Library Love

I have recently discovered a new way to curb my online shopping habit, and since I know a lot of you are trying to cut back, I thought I might share it with you, although I'm probably one of the last to catch on.

I don't know if anyone else does the same, I window shop online. I go on to Cath Kidston, Cox & Cox, or Amazon just to name a few, and add everything I would like into the shopping basket, only to never check it out, or delete most of it till I'm left with a bill a lot more affordable.

So it was on one of these imaginary shopping trips on Amazon, and with a rather long list of wishes, that I suddenly thought, why don't see if have any at the library, so I phoned.
My first request - did they have anything by Cath Kidston? The answer - no not here, but there is one due back soon at another library, and apparently could order it to arrive at my local library when it was available, for the cost of £1 per item, or, and this was the best bit - I could do it online for free! Yipee!

Previously, although I've been a member of the library since I was a child, and later renewed an interested when Ella was born, I have struggled with them. I used to go in and just browse, and although I generally came out with something, it usually wasn't what I was looking for, mainly because someone else had checked it out already or it wasn't where it should be, so my trips to the library were normally time consuming, and involved late fees too as I was pretty crap at remembering to take things back in time.

But all this has changed, I log into my county council's ELAN catalogue online using my card number and password, and I can search for a book, dvd, or cd that I'm after, and in one click I can reserve it, even if they don't have a copy at my own library, and have it sent to the library of my choice, and then they send me a text message (or phone call or email - so you need to let them know your number or address) when it's available for me to collect, I go in, and it is sitting on the reserved shelf with my name wrapped round it, and that's it. quick, simple, easy. I can also renew them online, review my reservations, and see when they are due back.

So now I have this lovely lot for three weeks, I have been adding to my iTunes library for £1 an album, and for another £1.50 I can keep dvd for a week, much better than one night from the video shop (which, incidently, I haven't used for a year due to a £7 late charge because I forgot to take two dvd's back the next day). Ok, I know you can't get the lastest releases as quick as the shops, but I managed to reserve the first copy of Sex And The City, the movie last month before it arrived at the library, so I was the first to get it.

I'm sure there are plenty of you that have been using the library online for years, so forgive me if I'm recounting old news, but I'm sure that there are still some of you, like me, that had forgotten to use this resource, and the excitement of recieving a text to say something has arrived for me is just as good as a new parcel from posty.


Yesterday morning in the garden, I couldn't resist getting the camera for this blue sky


the back door


newly planted window boxes to colour my winter months

Now you are five

As usual, it's late, but last thursday, my beautiful daughter turned five.


Unlike some mothers, I don't feel sad that my baby isn't a baby anymore, I do look back with fond memories of her as that little bundle, but I also relish the time now in the present, when she is turning into an an 'actual' person, with her own ideas and views, and every week, if not day, she surprises me (in a good way) with something she draws or says.


Nowadays, she can almost match me in the stroppiness stakes, which can be a little unnerving sometimes, but even if we disagree on somethings, I understand why she feels the way she does, it can't be easy having to do everything that someone else tells you to all the time.


That's not to say that we fight all the time, actually when ever we are out and about, people always compliment me and her on her behaviour, and say what a sweet intelligent little girl she is.


of course, I know all this and more, she is my most special person in the world.


and when I feel sad with myself that I have lost my patience and shouted at her too quickly, or fobbed her off with the excuse 'in a minute' for too long, I will always remember a thing she said not too long ago, when I was telling her that she should listen to Danny when he told her how to behave. "but Mummy" she said "you're a much better boss than Daddy is." Now I know that really she apprieciates my 'guidance', and I don't feel so bad.


To my darling Ella, I love you so much, and I can't wait to see how much more you have grown as a person this time next year, and to find out the wonderful things you have achieved in your 5th year.