PINTEREST

Pinterest is one of my favourite places to be online. In there, on those pages, I can be whoever I want to be. A creative genius, the perfect desperate housewife (awh, miss them), the mum who has it all... fabulous home, successful business, the wardrobe of all wardrobes, well mannered, confident children. We're the family who do all the bucket lists of all the activities while the slow cooker delivers another perfect family meal. In those pages I can be the perfect hostess, a fashion muse, an activist, an ambassador, an artist, a writer. It's yours to create your perfect world. 

The single most important thing about pinterest is what you do with those ideas. It's how you translate those images to your life that count. You cannot expect your real life to look like a pinterest board without hitting the dark doom of daily disappointment. Take the inspiration, translate it to your life a little at a time and soak in the joy.  Real life is perfectly imperfect... it's not a pinboard.

Here are a few things I've been inspired by lately. 

A great look for the School Run Mum wardrobe

Walk In Pantry Ideas

Alcove shelves

Bikini gorgeousness... inspiring me to get in shape as much as getting dressed!

Kitchen dreams 

If you aren't a pinner, get involved! It is a world of inspiration. Whatever you are interested in, you'll find it there. Create pinboards of things that interest you and follow me while you're at it! 

SUMMERTIME FABNESS

Motherhood right now is SUMMER HOLIDAYS. I am crazy in love with all school holidays but the summer has my heart... six weeks. Six weeks without the sodding school run. The school run is, by far, my least favourite parenting chore of all the gazillion parenting chores. It is my kryptonite. Best I stop talking about it... I'm too busy enjoying not doing it to even start thinking about it. Back to all the heart eyes for the summer holidays. We're all loving it. Lazy mornings, late breakfasts, just doing whatever takes our fancy.

This summer has brought a massive shift in where I'm at inside this head of mine. Making plans is my favourite thing to do so that's what I'm doing. Now the offspring are fully functioning, walking, talking actual real beings, I can see beyond the end of each week. I've got three small humans unlocking seat belts, getting in and out of cars completely unassisted. This is cause for celebration indeed. These are the moments I've been waiting for. I should really decorate the car to aid the celebration parties I have in my head. Lets get those parties unlocked for everyone to enjoy! The best bit is, I am recognising it. Fully celebrating and appreciating these days. It's all well and good making plans for the future but not if its to the detriment of the now. 

More cause for summer celebration. Carys taught herself to burp on demand during week one. Week two, both Joseph and Carys perfected the art of finger clicking. Carys's style is questionable but gets good results so who am I to argue. Then came the whistling. We're at week four, they are perfecting and refining their new found talents. It's not in the slightest bit annoying. 

SUMMER HOLIDAY PARENTING TIPS 

If you leave breakfast late enough, you can actually get away with two meals a day. BRUNCH is for winners! 

Willy WINKY might scare the shit out of your kids but your summer nights will not be ruined with kids chiming 'it's still light outside, I don't have to  go to sleep'. It's a win win. Tired kids are impossible to like. You'll like them during the day and at night. And they'll be happy too... the benefits are endless.

Say YES more. It's the holidays, let them have a coke from time to time. Quiet life, happy kid. 

Find your TRIBE. Get out with friends. Going anywhere with friends is a million times easier than going it alone. Set up camp at the beach and let the urchins entertain each other. 

IGNORE the whining. Better still nip it early 'I can't understand you when you speak that way. Come back to me when you're ready to speak like a person.' 

Say YES to going to the park AFTER supper.

Posing with the bodyboard is much easier than the bodyboarding. 

Happiness is losing your first tooth.

SWITZERLAND

Tidying up these blog pages, I found this section form our Swiss days and I just can't bring myself to delete it. Half of our married life to date was spent in Switzerland and all three children born there so it's a special place. The opportunity to go came at the perfect time for us and we loved our time there. We knew it wasn't in our forever plan so I can honestly say, we enjoyed it for what it was... even with all its little oddball ways. I often find myself deliberately not talking about those for years for fear of sounding pretentious and everyone thinking of eff off back to effing Switzerland will ya! I'm getting over that.

Funny thing is I had this really odd encounter in the barbers yesterday. Joseph was getting his hair cut and this lady and her son came in and sat next to me and the girls. Her son had the most gorgeous curls which I commented on and we got taking a little. As it turned out, they are moving to Switzerland in the next few weeks.

'Oh really, where abouts? I lived there for a few years.' Turns our they are moving pretty close to where we lived and I found myself really excited for this family and the new life they were about to embark on and there I was ready to talk.

There I was ready to go, willing to help. I was panning ahead in this fantastic conversation to the point where I'd offer her my email so if ever she needed me to help with info or connect her to some people. But it didn't pan out that way at all. It was met with a serious lack of enthusiasm. Sure, she was interested that I'd lived there and isn't it a small world sorta thing but I was so disappointed that we didn't engage. Or rather that she didn't engage. I was ENGAGED. I was raring to go! I couldn't help myself scribble a few references on the back on a shopping list to give to her and she seemed grateful but honestly there was so much more I could've told her.

And its was here on my blog. Coincidently its National Swiss Day so here's to you lady in the barber shop. I think you will probably get along with the locals quite well. Bon chance!

Written around August 2013 :: We've spent the last four years living in Switzerland and, while I am by no means an expert, I thought a few links and pointers in the right direction could help anyone who is new to Switzerland or thinking of a move in that direction.

As with living anywhere, there are a lot of pro's and con's to Switzerland. I am going to try to be just like Switzerland in my approach. Neutral. 

We lived in Geneva for a couple of years before moving out to the vineyards of Vaud. Personally, I prefer the countryside. Geneva is a nice city, small and compact. Commuting into Geneva from Vaud is a popular option for many an ex-pat. 

There is a huge expat community in Switzerland. According to Geneva.Info, Geneva is the most international city in Europe with over 40% of the population coming from outside Switzerland. Thankfully, there are many resources to help make sense of the Swiss ways. Trust me, you'll need all the help you can get! 

AngloInfo Geneva covers a huge range of topics from Education, Healthcare and Legal to Family and Community Life. 

Glocals is similar but seems to take a more social approach. I have sold lots of stuff via their Classifieds Pages. 

World Radio has a great website too with a Guides section. Their Classifieds pages are really good too advertising anything from concert tickets to property! Its also nice to check their News pages for local news in English. 

Other sites I used were English Forum and the Know It All Passport. Know It All, supports an excellent book detailing a whole lorra information but it comes with a hefty price tag. To be honest, a second hand copy would do and with the websites having chat forums, getting local information isn't too difficult. Comparis is a great site that compares the best value for money on things like Insurance and Phone and Internet options. They have a smart Moving To Switzerland section.

If your French is good, you're at a major advantage. If not, Google Translate will be your new best friend! We are lucky to have colleauges and neighbours to help us out when we get stuck. Our neighbours have been a huge help with the 'Swissues' we had with our Regie {Estate Agent}.

Estate Agents, or Regies as they are called here, will be your enemy. I never once heard anyone say anything positive about them. Sadly, you need them. To get a roof over your head, you have submit an application for each property you wish to apply for and then the decision is in the hands of the devil himself! Am I being over dramatic? Perhaps. Actually, no. They are a hateful bunch. 

Good sites for property searches are Homegate, Immostreet and Immoscout. Each of these sites show properties from different Estate Agents meaning you don't have to trawl through a ton of Estate Agents sites.

It is compulsory to have basic health insurance. It is worth getting a full private package if you are planning to have babies. Luxury, I tell you!

You must change you drivers licence to a Swiss Driving Licence within one year of living in the country. Otherwise you will have to take the Swiss driving test. One persons experience can be found on this Glocals forum chat.

We used Swisscom for our home TV and Internet connection. They had a good British TV package. There is a way to get Sky TV via a UK address. If you go to Jims British Market St Genis-Pouilly shop in France {it's just across the border} on the first Satuday of the month, there is a guy who will help you out. Jim's British Market is a great stop for a few home comforts. The shop in Gland is a short drive out of Geneva and well worth a visit. 

If you need to know anything else, drop me an email or leave a comment. I'll try to point you in the right direction. Good luck.

Stunning views over Geneva to Vaud with the stunning Jet d'Eau standing proud.

MOTH·ER·HOOD

moth·er·hood

   (mŭth′ər-ho͝od′)

n.

1. The state of being a mother.

2. The qualities of a mother.

3. Mothers considered as a group.

Yes, check. I am in a complete state of being mother! I even have an apron. 

For six years I've been fudging through this motherhood game, desperately trying to look convincing and hoping nobody notices that I haven't a sodding clue what I'm doing. It's all one great big joke. A joke that I {together with Alex, of course} am responsible for three small humans. More than just trying to keep them alive and ensure they are clean and tidy, we're shaping three little people for adulthood. 

What are the qualities? I carried them and gave birth to them, so yes I have the physical qualities to become a mother but that's the easy part. What happens next is what really matters... moulding these cute little gurglers to be good humans is where the challenge becomes real. We all parent differently, hell, I parent each of my children differently. They are individuals after all. 

The real stuff for me now is Preparing them for school, playground chatter, class tests. Looking way ahead it'll come to preparing them for those big exams that matter. The 1hr 30 min paper that will dictate their next academic move. The first loves and the right friendship circles. Guiding them towards uni or the world of work or travel. Helping them to find their strengths and to see their weaknesses as opportunities to try harder, to work it out. Teaching them that kindness and love are the greatest gifts to own and to bestow upon their fellow humans. Compassionate hearts are the most beautiful. 

The group vibes. We're all in this together. Mums, dads, natural or adoptive, foster carers and grandparents. The village days are sadly a thing of the past but I'm a believer that 'it takes a village to raise a child'. Children need to see the grown ups in unison. The parents standing strong with the teachers. Mums having each others backs. 

We can too easily get sucked into a competitive world, especially online. Social media lives are so shiny, so pristine and it's easy to look at our screens and think 'oh shit!'. Real life doesn't have the Instagram filters... real life just isn't like that. I love it when friends share the really rubbish stuff... not for a sympathetic cheerleading squad to come out of the corners of the internet and massage their dented ego. Ugh, no! Don't do that please. But to be able to laugh in the face what challenges your children bring and say 'what the hell is this about? Nobody told me they'd refuse to obey my every command. Something has gone wrong with my product because I certainly didn't order this bratty little beast six years ago!'

Where I am at right now is realising that while the daily routine can be insanely monotonous, the children are not. Towards the end of this last school term, I was so done with the day in, week out routine. I needed the summer holidays to come as much as the kids did. Life got monotonous, I was on auto pilot, I let it get boring. They produce a lot of laundry, endless dirty dishes and their homework often becomes a team effort but while the chores might get monotonous, the children aren't. They chip, they hark on and moan and yes that is annoying but, putting myself in their shoes, they are just negotiating their day. I am learning that their negotiations are desperate pleas to take charge of their day. They are learning {oh so slowly} that we all have to play our part in making each others day good. More than just sharing stuff but sharing time. 

These sticky little people have potential to be brilliant human beings. One day at a time, I'm over here trying to create one gent and two ladies. I'm trying not to roll my eyes. I'm trying not to mutter. I'm trying to be one step ahead so when they're dawdling, I can let them dawdle a little. I'm trying.

WILLY WINKY

Wee Willy Winky IS real and if ANYONE tells my kids otherwise, I will hunt them down and smack their bottoms with my slipper - just like Willy Winky does to naughty children. Okay?!

It has been 22 days since I posted this Facebook update. That is 22 days since Willy Winky came knocking on our front door and I had to send him away and promise him my children would be good... 22 gloriously peaceful evenings. 

Yes, it might be a bit wicked but Willy Winky has saved me from evenings full eye rolling, deep exasperated sighs and endlessly wracking my brain coming up with threats and bribes to keep my children in their damn beds. My sanity is almost restored to its previous levels (not great to begin) and to top it all, I am the proud owner of three happy children who are firing on all cylinders after a full nights sleep. It's a win, win. 

Y'know what its like when children are faffing about avoiding sleep. 

They can't get to sleep until you are in bed. 
They need water. 
They need more water. 
Oh no mummy, they've spilled their water. 
They don't think they brushed their teeth for long enough. 
They need a poo. 
They forgot to wee while trying for the poo that didn't happen. 
Their duvet isn't straight. 

Not no more. Not a peep. They go to bed. Actually, they rush to bed because y'know WILLY WINKY.  Don't worry though, he only comes knocking if he hears that children are being naughty. He can be quite good humour if you've been well behaved. Oh, another thing. Winky is a very good friend of The Angry Pixie (y'know the one who lives in the Magic Faraway Tree a few branches below Moonface) and that little pixie, well he gets everywhere. He keeps an eye on children during the day while Winky is asleep.

Simple. 

LIGHT UP, LIGHT UP

This multiple pendant took my fancy a long time ago when I first saw it on Pinterest. I pinned it at the time and bought it today. I always get a little buzz when a pin becomes real.

Handmade Pendant Light Chandelier

Brightened up Day Five of Clean 9 if you'll pardon the pun. It's handmade by a company called Light Cookie  who are based in Greece and sell via Etsy. Go check them out, they have so many great products. 

Oh speaking of lights, very pleased with my B&Q glitzy bargain in our utility room. Who says laundry can't be glamorous! 

ONLINE MEMORY BOX

Just set about to update the FAMILY page and could not bring myself to delete its contents. My Miss Marple skills reckon it was written late 2012. How things have changed. How my little people have changed. 

Joseph :: My boy. He has been an easy child since day one. Sure he has the odd 'moment' but on the whole, he is totally chilled out. A really happy and contented little boy. I know because he tells me. In the middle of a game, colouring, watching TV, whatever... he'll look at me with the declaration 'mummy, I'm a happy boy' and it gets me every time. Love it. So my baby {'I'm not a baby, I'm a big boy'} will be three in January. He gets funnier every day. He repeats everything we say. Not in that annoying way a seven year old does... but later, even days after we've said something I'll hear him playing with his HappyLand people and I can hear how he makes conversations between them. It will be exactly something Alex or I have said. And the voices. Oh, the voices! He calls to Carys 'c'mon sweetheart, keep up' exactly as I do when we're out walking. Precious.

Carys :: Carys is a dream. I thought Joseph was easy but this little girl trumped him in the easy baby competition. From the day she was born, she made sense of everything. Life got easier. I don't know how that is possible and I can't explain it but that's how it was. I hadn't realised that I had lost myself in motherhood until she was born. I found myself again without even knowing I had been gone. Saying all that, she's a force to be reckoned with. Carys is similar to Joseph in a lot of ways, calm, content, happy to go with the flow but there is a spark in her that will, without warning, cause utter chaos.

T3 :: Oh, who are you in there? This little mover certainly doesn't let me forget they're in there. I can't wait to have him or her in my arms. We've agreed on names and I'm so excited to know which one will be added to our family.

JOSEPHS ROOM

Joseph and Carys have shared a room since forever. It has always worked really well for them but since Darcy's arrival, I've been dreaming and scheming a pretty vintage style girls bedroom for Carys and Darcy to share. The move to our new house is on the horizon so I'm preparing Joseph with the notion of a room of his own. He doesn't seem terribly keen about the idea. I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of bed hopping. 

I have started pulling some ideas together for Joseph's room. I'm not even sure which room he will have. At this stage we don't even know how many bedrooms we're going to have. We are hoping to extend a three bedroom semi to five bedrooms. There are lots of if's, but's and maybes around that though.

Anyways. My starting point is this handsome chap. Isn't he great!? He's from Graham & Green who call him call him Elle but he seems more like a he to me. 

Elle Elephant {Felt Animal Head from Graham & Green}

Pinterest strikes again... blogger Everything Emily created this amazing wall and I reckon our elephant friend would look amazing up here. 

Image from Everything Emily... click here for the how to on this look.

People, people... it's WASHI TAPE! 

>>> Look at that >>> 

Genius.  

So that plus that... equals a pretty great start. I'm going to need to take an uncomfortable step back and let him be a part of the making of this room if the 'going it alone' plan is to work out. Let's not get carried away though. If he gets full control, it will look like a Disney and CBeebies vomit contest. Its just not going to happen. End of.

Joseph loves looking through pictures on my phone, Instagram or Facebook so his room needs to be filled with his 'most favourites'... who'll make the cut!? He'll love helping out with this project. 

Can't wait to get started. 

EASTBOURNE

Jolly's to Eastbourne are a regular occurrence for us. Luckily we have family down there with this scene less than a 10 minute walk from their house. I love it. The children love playing with their cousins and I love spending time with my sister-in-law. Alex and Tim are just happy when we're happy so life is good! 

Moody Skies in Eastbourne

Last week Kate and I decided that we'd brave half term together so with six children aged 6, 4, 3, 2, 10 months and 8 months, we nailed it! We played those kids like an orchestra and were a step ahead of them every step of the way. Well, sort of. Nothing like a bit of bribery to get ahead of the little people. 

We stayed home, just let the children just enjoy being together. We ran errands in town, we got soaked in a rain shower, we had hot chocolates and sticky buns, we negotiated who got the pirate plate (seriously kids plus plates and cutlery choices... disaster!) we went to soft play, we survived it. 

SHRED IT!

Need a giggle? 

CLEAN BANDIT :: RADIO 1 LIVE LOUNGE

I had just pulled into a parking space this morning when Fearne Cotton played this on Radio 1 this morning.  Stopped me dead in my tracks. Perfect tune for a grimy Monday morning. 

Clean Bandit cover Royals by Lorde. 

HOUSE HUNTING :: PIN DREAMING

We are house hunting. 

Although we are only just starting with viewings, we have been house hunting for quite a while via the powers of the three w's. Since before we left Switzerland, we've been trawling through estate agent websites, Zoopla, Prime Location et al. Rightmove and I? Oh yeah, best friends. The sort of 'best friend' that delights in reminding you how poor you are. 

Anyways, we've been getting an idea of the market prices, schools, areas with a reasonable journey time for Alex to get to... and more importantly, home from work! We've pinholed a few areas and have been out at viewings. Let me tell you this... house viewing with three small children is a challenge. Let me tell you this... 'you don't even have a garden to worry about' is a very creative way to tell the buyer 'this house would be perfect if only it had a garden.' Let me tell you this... you cannot and will not convince me that a second reception room on the ground floor magically turns your three bed house a four bed house. Let me tell you this... photographing a teeny tiny room from atop a step ladder doesn't fool anybody. Let me tell you this... taking my shoes off and tiptoeing around some of these houses has made my socks beg for mercy. Two words... vacuum cleaner! A few more... mop and bucket. 

In short... it hasn't taken long for the house hunting game to become totally and utterly and completely and wholly unfun*. Second guessing floor plans with not so clever photography tricks to get to the house and see the grim reality. I'm over it.

So what am I to do? I get pinning. If we can't find the house, I'll find the dreams until we get there. My pinterest page is rich with dreamy dreams. They may seem unrealistic for most of us but we can cleverly pick out ideas and apply them to the most modest of spaces. Here are a few kitcheny* images that I'm dreaming of applying to wherever we may find. 

Two tone kitchen via Decor Pad

Cream & Black Kitchen via Remodelista

Pantry Door via Decor Pad
to lead into something like...

Walk In Pantry via Decor Pad
Oh joy in my heart... I'm all over this pantry

ps. we do have an abode that may come to nothing but I have mentally applied my pins and have the dream.

*unfun; kitcheny - Don't worry, I know.

MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE

Somewhere along my path I have lost a few things. One of them is my inner song. So, in a bid to find it and reinstate it to its rightful place, I've been listening to Adele. A lot. Been playing this one over and over. C'mon you little mind melodies... come on home! 

Stunning.

FAMILY

Tidying up Lily & Mitch and visited my FAMILY section... wanted to savour it in a post before I update. Oh my, how things change. Obviously written before Darcy was born so we're talking at least seven months ago... Joseph is now far from 'chilled out' and Carys is far from a 'dream'! T3 is here in the form of our very gorgeous girl Darcy and I have since lost myself all over again and currently scramble to pull together the pieces of me. I will, I know that I will but good gracious, its a hard process. 

I threw in a few pictures for good measure down there at the bottom... should you make it that far.

fam·i·ly  {/' fam(ə)lē/}

Noun :: A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household.

Synonyms :: noun. kin - house - household - stock - clan - race - tribe :: adjective. domestic - homely - home -familiar

To me, family is all that matters. It's where most of our days start and end and for me, the past three years my family have been the content of my days too. My nine to five and all the hours around. The baby and toddler years are passing me by so incredibly fast, I'm savouring every moment.

Alex :: Oh, that man! When Alex and I first got together and my friends were doing what girls do, asking me the standard 50 questions in one breath, it was then I realised that this one was different. I didn't have the answers. I didn't feel the need to big him up. He was Alex. For me, all I needed was for him to be Alex. He is still that Alex.

Joseph :: My boy. He has been an easy child since day one. Sure he has the odd 'moment' but on the whole, he is totally chilled out. A really happy and contented little boy. I know because he tells me. In the middle of a game, colouring, watching TV, whatever... he'll look at me with the declaration 'mummy, I'm a happy boy' and it gets me every time. Love it. So my baby {'I'm not a baby, I'm a big boy'} will be three in January. He gets funnier every day. He repeats everything we say. Not in that annoying way a seven year old does... but later, even days after we've said something I'll hear him playing with his HappyLand people and I can hear how he makes conversations between them. It will be exactly something Alex or I have said. And the voices. Oh, the voices! He calls to Carys 'c'mon sweetheart, keep up' exactly as I do when we're out walking. Precious.

Carys :: Carys is a dream. I thought Joseph was easy but this little girl trumped him in the easy baby competition. From the day she was born, she made sense of everything. Life got easier. I don't know how that is possible and I can't explain it but that's how it was. I hadn't realised that I had lost myself in motherhood until she was born. I found myself again without even knowing I had been gone. Saying all that, she's a force to be reckoned with. Carys is similar to Joseph in a lot of ways, calm, content, happy to go with the flow but there is a spark in her that will, without warning, cause utter chaos.

T3 :: Oh, who are you in there? This little mover certainly doesn't let me forget they're in there. I can't wait to have him or her in my arms. We've agreed on names and I'm so excited to know which one will be added to our family.

And now... 

A fairly standard morning scene

Darcy and Sophie la Giraffe

Wearing hangers... as one does.

THE BLETCHLEY CIRCLE

Anybody watching The Bletchley Circle? Another wonderful, wonderful ITV drama and oh those girls... these girls, in fact. I'm no critic so I shan't pretend to be but, if you love a good TV drama, check it out on ITV Player.

Series One had just three episodes so we aren't looking at a big commitment to get on board with the girls! In a very {weak} nutshell... Bletchley Park WWII codebreakers reunite several years after the war when a series of murders show a pattern that the police have not recognised. Susan, now quite the bored housewife, took interest an in the case, saving newspaper clippings and putting the data together. Ignored by the police after presenting her findings, she gathered the girls and they got to work . 

The first of four episodes of Series Two started last Monday and will play out over the month of January 2014. This time, Jean is the driving force rallying the #ladynerds together when a former Bletchley colleague is awaiting trial for murder. 

Lucy :: Susan :: Jean :: Millie

Lucy, Susan, Jean and Millie portrayed by Sophie Rundle, Anna Maxwell Martin, Julie Graham and Rachael Stirling respectively. 

Do yourself a favour and catch up here!

TUTU

I have a tutu weakness. Since there is very litttle chance I shall own one for myself {I said little chance, not no chance... !!} I have taken it upon myself to keep my girls tutu'd up in style for the forseeable future. Carys was given a hand-me-down tutu with inbuilt leggings from her cousin. They were perfect, particularly for the size they were... 9-12months. No issues with her ending up with a big tulle scarf around her neck! I made it last as long as I could but the day came when I had to admit she had outgrown it. Since then, I have been looking and looking and looking some more for the perfect replacement.

There are a lot of tutu's out there. There is also a whole lot of tulle tat out there! Here I have listed my favourites.

First up Boden's Party Tutu {also available in navy}. Beautiful bow detail on this great little party skirt. Starts at £26.00.

Boden Party Tutu

Boden aren't tutu shy this year... here's their Wow Tutu that starts at a rather pricey £36.00. Choose grey or pink.

Boden Wow Tutu

I pinned this little beauty a long time ago. Precious, right? Just the whole ensemble. The hoodie. The boots. The GEESE! Love it. This was a Stella McCartney for Gap back in 2009. This is the one I have been looking for... to me this ticks all the boxes. Great length, sweet bow, perfect layering.

Another one I found via pinterest led me to one of my favourite online stomping grounds, notonthehighstreet.com. I think the advertising on this one tickled me most. The Pettiskirt Tutu by Candy Bows is another winner. In an array of pretty colours and some {not-my-cup-of-tea} patterns, there are lots of options to choose from and starting at £22... well, not bad at all.

If you're not all tutu'd out by now... here, my friends, is your reward. I have died and gone to tutu heaven with thanks to an old faithful... good old Next have come up trumps on my tutu mission. My tutu search is over. A beautiful bow, soft eleastic waistband, perfect length, just the right amount of layering and available in so many wonderful colours, it's hard to pick out a favourite. Dusky pink, berry, bright pink, navy, soft pink, black and red. Starting at just £14... well, it would be rude not to!  

And the winner is... Next!

You. Are Welcome. N'night.

ELEPHANT

You know when you sit down to do something online and get lost in world wide web wonder... yeah, that. You know.

So today I am having little waves of mild panic for tomorrow is husbands birthday. I'm all a tap-tap-tap online knowing full well that nothing I order will arrive on time. As I wander around t'interweb, I'm planning my mission. A way to save the day. Operation great escape the second he walks in the door. I will of course hollar 'PIZZA'S IN THE OVEN' as I grab my keys and leg it out the door. Still deciding what direction to take once I get there but give me time... it's a plan in the making.

Elephants. What does this have to do with elephants?

This. This is where my clicking led me and stopped me dead in my taps. I just can't get beyond this image. I love it. I'm sort of surprised at my own self. I like animals in a very average way but I'm certainly not at all a gushy animal lover sort. But this, well this just grabbed a little bit of my heart.


Baby Elephant :: The Animal Print Shop by Sharon Montrose

I have promised myself that one fine and happy day, when we get ourselves all moved to our new house... yes that house, the one we have yet to find and yet to purchase, I am going to buy this picture and this one and  maybe this one probably this one too! I will quite likely struggle not to buy this one too.
... back to The Great Escape mission planning I go. Happy weekend!

SWITZERLAND :: EX-PAT LIFE

We have just recently relocated back to England after four years in Switzerland. While I am, by no means, an expert, but frequently asked questions prompted me to collate some information. I thought a few links and pointers in the right direction could help anyone who is new to Switzerland or thinking of a move this way.

As with living anywhere, there are a lot of pro's and con's to Switzerland. I am going to try to be like Switzerland here. Neutral.

We lived in Geneva for a couple of years before moving out to the vineyards of Vaud. Personally, I prefered the countryside. Geneva is a nice city but it is small and, in my opinion, limited. Commuting into Geneva from Vaud is a popular option for many an ex-pat.

There is a huge expat community in Switzerland. According to Geneva.Info, Geneva is the most international city in Europe with over 40% of the population coming from outside Switzerland. Thankfully, there are many resources to help make sense of the Swiss ways. Trust me, you'll need all the help you can get!

AngloInfo Geneva covers a huge range of topics from Education, Healthcare and Legal to Family and Community Life.

Glocals is similar but seems to take a more social approach. I have sold lots of stuff via their Classifieds Pages.

World Radio has a great website too with a Guides section. Their Classifieds pages are really good too advertising anything from concert tickets to property! Its also nice to check their News pages for local news in English.

Other sites I'm familiar with are the English Forum and the Know It All Passport. Know It All, supports an excellent book detailing a whole lorra information but it comes with a hefty price tag. To be honest, a second hand copy would do and with the websites having chat forums, getting local information isn't too difficult. Comparis is a great site that compares the best value for money on things like Insurance and Phone and Internet options with . They have a smart Moving To Switzerland section.

If your French is good, you're at a major advantage. If not, Google Translate will be your new best friend! We are lucky to have colleauges and neighbours to help us out when we get stuck. Our neighbours have been a huge help with the 'Swissues' we've had with our Regie {Estate Agent}.

Estate Agents, or Regies as they are called here, will be your enemy. I am yet to hear anyone say anything positive about them. Sadly, we need them. To get a roof over your head, you have submit an application for each property and then the decision is in the hands of the devil himself! Am I being over dramatic? Perhaps. Actually, no. They are a hateful bunch.

Good sites for property searches are Homegate, Immostreet and Immoscout. Each of these sites show properties from different Estate Agents meaning you don't have to trawl through a ton of Estate Agents sites.

It is compulsory to have basic health insurance.

You must change you drivers licence to a Swiss Driving Licence within one year of living in the country. Otherwise you will have to take the Swiss driving test. One persons experience can be found on this Glocals forum chat.

We use Swisscom for our home TV and Internet connection. They have a good British TV package. There is a way to get Sky TV via a UK address. If you go to Jims British Market St Genis-Pouilly shop in France {it's just across the border} on the first Satuday of the month, there is a guy who will help you out.

Bon chance!