I’ve just been sent this by Warner Bros – I’m gutted because none of the cinemas are near me *sad face* which is a shame because I think Sandra Bullock is ace.  But I thought that some of you might like an afternoon out at the cinema. It’s on a first come/first serve basis so get there quick!

Here’s the trailer if you don’t know about the film

Watch The Blind Side at a preview screening before its nationwide cinema release on 26^th March!

To celebrate the release of the Oscar® winning The Blind Side on 26^th March, readers have a chance to be the first to see the film at a variety of cinemas on Tuesday 16^th March.

For your chance to attend a special daytime preview screening (at a number of locations), simply enter the below code at www.seefilmfirst.com to get your complimentary pair of tickets!

Code: 560634

Locations:

Colchester

Brighton

Beckenham

Manchester Printworks

Derby

Exeter

Guildford

Lincoln

Richmond

Worcester

Maidstone

Kettering

Kingston upon Thames

Norwich

Streatham

Epsom

Muswell Hill

Swansea

Camden Town

Edinburgh Wester Hailes

Greenwich

London

Hatfield Galleria

Huddersfield

South Woodford

Southend on Sea

Surrey Quays

Bristol

Wimbledon

West Thurrock

Back in my pre-child days Jo Malone products were a regular staple of my bathroom cabinet, now they are a rare but welcome treat.  I think that their fragrances are just beautiful and so evocative when used around the home.

So imagine how happy I was to find out they have collaborated with Farrow and Ball (Slipper Satin Paint my favourite!) to make their first ever coloured candles.

What they’ve done is matched all the fragrances – Lime Basil & Mandarin, Wild Fig & Cassis, Grapefruit, Pomegranate Noir and Blue Agava & Cacao with the classic Farrow & Ball colours Farrow & Ball Breakfast Room Green® (No 81), Farrow & Ball Pelt (No 254), Farrow & Ball Oval Room Blue® (No 85), Farrow & Ball Farrow’s Cream® (No 67), Farrow & Ball Eating Room Red®(No 43). I think for me it would have to be Blue Agava & Cacao Home Candle (200g) in Farrow & Ball Oval Room Blue® (No 85) – just a gorgeous colour and scent.

If you’re feeling like treating yourself they are available from 16th April.

Earlier this week, I set the Spring Clean – 10 Minute Challenge and here’s how mine went, I started with the smallest job I could find.   Our shoe basket in the hallway looked like this.

I took them all the in lounge and had a sort out.  It turned out that one member of the family had 10 pairs of shoes in the basket and it wasn’t Lily or I   Between us we managed to give to charity 15 pairs of shoes which either didn’t fit (Lily), were ridiculous (Me) or didn’t really like that much (Paul)

Our Basket now looks like this.

The liners are still in the wash (as they were seriously scary!) and should be ready soon.  The next 10 minute job is our wardrobe….I’m leaving that for Sunday morning!

I can’t believe it’s been seven years since Lily was born, it feels like a heartbeat ago.  But there she is,  a funny, kind, smart, sassy little girl.  I couldn’t have asked for more when I saw those dark little eyes for the first time.

In the odd flash of conversation with her I can see the teenager and adult she’ll become and that is going to be an amazing person.  She’s one of my best and wisest friends, she makes me laugh like no one else.

Happy Birthday Lily we love you xx

Tara at Sticky Fingers has started a photo linky ‘The Gallery’ and the theme this week is beauty. So here’s my entry, I took it last year when my peonies were out. I can’t wait to see them again!

We were sent ‘The Fantastic Mr Fox’ on DVD a couple of weeks back for us to review.  Now frankly I’ll watch anything with George Clooney in – even if it’s just his voice and Lily’s studying Roald Dahl at school at the moment, so this was the ideal film to send us.

Here’s Lily’s view on the film:

‘My favourite bit was the electric fence.  And it was Fantastic of course.  The Rat security guards who look after the cider were fighty.  My friends liked the motorcar jumping the tower (ed I have no idea what she’s talking about!) And I’d give it 10/10′

My thoughts are that despite it being an international cast, which I thought might be a bit odd as it’s a British story set in the British countryside.   It was actually done very well more like an Oceans 11 for kids.  The animation looked at least like the old fashion ’stop’ animation which I always thinks brings depth and realism – but that might just be me being old fashioned!

Apart from the film which is very good, more entertaining from an adult persepctive was the ‘Making of’ film that was with it.  It looked behind the scenes at Wes Anderson effectively making a film with George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and then they just animated what the actors had done, which was just brilliant.

So if your looking for a kids film that adults can watch without being bored then this is a good one. All in all I give it an 8/10.

The sun is out and that means just one thing…..I can see all the dust and stuff lying around the house.  So I’m having a Spring Clean Party!

You don’t have to do a lot, just one 10 minute job you’ve been meaning to do all winter and blog about it.  Mine is the shoe baskets in the hallway.  It’s a great idea to have a shoe basket, but you actually have to have to you know…throw some shoes out when they’re worn or don’t fit anymore! Currently it looks like this:

So my plan is this week when I have a spare 10 minutes, is to turn it out. Put what doesn’t fit and is still good i.e most of Lily’s shoes to charity. Put the summer ones up in the wardrobe where they should be and clean the winter ones for storage.

It shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes and will make a massive difference to the hallway.

I’m putting up a Mr Linky on this post so when you’ve done yours and you want to share it – just add it on

]]> http://violetposy.co.uk/2010/03/02/spring-clean-2010/feed/ 18 http://violetposy.co.uk/2010/03/02/thats-where-the-other-sock-goes/ http://violetposy.co.uk/2010/03/02/thats-where-the-other-sock-goes/#comments Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:59:14 +0000 Liz http://violetposy.co.uk/?p=2659

You know the ‘Sock Monster’ that lives in all houses. The one that ‘eats’ the other sock you can never find?

This is our one!

Yesterday I got the call every mother dreads ‘Lily’s been hurt in a playground accident, we’re a bit worried about concussion. Can you come and pick her up’.  So I went roaring down to the school in a sick panic to find my girl in the school secretary’s office trying to be brave with her class assistant giving her a cuddle. As soon as I walked in she started shaking and crying and showed me her face which was hiding under an ice pack…..well it was awful. The side of her face was swollen and I could see the bruise starting to develop.  Apparently a younger child had run into her during playtime, and she’d gone straight down onto the concrete playground face first. Lily said it’d been so quick that she’d not had time to put her hands out to save herself, she was worrying that the little boy who’d run into her was ok – which he was thankfully.

The school suggested I take her to our local minor injuries centre to get her checked out, just in case she was concussed. I was in total agreement, so we saw a Nurse Practitioner who although was happy that she wasn’t concussed (and gave Lily a cute Teddy Bear for being brave whilst having her bruise poked) was concerned that she’d broken her cheekbone and could I take her to an A&E?

Of course at that moment I went into a blind panic, while trying to appear calm to Lily.  The nurse gave me the choice of Hinchingbrooke (about to be the first NHS hospital to be taken over by a private company – it’s that bad!) or Addenbrookes. So I plumped for Addenbrookes, apart from the fact it’s a good hospital I had a vague recollection of their being a kids A&E there.  I phoned Paul, he dropped everything and came with us and we drove over to Addenbrookes. One of the pains of living where we do is that you are 40-60 minutes away from any A&E or maternity facilities – nightmare if you’re in a hurry!

Now I spent 7 years in the NHS so I know the ropes, and I have to say while outwardly the main A&E entrance at Addenbrookes looks a bit like entering a refugee camp, it’s run very,very well.  You wash you hands on entry, you’re seen by a Triage nurse instantly, then registered with reception.  The lovely receptionist then sent us down to the Children’s A&E…..wow what an amazing idea.

There were toys to play with, books to read, a giant blackboard wall for them to draw on and CBBC on so they had something to take their minds off feeling ill.  The nurses were incredibily nice – she was assessed within 10 minutes of getting into the unit and nothing was too much trouble. I was told that if Lily’s condition changed while we were waiting I was to let her know immediately.  We waited a bit to see the Paediatrician, about an hour but it was very busy as there were lots of children there (after school clubs are surprisingly dangerous places it seems!).  But he and his student were excellent, they talked to Lily and treated her with respect and as a person rather than a ‘thing’ which I’ve seen so many times before in various A&E’s when I’ve been in them.

He said she needed an X-Ray to check the cheek wasn’t broken, and that happened IN THE SAME UNIT within 20 minutes. The Radiologist was kind and gentle in what was a very scary experience for Lily.  We stood and watched the results instantly on the screen, they were then emailed to the Consultant who checked them. The Paediatrician came back within 20 minutes and she was released with a clean bill of health.

It was the best and fastest experience I’ve ever had in an A&E. The staff were kind, thoughtful and didn’t seem pissed off that they had patients and we were out within 3 hours. Children’s A&E’s are a great idea and something all large Trusts should be investing in. It doesn’t take much to do and makes a big difference to the experience of the ‘customer’.  No one likes sitting in an A&E with a baby or small child crying, it’s stressful for the parent and stressful for other patients.  Also having spent a couple of Saturday evenings in A&E you don’t want to be sitting with a sick child next to the drunk/drugged up walk in’s.   I really think it’s a wonderful idea.

I’d really like to thank everyone we came into contact with yesterday for having been so kind and treating Lily so well, you made a hard, scary day much easier. Addenbrookes should be proud of you all, you’re running a wonderful service.

And the winner of the Cornishware Mug competition is…….*drum roll*….. Lucky Number 21

Who is Jacqui at ‘The Little Things‘ Blog  – congratulations!!  Thanks to everyone who entered.