photo by bulldog1	via PhotoRee

I wrote recently about how we never go away anywhere as a couple. The last time we actually had time away, together was our honeymoon, in 2003. We had a magical break in North Scotland in a gorgeous little bay which opened up to the North Sea, called Findhorn. Most of the honeymoon was brilliant but due to an unfortunate incident involving a romantic horse-riding session, an allergic reaction and my looking like the Elephant Man as a result, the last three days were spent in and out of hospitals and doctor surgeries.

Mostly romantic, definitely memorable and so long ago that I have finally started to forget what that damn horse looked like. We are hoping to have our first night away in June for our 9^th anniversary, in London and to treat ourselves to dinner and a show. Having a look at Eurobookings hotels we can get a room not too far from the theatre for approximately £90 for one night so it’s not too bad cost-wise. A real grown up horse-less trip away. Is it possible!

Now that we’ve started the planning we kind of like the thought of going away occasionally without the kids. A couple of weekends a year will do us the world of good whilst the kids are being suitably spoiled by family!

After London we’d love to go back to Scotland. We’ve been looking at Edinburgh hotels and would love to visit during the Edinburgh Tattoo in August. Has anyone reading this been to the Tattoo? Is it as spectacular as it sounds?

We love family life but have decided to spend a tiny bit more time alone as a couple, and discover new things. So tell me, when was your last night away as a couple and what did you do? Oh and this may be Curly and Candid but I don’t need the gory sex details!

*This is a sponsored post. This does not alter the fact that we SO need a couple’s night away! All opinions shared on C&C are my own and not influenced by any company.

Apparently Pinterest is the Next Big Social Media Thing. Maybe it is already but I’m not quite seeing it myself.

Don’t get me wrong, I use Pinterest (I’m here) and am suitably hooked but I use it for me. It appeals to me in so many ways, I can label things (I like boxes), I can search and collect pretty, useful, interesting things and store them for my own pleasure. I’m not sure what else there is?

I have 4 Boards.

Just Because – This is a board that contains anything that makes me chuckle, intrigues me or makes me think. It also contains anything that I want to pin but can’t think of a suitable board name for.

For the Home: Things I have, want, love for the home. This board is my main board and feeds my interior design obsession. Lots of pretty and striking things mixed up.

Make and Do: Started around Xmas this board has craft things for the kids and thing I’d like to make for the home. I probably won’t of course as I am rubbish at anything crafty myself, I’ll find somewhere that I can buy it from and add it to my For The Home board

Style Board. I have three pins in here. Clearly I am not very stylish, I’m more of a comfort girl. I might rename this board “Things I might buy and wear if I was skinny, rich and could be arsed”. I might even just delete it, because I can.

And that is it!

Perhaps I need a “Pinterest for Idiots” guide to see the bigger picture but you know what, for me, it’s just an enjoyable tool.

What do you use Pinterest for? Are you like me and just like to collect shiny things to browse and grin at, to find new blogs and sites that the pictures link back to and enjoy nosying at what other people find funny / pretty etc?

Do you use it, or do you plan to use it as a business or social networking tool?

What do you use yours?

photo by Nicobobinus	via PhotoRee

We don’t smoke, we rarely drink and asides from having something of an obsession with Judge Judy, our lives are fairly quiet. Roy and I both work very hard and the majority of our leisure time is spend out playing in grass (or snow!) and removing Lego bricks from the soles of our feet. We wouldn’t have it any other way! We like the quiet life and are both home bods. When we are feeling particularly daring we rent a video (hold me back folks!).

A quiet life works for us but every so often we need to dress up, go out and sing at the top of our lungs. No, we don’t belong to a local choir group (just as well really seeing as my singing has been likened to the noise that a frightened cat makes), but we do love a good show!

Having seen it advertised I have been trying to convince Roy that Lion King tickets would be great as a romantic present, however the spoilsport seems to think that that would be better as a family outing, seeing as the Lion King is traditionally a film for younger ones. Thinking about it he’s probably right. We should take our eldest although I may need to “pop” to the loo when Simba’s Dad dies as I’m guaranteed to sob like a baby (think about how most people are after Bambi’s mother dies!).

In the times before children we loved to go out and would spend all night on the dance floor or karaoke (Roy is a fantastic singer.) After the boys came along our priorities changed and now we find it hard to find something for our rare nights out that is just for us, doesn’t cost a fortune and doesn’t involve a vast amount of alcohol. A show seems to be the perfect choice for us. We can enjoy a meal beforehand, have a sing, a dance and a giggle and really make the most of our couple time away. The one show that we really both fancy is the Queen musical, We Will Rock You (we are both big Queen fans, Freddie Mercury is on my list of people I’d love to have at a dinner party).

So, will we book a night away and treat ourselves to We Will Rock You tickets? We just might you know! I struggle to leave the boys overnight and do it rarely. When I have they have always been with their Daddy. I think though, for our 9^th wedding anniversary this summer we might just treat ourselves.

What about you? Are you like us and are home bods who struggle to find something they really fancy to do on their rare nights out or are you at the other end of the spectrum and make the time to go out regularly? I’m curious (nosy!), how do you spend your social time?

*This is a sponsored post.

There are changes afoot!
Shortly Google will be getting rid of the Google Friends Connect thingy (see the sidebar on the right). Jumping on the deleting bandwagon I’ll be getting rid of my Curly&Candid Facebook page (I never do anything with it, it’s just a post stream!).

So…. if you want to makes sure you don’t miss out you can:

1. Subscribe by email (the box at the top left). You only get an email when I publish new content. It’s not a newsletter and you won’t get spam or other annoying tripe. You simply get my posts delivered to your email box.
2. Subscribe by RSS (click the symbol under Taylor’s chin at the top of the site, the one that turns orange when you hover over it).
3. You can subscribe via Networked Blogs (look right!). This is increasingly popular with Facebook users as my posts appear on their Facebook page).

And that’s it.

Boring but necessary housekeeping. I’d hate for anyone of you to miss out on my charming and witty ramblings *cough*.

Cheers!

I work from home full time. I used to have a lovely shiny office upstairs but I traded it for a nursery for my youngest son (he’s worth it!). What this has left me with is a homeless laptop.

Currently I am using my husband’s desk in the living room. This is fine up to a point but there is no storage, and it’s not MINE! I spend hours on Pinterest browsing and repinning dream work spaces (no really – have a look!). The problem being there isn’t a suitable space for me to work. The only alcove left has a tv and the gubbins in it. Roy wants to get a wall mounted TV but I’m having a panic about the cost of that seeing as I would need (NEED) to have cables completely invisible.

What to do folks? For now I think I’m going to have to continue browsing and hope a knight in shining home organisation will knock on the door. In the meantime I want to hear or even better see your work space.  Post me a link to your space, tweet me a pic, invite me for tea so I can come and play in your work area!

Looking forward to seeing where you all work!

Dear Dr Appointment System

You only release GP appointments at 8.30am each morning. On ringing at 8.30am each day I have been “too late” by the time I get from 30th in the queue to actually speaking to someone.

This morning I was only on hold for 20 minutes but yup – “Please ring back on Monday”. I’ve been trying to get an appointment since Tuesday folks.

The system needs tweaking!

Her who is getting a little miffed now.

******

Dear half term.

Bloody fantastic, I can’t say any more. It’s been great having both boys at home together.

Lego, painting, laughter and general silliness.

Good for the soul (bad for the soles of feet mind!).

Roll on Easter hols!

Love, Mummy who will miss the madness next week x

*****

Dear Ex-hairdresser friend.

Suggesting I wash my hair every now and then in washing up liquid to get rid of any build up of hair product.

Pure genius!

(Oh and Apple Fairy really does smell good doesn’t it!)

Thanks, her who has squeaky clean hair x

*****

Dear Self

Well done! You remembered everything in your Aquafit bag this week.

You even managed to shave all of your legs, not leaving a hair strip down the front of one like you did last week.

AND you managed to keep going all the way through.

Getting cramp and jumping about like a fool with a face like a chewed toffee wasn’t quite so good but hey-ho.

Next week should be good fun

Love her who is actually enjoying exercise! (Wierdo!).

******

Dear Google +

Still not convinced to be honest, although your Hangouts are still pretty brilliant. This week I’ve caught up with Jay and Kat, both of who are blinking wonderful and had a good natter so I’ll not sack you yet but I could do with you coming up with some new exciting features for me, ok?

Her who WANTS to love G+ but who is struggling.

*****

Dear Reader.

If you’ve got this far, thanks

I have a question for you. I write about anything and everything but I want to know….

What sort of stuff do YOU want me write about?

Answers on a postcard (or leave a comment).

Have a good weekend all!

N x