So much for a holiday!

I’ve come to the conclusion that a holiday with little ones is never really a holiday, at least not in the way it might have been once upon a time Before Children! Well, not unless you’re rolling in money and can afford to go to one of those luxurious family-friendly resorts with 24-hour kids clubs and nannies on tap! I dream of Woolley Grange or Moonfleet Manor … or perhaps a Mark Warner place in the sun?!

After a week away on a 3-stop tour of the UK, prompted by my cousin’s 30th birthday party in Scotland, I have come back not refreshed and relaxed but EXHAUSTED! A thousand miles in the car, with my partner resolutely refusing to let me drive to ease the boredom! Two small children, both afflicted with probably the worst cough and cold they’ve ever had. Sleepless night after sleepless night. Just as well the weather was fine and, when I walked back into the office yesterday, I was told I’d “caught the sun”! (Euphemism for looking a bit red in the face, but possibly better than pasty white!) I have to say, though, in the spirit of finding things to be grateful for:

• We stayed in the most beautiful eco-cabin in my auntie’s garden, designed and built by my cousin (Locate architects) with lots of helpers, and surrounded by trees, flowers and birds. I think I really could live in the country!
• Our evening drive on the A696 through the Northumberland National Park was absolutely stunning (boy did I wish I’d been behind the wheel!)
• My family are basically fab!

So anyway, here I am back at work and actually wishing I was outside in the sunshine. You know what it’s like when you get back from a ‘break’ (I’m not going to use the ‘h’ word!) - it takes a while to get your head back into gear. Not helped by the fact that I’ve now succumbed to the stinking cold myself, unsurprisingly after being trapped in a sardine-can of a car with spluttering children. I could literally feel the germs landing on me! Time for a lemsip and a review of the ‘to do’ list, I think. Back later …

(Oooh, just while I think of it, and on the subject of going away, I’ve recently come across Boutique Boltholes and, even better, Baby-friendly Boltholes! Worth a look.)

Cold in Caister!

Yes, colder than I’ve been for about 10 years … and then I was 4,000 metres above sea level in the Peruvian Andes! Still, we were in a caravan this time, with just one tiny little gas fire to fend off the bitter coastal winds. I had forgotten what it’s like to be chilled to the bone to the point that, even with all your clothes on, you still can’t sleep! But hey, what are holidays for if it’s not to brave the elements and come out smiling the other side?! The difference is that, these days, instead of feeling really smug for surviving Dead Woman’s Pass on the Inca trail, I feel smug for managing an 8-mile round trip from Caister into Great Yarmouth and back, on a bike! With a two year old pinching my bottom!

Anyway, that’s where I was last week, on our lovely £9.50 Sun readers’ holiday. Another thing I never thought I’d ever do! Can’t really blame that one entirely on the children, though - it’s more to do with the fact that I’m spending all our money on Mummo and we’re skint. Scarily skint. I am starting to appreciate a bit more about the realities of ‘doing your own thing’. The website is taking far longer than anticipated to build so it’s now been longer than I care to mention with lots going out and nothing coming in. And it’ll be a few more months yet. I will just have to hold my nerve and hope that it’s all worth it in the end. Otherwise it will have been a very expensive learning experience!

Having said all that, I’m quite excited at the moment as I’ve teamed up with a great guy who’s helping me to work out an advertising and marketing strategy for Mummo … and who might even take the lead on Daddo at some point in the future. His confidence in me, and in the potential of Mummo, has really given me a boost. It’s also reminded me that so much in life is about just having the guts to go for what you want! So excuse me but I’m just going to go for … a(nother) chocolate biscuit!

There’s more to life than browsing!

I admit it, I have been spending far too much time surfing the web recently, and not enough time in the real world!  It’s just too tempting, when the wind is gusting against the windows, to escape off into the endless exciting possibilities offered by the internet.  Shall I book a holiday somewhere warm and exotic?  After a few hours browsing, I suddenly remember that I’ve got a partner with no holiday left, two small children with far busier social calendars than mine, no money, Christmas and two birthdays to plan and a business to launch.  That’ll be a ‘no’ then!  Okay, so shall I buy a few more bits and pieces to put in the little ones’ stockings?  After a few hours browsing, I suddenly remember that we can’t see the carpet for toys anyway, and more to the point I’d intended to go all zen minimalist this year and avoid the crazy consumerism that is dragging this planet and everyone on it down the pan.  That’ll be another ‘no’ then!  Okay, so perhaps some constructive personal development for the New Year?  Better, but still another few hours’ browsing rather than getting on with what I’m meant to be doing.  I am my own worst enemy.

Having said that, I did discover some interesting stuff whilst being distracted.  For example, I’ve finally been invited to join the beta test of the new social network for social entrepreneurs: UnLtdWorld.  Tried it out this morning and within ten minutes had downloaded a really useful toolkit for sustainable social businesses, invited myself to an event run by Ogunte Global Tribal Network and joined a couple of great-sounding groups.

In addition, I signed up for some free workshops being run by Business Link London, one on marketing with a small budget and one on PR.  As I’ve only got a very small budget for marketing, I suspect I’ll be pinning my hopes on PR, so with any luck they’ll have lots of tips to help.

And last but not least, on a highly superficial note, I also came across (purely by chance, you understand) a photo of David Beckham in the latest advert for Armani underpants.  Now that really was a moment of pure escapism!

Anyway, so much for all that.  My early New Year’s Resolution is to FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS.  I will concentrate on my real priorities and steer clear of distractions.  Not even a bare-chested Becks will lure me away from my ‘To do’ list … unless, of course, he’s on it!

PS.  Please excuse this one girlie weakness.  Just put it down to the festive spirit going straight to my head!