The following are Beth’s posts… I’m such a proud mum.

We WON! 🏆🎉
We’re absolutely thrilled to announce that our wonderful inclusive children’s play centre has been named Kent’s Best Children’s Business 🥳🧸🌈

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who voted and supported us — there were half a million nominations and we won our category! This would not have been possible without you! ❤️

Here’s to creating even more magical memories together! ✨

😲I can’t believe I’m announcing this…
We are finalists for TWO more awards🏆!!
We’re thrilled to announce that we’re national finalists at the Association of Indoor Play Industry Awards for:
🏅Best Indoor Play Centre (Under 5000 sq ft)
AND
🏅Most Inclusive Operator

The AIP industry awards are such a big deal for us and we can’t wait for the finals! Recipients are chosen by a judging panel, so we are extremely proud. X

It’s just all too much for my leaky eyes, haha. Then I watched a film on Netflix called, Nonnas. It’s the true story of a man (Joey) who opens an Italian restaurant to honour his late mother and grandmother and hires only Nonnas (grandmas) to cook. It’s a simple film with no surprises, but it’s as satisfying as an enormous bowl of perfectly cooked carbonara! I love food; I worship food and all my best memories seem to involve it too – it’s surprising I’m not Italian, haha. It was a film about friendships, family and community and combined with a perfect ragu, isn’t that all that’s important in life? It also made me think of the cafe crew, my lovely friends who mean the world to me. And then, ffs, they ended the film with Billy Joel’s, Scenes from an Italian restaurant. That’s the song that reminds me so much of Dad… I don’t even quite know why. 🥲 xxxxxx

Im very, very behind with blogging… here’s Easter, haha! I rather liked it too. I like anything that brings the family together and it’s a nice simple holiday with no hassle and no present buying – just a few eggs for the kids. It’s calm and everywhere looks pretty, with the shops decked in pastels and cute bunnies hopping around at the hub. I’m an atheist but I do respect those who celebrate for religious reasons and am very, very grateful for hot cross buns (only allowed myself half… boo hoo) and Easter goodies! Caroline donned her Peter Rabbit mascot costume at the hub and Ollie and his tribe came down to join the Rockits egg hunt. It was also Carls birthday and we had dinner at The Vine. 61! We met about 40 years ago when he had a mop of blonde curly hair and dressed like Jon Bon Jovi with a bit of George Michael thrown in for good measure.

Ru is finally over his tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (had to Google that one) and sounds completely different! He used to be extremely nasal and quite husky but now has a sweet, crystal clear little voice. He tells me he has more holes to breathe through now, haha. He talks non-stop and I love it. All the boys are little and pre technology-overload so we can have real conversations. I will be sad when they’re old enough for a mobile…

Went to stay at Ollie’s and look after the boys. It was my first time looking after them like this and they were so lovely and so good for me. Noah is only two and isn’t used to being without Amanda, but there’s wasn’t a single moment he wasn’t bouncing around and super happy. He kept taking my hand and saying, “Nanny… come on.” We collected bugs, had a disco, blew bubbles, played lots of games and ended our day with some Moana. Finn woke me up at 6am by putting my glasses on me and sticking two chocolate buttons in my mouth. What a clever boy and perfect way to wake! Xx

It may just be me, but after the trials of the last ten years, I’ve never been able to quite return to my original self. I’m fully functional though. I can do everything I used to, but things just changed in odd ways. It’s absolutely not just because I’m getting older. I am pleased to report that I’m finally getting on top of things and feel I’m coping better over the last few weeks. The run up to opening the hub was probably in the top five of most stressful things I’ve ever dealt with** and it took months to find our feet. I barely slept and had a gazillion things on my mind. Luckily, I have always had amazing support from friends and family. The hub cafe is now thriving and a huge part of the new hub. The cafe crew are bloody brilliant and between them are running it incredibly well. They don’t just serve our customers, they keep it stocked, clean and tidy and even help me decorate and bake (thanks Sarah). This means I’m not there every day now and get more time to do the cafes cakes, my choir work, Nanny duties AND I’ve a little me time too! I try to sit for an occasional half hour and watch, Your Friends & Neighbours, with Jon Hamm…

Run and Lou got engaged! That was nice news to round the week off with! Xxx

** Top 3. 1. 2020 – when we literally were dragged into hell. 2. Divorce number 2 and the very abusive mfi. 3. Betrayal by best friend of twenty years. Having cancer isn’t included in my list because it wasn’t really stressful – it was just a bloody nuisance and made me feel very ill. I walked through it calmly and don’t get why people attach so much drama to it. I am not talking about those facing terminal cancer – that’s a whole, very different animal!

Last week was school holidays. The boys were here a little while Beth worked. We do have good times. We just talked and drew pictures and totally enjoyed being together. Ru said, “when I’m big I’m getting a new mum.” This worried me a bit so I said that he can’t have a new mum! He replied, “yes but Dins, when I’m big I’ll get married and my mum will be Elvie – I have a crush on Elvie.” Hahaha. I see the confusion now. Mum is a wife. He genuinely believes he is part dragon and part boy and told me that during the night he flies outside and hunts for sheep, cows and “rare species of wolfies.” Rex joined in and said, “in the night I sawed (😆) a man who took all my money, so I punched him all the way to Japan.” This is usual Rex – the four year old macho man, haha. He is obsessed with strength and boyish stuff. He loves wearing a tool belt and struts around the room with wooden tools clanking and then he takes out his ruler and measures 5cm on the wall. He wants to be the lead singer in QOTSA and says he’s going to dress, “rock style” from now on.

Watching: Elton John & Brandi Carlile at the Palladium (where we’ve performed too!) on ITV. Elton needs to either stop singing or retire. I love Elton – one of my childhood heroes, but his voice is worse than a drunken karaoke wannabes. The new Zeppelin documentary is very good! I’m not a Zeppelin fan, but there’s no denying their incredible talent. A really, really good watch!

Been to see: Benjamin Button (the musical). I did enjoy it, but wouldn’t want to see it again and wouldn’t recommend it for a special day out. It was perfect for Sarah and I as we had a relaxed trip to London, nice lunch, matinee performance and home by 6pm! So, F Scott Fitzgerald has ended up in a Cornish fishing village – it came as a bit of a shock, haha. I’d say it’s a folk musical set to a crazy story, but then and again, it’s a kind of magical fable anyway. There’s nothing terribly wrong with it, although for me, the music all sounded the same.

Listening to: an old friend of mine has a great podcast, Sideways (buzzsprout.com). I’m not sure exactly who it’s aimed at but it’s by two very bright, amusing and caring guys who are long-standing best friends and they just sit and talk about all kinds of things. One is a recovering alcoholic (who today helps those on the same path) and the other a counsellor/wellbeing coach. They cover some quite heavy topics and some totally funny ones too – it’s so natural and spontaneous that I sometimes want to join in with them, haha. It may be about friendship (?) because they talk with such warmth and care for each other. It’s a nice, calm listen for when you’re in the bath.

My boring diet continues fairly well and I’m getting used to sticking to courgettes and carrots – although I’m not getting used to feeling hungry and can’t say I’m enjoying it! I long for some pasta or a hunk of proper homemade bread, spread with Lurpak… it’s hard being a foodie on a diet! I will only lose a pound or so a week, but c’est la vie. The jab really has proven one thing – if you lose weight quickly on it, you were: A. Eating too much beforehand and B. There’s nothing wrong with your metabolism.

What a wonderful 7th birthday Rufus had last week. It was extra special. He loved every second of it. His eyes were watery and as big as saucers. That’s the thing I often notice about him – he has the most beautiful and real love of life; a love of life that I hope doesn’t get stamped on as he grows up – a love of life that few of us will ever know. He says exactly what he thinks; how he’s going to love me forever (and he will) and how he will push me in a wheelchair when I’m old and that I’m beautiful even though my hands are crinkly and dry. It’s the flip side. Yes, there are moments of heartbreak with a child with ASD, but then there are moments of pure and intense joy for him (and his family). Rufus can immerse himself so deeply in the things that he loves that you can almost see his brain light up. And talking… well, he never stops. His long term memory is just incredible and he absorbs facts like a sponge – but only facts about things he is passionate about. “My new lizard is 6 months old and in 6 months she will be a one year old and then Dins, you will make her a cake with a number one candle on…”. He really does see beauty in the world. Reptiles are his thing (years back it was dinosaurs) and he now has a gecko (and an axolotl). So yes, there are differences; most of them only make him a more beautiful and loving boy. Happy Birthday to my Ruru – my beautiful dragon loving boy xxxxx

I do love the three series of Anne with an E, on Netflix. I find it quite perfect. It’s a modern adaptation by the writer of Breaking Bad. I even love the theme song… “you are ahead by a century.” The casting, the sets, the warm, amber lighting, the fields of cornflowers, the constant baking, barn dances, Anne’s non-stop chatter and vivid imagination (drama queen), I love it all. It tackles quite a mix of modern subjects (some are quite tragical, haha) in a very old-fashioned way, but nothing is too heavy to think about and it’s a wonderfully peaceful watch. I love the way Anne opens up the lives of all those around her.

You can tell a lot about a person by looking in their fridge. My fridge is disorganised… lots of bits are past their best and there are always a few random eggs here and there (hahaha… that made me laugh…). As I’m trying hard to diet, there’s loads of veg on all the shelves… and lots of ancient, petrified lemons.

I’ve had a bug of some kind and although it went quickly, I still feel a bit grim a week later. The only plus was that it helped my diet! In eight weeks I’ve now lost 11lbs and I feel a real sense of achievement for doing it the old-fashioned way… even though progress is slow. I’m retraining myself to eat the right things and the right amount. No midnight feasts, no Pukka chicken pies, no grazing on the kids goodies, no junk and nothing sweet. I’m very hungry still, but it’s getting easier. I caught a glimpse of myself yesterday and decided I’d pass for a homeless person, haha. I’ve also got to the “comfort counts” stage of my life. I only wear my out of the house, work clothes OR my lounge/nightwear. I am literally casting off my tidy clothes as I walk in the house!

Went to see the new Bridget Jones movie before it finished its run at the Kino. Sarah and I always sit in the front row where there are armchairs and footstools so we can have a comfortable nap if needs be… lucky as the film was somewhat dull. I did love the snowy street scenes, the beautiful townhouses (my dream house), London, the Christmas bits, the kids were sweet… but the rest was a bit juvenile and past its sell by date. We’ve moved on. The humour, the constant sexual references… yawn, yawn. It’s 2025! I felt a bit sorry to find that Bridget has lost her Bridget-ness. She was a scatty, insecure, clumsy, vulnerable and very relatable character. She obsessed about her weight and disastrous relationships. Now she’s a grieving widow with a pretty normal life. The funny bits all felt very forced and I was glad we had a glass of wine and some chocolate gingers to add to our cinematic experience, haha. I love the Bridget films – even this one to a degree… sad as it was.

Ru is the happiest boy on earth. After a couple of years spent longing for lizard, he now has a leopard gecko! It’s his early birthday present. She is 6 months old. He said he kept dreaming about it and now it is true and “she’s so cute.” Honestly, he’s SO obsessed with her. I hope there are “spares” in the shop…

I’m trying so hard to get all my songs arranged but my voice is up to its usual tricks. Yesterday, I managed three hours recording before it let me down and started its odd jolty, yodel thing on the higher notes. So frustrating. I’ve eaten so many throat sweets (sugar free of course) and drank gallons of lemon and honey… It’s lucky I’m determined! I’ve managed to do (Hearties) Parting Glass and Creep and Rockits Hub have some Take That and Bruno Mars! The last hub session was just great and I’m excited to see how it evolves. So many new smiley faces, so much fun! Always on my mind, won the vote and they did incredibly well with it! Really excited for the next one now! 7th April…

I appear to be on a stupid one-woman crusade against skinny jabs. Sorry Mum. A few months ago I was pro them! I even started them.. but in the back of my mind I felt very uneasy about the whole thing, especially as I’ve had cancer and don’t want to tamper with my body. Also, it’s become a boring, national obsession with people – a bit like social media. The disturbing thing is that so many people say they will stay on them forever – how ridiculous. What happened to making an effort and dieting? Willpower? My brother is a perfect example. He is convinced he has diabetes and a bad heart because he can’t exercise… and blames his six(ish) stone of excess weight for this too. Absolute rubbish. A sick person in a bed will waste away to a few stone in a matter of months without much food. It is definitely harder to lose weight in later life… I’m in week 5 of extremely tiresome, traditional dieting. I’m eating around 800-900 cals a day and am VERY hungry (hangry), but I am doing my best! It’s hard to see the weight falling off the jab devotees, but even though I’ve only lost 6lbs so far, I’ve done it my way and without taking the easy option. Each to their own though.

Rockits have been nominated for two awards! We are through to the finals of the Muddy Stilettos award for best children’s business in Kent. I may be biased, but we deserve to win!