Valentines at the Cracknells!

Love is in the air..!

So for valentines day we headed to the Slightly older Cracknell's residence for a delicious meal of curry and some of Momma Cracknell's famous chicken lasagne! We were blown away when Poppa Cracknell bought each of the lady's a rose to take home! It's great that some still show a little romance for the day. Andy and myself are quite hum buggish about the whole affair making a pact not to get each other anything! That's not to say we're unromantic, but do we need a prescribed day to show each other...and clinton cards... we care!? (Oops i just remembered a certain person I know who manages a card shop! I should be showing support! Sorry Pabs I will buy one next year!)

Anyway, ignore my rantings here's some reasons to celebrate Valentines!

1. To make fun of single friends by sending them unsigned cards and listen to them go through every ex boyfriend they've ever had, wonder about the old man who lives on the corner, and finally contemplate actually confronting those who made it to the final suspects list. All the time silently giggling to yourself about the fools they are making of themselves!

2. If you're the sort of person that has to check your calender each morning to tell you what day, month and year it is. Valentine's day can act as a reminder to show romance. Without the calender reminder you may well go another 365 days without showing any sort of romance to your partner at all!

3. The roads are quiter! (Not sure about this one, it's probably the single people that are usually out anyway!)

..Ok this was just more proof that I have too much time on my hands. Here are some phone pics (Hence the quality!) of the evening. Great expression by the way, Pabs!

Just as a final note, I wanted to post a pic of my banofee pie (with a strawberry twist!) I made yesterday, I was so proud of it!

Scary 3!

And here is a run down of my sporting career! At the age of 6 I was a fine ballarina with a promising future ahead. The only thing getting in my way, according to my ballet teachers, was that I kept trying to incorporate the 'Back-flip' into my ballet routines. This was most frowned upon in the ballet world...

...So Mum and Dad decided that maybe gymnastics was for me! They took me along to the local sports centre gym class.

I didn't stay there long though, as I was 'spotted' by a coach there, who pursuaded my parents to part with their lives and money in return for my joining her gymnastics club and becoming a pro! (ok, maybe I'm exaggeraing a little now!)

Many competitions and squad training days later! This was the last competition I competed in before I discovered boys and freedom, The rest is history...

I have just watched this film on DVD and it's great. Its about an ex-gymnast who is a rebel and gets in trouble with the law. Her punishment- to return to an elite gymnastics club full of bitchy gymnasts! It brought me back a bit! Ah the memories...

Scary 2!

I'm really on a roll now and want to share my dark and distant past with you all. Item no. 2 in the scary collection is of some significance! This is me and my brother Andrew in Greenwich Park exactly 16 years to the day befor I met my wonderful husband in the same location! (The question is would we have ever made it to a second meeting had he seen me in those 'My Little Pony' spectacles!? I shoulda gone to spec savers!

Scary!

Ok, so here's a scary pic of me and Steph, before Andy, John and Katie! and also before my tattoo!

And no, that's not the same dress I wore to the ball on Friday!

Proclaimers Ball!

Proclaimers ball this year really was an awesome event. It was also a special birthday for Pastor Tom, who celebrated his 50th birthday and will soon have been married to Denise for 25 years! The entertainment was hilarious and it was great to see so many people there, both church members and lots of tag alongs! We had invited John, Steph and Katie and it was great to get all frocked up! (the boys had dresses prepared but hearing they would be refused entry reluctantly donned their best tux!)

Steph did a fantastic job of my hair...

At the end of the evening, we got some fantastic news. Exhausted from some serious moves on the dance floor, we got into our PJs and pumped up the airbed. All of a sudden Steph made an announcement! She's 10 weeks pregnant! Yay!!! The signs were all there... no drinking... loss of appetite! Congratuations! Hugs all round! And here's the moment we heard..

Finally, for those who read my book review, here's some breaking news, Mr Andrew Cracknell from the book , 'A Cracking Life' has been taken to a local magistrates court this weekend, facing charges relating to flying an aircraft without due care and attention, causing a crash and damage to the tail end of the Jet Ranger! When questioned in court over the incident, he claimed that the equipment failed and the Jet Ranger just headed nose down to the ground. The case continues this week. Here is Mr Cracknell in the court room...

Book Review

Time for a book review! This weeks books follow an addiction theme, both have a happy ending!

This book is an inspiration. Cupcake brown enters the welfare system at the age of 11 when her mother dies. She is neglected and abused by those whose care she is placed into and develops an appetite for drugs and alcohol. Her addictions take her to a life of turning tricks and the world of a gangsta.

After one particularly bad crack binge she wakes up behind a dumpster half dressed and more than half dead. She hears Gods voice and finally knows she has to change!

This book tells the story of Andrew Cracknell, who from a young age develops a love of aircraft. His father, a Norwich plane spotter, sparked his interest by taking him to airshows when he was a boy. He remembers these times fondly, particularly an incident in which he was standing in front of his father and was knocked out when his father dropped his binoculars on his head!

At 20, he begins his career as an apprentice at Sterling Helicopters and quickly progresses to fully qualified engineer. At the age of 26 he finally falls in love and marries a girl from London who unfortunately has no interest in aircraft of any kind! However with love and patience he shows her what it means to him and as a first Christmas present to him, she buys his very first remote control helicopter. A heart warming tale with many funny incidents along the way.

I've been busy for the past couple of weeks, but just to update, last Saturday we started the morning at Dunstan Hall meeting Lord and Lady Southgate for coffee! Here they are...

Oops, wrong couple, here they are...

Yes, it was all a bit posh! and we got to have a good old butchers at their new MX5 ! Nice!