Now 2 years on and it’s enormous and that’s fantastic.  There are so many kind, funny, imaginative, interesting and talented people out there.  Some are members, some are not, but all the bloggers I’ve been lucky enough to spend time with so far are good people.  Normal everyday people who aren’t perfect, but who try to go about their business with thought and decency, and who judge people as they find them with no other agenda.  These are some of the people I will be spending 6 loooong days with in less than two weeks time.

In July 2010 myself, my self and a group of lovely bloggers will be walking 84 miles along Hadrian’s Walk to raise money for The Joseph Salmon Trust.

I’m hoping my bottom will get smaller, my feet will remain blister free, and most of all that I help the Salmons to help other parents in memory of their gorgeous little boy.   It’s a privilege to take part.   I just hope I manage to do my bit and I’m asking, no, begging for anyone who can, to help by giving either a little of their time to spread the word, or a little cash.

All you have to do is click on my Just Giving page over on the right, or on my Just Giving Page Link here

And in return, I will flash my melons.

Ready?

Are you sure?

Ok…

Whoops, silly me, wrong picture.  (And yes I did take a snap of an elephant’s bottom.)

Ok, melons coming up.

Enjoy.

(Sorry Mum, but it’s all for a good cause)

1  Definition of awkward = a small piece of cheese falling into your bra on a train

2 How to hail a Taxi cab =  just stick out your arm and if the light is on then they will stop, unless you look a bit scary or are dressed as a pineapple or something.  (NB  I can assure you this is the correct method.  How do I know?  Well, erm, I actually asked some bemused Londoners who were very nice and passed on their specialist knowledge to Ellie and me.  Snort.)

3   Giving a friend your phone number and then forgetting your phone is very silly.

4  Discovering that you have actually given them your Dad’s number instead of your own is even more silly.

5  Bloggers are mostly blumming lovely

6  The folks at 3 Monkeys Communications are also blumming lovely and made us feel very welcome.  And, they gave a wonderful donation that Ellie and I can add to our Hadrian’s Walk Just Giving Pages, so thank you so so much, especially Ruth (Groovy Monkey), Annabel (Cheeky Monkey) and James (Monkey name as yet unknown).

7  You can find almost anything on the net, including the fabulous though slightly weird monkey wallpaper that adorned the conference room walls at 3 Monkeys ultra cool and quirky offices today.

8 Ladybirds cannot do hand stands.

Photo Credit and other fab wall paper samples

I am a blog
I belong to a woman called Jo
Sometimes she’s a little naive
Sometimes she’s not
Sometimes she likes soggy weetabix, watching Twilight on Blu-Ray, and singing at the top of her voice in a weird operatic style that makes her kids put their hands over their ears and occasionally gives her gerbils migraines.
Sometimes she writes weird posts in the 3rd person and gives voices to things that don’t normally have voices, like ostriches, rabbits and vegetables.
Sometimes she doesn’t

I am a blog
I’m written by a woman called Jo
She blogs for fun, for her kids’ memories, for her sanity
She blogs because she loves to write, she loves to read and she loves to learn
She blogs because she loves to engage and share and smile
I am a blog
Just a blog

I commented on a post last night.  It was a post that I am sure was intended to  be a positive and warm outreaching to new bloggers.  Tots 100 Author and Mummy blogger Sally Whittle has begun a meme to encourage new bloggers to comment.  I have no issue with that.  Commenting is fab.  It creates discussion, it builds friendships, and it’s fun.  Hell a blog without comments is a lonely place if you’re in it for the friendships.

But what upset me, not so much from that post but also from comments flying around twitter, facebook, BMB, is an underlying feeling of an ‘us and them’ situation, and the accusation of there being ‘cliques’.

So late at night, after seeing a tweet, I commented…

It may not have been the right thing to do.  But blogging used to be about having fun, exploring and making new friends.  Yes there were established bloggers, but they were there because they had been doing it longer.  You commented and if they commented back you’d made a friend.  If not you assumed they were too inundated with life and just couldn’t answer everything.   Look back at any older blogger’s early posts and you can see we all started with no comments, no friends and a little tentatively.  But we carried on because we loved it.

I haven’t the time now to write a deep and heavy post about oldies and newbies.  I hate all of that anyway and I have two little girls to get to school just like anyone else.  But I would love to get it out there and give people a chance to say how they really feel.

I think anyone who knows me will be aware I’m a nice person.   I really do care about what I say and do on the internet and try always to be kind, as do every single one of the bloggers who have become true friends as well as blog buddies.  My motives are nothing but good.  I just feel this needs sorting out before it all explodes.  Please if you feel the need, are interested, upset, angry, don’t even think there’s an issue, please comment here.  You can be anonymous if it makes you feel better.  I just think there’s some stuff that maybe needs to be said and needs to be heard, positive or negative.  Otherwise more people are going to feel sad and hurt and the community, which truly does exist, is going to be a darker place without it.

As I said in my second comment at Sally’s,

I’m not trying to create an argument here I promise. I just feel there’s something coming into blogging that hasn’t been there before and it makes me sad that there seems to be a ‘them and us’ thing. Blogging is meant to be fun. If someone is in it for a different reason then that may be where the problem lies.

Go out and have fun everybody. Please please please.

UPDATE

Comments have now been closed on this post.  It was never my intention to cause upset.  I suppose what has been highlighted is that there is a lot of ill feeling out there and that’s what makes me so sad.  I will be removing/editing some comments  for legal reasons.

Well, Disney, and the fabulous Kerry and Kate at Think Parents invited the Blu Ray Ambassadors down to old London town to be filmed talking about the fabulousness that is Disney Blu-Ray.  

‘Filmed’, as in by a camera.  Not just a little clicky clicky one, but a proper big one.  And we had microphones and make up and everything.  (Even Dan.)

What for?

Why for some lovely commercials that may be used on the t’internet around Christmas time of course.
They obviously couldn’t get Angelina and Brad, but it didn’t matter, as there was myself, the fabulous Dan, lovely Linda and her amazing girls, and the gorgeous Preseli Mags, and we also briefly met NotSuperMum who I at first thought might be lovely Linda aka @Joner, and who actually recognised Dan on the streets of London which made his head swell so much his hair shrunk.
 
Our ‘location’ was a gorgeous basement flat in Kentish town.  From the outside it looked pleasant enough but not overly exciting, but inside…Oh my Bob!  Gorgeous fireplaces, fabulous wood and tiled floors, a wall of books and interesting ornaments and curiousities, and the chunkiest wooden table I have ever seen.

We were perched atop enormous settees that begged to be curled up on by ensuring your feet couldn’t touch the floor if you sat back.  The crew were really lovely and said nothing about our probably amateurish attempts at improvised conversation on a variety of subjects that were hurled at us by the lovely (and actually quite handsome) director, Mark.

I seem to remember saying something along the lines that my Dad would probably be getting a Blu Ray Player from myself and my three siblings for Christmas, and that brilliantly that sorted out his Christmas prezzies possibly for the rest of his life, then I got a fit of the giggles when I realised what that sounded like, and uttered the words ‘he hasn’t got long,’ afterwards which means they will hopefully cut it.  Snort.

(Sorry Dad.)

While Dan and I shook like leaves on a tree being used as a scratching post by an extremely large elephant during an earthquake, the stars of the show were obviously the kids.  10 year old twins Emily and Melissa took everything in their stride and undoubtedly made their Mum very proud.  Even when they had to repeat themselves several times due to passing trains and overhead helicopters, they did so with a smile and managed to look adorable the whole time.

The rest of the day was spent outside a pub, at the Tate Modern, on the Millenium Bridge and finally at our fabulous hotel, The Crowne Plaza.  The beds were big and comfy, the food fabulous, and the bill…not ours.   My one issue with our room, was, well, maybe they could label the black out curtains, as black out curtains.  Otherwise very tired Mummies might sleep in and miss a secret film preview, because they mistakenly think it must be really early as it’s still dark.  Cough.  (Bugger.)

Apart from that, we were looked after brilliantly, AND, Kerry aka Mrs Dan, also managed to convince Dan to stay in with the internet kids, so Kerry, my mate Nic and I managed to do dinner and drinks in a most civilised way – though we did cause a few heads to turn when the conversation inevitably turned to ‘poo’ as it often does when you each have at east one child under 5. Snort.

As for our 15 minutes of ‘fame’, whether or not they will use any of our footage I do not know, but it was great to meet Mags, Linda and her family, and spend some more time with the fabulous Mr and Mrs Hughes and their little monkeys, especially when we’ll be spending a week with them next year on Hadrian’s Walk.  It’s so good to realise that people you like in blogland are equally likeable, funny and warm in real life.  

Thanks Disney.  And I forgive you for Beverley Hills Chihuahua…almost.

(Review coming soon folks.  You are pre-warned.)

Also coming soon, scary stuff at the Tate Modern, and a peek at Anthony Gormley’s One and Other.

London rocks.  :D

Anywa, my girls are due back in about 20 minutes so I’m going to have a quick shower so I don’t smell of trains and ‘city’ when I get y cuddles them. 

Will be back later to tell you about what we got up to, our visit to the Tate Modern, and seeing the Anthony Gormley plinth dwellers in real life.  x

Anyway, now I am somewhat recovered from my weekend of madness and my ‘wobble’, let me tell you more about the Drayton Manor Bloggers meet up.

It’s weird meeting people you feel you have a friendship with online.  Good weird, but still weird, and as it turns out we were all a little nervous, but we needn’t have worried.

The fabulous and very intelligent Dan (he’ll like that), was just as lovely as I imagined he would be.  Likewise his wife Kerry and their kids Evan and Amy.  Miss M was extremely chuffed that Amy took her hand a couple of times and has already asked when we’re seeing our friends again.  

Ian aka Single Parent Dad, who managed to convince the nice people at Drayton Manor to allow us in for free apparently without any sculduggery on his part…(no honestly), was as cheeky in real life as he is online, but was possibly out done by the adorable Max who impressed me with his knowledge of dinosaurs and his general cuteness.  

The fabulous Tara seemed quite possibly the calmest one amongst us and both Rosie and I agreed that we’d love a cuppa and a good natter, or possibly even a few glasses of wine with her and her husband Steve, who has actually inspired me to pick up my book and write again.   Their two kids were also fantastic, and from the sound of her text they had a brilliant day and got very very soggy.  

So what was it like?

Well we spent most of our time in Thomas Land which was perfect for the little ones, and some of the not so brave adults amongst our party, and included rides involving buses, trains, cars, planes and helicopters to name but a few.

A highlight of this was seeing my 4 year old managing to drive her own vehicle in an almost orderly fashion…

Snort, it’s lucky the staff are obviously part mountain goat or there could have been a bit of chaffing here.  I was slightly miffed by this though…

..Tsk.

Our journey by train to the picnic area was made more entertaining by the driver’s invitation to ‘enjoy having a ride on Rosie’, and our comestibles were serenaded by some very noisy yet attractive goats, as well as choruses of “Sit down and finish your dinner now,” from perspiring parents attempting to make a slightly squished cucumber sandwich seem as appealing as this…

Even some of the grown ups were not immune to it’s charms.  Sighhhh.  Everybody wave at Rosie.

After lunch we wandered through the zoo, something I had been really looking forward to, and while it was smaller than I expected it was extremely enjoyable.  Miss M did pronounce one of the animals to look “a bit dead”, an opinion Ian and I had also shared though he carefully used the word ‘deceased’, but  I’m sure it was just sun bathing really or we’d have alerted a policeman.

As Miss M is a cat lover she was thrilled to see several examples of the wild kind, and this one made my day…

 
..although there were actually two of them, which had me thinking, ‘are they both called ‘Geoffroy’s Cat’, or is one called ‘Geoffroy’s Other Cat’?  And who is Geoffroy?  And why can’t he spell his own name?  And does anyone remember Henry’s Cat or is that just me?

Miss M was thrilled to be led by Amy to see the camens, and I was equally thrilled that Kerry queued for ice cream for us while I took Miss M to the loo, so we were able to sample a rather fabulous waffle cone which I ate before I could find my camera.

After a couple of other child friendly rides, Rosie and I took our two monkeys on the tame but fairly big Big Wheel which gave us some spectacular views of the park…

Then Rosie and Dan went all mad brave and decided they needed to be hurled about in the air with their legs all a dangle.  Seriously, I never knew my friend was so blumming brave…

Amazingly The Maelstrom suited their urge perfectly.  I couldn’t go on as, erm, someone had to watch the kids.  I know, good of me.

 After a spell in the soft player area , it was officially time to go.  Faces were beginning to get a little sulky, voices a little squeaky and eyes a little heavy, and that was just the adults, budabum.

As Rosie and I headed home with IJ and Miss M nodding away in the back, we agreed Drayton Manor was a quite fabulous place to visit.  A little on the pricey side perhaps, but with its bright spacious layout, friendly staff – who were represented by all ages rather than the usual gum chewing teenagers who you often find manning such places – it’s definitely somewhere we’d like to visit again.

My one concern was that if I’d had both my children with me, then Miss E (almost 9), who was kept away by a school performance, would have been left a little wanting.  While she’d have played quite happily in Thomas Land at first, I do think she’d have become quickly bored with it and other than the Log Flume and Rapids I don’t think many of the other rides would have been for her.  I’m not sure if Tara found this with her 6 year old so I’ll be interested to read what she has to say, but for me, there’s a gap from about aged 6-12 years that isn’t really catered for.

Apart from that it was brilliant, so thanks for a wicked day Drayton Manor, and I’m sure we’ll come back one again.

And nicking my real life friend Rosie’s idea, have a look below to see what the others thought of our day with Drayton Manor Rocks, SingleParentBlagger and Glitterati and Drayton Manor Park and Zoo.

Oh and the British Mummy and Daddy Blogger’s Carnival is hosted by the gorgeous Brit in Bosnia today.  Go over and take a peek if you get the chance.  You won’t regret it.

Had a brilliant time, except, EXCEPT, I couldn’t get a dongle and therefore could not blog.

OH MY BOB

It worries me a little that it stressed me out so much to not be able to have a chat with you lot.  Seriously, it seems I really need a daily opportunity to unload mad brain stuff and catch up with all of you or else I get a little bit jittery.   Is that bad??  Or is it sad?

Ahhh well, I’ll get over it.  Cough.

Anway, we had a truly fabulous time which included dancing rabbits, forcing Grandad to watch ‘Enchanted’ one rainy night, being compared to a farmer by my 5 year old niece due to my ruddy complexion (no offense farmers, especially Frog), AND, best of all, the discovery of some stones that look like a bottom.

What more could you wish for from a holiday I ask you?

Right, have to go now as I really really want a bath.  Showers are fine, but I need to chill and you can’t beat soaking in your own dirt.  

Sighhhhh.