The Things I Do With Myself

Hello, loyal email and WordPress followers! Thank you for still being here. I have much to report, as you can probably imagine, but for now I thought it was time for a little life update. Five weeks ago, after nine years at home with bumps, babies and preschoolers; I graduated. By which I mean that…

Child Prodigy

We have a framed quotation in our kitchen, hidden amongst the past projects, unidentifiable clay models and paintbrushes. We even made and decorated it ourselves, for good measure. I love it and almost certainly ascribe to the message. Lately, however, I have also found myself thinking that, whilst every child is an artist, some are…

Our Latest House Guest

I never thought we’d be an “Alexa!” kind of family. In fact, after hearing our previous neighbours’ children repeatedly squawk her name from the garden, I had sworn that Alexa would never set her submissive digital foot inside our home. Still. As is often the case with early parental swears, here we are. A previous…

“Very Nice Shoes”

Short and sweet one over here- much like me, according to the lamp post I sat next to at dinner yesterday. “You can’t possibly have eaten enough,” he says, passing the tray of fancy food over my plate again. “You’re about the size of a hamster!” Of course, when he eventually stood up and made…

The Sweet Spot

A couple of years ago I was at a church community meal that Husband was unable to attend. Breastfeeding a young baby in one arm, cutting up food for my two year old with the other and keeping half an eye on my four year old from across the room, I noticed another lone mother…

Life as we Know it (May 21)

Yesterday, my parents travelled home after a 7 day sleepover at our house. The UK rules changed on the 17th of May and that was the day they arrived; not only viewing our “new” home for the first time (we moved in last August!), but also staying with us overnight for the first time in…

Diary of ANOTHER Lockdown: #12

Wow. When I finished the last Diary of a Lockdown series, I did not imagine getting to week twelve of ANOTHER lockdown- exactly a year after the last one began. Did you? Anyway. After last week’s rather gloomy offering, I have resolved to ensure this week is more uplifting. I am purposely seeking to keep…

Diary of ANOTHER Lockdown: #10

Saturday It’s a Bubble-free day and the last weekend before the kids go back to school. They request a ‘lazy day’ and, as we have nowhere to go and no one to see, I am more than happy to oblige. So much so, in fact, that I see absolutely no reason to get dressed. We’ll…

Diary of ANOTHER Lockdown: #4

Saturday The Eldest has a Zoom birthday party in the morning, which is a strange experience. She is happy enough to see some of her friends but really doesn’t like the concept of seeing them all at once. “Why are they all staring at me?” It takes a while to convince her that everyone is…

Diary of ANOTHER Lockdown: #2

Saturday I wake up and all is peaceful. There are two adults downstairs and no drama. So… I write. Obviously, out of sight is out of mind and so I do the mature thing and skip breakfast so as to continue being forgotten. Find a stray piece of chocolate and eat that instead. Why not……

Diary of ANOTHER Lockdown #1

Saturday Preparation day! The Eldest turns seven tomorrow and I have been largely plonked in front of the TV for a week, (in both senses of the word!) And so today is all about cake, and the planning of an entire birthday indoors as absolutely everywhere we could possibly think of going is closed. Thankfully,…

Pandemic Diary #8

Saturday I have to be honest, I am now writing this up 9 days later and haven’t the foggiest idea what we did. I won’t bore you with an attempt to remember… so let’s move on! Sunday Oh, today I actually went to Church! (Via Zoom, of course, as the buildings are still closed). Husband…