keeping up with Mr and Mrs Jones (plus Leon and Reuben)

Fun in the snow

2012-02-05T19:34:00.003+01:00

Finally it's snowed in Ely and we've been out all day. I am feeling the effects of having been out in it since about 8am this morning. It's all good fun.
Also, Happy Birthday to Ellen. 73 today. We went round to Ellen and Dan's for a birthday lunch and a welcome respite from the snow.

Leon's 5th Birthday

2011-11-03T11:07:00.004+01:00

Leon is 5 wouldyabelieveit? Birthday treat was a trip to the London Eye and he's got his long wished for train station to go with his wooden railway.

Hollyhocks and the bumblebees

2011-07-01T21:34:00.002+02:00

Our magnificent Hollyhocks riddled with bees covered in pollen. Getting a pic of them is another matter :)

Five little Peas

2011-06-29T21:50:00.000+02:00

Leon performed in his Nursery special assembly, worth remembering :)

Reuben's Birthday

2011-06-25T21:40:00.000+02:00

Reuben has just turned 3, he's now 97cm tall - a full 10cm taller than this time last year. He's formidable, cheeky, charming and a fast runner.

The garden in June

2011-06-05T22:09:00.000+02:00

Music appreciation

2011-05-12T15:24:00.000+02:00

I just put on a 'Kids Dance Party' album. Leon looked at me and said 'Dad, can you put on Ace of Spades?'.
No, not a mistake, it's one of his favourite songs! Now listening to a Motorhead compilation album... :)

Ruth's Birthday BBQ

2011-05-02T22:51:00.004+02:00

Daisy's Birthday Party

2011-05-02T22:46:00.004+02:00

Easter

2011-05-02T22:37:00.004+02:00

Our baby blackbirds

2011-04-21T17:46:00.003+02:00

Outside the kitchen window, a family of blackbirds are nesting. It's about 5 foot off the ground so every now and then I've been peering in and taking pictures, they have feathers now so I guess it wont be long before they will be flying around the garden. Mum and Dad are always out gathering worms and have been very happy with my work edging the grass and exposing lots of worms for them. I see them with a beak full of beasties pretty much every time I look out the window or go out to work in the garden.

The garden in April

2011-04-21T17:23:00.008+02:00

the weather has been amazing and I've been out in the garden pretty much everyday, either planting, potting on, weeding - only really pulling up baby Hazel trees and brambles. Lots of watering too, I can't remember the last time it rained. I'm risking putting out the courgettes now as we are in a heat wave for the forseable future and April is only for another couple of weeks so I doubt we will go back to freezing now. I've been very pleased with the tulips I got from wilcos last september, I wanted later flowering ones as the ones out the front are over by the end of march and these have looked good for most of April. I'm still curious what's in flower in May. I've got lots of herbs planted out as seeds that are still seedlings, lettuce too as well as annual flowers like sunflowers and marigolds. I've got herbs currently being nursed in pots in the conservatory, dozens of courgettes too, mainly to sell at the next nearly new sale but plenty to go out in my garden. Peppers too, both chilli and sweet. Lots of tumbling toms too, this year will be the year of red, yellow and orange tumbling toms.

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-21T17:04:00.006+02:00

Yesterday I had some friends and their kids over for an easter egg hunt, much chocolate was consumed. I love this weather too!

Garden in March

2011-04-21T17:02:00.002+02:00

For posterity

Super Spy!

2011-03-12T23:39:00.000+01:00

My third geocache, just outside Ely Porta. I really felt like a spy, waiting until no-one was looking then plucking this little sealed magnetic tube from under a bench. Just enough room inside for a roll of paper - wrote my name then deftly replaced the tube. My work here was done...

Geocaching!

2011-03-09T19:36:00.000+01:00

Mum and Dad have just come back from a holiday in Spain, and they said they had a lot of fun hunting for Geocaches with Mum's new handheld GPS. That finally convinced me to have a go, so last night I downloaded 'c:geo', a Geocaching app for my Android phone (an HTC Desire) and this afternoon we went Geocaching!

Our first 'treasure hunt' was in Little Thetford. C+R had a doze in the car while Leon and I went hunting. We found a likely looking trail and checked the compass - yes we were on the right track! I could see a bridge not too far down the track, possibly a good place for a cache, so we set off. Only half way there, however, the compass swung round, we'd gone too far!At this point I decided to 'decode' the hint, and I'm glad I did as I don't think we would have found it otherwise - the cache was about 5m from where the phone had lead us. And Leon found it! It was a small tupperware filled with trinkets and a log book - I put the date, our names and '1st cache!' Next time we'll take a trinket with us to swap.

Leon was keen to do another one, so I tried to do a search, but 2G was far too slow. Luckly I had saved one to the phone earlier while we were on wifi. It was at Cherry Hill, back in Ely, and was much harder. Firstly the phone's North kept wandering and second the GPS couldn't have been too accurate because it kept pointing us in different directions. Thirdly the cache was tiny! Again, the clue was invaluable. Didn't make it easy, but combining that with some of the comments I got an idea of where it was. Chris and the kids had set off back to the car, but I revisited where I thought it must be and eventually found it; a small tube with just enough room for a roll of paper and 1/2 a pencil! We celebrated with ice creams outside the Porta :)

So... the Desire's compass and GPS aren't particularly good for this game (although the battery ran out moments after I found the 2nd cache, so that may have affected it) but I can see it being good for spicing up days out with the kids.

Alright, I'll admit it, it'll actually be for me - I'm hooked! :)

Leon's Birthday Party

2010-10-31T18:44:00.001+01:00

Aiden
Austin
Harriet
Edward
Lily
Daisy
Lucy
Max
Ziggy
Thea
Rose
Jack
Leah
Ben
LaLa
Isobel
Henry
Dylan
Maria
Will
Jack
Yaneck
Leon
Reuben

Sausages in buns, Halloween cup cakes, party games, disco and another dinosaur cake!

Bressingham day out with Thomas

2010-08-24T12:07:00.007+02:00

The Beach 2010

2010-08-22T18:16:00.006+02:00

Today's harvest on this glorious wet friday

2010-08-13T14:26:00.002+02:00

All blurry today, Leon is doing marvelously on day 5 of no nappies. I'm still reminding him to use the potty but it's all systems go, he's finally given in to it and cooperating. It's amazing the difference in him.
Picture here of all the hover flies on the sunflowers.
I have been a bit distracted from the garden this last few days with potty training which tends to involve not moving very much and if we do military style organisation. I was surprised to find a monster courgette quite so large as I do go out most days and see how they are getting on and pick them as they get just big enough so we don't end up with monsters like this :)
I must say I'm not impressed with one pan of spuds for the expense of a bag of compost, the growing bag and all that feeding, tending and watering. The potatoes were delicious but I do need to look at ways to up the productivity. The toms are starting to ripen, I get a few a day which is just nice :)
And, how could I forget, the first spikey cucumber!!!! There are another 2 that are just days away too.

combine!

2010-08-06T18:55:00.008+02:00

I've known for a week or so that the wheat at the back of our street was ripe and any day soon the combines would be there to do their thing. I've been keeping an ear out ever since I saw two enormous combines drive down the muddy track. We looked yesterday and the cutting blades were there and they'd done some of the field right at the back, but no baling had happened and the enormous field behind the orchard estate was still to do. about 4pm, I went into the kitchen and I could hear some heavy machinery somewhere, so I ran out the door to confirm my suspicions and yes! there they were! so wellies on and out we went for some combine/tractor/baler action on our doorstep!

Veg in the Garden Early August

2010-08-05T11:02:00.003+02:00

We are harvesting courgettes on a daily basis, herbs of course, I've also had some success with planting some chive seeds from the flowers this spring, they are just coming up, I can get them nice and strong and plant them out in the autumn so they will be well established for next spring. I've seen a fair number of white butterflies and the brassica leaves were starting to look a bit holey, but then we noticed dozens of hover flies eating all the eggs. There's a squash coming on nicely as are the corn plants and cucumbers. There were 3 ripe tomotoes, they lasted about minute from picking, Leon had one, I had one and I gave one to tob. They were very sweet :)

Flowers in the Garden Early August.

2010-08-05T10:53:00.002+02:00

We are still keeping the bees busy, I've had a few successes flower wise and quite a few failures. I planted hundreds of Echinacea bulbs all over the garden, not sure where they'd be happiest and none have come up. The one I bought from a car boot two years ago is happy. It spent a year out the front and I moved it spring 09 to here and it's looking very happy.
The Hollyhocks are a great success but other than trying to keep the rust at bay, chopping leaves I can hardly take credit as once you have them in your garden, they get everywhere.
The cosmos has been a sucess, i grew that from seed this spring. I've been harvesting it for cut flowers for months now, and the more I cut it the thicker it gets.
I've invested in an Echinacea White Swan and a Yellow Achilliea. Hopefully they will be happy next to the veg.

The garden in July

2010-07-06T10:55:00.005+02:00

We have some courgettes growing and as you can see the veg plot is alot more crowded than it was a month ago. The Sunflowers are coming out as are the hollyhocks etc. Still not had much success with the sweetpeas, can't have everything :)
The conservatory is currently growing herbs, chillies and sweet peppers as well as now being home to a DAB so I can do my ironing while listening to 6music of an evening. I was listening to Tom Robinson friday evening and he had Scroobius Pip in. I got a mention, I texted in to say I was listening while ironing amongst my herbs and chilli plants looking for things to iron so as to stay out there.

Garden jobs in June

2010-06-19T17:50:00.003+02:00

I just had the thought to document what I've been up to this June in the garden, as much for my own reference.
I bought the Alys Fowler book, The Edible Garden - the philosophy behind it is Poly-culture, which is a system growing in popularity where you plant stuff together as oppose to in separate rows and as much as possible things in your garden that are useful, either edible to humans or birds and bees. By planting stuff together in drifts together instead of rows, with the right combinations it can keep pests at bay, conserve water and provide support. There are many ways and combinations and this book is giving me a good deal of inspiration.
The Veg plots are not exactly part of that philosophy but my excuse is that I've not done veg before so I want to be able to see what they are doing. What I have done is plant corn and courgettes together as they help each other - the courgettes provide shade at the soil surface so the corn doesn't dry out too much and the corn helps provide structure for the courgette to use as support. I've also planted Marigolds in with the brassicas which is supposed to confuse things like caterpillars that like brassicas. I have spinach, Kale and a Kale/Brussel sprout hybrid good for stirfrys in the winter.
I'm harvesting salad pretty much daily there must be a dozen varieties in different places at different stages, some bought as mixed bags some, like rocket and lollo rosso on their own. The rocket in places has bolted and flowered which is pretty and the bees like it so in moderation I'm fine with that - I've been cutting the herbs back hard to prevent bolting and keeping them in use.
Thistles out the front are a problem and I've been weeding alot in the gaps between the young lavender bushes and newly spread out crocosmia. I should probably mulch and plant mustard seed to dig back into the soil.
Rosmary bush out the front is massive and unwieldy, I will be sawing it back to a stump, it's sure to get going again.
Both rose bushes out the front are flowering well but will be happier when they are not so encroached on by the rosemary bush.
Foxgloves out back are doing well and seeing plenty of bees - read in July's GW that when they start to go to seed, collect seeds straight away, plant in pots, separate, keep in cold frame over winter and plant out next spring. I'd love to have a massive patch of foxgloves, they are so pretty.
The delphinium I planted from seed last year is massive, still producing more flowers and I hope should be even bigger and spread next year.
Potato plants in bag grower is massive, can't wait until we can see how they've done in a couple of months. Same with onions.
Tomato plants are looking healthy, not flowered yet.
Watching and waiting for all the Echinacea bulbs I put in (hundreds) to flower, there are clumps all over the place - I wanted to try them in different places sunny, shady etc. Can't wait for them to flower. There are perennial flowers like Aqualeigas (scuse spelling of plants in this whole post) and other old fashioned looking things coming into flower which is attracting plenty of bees. The forgetmenots were everywhere and are now officially over. The teeny tiny penstemon plugs I got last spring are massive and I'm on my second year of taking cuttings from them. The perenial daisies, various varieties are all over the place, mainly where it's hot and sunny near the house either up against the house or in the Belfast sinks. The Belfast sinks are also home to mini spreading alpines that have come back every year since we got here, chives which i planted last year and have flowered profusely, attracting lots of bees. I planted cosmos and cornflowers both grown from seed and they are just coming into flower in the sinks, in pots and by the veg. My new Verbena Barosa (I think - it's the big leggy purple one) is doing really well and is already about 5ft tall. The blue thistle thing (Eryngium Purpurea) as recommended by Alys is settling in well. The Canna Lily given to me by next door is about to flower and looks very happy. I made a mistake in planting putting the cornflowers in front of the penstemons, which are about half as tall and dwarfed behind the cornflowers. The only consolation is that the cornflowers will be cut flowers and cut back and over by the end of the July while the penstemons will go on until the autumn. I will move things around next year though. I just didn't expect the height at the front of the bed. A good lesson learnt.
There are hollyhocks everywhere and once they start to flower, it will really cheer the place up along with all the other flowers still to come. Plus all the bees! later in the summer when the 3 varieties of budliea flower, the place will be thick with bees and butterflies. I let the hollyhocks really go for it round the frog pond, mainly to act as a barrier to stop the boys throwing stuff in the pond. The frog pond is home to at least 10 frogs from about 3cm long up to the biggest I've seen at almost 10cm. On sunny days they bask in the little islands on the surface of the pond and you go past and see about half a dozen plops as they jump in out of site. Sometimes they are chilled out and I've counted half a dozen or more just sitting there.
My sweet peas aren't doing anything yet, it might be that the roots were disturbed by the boys with their diggers when I first put the pots out. Not a flower in sight.
The Lambs ears I moved from the back to a pot in the front are magnificent, flowering and attracting the bees that are also out there for the clover on the lawn.
I see so many bumble bees and as I seem to spend time most days shooing them out of the conservatory I thought I'd find out who I've got. I looked them up online, found the Bumblebee Conservation Trust's website and decided to join, it's only about a tenner and now I have a book on gardening for bees, a nice poster now up in the conservatory and a pretty bee badge. So far the ones out the front are mainly black with very reddy orange bums, these are...Red tailed bumbebees and out back we get alot of Buff tailed and White tailed bumblebees. My aim is to create a garden that's beautiful, productive and home to birds and bees alike.
I've tidied the conservatory and now that the majority of seedlings that were veg are outside, all I have indoors is the chilli and sweet Romano peppers in big pots. Then coriander, basil and parsley - I'm cultivating them in smaller pots from seed to go on the windowsill in the kitchen in rotation so we plunder them and swap them so they get time in the conservatory to re-grow.
I've just taken cuttings from the lavender out the front, penstemon and forsythia, they will hopefully be big enough to go out next spring.
I took flowers from the Hellebore next to the compost heap, put them in a paper envolope and left them in the utility room for a week. All the seeds dropped out and I've planted the seeds into small seeding pots and they are currently inside a propagator waiting to sprout. As they grow I will separate them and grow them on in pots to go out in the Autumn, hopefully to flower next winter.
Oh and the blueberry bush is doing well, plenty of blueberries to come. Oh and the sunflowers are approaching 5foot and flower heads are forming.
Before the party next week I need to have a good weed, trim the lawn edges and hope for as much in flower as possible. Not to mention a sunny day without too much wind so our friend and their kids can make the most of the garden.
The weekly feeding goes without saying :)

Open Farm Sunday, Thorney, Peterbro

2010-06-13T20:33:00.005+02:00

Nice farm, very intensive in parts - they are contracted to provide wheat for Warbitons and weetabix , Peas for Baxters tinned mushy peas among other things. They did mention the things they do like plant strips of seeds to feed the birds through winter and leave nature strips along the drainage ditches so it was an interesting tour. The boys liked the ride on and vintage tractors. The weather was funny, it rained and was sunny about 20 times in about 2 hours. I took wellies, coats, sun cream sun hats and plenty to drink.
Reuben was really impressed with the sheep and the sheep shearing too. His sheep noises are coming on a treat.
We went to this farm this time last year and we really like this one as there's lots to see and do.

Open Farm Sunday, Thorney, Peterbro

2010-06-13T20:33:00.004+02:00

Choo Choo!

2010-06-13T09:16:00.000+02:00

Just Reuben this morning as Leon's having a sleepover at Nana's. When we came down I asked him what he wanted to do and he pointed at the TV and said "Choo Choo!". Ah-ha I thought, I'll put on 'Here comes a train', but R said "Nooo". Er, how about Thomas? "Nooo". Chuggington? "Nooo". I was at a bit of a loss when, shuffling through the DVDs I saw one I'd not thought of. I put it on and R said "Yeeah!". It was Ivor!

First bunch of flowers from the garden (of note)

2010-06-12T21:15:00.002+02:00

I made a posy about a fortnight ago but nowhere as nice as this one. I'm really chuffed with this one.

close up of veg beds a month in

2010-06-01T00:39:00.001+02:00

Flower beds early spring

2010-06-01T00:36:00.003+02:00

The perrenials are going strong, tulips long gone, next autumn alot more tulips and later blooming ones at that. lots of forgetmenots, most other things still working up to flowering.
Clematis almost over in this pic, in full bloom it was thick with pink flowers.

Veg early june, a month in ther ground

2010-06-01T00:35:00.004+02:00

Planted out early may, in a month, corgettes, cucmbers, squash, lettuce, cale, spinach, marigolds, cale/brussels hybrid. All doing well but small. Also cut flowers, Echinaea, cornflowers and a load of summer bulbs I can neither pronounce nor spell.

Pots etc

2010-06-01T00:32:00.003+02:00

Sunflowers, cosmos, basil, mint, carrots, blueberries, and a very baby clematis.

Herbs and baskets late spring early summer

2010-06-01T00:29:00.002+02:00

Photies Tob took before the camera broke

2010-05-07T21:04:00.010+02:00

Tob finally managed to get the photos that were taken before the camera gave up the ghost, we think it's probably sand in the zoom but no idea at the mo, the zoom wont close and it won't switch on and off.

Tiptoe through the Tulips

2010-05-06T18:01:00.008+02:00

Just got back from Holland, well a few days ago now but it seems like I've been flat out catching up with washing, I had a Pampered Chef Cooking Show last night so I've spent the day preceding printing stuff out and making sure I had everything I need. Thanks to a sunny day, the washing is back up to date but I need to weed the garden and sort out the house plants, half of which are dead or dying.
Tob's camera broke while we were away right at the start of the holiday, possibly due to sand on the first day trip to the beach. Mark took a few pics and I took a few on my iphone. Here's a bit of a summary, mostly either taken the wednesday at the Spoorweg Museum, or at Gary's then Queens day at Chantals. Mark got some nice ones of the boys at his place while we were staying there. The first half of the week the weather was really really hot and sunny, from Queens Day night, it rained pretty much continuously. Queens Day Night at ACU was good fun, I bumped into some familiar faces, had a good old dance and felt very at home there as usual. It's such a shame it's so far away now :(

boys together

2010-04-21T21:48:00.003+02:00

They don't always get on but today two rare moments together :)

Leighton Buzzard Quarry Railway

2010-04-07T12:56:00.001+02:00

Easter Weekend Tractors take over!

2010-04-07T12:33:00.004+02:00

Just as we were leaving for Leighton Buzzard about 2 dozen vintage tractors drove past, it was ace!

Not bad for an evening's socialising

2010-04-03T18:12:00.002+02:00

I have just submitted the cooking show I did for a neighbour last Wednesday. She really wanted to focus on having a lovely evening with her friends and do some cooking and eating, we did that just as intended and as a result everybody had a good time. On top of that I took just over £500 in sales and she earnt just over £250 worth of stuff. Not bad. I made about £120 in commission. That's not bad really! It was the best show I've done on so many levels, I enjoyed it, I managed to interest a variety of people in a variety of things bar 2 people who didn't order everyone found something they liked. There was no pressure to buy anything, it was a great evening. May there be many more like this to come.

Biking

2010-03-22T10:48:00.005+01:00

We intended to go to Anglesea Abbey to have a walk and let the boys cycle around but it turned out to be their free entry day, so we got turned away because it was full. We went round the corner through the village of Lode and there's a disused old railway line to walk along which was doable with the bikes. Leon's stablisers loosened so we ended up taking them off altogether and he had his first bike lesson which involved Tob and I running alongside holding him up. Good exercise! Bikey, as Leon calls his bike, is too small now and we will be moving up to a lovely red 16" wheel kiddie bike given to us by Toby's cousin who's got two boys about 5 years older than our two. It's a lovely bike. I'm still debating whether or not we should get a wooden bike with no pedals so he can learn to balance.

Firemen Leon and Reuben

2010-03-22T10:32:00.003+01:00

Ely fire station were doing a charity car clean on Saturday so we went along to get our car done and let the boys dress up as firemen, they loved it!

Hide and seek

2010-03-20T23:29:00.000+01:00

Leon loves hide and seek, although he doesn't fully understand the concept... if I say 'Now, where's Leon?' he'll shout 'I'm here Dad!'. Bless.

It's also funny when he's 'seeking' - generally I have to say 'squeek, squeek' to alert him to which room to look in, and I only 'hide' by sitting behind Reuben's cot... but he's very happy when he finds me, so it's lovely :)

Rap music?

2010-03-20T18:08:00.006+01:00

Leon is listening to my iphone and nodding his head to a newly downloaded Dan le Sac and Scroobius Pip album, The Logic of Chance. Now, it would be ironic to be snobbish about this album as there is a track on there clearly putting music snobbery in it's place but I can't help being proud of playing this in my house around my kids when the rest of the world seem to be getting their toddlers to learn dances to Jedward (god I hate to even type the word).
Down the pub last night with the mums, they were sharing about the dance lessons just started with their girls and how they know the steps and 'words' to Ice Ice Baby - the Jedward version, this almost put me off my curry. I want to start Leon at dance lessons in September but faced with the prospect of him having to learn to dance to Ice Ice Baby, I hope to god I can find a class with even just a small semblance of musical appreciation.
My Mummy friends are lovely people and mostly better educated/qualified/brought up than me but not one of them seemed to even blink at the idea that it might be cringe worthy. Is that dross so normal? I hate the fact that most chart music is so unpleasant to listen to now. Give me Front 242, The Stooges, NoMeansNo, Art Brut, Pink Floyd, Blondie, even Madonna they are original, passionate, sometimes hard to listen to - not to be pushed into the back ground. Faced with the demise of 6music, I know I can't shield my kids from the likes of Xfactor, I'm sure they will have the ability to choose for themselves, but will there be dance lessons that dance to music worth dancing too? God I hope so. Ok, so I don't expect them to be providing lessons for 3 year olds dancing to Rammestein but what about Little Boots? Lily Allen? Black Eyed Peas? Maybe even a bit of Debussy :)

Leon all sporty for sport relief today

2010-03-19T17:20:00.004+01:00

They had a Sport Relief day today at Nursery and they had to go in sports kit, which we don't really possess yet what with not being sports fans particularly. I think he makes a good 19th century footballer perhaps? Rosanna gave us some clothes last time I saw her and true to her Italian family who give her quality handmedowns, Leon loves his 'new' Prada trainers :)

First Daffs have opened in our garden

2010-03-15T13:11:00.002+01:00

Finally, I saw them down the road the beginning of the week, then I noticed next door had some open today and finally, just in the front garden, one clump have opened. The potential riot in our back garden are still working up to it.

The garden and the promise of spring

2010-03-13T16:16:00.003+01:00

I've done out the front and dug it over, taken the Crocosmia from the other side of the garden where it wasn't happy and only had a couple of flowers to a nice sunny spot where it can go mad. I've pruned the roses and made some cuttings now in the conservatory. I've taken a large ornamental grass from the back garden where I will be putting the veg patch, split it and put it out the front between the Crocosmia and the Rosemary. In the propagator there's cosmos and cornflower seedlings doing very well.
Pictures from the garden of Snowdrops, Aconites, Hellebores and Crocuses. The Daffs are starting to come up, you can just about see their heads starting to form buds...won't be long now :)

Thanks for nothing

2010-02-26T00:47:00.004+01:00

In the light of various news programmes and other media highlighting the over sexualisation of children in the media and this http://tinyurl.com/ydby8qh Katie Price posting a picture of her 2 year old daughter on facebook with false eyelashes and makeup, it got me thinking about what we as parents are supposed to actually do about it.
The media are always ready to paint a picture of gloom and doom - our children are growing up in a world where by the time they are 10 girls will all supposedly want pole dancing on the school curriculum and boys will have all seen some hard core porn in some shape or form what then?
Kids who grow up on farms, see animals having sex, people in far off cultures are married at 12. I do think our society has a problem and that girls are growing up in a world where Lady GaGa in a gang bang video is acceptable viewing for 8 year old girls, so what then?
I have two boys and although they won't have the same pressures faced by girls they will be having relationships with girls (or boys - I'm not proud). I want to at least ensure that my boys will have the tools to be able to form friendships with girls both sexual and platonic - I have many male friends - some men just aren't equipt to be friends with women, it seems. I don't want my boys to have unrealistic, unfair expectations of how their girl friends should be and the aspirations they have.
My first proper boyfriend was arrogant and rebellious - I thought he was cool. In reality he had a very low self esteem and actively sought out to undermine and belittle what talent I had so that I wouldn't seem better than him. I let him spend my money and behave like a brat in front of my family. This has happened to women throughout history, and I don't think it's more or less likely now, if anything women are taught about the dangers of relationships like the one I had. My friends had similar experiences with varying degrees of degradation and abuse, some far worse than what I put up with, also for far longer. I dumped him after a year and a half. One of my friends put up with a boyfriend with a severe alcohol problem for a good 5 years and another was physically and mentally abused for a good couple of years. So is it going to be worse for girls now?
Sexualisation as in making a child look like a woman because they don't have the appropriate stimulation to keep them a child for long enough is one thing - it's what it leads to in later life that is the concern - being able to form your personality, likes, dislikes, aspirations, talents etc without worrying about conforming to a set of expectations about what a woman should do/act/look like is crucial.
I don't think the internet can make this any harder than it already is, advertising is a major culprit and if anything, I think telly is improving since the 70's and 80's when it comes to having women in positions of responsibility, charisma, expertise, talent etc Just like kids, all women need role models and there are some good women out there mostly they are very beautiful as well as talented but part of that is just knowing how to make the most of yourself - they aren't all thin, some are very tall some are very small, they represent the UK in racial diversity more and more so well done the BBC and Channel 4 for being on the case.
Kids telly is mostly pretty good, from what I let the boys watch - there is pink fairy stuff out there which I know I'm completely oblivious to as I have boys but not that much and lets face it, girls can like a bit of fairy princess stuff, so long as it's not all they are into. My boys have a variety of types of toys and the mediums they play with them in - they have the wooden railway - a favorite, but also, a farm with animals and the play mat has fields. My son has a combine harvester as well as a tractor and trailer for emptying the combine once he's harvested the carpet. We have pairs games, puzzles, snakes an ladders, castles, pens, glitter and glue, magnets, torches, dressing up kit, musical instruments, ride on toys, bikes, sand pit, etc Girls have access to all of this too - is it the fact that parents can quickly restrict the range of play as their kids get older and do more at school so that when they are home the parents select toys that tidy away well and fit in with the image they have of their kids.
I don't believe in spending alot on my kids, especially not around Christmas or birthdays but I do think that they should have a wide range of stimulation available, some with my input and participation - games, cooking, sticking and painting. But alot that they can do themselves; stories and scenarios that they make up, situations they make up so that it can be mended and solved. For example, Leon will break the connection in a railway bridge and stick one train teetering on the edge so another train can rescue him or her.
I wonder whether by providing our kids with a sense of history in their family, to know where they came from, see old photos of us and our family will give them a sense of who they are and who we are. Surely this is part of building their confidence and self worth. Isn't this what will help them form healthy friendships and relationships later on in life? Seeing anatomical footage of sex, like watching animals at it isn't what makes us fall in love with someone. Giving them the skills to communicate their feelings and expectations to each other is surely more relevant here. Once they know the biology, which I believe they can fully comprehend by the time they are 7 or 8, it's up to us to guide them towards being balanced human beings.

Monsieur Robinet

2010-02-19T23:08:00.003+01:00

At about 7pm I was just starting the last of Leon and Reuben's bedtime stories when Toby informed me it was the night John Hegley was on at the Maltings. Having made a great deal of effort to interest my friends in coming with me, no-one was available/interested and even though I really wanted to go, I'd pretty much resigned myself to not going.
Love is a Husband who tells you to go, get going, go on go, you can bike down there and be there just in time. So I kissed the boys good night and cycled down to the Maltings. Within minutes I was buying a ticket and there was a seat in the front row. I did feel conspicuously alone but I've been to stuff on my own before, mainly before my 30th birthday but still. I wanted to twitter while I waited with no one to talk to but The Maltings is in a twitter blackout zone, it seems. I had signal enough to send a text and receive one back but the internet was not at my disposal. I've done my best to keep it up in my head and get it down here before I forget. I was also conscious I'd left the house without looking in any mirror, I had an extra hair clip in my hair that I'd found on the floor when Reuben tipped a pen jar out this afternoon and probably looked like the woman who drove the school bus in South Park.
It was lots of fun, John Hegley and Keith Moore on Double Bass and Euphonium. It reminded me a bit of the days when I used to go to Gypsy Jazz with my Dad and Leon Russelson, Comedy, songs and poetry. All a quirky, imaginative and cheeky look at life through the eyes of a man forever 7 years old. I hope I get to take Leon when he's about 7.
I bought a book, which was signed by John in red and blue crayon. I was all a flutter and didn't manage to string much of a sentence together but tried to sound appreciative and slightly intelligent, the latter failed. I think I said something stupid about there not being much material from him available then now I've googled him for a picture, he is a very prolific artist with many publishings, even a mug, which I feel the urge to buy, even maybe get one for my dad. I'm not sure why I didn't find this site when I googled the first time and sent links to my friends, especially the ones who appear to come from a cultural wilderness, and the others who clearly have a more interesting life than me. I'm glad I went.
When I got back to my bike, there was frost on my helmet and seat, I gingerly biked back home through town, Fore Hill is a bit of an effort and the cold is right down inside my lungs but hopefully it's not done me any harm. It's a long time since I cycled in the cold or that late at night (10pm, sad eh?) The fresh cold air, the smell of wood smoke and that funny sensation when your chin goes numb. It was very lovely. I'm very glad I went.
Now, time for my tea.

Still cold

2010-02-10T17:31:00.002+01:00

God it's cold, I'm really done with the wintry showers now. Saturday we did the 2nd Nearly New Sale at the lighthouse centre. It went really well and it was an enjoyable experience. We managed to find a few nice bits too - one perk of organising it I get to look round as they set up :) Dad came to help again - he does the door - we've discovered that it's really nice to have him here to help, he enjoys doing it and there's only so many visits to Anglesea Abbey he can do so this is a nice change.
Leon likes having my dad here too, he likes it when Grandma or Granddad Don come to stay :)

brush

2010-02-03T10:58:00.002+01:00

A slightly and increasingly less rare moment of collaboration

Thomas is a cheeky engine

2010-02-03T10:40:00.002+01:00

It seems fitting/ironic that the one toy that causes the most arguments is the wooden railway. Thomas stories are full of tales of learning lessons in life like getting on with people and learning to not behave like a complete arse to your fellow human beings. In our house it is the source of the most animosity between the boys as they steal each other's trains and argue about track rights. I make separate tracks for each of them but I turn my back and Percy is suddenly in Tidmouth sheds with Leon when a minute ago he was chuffing along with Rosie and Reuben. Reuben retaliates by stealing James, then it all kicks off as Leon chases Reuben round the room and Reuben hangs on to James for dear life and Leon tries in vain to get it back while throwing a hissy fit. My only real course of action is to say right, the railway goes away - I warn Leon when it goes out, any arguing and screaming and the railway goes away. Some days it works and the rail way is out from dawn until dusk, other days, like today it barely made dawn.

Feb here already

2010-02-03T09:51:00.002+01:00

I was rudely awakened this morning at 6am by Reuben screaming the house down, judging by his lack of response to me and cuddles, he was dreaming and it took a good few minutes of hard crying for him to calm down which is virtually unheard of for him - he's usually the most laid back lad and hardly ever cries. Having said that, having an older brother dominating him, he's becoming very good at sticking up for himself and if that means hanging on to something for dear life and crying as loud as Leon, so be it. Yesterday he had a run in with Harriet (same age as Leon) who wanted to play with what he was playing with, he hung in there and wouldn't give it up, Harriet threw a massive 3 year old hissy fit and poor Liz ended up taking her home as it didn't look like she was going to let go. I played host to 3 other 3 year olds and their younger siblings yesterday for a pizza making party. It went down very well with the rest of the kids - from kneading the dough, then loading the pizza, then eating the pizza. Most of them ate their slice and enjoyed it. I wonder if Reuben was re-living his experience of hanging on to his favorite toy, something along those lines. I believe it's not unusual at this age (19m) to get night terrors. Leon had them for a while too, generally we'd let him ride it out, he'd cry for about 30 seconds like the world was ending then he'd be fast asleep again. With the two of them being next to each other it's more complicated as Leon is woken up too. This was different to what Leon had, so we will see what works if it carries on.

Expletives

2010-01-15T11:46:00.004+01:00

Rusty chopps! Sweaty wellies! poey nappies, smelly socks, muddy trousers, bust my buffers! These and many more, the joy of expletives. They make Leon giggle and burst with naughty laughter. He makes up his own mostly and I will try to write them down, even the nonsense ones.

Aunt Maud turns in her grave

2010-01-13T14:16:00.004+01:00

My Great Aunt Maud might be turning in her grave as I made Leon and Reuben's Curtains from scratch. I think I've done a good job, wizzed them up this afternoon, I measured and pinned but didn't bother tacking. I'm sure Great Aunt Maud would be shaking her head. I'm sure she'd be happy to see that I am using my sewing machine and that making curtains seems to be in my DNA.
I'm rather chuffed with myself.
Picture taken of me and Aunty in about 1975.

Back in the habit

2010-01-13T13:58:00.002+01:00

I really want to get back into the habit of blogging properly, between turning the blog into an online photo album and getting distracted by facebook, it's pretty much gone out of existence. It's not the same though, and this precious time as the boys change and grow all the time will soon be over.
Leon started pre-school this week, he is well up for it and we haven't had any tears at all, if anything he'd probably like longer but that will come in good time. After the first day, the teacher told me that during story time at the end when they all sat together, he blew raspberries and refused to settle down and listen. I was a bit embarrassed as he's usually good with listening to stories but he's not done it since so I put it down to being the end of his first ever day at nursery so maybe he was a little overwhelmed when it came to sitting as a group for the first time. Alot of the other kids have been in childcare so are more accustomed to it.
At home, we are doing much more things like colouring and drawing where we discuss what he's drawing and we come up with ideas - for example, he was scribbling in green then red and he said they were Pepper Pig, Daddy Pigs etc favorite colours (see episode with ice creams) so suggested he drew the ice creams and their respective favorite colours which he did.
Both of them are good boys on the whole with a mischievous streak when they get bored or tired, nothing unusual there. Reuben is very cuddly too and likes to kiss and make the kissing noise, which he's done from about 12 months, I've not come across a kid, especially a baby who will blow kisses and make the mwah sound with such a pleasing air. Darling! Maybe he's destined for the arts.
Reuben's off with Nana and Leon's just been dropped off to school on Toby's return, we are going to attempt to replace the curtain rail on the ceiling in the boys room which is falling apart. Wish me luck.

My 40th!

2009-12-06T22:11:00.004+01:00

To celebrate turning 40, I invited some friends to join me in infiltrating the Russian embassy at Bar Hill... it's a game run by 'SpyMasters' - really good!

21 of us turned up and went in in 4 teams. After a 'helicopter' ride it was straight into the action, hacking into PCs, cracking safes, evading cameras and laser alarms, crawling through heating ducts... exhausting but exhilarating!

Everyone thought it was excellent - they all did it on 'medium' but my team opted for 'hard'... and blimy it was. We didn't get the highest score, but we escaped with the recovered guns with tux intact ;)

Check out more photos on Facebook

In together

2009-08-25T19:02:00.000+02:00

After two weekends away with the boys sleeping in the same room together, I asked Leon if they he wanted to share with Reuben. He said yes!
Now Reuben's room is a play room and his room is their room. After a week, I'd say they are there to stay!

Jan and Maaike

2009-08-24T20:42:00.004+02:00

Tob drove us down to Bristol last friday for the weekend. He was off for a Live Role Play Stag Weekend in Wales - yes these things do exist. We had a lovely laid back weekend with Jan and I and 3 children. I say laid back, it was but the days were long having to be up with the boys from 6 plus having Leon come into bed with me in the night. It was lovely to spend time with my Sister and Maaike is coming on a treat. She adores the boys and the feeling is mutual.
Tob came to pick us up and have Sunday lunch with us at Jan's around midday, with stories of gay hairdressing elves and dandy highway women. It was one hell of a weekend they had. Tob really needed something like this to unwind and actually see is friends. This was followed in a good way this last weekend when after Toby's Cousin Sue's 40th birthday party down in Bedford, we left the boys in their pjamas to come back with Ellen and Dan and we got to go to Martin and Soph's BBQ party down in London. We stayed over, had breakfast with Soph in a lovely cafe bistro on a beautiful summers day. The boys had a lovely time with their Nana so it was a good weekend for everyone.

Beach 2009

2009-08-24T17:49:00.004+02:00

This Beach lived up to expectations, the weather was fantastic, the people lovely. Each year more and more kids appear and I can't wait for the stage where the sand castle competitions and frisbee games with the kids can start. This year was the one with the diggers :)

Grandma's

2009-08-24T17:21:00.005+02:00

This was the beginning of August but I have taken a while to getting round to catching up with the blog. We drove up to Sam and Rowans for the weekend and visited Grandma on the Sunday afternoon, driving straight home from there. The weather wasn't great on the Saturday at Sam's but we had a fab time, the company made up for any short falls in the weather. We went to a Monkey Forest, which was interesting, then in the evening we had a lovely meal, only the best Indian in the area and then got introduced to the delights of their Wii. It was good to have a go, we will probably get one in a few years, I dare say the boys will demand it.
This was the first time for a while the boys and us had to all sleep in the same room. Leon had his pump up ready bed, Reuben, the travel cot and us, Sam's double bed. Surprisingly the boys settled to sleep really quickly and impressed apon me the idea that they might actually prefer sleeping in the same room...
Grandma looked really well despite denials from her :) It was really lovely to see her and introduce her to her new great grandson.

who does this remind you of?

2009-08-24T17:12:00.003+02:00

This was taken summer 1973 when Toby was 3, even Leon thought it was him.

Wimpole Hall

2009-07-14T20:33:00.000+02:00

We went to Wimpole Hall at the weekend, and discovered it has an adventure playground. Both the boys loved it!

and..he's off!

2009-07-14T19:23:00.001+02:00

Reuben's first few steps while Mum's here.

Last Wednesday I ate my first peanut for over 15 years

2009-07-11T09:57:00.002+02:00

In my early 20s I was part of a second-stage trial for Beconase, a nose spray that helps with hay fever. To test I was suitable for the trial, ie that I did actually have hay fever, I had a skin prick test. This showed I was indeed allergic to grass.

However, for some reason they also tested peanut, which came up positive. I was handed a pamphlet which warned of the danger of 'anaphylactic shock'. This is a severe reaction to peanut which can kill in minutes.

Of course, I was very worried about this and immediately cut all nuts out of my diet.

Over the years I've had various tests to determine what exactly I'm allergic to, both skin prick tests and blood tests (RAST) but they've all been inconclusive. Finally I decided that the only real test was an 'oral challenge'.

I had yet another skin prick test at Adenbrookes hospital in Cambridge, and convinced them that I needed to do the oral challenge. After a bit of a wait, I found myself back at the allergy clinic last Wednesday, feeling very apprehensive. Obviously they're prepared to treat anaphylactic shock with adrenaline, but I was kinda worried...

I was treated very well at the hospital, everyone was friendly and the doctor explained everything step by step. We did more skin prick tests, a blood pressure test, a 'blow hard down this tube' test and had a chat about my history and the test to come.

First, I had to rub a piece of peanut on my outer lip. If I was severely allergic to peanut, I would have had swelling. After 10 minutes, there was no reaction, so we tried inner lip, then tongue. As I'd not had a reaction at all, they gave me a slither of peanut to eat, then a quarter, then a half, then a whole peanut!

I did feel that my throat and palate were raw and uncomfortable, but the doctor was not convinced this was an 'oral allergy' (see below) as that's rare with peanut. It was more likely that because it's hay fever season and my throat was already sensitive, that the scratchiness of the peanut was irritating.

In fact the doctor said she'd not expected any reaction, looking at my test results/history, but it was as important to prove a negative as it was a positive.

Apparently the understanding of allergies has come a long way in 20 years. It's now clear that there is an 'atopy' or allergy gene. This leads to sensitivity, which is seen as small reactions to skin prick tests (up to 3mm diameter wheal) to various substances. These small wheals are now seen as *negative* results as they do not indicate a full allergy.

These small wheals were what had been so confusing over the years.

Now, my reaction to peanut was 6mm, so it was technically a positive, but thinking about it, you only get anaphylactic shock the second time you eat peanut... if you don't get it then, you're not going to, which is why the doctor wasn't too worried about me. Of course I could have had some other reaction, but it was never going to be fatal. Also, I found out that wheals can be up to 30mm, so a 6mm wheal wasn't a large reaction anyway.

Now, my reaction to hazelnut was 8mm. The doctor thought I might get 'oral allergy' reaction to hazel, which is, basically, an itchy mouth. Hazel and apple share common enzymes with Silver Birch, which many people, including me, are allergic to - along with grass, that's what gives me hay fever. When I eat raw apple I get an itchy mouth. This was rather confusing to me and my parents as a child! The good thing is that cooking apples destroys the enzyme, which means I can have apple pies without any problem. However cooking nuts doesn't destroy the enzyme, which is why the doctor thought I might have an oral reaction to hazelnut - I'm going back to Adenbrookes at some point for another oral challenge.

For all other nuts, the advice was that I am unlikely to have any reaction to them, even for those where I get a small wheal on the skin test - it will be safe for me to self-test at home, eg test outer lip etc.

It's been a huge weight all these years, not knowing exactly what I could/couldn't eat. It turns out it was an unnecessary worry. I actually broke down in the hospital because it was such a huge relief. I wish they'd never done the test in the first place, but I can't get too rilled about it.

So, why has it taken me a week to blog about it? Well it's difficult to get too excited about a negative result, even if that's really good. Nothing has changed in my life. I suppose I could now lick my fingers after making a Nutella toast for Leon, but being careful is so ingrained that I don't.

The big change will be when we go to Holland. Christine is going to want Saté sauce on her chips, and I guess I'll try it. Still fills me with fear, even though I know now nothing will happen.

It's a big change which I'll slowly get used to. Can't wait to eat pistachios again, my favorite nut, yum yum!!!

What was I doing 20 years ago today?

2009-07-09T16:32:00.002+02:00

It was 1989 and I was 18. To be honest I can only guess bits now. I think I'd just dumped Richard for being a clingy mad person (he sectioned himself a while later), I was probably living between my Dad's and across the road at Wendy's. At some point, this couple turned up, they lived in a big old black bus called the Bluebell bus with bluebells painted up the side. They had two kids, Rowan was 7 and Heather was about 6 months. They were heading off to a festival down in Cornwall, I was fed up with life in Newbury and decided to hitch a ride with them. Over night I became a sort of live in traveller opair. I looked after Heather for Sue and we all slept in this bus. There was a cot, a double bed up the end and Rowan and I slept on mattresses on the floor I think. When we first arrived in Treworgy, we were on the top of a hillside about a fortnight before the festival was due to start. The weather was really hot and dry and we filled most of our days pottering about, playing with the kids, getting stoned and the occasional day trip to some standing stones. Then when the festival started we moved to another field 'the travellers field' as appose to the campers and nothing much changed really. I only ventured on to the festival site a couple of times it was really hot and dusty, I don't think it had rained for about a month. Living next to our bus was another bus, a vintage M orris van that was also converted to live in an the owner was a tatoo artist who did all the festivals over the summer and for some reason was taking this festival offsite as a kind of holiday I suppose. At some point he mentioned he wanted a haircut, a mohecan I think, i offered to cut his hair in return for a tattoo, or he offered I can't remember. Either way he got a haircut to his satisfaction and he gave me a tattoo. The design I came up with was bigger than I think he'd intended and he had run out of the stencils they use to do Celtic bands which at the time were rare and only just being seen out and about. Lucky for me I didn't get a Celtic band as everyone was getting them and they became soooo common. I got my tree tattoo. The only other person I know with a tree tattoo is Justin the singer from New Model Army. When the festival ended I'd got tired of Sue and Steve for numerous reasons - living in someone elses family is enough reason, I tagged along with a group closer to my own age, they ended up arguing and there was much gossip back and forth. In the end I tired of them too and ended up on a site that was effectively a layby just outside Hereford with nothing but a tent and a bag, surrounded by brew crew and finding out that life on the road as a traveller was really pretty rough actually and as I was lucky enough to have family I could return to, that's what I should do. I returned home to Newbury and enrolled in the College to have a 2nd try at A levels, this time, Music, Photography and Theatre Studies. I found a job part time at a health food store, called Sun Store. I think I lasted about a term. By 1990, I'd started temping for Vodafone which to me I might have well been working for the gestapo. The only thing keeping me sane was playing Sax in a Dub Reggae band called Kindred Spirit based just outside Hungerford. I saved enough for a trip over to Holland to visit my mum and decided to have a try at living in Holland. I stayed there for 10 very happy years.

Reuben's first excuse for a bbq party

2009-06-29T18:52:00.009+02:00

We had fantastic weather, against all odds. It was the best party yet, a pity about 10 people we'd confirmed but couldn't make it last minute. We have quite alot of cake and fizzy drinks left. I'm working on the cake.
There were no major melt downs, I might get a reputation for people bringing their kids round and they leave in a clothes I've had to lend them because they are soaked and covered in sand. I think they enjoyed it though. I think I was much better prepared than last year, but considering last year, I'd only just had Reuben, that's no surprise. It's nice to have a birthday in the summer so we can have a good excuse for a party.

Reuben's First Birthday

2009-06-24T13:02:00.003+02:00

A year has passed! He is a big bouncing boy, not quite walking but a force to be reconed with, a fast crawler and a formidable holder on to toys when older children think they can take them from him.
Yesterday, we had a relaxed day as a family, did the card and present opening in the morning. After sleeps we drove to Newmarket to pay in Reuben's birthday cheque into his savings account. We were planning on going on somewhere else but by the time we'd got out the house, we had ran out of time. There was a lovely tea party waiting for us at Nana's and we didn't want to be late for that. It was a lovely party for Reuben and with the fabulous weather, we all got to sit out in Ellen and Dan's garden and enjoy summer with them. Reuben is coming on fast and will stand for a few seconds now without holing on to things. Leon is of course, very chuffed with all of Reuben's presents, we did get Leon an unbirthday present too, a Ready Bed for the holidays.

Leon's first rainbow

2009-06-08T10:45:00.005+02:00

We were driving home and it had occurred to me a while ago that Leon's only really seen rainbows in books so when a rainbow appeared in the sky, we stopped and let him get a good look.

Open Farm Sunday

2009-06-08T10:17:00.005+02:00

We weren't sure what with the weather being a bit wet yesterday but having seen all the farms open all over our area, we choose one and off we went. The one we chose had vintage and modern farm equipment, ride on tractor as well as a farmers market. It was worth going, the rain held off and we all enjoyed it. Leon got to sit on numerous tractors and the cockpit of a Combine Harvester, which was a dream come true for him!

Frogs in the frog pond

2009-06-08T10:01:00.002+02:00

Its my first year as custodian of a frog pond. We had to put the grid over to stop little persons falling in and I wasn't sure how that would effect the frogs. Well they seem very happy, I see big and little ones enjoying the pond.

Brothers

2009-05-24T23:00:00.003+02:00

Leon and Reuben are interacting more and more, Reuben wants to do whatever Leon is doing, preferably at the same time which Leon finds very frustrating to say the least. Leon got the point where if Reuben even looked in his direction, he would winge 'Reuben no!' It was getting be be a right pain in the ear drums; Reuben would touch Leon and he would cry like he'd been thumped. I have introduced the reward system for Leon whereby if he wants a new toy he has to earn one by getting 10 good boy points which are collected on his chalk board in the form of smiley faces and he also gets a sticker per point. So far he's 'earned' a lorry and a Rosie engine for his wooden railway. At the moment it's for a turntable for his railway - one I picked up for a couple of quid on Ebay. Food bribing wasn't working but for toys he will behave himself, try to use the potty, put toys away and now....be nice to Reuben! Offering him good boy points for being gracious towards Reuben and not screaming the place down every time he comes near him is working and I even have photos to prove it!

Wells Next to Sea

2009-05-24T22:46:00.004+02:00

Just spent the day at the sea side today. First time this year, it was great! Reuben ate a stone, I'm pretty sure, I spent half the afternoon either fishing them out of his mouth or him giving them to me. The beach was nice, we were in a stony bit but we know where the better sand is now, Also we had the buggies which don't do well on sand so we couldn't go far but next time we will probably do with just the back pack one for Reuben.
The weather was amazing, clear bright blue skies, not too windy, just a light breeze. I took lots of clothes for the boys but didn't need to change their clothes in the end, it was good to go prepared. The whole set up of the place is great, really good for a weekend away, there's a nice campsite close to the beach, I'm seriously considering camping which is pretty amazing for me. The place has a really lovely holiday feel.

Gardening

2009-05-18T10:29:00.003+02:00

I'm really getting into Gardeners World at the moment and have received my Dig In seeds. I planted the carrots and lollo Rosso salad yesterday among other things. I'm getting quite involved these days - yesterday I re potted a dozen baby lavender plants I've grown from seed and I'm hardening off some delphiniums and Echinaea, also grown from seed. I've been using the conservatory as a green house and I've now got loads of bigger pots in there with coriander and basil plants getting larger (also from seed!). Then there's the sweet peas in there too, The pots are quite big but maybe not as big as they'd like, they are the biggest I've got at the mo.
While I was out there Sunday, I heard someone shouting from behind the garden, at first I didn't pay much attention but then I realised he was shouting 'can somebody help me!' I dropped what I was doing and shot through the house mobile in hand, told Tob that there was somebody shouting help me and ran round the back to see where it was coming from, half expecting to find someone stuck on a roof or something.
It was a very old gentleman, in his doorway. His wife had gone for some chips 2 hours ago and not returned, he was blind and he said she'd got memory problems and might have forgotten how to get home. I asked loads of questions tried to find out if he had any family in Ely and ended up calling the police to see if they had found anyone or if they could send someone out. They didn't really do alot, they don't seem to think 2 hours is really missing but for an 80 year old blind man this must have seemed ages. He was very upset and very worried about his wife. I spent about an hour trying to call their kids and friends to no answer, the out of hours doctor and eventually just tried to settle him down with a cup of coffee, finally after about an hour she walked in through the back door! Phew! She was a bit puzzled about the commotion but admitted to him she'd walked too far and had to sit down for a rest. She was also 80, very fit 80 and if she's able to walk for a couple of hours that puts her fitter than most of the adult population! It was quite upsetting to be sitting there with a lovely old man who could no longer see and was completely reliant on his wife. Luckily she's fit as his he, but the saddest part was finding the address book and there being only one page with just 6 numbers on it, their 2 son's, a doctor and 2 friends.

Reuben discovers the stairs

2009-05-17T08:58:00.000+02:00

It's a good job the stairgate fittings arrived yesterday, just in time!

Playing in trees

2009-05-06T12:05:00.006+02:00

At the weekend, apart from Eel Day on Saturday, which was OK - it's one of those typically English things, where we hang around for the day in a park, drinking real ale, listening to Folk in one ear and Hip Hop in the other ear while some 7 year olds prance about. Then watch some pretend vikings pretending to kill each other and after a town crier contest, the finale, a flotilla of decorated boats go by. This bit was rather an anti climax as a handful of cruisers with a bit of bunting would have been more accurate.
On Sunday we went round to Fiona's for a BBQ, it's nice having Fiona back in Ely and as you can see Leon had fun with the bouncy castle and in their tree.
Yesterday I broke my record for the most amount of shopping on the trailer! There was a special offer in Waitrose on Nappies so I bought 6 packs which should sort the boys for the month. I got many impressed smiles as I cycled out of town with my full trailer.

Up up and away!

2009-05-06T09:38:00.002+02:00

Well, I didn't get the job, as predicted the letter arrived Saturday morning saying I didn't make it. I am gutted, however, I didn't think the interview went well so if I can improve that side of things then all the better. If I'd have thought it was a great interview it might have been worse. I said some really stupid things, I turned into Caroline Quentin in some embarrassing sit com. Things like when asked how would I deal with situations like if customers started argueing instead of saying something sensible like I would deal with the situation calmly and professionally and if need be call the police, I said. Well I'm a big lass and I've stopped a few bar fights in my time. What on earth was I thinking???
Anyway, keep trying.
Reuben is a proper pain in the ankles at the moment, in a good way and he's into everything, climbing up to standing on anything that will (almost) hold his weight. The funny thing is, he uses not only his arms and hands to pull himself up but his mouth too.
It's a lovely day and I plan to get all the sheets done as the forecast is dry and windy.
I the picture Reuben is standing up and holding on with one hand while eating a rusk. Show off!

Ups and downs

2009-05-01T21:18:00.005+02:00

It's been a funny week, I still haven't heard about the job, this probably means I'll get the letter confirming I've not got it tomorrow in the post as they would have rung me by now. I had this in the back of my mind yesterday and had a terrible day. Leon picked up on me not feeling great and behaved, well, like a two year old. I think we both ate too much chocolate as a result.
Reuben is coming on a treat and on the whole, I think things are good. I really really feel the pull to get part time work now. I think Leon needs to go to nursery which won't be free until next January so I need to be working a bit so we can pay for it. The garden is coming on a treat, lots of beautiful stuff planted by the previous owner, there's lots happening in this garden, I love it.

Has anyone seen a mouse?

2009-04-30T17:23:00.000+02:00

Duet

2009-04-20T00:10:00.003+02:00

To the zoo

2009-04-19T23:20:00.006+02:00

We visited http://www.hamertonzoopark.com/ today, it was a good idea of Ellen's and I'm glad we went but.... not the greatest Zoo we've visited, at least not for kids. The website homepage features a cheetah in full sprint, the reality was mainly small nocturnal primates, birds and reptiles and a handful of cheetahs, tigers and donkeys. My favorite were the Vultures and Maribou Storks, the Maribou Storks were the most magnificently ugly birds I've ever seen. Apparently they hang around rubbish dumps and slaughter houses in Africa and considering they were almost as tall as me and were eyeing up Leon as a possible snack, I wouldn't like to meet them without the fence between us. Amazing to look at. Leon was more interested in pretending to be stuck in pretend mud, I think he liked the ring tailed Lima's when I pointed out they were like his cuddly pal Leroy we got at Amersfoort Zoo.
It was a reasonably fun day, I doubt we'll go back there, I wouldn't recommend it really. I like zoos with petting areas, visible keepers and a bit more imagination in presenting the animals. After all, their main target audience, kids, need to be drawn in. It was nice spending the day together with Ellen and Dan, as always. They are about to go and enjoy their 70th Birthday present to each other, so we won't see them for a short while. We went back to their's late afternoon and I sussed out a Hotwheels racing track Ellen had found in Oxfam for Leon and managed to put it together so it folded up properly. Me and Tobe had more fun racing as it was intended but Leon spent ages in his pretend world sending out repair vehicles and rescuing cars, it's really fun to watch him play.
Reuben is ever more getting about crawling now, he can pull himself up to kneeling and occasionally standing. I got some pictures of him standing by the pond, similar to some pictures we did of Leon at the same age.

Reuben in the same out fit, same age as Leon

2009-04-19T23:12:00.003+02:00

Beep!

2009-04-17T21:05:00.001+02:00

Reuben's getting up!

2009-04-17T21:04:00.002+02:00

Leon at 10 months

2009-04-17T13:40:00.001+02:00

Bat for Lashes

2009-04-14T00:19:00.008+02:00

Tob and I went to see Bat for Lashes at the Junction in Cambridge this evening, thanks to a ticket that Sue couldn't use so she sold it to me and I bought another one for Tob. Tob hadn't heard of Bat for Lashes and at first did consider letting me go on my own but he said he enjoyed it in the end. For me, as someone who used to work in a venue similar in size to the Junction and would go to gigs about twice a week for most of the 90's mainly in Utrecht but also regularly in Amsterdam and Eindhoven, I had all sorts of expectations and observations having not been to a gig of this size since....ohhh....let me think...Lamb at the Kentish Town Forum in....2002, I think. Since then, smoking has stopped and camera phones have come in. The cloakroom was 2 quid per item so that was another £4 and tob spent over a fiver on a coke and a pint of piss/lager. Considering the audience just get to stand around, somebody must be doing pretty well out of venues like the Junction. The biggest difference was the lack of smoke, in fact the only smell I could smell was that smell you can smell when you walk past a Lush shop in a shopping centre.

The support act were really good. If Stereolab and the Cocteau Twins had...triplets they would be the two lovely looking girls and floppy haired bloke on guitar. Very nice. Then half hour wait and on came Natasha Kahn and her band, Bat for Lashes. The drummer was really really good, very Budgie like and...a little young lady about 19 in a little black dress. There was a girl on guitar and bass who also did backing vocals and a bit of percussion and keyboards, very accomplished musician, I'd say her bass playing was the weakest point but other than that a very good musician. There was a bloke on Keyboards, lucky bloke, some would say. It was nice to see a really quality band with one bloke rather than the usual ratio with one woman.

Natasha was sweet, dignified and much older than her years both in the way she's written some amazing tunes and in the way she carries herself. About 4 songs in someone shouted 'Stephen!' to which the reply 'Just coming' rippled through the audience, myself included. Natasha said there had been so many 'Stephens' and she was thinking of introducing a penalty. I think I will email Adam and Joe and report this 'Stephen' event to them.

Since having children and coming to the conclusion so often that I can hear something new and interesting then spend ages going through it naming the influences I can hear - no bad thing - It all goes back to someone, all the greats were influenced by other greats that came before them. I have invented a system (preview earlier in the post) where I work out the family tree. For example I worked out that Bat for Lashes, or rather Natasha Kahn in my head this is, was a result of a passionate affair between Kate Bush and Mick Kahn while they were working on Sensual World (Mick plays bass on some of the tracks you will hear). They have Natasha as a love child and make Budgie, Tori Amos and Sinead O'Connor god parents. Mick invites his mates Robert Smith and Robin Guthrie round for beer while he's looking after the little Natasha as she plays on her ELC dulcimer, they listen to records like Hawkwind, Pink Floyd and Kraftwerk. Then the little Natasha grows up to be the fabulous, beautiful accomplished musician she is now, Mercury Price nominee at the age of 17 bla bla bla.

The first time I adopted this method of describing bands was when Muse appeared on the scene back in 2001. I thought if Queen, Radiohead and Bethoven had a love child.... and it went on from there.

Christine and the boys on the bike

2009-04-13T14:02:00.002+02:00

Easter Sunday

2009-04-12T21:07:00.003+02:00

Woke up grumpy, I wanted to have woken up earlier but by 9am realised it would be a stretch to get showered, dressed nicely, get the boys dressed, make a picnic and load the car up for a day out by 10.30. I was right, we left about 11.10 having driven out of the drive way twice, first because I'd forgotten to change Leon before we left then second, I'd forgotten Reuben's muslin cloth. Then I left the keys inside and when Tob left me in the car with my head in my hands, informed me when he returned with my keys that I'd left the front door wide open. Not a great start. The boys fell asleep nicely as planned and I put the ipod on, first selecting Art Brut (imagine Sonic Youth and Carter had a love child in about 1990 and made Mark E Smith and Jarvis Cocker God parents). Then picked Arcade Fire, then Carter USM. Tob pointed out that I kept picking angry music. I realised this wasn't helping and finally settled on some early Cure which did the trick. The journey through Norfolk was nice, we didn't see any sun really all day but it didn't rain so nuff said about the weather. Bressingham Gardens and Steam Railway Centre was our destination for the day; an Easter gift from Ellen and Dan and a very impressive place it was too. First point we stopped was a picnic bench right in front of a beautiful Victorian Steam Merrygoround. The steam organ played a medley of Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang songs and I felt so happy and moved it was as much as I could do not to start blubbering as I thought about how much I'd loved riding the horses on merrygorounds just like this one as a child and now I was riding a horse with my 2 year old son who was completely in love with the ride as I had been. He must have gone on half a dozen times after our first ride. I love the music from Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I think if the music had been from The Wizard of Oz I'd have probably collapsed blubbering with joy and nostalgia. Lucky for us all it wasn't. We spent the day going on steam trains, walking through locomotive sheds, admiring trains and walking around the grounds. The place was buzzing without being too busy so it was a perfect day really. To top it all off I spotted an Ivor the Engine section in the gift shop and bought Leon some Jones the Steam socks, an Ivor story book (the dragon story) and when I showed Toby the Ivor mugs saying how much I'd love one but couldn't really justify buying one, he bought it me as an Easter present. So all in all a good day out. On the way home, Reuben shouted and blew raspberries with a twinkle in his eye (he's such a happy chappy) and Leon winged about more chocolate milkshake, in fairness, he was hungry judging by how quickly he ate his tea when we got home.

Half way through Easter

2009-04-11T21:13:00.008+02:00

Good Friday, the last thing I expected was that I'd be gayly pushing Reuben and Leon on the swings at 9.30am while the sun shined. Me with the boys on the bike with trailer and Tob had cycled down to the swimming pool, only to find it didn't open until 10am, it was sunny and mild and half an hour in the play park went by in a flash. We all had a lovely swim, highlights included Leon jumping in and landing in the water without being caught, coming up to the surface and swimming to the side numerous times with then without armbands (with tummy band vest). We cycled back home, Reuben crashed for a couple of hours sleep, Leon and I crashed on the sofa and slept through finding Nemo and Tob played Wow. Then Tob cut the grass and I did some gardening well into when it finally started raining. Considering heavy rain was forecast all day, the sun only went in about 2pm and the rain didn't start until about 4pm.

Leon must have caught a tummy bug at some point because we had histrionic nappy changing sore bum complaining just before bedtime, then a long and drawn out not wanting to go to bed and finally when he got into bed, he was sick all over the bed, himself, miffy, then me and the bedroom floor. Having changed us all and the bed, I went back up to check on him only to find him being sick all over the clean duvet. I managed to confine it to the duvet so I only had to replace the duvet. He ended up sleeping under a double duvet from the spare room while the rest duvets and all have all since gone through a 60 wash and gone in the drier - this is one of the handfull of times I get to use the drier we have stashed in the garage. I said if I never used the drier, we'd get rid of it but it definitely has its uses. Leon was back today in his bed with clean everything fresh out of the drier. I'm still working my way through the back log of washing.

Last night saw the return of Red Dwarf. A brand new series, I watched with interest but other than the fact I will probably watch this new series, I'm not really impressed. It's like Mr Kiplings cakes, they are really not that nice but you just can't help eating them if they are put in front of you.

Today, I wanted to get into town early like we'd done yesterday but it didn't work out the same. Reuben showed signs of needing a bottle and a bed about 9am, earlier than usual, so I obliged him and woke him up to go into town about 11am. He was happy to be woken and the boys were both happy to go into town in the back of the car. Again, the forecast yesterday was rain all day which is why we drove but it stayed dry. The traffic jam into Waitrose carpark went quickly while we sang old macdonald to the boys and Leon made up the animals. We had tractors (of course) then cows, tigers, caterpillars, monkeys, bunnys and crocodiles I recall.

Leon is really good in town now, without pushchair, he'll hold our hands and cooperate pretty much most of the time. He's very helpful in Waitrose and will fetch and carry with instructions. In the library, Reuben demonstrated his readiness to start cruising and I am beginning to suspect he might skip crawling and go straight to walking. He has started commando crawling (belly etc) but he pulls himself up on everything he can. So cruising will be the answer I suspect.

On our return home, this time after lunch, first Leon went to bed, then Toby, then Reuben leaving me to watch Finding Nemo, do a bit more gardening and chill out. Suddenly it was 4pm and I'd promised Sue I'd pop round with Dylans birthday present and pick up details to pick up our Bat for Lashes concert ticket for Monday in Cambridge I'm buying off her because she can't go. I could hear Reuben had woken up so I went into each bedroom one by one, first Leon's to open the curtains and say rise and shine! we are going out! then our room, where Toby lay tucked up, then Reuben's, opening all three sets of curtains. Within minutes we were on our way to Sue's where we spent the rest of the afternoon chatting with Sue and Jame's and Sue's mum while Leon played out in the garden with Dylan and Edward and Reuben made his way round their living room floor finding things he wasn't supposed to eat like newspapers, Dylan's books he got for his birthday etc.

The boys are both in bed, Doctor Who is waiting on Sky+, Tob is cooking a stir fry and the chocolate nests I made for tomorrow's outing to Bressingham are cooling in the fridge.

must buy creme eggs

2009-04-08T10:49:00.005+02:00

http://tinyurl.com/cdn8wu

Count down to Easter, I've even cut down on the amount of chocolate I consume so I will enjoy my egg all the more.

I have an interview the end of the month for a part time post at the tourist information office in Ely. Fingers crossed. I absorb facts, especially historical so I'd be in the right place. As much as anything else I will become a font of knowledge on all the things to do with kids round here which will be no bad thing.

Last Sunday we were on our way to Anglesea Abbey for a walk when we stopped by in the centre of Ely, where to our delight, we found a collection of vintage cars and tractors on the Market place. Leon had a fantastic time riding tractors. I love the smell of engines, I have no idea why but even going in the shed in our garden, I take a moment to savor the smell of the lawn mower. I hate the smell of petrol at petrol stations but engines and bikes I love. At Anglesea Abbey we had a sunny afternoon and I managed to pick up half a dozen knocked down hellebores and half a dozen other herbs and flowers, mainly for the front garden. The front garden is my project for this year, I figure we see more of the front garden all year round so lets make it as pretty as possble. The back garden is pretty much established and really just needs maintaining. Which reminds me, I should ask Toby to mow the lawn this weekend, Easter or not.

Maiden Voyage

2009-03-27T20:20:00.004+01:00

Well today was our first trip out on the bike with the trailer and it was really good. When Leon first sat in the trailer, he had his mouth open speechless face like 'wow! this is a car for me?' I asked him if he liked it and he said YES! with a big smile. Reuben didn't like wearing his helmet and there were more than a few tears shed while getting it fastened under his chin. I succeeded in not pinching his chubby chin even if the angry cries suggested otherwise. He seemed to enjoy the ride and was happy with the whole experience. On the way home at lunch time he fell asleep so he must be pretty relaxed. I left the bike out the front at lunch time and in a relaxed and dignified fashion was able to do lunch and get them both rested. Leaving the house in the afternoon for coffee at Hannah's was pretty stressful, Reuben was all dressed up and ready to go, I was strapping Leon in the Trailer and came back in to get Reuben only to discover he'd pood again so, back out, un-strap Leon bring him back inside, strip Reuben back down, change and dress him, he didn't like that, then the helmet again . I was not popular with him at all. We got to Hannah's OK, it was very windy but otherwise fine. I detect a significant level of passive aggressive behaviour from Hannah most of the time, and today was no different. She let me in, told me to take of Leon's shoes and walked back into the living room leaving me to keep Leon's shoes off her precious carpet, get him out if his coat, hold Reuben, get him out if his stuff and myself. Forgive me but if I invite someone over for coffee, I would at least offer to hold the baby so they can get coats off witout a juggling act involving a 9 month old and a toddler. Then it took an hour to be offered a cup of tea. I can only deduce that she doesn't like me but the only way she chooses to show it is in a way that only I can notice. This is apparently passive aggressive. She comes across as very timid and shy, I am of course, not so is this her way of dominating me? I feel very dominated and small, so I hope she's happy.
Boys are in bed, all's quiet upstairs. Tonight was the first time Leon's gone to bed without stories (something he really looks forward to and enjoys). We've threatened if he was naughty during bedtime hour this would happen but he's never pushed it to the point where we had to go through with it. Tonight it took the form of tipping water out of the bath onto the floor, on the third time, that was it, he'd been warned. He didn't like it but equally this should hopefully go a way to him realising what we say, we do. We got alot of crying and shouting but he got the message and went to bed.
Lots of preparing to do tonight, Penguin and Emma's wedding tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it. After my pizza, I'm off upstairs for a bath, a soak rather, and then I'll have to do my hair so that tomorrow morning it should hopefully need a touch up along with makeup. I'm still not 100% sure which dress I'm going to wear so once I'm showered I will have a try on and ask Tob what he thinks. Very much looking forward to that pizza.

Trailer!!!!

2009-03-26T15:34:00.003+01:00

I am very happy and excited, I have to admit on many levels I've been waiting to get a bike trailer for kids ever since they were first invented way before I had any kids to put into one. I should make clear at this point that this was not the reason I had kids but you get the gist.

I took it out of it's box this afternoon, first the two 20" wheels and then the folded body, it folds really nicely. I just put it down, and instinctively it could be unfolded and secured together mostly with pins that go through joins. The cover has so much Velcro on it I began to wonder if cycling in general would be the same these days had Velcro not been invented.

Then I went into the garage and put the thingy that goes on the 'host' bike's rear axle on my bike once I managed to find a dumbell spanner in the bottom of a box. God knows what's happened to my bike tools, that garage needs a sort out and we've only been here just under a year.

My Brompton high pressure mini pump pumped up the two 20" tyres in no time - I have a spare brompton pump as my first brompton was nicked and all I have to show for it is the pump. This will stay with the trailer. It's been persisting with rain all the time I was in the doing this but I was far too excited to wait for a break in the rain so I went out for a spin anyway. It was beautifully smooth, if light without the boys in it yet. Reuben will go in the seat behind me on the bike for the time being - research shows he'll be safest there until he's a year or so. Although saying that, if it was really raining I'd put them both in the trailer as otherwise Reuben would be pretty miserable and wet in the seat. I bought him a bike helmet today £25!!! I forgot how dear they are. I'm almost tempted to cycle round to Ellen's and put them both in it now regardless of the rain. I will resist this and make a shepherds pie instead. They can have a first run tomorrow me thinks.

I must send this picture to my Dad who sponsored this acquisition along with the DVDs he got me to order for him last week. Very chuffed indeed.

2009-03-25T18:07:00.004+01:00

I finished my job application last night, at least to a point where Liz can give it a read through, it's nice to have a friend willing to help with things like that. She works at Ely Council and can give me some idea of if the application would look attractive to them. She did a good job last time, I got short listed and even though I didn't get the job, I was a close second and the feedback was I'd interviewed well and should keep applying for work there.
Reuben's just got his 3rd tooth, just as I was putting the finishing touches to the aforementioned paperwork last night, Reuben was being sick on Toby and refusing to drink any milk so I was asked to assist and provide that 'Mums opinion' on how to proceed further - you know, does he have a temperature, try and isolate what is making him upset. My diagnosis was teething and a blocked nose = snotty tummy hence the mini sicks. By then Tob had left me to sort Reuben out (how did that happen?) The teetha and bonjela worked until about 1am when he started up again. I was just in process of getting a duvet from the spare room to sit under on the rocking chair in his room when his protests got less and I thought it likely he'd settle back down if I left him, which he did. He hadn't had any Milk since 7pm so I was expecting him to wake at some point hungry but he didn't wake until gone 8am. By then the white bit of gum top right had turned into a tooth showing through. He had a yogurt for breakfast but still only a couple of ounces of milk so I would guess this teething stuff is suppressing his appetite, poor mite.
During his morning sleep, Leon was bored and really ought to have gone for a sleep, but wouldn't, so I did a search on You Tube for tractors and then car transporters and we watched videos of car transporters being loaded and unloaded much to Leon's delight. Then I had a cunning plan to get Leon to sleep. We lie on the sofa cuddling, I watch Bones and he falls asleep as it's not very interesting for him. This works to plan and within half an hour he's snoring away.
After lunch to music and the library with just Leon as it's Reuben's turn today to go to see his Nana for the afternoon.

Church farm on Saturday

2009-03-24T11:17:00.003+01:00

We went up to Church Farm in Norfolk on Saturday, first time this year. I dare say we will be going there on a fairly regular basis as Leon talks about it all the time now.

Teeth again

2009-03-24T10:55:00.003+01:00

Reuben is in process of pushing his 3rd tooth through and it's made him pretty miserable and put him off his food and milk. He's still having some, but probably about half his usual bottle, this could mean a growth spurt too. I hope he doesn't grow out of his posh outfit before next Saturday's wedding. I've shortened Leon's trousers; the outfit is age 3-4 having found that Monsoon size 2-3 was pretty tight on him. I think they will both look lovely in their velvet suits.
I've been on Ebay again and got a couple of pairs of skater shorts - I like them long to go some way to protect his knees. They might do two summers too. I have a feeling there will come a point in about 3 years when Leon and Reuben basically have a collective wardrobe.
Leon has started the unfortunate habit of putting his hand down my top which when wearing cowl necks means if I don't watch out he pulls it right down. Usually when he wants a cuddle he will put both arms straight down in front of him and as close to my skin as possible.
It's quite sunny today, really nice. I looked on the forecast and the weekend is going to be a wash out, which is a shame. I'm really looking forward to the wedding, I'm sure with Penguin's organisation skills they will have it sorted no matter what the weather.

Spring came last week

2009-03-23T13:52:00.004+01:00

Last week we got a taste of what spring could be like, it's not so good looking this week but it was lovely last week. Dad came on Tuesday and stayed until Thursday. On Tuesday I took Dad along to Leon and Reuben's swimming lesson, Dad took Reuben but it wasn't that comfortable for him as the pool is quite shallow and his knees aren't great at the moment. I think he enjoyed seeing the boys bob about I'm glad we went. Wednesday I asked Ellen to take the boys and we went to Cambridge on the bus, the bus to Cambridge is a fiver return and stops outside the house pretty much and takes us all the way into Cambridge. Dad and I are very much into our Trains but this was just to good to bother getting across Ely to pay more to go by train. We went round Kings College Chapel, something I've been meaning to do and had a wonder around the Fitzwilliam Museum which I like to do given the opportunity as there's loads of good stuff to see there, it's a very under exposed museum considering what they have there. It was great to be going to Cambridge without a list of stuff to buy and a tight time schedule.

Thursday Dad got me to look up loads of stuff on the tinernet and order a film from the US and some stuff from Amazon, he's kindly paid for a bike trailer for the kids so I can get around Ely better. It's arriving tonight, I'm really looking forward to putting it together in the living room!

Reuben is 9 months today and I caught him not only getting from sitting to his front but back again to sitting! He's getting pretty fast at shuffling around. He's started to grab the bars on his play pen and in the hand rail in the bath so he'll be pulling himself up soon too.

Twitterbug

2009-03-23T11:41:00.003+01:00

It has been far too long since my last confession. I have to confess that I have been bitten by the twitterbug; micro blogging inane stuff and reading about what some of my mates are up to and a whole lot of celebrities getting serious ego massaging. It's not a true representation of life reading about what my mate Sue is up to, then the next one down is Phill Jupitus or Stephen Fry.
I applied for a job in February, a part time job at the Council in Ely with a good benefits package, I was short listed and was in with a good chance. Not good enough sadly but I'm not going to let my new suit go to waste and I'm applying for another one, also part time, also for the council, also with benefits but not quite as well paid at the tourist office. I rang the woman who interviewed me just now and she said I interviewed well and there was no reason I wasn't going to get it other than there was someone else who was even closer, it sounds like I was a close second. She said I should keep trying for jobs at the council as there was a good chance I'd get one eventually.

Tractor Leon

2009-02-11T23:24:00.002+01:00

Yesterday, I left my keys on the inside of the front door and shut the door potentially meaning we'd have to break in. Luckily Tob managed to push the key out from the outside with his key. I was also lucky in that both Children, our swimming stuff, food, nappies, my handbag and my mobile phone were on the outside. The only thing I missed was my hat and scarf. After swimming I bought a hat to cover my wet hair from the perishing cold wind.

After swimming, instead of taking Leon back home, I went back to Ellen and Dans to wait for Toby's return. We are so lucky to have both Ellen and Dan so close to us but more than that, they are so up for it and the boys have alot of fun round there. No money can buy the love and fun of loving grandparents. We are very blessed indeed.

I got 3 keys cut today and gave them one of them.

Today, they had Reuben for the afternoon so I could have the afternoon with just Leon, precious time we need together. I walked into town with Liz, Mike and Harriet. Well, Leon and Mike trailed ahead, Leon pushing his own little pushchair with upsydaisy in it and Liz and I walked with Harriet with her pushchair. Their paces are very different! Harriet chose to make a dignified journey by getting in the pushchair half way, Leon soldiered on running and screaming to a halt at every puddle on the way.

During music, the rain started to come down in buckets. Leon didn't have his usual sleep at 11am, choosing to play with his cars but once I wrapped him up in the pushchair, raincover on and we all headed out into the rain, he was fast asleep inside about 2 minutes. He woke up an hour or so later as we got home and went into a rage such like I've not seen for oh at least a day, because he'd been going on about going into town all morning to buy more cars and here we were back home and he'd missed town, the shops and any opportunity to buy cars (he wishes). I am to blame for this connection between town, shops and cars as our local Oxfam is a brilliant source of excellent dye cast cars, we have some great ones. It's always pot luck and we are more often than not lucky and they only cost a few pence most of the time. Trouble is, as he gets more understanding of things, or thinks he has, he expects a car like most kids expect a pack of chocolate buttons. They cost about the same but he gets the buttons too!

Toby is sleeping soundly in a hotel room in Copenhagen, I should go to bed and get some sleep, I dare say, Leon will be up early as usual.

Oh the video, yes this was taken on my mobile on Tuesday evening as Toby walked in the door at Ellen and Dan's with the news that the front door had been saved and we could get back into our house.

Where's the soap?

2009-01-30T20:57:00.002+01:00

Leon may have eaten a bar of soap today. At least, that what he claimed when asked 'Where's the soap, Leon?' - 'In here!' (pointing to this mouth). There is evidence to suggest, however, that he pushed it down the plughole. We can only hope.

bedtime!

2009-01-27T10:18:00.000+01:00

Last night was the second night for Leon in his bed, rather than in his cot.

Over the last few days I've been slowly clearing the mound of soft toys from his bed and the night before last I completed the task. When I said 'time for bed', instead of getting into his cot as usual, he just lay on the bed instead (they were side-by-side). I asked him if he wanted to stay there and covered him up, and he seemed fine. Actually I rolled back the blanket and replaced it with the duvet from the cot, but he stayed put. And he didn't run about, although that was probably because he'd not slept in the day.

Later that night when C and I were turning in, we heard a 'thump!' - he'd fallen out of bed. Fortunately he'd not hurt himself, and hadn't even woken up! I put him back in and tucked him in and he was fine. I assume he didn't fall out again, because we weren't woken by any more thumps!

I must say I like being a parent because when Leon's not winding me up, he's very funny, either because of what he says or what he does. I thought him falling out of bed and just curling up on the floor was very funny, I couldn't stop chuckling :)

So, as I said, last night was the second night. He did get out of bed once, but ran back to bed when I came up to investigate. It was quite late so I turned his little light off. He asked to hold it (he snuggles up with cars, little light, water bottle as well as soft toys) and that was the last we heard. And I don't think he fell out either :)

Little boy's growing up :)