is anyone out there?

I have been struggling a little this last week. R has been away, the children have been poorly and i have not had much time. The blog has lapsed and I beginning to doubt anyone is listening. I watched Julie and Julia last night and felt inspired to blog- but am not sure the day to day humdrums of my little life are half as interesting as Julie Powell's ever were....Is my life just as mundane as the next persons and should I be concentrating on my college work instead??

getting somewhere, feeling better and cows

I managed to spend an hour and a half working on my essay today. Yay - finally feels like I am cracking this one.

After nearly 3 days of being a grown-up, away and then at college, I found yesterdays bump back into Mummyville hard. Especially with R away. Today I am feeling like a real mummy again and happy to be so. We have all had a lovely and fun day.

We were out in the garden when the farmer came past with the milk herd. We all sat on the gate and watched them wander past. Some slow, some skipping. The children were gobsmacked and J called out 'more moos mama - more moos'.

More missing, a compliment and no more workmen

R is away. I am missing him already after our lovely weekend together. Roll on Friday.

Someone who rarely pays compliments, did today. A really big one - 'what ever meat did you use--it was so tender...you must give me the recipe...it was just delicious. Makes all the effort worthwhile.

The bathroom is finished. The plumber was no bother really - but having people in the house working means that they are another set of bods to think about watering and checking all is well with every now and again. He and his crew are done. They have done a great job but the peace and quiet (and less tea to make) is welcome.

freedom, fun and missing

We have had a weekend away. The children were with their Nana. They have had a ball and we feel as though we've been on holiday although it was only for 2 days.

We had such fun, talked, shopped and saw old friends.

I missed my babies though and am ready for them to come home now.

help, impromptu tea date and busy

I needed an article from a medical journal. I emailed our librarian. She came back to me, with the article, within the hour.

Friends who we were to meet at the park came to us instead and stayed for tea. The children sat outside & polished off their food and then fell into bed, grubby and happy.

We have not stopped today. The day has flown, yet I managed to get a few things done and baked a new kind of bread. The proof will be in the eating, later with supper..

schoolboy, lost lady and favourite things

My little J, just 2 has had his first morning at pre-school. I perched in the kitchen of the hall working, and listening out for him. He did beautifully, only a few tears here and there, and SO happy to see me at the end of 2 hours.

Not a blessing - but on my mind. One of my girls (hens) didn't come home last night. I fear Mr Fox may have been passing. Will still hope to see her at dusk when they all come running down the drive to the safety of their little house. I feel more sorry for the others, are they wondering where she is too?

M told me her 2 favourite things. Cafes and birthdays. What perfect simplicity.

learning, back to school and glad to be here

I have got the baking bug. Today's effort of a loaf is my best yet. It is light - the others have been a bit like boulders.

First day back at pre-school for M. She has had a lovely morning catching up with all her friends. J starts on Wednesday, don't know how I feel about that yet....

So many horror stories from people we know about disrupted travel. I have never been so glad to have no plans whatsoever to go anywhere.

bargains, supper and tired. Sky, perfect and home

Saturdays post:

The local NCT Nearly New Sale. I helped out and had lots of fun, sold some stuff and bought lots of lovely things for the children. They are such a fantastic concept and everyone benefits.

We sat out and barbeque'd. The first of this years salad from the greenhouse, a lovely steak from the farm shop and home made mayo. Heaven.

After watching Ashes to Ashes, I was so tired I wanted to be Dorothy and just click my heels and be in bed.

Sunday:

Blue blue skies. Outdoor lunch for the children - corned beef hash cooked on a fire outside their playhouse while their 'washing' dries on their new washing line. Making memories.....Our home is just where I want to be today. We have everything we need.

Smells like summer, scones and more laughing

The laundry smells different when you get it in and it has had the sun on it proper.

Made some buttermilk scones for the first time. They are light and fresh tasting and my children cannot get enough of them.

We have had another odd day, not doing what we thought we were doing. But once again, thanks to the weather, we had more fun outside on the trampoline. I love to make my babies laugh - and laugh they both did. A lot.

best laid plans, more progress and little white rolls

Our plans for today were unexpectedly cancelled. It made no odds however, we had a lovely day, just the 3 of us, the children and I. We laughed a lot today.

I managed 20 minutes of hedge weeding. I think I will be done by the end of the weekend. I feel quite pleased.

I made some white rolls today. I have gotten bored of the taste of bread machine bread, and shop bread does nothing for me so thought I would have a bash at hand made stuff. The rolls were lovely, and with home made soup, the perfect lunch.

bustle, break in the clouds and 2 words at a time.

Our local town today was full of life. The park was filled with busy people planning easter holiday activities for the children. There were youngsters and teenagers everywhere looking like they had plans.

After a rotten start - the day suddenly blossomed into a lovely Spring one and we were able to weed, trampoline and be, outside.

J can say 'Yes please' and 'No ta'. He gets so excited when delivering these little gems that he jumps when he says the second word.

progress, a night out and a sale

I started to weed the hedge today, a job I have been delaying for weeks because I knew it would be hard and take me ages. When I put my mind to it though, and assured myself I would only do 10 minutes, I achieved so much that I carried on and am now almost a quarter of the way along. R commented on how much better it will do now without all that competition; enough praise and food for thought to spur me on to do another quarter as soon as I can manage.

I am going out with a friend for a meal. After a long day with 2 poorly (still) children who are quite rightly, little tyrants when they are ill - aren't we all - I am in dire need of a change of scene and a chatter.

The lady who has been to buy eggs twice now when I have been all out came today wanting a dozen. I had just that for her. Phew - I fear she would now have bothered to try again had I not been able to help for the 3rd time.

ships, smugness and beautiful things.

I have realised that I smile whenever I hoover the stairs, but not the upstairs. I once read that "a ship is known by its boats". Handy when you only have 5 mins to spare.

I fed the children home-made soup and bread and boiled eggs from our girls. Smug is not the word.

I have stopped having all my pretty tea plates away in cupboards, and am using them everyday. They give me great pleasure, which I suppose is whole point of having them in the first place. Easy to forget that bit though.

hero, perfection and zip bomb boom

I had a disaster in my greenhouse. A stone flicked up when I was mowing and shattered a pane. R said "Don't worry, I'll sort it". And he did.

The avacado I had for my lunch was just ripe. Another day and it would have taken on that blackish look which means that you've left it too late.

After a few days of not feeling quite right, I feel much more like myself today. I am brimming with plans for the week; I want to make soup, make cakes, do the curtains for the playhouse, crack on with my next essay, sow more stuff in the garden and weed the hedge......

good riddance, soleil and an honest task.

Saturdays Post.
The dementors have gone. The sun is out and I have made bread.

dementors

It has been a funny day. I realise how profoundly the people around you can affect how you feel. I have had a real life JK Rowling Dementor around me today and they truly did do as she writes they do; suck the life and joy out of every situation and make you feel as if you will never be cheerful again.
I once read that all people are either drains or radiators. How true.
Sorry that this is so bleak today. In true 'CYB' style, tomorrow will be better.

space, outside and drop-by visits

I have loved having guests over the last few days, but the feeling of space and freedom when the most welcome and well-behaved ones wave their goodbyes is quite joyous. I feel that I have my little house and family back to myself for a few days (until some more arrive at the weekend!).

We were outside sowing seeds under clear blue skies all morning.

Neighbours who we have only seen a handful of times since they moved in were walking past - and we called out to them. They joined us for an impromptu play in Happy Cottage until lunchtime.

homemade, running and bbq

It is my birthday. So many of my presents are homemade....I love them, and the time and effort they took.

A run was much needed this afternoon. Cleared my head and gave me some time on my own.

Birthday BBQ tonight.

making memories, nice one and remembering

I realised when playing with my children today that what we are doing everyday with them is making memories. What a privilage, and how daunting and fragile that is.

I explained to the delivery man (who asked) about the noise my hens were making. "They are about to lay eggs, they just want to share it with you". "Oh," he said. "Nice one, chickens".

A very old friend who has never seen J, its been years since we met up, sent him a birthday card.

Better, Quick and tea.

Feeling much better today. Had a lovely walk with Jasper (dog) earlier, who is on a diet and needs to run more. I loved calling him back and back and watching his tongue hang out when he ran through the wind- I am sure he was smiling.

M and I were running across the garden together to get back to the kitchen before the birthday cake burned. "Quick Quick Quick" we shouted, holding hands. The cake is perfect.

I took the children their tea out to the playhouse. It was lovely and they were so good and grown-up. The only row broke out when M tried to get J to take his wellies off before he came into "Happy Cottage".

thoughtfulness, meal and good telly

Felt poorly today and R was a star with the children. He ran me a bath and looked after them perfectly all day.

I craved some trashy food - R got me just what I wanted.

Watched the start of the new series of Ashes to Ashes, think it's going to be a fab one.

cake box, red dustpan and mayo

Walking up the High Street this morning I was thankful for it's lovely Easter bustle-y-ness. People everywhere had flowers. cake boxes and were looking happy and smiley, as if they had lots of lovely things planned with friends or loved ones over the long weekend.

An elderly lady was out sweeping her front step and she was holding a red dustpan. She had just stopped to look up to the sun and warm her face for a second or 2. Our eyes met and although we were strangers, we smiled and said "Morning" at the same moment.

I made mayonnaise. It is uncious and wobbly looking and reminds me of french holidays when I was a girl.

church, rain and bedtime

We all went to the family Good Friday service at church. It was lovely, properly old fashioned but totally family orientated and the children loved it.

The rain has not stopped all day. Until about 10 mins ago when the sun popped out and made the garden look full of life again.

The children have been penned in all afternoon and as such have been like whirlwinds in the house. They are en route to bed as I write. Its my job tonight to clear up while R does the bath and stories.

weather, walk and party

The weather is not what Easter should be. I went out this morning to put something on the washing line, and it was so cold and windy - but when I came back into my lovely toasty kitchen, I just felt "fine and frisky" as Laura Ingalls said in Plum Creek.

Went for a walk with a friend, the dogs and all the children, blew the cares of the morning away and saw some not very small anymore lambs.

Johns 2nd B'day party. Lots of people who I knew- unexpectedly. A real simple afternoon - cucumber triangle sandwiches and Granny's chocolate cake. The best bit...being told on the invite" no presents thanks" - and because of that, taking the time and effort to make a card. His mum and dad were so happy at that little homemade effort.