www.homefrontforces.com

Today www.homefrontforces.com has had a lovely feature in the Southampton Daily Echo we are touched by the supportive comments of Monique Bateman of the RN & RM Children's Fund. And completely focused on working hard to secure sponsorship to take our project to stage two, secure communication for children affected by deployment.

Back again

I have been a really bad blogger but here i am back again. Lots and lots has happened since Elizabeth's birthday lets do a list

1) Mr M has been away toooo much
2) We have celebrated Easter and eaten tooo much chocolate
3) We have met Jim Knight former MP
4) We have met John Denham former MP
5) We have met Bob Ainsworth former MP
6) We are still working hard www.homefrontforces.com
7) We have been thrifty
8) we have cool camped twice
9) I have started a twitter account
10)I have rediscovered a letter from my sister-in-law that made me feel she was right here
11)An election has been called
12)John and i have cooked a Storm at Play Radio
13)We have drunk lots of coffee
14)We have popped lots of popcorn
15)We have enjoyed the sunshine
16)We have grown two lovely sunflower plants from seed
17)We have sewn bunting
18)We have had long telephone conversations with friends
19)We have been to party's
20)We have had play dates
21)We have been on bike rides
22)We have eaten ice-cream
23)We have been invited to a wedding
24)We have worn a big flower every day
25)We have laughed
26)We have cried
27)We have been naughty (even me)
28)We have tried to be kind
29)We have kissed
30)We have slept

We are happy to be alive

Elizabeth is 8

Yesterday Elizabeth reached the grand age of eight we had a themed party Cowboy/cowgirl party it was fab. And here is why

1)We had the party at home
2)Mr M cooked on the barbecue veggie sausages and burgers
3)All the children dressed up in checked shirts and denim they looked fab
4)Elizabeth has really nice friends
5)Our autistic neighbour came too and he had a lovely time playing up stairs in the quiet but very occasionally coming downstairs to join in
6)I got to sing 9-5 very loud five times
7)Mr M and i got so tired that i was asleep before the little people
8)Elizabeth has the sweetest card written to her and this is what it said ( and how it was spelt)
Dear,Elizabeth
cant wait for tomurrow
Best friend ever had yet!In year 3 ( heart picture,! *) you are eight

After five children and lots of party's i really really do believe that the best best party's are at home and homespun.

Spring is here

Is it it me or has spring arrived it is so good.Today i have planted a few tubs of spring flowers, washing is drying outside on the roof terrace,children are playing in the garden this is the life!!!!! And tonight Mr M is cooking tea outside on the barbecue how great is that.

Other Matthews news Alex, is getting soooo good at writing that he was able to write the following for Elizabeth birthday card 'Elizabeth is a pig' written very nicely but i don't think so.

Things i am really enjoying this week
1) working on my project
2) sewing
3) baking for Elizabeths party
4) celebrating cowboys and cowgirls the theme of Elizabeths party
5) enjoying Mr M no nights out this week hurrah

In bed with my lovers

Its Saturday morning and i am in bed with my lovers. Lover one is my laptop who is on top of my covers, and lover two i am gazing at it is my sewing machine. You will be glad to know Mr M is sat up in bed with his love ( the laptop.)What is Mr M doing with his lover looking at his dumps on line seeing how much gas they are generating.

I love Saturday morning because i become a slummy mummy throw cereal at the children put the television on, go back up to my nest (bed) with a big pot of coffee.

The witch

Today over breakfast Elizabeth started and the temperature in the house got hot hot hot and she would not stop stop stop.We then became late not helped by the fact that Seren wanted to take a pushchair with a witch so we piled into the car arriving very late.We then got to drop off one with me shouting 'come on we are late!!!!!!' at that point i fell over the pushchair and landed on my bottom in the road.

Now all are at school and i am going to take it real slow with a strong cup of coffee and give thanks for school because i can

1) have a coffee
2) go to the loo in peace
3) have a meeting about our project
4) be still
5) just be me

I love my family but sometimes i want to just be me

Courage

Today's thought for the day on Radio 2 was courage. Which started me thinking what is courage it can be

1) fighting for your country
2) political
3) religious
4) illness
5) trying something new

My brother has great courage and strength he made the decision to support the doctors in allowing my sister-in-law to float into heaven. That took great courage.

Russell then spoke in front of family and friends about Elizabeth and how much he loved her. Again great courage.

Six months on he is starting a new life going on holiday catching up with old friends. I am very proud of my brother because throughout his thirty's he has shown a courage i don't believe i have

Clean Windows

Today is a slow day no nursery rush as Seren has sticky eyes. So the only clock we have to watch is the three o'clock end of school the joy of having a little bit more time. So its just after ten in the morning and i have cleaned all the windows which involves that horrible feeling that you are going to fall as you spin the window round. I have took deliver of our new Summer home ( a tent !) done some ironing and cleaned the kitchen. The sun is out and i am happy

Monday Morning

Yesterday in Church the sermon was about being prepared for some sort of chaos resulting in the world as we know it never being the same again. I think this would happen when god has enough spot on disciples and therefore comes back to lead us onwards. It sounded very frightening, perhaps that makes me not Christian enough.I can handle the sort of normal chaos life throws at you but this sounded much bigger. Then i started to think be prepared does this mean from now on i should always be on top of the ironing.I have slept on this over night and although i have loads of ironing, and today could be the day, i am going to meet my friend J for a coffee.

Riding a Bike

Last night a fantastic event happened in our shared communal space our neighbour who has autism suddenly learnt to ride a bike without stabilisers.He just got on Alex's bike and went for it. When i said to S wow what have you just done he looked at me and said 'What Anna?' i said to S 'you just road Alex's bike without Stabilisers!' he said 'I must tell my MOM'. How cool is that i felt so happy

Five really great reasons to be happy
1) i have a great husband
2) i have great cool kids
3) i have a fab place to live with cool neighbours
4) i have a god that loves me
5) Mr M has an interview for a cool new job

Seconds

For a second this morning over my bridge the sky was the most perfect orange/red glow i felt happy and warm.Today is a big day we as a team get to present a business concept that we have been developing since December.The finished product is as perfect as the sky we are blessed with a good creative team and a product that will bring families together.I pray for a brighter future and the opportunity to create and host something unique and special

Sun

How great is the sun this morning how happy does it make me feel. Mr M has flown to Scotland to go play 'stig of the dump', and me i have a major presentation on Wednesday so head down and focus.Things to celebrate today

1)sunshine
2)my hubby and children
3)pin on flowers
4)the hairdresser that trimmed my hair for £4 this morning
5)tea and cake

Mad March

Things to enjoy in March

1) two special birthdays
2) a journey to Germany
3) a chance to shine
4) mothers day
5) more sun light
6) sewing
7) walking
8) daffodils
9) bike riding
10)time by the sea
11)prayer
12)reading blogs
13)colour
14)cup of coffee outside on the roof terrace
15)laughter
16)friendship
17)cake
18)fruit tea
19)love
20)hope

Sunday Sewing

Today i went to a workshop with my neighbour Stephanie and learnt how to do this, i was soooo happy with the result when i brought it home i cried

Happy

Things to be happy about

1)Elizabeth Say's i am the best mom in the world and she love me because i can do french prayers
2)Driving over bumps today in the car Seren was happy because that made my bottom tickle
3)Alex is very happy because he has new school shoes
4)Mr M is happy because its Friday and we have been out on a date
5)I am happy because i was very naughty and brought a new dress

The Matthews family today are a happy bunch

French Plaits, Nits and Winning

Its Friday and we are still battling Nits in Elizabeths hair she is trying to work out who can be giving it to her. Quite funny that she has suddenly connected that someone is not treating it and who could it be. In desperation i have decided i have to learn a new skill how to French Plait i have tried before over the last twenty years and failed but with today's technology you can watch videos on-line and try to learn. Watch this space for an update of how i progress last night i had five attempts each one getting better, both Mr M and i tried, shouting instructions at each other the women demonstrating makes it look too easy.

As for winning about a month ago in Alexs class they had a competition to make a paper tower Mr M spent ages on it with a tiny bit of assistance from Alex. Big news last night Alex came out of school and said 'Dads won' Mr M is very happy Alex is very happy. We get the prize today i figure it will be sweets or choccy all Mr M wants to know is do we get the winning paper tower back.

Food

I love food and this morning the little people had hot homemade bread rolls for breakfast this started me thinking about food and what i love

1) Homemade bread with butter
2) Baked beans have to be saucepan cooked not microwaved(Mr M)
3) Boiled eggs five mins so they are soft
4) Jacket potatoes have to be oven baked to get that lovely crispy skin
5) Porridge with brown sugar and chopped banana
6) Cheese on toast bread toasted on one side then cheese sliced on top pop under the grill lovely
7) Scrambled eggs again has to be made in a saucepan
8) Raw spinach
9) Hobnob dipped in a cup of coffee
10)Runny Brie

This has started me thinking what would my last meal be jacket potatoe with butter, baked beans (would have to be branded) and grated cheese.

Bed Sharing

People are often curious to where our children sleep we have a modern four bedroom house, and the three little people have spent most of their little lives sharing a room. But when Matthew left home last February Elizabeth gained the luxury of her own room,leaving Alex and Seren to share. In their room they have a bunk bed and also a little cotbed by choice they sleep like an old married couple curled up like mini spoons.I was recently talking to a friend who foster children she has a little boy and a little girl that are even closer in age to Alex and Seren. When we chatted about our sleeping habits she said that the agency she works with would not approve even though they are siblings. She says its hard sometimes because some of the things you natural do as a mom such as put a child in bed with you when they are poorly you just can't do.I think snuggling up to a sibling when you are little is the most natural thing and i will be sad when the bunk bed starts beginning used

Time for me

This weekend has been busy sorting out the social commitments of two daughter Alicia (18)and Elizabeth(7)between them they have had the following three party's,a baptism,a shopping drip and also a drive two hour drive back to University all in the space of 48 hours.I am really hoping that tomorrow all the little one can go to school because i have so much to do and shhhh its not housework it's a business project i am working on.

Housework

I do lots of housework and i pray often for a little housework fairy that would flutter in and just tidy up. I would also like her to cosy up my house turn on the fairy lights that i have dotted about the place plump up the odd cushion. This would save the odd meltdown i have with Mr M .........

I love Fridays

Its Friday evening nearly nine and i am happy because Mr M is about to come home, its the start of the weekend and we will be doing lots of this

1) weekend papers
2) lots of coffee
3) lying in
4) eating more as family
5) going to church

I love the weekends and i love my family

Sunshine

Its Friday and the sun is out five things i love about the sun

1) Riding my bike
2) Bright clothes
3) Sand and Sea
4) Picnics
5) Lighter nights

the summer is on its way or at least spring

Bathing

In my home we still all get in the bath together all three little people. Tonight Alex was soaping Serens back, and i stopped for a second and i thought very soon this will stop, and like most things in childhood i will not know that its the last time. I breastfed all my baby's but Seren only for six weeks the rest got at least a year one even got two and a half years. I just did not have the time to feed the youngest of the litter so the bottle was best i felt sad but knew it was for the best.Sweet dear Angel Elizabeth sent a big bunch of flowers with a little card that said 'Flowers for you do not feel sad.'Although never a mom she understood you want them to grow but with each new stage you feel a sadness too.

Mom why ?

We have had an ongoing battle with nits probably for the last fifteen years and the only way to get on top of them i believe is the comb and conditioner. I must have spent hours doing this Elizabeth asked the Question 'Mommy why do you kill nits when they are a living creature's. In some parts of the world we just would not bother, a friend who is involved in care told me a story about a family who happily shared their life with a family of mice to the point where the cereal boxes moved around the lounge. She said ' a mouse is in your weetabix box' the reply was 'i know i don't like weetabix' this made me think did they buy weetabix to feed the mice. I calculate i will spend at least the next ten years combing out nits why because nits are not nice that's the answer Elizabeth.

Happy Wednesday

I had a lovely Wednesday. Today i cooked Chicken Pie on my little radio slot it was such fun and looked yummy, my cookery slot always brings back memory's of home economics at school.The reason why is i have to put all the ingredients into little plastic containers i do this in the morning as i am on air at midday, i always had to do this the night before when i was at school.I have to take my apron and i put it all in a wicker basket which as a grown up feels funky and cool but as teenager felt sooo wrong.It was quite competitive home economics in fact my friend R hit a girl because she had the cheek to say her Victoria Sandwich looked greasy !!!!

Last week i had a long conversation with my friend B in which i said that we never really change our true self, we can fight it and i have. But here's a big confession i am never really happier than when my home is clean and tidy and my children and hubby are happy. So when i choose my options at fourteen i look back and i did follow my heart

1) Childcare (used)
2) Home Econmics (used)
3) Religous Studies (used)
4) Geography (complete waste of time God created the maker of the satnav)
5) Sewing (used and about to be used more )

Love

A dear friend has got engaged over the weekend and is so excited busy planning a wedding. A wedding is a very special day to celebrate love followed hopefully with the birth of a child.

Today i want to celebrate Marriage and everyday love is like this

1) The couple counting down the days till he leaves to serve his country
2) The couple raising a family
3) The couple running a business
4) The couple working hard to recover from infidelity
5) The couple living with illness

I have to go as i have Seren all floppy and cuddly on my lap,love is what we are planning this afternoon at my house and lots of it.

Half Term Madness

Day one of half term its not ten yet and we have already set the fire alarm off with our pancake burning.Had a mad search for Mr M's wallet (this was before seven!)

Its going to be another slow day at the madhouse because the girls are still wolf like. Five things we are going to be enjoy today

1) Horrid Henry (love it)
2) Diggerland we are planning a day out here very soon and we love the website.Diggerland.com is the best jingle in the land
3) Baking a yummy cake
4) Building large towers with Mega Bloks
5) Pretending to take photo's of each other and getting really mad (Elizabeth)

How will i get through lots of strong black coffee

Love and Mr M

Today is our wedding anniversary we have been married eight years. Eight special things about Mr M

1) We met fourteen years ago
2) I found him in the yellow pages
3) After knowing Mr M for two years he asked 'Are you available in an evening'
4) He is a Yorkshire man who can speak Welsh
5) He is very clever BSc(hons),MBA,CEng,MIChemE, but when he washes up it like a toddler has been playing
6) He makes the cutest babies
7) He is very hard working
8) He gave up everything to be with me

I Love Mr M very much xxxxxxx

Cleaning the Shower Head

Yes after four days of being at home with my little family of coughing wolves.

I am having to be creative and find things to do; so don't tell Mr M but today i am cleaning the shower head with his very special Cider Vinegar (that will teach him to be away three nights on a trot !!!!!!)I just want you to know i have left a little bit in the bottle and promise to replace when i can leave the house.I am not yet that desperate that i have cleaned the oven but just watch this space....

Five lovely things we are going to do today

1) Make Alicia's bed (yippee she is coming home tomorrow)
2) Drinking very strong coffee (that's me)
3) Making Valentine Cards (for Theo and Florence and Ben)
4) Watching Horrid Henry (that's all of us because its very simply great)
5) Make a very yummy welcome home cake (for Mr M)

Home

We are home again me a littlest people Elizabeth is really not up to being out in the cold her cough sounds like a wolf. Mr is away on business will not be home till Thursday night, this is not going to sound very correct but someone if you have children has to keep house.And i am good at it; but sometimes i have a real longing to be out their, making money contributing to the pot, but when i try i always get lead back to the plain fact that someone has to be home.

Here are five reasons why

1)Home is where the heart is
2)Home should be tidy and comfortable
3)Home should smell of baking
4)Home should have draws of clean ironed clothes
5)Home is where the mom should be ( this is very important if you have a cough like a wolf)

No School Tuesday

Today we are not going to school as we have the loudest cough doing the rounds with the little three. I love no school days because we don't have to rush we can take life real slow.....

We can

1) stay in our pj's longer
2) we do not have to look at the clock all day
3) we can have pancakes for breakfast
4) we can have lots of extra cuddles
5) i can write my blog at eight forty when normally we would be walking to school

I love no school days and in the words of Seren this morning when she picked up the white milk jug and carefully poured the milk over her honey hoop cereal 'its amazing mom'

Judging

You can't sit in the seat if you don't wear the wig !!!!!!
Yesterday at church the sermon was about judging,an example would be not judging our neighbour this is hard.

On Saturday in the Guardian i read about a 3 year old who had died in her family home in the most appalling circumstances.I read the article and i made a judgement on the wider family and social services who had failed this child.

Later the children and i attended a party the pretties little albino child was their he looked like a cherub.Seren had a orange balloon that was very attractive to this little boy and he came over and punched her, i tried to intervene and he hit me. We were frighted of him, so we sat in the corner playing with a garage he came over again and was physical with us. I said to the children he looks so sweet, Alex said 'he looks sweet but his horrible!!!!'Now reader do not judge me here, my 4 year old daughter was seemingly absorbed playing with a car she said 'he is a pain in the ass!!!'

Can i just say we really do not know how she had learnt this expression......

The Dog

Today i met my friend Kate for Coffee at Pret. As I walked to the coffee shop the Big Issue seller spoke to me said I looked lovely, they know I cannot buy the reason is this

1) Back in 2000 i regularly brought the Big Issue
2) In 2001 the Big issue seller in Swindon told me how hard it was on the streets with the level of abuse he received
3) I offered him a job
4) The job centre trained him to use a fork lift truck
5) He never turned up for his first day at work

Therefore i cannot buy a big issue, but i can buy a big cup of hot tea and a nice choccy cake.

I met friend Kate when i was walking my wayward toddlers and she was walking her very well behaved dogs. As I brought my goods i said to the girl serving me the tea is for the big issue sellar wait for my friend she will come in and just be concerned for the dog. In came Kate have you seen the dog with the big issue seller...

PS he loved the tea and cake and the dog looks happy too. Kate told me

Working Wednesday

I have an hours work on a Wednesday. Its really quite lovely as I do a little cookery slot on Play Radio, today John and I made bread, cooking is quite sensual anyway but its even more so when you have to make lots of noise like ahhhh and ohhhhh. The finished loaf is really good and John will eat it on his show in the morning.

Today i also did this, still not blonde but back to my normal cut (yippee!!!!!) other style made me look like Miss Hooley.......

I have learnt a new word

Tonight as i wrapped my five year old up in a soft blue towel he looked at me and said 'I have learnt a new word its a swear word and a mean word its Bugger'.

I should be out tonight a friend asked me over for a girly night food,drink and chat, I had to cancel this morning when I realised that Cliff would not be back until late. I sent an email at seven this morning to say really sorry am not going to be able to make it tonight, I have had no response back. This friend is properly the most difficult person I have to handle, she has reduced me to tears on more than one occasion just because she is in a bad mood. I am now worried about my next move, do I call her ,do I drop off flowers ???? And although I would have liked a night out, she wanted us their at seven and I like to be here at seven.

And why do I like to be here at seven, because I like to wrap my children up in a towel and know what my children have learnt ......

Elizabeth

Well they are in bed. It's difficult to put into words how a day mothering Elizabeth (7) is, she is very hard on herself therefore anything, be it something being tipped up or someone just looking at her, can set her off. Tonight after school her friend came to play they dressed up in Indian suits, made pizza for tea, played on the computer, went outside in our communal garden and played with a neighbour. The neighbour who is six and autistic then came into play, it was all quite highly charged but manageable because i was on my own which makes it easier (no adult conversation my 110% concentration). Pizza was ate and enjoyed, i served pudding and then the door went it was Elizabeth friends mother,between leaving the children eating greek yogurt and honey and opening my front door (1 min) Elizabeth started to scream. The child's mother must have wondered what was going on and the truth is nothing, Elizabeth was just being Elizabeth, after they had gone i tried to explain how that would look to friends mother. But i am wasting my breathe, I love Elizabeth and here are five special things about her

1)Elizabeth was named Elizabeth after my sweet sister-in-law (she is up in the clouds with the angels watching over us all)
2) Elizabeth is Welsh ( the only one in our family that is Welsh)
3) Elizabeth was born in the bathroom at home (this was planned)
4) Elizabeth is a good at both reading and spelling ( better at spelling than Alicia who is eighteen)
5) Elizabeth is the best litter picker the police have in this area (she has a certificate to proof it)

My long term hope for Elizabeth and my mental health is that she will lighten up ......

Sunday 31st January

The day started with a big toddler nose bleed, cause unknown. Do we want to know, did Seren trip or was she pushed, it's a little Matthews' mystery. Then it was off to church, Seren and Alex go to infant Sunday school, and had made a tree which had involved lots of cutting, colouring and glueing. They proudly sat on the floor waiting for a chance to tell the congregation about the master piece; when Alex was asked what they had made and why, he just said the word 'because'. Really quite deep! The rest of the today was taken up with chores Alicia room now looks ready for her next visit home (not many sleeps now.) And afternoon tea of really yummy Victoria sandwich with buttercream and jam filling, topped with pink icing and pink hearts.

Saturday 30th January - Disco Fever

Last night was disco fever. Alex attended his second school disco this involved

1)A bath after school (Alex's decision)

2)Hair blow dried (we like the surfer look its cool !)

3)On entering the school reception being grabbed by the first year 1 girl that spots you (he is very popular it might be because he is really into pollypocket)

4)Inhaler twice (lots of dancing and its hot hot hot)

5)Fun Fun Fun

Take a look at some pics

Friday 29th January

This morning before nine i lost my temper with the bank. My card was refused and i had a meltdown rang my bank to be told they could not help because long ago i had signed up for on-line banking. I asked to speak to her manager and in a very controlled way told her that 'British Banks are as illegal an operation as Brothels ' typing this i wonder did make any sense. Any way at this point sensing i was going to blow she decided to help me she looked into my account details and asked if i had recieved a new card at that point the penny dropped and i had to say 'Sorry'. This got me thinking about the word sorry i use it a lot my hubby rarely uses it prehaps a couple of times a year. This started me thinking what things am i really sorry about for today i have limited it to five and will not utter the word all day (this is going to be hard)

1) My sister-in-law Elizabeth i am sad that before you died i did not have the chance to say how much i loved you (sorry)
2)To all my children i am sad that sometimes in the rush of days and weeks we do not get nearly enough slow time (sorry)
3) To my body i am sad that i have spent too much time worrying about my weight on a daily basis.You are very wonderful and you have very carefully nutured five babies into the world.Thankyou (sorry)
4)To my hair should you really be red are you better blonde (sorry)
5)To my husband for sometimes in temper saying things that i untrue and very mean (sorry)

Thats it for now must fly

Thursday 28th January

Today i left the house my friend Julia very kindly picked me up and took me to her house for lunch. Ruby and Seren had a lovely big play and general hung out like four years olds do, i just chatted with an adult outside of my own four walls it was lovely. And in the afternoon i had a very excited and proud Alicia on the phone with the results from her first term of Uni she had an A in accounts. I am very proud of Alicia and i love her very much and here are just five reasons why (lots more will follow)

1) Strong sense of self at 18 (proud)
2) At 16 Alicia lost her hair and was brave and confident (proud)
3) Kind (proud)
4) Wicked sense of fun (proud)
5) She can cook a mean lasagne (proud thats a good dish and she makes the cheese sauce herself)

Alicia if you do read this i am proud of you and love you lots. Being eighteen she is a good reader too so i am hopeful she will read this and know. I would like to add to my other children and my husband i am proud and love you all too but today is about Alicia she got an A.

Wednesday 27th January

Today i feel slightly better but i am having to be very careful do a bit and then take a break. Have discovered some good day time shows one that is about a house gift i am going to have to wean myself of this otherwise i will never go out. Alex is really struggling with his Asthma Cliff was up twice in the night giving him the inhaler and at one point tried to leave him in the lounge while he got something 'don't leave me i am frightened' he said. Word of my week will be slow

Sunday 24th January

I have not written for a few days as i have really hurt my back,very stupidly picking up a woolly hat on Friday morning. So my weekend has been really slow with Cliff cooking,cleaning and looking after the children. He has done a very good job kids are all in bed hair washed and ready for school, i have slept and just tried to rest. Fingers crossed the pain will go soon

Thursday 21st January

Sickness in the camp lots of tears. Jonny tried to make my day with a 10% discount on Summer clothes, but stop Elizabeth bring home a flyer from her friends mom who sells clothing. Lets take a look its only lapdancing clothes and clubwear don't think Alume Chine is ready for that this Summer.

Wednesday 20th January

Rain Rain very wet bridge, a mile walk to school lots of use of the inhaler oh we hate the damp. Wednesday is my day to help on the walking bus from our infant school to our junior school then back home for a fruit tea and toast. When i picked the children up Seren was feeling unwell so it was cuddles on the sofa and 'Horrid Henry' and a very early bedtime.

Tuesday 19th January

Today started very late. So the school rush was a rush with a mommy meltdown at roughly eight fourty five am apologies to any witnesses, big thanks to the blonde Angel who walked Elizabeth to school for me. Other parts of today include dead fish (sorry Alicia) and to end the day on a perfect note poohy smelly pjs. Inbetween i have enjoyed strong coffee and chocolate