a go-kart for me that was the fastest thing on earth!

I've already talked about my love of 80's films on my blog and my obsession with the mighty Depeche Mode which started in the 80's but there is so much more that defines the 80's for me.  So much more that even after I've posted this blog, I know I'll think of something else.

80's music played a big part in my life and even now, throw on a bit of 80's 'cheese' and you can never fail to get me up on the dance floor.  In fact, I used to frequent my local nightclub during the nineties and noughties most weekends...would I be on the ground floor listening to the indie tunes?  No.  Would I be found on the first floor raving it up to some club classics?  No way!  No, I'd usually be found in some drunken state getting my groove on to Tiffany or some other cheese-fest musical memory on the 80's floor. Usually after a few too many TVR's!

Tiffany and cheese aside, the thing I love the 80's for most is the new romantic music it brought with it.  Bands like Depeche Mode, The Smiths, New Order, The Cure, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran and The Human League were everywhere and I couldn't get enough of them.

The 80's saw the birth of MTV to our screens, I remember a friend of mine who's parents always got the very latest technology.  I'd spend so much time at her house for sleep-overs where we'd watch MTV all night and dance around the living room in our pyjamas.   To sit and watch music videos in your living room was just amazing.  MTV also brought with it a change in fashion.  Most of us wore ski-pants with over-sized shirts or bat-wing jumpers and big thick belts.  Our clothes were bright and in your face.  We didn't just accessorize we excessorized!  We went over-board on big and bright plastic earrings, necklaces and bracelets.  The American influence saw us going big (quite literally) on huge shoulder pads so we looked just like Crystal Carrington.  I think the 80's is such a mix of fashion from one extreme to another...and although I look back at pictures of myself and shudder, I can't help but smile and love the 80's for all it's nuttiness!

I have such fond memories of racing to the local news agents on a Thursday to pick up my weekly copy of Smash Hits Magazine.  I would study the magazine for hours, pouring over the latest bands and heart throbs.  Then, when I was done, I'd rip out the lyrics pages so I could get ready to sing my heart out (badly) whilst listening to the Radio 1 chart countdown every Sunday.  On that Sunday I would get my trusty tape cassette deck out, insert my memorex tape and have my fingers poised over the record and play buttons ready to record the songs I loved.  I remember just how pissed off I'd feel if I mis-timed it and ended up with Bruno Brookes talking on my tape!  I'd be frantically rewinding and re-editing, trying to cut all the talking out and then writing the songs on the label insert.

I'd spend lots of time with my best friend (and she's still my best friend now), looking through Smash Hits and singing along to our newly compiled tapes of chart hits.  We'd sing into hairbrushes.  We'd even knock on her brothers bedroom door and sing to him or plead with him to do his impression of Vivian from The Young Ones.

That's another love of mine from the 80's - The Young Ones.  Maybe it's where my love of toilet humour stems from?  Maybe it's the fact that my Mum didn't really like my older Sister and I watching it but we used to twist her arm - the great thing about your Dad working nights!

To this day, my favourite episode of The Young Ones has to be 'Bambi', the one where they go on University Challenge.  Music also played a huge part in The Young Ones...where else could you get to rock out to tunes whilst chuckling away over jokes about bogies, trumps and crap. Even now I can't listen to Ace Of Spades by Motörhead without giggling like a silly schoolgirl.

The other night my husband was flicking through the TV channels on Sky (typical man) and I suddenly stopped him.  "Quick, quick, go back a couple of channels, I used to watch that programme in the 80's" I cried.  What was it?  Some cool kid or teen programme?  No. I was referring to 'Thirtysomething'.  I used to watch and love this programme in the late 80's.  When I look back, I wonder if the 80's made us all old before our time or is this something that all kids do?  Watch a programme about people so much older than them and so different.  Why would someone in their early teens love a programme about baby booming yuppies in their 30's?  But it made me stop and think about all the programmes I genuinely loved in these years - Moonlighting, The Love Boat, Dynasty, The A-Team, CHiPs, Beauty and the Beast, The Cosby Show, Diff'rent Strokes and The Fall Guy to name but a few.  Perhaps I was old before my time?  Perhaps we all were in the 80's or perhaps it happens within every generation? Perhaps children born in the late 80's used to sit glued to 'Cold Feet'?  Who knows?

This blog post could quite easily go on and on, talking about the kids programmes I loved of the 80's like Metal Mickey, The Adventure Game (remember 'Grandad' the talking plant?), Fraggle Rock and The Moomins.  I could talk about the toys I loved (and loathed) like Cabbage Patch Dolls, Pound Puppies, Glo Worms, Lolo Balls, My Little Pony, Popples and Cindy Dolls.  But I won't...I just wanted to spark some memories.

For me, the 80's have to be the most influential decade of my life and I'll never stop loving them.  Do you love or hate the 80's and what are your memories?

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D is for...Depeche Mode

Got to love the 80's

Anyone who knows me well enough knows I love Depeche Mode.  I have so many vinyl albums and 12" singles lurking in a box up in my loft it's untrue.

I was well aware of DM from a very early age but I'd say I fell in love with them properly back in about '86 at the tender age of 12. Infact, I think 'Black Celebration' was the first album of theirs I bought with my hard-earned pocket money.

I used to adore them - they were different, they were more edgy than your standard groups at the time. I used to sit and listen to their 'Violator' album so much I'm surprised I didn't wear the vinyl out. Unbelievably, at the age of just 16 I was allowed on a coach trip with a friend of mine to go to the NEC in Birmingham to see them in concert.   How my Mum ever agreed to that, I'll never know.  But, for me, it was the start of something beautiful and I still go to see them live whenever they tour.  Thankfully my Sister loves them too and we've even dragged our husbands over to Prague to see them (although they declined the concert tickets but joined us for the trip)!  

My husband always used to struggle with my love for them...well, at least I thought he did until I discovered he had some of the greats like 'Enjoy The Silence', 'Never Let Me Down Again' and 'Behind The Wheel' on his iPod.  

When they did their 'Music For The Masses' tour it was just breath-taking.  How envious I was of all those people who went to the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California to see that final concert. The 101 DVD is still one I never grow tired of.

I know some people think Depeche Mode are dark and dreary. I myself had a a couple of years in the late 90's when they were a bit too much for me.  Infact, even though I own the album 'Ultra' I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I've listened to it.  I can't even bring myself to watch the 'Barrel Of A Gun' video as it freaks me out.  These are the days of DM I'd rather put to the back of my mind even though I love them for being different.

Dave Gahan = legend

I adored Dave Gahan (and still do).  That man can gyrate and build the crowd up into an incredible frenzy.  Sure, he's had his problems - being addicted to heroin, trying to slit his wrists and his heart stopped once but I'm not going to hold that against him!  He's fast approaching 50 years of age and I only saw DM perform last just over a year ago - the man still has an amazing stage presence.   His live performances are absolutely mind-blowing.  Despite his dodgy past, the man is an absolute legend.  Every time I see DM live I can't speak for two days for singing my heart out and screaming.  Yes I know, a 36 year old acting like some crazed groupie but my Sister is 3 years older than me so she's worse.

I have some very suspect photos of me in my teenage years trying to carry off the 'Dave Gahan' look, wearing black vest tops and pure white tight denim jeans.  I know that when my daughter sees these she will cringe just the way I used to look at photos of my Mum wearing her velvet mini dress in the 60's.  Now I'm older though I look at photos of my Mum and hear stories of her seeing the Rolling Stones in concert, getting up on a table for a better look and to dance and I smile.  I hope my daughter thinks I'm a cool Mum for loving Depeche Mode for so long - at least I didn't give up on them up in the late 80's to decorate my shoes with Grolsch bottle tops and worship the blonde chimp twins that were dross Bros!  Depeche Mode are amazing musicians and performers and I'll always love them.

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C is for...Cancer

Photo credit: jscreationzs

When most people are asked what their biggest fear is you often hear them say things like spiders or flying.  Not me.

Sure, I don't really like spiders but the thing I'm afraid of most is cancer.

I'd heard of cancer when I was younger and didn't really think much of it.  It was something I read about in the news from time to time. something that didn't register with me much.  It wasn't until my early 20's when it really started to have an impact on my life.

My friend rang me "R**'s Mum has been taken into hospital really poorly, we are waiting for confirmation on tests but they think it could be bowel cancer".   I was in shock.  Not long before this my friend and I had been out with her mother-in-law in the local pub watching a tacky 'Chippendales' type tribute act and getting stupidly drunk and falling about laughing together.  3 weeks after this phone call she died.  She was 50.  She was young at heart and fun-loving woman with a heart of gold.

As I stood in the crematorium singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" (Liverpool FC was her family passion) I couldn't believe what had happened.  How had something like this taken her so quickly?

It was not long after that first moment that cancer impacted on my life that I heard more about it through friends who had other friends or family members who had cancer.  Then the worst happened....my parents turned up on my doorstep one the evening.  I knew straight away something was wrong.  "I've been diagnosed with breast cancer" Mum said, the words ringing in my ears.  I held it together as best I could until they left then I broke down.  My husband said to me "She'll be fine, it's only breast cancer - it's not like it's the worst kind".  He didn't even hug me, he just shrugged it off and walked away.  I could have punched him right there.  I grabbed my coat and drove to my friends house who gave me the hugs and words of support I needed. Needless to say, that husband is now my ex-husband.

Mum had to have a mastectomy and it was hard-going but she got through it.  She was told that if the cancer hadn't returned within 5 years she would be given the all clear.  4 and half years later it was back and she had to have another mastectomy.  That was 4 years ago now.  She still goes for her regular checks and I just hope it's completely gone.

In 2007, just before Matt (my lovely husband I'm married to now) were due to wed my Nan became really poorly.  She was unable to travel up from Luton to the ceremony.  I knew it was something serious.  Just after the wedding we were told she had pancreatic cancer.  It hit us all hard.  My Nan had always been so full of life and active.  Even though I was doing a 126 mile commute each day I still made the 400 mile round trip journey to Luton and back to visit my Nan every weekend for the 2 months she was ill.  Watching this disease take hold of her and waste her away was heart-breaking.  I'll never forget my sister and I having to help her onto the commode. I'll never forget her not knowing who we were toward the end apart from the odd smile. I so wish she'd been around to witness the birth of my baby girl.  My Nan passed away in October 2007.

Then a couple of years ago one of my closest friends Mum was diagnosed with cancer.  I was a massive support for her through a really dark time in her life.  Her Mum died in October 2008.  I remember being pregnant and emotional at the funeral as my heart was aching for my friend and the memory of my Nan was all too raw.

Exactly a year later another one of my closest friends Mums died from cancer.  Another year, another funeral to go to.  Another cancer victim.

It was all too much...3 years, 3 Octobers, 3 cancer victims, 3 deaths, 3 funerals.

Out of my 6 closest friends in my life, 3 of them have lost their mums to cancer.

Now I have a male friend who is currently battling prostate cancer at the age of 50 and a friend who has a cousin battling ovarian cancer at the age of 42.  Last week I read in the news that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer - shocking stats.

Cancer is evil, cancer is disgusting.  It rips through families and causes so much heartache.  It's the one thing in life I fear the most.

I give a small amount of money to Cancer Research and to MacMillan each month.  I've been donating since cancer first hit my life.   I'm not a religious person but I do pray that one day they find a cure.

Sorry this is a deep and dark post but, if you've got this far, thank you for reading.

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I promise my next post will be a happy one!

A is for...Attention

Those who know me know that I'm not one for attention-seeking (apart from when I have a few vodkas in me but that's another story).  I tend to sit back and take things in rather than speak up like others.  I'm like it in all aspects of my life - work, rest and play.  This is a saying that I face a constant battle with in my life:

"Better to keep your mouth shut and thought a fool than open it and remove the doubt"

It's a great saying but I wish it didn't hang over me so much, I wish I could shake it off.  I'm certainly not a fool so why should I feel this way?

I think it's because there are a few people in life who can't help but dominate proceedings and only thrive when they are the centre of attention.  They have the biggest voices and aren't afraid to use them.  There are also the people who other people can be a bit fearful of most of the time.  I'm one of those people, one who will just sit and say nothing but deep-down I'm wanting to be heard.  When I used to work I would be sat in a brainstorming meeting thinking of all these great ideas but very rarely plucked up the courage to put them out there.  Then someone else would eventually think of it, say it straight away and be called a hero.  Meanwhile I'm sat kicking myself.

There are the people who talk a lot, make a lot of jokes at the expense of other people. They are usually the people who feel better about themselves by being horrible about others.  Someone once said some really nasty things about friends of mine and I actually stood up to it.  I told this person in private that it made me feel uncomfortable. What happened?  They panicked (even though I said I would keep it quiet), decided to lie their way out of it and then brought it into a public forum.  So me speaking up came back to bite me on the ass as this person was louder and powerful compared to little old me.  What did I do?  Nothing, I didn't fight back, I turned away.

In addition to this there are some people who just crave attention, they 'like to be liked'. Yes it's nice to be liked but sometimes it can be a bit too much, a bit over-the-top...well that's how it feels to me sometimes.  Some people go out of their way to get their point across and you (well, me) can get pushed to one side. I often wonder if this is just something built into their personality or it's something that goes deeper, stems from a lack of confidence or they are lacking a certain part of their life constantly striving to get attention.  Maybe it's me?  Maybe I shouldn't be so shy, maybe I should try and shout louder and get heard more.

You also have the people who flit from friend to friend without hesitation.  Like some sort of car deal they trade their old friend in for a newer model when something more exciting comes along and can't help but shout about it.  I actually know someone like this, she has been through 5 'best friends' in 10 years.  Someone new comes on the scene and she casts off her old friend like a slightly-worn but still stunning outfit that she's thrown in the charity bag.

I wish I could be more assertive on occasion.  I certainly don't want to be the centre of attention but I'd like the confidence to be able to stand up and speak my mind sometimes. I wish I could stand up for myself more.  I wish I could be heard.  Saying that, even though I may not be loud and proud I am respectful and loyal.

I guess I'm just not built for attention.   For now I'll live with the quote above hanging around me like a bad smell, I'll be thought a fool but at least I'm a happy fool.

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Photo credit top right: FloatingLemons