Sore arm (DD's = sore head (mine)

How's that for a blog title? Poor little Dear Daughter (11) had her swine flu vaccination on Thursday morning at school. She was a bit nervous at the thoughts of having a needle stuck in her, but in the event it passed off with very little pain. Within 24 hours or so, it was becoming more and more painful to a point where she couldn't lift her arm above her head without a lot of pain. (So don't lift you arm above your head, my dad would have said). She's also been shivering and has a lump in her armpit, all undoubtedly reactions to the vaccine.

Now I know it must be hurting, since she's a brave sort of kid (like her mother) but I'm starting to get headaches from her constantly moaning about it, putting ice cubes on it, putting heat pads on it, and generally being totally obsessed by it. I'm being very sympathetic (through gritted teeth) which is more than her brother is - he told her to stop complaining, it was nothing compared to a game of rugby! Didn't help much, that comment, I can tell you!

It's sure to get easier over the weekend, trouble is, she's supposed to be having another one in a couple of weeks! I think we'll cancel that! My nerves won't stand it! Anyway, half protected is better than no protection at all!

The boys have theirs next week, so DD will have her revenge!

Where did all the time go?

It's not fair! I'm not old enough to have a 15 year old son! I remember when he was a little baby - he was such a good baby, never cried, always happy. He still doesn't cry, and is usually happy but you should see the size of him! I'll post a piccie when I've finished my takeaway pizza. More later.

Signed on again and other ramblings!

I've just spent the last twenty minutes trying to sign on. Thanks to all the new technology, you don't have to queue up and face a snotty cow behind the counter of the DOLE office (aah, happy memories of being a school leaver on the dole - I've worked diligently ever since!) Nowadays, you sign on on-line, or by telephone. The on-line version was taking me round in loops, so I tried the telephone. I had to say a magic word (in French) to be taken to the next stage. My accent has not improved, and the first couple of times, it didn't understand me and took me back to the main menu. After lots of pressing buttons, I finally made it. I expected a fanfare at least, but I just got the dialing tone.

I first registered as unemployed at the end of the summer season, way back at the beginning of September, but so far I haven't received a bean, and by the time I do, I shall probably have found gainful employment. Could this possibly be Mr Sarkozy's way of not paying out any money to foreigners? Don't be so cynical!

Corrie's been on every night this week - love it! RIP Blanche though - I loved her one-liners!

The surveyor's been and gone and says there are no real problems! Can this be so? Fingers crossed for an offer of the asking price (fat chance!) followed by an early completion (I can dream). Perhaps then I can move the last of DH's suits from his National Power days out of the old house! They can go straight to Emmaus! I'd best have another glass of wine quick to celebrate, since something's bound to go wrong!

Tomorrow we've got a French guy coming to see the gites, bring him on!

A typical entry from my diary

Don't know why I'm putting this here, but everybody loves to snoop in somebody's diary! This one is from Monday 30th November, It's longer than they usually are, so I apologise in advance, feel free to click away at any time - I won't be offended! Here goes:

Felt better than I've been in ages this morning, cracked on a-pace. Céline, J & N for the early morning, K went with Catherine [neighbour] for her 9 am start. All in good spirits. Got DH up at 8 am as the accountant was due. Fount out at 3 pm that he wasn't coming (we rang them). Don't know if we've upset them (quite probable) or if they're just as incompetent as the rest of the French so-called "professionals". Do know that H was so pissed off I was relieved when he went to his rugby meeting. To add to the mix (one thing is never enough) the surveyor's changed his appointment and is coming Thursday pm now and staying the night in a gite. He's carrying out a "full structural survey" - God help us!

Made H walk the dog with me (in the rain) and naturally missed the accountant ringing to apologise and make another appointment. They can all push off now, at least until I've regained my equilibruim. Hard to find something to be cheerful about, but my naturally bouyant personality wasn't knocked back for long.

Usual rush and push to get hungry kids fed decent food by 6.40 pm, including a trip to the bus stop to pick them up. H missed an absolute treat [he eats at the rugby club, poor thing!] - I did home made beefburgers (no egg, had to improvise) with potato wedges à la Nigella - set my sore mouth off a treat! [I burned it on a mince pie on Saturday!] Bloody lovely on such a cold, miserable night. Squashed a slamander underneath the wheel of the car on our drive, which set off a couple of jokey texts from N - all of us in excellent spirits - dunno why particularly, but I treasure these times. Watched French news, don't seem to have Channel 5 any more.

Only one Corrie - unbelieveable - 1 hr Jungle crap afterwards - hate it! Who are these "celebrities" anyway? I only recognise one! Kim from "How Clean is Your House" - I used to like that, made me feel efficient.

Did half an hour on my treadmill which I enjoyed this time as I read trashy magazines to pass the time, but I didn't half feel knackered afterwards - and I had K's bed to make up and tons and tons of washing to put away before I could collapse into bed myself.

On standby for the accountant most of the day, but managed to give W his two usual walks. Almost collapsed with tiredness after the lunchtime tomato and rice soup (l/o rice from risotto on Saturday) Not as bad as it sounds. Would have dozed off on the settee afterwards, but daren't as it would have been too embarrassing to have the accountant tap on the window and wake me up! Wouldn't be the first time!

Watched an oldie but goodie Clint Eastwood - he was so handsome!!! Film called The Eiger Sanction, also watched Midsomer with K after school.

Enjoying the book I'm reading about the Guernsey - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It's all about the occupation of Guernsey during the second world war, but written in the form of letters going back and forth, which makes it easy to pick up and put down again if time is short. Some of it is quite disturbing. I'd never realised that Guernsey (and obviously France) had it so tough in the war. The residents of Guernsey had 24 hours to decide whether to evacuate their children to England before the Germans invaded, or whether to take their chances with the occupation. Those who did didn't see their children again for 5 years!

Feeling more on an even keel in spite of everything. Need to be for everybody's sakes. Posted my Barshinskey book [a book I read on holiday and only just finished] to mum - €6 - eek!!!

Nothing of interest on the emails, nor phone calls. Only bills in the post.

Are you asleep yet? Wake up, it's finished now! How do you think I feel? I'm actually living all this!!!! If you're very good, I won't do this again!!!

Meltdown in le Clerc!

It was our wedding anniversary on Saturday, and as usual, DH had forgotten. Either that or he hadn't had time since last year to go out and buy me a card. This meant that he was guilt tripping himself (I wasn't bothered, honest!) I was just glad he was speaking to me again. Anyway, on with the story. He decided it would be a good idea to take me to the jewelry section in leClerc at Saintes (he has a loyalty card, so gets a bit off) for me to choose something. Time was tight, due to the fact that he overslept and he had to take the boys to a rugby match at midday. Nevertheless, we stoically set off to leClerc to get my pressie. I had to have a pressie, since he'd forgotten to get me a card, so I therefore had to have a pressie as well as a card. Are you getting the picture? The fact that I have absolutely no need of any more jewelry and I'm perfectly ok for earrings for the rest of my life and have my everyday watch and my posh watch so no need for anything there - all that didn't matter - I had to have some jewelry from leClerc, or I was being difficult.

As time was tight, he sent me off to the jewelry section whilst he got some money out of the cash machine. Leclerc was packed! Saturday morning is never the ideal time to go shopping to a supermarket and all the French people in France seemed to be in there at 11am Saturday morning. I took a shuftie round the jewellry section, there was a lot of sterling silver - not my thing, gold crucifixes, again, not my thing, it was going to have to be a watch which had some imitation diamonds around the fact €60, not bad I thought, okay I'll have that - I'll be able to wear it to the wine bar at St Palais we were going to for an anniversary drinkie, won't I be posh?

I could see DH approaching me from the corner of my eye - I recognised his walk, rather than saw his face. He was not a happy bunny. One of his cards had been rejected by the cash machine and he couldn't remember the code for the other one. "Well, you can forget about that for a start" was his opening gambit. "Okay, I said, no problem, let's go home then. Maybe I was being too reasonable or something, but the poor bloke nearly had a nervous breakdown there and then! He kept saying that he was doing this for us (doing what for us?) I damn near had to lead him to the car muttering under his breath all the way about how hard done to he is! Perhaps it's his age or something, but he's over it now - until the next time!

Dear Son (16) has come home from school poorly with a sore throat. I knew it was serious when he slept through his Sunday lunch yesterday. He's off to see the doctor at 6.15 pm, which is the same time as I have to pick Dear Son (14) up from the bus stop - if only I could master the art of being in two different places at the same time! Looks like you'll be walking, Nick! DH'll be at his rugby meeting, no sympathy there!! How do I stay so cheerful?

Silence is Golden - or is it?

DH and I have had an upper and downer (that's Gloucester for a row). I merely pointed out to him that it would be have been nice if he'd rung me from the supermarket where he had gone to buy some fruit for himself on his way back from Friday night's rugby practice and then I could have given him the list that I had which would have made life easier on all of us and we wouldn't have run out of milk, bacon, orange juice and bread for Saturday morning's breakfast. Perfectly reasonable complaint you would think.

He hasn't spoken to me since and he pointedly leaves the room whenever I come into it. Alright, I admit, voices were raised, and maybe it was a mistake to point out that rugby isn't as important as he thinks it is, and that there are other considerations. None of it was helped by the fact that Dear Son (16) rather tactlessly asked where the orange juice was.

Another thing might have been that when I took Dear Daughter (11) to her art class yesterday afternoon, I accidentally locked them all out. It still tickles me to think of Dear Son (16) climbing in through Dear Son (14)'s bedroom window using a long ladder. I bet DH was spitting feathers. It's a shame he's not speaking to me, we could have a good laugh! Shows how easy it would have been for the burglars to do the same, good job there aren't any in France.

Silence may be golden, but I'm feeling lonely in a houseful of people now. He's capable of keeping this up for days, I'm not. Now I remember why I rarely rise to the bait, it's easier to just say nowt. Aah well, at least I'll get the ironing straight!

Holiday photos

Okay you have been warned. Click away now if you don't "do" other people's holiday photos!!!


What happened to my sweet little baby? She's turned into a vamp! At least she's not a goth (yet!)


Eating again!!!
Nick snuggling up to his Auntie Christine (he wishes to remain annonymous!)


Jamie sneaking the dregs of the Spanish red (he thought we hadn't noticed!)


Still crazy about each other after all these years!!! Either that or pissed again!!!

Back to the grind

Hello, Bob and Lesley (my only followers - I'm just jealous!)

Well, thank you for asking, we had a lovely holiday once again in Spain. The weather was, for once, hot and sunny, so we were able to go to the beach all day every day for a change, had we wanted to. Normally, we arrive just as the weather turns (the clocks go back and that seems to mark a step change in the seasons in Spain and in France). This year, however, we had a freak indian summer and actually came back brown and not rust coloured and wind beaten! Unfortunately, since it has been crap weather ever since we re-entered France, nobody is any the wiser and the tan ended up down the plug hole! Just my luck really. I'll try and post a couple of photos later, just to prove I didn't dream the whole thing. At least the dog was overjoyed to see me when we got him back from prison (sorry, the kennels).

We got home on Wednesday and the kids were all back at school Thursday. Even my French lessons re-started on Friday, so it didn't take long for the holiday to become a memory! Was it really this time last week that we went out on Trevor's boat into the Mar Menor and sunbathed on one of the many islands in the bay? Did we really have the cheek to complain about the flies as we drank rosada and ate roasted almonds outside the El Fraile? I can't even stay outside long enough to drink a cup of tea since I got home, it's such a cold wind!

Enough of my whining, you didn't even ask about my holidays in the first place, so moving swiftly on... Immediately before we left we heard that a certain person who was standing in the way of a certain purchase of a certain gite complex has, unfortunately, passed away (claps hands with glee). This has led to the cookery course idea being given the go-ahead, so we are to be treated to a full survey in early December. If that doesn't put them off, they're either mad or desperate! We'll see.

Bookings for next year are passable, but we have to survive the winter first. One of DH's mates has booked three weeks in December to improve his French, so that's the turkey paid for!

I'm still doing my bits of writing for various people which went some way to buying the odd tapas on holiday, with a bit of change left over to get Dear Daughter (11) some new shoes before we went, her 'old' ones having gone into holes! It just never stops.

Reading this back, I can see why I don't have any followers, it's almost made me drop off to sleep. To think, I'm actually living this!!!!!

See you on Facebook!

Banana anybody?

The rugby club were playing up in the north of France on Saturday. DH, who plans the next meal as he's eating the current meal, realised a couple of days before that Dear Son (16) and Dear Son (14) would have to eat their lunch at 11 am, travel on the coach for a couple of hours, then play rugby at 4pm without having anything further to eat. Didn't occur to me, does that mean I'm an unfit mother?

Anyway, he had the bright idea that what was needed was a snack lunch for the whole club before they went onto the pitch. Off he went to the supermarket and bought 50 bananas and 50 cereal bars. What he didn't anticipate, however, was that once they got to the north of France, the group divided up and half the team left the bus to be taken to another rugby ground. We now have dozens of bananas, all going over-ripe and with the best will in the world, we can't seem to eat them faster than they're turning black. I mean, I quite like bananas, but this too much for me. At least the cereal bars will keep till we get back from hols (bring it on!).

A lesson learned? Don't think so!

Oh next week we're off to sunny Spain!

Well, it had better be sunny! We're off on our jollies down to see DH's family in Spain. This time next week we'll be kipping in the Hotel Alize at Lerma and eating an inch thick raw steak (they're worse in Spain than in France for undercooked meat!) I'll stick to the fish dish then!

You can tell we must be due to go off on our hols, me and Dear Son (14) both have sore throats which seems to be an annual event. To cheer us up, here are some of the things we're looking forward to most, in no particular order:

going to the beach where the kids swim out in clear blue water to an island about 200 yards away, just because they can. There's a restaurant at this beach too for the grown ups.

The tapas bar in Cartagena where they do something clever with an ice cold green apple and some foie gras (yum).

Fish and chips in Watts Frying on the La Manga strip - to die for!

Seeing family and all the English people who live down there in Los Nietos who have become friends since we started going there 5 years ago.

Real pork and beef sausages at the English butchers in Cablo de Palos.

Hopefully a bit of sunshine, but since the clocks go back next weekend, it will only be for a short time in the middle of the day, if at all.

NOT BEING HERE!

That's about all I can think of for now, bring it on! Gotta go, Corries back on now!

I'm so excited!

I just had my first article published on the internet! Here is the link, I hope you can make it work, I couldn't. By the way, who exactly is Solitaire! Anyway I recognise it so I know it's mine.

The trip to the DOLE office went well enough last Friday - once we'd found the place. Apparently it only moved a week ago and everybody we asked only knew where the old office was. That explained why the GPS didn't recognise the address. Hey-ho. Thankfully they didn't send me out of there with a list of potential employers wanting to interview me, but I do have to go to a "back to work" workshop in a week or so where they'll teach me how to write a CV - ha! You don't have to sign on any more either, just go on line and tick a few boxes. The age of technology, I remember the last time I went on the dole as a sixteen year old school leaver you had to sign a bit of paper in front of a right snotty cow after having queued all morning then a cheque for £16 came through the door the following Friday. How times have changed!

Next door gave Dear Son (14) a pair of hamsters. Two days later, one had given birth and now we have 9. Does anybody want a hamster? When will we learn not to trust the French? One new cage later 25 euros (we had to separate them!) and DS now knows that there's no such thing as a free hamster - he paid! They are cute though (scratch that, never show weakness!)

The bank have agreed in principle to extend the mortgage so we won't be evicted yet. Best I can do for good news I'm afraid. We lost the sunshine for a few days, but it's back with a vengeance now, what with that and the hot flushes, I'm never at the right temperature! We won't go there.

That's it I think, more later if I think of anything I missed!

Wish me luck - I'll need it

I've been made redundant! Don't worry, it's just a paper exercise, I'm fully employed and more, but it costs too much for DH to employ me in the French system, so I've been sacked! In a little over half an hour, I'm off to Pole-Emploi in Saintes (the French equivalent of the DOLE office) to register as unemployed. I'll only get a pittance, but it means DH doesn't have to pay OVER 600 euros a month to the government for me insurance, pensions etc. This interview is to discuss my situation (in French). That'll be interesting .... I'll let you know how I get on.

As part of my job search, I'm registered with an internet freelancer site called Get a Freelancer (original). I've been invited to quote for a job on there this morning, translating English porn videos into French! That it should come to this. They say that they're not that interested in the level of grammar - I'll bet! I don't imagine there'll be much dialogue, but they want the action described in French. What was the real insult was that they're only prepared to pay less than $1 per 45 minute video translated. I don't think I'll bother. Dole office, here I come!

Let us pray

I often think that there's enough material here to keep six blogs going, but then a lot of it is probably quite boring if you're not personally involved in it. However, I couldn't resist sending you the latest development in the non-sale of the gites.

We at this very moment have a very nice couple from Cork in Ireland staying with us. Their names are Michael and Mary and they are both chefs, she in particular is a pastry chef. They came to see the gites through an estate agent with a view to buying them earlier this year. They (like many before them) decided there and then that this was what they had been looking for to establish their long held dream of a cookery school. They cancelled all their other appointments, then went home to Cork and arranged a euro loan on some rental properties that they have in Dublin. So far, so good, so you know that there's going to be a 'but' and here it is...

Mary's father has never got over the recent death of her mother and has been going to rack and ruin ever since. The minute they got the loan agreed in principle from the bank, he went into a steep decline and ever since he's been in a hospice, weaker by the day and they're just waiting for him to be taken so they can get on with their dream cookery school.

Is God trying to tell me something? It does seem a bit harsh that somebody has to die in order to sell the gites and move on with my/our lives. I don't mean to be cruel to the old boy, but could he please get on with it? I don't want it to be painful, just quick! The banks will be on our backs any day now, and you have to admit it sounds like a pretty lame story to pass on to them. They'd laugh us out of the place. Now let us pray....

Died and gone to heaven

We have waited all summer for a bunch of holidaymakers like the ones we have here at the moment! Happy smiling faces wherever you go. Children laughing and playing nicely without wrecking the place. The wine tasting last night was well attended and everybody was listening at the appropriate moments (you know how important that is to DH) whilst chatting pleasantly in between times. The three or four teenage girls organised themselves to babysit the younger ones although they only met one another on Saturday. It's now Tuesday and we've suffered no abuse whatsoever. After cancelling the last few barbecue nights due to total lack of interest, we're now already taking orders for this Thursday night, and it looks like even the vegetarians are coming and at least four have already ordered the leg of lamb to be cooked specially for them. This feels like the old days and I feel like I've died and gone to heaven! Now why isn't it always like this?

A Night on the Tiles

Last night, our dear friends, Kevin and Sheila invited us to a birthday party at their complex of gites about half an hour from here. It was brilliant to be able to pretend to be on holiday at a gite complex for a change! He had live music, the weather was superb, we had too much to drink and didn't want the night to end as then we had to come back to reality! Happy birthday Sheila, I really hope the top I bought you fits, just cut the bows off if you don't like them!

Back to bloody reality! As I'm writing this, the French people who are staying in the gites -9 in a house that sleeps 6 are welcoming yet another group of their friends onto the site. They were all four of them prepared for their day by the swimming pool. I daren't tell DH since it might give him a heart attack. They all go tomorrow, so I'm just ignoring it. He's still asleep, so he might not notice.

We have a whole new lot tomorrow - 7 gites to changeover. It fills me with delight to know that one of the new arrivals has sent me an email asking about a "dongle" - I had to look it up on the internet, I've never even heard of one! Dunno if I can get him one, but I sure can't wait to meet him - not! The weather forecast is for 35 degrees, stormy and thunderstorms in the evening - just as the little darlings get out of their cars! Can't wait!

Hey-ho!

As if all this isn't enough, and obviously it isn't, the "Flying Dutchman" turned up here Wednesday out of the blue. He just happened to be "in the area" - he lives 2 hours away. I haven't been wrong-footed like that since the last time he wrong-footed me! Maybe he thought it was impolite to drive on by - Mark, in the unlikely event that you are reading this, next time, just drive on by. I'm fussy about who I give coffee and beer to and DH hasn't got over the disappointment (and probably never will) - we're expecting the liquidators (or whatever it is in French) to be here by Christmas.

Better get on with sorting my bedlinen - we've got 27 beds to change tomorrow!

So, what are you doing today? My day can only get better (as soon as the hangover lifts - the tea ain't working!)

We're having too much of a good time - help!!

Well, why do you think the wine tasting last night didn't finish until 4 am? Working backwards, how, on a busy changeover day did we end up falling into bed at 2 am full of Pimms? Sunday, our coffee morning with all the new arrivals finished up with several bottles of champagne and a good part of a bottle of cognac (mixed together, if you please!) in the garden for the next SEVEN HOURS!

Our children, not to mention dogs and cats are being fed at odd hours (if anybody remembers - good job they're capable of getting their own! - at least the kids and cats are, poor long suffering Woody has to wait!)

Yes, those of you in the know may have realised, our very good friends (and customers) from Ireland are here. Good job it's only for a week, I'd be dead if it was any longer. Orange and lemonade for the rest of the season, I promise, God!
The culprits (this is a photo from last summer)

Another scorching day in prospect, and I'm dehydrated to begin with! At least it's good 'craich'!

Oh no! Not another hot and sunny changeover day!

That's what I thought yesterday morning when the temperature was already at 28 degrees at 9 am and we had a changeover day to do. Every Saturday (changeover day), virtually without exception since this season began has been roasting hot and sunny. Followed by cloud, cold winds and even (eek) rain on the Sunday morning.

Sometimes I think running a gite complex would be a doddle without the customers! I'll give you an example. Dr C and his family arrived last Saturday. They booked very last minute, as people seem to do more and more these days and as a result could only have a fortnight if he agreed to change gites halfway through. DH heard his wife, H, moaning to a fellow giteur (is that a word?) in the laundry room about having to move and lose a day of her holiday. DH, who can spot a need in anybody else in the world, except his nearest and dearest at about a mile distance, was quick to use his initiative and get me to contact Mrs W, who arrived yesterday, and ask her if she would go into a different gite and therefore save Dr C having to change. The gite was slightly bigger and we weren't going to charge any more, but we'd save with the cleaner - everyone's a winner!

Unfortunately, we didn't hear back from Mrs W (are you following this?) right away as she was away visiting family. Amazingly, when DH put the proposal to Dr C and his wife, they flew into a confrontational state and said that they'd paid (£30) for the new gite for the week and this proposal wasn't acceptable! He'd offered to refund the £30 but why argue? Poor bloke thought he was being helpful!

In the meantime, we hear back from Mrs W who said she'd be delighted to have the upgrade! Well, she would, wouldn't she?

All ended happily, believe it or not. Dr C hadn't been near the bar all week, but he was in there last night, with his wife and they were the life and soul. Turned out that the reason they wanted to change gites (but why was she moaning about it?) was that they were frightened of leaving their children in bed in the original gite (further away from the bar), in case anybody was kidnapped, or worse! Echoes of Madeleine.

Mrs W accepted that she wasn't going to get her upgrade, and is more than happy with "your" gite, Lesley (and Margo)!

Ain't life strange?

Yew Tree

Catalpa

The two gites in question - does this bring back happy memories?

A jolly good time was had by all

It's party time!

I've had my night's sleep (a decent one for once!) and shed my tears, and as Flylady says, you're only allowed to sulk for one twenty-four hour period and then after that you have to laugh at whatever it was that you're sulking about! Trouble is that my mum is now 76 and it's possible that one of her trips here might be the last time I see her, but I try not to dwell on that.

The time they were here last week went unbelievably fast - I always say that! I was panicking before they got here about how we'd fill the time and in the end we ran out of time before we ran out of things to do. We had our little trips out, to the "blue caravan" beach on the Atlantic Coast just past the zoo, as well as Les Antilles for Dear Daughter (11) 's birthday. A very small jewelry/fancy goods shop in Saujon was having a closing down sale and everything was reduced by 50%. It just so happened that we needed something for DS's girlfriend, DD's birthday and a present for my younger brother's girlfriend, so we were all 10 of us back in there three times on the same day! What a hoot!

Super U (the supermarket) did very well out of us as we had to shop every day, sometimes twice! My older brother thought he found a dead body in an old derelict house that he went to have a nosey around in but when he went back it had gone, so it couldn't have been that dead! Scared him to death!

My mum only had the one moody when we got lost in the maize field trying to find a short cut whilst walking the dog before we went to the pizzeria and even she managed to laugh at that the day after. The problem was that DH had insisted we were all in the car at 6.45 pm so we could be the first to be served when the pizzeria opened at 7pm (there seemed to be a mass disappearing act whenever food was ready or we were going out) and my mum doesn't like to be late. I also suspect she's a bit frightened of DH - no wonder, so am I!

The kids, of course, made everything happen. Aged between 11 (just) and 16 the five of them were here to have fun, and didn't they just! They camped out by a bonfire one night though I don't think they got much sleep. I still haven't got the smell out of the duvets and pillows they took outside! Anybody got any ideas?

An excellent time was had by all. As one wise person once said "Don't be sad because something is over, rather be happy that it happened at all".

Back to reality now, I've got a LOT of office backlog and an enormous changeover to get ready for on Saturday. As Mark Twain once said - the best way to get ahead is to make a start!

Have a nice day!

They've gone home - sob

Siblings of the same womb!

We have had ten/eleven - Dear Son's girlfriend came Saturday and hasn't gone home yet! - staying in our house for the past week. My mum, my two brothers (see pic), my nephews 13 and 15 with the five of us. They came last Monday, they stayed for a week, they ate, they drank, they made noise, they celebrated Dear Daughter (newly 11)'s birthday and in the end some of us cried. It was noisy, God, was it noisy. There was barely enough room around the massive table in the kitchen. They left this morning and I can hardly explain how much I miss them. This photo was taken this morning, the weather matches my mood. Silence - don't like silence.

Family reunion

Having a wonderful time, wish you were here! For the first time in five and a half years the whole of my family (mum, two brothers, two nephews and of course my own family) are all together in the same place. Big brother Michael lives in Salt Lake City and when he comes over to England for a visit, it's usually our busiest time, so we can't see each other. Glad to say he looks well, though a bit greyer than I remember him. We're all having a wonderful time together, talking about old family holidays and things that they remember and I don't (oh the self-centrednest of youth!) The kids are getting along really well and we are ten in the house - good job it's a big one!

Yesterday we went to the beach and wore ourselves out, today it's a rest day and Luna Park funfair tonight, to celebrate the end of Dear Son's (15) exams.

I'll try to get some photos and post them here.