Bloomin Marvelous

At work today we held a bake sale in aid of the Marie Curie Cancer charity.  We took their Blooming Great Tea Party and adapted it to fit our working arrangements.

So Monday morning bright and early the HR team arrived armed with tupperware a plenty and all sorts of cakes, we had massive cream cakes:

Plenty of cupcakes/fairy cakes:

And some more heathly alternatives in a fruit slice and banana breakfast loaf (which was scrummy I donated and tested this one just to be sure):

By 11.30am we had raised just short of £300 thanks to the generosity of my colleagues here at work.

We set up an honestly table in the corner of the office restuarant for the rest of the day and will add up the total raised at the end of the day:

I am so pleased with the results today - the excellent baking skills of the HR team, all of them giving up their time and donating cakes for sale.  Particular thanks to Caroline (pictured with me at the top) who did all the organisation for the day and did all the posters and advertising - now for the clearing up....

Bloggers for Haiti

I have copied this (with kind permission) directly from Thatgirl39s blog Forty Not Out - I think she says it all:

Along with the rest of the world I've watched in horror at the events that have unfolded in Haiti these past few days. As a parent, I find the images of families torn apart by the devastation and grief almost unbearable to watch.


What they must be going through is unimaginable and leaves me with a sense of guilt about the things we moan about on a daily basis.


Having read some posts today from a couple of my favourite bloggers, Laura at Are We Nearly There Yet and Englishmum, I found something practical that we can do to help. Englishmum has set up a Bloggers For Haiti Just Giving Page to raise funds to buy ShelterBoxes.  


Below is some text taken from the Just Giving page.




ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity, specializing in emergency shelter provision. We instantly respond to earthquake, volcano, flood, hurricane, cyclone, tsunami or conflict by delivering boxes of aid. Each box supplies a family of ten with a tent and lifesaving equipment to use while they are displaced. Since 2001, ShelterBox has provided shelter, warmth and dignity following over 80 disasters in more than 52 countries.

Please take the time to click here through to Laura's page for a full description of what the boxes contain. I think they are incredible and hope that we can get as many boxes as possible.

As I type this I've just seen that the total raised by Bloggers For Haiti is now £760.20, nearly enough for two boxes, but there has also been a strong aftershock in Haiti. Please go to the Just Giving page and donate what you can.


Thank's for taking the time to read this and please help.

Even a fiver will help - so far over £1,600 has been raised.

We are the fortunate ones

the Brothers Christmas 07

It all got a bit fractious yesterday with The Brothers plans for Christmas thrown into chaos by the Eurostar debacle and M&D trying not to put any pressure on them or to be too disappointed that the boys may not make it to France for Christmas.  There was a lot of phone calls, text and twitter watch to see whether the boys had a chance of getting there. The upshot is they are in a queue at St Pancras as I type hoping to get on a train this morning so they can get their connection South.


At some point during all the chaos Mum and I had a conversation that made us both stop and think.  We were watching the news (in our different houses in different countries) and a report came on showing the coffins returning to Wootton Bassett of soldiers who had been killed in action.  It's so very very sad and gets me every time.  Mum said - 'oh I'm being so silly and selfish at least I know where my children are and that they are safe, the mum's of all these soldiers would love to be so lucky'.


We are the fortunate ones, we are safe and healthy and okay; so our celebrations may be delayed due to train chaos but we will be together and we know where each of us are.


I know that this time of year it seems that Charities are all asking for your support, if you do have some pennies to spare then please consider this fantastic charity - it's not about supporting or agreeing with the War it's about supporting those serving.  Help for Heroes.


In the meantime my thoughts are with the families of the fallen, We Will Remember.