Back to the UK (part one)

Dan was off to Mozambique with his friend and family for a week which involved a visa which actually turned out to be a quick and easy process considering all the hassle we've had doing everything else since arriving in South Africa, one visit to get the info, a trip to the bank to pay the fee, 2nd visit to drop off completed form and proof of payment and the final trip in the afternoon to collect the visa. At the same time we were doing this Peter announced he was off to Denmark in August, then the UK for a week, Alex had tripped and broken his arm, we were recovering from 5 solid weeks of visitors and I was feeling sorry for myself.

It's been non stop, sort this, sort that, change address, cancel accounts and I've had a hissy fit, a strop and booked 2 flights for me and Alex to the UK for a week. I started packing as soon as the flights were booked, located UK Sim card, scraped up £20 in pound coins, loaded the laptop with films, called family and friends and made arrangements, asked MIL to insure her car.

Spent the day before the flight cleaning the house while Peter and Alex went on a 8 hr trip to take Dan and his mate to Nelspruit to meet his mates parents for their 12hr road trip to Mozambique. Monday all the bedding was washed and beds re made and as I've been told off for chavving up the golf estate, I had to use the tumble dryer.

Alex spent the entire day pestering me 'what time are we going?' 'how long now?' and eventually at 4.30pm we left for the airport, cases cling wrapped, I get a touch of the 'I hate flying' and a touch of guilt about all the money (we don't have) I've spent on the flights, upset about leaving Peter, this will be the longest time we've been apart and the fact that this is the first time I've done such a big journey on my own...

...but what could possible go wrong?

X Factor...don't click away it's not what you think

I don't know Cher Lloyd, I've seen her around town, she lives about 5 mins walk from my house. Her brother was at school with my 15yo and they play football around.

Before Cher shot to fame on the X Factor I'd heard of her, knew she had been bullied at school and had moved to the other school in town and her brother soon followed.

I'm not from Malvern so I don't 'know' families, but in all the time I've been here I've never heard anything negative about them.

Cher is a chav.....that's what the national papers are saying about her and also some very nasty and negative comments are being made about her on facebook. My 15yo son is her friend on facebook and has been way before the rest of the UK was made aware of her since her appearnace on the X Factor.

I went to her house on Tuesday night to see her brother to ask him if he'd seen my son (see previous blogs) Mum answered the door and Dad popped his head round.....I could have been at anyone's house and I was really. I never mentioned Cher or said how is she getting on, because I hadn't gone there for that reason.

My point in writing this blog is I do wish people would stop making judgements based on the way people dress and look. My 15yo calls his 18yo brother a chav and they laugh about it.

It's not a way of life it's more of a dress code, there are so many groups of people defined but what they wear and the music they listen to.

Personally I don't like the 'uniform' of middle aged, slightly over weight women....to me the boots, legging, long woollen dress, choppy hairstyle is not a look I aspire to have, but it is a uniform, there's the 'yummy mummy' look I don't choose either, floaty skirts, hair scraped up on the head and carrying a Radley handbag, or the 'gym woman'.

We all have a uniform, for me, I personally look like I've just finished riding my horse, I like jeans tucked into flat boots, tshirt with plenty of cleavage and a floaty wrap round cardi....

I no more own a horse than Cher 'the chav' is a gobby mare and is hard.

So please stop judging people on their appearance and just accept that we are all different.