Simple pleasures in a busy week!

It's a busy week- as always! Jim has gone to bed early with ear ache and is finding Line Managing hypochondriacs a challenge (+21 separate episodes illness in less than 12 months..some ladies let the side down lol!)- I thought I would try and write the romantic things that are still possible in a busy week when one of you is ill!!

• Make A TV Date- Dating in the Dark on a Tuesday on Living strangely gets us in the mood- for a good chat about relationships at the very least!
• Send lots of  little texts to each other in the day- 4 words and a symbol can say a lot!
• Clear up all the washing up early so your spouse can really enjoy/ get on with their work from home.
• Look at other people's blogs together- one of our followers has some amazing arty/erotic photos.
• Buy and steam and butter in-season asparagus- surprise your partner with an unexpected treat!
• When your partner is late, got caught in traffic, has work at a time you thought they were free- surprise them with your patience!
• Be interested in their day- remember where they said they were going/meetings they would be having and show you are genuinely interested.
• Give specific praise compliment them in a very 'ungeneral' way- I will quote 2 of Jim's texts this week:  Monday- "Thank u for listening last night. Sorry that i am so complicated xx have a wonderful day in ur sexy shorts" Today -" You looked really hot this morning. Have a wonderful day and i am so pleased u had a different Monday".

No babysitters ahhh!

Have tried ...both sets of parents, Godparents...and no babysitters can be found!!- Our daughters meanwhile have been in on the phonecalls and are now saying they will play happily, we will still have time for just the 2 of us and they will go to bed early without a fuss and leave us by the campfire!- they are actually ridiculously excited themselves about staying in a gypsy caravan..with us!!


So the challenge has changed, we need to be able to create that romance and closeness that time alone away together can allow to develop- with our children there too!- we will have to create some different ground rules for them from their normal ones where they realise the main aim of the time away is for Mummy and Daddy to be focussing on grown up time and  that their relationship for that weekend will be a priority. The girls know that we rate our relationship highly anyway but they do end up with us giving them the 'best of us' a lot of the time, which means that when they are finally in bed that we can be too tired and have used up a lot of inner resources already!.

It's booked .....

We have booked a gypsy caravan for two for the August Bank Holiday weekend...yay!-we have been there before and had a really fantastic time-nothing to do but read books, make a log fire and sit by the lake...red wine and toasting marshmallows  mmmm.......our task now!!!-to find a babysitter!

Pictures from last year .......

Challenge Number 2 ...

After a lovely day at the beach, eating fish and chips followed by Ice cream we returned home (with two tired children - one with a cut knee) to pick our romantic challenge for this week.

The challenge is .......... Book a romantic weekend away for 2!!

Yeah!!!!

New Challenge

Tonight after a visit to the beach we are going to pick our next challenge for the week. If you have any suggestions please get in touch - blog or email keeptheromancealive@gmail.com. We love hearing from you all.


Niamh and Jim x

Really think about what SHE would like..

Niamh..I had a really stressful day at work yesterday. I am a new teacher and if I classes go badly- I don't dwell on them in the day, but once night or early morning comes I lie awake going over them again and again in my mind..Jim knew I had a bad night, he got up when the girls did, brought me the most lush cappuccino in bed, found my old Delia book and made loads of pancake batter for me and the girls- mine were brought to me in bed... followed by would you believe it.. Eton Mess (with blueberries,strawberries and raspberries yum!).He then told me to stay upstairs as long as I wanted and from the noises downstairs (and the happy sound of Glastonbury blaring!) he is doing a load of clearing up downstairs. I am consequently lying in contented decadence and have the time to write this blog in bed. The self critical thoughts of the night now seem a world away. Thank you Jim!


Tip for making your partner feel REALLY special- ..in the early years of marriage Jim did kind things often but breakfast in bed (though still lovely) would have been a full English..because he would have brought me what he would have liked himself and also have been able to have some too. Jim this morning made pancakes which he hates! but has realised I would much prefer- Eton Mess he doesn't like either!-he ended up with a bowl of start I think! He really thought about what I would like...and that means even more to me..

Look at the Post It I found under my razor this morning!