My Family Holiday: Peppa Pig World

Posted on September 14, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

We could not take a holiday in Dorset without visiting Peppa Pig World. Our daughters have grown up with that little pig and her antics, and I have to confess, my husband and I were more than a little excited about visiting a family theme park with our little darlings.

We had a day out at Paulton’s Theme Park, and spent most of that day in Peppa Pig World with the children’s idols, and another portion of the day exploring the Lost World of dinosaurs and beasts.

#MummyMonday Family visit to Peppa Pig World on a beautiful summer's day. SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Family visit to Peppa Pig World

My Family Holiday: Peppa Pig World

Paulton’s Theme Park was definitely worth the money. I will make it clear right now that we paid full price for family entry. We had no discounted tickets or special offers, and yet I maintain that it is worth the cost. The park is very bright and cheerful, and while it has several large, adult thrill rides, it caters very well for younger children. My husband enjoyed all of the big rides that he went on, we all enjoyed the family rides in Peppa Pig World, and our daughters had endless fun in the splash zones and soft play areas.

I was also very impressed with the wildlife at Paulton’s Theme Park. The large gardens offer a welcome break from rides and commercialism, and we took some time to explore beneath the trees when we needed a little shade in the afternoon sun. We also marvelled at the captive exotic birds on the park. All in all, it was a great day out. Yes, it was expensive, but we budgeted for it within our holiday, and we spent a lot less on other days to balance it out. Most importantly, we made precious memories with our daughters.

Image of an animatronic dinosaur in a theme park. Lostworld at Paulton's Park on a beautiful summer's day. SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Lostworld at Paulton’s Park
Image of families having fun in an outdoor water park in Britain. Peppa Pig Splash Zone at Paulton's Park on a beautiful summer's day. SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Peppa Pig Splash Zone at Paulton’s Park
Image of a colourful train family rollercoaster ride. Critter Creek at Paulton's Park on a beautiful summer's day. SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Critter Creek at Paulton’s Park

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Finding Magic in Your Local Environment

Posted on September 12, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

A few days ago, I found myself in a most peculiar situation. I was able to take my dog for a walk, alone, for the first time in about two months. Usually we have children in tow, and our walks are limited to visiting the park, or using footpaths that are pushchair friendly.

So I was exhilarated on this particular excursion, when I was able to wander off the beaten path, and explore our local woodland with my dog.

#WitchyWednesday Fairy magic in the trees at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Fairy magic in the trees

Finding Magic in Your Local Environment

We are fortunate to live near a site of historical interest. It is a field that once housed a Roman settlement, and so the land is protected by heritage laws. It is a popular place for walking dogs, since it is bordered by the river and some natural woodland on two sides. I was walking along the lower section of the field, near to the river, when I looked up and saw a copse of trees in front. They border the roman field, and we usually walk past them. This time, however, the trees spoke to me. They beckoned, and I followed.

Walking up the hillside, I watched in surprise as the leaves rustled and fluttered in wind that had not previously been present. They flapped to and fro in such a manner that I fancied they were waving at me. The rustling sound was almost like fairy voices, whispering to me. I stepped closer, looked down, and discovered a gap in the trees that formed a natural doorway shaped to fit my body.

I stepped through the trees

I stepped through. It was oddly quiet within the circle. I stepped over some protruding roots, avoided a few wild thorns, and surveyed this alien place. I could feel a dozen pairs of eyes watching me from their hiding places. I expected to see another human, but there was nobody. My dog had scampered ahead and disappeared out the other side. He waited on the roman field, watching me. I was surprised that he didn’t bark at me to hurry up, which he normally does. It was as though he felt the magic too, and he knew that I was supposed to be there.

Moments later I emerged on the other side, out in the sunshine, and back into the buzz of human life. Nothing especially spooky had happened inside that copse of trees. But I had felt the magic. I knew that my fairy kin were in there, waiting. I knew that I would return there sometime soon, and that perhaps each time I visit, something new will happen. I walked away with a spring in my step, a smile on my face, and a renewed appreciation for the magic of the hidden world. Thank you, Mother Gaia.

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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Surviving the School Run

Posted on September 9, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

This week heralds the start of a brand new school year for us. My daughter has moved up into Year 1, and her younger sister returns for her second year at preschool. The school run has proved to be rather a tumultuous experience for me.

Being an Empath, I face the daily challenge of not being sucked in to other people’s emotional drama. I feel things very deeply. If I see somebody crying, even on the TV, I will often well up with tears myself.

Catherine and children walking by the canal in Middlewich at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Catherine and children walking by the canal in Middlewich

Surviving the School Run

I never considered the impact of my children being at school. Obviously, when we embarked upon the journey twelve months ago, I was prepared. I cried openly, and my fellow new school mums and I gave ourselves the time to embrace our emotional state as we sent our babies out into the world. This year, however, I thought it would be easy. How very naïve of me! For starters, I have friends with children who are starting school this week, and so I feel their emotion and cry their tears. And then I realised that my own babies are still growing up, and each new school year will bring new emotional upheaval. It is normal. It will happen.

As we welcome the first weekend of the new school year, I have a message for all my parent friends, wherever you may be: It is OK to cry. It is healthy to be emotional. Whether this is your first child going to school, or your fifth child moving on, embrace the feelings that you experience. We are human. This is how we survive. Much love, lots of laughs, and happy new school year, my friends!

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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Farewell, Beloved Pets

Posted on September 7, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

We said goodbye to a family dog late last week. She was my grandparents’ companion, and had lived a long and happy life. It hadn’t started out so well. Maggie was severely malnourished, terrified and pregnant when my Nan and Grandad brought her home. She had been found on the streets.

They took her in, and my Nan set about feeding her a carefully constructed diet in order to build her strength steadily and try to save her unborn puppies. Amazingly, and thanks to the love and care from my Nan and Grandad, both Maggie and her pups survived. One of her sons remained with them, while his siblings moved in with other friends in the local area.

Maggie the rescue dog, our beloved family pet at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Maggie the rescue dog, our beloved family pet

Farewell, Beloved Pets

Such was the bond between Maggie and my grandparents that she refused to leave them. My Grandad has been very ill during recent years, as his aging body deteriorates. She has been his faithful nursemaid for all this time, barely leaving his side. Maggie watched my Nan and Grandad, she gave them love, and they loved her. Eventually she succumbed to old age and sickness, and now there is a gaping void in the lives of my family members.

As it turns out, I heard about the loss of a dog from two different friends earlier this week. Again the dogs were aging and ill, and they tried really hard to stay with their families. For me there is no greater bond than that between dog and human. They are our companions, our nurses, our supporters, and our entertainers. My dog, Baxter, is wonderful. Yes, he is a little bit naughty. Yes, he steals food when he shouldn’t, and he loves the sound of his own voice. But he has been there for me throughout two pregnancies, he cares for our children, and acts as both protector and playmate. He is beloved at the school gates, always receiving cuddles and offering up big, sloppy kisses to his human friends.

The bond between human and pet

The bond of love between human and pet is immense. Words cannot describe how it feels. If you are a dog lover, or indeed you have pets of another species, you will completely understand. My love and warm thoughts go to those who are grieving for the loss of their pets at this time. And I thank you, beautiful creatures, for your affection. Blessed Be.

Barney the rescue dog, our beloved family pet at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Barney the rescue dog, our beloved family pet

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Why My Husband Won’t Take Holidays

Posted on September 5, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

The end of summer is upon us. Tomorrow, our eldest daughter returns to school, later in the week our younger daughter will return to preschool, and I can return to some form of regularity with my work.

As a freelance writer I am fortunate in that I answer to nobody in terms of working hours and taking time off. The downside is, of course, that when I don’t work, I don’t get paid. Strangely enough, my published novels do not sell as well as they could unless I put the effort in to market them. But that’s another story.

NHS Men's Mental Health Campaign shared by Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
NHS Men’s Mental Health Campaign

Why My Husband Won’t Take Holidays

I have just finished reading an article from the Harvard Business Review that talks about how Millennials are workaholics, according to research. As I read the article, I nodded to just about every point that was discussed, and the one person that stuck in my mind was my husband. He is notorious for not making use of his allocated paid holiday at work. We recently returned from a week away as a family, and the only reason he took that holiday was because I had back-up from his mother to force him to book the time off. I find that very upsetting, and quite disturbing.

What is it about my husband that makes him so indispensable at work, to the point where he will sacrifice quality time with his family in order to wade about in rubbish (he is a Chartered Waste Manager and doesn’t like office work)? Well, he is obsessed with his job. He is convinced that the site might collapse if he is not there to run it single-handedly. He worries that his peers might think he is a slacker if he so much as tries to take a lunch break, never mind actual time off. I know for a fact that they do not. In truth, they need a break from him sometimes!

I feel like a single parent

So, where does this leave us, exactly? At the moment we are at loggerheads. I have to be at home with our children when they are not in school and preschool, and this has impacted on my freelance work during the summer holidays. Truthfully, I feel like a single parent most of the time, because I do so much with my children when our husband is at work. He simply cannot take his holidays, because the guilt and anxiety becomes too much for him to cope with. We haven’t considered half-term or Christmas, and at this point he will not discuss it since he just had a whole week off during summer.

How did we reach this situation in life? We are Millennials, only just, and I can see the differences within our circle of friends who are only a few years older. Most of our friends make the effort to balance their home and work life, and I see them taking regular, planned holidays throughout the year. My family unit is far more chaotic because my husband is absent so much of the time. I know that he does want to be with us. I also know that he feels he cannot be away from work. And I cannot break through to him. It is a challenge, indeed.

Thank you to Sandra from Adventures Aboard AreAndAre for sharing the article with me, and for showing support and understanding at this time.

#WitchyWednesday Cloudy Sky over Rocks in the Sea copyright Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#WitchyWednesday Cloudy Sky over Rocks in the Sea

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A Delightful Dorset Holiday #MyHavenDays

Posted on August 31, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

We have returned from our Big Summer Holiday, and I want to go back! Our family adventure this year took us to Poole in Dorset.

We stayed in a privately owned caravan (not ours!) on the Haven Rockley Park site. It was a lovely little place, although we found that it is not very easy for wheelchair users to navigate.

#MummyMonday Family Holiday in Poole, Dorset, UK with SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#MummyMonday Family Holiday in Poole

A Delightful Dorset Holiday

We had a fantastic week away from home. I love caravan holidays, but I had to practically drag my husband over the threshold, as he continues to insist that he doesn’t like portable holiday homes. For me the caravan holds precious memories of childhood holidays, and I am creating new memories with my own children on these family excursions. Their dad just has to like it or lump it!

We took our dog on holiday, and the caravan owner very kindly accommodated him. He absolutely loved digging up the beaches and swimming in the sea. It was lovely to see him behaving like a puppy again, running around and being daft. The only problem was he kept digging up my sandcastles! I will share more stories about Baxter later.

All in all, we had a lovely time away. We explored the English Heritage castle on the Isle of Portland, we visited Portland Bill lighthouse, we explored a few beaches, and we enjoyed a harbour cruise in Poole. We also took our children to Paultons Theme Park and Peppa Pig World, which deserves a whole new blog post because it was such an awesome day.

Did you go on holiday this summer? Please do share your adventures.

Sandbanks Poole Harbour. #MummyMonday Family Holiday in Poole, Dorset, UK with SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#MummyMonday Family Holiday in Poole
#MummyMonday Family Holiday in Poole, Dorset. Jurassic Cliffs Island Poole Dorset @SpookyMrsGreen Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#MummyMonday Jurassic Cliffs Island Poole Dorset @SpookyMrsGreen
Photo of a dog paddling in the sea. #MummyMonday Isle of Portland off the Dorset coast UK. Dog-friendly family holiday by SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#MummyMonday Isle of Portland off the Dorset coast UK

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Birthday Daytrips and Fun with Friends

Posted on August 17, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

We had a very busy time last week. It began with a weekend trip to the Blue Planet Aquarium for our younger daughter’s birthday treat. Both my girls had a lovely time, and I really enjoyed it as well.

We had to walk through the shark tunnel at least three times so my eldest daughter could ride on the moving platform, and actually I felt really relaxed in there, watching the sharks and fish swimming about and listening to the relaxing music playing in the background. I could imagine sitting in there out of visiting hours and doing some very healing meditation sessions.

#MummyMonday Family Trip to Blue Planet Aquarium at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, reviewed by SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
#MummyMonday Family Trip to Blue Planet Aquarium

Birthday Daytrips and Fun with Friends

After that we took advantage of some nice, warm weather and took our children and dog for walks with friends. Just a short drive away from home is a place called Winsford Flash. It is an area of natural beauty where we can walk along the banks of the Weaver river. We walked towards Rilshaw Meadows, our girls had fun paddling in the shallow water, and Baxter the Staffy X ran around like a mad thing and kept fetching huge sticks for us. We really enjoyed our afternoon in the sun, and look forward to many more as the summer holidays progress.

#WitchyWednesday Catherine hanging out in the trees at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
SpookyMrsGreen in the Trees

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I’m a Camp NaNoWriMo Winner!

Posted on August 5, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

July has been a very busy, and very challenging month for the pagan housewife. I have run around being Mother, Wife, Author, Blogger and Business Professional, frantically trying to balance everything that is important in my life at the moment.

One thing I was determined to see through was my participation in the July writing challenge that is Camp NaNoWriMo. And I did it! I completed my challenge, and wrote 30,030 words to finish the first draft of a novel I began writing back in 2013.

Image of a female vampire facing a vampire hunter man who has his back to the viewer and is holding a knife behind his back. You can see Blackpool Tower and Blackpool Illuminations in the foreground. 3D book cover image for “Vampire of Blackpool” fantasy novel by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green including phone and iPad download images for tablet, iPhone, and android book readers.
LGBT fantasy novel set in Northern England. “Vampire of Blackpool” by Catherine Green.

The Vampire Hunter manuscript by Catherine Green

With a working title of The Vampire Hunter, and a very rough first draft completed, this novel is a long way off publication just yet. But the point is, I did it. I wrote another novel, and added another manuscript to my portfolio that I can work through at my leisure. It felt so good to be writing my stories again, after spending the past month or so focusing solely on blogs and non-fiction projects. The Vampire Hunter definitely needs a new name, and I will take some time to ponder on that later. For now, here is an excerpt, for your eyes only!

Excerpt from a work in progress

It was a tough fight tonight. Jennifer had expected nothing less, but still, she might actually need some hospital treatment when this was over. Her left arm was bleeding heavily, hanging at her side, her chest heaving with exertion. She didn’t feel pain yet thanks to the adrenaline coursing through her body, but she vaguely recognised that this was going to hurt later. Oh well, it was nothing she couldn’t handle. It was just another night in the life of a vampire hunter.

“Jennifer!” Jason yelled from across the room, “Incoming!”     

Her head snapped up as she realised she had been about to collapse. With a burst of energy, she blocked the punches of the vampire bassist, sending him tumbling to the floor amid the debris of the pub they had destroyed. The creature hissed and snarled, leaping to his feet and refusing to back down.

“You will die for this, hunter!” the monster screeched.         

Jennifer pulled her body upright with huge effort and remembered that she still held a sword in her right hand.          

“Maybe,” she agreed grimly, “But not tonight.”         

She thrust the blade into the vampire’s chest before he realised what she was doing. He had been toying with the hunters, and now his own arrogance would be his undoing. Jennifer remained unemotional as the silver blade penetrated through a ripped, blood-soaked t-shirt and sliced into cold, icy flesh. It broke the bone and ended in the creature’s heart, such as it was. The vampire stopped moving, lifting its head to stare at her in shock. Everything slowed down to this moment. The creature screamed and tried to dislodge the sword, but it was too late. His body imploded, falling limp and collapsing in a heap of ashes on the floor at Jennifer’s feet. She barely glanced at it before moving to her next target.

Text reads, "Free e-book download. LGBT werewolf fantasy story. Download Now." Image of a sexy man showing a tattoo on his chest staring at the viewer with a sultry gaze. Vampire and werewolf fantasy books for adults. 3D book cover image for "It's Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)" from the vampire and werewolf fantasy book series by LGBT fantasy book writer Catherine Green.
LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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We Did It! We Survived our First Year at School!

Posted on July 15, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

The day has arrived. It is officially the End of Term, and the End of the School Year for us. Twelve months ago I was an emotional wreck as I watched my eldest daughter graduate from preschool, attend her last RhymeTime session in the local library, and all those other milestone events that cropped up in our weekday social circles. It was horrible!

I thought that once all that was over, I would be sorted. I could not be more wrong. The emotional torment continued as we moved into a new routine.

Catherine and children walking by the canal in Middlewich at SpookyMrsGreen.com mindful parenting and modern pagan lifestyle blog.
Catherine and children walking by the canal in Middlewich

We Did It! We Survived our First Year at School!

We did the school run five days a week, come rain or shine, walking every day. If the weather is dry, the dog comes with us, if not he stays at home. He is a fair-weather pup! I experienced all of those wonderful events that come with school: the first Christmas performance, the Christmas fair, the Summer fair, the Sports Day, and a few others at odd times. My daughter went on her first school day trip, on a big coach, without Mummy. That was traumatic! And she has grown up so much during the past twelve months. Now she is able to read sentences by herself, she can write and spell lots of words, and she can work with numbers. She even surprised me by looking at our living room clock and reading the time correctly one evening.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from our first year at school, despite all the advice I received from my friends who already had older children in the system. A part of me wanted to hold on to my daughter, keep her close and safe in the home, but I knew that she needed some independence. We needed a break from each other. It wasn’t just for her. I need a break too, and that’s not a bad thing to admit. Sometimes I feel we put too much pressure on ourselves to be the model parents, doing everything correctly, according to what everybody else says. Well, it doesn’t work that way. I am very glad that my daughter is thriving at school. She is excited to move into Year 1 in September, and she is happy to be preparing for our summer holiday.

Taking a break

For my part I am ready for a lie-in, such as we get with young children. Next week we are off to my mum’s house for a break. She will entertain the children, and I will try to relax and unwind after a very challenging few months. We have the prospect of my younger daughter’s third birthday in August, and a family holiday to look forward to. All in all, it should be a wonderful summer. Now all we need is some sunshine and warmth, and no more rain! Happy Summer, my parent friends. We did it!

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

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My Spiritual Journey: Guidance from the Dragonfly

Posted on July 9, 2016 by SpookyMrsGreen

This time of year is proving to be one of heightened emotional stress and upheaval, as I navigate the highs and lows of sending my children to school.

My eldest daughter has almost completed her first year at primary school, and my youngest daughter her first year at preschool. Both are very happy in their institutions, they are surrounded by friends and familiar faces, and I am happy with their development. But I am also exhausted by the monotony of the routine.

Photo of a dragonfly sitting on a leaf in a woodland area. Location Church Minshull in Cheshire, England. Spiritual Guidance from Dragonfly article written by Catherine Green of SpookyMrsGreen.com pagan lifestyle blog. Photo copyright Catherine Green.
Spiritual Guidance from Dragonfly by Catherine Green

Guidance from the Dragonfly

Every day for five days we get up, argue about lunches and school uniform, what to have for breakfast, and whether my girls will actually go to bed when I tell them to at night. Then we walk to school. Presently my toddler is at preschool for two and a half days in the week, and the rest of the time we are together constantly. She is very demanding, and I am also attempting to potty train her, which is not going very well at all. My husband is still working ridiculously long hours in his all-consuming day job, so I feel very much like a lone parent most of the time. And then I find myself consumed with the emotional stress from my fellow mum friends and their individual journeys with their children.

As if that stress were not traumatic enough, I am still frantically working away at my business, writing new novels, writing short stories, writing blog posts and articles that I can either pitch to publications, or publish online as appropriate. I am planning new projects, reaching out to new people, and basically expanding what I do in an attempt to earn some regular money that I can save for family holidays and a new car (or campervan). While I am spending so much time working on my computer, my house is falling into neglect, the dust grows thicker, toy mountain threatens to topple, and I desperately need to clean my bathroom. When will it all get done?

“Appreciate your experiences”

I don’t know. And all of these worries, thoughts, plans and challenges were circling in my mind as I walked to school with my toddler to collect her big sister yesterday. The weather was bleak. The sky was grey and heavy, threatening more rain. My energy felt clogged and sluggish. I had neglected myself, as well as my house. Suddenly, a blue blur flew past my face. I followed the creature as it settled on a large wet leaf on the plants at the side of the pavement. It was a beautiful, blue dragonfly. It remained still on the leaf as I approached, and it waited while I took a photo. It spoke to me.

“Do not beat yourself up,” said Dragonfly, “Appreciate your current experiences. Accept them, and move on. Everything is as it should be.”

Later I Googled the shamanic meaning of dragonfly, and this is what I found: The dragonfly, in almost every part of the world, symbolizes change, and change in the perception of self realisation; and the kind of change that has its source in emotional and mental maturity and the understanding of the deeper meaning of life.

Enough said! Thank you, wise Dragonfly.

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LGBT werewolf fantasy story “It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels)” by Catherine Green

Download your FREE copy of LGBT fantasy short story It’s Complicated (The Redcliffe Novels) and meet the werewolves of Cornwall, England.  Click here. 

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