So I have good news and bad news…the good news is we have another fabulous blogger to feature this week: Alison aka Madhouse Mum. A relative newbie to the #coolmumclub but a stellar contributor none the less, she even won best post just a couple of weeks back with her piece on The voice of experience. She’s got a wise head on those shoulders…obviously not been knocked off on any of those Taekwon-do fights yet…
The bad news guys is the guest series is being paused for the summer hols. Along with the linky…the two go hand in hand and we can’t have one without the other. Please drop me a line if you’d like to be featured for the grand return in September…I’m always looking for subjects 😉
Anyway, back to Alison. You are going to LOVE this one…
x MMT
Greetings fellow bloggers aka don’t recognise the kids anymore – too busy blogging, oh and job – what’s that?
I’m new to all this blogging lark and I’ll tell you what – it has knocked me for six…taken over my life (almost). It’s overwhelming! I started my blog: MadHouseMum – after my best friend in New Zealand sent me a book that she thought I would enjoy: Ali Smith, ‘How to be both’. The way the narrative is written, its conversational style, sparked something in me and my blog was born! In fact, the title is pretty apt for us bloggers and sums it up really.
Now I am a complete technophobe. No really. I know that others claim to be, but I am the real deal. Black boxes terrify the shit out of me, remote controls make me want to hide my head under the cushion and weep, I forget passwords, how to log in to everything, oh I could go on and on.
I can cope with Facebook and ‘get’ Instagram. (One of my daughters set it up for me). I set up a Twitter account and just link dumped for months – I’ve only just learnt what this means. I’m terrified that I am creating all sorts of faux pas on Twitter without even realising it. I did ask a fellow blogger whether I could swear (she said, ‘no’). I do sometimes swear in my blogs, though my mum says I should know better and my daughters sometimes shake their heads at me.
I have 4 daughters and one step daughter. I also have a step son, who lasted 6 months in this Mad House, before escaping to Australia and has not been seen (nor hardly heard from) since. My daughters are aged: 12, 14, 15 and 16 and my step daughter is 21. She has also escaped to Uni. So left living it up in the Mad House are myself and partner, 2 dogs, 2 cats and 4 girls. Yes, hormones fly around this house like fake nails, tights and wine: in copious amounts. Partner does have a shed, but it’s so full of crap that he can’t get in. He sold his motorbike to pay for something we needed at the time – probably more tights or tampons. All he has left to escape to is his drum kit and I even moan about that – poor bloke.
Our real job is running a Taekwon-do school together and teaching around 450 students a week. I’ve kicked and punched the hell out of people…ok…done Taekwon-do, since I was at university over 20 years ago. I’ve competed for England and Great Britain on and off – babies permitting – for about 20 years. I’m even a World Champion (gasp!) All the girls do Taekwon-do, all are black belts and teach in our classes. It keeps us all pretty sane for some of the time and gives us the tools to sort out any problems at other times, haha!
In my past life, with my ex, we took the girls on a trip around the world for 7 months. They were aged: 4, 6, 7 and 9. I wrote a blog about our travels that I e mailed to friends and family, but back then, 2008/9, blogging was not what it is now. Partner keeps telling me that I should turn that travel blog into a book. It obviously planted a seed for a love of blogging.
MadHouseMum is a blog about teenagers, dogs, random musings, stuff that I read in the papers or on social media and the odd poem thrown in. I’ve always loved poetry and my thesis at university was a poetry anthology. Partner is a graphic designer by trade and he does all my artwork. I keep it simple, get stressed when something in WordPress doesn’t work and get scared by a URL or a widget. It really doesn’t take much.
So, what are my aims for my blog? Well, I won’t be doing any product promoting. For me personally, that isn’t part of my journey. I just love writing. I love sharing my thoughts with others who then share theirs back. At the moment this is what my blog is about – a creative outlet like an artist paints a picture. I’m hoping that from my blogging, other creative ideas will sprout: I have just written a children’s book that I will shortly be sending to hundreds of publishers to get rejected over and over again and will want to give up and say: f@#k you all! I hope I am made of stronger stuff, however, and that my blogging journey will wind its merry way around different landscapes, meeting all sorts of different, wonderful and like-minded people along the way.
Looking forward to meeting you all. Pour a glass of something and settle yourselves down to check out: www.madhousemum.com and feel free to comment and tut away and feel totally embarrassed for me – I’m used to that with teenage daughters. As I mentioned before, I am also on Twitter: @MHouseMum (I actually had to go and look that up – you see, THAT’S how crap I am!) and Instagram: madhousemum01 (yes, looked that one up too).
Thanks for listening to skim reading my bollocks profile.
Alison x
Sunita July 22, 2016
Wow Alison! Taekwon-do champion? You have serious skills for motherhood. I used to do kung fu years ago and wish I’d kept it up now. Lovely reading more about you!
And Sarah – enjoy your well deserved Linky break. We’ll all miss the linky but it will be worth waiting for! X #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
There certainly are some transferable skills there, but not all! Thank you for commenting #coolmumclub
Sunita July 28, 2016
Great you can keep up your Taekwon-do skills and your kids are learning their own too. Great way to teach kids some kind of discipline, team work and focus. #coolmumclub
One Messy Mama July 23, 2016
Hi Alison! So great to meet you! LOVE your sense of humor! I used to do Kickboxing, but I was 18 then. Not sure I could get a kick in now! 🙂 … Was great getting to “know” you! x #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
You should think about taking it up again – such a great stress buster! Thank you for your comments #coolmumclub
rightroyalmother July 28, 2016
Hurray, it works now! (Sorry, just that my computer is being more annoying than a whiny toddler at the moment!) Lovely to meet you – very impressed with the Taekwondo and even more that you have so many children! I’ve always thought having so many girls might be a bit like Pride & Prejudice but then I remember we have electricity and running water now, so they probably don’t all sit around writing letters. You’ve confirmed it. So sorry, rambling now… better go and feed NC, who is definitely making this place into a mad house at the moment (throwing himself down the stairs and growling). Enjoy the break #coolmumclub Queens – you deserve it!!
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
Haha! Thank you for your lovely rambles. I hope we don’t get all the grief with boyfriends that they did in those books! Alison x #coolmumclub
thefrenchiemummy July 28, 2016
Such a great thing to have travelled for years like that. What an experience for your tribe! #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
It was fantastic experience and we didn’t all kill each other…the subsequent divorce was unconnected! Thank you for commenting. Alison x #coolmumclub
beautybabyandme July 28, 2016
This cracked me up! I love your style of writing and can’t wait to read lots more from you xxx #coolmuclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
Aw thank you – lovely comments which are much appreciated. Alison x #coolmumclub
Lisa Robb (@workingmumy) July 28, 2016
Great post!! I love how when people take up blogging it takes over everything haha.
Lx
http://workingmumy.blogspot.com
#CoolMumClub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
I know! I never expected it to…how naive was I?! Thank you for commenting. Alison x #coolmumclub
OddHogg July 28, 2016
Your house sounds a lot of fun! Your poor partner must just shake his head with 4 teenage girls in the house haha #coolmumsclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
He tries to hide, but we find him 🙂 Thank you for commenting. Alison x #coolmumclub
blabbermama July 28, 2016
Great to know and find out a bit more about you Alison! Keep trying with your children’s book. I know it sucks to get rejected or get that apparently ‘tailor’ made email saying ‘potential but not for us’ but someone will pick it up! I write also, I’ve got a physiological thriller at the literary agents at the mo so just quietly getting through the rest of the chapters! #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
Thank you for your encouragement and good luck with your book. It’s hard to find the time to do everything – I admire you. Alison x #coolmumclub
Jessica Foley (@ModernMomsLife) July 28, 2016
These meet the members posts are great. I love learning about the ladies (or gentlemen) behind the blogs. Makes their writing even better, I think. Alison, I’m amazed and inspired by your post. I hope I’m still as sane as you when my kiddos are teenagers! (I only have 2, but still…)
~Jess
#coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
Thank you! I don’t always feel sane, but definitely mad 🙂
motherhoodtherealdeal July 28, 2016
Wowzers I won’t be messing with Alison! RESPECT! Lovely to get to know this #coolmumclub lovely a little better! xxx
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
Well at the moment I’m nursing a bad back and two dodgy shoulders, so now’s the time! Thank you for hosting such a great linky and for having me 🙂 Alison x
powerporter July 28, 2016
Lovely to meet you!! Your introduction has left a lovely smile on my face so off to (check – sorry) that I’m following you on Twitter and Instagram!! #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
Lovely to meet you too 🙂 It’s good to link up with you. Alison x #coolmumclub
Rhyming with Wine July 28, 2016
I didn’t know that you were an actual professor of poems? *Goes a bit wide eyed and considers some of the toot that I have published under the vague title of “poetry”* *cringes a bit*. I’m hugely impressed by your Taekwon-do too lovely and your family business sounds amazing. Fab to hear a bit more about you. Big fan of your writing xx
Thank you for sharing MMT, and hosting, and general awesomeness. Hope you have a fab summer break xx
Sarah July 28, 2016
Wow! Taekwon do champion, all those pets, all those children. Respect to you!!! Oh and your partner, all those girls and no shed!!! #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
I know – poor chap! He does have a few guitars and a drum kit though 🙂 Thank you for commenting. Alison x #coolmumclub
letyourlightshinemummy July 28, 2016
Woah, you are mega talented, great writing and a Taekwon-do champion, flippin eck. Lovely to get to know you better. #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
You are way too kind, but thank you 🙂 Alison x #coolmumclub
Squirmy Popple July 28, 2016
A Taekwon-do champion AND mother to all those girls? I don’t know how you manage it, but I tip my hat to you! I’ve followed you on Twitter and look forward to hearing about all your madness. 🙂 #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
I love a challenge! Good to connect with you. Thank you for commenting. Alison x #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
Oh my goodness Dawn, don’t cringe at my expense – your poetry is awesome. Every time. I just love playing about with words. Your poetry is extremely clever and brilliant. Thank you for your comments. Alison x #coolmumclub
mumworkrepeat July 28, 2016
What the ****! How on earth did you manage with all those children when they were younger? Let alone now they’re older? Never mind being a Taekwon-do Champ, you’re a Mother Champ too! #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 28, 2016
Ah, that’s so kind. I ran the house like a military boot camp when they were younger, but teens don’t seem to respond so well to that approach! Thank you so much for your lovely comments. Alison x #coolmumclub
mumof3 July 28, 2016
Wow! Great feature and lovely to read about you, Alison. Inspiring stuff! And I’m also in awe of everything you’ve done and are doing. Always fancied trying Taekwon-do but always also been a teeny bit scared of it. Love your writing here, now following you on Twitter and will be checking out your blog. #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 29, 2016
Thank you for your lovely comments. You really should give Tkd a go – you may be hooked! Good to link up. Alison x #coolmumclub
min1980 July 28, 2016
Wow, I think I might be a little bit in love with you just from reading this. Tae-kwondo champ and world traveller. I need to read your blog! #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 29, 2016
Ha! Aw *blushes* Thank you for your comments 🙂 Alison x #coolmumclub
Cheryl @ Tea or Wine July 29, 2016
Hah!! Lovely to meet you Alison, you sound like my kind of woman who is terrified by technology! Also intrigued by your children’s book, sounds exciting! Look forward to checking out your blog. #coolmumclub X
alisonlonghurst July 29, 2016
I am so terrified of technology that since partner got Apple TV (apparently), I haven’t even gone in the room! Thank you for connecting. Alison x #coolmumclub
Sarah@teammomlife July 29, 2016
It was great getting to know you a little bit. I definitely understand your need to take a little bit of a break. Thanks for sharing about yourself. #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 29, 2016
Thank you for commenting. It is good to connect. Alison x #coolmumclub
twolittlepiggles July 30, 2016
Great post – from one technophobe to another well done! Brilliant to also hear about people blogging about older children mine are v young and naturally you are therefore linked into lots of baby blogs. The travel book sounds like a plan you should do it! #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst July 30, 2016
Thank you so much for your comments. If I ever find the time, I may well write the book…:)
Mrs Lighty July 30, 2016
Love this! I haven’t come across your blog yet Alison but I’ll be in the look out for it now! Thanks for introducing yourself to #coolmumclub 🙂
alisonlonghurst July 31, 2016
Thank you! It’s great to link up with all these amazing bloggers.
The Speed Bump August 1, 2016
Wow congratulations on your achievements! A world champion in TKD, a children’s book AND an awesome blog – you’re superwoman, not to mention the four teenage girls and all the hormones they bring with them! #coolmumclub
alisonlonghurst August 1, 2016
Thank you! I’m no more superwoman than any of us, honestly. I’m just hardwired for a challenge! You are very kind with your lovely comments 🙂