It’s expensive in LazyTown

My mum and I took Natan to LazyTown Live at the Lowry Centre this afternoon.  As I’ve mentioned before, Natan is completely obsessed with LazyTown.  It was his first trip to the theatre and we weren’t quite sure how he would react. 

We needn’t have worried.  He absolutely loved it.  It was amazing to watch him and to see how he reacted to it all - the singing, the dancing, all the characters.  He kept checking that his Sportacus jacket was on straight – gorgeous!  I was so proud of him.

I didn’t mind the cost of the tickets and having to pay full price for Natan’s (even though he isn’t even 2 and 1/2 yet!).  I didn’t even mind the £5 programme and poster or the £10 Sportacus cap, the £4.50 ice creams or even the £5 flashing stick!  No….it was the £4 balloons on sale by the exit at the end of the show that tipped me over the edge.  Have you ever tried to tell a 2 year old that you’ve already spent the best part of £100 on the afternoon out and that he doesn’t really need a balloon on top of everything else?  Needless to say, we came away with a balloon.  

It was all worth it though.  Natan sang songs from the show all the way home.  He would not let go of his balloon or his hat and at bedtime he recounted the story to me of how Roboticus had broken Stingy’s bike and how Sportacus had come back to win the race.  Now, that was priceless…

A sad loss to Manchester

I was shocked and saddened to hear today of the death of Michael Todd, the highly respected Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police.

I met Michael only once, through my work at the IoD, and was impressed by how approachable and accessible he was.  I know he was respected and well-loved by the business community in Manchester as well as the wider community.

He will be sadly missed and my condolences go out to his family at what must be an awful time.

Can you have it all?

No, not without compromise and guilt, according to the formidable and impressive Margaret Ewing, Deloitte’s CFO, and one of only two women to have made it to the top in the firm with a seat on Deloitte’s UK Executive Board.

Margaret has a CV to die for and shared her story with over 60 women invited to celebrate International Women’s Day at Deloitte’s new offices in Spinningfields, Manchester last night. 

Deloitte is doing a lot of work in this area to enable its people to work flexibly and progress through their careers.

It was inspiring to hear Margaret’s story of trying to balance her talent, her ambition, her hard work and her family.  I am not sure I personally could have coped with the huge pressures of Margaret’s career, like the time she came back from maternity leave three months after the birth of her first child and was told that she was going on a six-month assignment to Montreal.   

People’s stories were as interesting as they were different and everyone had their own story of juggling home, children, career, husbands, partners and even cats! 

I continue to grapple with my guilt, with my own personal juggling and balancing act, with compromise - every day - but I am loving the challenge of life and work.  Being a mum is the best, and I know that being a working mum is the only way for me.

The innocence of children

Why do two-year old boys insist on pulling down their trousers in public?  Is it simply because they can?  Just wondered.

Our friends, Paul and Jackie, came round today.  Natan was over-excited as he loves Paul and Jackie.  He showed his excitement by taking his trousers off and stomping around proudly in his nappy and socks.

He also has just discovered that he’s got nipples.  He is particularly intrigued by this.  He greeted the babysitter at the door last night and said proudly:  “I got nipples, Kate.” and then proceeded to show her. 

And this is just the beginning…

The stuff of films

I’ve just seen a bloke picking daffodils from the side of the main road in the rain, in broad daylight, and walking off with a huge bunch of them.  I thought that sort of thing only happened on the TV or in films.  He must be seriously in the dog house.  My guess is that he is late back from the football. 

Anthony went to the match today to see United lose at home to Portsmouth in the FA Cup.   Usually I would enjoy those kind of moments but City lost to Reading today so I am saying nothing! 

Meeting Sven

The IoD North West Annual Conference at the City of Manchester Stadium was a huge success for the IoD and for Out There Events.

BJ Cunningham was a particular hit.  I was personally very happy to have my photo taken with Sven-Goran Eriksson, who went down very well with the audience.

I was proud and excited to be on the other side of the fence and delivering a first class event for the IoD in my new role at Out There Events.

Apres Ski for the Prince’s Trust

We had a great evening as guests of Jane Luca from ITV Granada and her husband at the Prince’s Trust Apres Ski Ball at the Lowry Hotel last weekend.  – A great table and an exceptionally enjoyable evening. 

As grandma and grandpa are currently away on a cruise in the States, Natan was with a babysitter so we had to get home at a more reasonable hour and left the Lowry at 1 am with the party still in full swing.  This probably saved us from ourselves.  Sunday was  needless to say still a struggle with an active two year old to entertain, but we managed – just. 

A funny shaped ball

Anthony and I went to Sale Sharks last week as guests of Ralli Solicitors and had a great evening.  However, I have to admit not really “getting” rugby. A few things struck me about the evening:

1. Rugby is not football

2. I do not understand rugby

3. Rugby is played with a funny shaped ball – not a football

4. Rugby players are huge

5. Rugby players spend most of the game on the ground in the mud or on top of eachother

6. The Manchester corporate community loves rugby

7.  Corporate involvement and sponsorship is much more easily accessible in rugby than football.