The Gift

That keeps on giving. Well done Unkie J – I like this window art malarkey.

This was on my bathroom window this morning.

Vacuum

This is why I never clean the house.

Today was the first time I’ve even looked at the vacuum cleaner for at least a couple of years (the husb chose it, that makes it a tech gadget which means that only he can use it) and I’ve injured myself.  Not only that, the boy was on hand so insisted that I use one of his plasters.

I Love Them

And I’m pretty sure they love me too.

Red Noses, amongst other things

It was red nose day today.  The small’s school had a “funny top and tail” theme, my school was wear red or superhero theme.

The boy initially chose a pair of pants to be his “top” bit, but abandoned that before we left the house on the grounds that he might get laughed at.  The girl went for a slightly odd hairstyle (one plait and two bunches, mildly eccentric at best) and I went full on red – deely boppers, jumper and lipstick.  They both wore odd socks and odd shoes.

It seemed like the perfect opportunity for a picture of the three of us (if only the husb could have been convinced to do red/silly hair, it could have been four, oh, and if he hadn’t had to leave for work unsociably early).

The No 1 Ladies Opera Club

I have a new love in my life.

In March 2011 I went to see Madam Butterfly, last year it was Aida. Today I went, with 7 friends, to see Carmen. It was fabulous and I am most definitely on an opera high this evening.

We went for the full cultured package and had lunch there as well.  Continuing my mirror theme, here is another self-portrait, taken in the restaurant.

Look Away

Seriously, look away now if you don’t like spiders.  Especially big, fat, hairy ones!

No, I didn’t find this one under my bed.

We had a travelling bug man at school today.  He bought, amongst other scary beasties, a red knee-d tarantula.

It wasn’t my intention to hold it.  I’m not over keen on spiders.  I’m a glass over the top, cardboard underneath and swift flight to the bottom of the garden kind of girl when it comes to spiders.  But then, there was the man, standing in front of me with a ruddy great fat hairy spider in his outstretched hand, so I took the bull by the horns, as it were.

So, really, this is your last warning, if you don’t want to see Lucy, for that is the scary hairy one’s name, look away now.

Actually, she’s really rather lovely and not at all skittish!

Inspiration

I was stymied for a post today.  I often am during the week (full term work is seriously messing with my bloggy mojo) and end up posting endless pictures of my children.  Good job they’re gorgeous and hilarious really.

This evening I am babysitting.  I often find inspiration in other people’s houses.  I don’t live here and so everything seems very interesting.  Particularly these mirrors in the hall.

I love the way you get tiny fragments of the whole in squares that aren’t always adjacent.

I took a slightly sideways picture as well as I wasn’t sure if the way they’re made up was clear from the straight on shot.

Next Week

Is going to feel positively tame by comparison with this week.

Last term, the small’s school put together a display of artwork based on the book “Fletcher & the Falling Leaves”. Each class took a page and recreated it using various materials including items from outside (sticks, leaves, moss, etc). The artwork is currently on display at Bromley library so we took the husb along to see it.

Here are the ones done by the boys and the girls classes, handily placed next to each other.

We then did lots of running around based around Drs appts (nothing major), shopping, and most excitingly taking delivery of my finished bunting and then packing it up and posting it to BBC Children’s, Manchester.

My lovely friend T had done a fantastic job of sewing it up for me. Many many thanks lovely T.

I held it up while the girl took photos. It’s really rather large!

Still Busy

We had another jam packed day today.

We went to my favourite museum, Horniman Museum, this morning. We had been planning to go to a free craft workshop, but the queues were appalling when we got there so we just pottered around the free galleries instead.

We saw some old favourites, like the overstuffed walrus

and some new bits like the drums in the gardens.

This afternoon we watched the original Star Wars (now called episode 4, shouldn’t be allowed) which the smalls seemed to enjoy, in between asking endless questions. Here is a shot of me and my boy snuggled with a blanket just before it started.

Finally, this evening, we went to pizza express for tea.

A daddy and boy totem,

Which the girl and I couldn’t quite pull off as I’m not tall enough.

This week has certainly been our busiest half term.

Anyone would think that I was over compensating for working full time and having to put them into pre and post school childcare.

Hats

I had another hospital appointment today (I know what you’re thinking – “what has this got to do with hats?” – just bear with me).

I had to take the smalls with me which was a frightening thought, but actually not all that bad – they were very well behaved and charmed the waiting room, which was full of people a few years older than me who were obviously looking back at their time with children through rose tinted spectacles.

The good news from the appointment is that although I have to have another hated ERCP, Kings College Hospital will do it under general anesthetic (me, not the surgeon).  I know, I’m being a bit of a wuss, but I was really relieved to hear that they could and would do that.  The bad news is that there is now talk of taking my gall bladder out.  The consultant that I saw at the QEQM Hospital didn’t seem to think that would be essential though, so I’ll can always switch my allegiences back after the ERCP has been done.

As the children were so good in the hospital, I thought I’d treat them by taking them with me to do the weekly supermarket shop (yes, I am being sarcastic, just in case you were wondering).

They whiled away the time spent trotting after me down the aisles (before they started trying to push each other into the shelves) by taking it in turns to wear my hat.  They are very easily pleased sometimes.  I was somewhat less pleased to see that my new hat suits both of them much more than it does me.

Exhibit a – sultry male model in the making:

Exhibit b – sweet and shy:

Exhibit c – mad bag lady, possibly with many cats at home (and I even tried to take this shot at a flattering angle, not a luxury I afforded my children):

Looks like the search for that elusive hat that actually looks ok on me will continue for a while yet.