RBC Race for the Kids

I am delighted to be able to tell you about an event that takes place next month in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. My late brother spent a great deal of time in this wonderful place and it remains one of my favourite charities.

Here are the details:

This summer get the whole family in shape on Sunday 6 June 2010 and join hundreds of runners of all ages and celebrity supporters taking part in the RBC Race for the Kids in Battersea Park to raise vital funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

The Charity, together with new sponsor Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) - the largest bank in Canada and the 13th largest bank in the world, with a significant presence in London - is asking supporters to take part in the 5km fun run and help make a difference to the thousands of children who are treated at Great Ormond Street Hospital every year. All the money raised from the RBC Race for the Kids will help to fund the essential redevelopment of the Hospital.

Roving entertainers, prize-giving, face-painting, goodie bags and plenty of refreshments for participants are some of the activities planned to keep runners and supporters on their toes on the day.

West End star Jodie Prenger who is supporting the event says, “The RBC Race for the Kids is going to be a fantastic day out! It’s only 5km - you’ll get fit and, more importantly, you’ll be helping thousands of very sick young patients at Great Ormond Street Hospital."

The RBC Race for the Kids takes place at 10am on Sunday 6 June in Battersea Park and is designed for every ability and age, providing fun and fitness for all.

To sign up please visit www.raceforthekids.co.uk.

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RBC Race for the Kids

The Gallery: Men!

The theme for the Sticky Fingers Gallery this week is men.

Are you all tutting and rolling your eyes?!

This photograph may or may not have been staged. My husband wouldn't dare dream of leaving his pants and socks on the floor.

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The Gallery: Men!

Good Enough

Is good enough, well, good enough?

In another life I was a perfectionist. In my career I set myself high standards. I met deadlines. I had a clean house and a tidy garden. I was in control.

Then I had children.

When you have children you can't be a perfectionist. They are actually quite selfish and demanding - who knew?! You are no longer in control of when you eat or sleep. Every time you think you've got a routine they change on you. The old switcheroo.

My house gets cleaned when I notice that it needs doing instead of every day or week. Is this good enough?

My husband is no longer the total focus of my life. Sometimes he isn't even second in my affections, especially in the evenings when I'm on my laptop. This isn't good enough.

I'm rubbish at keeping in touch with my friends, it can take me months to reply to emails. Again, not good enough.

Now to the big question. Am I a good enough mother?

I love my children more than life. I would do anything for them. Am I a natural mother? Am I maternal? I'd like to think so, but I constantly feel that I could do better.

Take food for example. Presley and Cash eat pretty well, but I often hide vegetables in sauces. Even so they don't always have their five-a-day. Sometimes I forget to offer them a drink. Presley won't drink milk from a cup so I give him Coco Pops and he swigs chocolate milk from the cereal bowl. Is this good enough? I think I could do better.

They watch some television. Not much, but more than I would like. I use CBeebies as a babysitter so I can cook their dinner while I drink a hot cup of tea in peace.

I do some cooking and craft activities with the boys, but nowhere near as much as I could. I'm not good with mess and am glad there is a craft table at playgroup. I do spend quite a bit of time just watching them play with their toys. I think it is important that they can amuse themselves and they are playing together more and more, but should I be doing more with them?

I don't take both of them to the park on my own as they both run in different directions, usually towards swinging swings. I feel like I'm letting them down because they were born so close together. I use the age gap as an excuse to stay at home sometimes.

Is this good enough? Am I a good enough mother? Andy thinks so. As far as we can tell, Presley and Cash think so. They are lovely little boys. They are happy, clean and healthy.

Why then am I so hard on myself?

I never think I am good enough, but every day I try to do better. Tomorrow is another day. Perhaps tomorrow I will think I'm good enough.

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This post was written for the BMB carnival that is being held on Tuesday at A Place of My Own. All entries must have a song title as the post title. My title is 'Good Enough' by Dodgy.

Good Enough

Blankety Blank

Are you familiar with the gameshow Blankety Blank? Basically contestants and celebrities had to fill in the blanks - with hilarious consequences. For example, blank house could be White house, Wendy house or Bobmonk house. I know, not particularly hilarious - but you get the idea?

I don't like to swear online, so you'll need to play Blankety Blank along with me here.

I'm blank furious. I'm blank livid. Today some blankety blank in a BMW honked his blank horn at my two year old son. What a blankety blank.

We were crossing the road about twenty metres from a fairly busy junction. I was pushing Cash in the buggy and Presley was walking, holding his Dad's hand. We always follow the Green Cross Code. We only cross the road when we can't see or hear a single car.

We were over half way across the road when a blank in a BMW flew around the corner.

Did I mention that Presley is only two, with little two year old legs?

So the blank BMW driver, instead of just easing off the accelerator slightly for a couple of seconds to let us get on the path safely the blankety blanking blankety blank sped up, did an exaggerated swerve and honked his blank horn.

He honked his blank horn at my baby.

What did he hope to achieve? We weren't in the wrong. We were crossing a residential road as fast as we could. Luckily Andy and Presley kept walking when he honked his horn. No one fell over.

Does the blank also honk his horn at people in wheelchairs, horses, cyclists? Yes, probably, because he is a blankety blank and a blank.

Grrr.

I was speechless and then a bit shocked. I thought I was going to cry. What a blank thing to do.

Okay, enough of the blanks now.

And relax.

Blankety Blank

The Gallery: Blackpool Tower

The theme this week for the Sticky Fingers Gallery is let's all share a secret. Let's all paint a picture of the world we live in: The hidden bits, the bits you feel are special and people should know about. The bits people wouldn't necessarily see.

I knew exactly what I wanted to photograph. It is the view from my in-laws' front window. On a clear day you can see Blackpool Tower, twenty miles away.

I liked the idea of calling this photograph Blackpool Tower. Whenever I look out of this window I check if the Tower is visible. There are no kiss-me-quick hats or beeping amusement arcades, no hen parties or chips on the pavement. What you do see is some stunning Lancashire countryside.

The Gallery: Blackpool Tower