How could I forget

I can't believe it. I thought I had it all sorted out this week, then my son returns from school and I realise I forgot to order his lunches for the week and so annoyed with myself. He still had lunch just annoyed because I have been so organised and remembered each week so not sure how I forgot. 

Me and my son

However it has been sorted out and I can breath again, as just as I was watching some Youtube I checked my email and received an email from his teacher that he can still have a school lunch. I have ordered today to make sure I order for next week and so used it learn and order his lunch for the week ahead on Mondays, so it is done. 

When you forget the universe has a way of making sure you learn and set a plan to make sure I remember and life is full of lessons. 

So to make sure I remember I write it down and why it is worth having a paper diary still because if I loose my phone I am stuck and technology breaks down and so making sure it is in a place where I know I am going to see is the key to remembering and stop the stress in forgetting. 

I sent out my cheat sheet today check out blog site: Everyone can build a castle | Creating goals, habits and being empowered aiming for success

Check out a parenting post I wrote today: The parenting adventures | Easy Flexible Parenting so check these out. 

So a part from that hiccup it has been a good day and good to get things done and completed. I hope tonight or tomorrow morning I finish another book. 

Check out my Instagram as I do post the books I have read once finished: Typical London Gal (@typicallondongal) • Instagram photos and videos

I write books reviews on my site: My Books & Stories – Reading is the food for our writing

So lots to read and catch up on. If you'd like to be kept updated of posts on this site then please subscribe. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Weekend of Sports and games

It has been such a good Saturday. Parkrun was challenging but really enjoyed it. I was talking to one of volunteers who assisted you around the course. They often assist the junior runs too and do the course three to four times to make sure the route is sign posted and that okay to do the run but you can walk it too which is what I am doing at the moment to build up to running again.

Bushy Park

 Then I went to see my brother play rugby and played cricket with my son and watched some TV. 

Bushy Park is huge and where my brother was playing and saw some dear, they had a club house and would love to walk around there again. 

It is good to have days out and being in a different environment. I love living near London and Surrey, but there is West Sussex too. Arundel Castle is a great place to visit and was planning to get married there but was very expensive so chose to marry in Southampton in a Tudor Hall. 

In the evening we, my son and I, tried to do build a Domino Rally. A gift he got for Christmas and takes me back to my childhood. It used to be a regular thing to have. Almost everyone I knew had a set of Dominoes and a pack of playing cards. Whenever I went to my grandparents we'd play. I like Rummy, 8's and 2's and patience which is now called Solitaire and my son plays it on his tablet. 

Classic games always last and drafts. I am going to get a set for my son to play as we did have set but not sure at to where it is but did play drafts with my son when he was younger and connect four.

At Christmas time the adults would play crib and pontoon. I always dreamed of being old enough to play as my parents and relatives would play for money and play with their loose change, whilst having a drink of some, along with the TV on and would end the evenings we had. 

When I went to my brothers we played a card game. It was good fun. My son has Lingo on his tablet along with crosswords and tipping point. He watches an episode on his tablet playing whilst using his tipping point machine pretending to be the host. I loved as a kid making up games. There are games that are still popular. My son got out his skittles, a magnetic dartboard and my husband bought the real one and play many sports at the weekends. 

He goes to a rugby club on Sundays and did today. They have a inclusive team which my son is part of and it is children who have learning difficulties and disabilities and the coaches are brilliant. They have nice club house to get a drink or food and then I go and do a radio show which is a charity. Epsom and St Helier Hospital radio stations and I do a show on Sunday 4pm to 6pm. Its so enjoyable. 

Tomorrow I am stopping in. It is good when I have nowhere to go. I do like walking but I will use the treadmill and do a workout with my weights. I am building the strength in my legs and help prepare me for when I walk to my sons school in the week and Parkrun. 

So have a good week and I will be posting more blogs on this site and so, If you'd like to notified when I post on this site then please subscribe.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

 

How Friday nights have changed

End of the week. Friday, was a day when working in London, I'd go out. It was the time I'd meet up with my friends who also worked in London and wouldn't get home until the early hours of the next morning.

Bringing my son back to Wimbledon, my husband today saw my son off to school and back and it was good to have a break and when we got back to Wimbledon we all sat there, my mum and stepdad watching Bowls on BBC 2. I hadn't watched Bowls for a long time. 

I would often watch if it was on and has been good to stop have my phone on me all of the time and taking breaks from my laptop. 

My son is now in bed and I am going to listen to Epsom Hospital radio as my colleague Ian Daggett does a show 8pm to 10pm and helps me learn and gear myself up for when I do my show on Sunday's 4pm to 6pm. Check it out here: https://www.epsomhospitalradio.org.uk/on-air/listen-live

He has a guy named Steve doing his show as he is in training and soon will be hosting his own show.

I have a cup of tea, some Dairy milk and I'm in bed and I am so glad I no longer go out on a Friday. I like to be in bed and chill. 

I will be joining a live with a lady called Sarra Cannon. She is a successful Self Published author and has two sites Heartbreathings and Sarra Cannon and does a coffee and chat on Fridays 9pm to 10pm. https://sarracannon.com/ https://heartbreathings.com/

Today I visited Home Bargains and boy is that shop busy. It has been a long time since going there but some real nice bits and filmed. I will be include the shop with me in a vlog and show afterwards what I bought. Check out my channel: (337) Typical London Gal Carrie Holmes - YouTube

They do have a good selection of goods but I am changing my view on spending on items. I want to stop buying plastic. They had a makeup organiser and it was really popular but looking for wooden or cloth and more substantiable storage solution.

It is good to be picky because it helps me in making the right choices and what is going to be a long time investment and why I buy many items online and buy second hand. I also like TK Maxx and stores like Dunelm because I want value for money. 

I have Youtube channel where I talk about money and finance, if you'd like to check it out: Financial Living - YouTube

So going to go now but if you'd like to be notified when I post a blog on this site, then please subscribe. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie x 

I Got lost in Ely's

A different type of day. I am having some time to unwind and switch off. My husband is going to be making sure he is there for when my son comes home from school and tomorrow to for when he gets picked up. 

It is good to have this time. Yes I love my son but taking a break is a must and just watched Back to Black, Film about Amy Winehouse and really good. I watched it on Netflix.

I will be seeing my son tomorrow after when he finishes for school and take him back to Wimbledon where I am now and it is good to be in a different environment. So important for my wellbeing. 

This morning did bit of writing, working on my book series Mum&Me and working on some training I am putting together. It will be about Self Development and help you feel happy with yourself and your life. 

I went shopping with my mum, whilst my step dad went to the doctors and then had a coffee is Ely's and got lost in finding the toilets and the cafe they have in Wimbledon. It is a big store and would like looking around there and you can have Afternoon Tea upstairs. 

Today has been good. Being away from my phone has helped and recommend as it really helps to properly relax. My husband knows how to reach me and has my mums number should Henry become unwell and spending time away from my laptop. 

I get to sleep in tomorrow if I want to, but no doubt I will still wake up early so  if I do I am going out and may go into Home Bargains. Been a while and a favourite shop to visit and check out their offers. I may take a trip to Curry's in Colliers Wood. Not always helpful in there, but I am after a memory stick so I can keep a recording of my radio show. 

If you'd like to listen to my show check out Epsom Hospital radio. My show is 4pm to 6pm on a Sunday and is free to listen and can listen to it if you live in the UK and have internet access. 

https://www.epsomhospitalradio.org.uk/on-air/listen-live

It is amazing how we can keep in touch now, when as a kid there were no mobiles and you'd use a telephone box if you wanted to call someone outdoors. Now we can do facetime and hold meetings without needing to be in the same room and in doctors surgeries they have a tablet for you to check in and out.

How would the new generations deal with no internet or not have a mobile. They'd be stuck and now not many have landline phones anymore and now there is AI.

The next thing should be having satnavs around big stores and thank the lord for google maps.

I hope you have a good rest of the week. If you want to be notified when I post on this site then you can by subscribing and helps grow this site along with my others.

Check out m Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/thetypicalLondongal/

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

When your kids have so much energy

What a day. What a day. What a day and I could go on but What a day. 

My son returned to school after being unwell at the weekend. I been up since 3am due to son having an accident, he had a cramp at the start of the night. I now worrying in case he gets one again tonight. 

My son from when we did parkrun

He was fine. It is hard when kids get ill or who are hurt to know of the what is the best course of action. I found sometimes you act on impulse and make sure I have Calpol in the cupboard as this time around he got well a lot quicker as just before Christmas he had a chest infection and had to have antibiotics. 

Kids keep you on your toes. Not one day is the same even though it may feel that way. 

It takes a few times to have Henry put on his school uniform, he is getting a bit upset about tomorrow as I a having some time to myself tomorrow and my husband is off but will see me on Friday.

I do write a parenting blog so check these out, The parenting adventures tips and tricks. 

The parenting adventures the birth of my son.

I am going to be doing some training in February. It is on self development and will be doing it via my blog Carries Educational Youtube Channel, and writing blogs on my site: Everyone can build a castle. 

My Winter Wellness programme I did this month January 2025 will be coming to an end and posted blogs for it on Everyone can build a castle. 

It is good to doing these little programmes as it is a good way for me to reach out to you my viewers and love my subscribers and the feedback I receive. 

My son is at the moment jumping about and it is just about to reach 7am. He has so much energy and today he has after school club. It is a great way for him to use up his energy. He likes to copy Justin in Justin's House and so means socks everywhere and not sitting on the sofa with cuppa as I could end up wearing it. 

If you can resonate please comment below if you too have a children with extreme amount of energy. You can leave a comment below.

Many thank for reading,

Carrie  X 

Chatting with my son

It is Thursday and just given my son a bath and he didn't want to come out. That is good sign, because I can sit by him on toilet (with the toilet lid down) and have a chat. We talked whilst he was in the bath whilst I sat on the toilet about his Grandad and what happens when you die. For kids it can be puzzling when people who were in their life have gone. 

Death is a personal thing. I want to send my condolences to Linda Nolan's family and friends. I saw her in Blackpool with Duncan Norvelle who also died before Christmas 2024 and was really upsetting. 

My son was saying how he misses his Grandad (my husbands father) and I said that I do too. 

I remember as a child struggling to understand, because I knew a couple of children who lost their lives. It was a shock and hard to take in. 

On a happier note I met with my mum for a coffee and had a nice dinner of picky bits before my son had his bath and looking back on the day it was a good one. I didn't realise thought was that I had my fleece leggins for B&M inside out. I am glad noone had noticed and put them on the right way when I got back indoors. 

I got 500 likes on my blog site The Parenting Adventures  and feel so good and if you want to start a blog then try out Wordpress and no this isn't an advert but I have used this platform for a long time and love it. 

It has taken a long time and I do it because I enjoy it and sharing parts of my life and never hide behind challenging times. Noones life is perfect and there will times where things happen, which you have no control over, but having a better mindset and not allowing it to stop you from living a life you enjoy. 

I am developing a Self Development Programme for February and will posting videos for it on my Youtube channel Carries Educational Youtube Channel and will be posting on my blog site Everyone Can Build a Castle. 

So more to be shared as I set it up and wanted to do it for a long time and feel there is no time like the present. 

If you'd like to be kept in formed of when I post a blog on this site then please subscribe.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Take on Challenges and my 2025 Routine

So I just finished my radio show. Check out Epsom Hospital Radio my show is on Sundays 4pm to 6pm and can't believe it is another weekend almost gone, but has been a good weekend. We tried out the Parkrun and really enjoyed it. There were parts that were challenging and my son and I seemed to be the only two walking it, but it was good and got encouragement from other members and the volunteers who helped on the sidelines and will be doing it again next Saturday, we went for a meal out in Wimbledon and then chilled indoors. 

Sadly my sons rugby club session was cancelled due to frost and he didn't want to go to his football club as my husband bought a Dartboard and is obsessed with playing darts and is still playing since we returned from Wimbledon and Epsom and since I left to do my radio show. 

It is good for kids to have activities that uses up their energy as they can become restless and start to play up and my son got a hair cut whilst I got bits as I bought a box file to carry bits to do my radio show and doing No Spend January been buying items that will help me to help stay organised and keep my radio notes and song lists together.

The one thing I like to do is to spend time organising and going through my Notion planner, setting up my calendars and projects and creating different programmes. I was going to do a Walking event at the end of this month but pulled out due to other commitments and clashes with my radio show, but will plan to do another one later on in the year. 

I have to remind myself that I not on this planet to do so many things at once and today when writing in my journal wrote down what I wanted to focus on. Whenever I do that it helps me to stop going full steam ahead and just take my time in thinking about what is important right now. So as I continue this blog as it is now the next day I am having some breakfast in a new dressing gown I bought and am doing No Spend January but had to find something that would keep me warm because it has been really cold and is a long term investment (not something I am going to wear once) and lower the cost on heating because the gas and electric rates are increasing and so doing my bit to save money and hope that the increase on gas and electric lowers, because my heart goes out to the elderly and families living in freezing cold temperatures, because they can't afford to pay for their gas and electric. 

I have made changes to my schedule and like to mix it up a bit. I have started using the mornings to tidy up and do a two minute clean can do wonders and gives me a good amount of energy. I read my book as I always do in the mornings and seeing the wildfires makes me feel bad in writing this content but grateful at the same time that I am safe and well. 

So if you read this and you've been affected and live in LA I have and will continue to pray for you and my heart is with you.

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Getting my life back on track

I am thinking about my life and today I did a new video for my Financial Living Youtube channel and reflecting on 2024 has given me so much pride. I love helping others and making a difference and I felt I led a boring life, but no in fact its been an eye opener. 

As a kid I loved getting involved in the Estate I lived yearly fete and people would donate clothes for the jumble sale and included my clothes and I really enjoyed them. When we had bonfire night it would bring excitement to the families living there and bingo nights that were held in the portacabin and adults bingo too. 

If you'd like to watch my new Video where I talk about this, as I talk about Planning and Budgeting for 2025: https://youtu.be/m6QqI2qf_Lc

Last year I was in debt and paid it off and now completely free from debt and it taught me a valuable lesson, "Don't spend what you can't pay off" and a massive lesson, because it hasn't been the first credit card debt I have had crossed a line that was dangerous because I couldn't pay for my phone and had to keep borrowing money and I felt ashamed. 

I got help when I was in mental health hospital and made me see if you want to get help you can and my mum helped me with my mobile because I have paid off the contract and now on SIM only, I have money to pay for my son and put money into his savings and can pay for his school clothes and activities and want to build my income to support my son and myself. Last year I became a radio DJ and work for the local hospital radio station and hope will lead to other opportunities and want to do more volunteering, fundraising and supporting charities aswell as build my income. 

It took time to get my life back and for the first time since 2014 I am doing a Winter Walk in London raising money for the British Heart Foundation, please check out my fundraising page if you'd like to donate by sponsoring me: https://www.justgiving.com/page/typicallondongal

This told not to give up and keep going. There will always challenges and there some we can't control like our kids falling over at school, someone close to you dying or the weather has caused your home to be flooded. Seeing the devastation helps me to see how lucky I am. Last month my home in Wimbledon where I live with my mum and stepdad had a leak which caused the ceiling to fall down, but they got someone out and was fixed. I now I think what can I do, rather than thinking there is nothing I can do. Sometimes we need help to lift us up to get support and help.

My heart goes out to US in LA where there has been Bushfires that has caused damaged to their homes and death. I will be praying for them and hope they can stop the fires so it doesn't increase and people can find shelter and stay with family and friends. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Christmas and New Years.

I am still adjusting to the fact that once again Christmas is over and all the decor for the festive season has been put away for the next Christmas. It was good though and did the tradition I like, go to a panto, went to see a few films, went for our Christmas walk and took a trip to Covent Garden and Kingston. Going to Covent Garden the train was packed and there was a funfair in Kingston and it all was gone, However I had some Mulled Wine, which I like to have at Christmas time and went for a coffee in Kingston in John Lewis and sat by the window in the cafe and had a lovely view of the River. 

Today my son returned to school and it felt weird but he had a good day and it can feel a bit strange when you've spent a lot of time with your kids to them not being there and off back to school. However means I do get a bit of time to myself and adjusting to the new year and looking forward to having another good and successful year and as I think that I hear the optimist say "what if it is not am I tempting fate. 

Christmas is a time to spend doing what you enjoy and for me reading, listening to Christmas songs and a time to binge watch programmes on the TV and we watched Polar Express and The Grinch my son's favourite and I like watching Jools Holland New Years Show on BBC 2 and I watch it every year and watched Love Actually and Call The Midwife Christmas Special. 

So going to try and post daily and please check out Youtube channel, Typical London Gal Carrie Holmes and vlog each week and going to uploaded a vlog every Friday. 

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X