In case you were wondering...

We had a wonderful time in France. For me, I am really loving being home, very much enjoying the back-to-school feeling. I am working on a post about our holiday with lots of photos, but we have had company much of the week, so I am behind.

15 Sept - 15 Oct I am having an alcohol and driving-free month. So far so good. I really like getting the train to work. It takes longer, but that's mostly walking (the train ride is all of 6 mins), which is better for me, and more interesting/wholesome for Foxy. All good.

A Week in Provence

We spent a wonderful week in this splendid house:



with this fantastic view:

with these lovely people:


Foxy perfected al fresco dining...



And we did our thing...

We also found a playground:


but swimming was everyone's favourite activity:




We finished off a fantastic week with a first dip in the Med for the boy:



20

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my 38th birthday. I think it was my best one ever. I dropped Harry off at creche, and then spoilt myself. Waxing, mani/pedi, and I got an iPhone!!!! It is beautiful. I did not have time to play with it because I was whisked off to dinner in the evening. Everyone made my day super special, it was terrific.

What a difference to two years ago when we were living in Canterbury and I was having a miscarriage. I am so, so lucky.

The Gift of Time

Today Foxy and I were supposed to be going to a picnic in London. I was looking forward to it, but when it started pissing down with rain, as well as thundering, it did feel like I was being given the gift of time.

I have all this mess to sort out:


Onto our lovely new shelves:



Luckily, Foxy is very happy to play in his pen as long as I am in the living room too. I will be posting after shots later this evening -- at least that's the plan.

Children's Program

We have had a series of visitors lately, including two families. Taking inspiration from the yarnstorm blog, I ran a fairy cake decorating activity. I made the cakes, and lots of plain white icing. Participants were then able to choose from my selection of 24 food colouring pots and various sweets, sprinkles, etc for decoration:




One of the things I love about this activity is that appeals to 3-year-olds and 43-year-olds alike, and their output is equally pleasing. The results were fabulous, if I do say so myself:







Our Israeli girls also enjoyed playing with Foxy's post box:

What's that in that little girl's hand I hear you ask? Can you tell here?

It was a chicken bone. Clearly best washed down with a swig of wine:

Our next visitors were the Oxford cousins. If we're honest, Foxy is afraid of his cousin Rosie. Sometimes she just has to lean towards him and he cries. Miraculously, he tolerated sharing a bath with her:

I know, he looks a little scared. Bless him.

Foxy Feast

The Fox and I have been having a few battles lately. I would like him to start drinking his milk out of a cup. He was/is having 3 bottles per day, so I thought I would tackle the mid-afternoon one, as it seems a bit mean to challenge the boy first thing in the morning, or right before bed. Who is winning? Neither of us. He doesn't really drink much of it, but he doesn't get anything else either. It seems he would prefer to go without (for now). He is happy, BTW, to drink water or juice out of the cup. But not milk.

This morning Foxy decided that he is too grown up to be fed his breakfast. I was pretty frustrated, and porridge is not a finger food. Foxy won. I made him toast with mushed up banana on it. He had a great time:

Tuesday evening

A few weeks ago when I blogged, I promised that I would be back living a lovelier life, or some such thing. This evening I am doing just that.

I am sitting at the kitchen table, drinking wine, eating crisps, & blogging:


My kitchen, which I will photograph one day if the sun ever shines again, contains this yummy drawer:


The living room now has a corner fenced off for Foxy:


Luckily, he actually seems to like it there. He is quite self-sufficient, working on his many projects.

My current knitting project of a couple of cushion covers is also coming along slowly but surely:

Life is indeed lovely. I feel very lucky indeed.