Wednesday 31 July 2013

My Month in Numbers

Joining in with Julie's Month in Numbers again

Let's start with something that caused great excitement and eager anticipation of the arrival of handsome firemen in a (scavenger hunt) fire engine - Over 800 students and 80 staff evacuated from the school and registered at the hockey fields in under 12 minutes following a 'proper' fire alarm activation.
3 guilty looking workmen who forgot to turn off the heat/smoke sensors in the PE block while they were doing some work to the dance studio.

3 Crafty Ladies going down a slide in a children's playground.

Photo taken at lunchtime at the crop where I made a layout using 16 handmade flowers

1 Awards Evening at school.  70 books given out as School Prizes and 62 Silver Cups/Glass Awards for 'special' prizes. Organising 132 photos to be taken after awards were presented.  2 school secretaries feeling totally frazzled having organised the whole thing, then watching the teachers swan around with a glass of Cava mingling with parents.

2 birthdays which involved 37 candles.  Celebrating the younger generation this month!  And therefore single-handedly conserving the dwindling wax supplies of the country.

1 MOT. 1 new tyre. £125 bill.

5 meals out.  - going round the world in food from Spanish Paella to Indian Curry, American barbecue steak, British afternoon tea and Asian Dim Sum.

1 graduation. 2 very proud parents.
✮ ✮ ✮


Now, this month Julie has asked us to join in a communal count and the subject this month is items in your handbag.  Oh the shame.  I'm not a competitive person at all (could this be why no one ever wanted me on their team at sports day at school?) but I do fear that I may win this one.  I have a large handbag. 

And in that handbag I have a 'Bag Mate'.  It's a canvas 'inner' that has lots of different compartments and the idea is that when you change handbags, you just pick the Bag Mate out of one bag and into another.   All items moved in one fell swoop. So it is easy for me to count.  Here we go:

  • 2 purses.  And before you think 'that woman has so much money she can't get it all in one purse' let me explain that I was given a lovely little purse for Christmas but I didn't have the heart to stop using 'old faithful' which is the perfect size for holding coins, notes and cards.  So I am using the new purse for coins and one of my credit cards and everything else stays in the other one.
  • A small bottle of Hand Hygiene Gel.  Because public toilets don't always have soap in them.  And sometimes you just want to freshen up.
  • A little slim torch.  Something I bought at the counter of Marks and Spencer once for £1.  'That'll be handy' I thought.  One day.  Who knows when? 
  • A pen and a pencil.
  • A little pack of tissues and a bottle of Rescue Remedy. I don't know if it is mind over matter or not, but if you find yourself in a stressful situation, this stuff helps you calm down. 
  • A handbag mirror.
  • A nail file
  • Some plasters.  Because I am a mum. And mums always have emergency supplies in their handbag. And even though my kids are now almost 27 and 23, you never know when someone may fall over. In fact last time I came into Good Samaritan mode with my plasters was at Faro airport last year.  A lady fell on the escalator  on the way to the departure gate and took a chunk of flesh out of her shin. Blood dripping down her leg in a steady stream.  Officials begging her to go to the First Aid room despite the fact that doing so would make her miss the flight.  And who was the only one nearby with an emergency plaster?  Got it in one.  She was so grateful.  So if you don't have a pack of plasters in YOUR handbag, go and get some now.  Go on.  Now. 
  • A couple of boxes of various medications.  Because you never know when a headache may strike.  Or an insect may bite or hay fever kick in. Actually now I see it written down I sound like a walking chemist. 
  • A phone. 
  • Receipts.  Please don't make me count them.  I save them all safely and then every now and again I get them out and shred them. 
  • Keys
  • My glasses
  • Lipstick
We're up to 18 things.  19 if you count the Bag Mate.  Blimey, I remember when all I needed was a purse and some lipstick. And a much smaller handbag.

15 comments:

Julie Kirk said...

I'm always amazed at how many receipts multiply in my purse. I have the occasional purge but I think we need a bigger shredder!

You know, the only thing your bag is missing is one of those portable blue flashing lights that unmarked emergency vehicles put on their roof when they're called upon!

I must admit I was a tiny bit disappointed that the photo of you on the slide wasn't taken in your school's playground during the fire alarm ...

I know you blamed the workmen but ... I don't know ... you seem quite taken with candles lately ... ;-)

I've added you to the board now Deb: http://pinterest.com/notesonpaper/my-month-in-numbers/

Happy August!

Julie :-)

p.s: The questions for the 2nd 'Communal Count' will be up on my blog tomorrow

Jo.C said...

I want to come and work in your school. As a head of year / house, we have to organise it all though this year we did get support from the office for certificates but It was me organising trophies, putting last minute certificates in envelopes and running round like the headless chicken so I am with you there. Now the glass of cava sounds nice - is it too early ;0)
Great numbers x

Cheri said...

I don't keep band-aids in my purse, but I do have medicines, and a tape measure, a brush, lip balm, and if I counted the stuff in my wallet??? yikes.

ComfyMom~Stacey said...

I just cleaned my purse s I won't have a receipt count on my post tomorrow but I think I pulled 9 out.

Deborah Weber said...

Fun list. And you've convinced me - I'm heading off to put plasters in my bag right now. Although maybe it doesn't really work that way - maybe we each are designated as having one somebody-is-going-to-need-this speciality. Mine seems to be safety pins so I always carry a couple.

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Haha - I had to continue reading to figure out what "plasters" were. There's another mixed up word! We call those "bandaids" in the US.

I just love that photo of you and our friends on the playground! :o)

Melissa said...

Wow, you would be the right person to have around in an emergency, although I must admit that I usually have bandaids and tissues in my bag but my supple has run out and I haven't yet got around to refilling.

Don't you llove a month a celebrations? Two birthdays and a graduation is a pretty good month.

Beverly said...

My favorite...1 graduate, 2 proud parents :) Counting my purse contents in the morning but no bandaids in there.....yet!

Maria Ontiveros said...

I think I"m doing the photo count instead of the in the purse count.
My favorite is the two proud parents.
Rinda

Jen said...

I think I can beat you on the handbag count! but no plasters. Love your numbers - especially the 2 proud parents - that was us last year - our daughter's graduation was the very best thing for us last year. J x

Sian said...

They call me a walking chemist round here too: but it's always good to be prepared I reckon!

I was always last to be picked for teams. I'm the slowest runner in the history of running.

A great round up

alexa said...

I have really enjoyed your bag count and that inner bag sounds such a great idea - I need one! Yep, plasters in, ma'am :).

Jo.C said...

Hi deb
I have a confession - I was so inspired by your quilt and loved the colours that you used that I typed in layer cakes and went for the one that was most similar. I didn't realise it was exactly the same as there were two similar ones.
I did write a post that was supposed to go live on the Wednesday before this one but as I lost my camera and didn't manage to get the sewing machine out it didn't. In that one I did credit you. Sorry.

Hope you take it as the compliment it was meant to be. Will start sewing properly when I get back off holiday and will link back to you then - honest :0)

Enjoy your hols
Joanne xx

Tinkertaylor said...

Great MIN agree with the comments about graduation, can't explain how proud you feel as parent. Can I ask if you were a girl guide in your youth as you seem very prepared? Off to find those plasters.

KraftyKaren said...

gosh I thought I had everything in my handbag and now going through your list I realise that I don't have any plasters in there!! I'm off to rectify that!!!!!!

The bag mate looks great - what a fab idea as I am always swapping my handbag over and it is so time consuming - will have to investigate one of those

A great month in numbers