Big school

Amber is so excited about starting big school in two weeks – today she wore her school uniform when her little friend from round the corner, Abigail, came to visit. 🙂

This afternoon, we bought her first pair of school shoes.  She wore them out of the shop and spent the entire journey home admiring them.  We were so proud to see her in her uniform, but a tiny bit sad that she’s growing up…

Anyway, let’s hope she finds the experience of full-time education as rewarding as the uniform!

Audiophiles 2

Remember I said that the girls were fascinated by my headphones?  Well, here’s the proof: my last.fm scrobble list for this morning (which shows what you’ve been listening to) currently looks like this.

I’ve just been in to ask her if she’d like to listen to something else, so expect Fame by Irene Cara to dominate my playlist now…

Anniversary

Today, August 29th, is the third anniversary of Trev and Conny’s wedding.

It’s almost impossible to believe it’s only the third anniversary – so much has happened since, it feels like decades.

I don’t really have much else to say about it – just wanted to mark the occasion here, remember the fantastic day we all had and send love and a big hug to Conny.

It’s strange, I no longer forget that Trev isn’t here anymore – I don’t get ambushed by that memory now: I think about him every day, miss him every day, but my mind has adapted to the loss by playing a little game whereby Trev isn’t gone, rather he’s just not here at the moment.

Which isn’t to say I expect to ever see him again.

But I no longer deal with his loss by facing his absence head-on; instead, to me, he’s just unavailable.

If that sounds a bit crazy…well, it was something my unconscious decided upon, not me.

But it does help.

At home

It’s actually rather hard to blog when you’re looking after two small children – the stuff  you would like to write about gets in the way of actually writing about it.

Today, for example, the girls and I have been digging up part of the communal grass area at the front of the house and transplanting raspberry bushes from the back garden into it.  We don’t legally own this bit of land (and the council comes to mow it once a month), but no one else wants it, so I’ve been steadily co-opting a strip for growing fruit and veg.

Why am I moving raspberries from the back garden?  Glad you asked.  I’m moving some of the raspberries because they don’t grow very well there and to make room for the chicken coop that arrived today.

So, that’s that explained and…

What?

Yes.  A chicken coop.

We’re getting some chickens – battery rescue hens – and we needed the space for the coop.  Anyway, digging up the land at the front is a nightmare because there are some bastard pyrocantha bushes well bedded in that need to be got rid of.  Plus, the ground is full of stones – digging 20cm down to make space for the raspberries is a half hour job!

What?  Yes, chickens!  We’re getting three chickens.  It’s no big deal!

Amber’s already decided hers will be called Chicken Licken, but they won’t be arriving for another month or so, whenever the British Hen Welfare Trust have their next available batch needing rehoming.

Audiophiles

On a whim, I showed the girls my new “on-ear” headphones last night (a pair of Bowers & Wilkins P3’s) and now I can’t get them back!

They’re both fascinated by the idea of listening to music that no one else can hear – both of them are sitting in bed next to me taking it in turns to listen to their favourite songs.

Kids – it’s always the things you least expect that catch their attention…

Goodbye Mr Armstrong

As a small child, the name Neil Armstrong was almost like a magic spell to me. He was simply the most amazing person ever, because he was the first human being to walk on another world. While other people at school inexplicably worshipped footballers I set my sights a little bit higher.

Sadly, his humanity was proven yesterday when he died of complications following a heart operation, but his family have made this simple request:

“For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.”

RIP Neil Armstrong.

Holiday!

We’re home, we’re happy and we’re exhausted – all from our holiday at Thorness Bay in the Isle of Wight; hence the week long blackout.

I’ve got stories to share and pictures to upload.  But not tonight, eh?

Oh, all right, all right – just one little taster… 😉