My new hair cut and the Diamonique TSV

I had so much hair that I didn't quite know what to do with it so I've just had it cut! It's funny how one day it's completely manageable, and the next you can't do a thing with it. That said, it may have proved difficult to really enjoy the Diamonique Eternal bracelet that we had as a TSV on Thursday if I hadn't made a gap in my fringe so that I could see it clearly! 

I bought three of them, and I know that well over 6,000 of you bought the rest! It was lovely to dress up for the show as was only fitting when launching such a glamourous piece of jewellery. However, if you could have seen underneath the desk you would have seen my Emu boots - I hate having cold feet! 

Well, I have a few days off now to spend at home with the children, and will let you know how Jack's birthday do goes off... I don't think a video of Donny Osmond and homemade burgers will be enough to entertain Jack's 16-year-old mates as it did mine all those years ago. I'll have to find a few things to wrap up for pass the parcel..!

Have a great weekend.

Love Ali x

My son Sam is back at home!

After a positively hectic week, I'm delighted to report that I now have Sam home from hospital and he's well on the way to making an excellent recovery. Many thanks to those of you who so very kindly wrote and sent cards. You really are thoughtful. 

He's pretty much on bed rest for the next couple of weeks. Having been unable to exercise or even walk without crutches for the last five months, I've ordered the AB Lounge Exerciser chair that was a TSV last Wednesday. This way, he can exercise without having to stand. 

I plan to use it myself too, as not only did it look like a fab way of stretching out your back, but my tummy is not as taught as it should be - there's a limit to how much of it I can stuff inside my jeans without overhang!

I'll keep you updated...

Love Ali x

My son's sixteenth and my crush on Donny Osmond

I cannot believe it! At the beginning of February, my younger son Jack turns 16! 

I remember giving birth to this child so well. He weighed 10lbs 2 and a half ounces and looked so grown up I felt he'd be doing a paper round as soon as I got him home! I was actually the talk of the Maternity Home... no one else had had a baby that big. So, all the new mums used to come round and gasp, just as I had done when he was delivered! So proud, yet so strange to think of him so grown up. 

I remember my 16th birthday... do you? I was given The Stylistics album "You Make Me Feel Brand New" and also Ringo Starr's "You're Sixteen".  All my girlfriends came round for supper and we watched Donny Osmond arriving at Heathrow Airport for his England Tour. I can recall us burning the burgers we were meant to be grilling!

I tell you, if Debbie Greenwood had a big crush on David Cassidy, mine for Donny was monumental. His favourite colour and inside leg measurements are just a few things still engraved on my heart. I actually went to see him in Brighton the October before last and screamed and wept along with the rest of them!

Did you have any childhood crushes?

Love Ali x

My Windguard umbrella and a special evening

By jingo, we couldn't have picked a better time to have brought you the Windguard Umbrella could we?! In fact had Michael Fish been better informed on 15th October 1987, we could all have battened down the hatches!!!

I hope you ordered yours and are now experts in the use of this amazing technology, which not only opens but closes the umbrella at the touch of a button! What I find most useful is being able to open the door of my car without stepping out - I simply press the button to open the umbrella and am then protected from the torrent of raindrops that seem to be constantly hailing down on me. 

May I just issue a word of warning though... do make sure that the person parked next to you is not leaning into their car to stick their parking ticket to the windscreen at the same time that you're opening your umbrella... not a good way to make friends or influence people...

New Year's resolutions, crafting and my cats

Having read all about my colleagues' New Year's Resolutions, it's made me feel somewhat ashamed into admitting I haven't come up with anything very original!
If I'm to believe all that I've read in their blogs, I'm up against some mighty competition to attain maximum fitness, stop eating chocolate, drink more water, improve my tennis skills and to try not to let the ironing pile reach the ceiling..! I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Last week I had some truly enjoyable hours in the company of Leonie Pujol for our Craft Outlet hours. I'm still in awe of her incredible skills and although she very modestly says she's been doing it for years to be able to transform a plain piece of paper into a work of art is amazing. With Dawn Bibby as her mentor though, anything is possible I know. Of course I also realise so many of you are also experts - the beautiful cards you sent to me at Christmas are a testament to that.

My New Year's Day game

Well, happy New Year to you all!! I seriously have to do a double take when I write anything with the year 2009 - as the window cleaner pointed out when I gave him his cheque!

I managed to get to see my friend Jo before work on New Year's Day as it was her birthday, and I was initiated into a rather strange but challenging game called "Rip One Off". It's cheap, cheerful and it involves an empty cereal box and a lot of stretching...

Basically you have to be able to pick the box up with your teeth but without putting your hands on the ground. Amazingly Jo and I came joint first with Libby - who's only 9 and managed to pick up just the flat bottom of the box unaided.

It was because of this that you may have noticed me laughing hysterically when on air with Glen Campbell during our Dennis Basso hour at 11pm. Having hopped off my stool to get a sip of water in the break my knees were so stiff I was having trouble getting back up there again! The delights of ageing eh?