Vic & Emma's Blog

Vic & Emma's Blog

To view previous year's blogs, please click the relevant year: 2008 2009 2010

December 31st – I hope you've all had a great xmas filled with lots of good food, lovely pressies and surrounded by your friends and family. We have had a very nice and uneventful xmas this year which makes a nice change. Since 2007, all our festivities have had some form of sickness that in one way or another has dampened the mood and the one year where none of us were sick, I crashed the car so all in all, I was beginning to despair that xmas was not for us. But, this year has been a good one. Don't get me wrong, we still had the obligatory sickness but they have been mild colds which have not affected the general good mood. The girls have really enjoyed themselves this year. They understood everything that was going on and got really excited on the lead up to the 25th. They both loved the fact that Santa had visited with Rudolph and that they had the snacks left for them. It was all very sweet. Now the new year is upon us, as usual, I reflect back on the past year and how it has gone. Back in March I summarised the last few years since Emma and I met and I predicted this year would be the year of "Good Karma". Well, thankfully, I was right. 2011 saw everything take a turn for the better for us. In January my health improved; In February we had a lovely break in Butlins and Tatiana nailed her potty training; March saw a big turnaround when I was able to achieve closure on a particular issue where a big wrong was put right; In April I managed to secure my current full time job. It meant I had to leave Argos after 7 months which was a bit sad but it also meant more job security; In May we had a lovely birthday trip for Kristina at Peppa Land. Emma also secured a full time post in a school in Bedford which meant the end of her crazy long commutes; June & July were DIY and de-cluttering months which was great as I was able to get rid of a load of crap (mainly shoes) on ebay and use the money to buy other stuff that we wanted instead. August was our long awaited and well deserved summer holiday and I found out that our very good friend Monika was pregnant; September was a busy month starting with Tatiana's birthday at Lakelands followed by Emma's birthday suprise with all her pals from her old school. Kristina also started school which was very emotional as it was a big milestone in our little girl's life. I also got my new smartphone which was my final technology push in to the 21st century (I've not looked back since); October saw us taking our first camping trip which I am pleased to say was a great success; In November was a busy month which saw us having more of a social life as well as relaxation. Emma and I had a spa day in a 5 star country hotel, we met up with my little brother and his sister after a long time of not having seen them, we met up with Monika who gave us a summary of the fantastic year she has had and all the good things she has planned for the new year and we booked to go down under in the spring; This month we booked our flights for our summer holiday to Portugal and then it was all about Christmas... Phew! What a year... But, it was all good and next year is going to be even better, I feel it in my bones... Watch this space :-) On that note, Happy New Year to you all and see you in 2012. "VIC"

December 18th – Santa and Rudolph delivered Christmas presents to the Torcato household last night. I think they enjoyed the snacks the girls left for them :-) "VIC"

December 12th – Yesterday was for me the beginning of xmas this year. Up until then, it had just been a lead-up to it but yesterday I started to feel Christmassy. We put the tree up on Saturday afternoon and then yesterday we wrote cards to Kristina & Tatiana's friends and cooked traditional Portuguese fritters (picture below) which took me back to the days when my mum used to cook them. Was really nice to do something festive as a family and the girls really enjoyed it. Kristina especially loved punching the dough with me when I was kneading - he he he. This week is my last full week at work. Next week I am only working four days and then the week after is xmas week when I am off and not returning to work until after New Year. Can't wait to have a nice relaxing week where I will be doing absolutely nothing for a change... Next year is going to be a good one I think. This year was all about getting back on our feet and in the swing of things. Next year I think will be the one where things really unfold. I don't know what it is but I feel it in my waters that something is going to change in the next year that will really cross the I's and dot the T's. For next year, not only do we have down under booked but we have also booked our summer break in the sun to Portugal. Its amazing what a difference a year can make and how much can happen during that time... Anyway, enough babbling for now - below are a couple of christmassy photos and some more of Emma and the girls putting up the xmas tree are on www.torcato.co.uk/vicandemma.htm. "VIC"

December 5th – Wow, its xmas month again… what has happened to this last year? Since my last blog not a lot has happened. We’ve all had a cold which is why I haven’t blogged for a while but we are all back on the straight and narrow and planning for xmas. Most of the pressies are purchased, most of the cards are written and posted and now we just have to think about decorations, wrapping and food :-) What else have we got coming up? Oh, Kristina has been practising at school for her first nativity and apparently she is playing the part of a sheep. Bless, she has sung some of the songs and she sounds so sweet. Really looking forward to going to watch her. Emma has got the time off for this and I will pop round during the work day as its just around the corner so I’ll just end up having an extended lunch… Can’t wait for when Tatiana is also at school and doing things like that – she’ll really enjoy it. This week I heard some news that although was not a surprise to me, saddened me slightly for various reasons. A few very nice people I used to work with have been left without a job just before xmas. This is not nice at all and although inevitable (for various reasons), still very sad. But hey, onwards and upwards – these things all happen for a reason and something bigger and better will come up for them straight after xmas I am sure. What else… oh, I have just booked us a 2 week holiday back home in Portugal for summer 2012! Got a very good price on the flights so thought why the hell not! Emma is the star bargain hunter on that one so hats off baby, a good find there! You’re officially just as Froogle as me… On that note, gonna push off now. Take care all and more updates soon. "VIC"

November 17th – This last week has been an eventful one. On Saturday we went out of our comfort zone – we booked a trip to go down under next year. We had planned to go there when we retired but you know what, we are always talking about things to do in the future and after my last blog, I decided to take my own advice and live / embrace the present. It was dear to say the least but with a deposit from what was left of a windfall from earlier this year and the rest on credit, it will work itself out in the end :-) Other than that, not a lot more has happened really… Just plodding along, preparing for xmas, etc. The girls are fine as usual – both growing up really quickly… Kristina’s reading is coming on leaps and bounds and she absolutely loves it. Her favourite thing is to sit down after dinner every day and do her reading homework – long may this continue. Tatiana really likes joining in and listening to her sister read which is really sweet and there’s nothing more Kristina likes than to have an audience :-) We also had weekend bear come to stay with us from school. He went with us to the shops, slept with Kristina and played birthday parties with Kristina & Tatiana. Kristina was so happy to have had her turn with weekend bear and she took the responsibility very seriously - bless... On that note, nothing more to report for now so take care and more updates soon. "VIC"

November 11th - Today I reflected on the fact that this year has flown by and all that has happened in these last 11 months. Life has taken a very positive upturn for us and I feel now it is time to put all the negativity to bed and at the same time pass on some words of advice to anyone going through tough times. So, I have found a way of passing on these pearls of wisdom that should hopefully make it less boring of a message :-) on that note, enjoy and embrace the message as I fully intend taking my own advice and looking forward to a good xmas and end of year. "VIC"

Magical moments in my past, many challenges in the fold;
At times when darkness descended, I turned to family and friends - new and old;
My turning point - I made a choice, I got away from all that;
I took a huge step forward and vowed never to look back;
Most people aren't reliable, you find out soon enough;
So you have to pick the people you know you can trust;
I found out the hard way, sometimes hit rock bottom;
But then I found the courage, I left and forgot them;
The past may not be good for you so if you can not stay;
Find a new direction and good fortune will find its way;
Don't strive to escape all thats negative from the past;
Add something better to the future for joy that will last;
The past is behind you, you should try and learn from it;
The future is ahead of you, look forward and prepare for it;
The present is the here and now, embrace and live it;

November 9th - Today was a good day ;-) When I picked the girls up from nursery, the Assistant Nursery Manager told me she thinks I am "Fantastic"! She says I must be super organised to keep up with them both. What a lovely thing to say... That on top of the fanfair & hugs the girls give me when I collect them every day confirm to me that the slog to secure a job locally in order to be around them more was worth it :-) Over the last week we have not been too busy but on Saturday night we did go to the o2 to see Alan Carr and that was a good night out. It gave Emma and I another opportunity to spend some quality time together and also the show was really good - he's a funny guy. Other than that, not a lot more going on. Christmas is creeping up on us and pressies need to be purchased. We've already made a start so hopefully we'll have everyones pressies bought by the beginning of December and avoid last minute panics. On that note, take care all and more blogging soon. "VIC"

November 1st - Wow, can't believe its already November. Where has this year gone? I guess we have been so busy over the past 10 months that we simply did not notice time passing us by. This last week was busy too but I really enjoyed this kind of busy as it was socialising and relaxing busy. On Friday Emma and I met up with a very good friend for dinner in Pizza Express near Liverpool Street. It was so lovely to see her so happy and looking so well. Then we went for a few drinks at a private members club around the corner which finished the night off perfectly. There was so much to catch up on and it seems that regardless of how much you chat on the phone or by text, there is always so much to talk about when we meet up. Then on Saturday Emma and I went for a spa day at the Marriott Country Club in Maidstone, Kent. It was the last instalment of my birthday present to Emma and we really got an opportunity to relax and spend some quality time together. I kept joking to Emma that "this is the birthday that just keeps on giving" - he he he. I started this when we went camping. We were eating out and Emma said thank you and I said "this is the birthday that just keeps on giving", then when we went to Drusillas (mentioned in my last blog post), I said the same and basically at every opportunity after that. Now that the spa day has been and gone and there are no instalments left to her birthday presents, this little ditty will have to be put to bed :-) Anyway, going back to our weekend, on Sunday we met up with my younger brother and his sister. Hadn't seen him since 28/10/2008 (according to my Blog 2008) and hadn't seen his sister in about 12 years! So, it was lovely to catch up and I just hope that we don't leave it so long next time. Yesterday was of course Halloween and Kristina had her first party invite from one of her friends at school. She really had a good time and showed off her "apple bobbing" skills. Tatiana on the other hand was not impressed when mummy dropped Kristina off and she didn't get to go in... sulking in a major way! She did get to pop in at the end for 5 mins and that seemed to make up for it :-) Anyway, gonna get on now. Here are a couple of pics of the girls - soooo cute. Take care. "VIC"

October 24th - Just got back from a lovely weekend away with my 3 girls and our little canine friend. Spent the weekend from Friday till today at a camping site on our first camping break. We were all a bit sick but we went anyway as we figured the fresh air would do us good and it seems to have done the trick. Tatiana was not well all of last week and neither were Emma and I. Tatiana had a bad tummy and was being sick which meant I had to stay home with her for half of the week (working from home and one day holiday). I had a cold as did Emma. Kristina then joined the club and started being sick on Friday as well. Saturday night, in the tent, we had fun and games with Kristina being sick and her bad tummy so that wasn't pleasant. However, we powered through and thankfully Tatiana slept through it all. Apart from that, we all had great fun at Drusillas Park which is an exotic animal zoo and activity park and we also went to Brighton Seaside / Pier where we got some nice sea air in our lungs. We also had a lovely BBQ one night and pasta with meatballs the other night as well as lunch at Harvester yesterday and loads of cups of tea outside the tent whilst looking at the stars. So, all in all, we ate well, got lots of exercise and fresh air. We are all feeling a lot better (if a little tired but its a good tired). We grabbed a Burger King on the way home and even though it was a bit disappointing as they no longer do the gelapino whoppers so we had to settle for three pepper flame grills which are nowhere near as good. Kristina is still not 100% well but I am sure she will be fine over the next couple of days. They now have half term with mummy and I will be back at work tomorrow. Take a look at our photos which I just uploaded on www.torcato.co.uk/vicandemma.htm. "VIC"

October 14th - Since my last blog, what has happened? Well, after just one month in reception, Kristina is already reading and has moved up to the second level in reading books. Emma and I went to a parents evening this week where we were told she is in the top 5 of her class and doing very well. We are so proud :-) Tatiana is doing very well too and very keen to copy her sister when she is doing her homework which is so cute and a good sign that she will enjoy school just as much as Kristina is. Emma is also doing well in her new school, and although she is working very hard, I can see that she is making good progress and making an impact. My work is good too - I am still happy there and really making the most of the close proximity to home. I come home for lunch every day and get so much done in that hour as well as some relaxing time on the sofa watching some TV. Also still loving my Friday afternoons off :-) What else has happened? Oh, 2 shoes have left the X-Factor competition... ahhh, shame... still, if I know Lucy, she is determined and will go on to do big things. They have already got an agent and have been on TV and radio all week and have gigs booked for this weekend so I am sure this is not the last we will see of them. Also this week I have heard some very pleasing news that has once again confirmed to me that the universe always corrects itself and no good comes of negativity. Thankfully, I have surrounded myself only with good people over this last year and it has paid off. Good karma has found us and long may it reign. What else has happened? Well, I've taken delivery of my new smart phone and can only say how delighted I am with it. I never really thought of getting a smart phone as I was quite happy with my plain old Nokia phone which I bought over 2 years ago for £30 from Ebay. That little phone did everything I needed it to do and I was very loyal to it. However, I decided one Saturday afternoon to pop in to Carphone Warehouse to have a look for a replacement Nokia. I was adamant I wanted a Nokia and I definitely didn't want one that was much bigger than the very small handset I had and it most definitely could not have a QWERTY keyboard. So, a very tall order to live up to. However, I was very surprised to find a smart phone that fulfilled all that criteria and also looked very snazzy. It was priced at £250 which I would never pay as that is just ridiculous for a phone. However, I decided in the end to go for a 24 month contract at an extra cost of £8 per month than what I was paying and the phone was free. I figured that £8 per month for the phone worked out at £192 over the two years which is still cheaper than paying outright and included in those extra £8 I get free texts, free minutes and web browsing. All in all, I am making good use of the extra functions and am firmly in the 21st century of the phone world. I had said to Emma a few weeks ago when she said she wanted a smart phone that I didn't see the need for it and I still stand by that to a degree. I don't really make too much use of the extra features and could easily live without them but I do like the look of the phone itself and I think that is what I am most pleased about. In time, I may find that the extra features are needed or even indespensible but for the moment, I am just enjoying the phone itself. Well, I won't bore you any more with talk about my fantastic new phone, take care all and here's hoping the mild October we were eased in to will stay with us for the rest of the month - the longer we have to wait for the cold weather, the better :-) Take care all "VIC"

October 2nd - Well done Lucy - 2 Shoes are through to the live shows - you've both done well. Good luck :-) I can't believe I know someone who is in the X Factor live shows... On a slight change of subject, the weather this weekend was glorious and we spent loads of time together as a family which was great. Today we had a BBQ and then sat on a blanket on the lawn and ate it (I mean we ate the BBQ'd meat - not the blanket or the lawn - he he he) - Kristina loved it and ate soo much :-) Anyway, gonna chill on the sofa now as tomorrow is the beginning of another work week and I need to make the most of my Sunday evening before the weekend is over. Take care all. "VIC"

September 30th - Fridays are great! I get the afternoons all to myself and on days like today, I get to make the most of the sunshine. Just spent the last 2 hours out the back washing and hoovering the car whilst soaking some rays - looking forward to an equally pleasant and relaxing weekend :-) "VIC"

September 27th - Yay! The sun is out :-) "VIC"

September 25th - Kristina did her first full week at school this week and got on really well. She seems to be enjoying the whole process and I already notice some changes in the way she speaks - even more like an old woman - he he he. Also this week I got to see some scan pictures of a very good friend's baby. She's so happy and doing so well - its so nice to see expectant mothers and fathers with those big grins on their faces and spreading their good news. She told me a couple of months ago when she found out so to finally see the little 'un for the first time was fab! So much has happened in the last year or so and she really deserves to be this happy. Come to think of it, so much has happened in the last year for us too and although I went through a few bad months around this time in 2010, I am still able to pick out some very good moments too. I took our girls to nursery on their first day & spent lots of time with them doing things like picking up leaves and twigs to stick on paper, trips to the park, etc. We also had a great christmas (despite my painful tilited pelvis) and I got to play Santa to the girls which was great. So, although we are not in Portugal which is where our hearts lie, the alternative we have is a good enough substitute. Everything has worked out, we are working locally to where we live, Emma has a good job in a position of responsibility, I have a job which is so convenient working with people who are so nice and best of all, they are really family friendly and accomodating when it comes to school runs, etc. We have moved on from the negative stuff with our heads held high and many victories under our belts. The past is history and the future is bright :-) Yesterday I finished the last bits of outdoor DIY as it may be the last opportunity I get what with the weather being so unpredictable. Our conservatory is now weatherproof, the garden is weeded (well, the bigger weeds at least...) and the bikes / table are covered to protect them from the elements. Now I just wish the weather would improve so that we can get a few summer rays of sunshine before the autumn sets in... pleeease... Oh, and finally, congrats to Emma's cousin Lucy for getting through to the judges houses on X Factor - well done "2 Shoes" :-) "VIC"

September 19th - This last week has been a busy one but fun. On Thursday we had Emma's birthday which was followed by a surprise party on Saturday. Well, when I say party, I organised for her friends from her last school and the in laws to come over to MK for a game at the bowling alley followed by a bite to eat at Wetherspoons and then cake and teas back at our place. It was great fun and the look of surprise on her face was priceless. She was over the moon and it was a great way to celebrate her 30th. Today is Kristina's first full day at school so we'll see how she has got on with that. She seems to be really enjoying it so far which is great. Tatiana has been feeling a bit like she is missing out on something big cos she sees her sister getting all excited every morning when she gets her uniform on... the other day she said "I don't want to be three... I want to be four so that I can go to school too..." bless :-) So, lots of extra kisses and cuddles every morning are in order to keep her feeling content on her way to nursery. Anyway, nothing more to say for the moment so I'll end the blog for today. Take care all. "VIC"

September 15th - Happy Birthday to my darling wife - We love you. "VIC, KRISTINA, TATIANA & HOLLY"

September 12th

24 years but never forgotten.
I love you mum xx

September 4th - Yesterday we had a lovely day in an adventure park called Lakelands. It was just right for Tatiana and Kristina as they could go on most rides and we all had lots of fun. The weather was not too great but it didn't rain and the sun even came out in the afternoon. I can't believe our baby is three already! Photos are posted in the usual place (link further down the page). Tomorrow they are both back to nursery and Kristina has her first half day at school on Friday. Emma starts her new job tomorrow as well so a full busy week for all of us and back to the school run for me :-). Anyway, gonna go now - take care all. "VIC"

September 3rd - Happy Birthday Tatiana! We love you xxx "MUMMY, DADDY, KRISTINA & HOLLY"

August 19th - Our little girl is growing up soooo fast bless her... She looks so sweet in her new school uniform :-) "VIC"

August 11th - Well, since our last blog, we have been on holiday back home to Portugal, had a lovely time and we are back in the UK again. Suffice to say it was hard leaving the sunshine, good food, friends / family and our lovely apartment behind but needs must... We are all feeling really chilled and I returned to work today. It was nice having a good job to come back to and I really did appreciate that. I settled straight back in and just got on with it and I only have half day tomorrow and then the weekend is with us again. We still have to collect Holly from my mother in law's house - will be nice to see her again after two weeks - we've missed our furry friend. We have of course posted some of our holiday photos on www.torcato.co.uk/vicandemma.htm. On that note, I'm gonna relax on the sofa after my first post holiday full day's work :-) Take care. "VIC"

July 20th - Busy busy busy... In the past couple of weeks we have been doing yet more DIY, working hard and time has just flown by. I have been sorting out stuff at work relating to our year end and an upcoming audit, Emma has been getting things wrapped up for the end of school year and her leaving for pastures new and even Kristina has been busy with visits to her new school for a couple of open days. The only one who hasn't broken her routine is Tatiana (and Holly of course who has the most relaxed life of all - it really is a dog's life :-) Anyway, on that note, nothing more to add. Going to bed now as have another hard days work ahead of me with yet more audit stuff to prepare... Still, not complaining as I am still enjoying the job... Take care all. "VIC"

July 3rd - These last few weeks have been quite uneventful. We've been pottering about just doing the run of the mill work, rest and play thing though with more of the work and less of the rest and play :-) Yesterday was all about DIY. The conservatory roof needed fixing as it had a leak and the garden hedges needed cutting back. With both jobs done, we then had a nice BBQ and I had a well deserved vodka and orange once the girls had gone to bed. Today, all I intend doing is a bit of food shopping and then chilling. Oh, Tatiana now also has a single bed and her cot is up in the loft. Kristina's cot sold on ebay and funded Tatiana's mattress so that made the bed purchase easier on the wallet. Our two little girls look so tiny in their beds (see below). Anyway, nothing more to say for now... Off to relax for a bit. "VIC"

June 19th - Well, after the bargain week in my last blog post, we have spent all of our profits. I have a new pair of trainers and work shoes, Emma a new pair of work shoes and the girls both have a new pair of trainers and slippers. We also bouth a bargain loft bed for Kristina also from eBay and then the profits ran out :-) I have just placed Kristina's cot on eBay which will hopefully help fund a single bed for Tatiana. Apart from being the online Del Boy of Milton Keynes, I have not been up to much more. I've fitted the wardrobe doors in the girls bedroom and they look great. Now we just have to put up the shelves and rail on the inside but thats a work in progress... My pelvis has not been happy these last few weeks and I had another visit to the chiro this week to sort my bones out as I had a few out of place in my neck and back. I blame this topsy turvy weather for making my bones fragile. Emma and the girls are good as usual and life is still good. Long may it stay that way. On that note, I'm going to chill on the sofa. "VIC"

June 5th - This last week was all about bargains. The main bargain was the purchase of 2 Sliding wardrobe doors from B&Q - reduced from £119.00 each to £5 each. Those and the runners - total cost £32.98. A saving of £228!!! All because they were returned without a box and one door had a scratch on the inside... Perfect for a wardrobe we want to build in our girl's bedroom... and we only went there to buy some plants for the garden :-) Then, after a week of bidders fighting over them on eBay, all of my worn and hardly worn MBTs have sold giving me a profit after fees of £210. I had to sell them as my tilted pelvis does not like MBTs and as much as I try to wear them, its too uncomfortable so no point flogging a dead horse. We have used this money to buy a nice sturdy hand made pub bench for our back garden from eBay for £80, some new wheels for one of the wardrobe doors we bought and the rest will go towards some new work shoes for me, a pair of trainers also for me and some new trainers for both Kristina and Tatiana. A good result all round me thinks :-) Spent yesterday afternoon doing a bit of gardening and thank goodness I did cos the weather has been crap today. Other than that, had a busy but good week at work and Emma had a good half term week where she did some of her masters assignment and spent some time with the girls. Both Kristina and Tatiana had their first proper haircut this week and although their hair is a little shorter than I would have liked, they both needed it and it will grow back soon. Anyway, nothing more to say for now so gonna sit down on the sofa cos my back is not happy today. "VIC"

May 20th - Well, end of week two at my new job. What can I say about these last two weeks? I am enjoying the job and the people are very nice too. This week I have felt more and more that I'm coming into my own and really settling in. I am putting systems in place, getting to know everyone better, learning new things and these last two days I have been able to pass on some account systems information to colleagues and pass on some of my knowledge. It feels good to be able to help others with new systems they have not worked with before. I am also really enjoying my new work / life balance. I come home for lunch every day and get Friday afternoons off to do my own thing. Today I went to a chiro appointment and followed that with a visit to see my old Argos gang for a catchup :-) Congratulations are also in order for my fantastic wifey who secured herself a job in a middle school in Bedfordshire. She worked so hard right from the application form through to the interview itself. I knew she could do it and had a gut feeling that we would have our three bits of good news in the first half of this year which we have. Kristina has a place in our preferred school, I secured a permanent job locally and Emma did the same. Good karma found us eventually as I knew it would if we were patient enough :-) The girls are good too so we can now look forward to a lovely summer with no dark clouds hanging over our heads. On that good note, I'm off to get dinner ready. More updates soon. "VIC"

May 9th - Happy birthday to our beautiful baby girl - 4 Today - Wow - Time flies :-)

May 8th - Tomorrow our baby is 4 years old - Wow - time has flown by... We went to Peppa Pig World yesterday and it was a great day out. It was a birthday surprise for Kristina which both she and Tatiana loved. We all had a great time and by the time we got home in the evening, we were all knackered :-) Have a look at the pictures on www.torcato.co.uk/vicandemma.htm. This morning I got up with the girls and took them to McDonalds for breakfast and then went on to do some food shopping at Asda so that Emma could have a lie in. Now I'm going to lounge around the house for the rest of the day and look forward to my new job which I start tomorrow. The Argos clan gave me a lovely send off with lovely gifts and huge compliments which were all very flattering. I was moved that as a temp who was there for seven months I was treated as a member of their team just like the other staff members. I will miss them and will be staying in touch with a few who I formed friendships with. Anyway, I'm off now. More updates soon. "VIC"

April 29th - Woohoo!!! I have a job and I start on 9th May - Kristina's birthday. Really pleased that I've finally got permanent employment - a great weight off my mind. I'm back in Credit Control but with an added post of Sales Administrator as well. Thats great for me as I'll have input in two areas of the business that work very closely and therefore it will make my job easier. The office is a stone's throw away from home so I'll be able to walk to work or come home for lunch should I choose. Its a new role so I'll be able to make it my own which is another added bonus. The company is very interesting and the challenge is just what I needed after months of floating and waiting for something to happen. My brain is waking up again and I'm ready for action :-). I'm enjoying the second long weekend before having my final week at Argos. It will be sad to leave them as I have been there for over 7 months and sort of become part of the furniture as well as making friends. They have been very good to me and I have a lot to thank them for - my sanity for one ;-) Anyway, gonna go now. Take care and more positive updates will follow soon I hope. "VIC"

April 24th - Happy Easter everyone! We have had another great weekend - the last before schools starts again :-( Still, focusing on the good stuff, we finally did up our front garden exactly one year after moving in. It looks much nicer and was nice for me and Emma to do some home improvements together. We've also had a couple of BBQ's as this lovely weather needs to be taken full advantage of before it turns cold again. The sun is still trying to shine through today though it has cooled down considerably. I think we may be lucky enough to have a nice bank holiday Monday before the clouds win the battle :-) The girls are playing in the garden and we have a nice roast in the oven which is making my mouth water... Tomorrow will see us doing some food shopping and housework and getting ready for returning to work on Tuesday for our 3 day week before the Royal Wedding. So, on that note, I'll take myself off to relax a bit more in front of the TV whilst my taste buds get ready for dinner :-) "VIC"

April 18th - We had a lovely weekend again. We went to Great Yarmouth to visit an old schoolteacher of Emma's for her 60th birthday party. We went up on the Friday afternoon, stayed over in a hotel and then on Saturday morning we went to the seaside and on to the party from there. The sun came out for us in the end which was nice and we even had lunch in a lovely little italian restaurant. I have put some more pics in the usual place (link below). Today we also got a letter from the council to confirm Kristina has a place in our first choice school which is great. We are really chuffed. I can't believe our little girl is going to school in September... she's growing up too quickly - they both are. I have a good feeling about the coming few months - the cloud is lifting slowly... Anyway, nothing more to say for now - Emma is still on hols this week so I'm gonna spend some time with her - make the most of all this extra time before school starts again. Take care all. "VIC"

April 10th - We had a wonderful day yesterday :-) We went for a stroll in a local wood called Linford Wood. These are woods which combine unspoilt and untouched natural woods, pathways and carved figures in the tree stumps. Its is absolutely gorgeous and only a 5 minute drive from our house slap bang in the middle of Milton Keynes. We found a nice quiet spot for a picnic and spent 4 hours there. We ate, snoozed, played and had a great time. The girls got to ride their bike and loved it. The sun was out and it was nice to breathe in fresh air and get some vitamin D. We will definitely go back again some time soon. Have a look at the pictures on www.torcato.co.uk/vicandemma.htm. Today the sun is out again. I've spent the morning doing some freelance bits of work and once the wash has finished and is on the line, we'll be going for our usual weekly shopping trip to Lidl and Asda. Its so nice to spend some quality time as a family and it was a nice end to a bit of a shitty week. What with the usual work routines, we then had a traffic fine on Friday, a letter from HMR&C yesterday telling us we get no more tax credits from now on and then a 213 euro bill from portugal for our yearly Council Tax. All of that combined with the prospect of me losing 4 days work over the next month (work is closed on Bank Hols and therefore no agency work = no pay), family time is a nice buffer for all that stuff. Roll on more sunshine and family time :-) "VIC"

April 1st - I can't believe its April already... where has this year gone so far? Since my last post, not a lot has happened. We have been plodding along just getting on with our usual routines... Tatiana has grown up so much in these last two weeks. We have noticed a definite change in her. She is talking to us a lot more and generally in a happier place which is refreshing. It makes the playtime between her and Kristina better (at times) as they can communicate better now that Tatiana is expressing herself more clearly. The other day they were in such a good mood that they played together for 3 hours solid, ate all their dinner without a fuss and generally behaved like little angels. I'm not saying they aren't normally good - on the contrary - we are extremely lucky as they are very well behaved. However, this evening was free of any bickering over toys and whingeing over silly things... Emma is working hard as usual and looking forward to the Easter break as am I. Although I won't get paid for the bank holidays, it will be nice to spend some extra time at home with the family. Anyway, enough babbling on for now. More updates soon. "VIC"

March 19th - Since my last blog, unfortunately, we have all been worse. The colds all got really nasty. For Kristina and I, it developed into tonsillitis and we both ended up on antibiotics. Although Tatiana wasn't diagnosed with tonsillitis, I think she had it but only mildly and worked her way through it before I could work out what was wrong. Emma has also been suffering with her throat though she has no tosils so it was painful further down her throat. Kristina, Tatiana and I all still have a cough but the pain seems to have gone and so has the fever. Saying that, Tatiana still has a bit of fever tonight so we've just given her a bit of calpol and put her to bed. Emma is also on the mend now so I am hoping we are seeing the end of this terrible flu we all had that was very nasty indeed. I tell you, these last two years have been very tough for us... I was thinking about it the other day and although on balance we have had more good years than bad, because the last few have been really tough, it seems like we have not had a break in a while. I have summarised the last few years as follows:

2005 - The year of "change"
2006 - The year of "celebration"
2007 - The year of "new beginnings"
2008 - The year of "sunshine"
2009 - The year of "starting over"
2010 - The year of "one step forward, two steps back"

I am hoping that this year will see us turning a corner... Although every month this year so far has had one type of sickness or another in it, I am hoping that spring will give way to some good health will all other good things to follow. With any luck, this year will become the year of "good Karma". Today was a nice sunny day so I took the opportunity to do a bit of gardening and it made a nice change. I am hoping that this good weather will become a more regular fixture so that I can do some outdoor DIY projects and we can maybe start going down to the lake, the park and start getting some fresh air in our lungs... On that note, goodbye for now and here's looking forward to a nice positive blog next time. Take care. "VIC"

March 1st - Well, its been a busy old week... The beginning of last week saw a big wrong being put right which meant a load off my mind... I achieved closure on something I felt strongly about and that meant I could concentrate on looking forward to good things in the future with the bad stuff put right. The remainder of the week was quiet and the weekend flew by as usual. Being half term week meant that I had Emma around to pick me up and drop me off from work and also around earlier in the evenings which was great so this week we are back to the old routine. Still, not long now till Easter and then we get some more time together what with a few long weekends thrown in as well... As a temp I will not earn anything on those Bank Holidays but hey, at least I have a job to go to where they like and appreciate me and for that I am grateful :-) The girls both have a cold which comes with a nasty cough so not too good there. Both Emma and I have had the same cold though we just power through as you do. Kristina seems to be coming out the other side of it but Tatiana is now getting to the rough patch though she deals better with it than Kristina so she'll be fine in a couple of days - she's a tough little cookie that one :-) They both went for their first dental checkup on Friday and were fantastic! They both sat on the chair and started to say ahhhhhhh even before they were asked to - so sweet. Anyway, nothing more to report for now so I'm off now to get ready for work. Take care all. "VIC"

February 21st - We've just got back from a lovely long weekend away at Butlins, Skegness. Although the resort was very cheesy and the weather was very cold and wet, we all had a great time. The girls loved it and took part in a load of different activities. Tatiana developed a crush on one of the redcoats which was very sweet and therefore Barney the dinosaur didn't get a look-in - so funny! We had a great time in Splashworld even though it smelled badly of B.O. in certain areas - he he he. The apartment was nice enough though the matress was so bad, we ended up making a bed on the lounge floor from the sofa cushions and that was comfy - I guess you get what you pay for :-) However, all in all, I enjoyed it and we were able to unwind and put things into perspective. It was nice to just do nothing for a few days. Tatiana has really nailed potty training and is not having any accidents which is great. Fingers crossed she keeps it up! Kristina is growing up so fast too. On the way home, she sat in the car making proper conversations with me and mummy. I have put some photos up on our photo page if you want to have a look www.torcato.co.uk/vicandemma.htm. Back to work tomorrow and all refreshed :-) Its half term so Emma is home with the girls for the rest of the week spending some quality time together which is nice. Anyway, gonna chill for a bit before dinner. More updates soon. "VIC"

February 19th - Happy Birthday Mum -I love you xxx "VIC"

February 15th - Further to my wifey's frustrated comments below, we've had progress with the potty training. On Friday, Tatiana decided to simply start asking and ever since she has only had one small accident at nursery yesterday. This just confirms what I've been saying for a while that she has known for a while and with her excellent control, she could do it if she wanted but she would do it on her terms - like everything else our baby girl does :-) Still, I'm very proud of her for getting it so right and can only hope she keeps it up. We've also had a bit of bad news on the childcare front. The council are threatening to close six nurseries (one of which our girls go to). So, I'm on a mission. I've started a petition and will be speaking to the local paper today to discuss a possible story. Please sign our petition Save Milton Keynes Nurseries - Petition or "like our facebook page Save Milton Keynes Nurseries - Facebook to show your support. Changing subject, we had a lovely meal on Friday as we all needed some family time together to unwind and then yesterday Emma and I did our valentines gift exchange and there were smiles all round. Anyway, gonna go for now - have to go to work. More updates soon. "VIC"

February 12th - Summary of last few weeks -'Done everything, feel like I've achieved nothing and typed up f@@k all!' Working excessively (even for me at the mo), so feeling very frustrated and missing my family loads. Thank goodness for two beutiful girls and a fantastic hubby, who whisked me off for a dinner yesterday. Very, much appreciated and I loved spending time with my gang! - I need to do that more ;0) "EMMA"

February 5th - So, what have we been up to since my last blog? Not a lot really... We've been healthier which is good and my back is still ok though I still get the occasional twinge but to be honest, I am so happy to be able to walk and operate like I used to that I really don't mind the occasional twinge. Work has been good too and I have been mega busy this last week. I am making good progress there and it feels good to be making a difference somewhere again. Emma has been super busy as usual and is looking forward to the half term for a well deserved break. The girls have been good too. Tatiana's potty training has not been eventful at all... she seems to understand what we want, when she is sitting she does her business and knows when she has done it but she is just not interested in putting in any effort to actually ask to go. She prefers to hold it in until nap times when she has a nappy or sometimes to just go down her legs even though the potty is right there next to her... Still, we will persist - thats all we can do. Kristina will be starting pre-school in September! Can you believe it? She will only be four at that point in time but there you go... we didn't even realise we had to pick a school in January so when it dawned on us, we were already a couple of weeks late after the deadline. The council said it was ok and that we should submit our form asap which we did. We will hear in April which of our three chosen schools she will be going to. Well, with nothing more to report today I'll sign off. Take care all. "VIC"

January 21st - I am pleased to say that my visits to the chiropractor seem to be paying off (so far). I feel a lot better and am able to move around without as much pain or discomfort. I still have some way to go but this is a step in the right direction. On the down side, this week, we have all been sick. Tatiana caught some bug that made her sick and gave her the runs. To cut a long story short, we all got it at different stages (including my sister in law who visited for a couple of days). Thankfully, it has all been staggered so we can prop each other up and we're not all feeling like crap simultaneously. It was my turn yesterday and I spent most of the day in bed or lying on the sofa groaning and trying to keep something down. I only had a bowl of rice and six spoonfulls of a vile tasting soup. Today I was famished and a few hours ago I had to satisfy a craving for a Big Mac. It tasted wonderful and although I didn't know if it was going to stay down, I thought it was worth the risk. I tell you, after the last few months, I feel I need a holiday! On that note, I think I'll sign off for today as I can't find anything more positive to write and I don't want to whinge any more. Wifey is off sick today so when I get home, I'll be on cuddle duty as well as taking care of the two little monsters:-) Take care all. "VIC"

January 15th - Well, first thing's first - Happy New Year all!!! Its a bit late (I know...) but better late than never. We've had a hectic first couple of weeks into the new year and getting on the PC has not been a good option for me due to my continuing bad back. The good news is that I finally decided to see a chiropractor and he has worked out I have a tilted pelvis which is directly related to my last diagnosis of SI joint pain. Its good because he is now in the process of clicking my pelvis back in to place. I have been for two sessions already and am starting to feel normal again. I can now walk for longer periods of time pain free and can sit down for short intervals also pain free. He thinks I'll have 3 or 4 more sessions and then we'll give it a rest and see how the body reacts to the treatment over a period of a few months. Its all about getting the pelvis re-aligned and keeping it in place... Oh, the fun... Its 2 months on the 19th since I first commented on this blog about my back pain giving me jip and after two months, I am truly fed up with it so to have a few hours a day pain free is a big deal to me. I really appreciate the things that we take for granted now such as walking, sitting, running, etc. You don't realise how lucky you are until you lose the ability to do these things over a long period of time. Thankfully, my problems have a solution but I have learnt valuable lessons about taking care of your body and I'll be doing that from now on... Moving on to another subject - Tatiana's potty training :-) Its going ok though she is having trouble understanding the concept of asking before the event. She asks but when its already happening so once she manages to connect the urge with the action, I think she'll nail it. She's got the morning one nailed and has even managed to pre-empt a No.2 so we are making progress. Kristina is well and her usual cheeky self. As for Emma, she is still working hard at school as usual. This week I found a gym that opened locally with a monthly fee of only £9.99 so she signed up immediately and is very pleased with that as it has 24/7 access so she can go whenever she wants and its cheap enough for us to manage financially. Other than that, nothing more to blog about for now. Hope you all had a great start to your new year. Take care. "VIC"