Snooker Loopy and X Factor Hilarity

Chrissy has a new favorite thing to watch- snooker.

I love this game, and although I can't personally pot a ball to save my life (and believe me I've tried), I have utmost respect for all the moves and tricks the professionals can do.

So, now that BBC 2 is showing snooker all day, I have been tuning in, which displeased my daughter no end as it meant no CBeebies. She watched for the first five minutes whilst throwing a major Mini strop (as I call her tantrums), then noticed that there were balls on TV.

She loves balls. She doesn't mind if they are footy sized or beach ball sized, even the one we got free on the cover of a magazine is held like a baby, such is her love of the thing. In fact the poor boy next door has to play with his football up the other end of the garden or Chrissy stands at the fence shouting "want ball, want ball" repeatedly at anyone who will glance her way.

Spotting a possible interest in snooker, I told her that the man was trying to get the shiny coloured snooker balls in the holes. And that when he does, we have to clap and cheer, just like the people watching do.

That's another thing she really loves to do at the moment, clapping. If I happen to flick through and a game show is on, she gets all excited-she has no idea why she's shouting "yay" and clapping excitedly, but hell she wants to do it anyway!

So, this afternoon after we came back from our second successful jaunt to Toddler group  (and this time we brought Edward who loved it), she tiredly sat down on the couch and I stuck the snooker on.

And true to form, every time a ball goes in (even the white ball), she sits and says in the most tired voice I've ever heard "yay". Bless. I'm hoping this will be the beginning of her moving away from constantly wanting to watch Beebies from 6am until 7pm, despite the fact they show the same programme three times a day.

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X Factor, Why do I Bother?

As has become customary on Saturdays, I sat by the PC and tuned into both Twitter (and I'm followable if that's the right term for it at www.twitter.com/claire1982) and the X Factor.

I have,since last year, been going off the programme, as I feel it's just the same programme year on year scripted to the letter. But since watching it whilst reading the feedback on Twitter I have found a new enjoyment-rather than just shouting various abuse at the TV by myself, I can type it into the internet and read other peoples view points as well!

I swear it's hilarious, much better than certain topical comedy shows I could mention.

Funniest comment I saw this weekend surrounded the Irish Twins, who appear to be cringeworthy to everyone else bar Louis Walsh. And one of my fellow Mummy bloggers also commented that the X Factor was not so much a contest but a way for Simon Cowell to buy an even larger house to take next years crop of hopefuls to.

The next person up for stick was poor old Sinnitta, and that leaf outfit. Truly bad, worse even than her song So Macho. I did feel (and twittered) that she obviously hadn't received the huge split bonus that Simon gave his other notable ex, Terri Seymour (hell for a 3 million quid house, I'd go out with him!), and was obviously feeling the recession even worse than I am!

As for the show itself, can I say now, I don't see it with Cheryl? Is she not one bad dye and make up job from returning to the estate she came from? And where is all this attitude that shes a lovely nice girl? Has everyone forgotten her bashing of a toilet attendant a few years (and make overs) ago?

Ahhh! Infuriating!

Every year, one of the judges has to stop as they're "not quite sure" they've made the right choice. I was shocked that Cheryl got shot of the one talented guy she had, and I wasn't the only one- one annoyed twittering shouted (using capitals!) "No! Bloody cow, don't get rid of Ethan!!!!!"

And poor Daniel from One True Voice. To chuck him because he had done it all before was a lame excuse for "I've got a cracking six to pick from so I'm looking for any excuse", as they knew he'd been there before when he first auditioned, it's not like it came up halfway through as he was on the same show as Cheryl!

I want Stacey Solomon to win- a young mum who is common as muck, brimming with excitement and personality and talented to boot, but I think that the winner has already been decided and will be Danyl, who I'm sorry to say is a bit smarmy and too sure of himself.

However, if those blooming twins win (who I think may possibly be the love children of B*Witched and Louis), who make the Cheeky Girls look like credible artists, I am refusing to listen to music TV or radio ever again.

Or at least until they get dropped.

Let me know what you think.