Like Winter in Sydney

A gorgeous week of weather - blue skies, sunshine and 23 degrees - but chilly enough in the evenings for a small fire - like a perfect winter's day in Sydney. Flo is absolutely loving school and is shattered every night, asking to be taken up to bed soon after 6pm every evening. I remember being told this would happen when Scarlett started school, but it never did. She would return home with just as much energy as normal.

The Duthie vegetable plot has been excavated after a summer of production, and my tomato plants are approaching the end of their season, producing their last gasp of fruit before I start hoarding the leftovers to make a load of green tomato pickle.

Rob's hair needed a trim this week, and he amazed me by letting the girls take turns on his head with the electric clippers. Surprisingly they did a very good job, and I didn't need to leap in and tidy up when they'd finished or drive him to the Emergency Room.
On Saturday afternoon, we popped in to see our neighbours Janice and Roger, to belatedly celebrate Roger's 50th and to warm their recently built nautical-style deck, perfect for sundowners. With several bottles of Champagne relieved of their corks, we tucked into fish pie before asking everyone back to ours to watch X Factor.


This afternoon,  we went to nearby St Leonard's to sit in the splendid St Leonard's Gardens, a beautiful planned Victorian park, to meet friends and have a picnic. We were also there to see a production of Twelfth Night. This was a roaming affair, so after every couple of scenes we had to follow the cast through the park to a different location for the next few scenes. It was great fun, the kids loved it and we kept bumping into people we knew, which was lovely. We ended up back at Adrian and Laline's nearby house for an impromptu dinner. Smashing.

Finally, a top shot of Rob and some of the boys in Budapest last weekend. They look like they're having fun, don't they?

No boys allowed

With Rob away this weekend on a boys' trip to Budapest for Giles's birthday, Scarlett, Florence and I were prepared for a top girls only weekend. We began on Friday evening with Ruby's 8th birthday party. Originally only Scarlett was invited but when we went to drop her off, Florence was invited in too. I made short work of saying my goodbyes before heading to my sister's, just a few doors down, for dinner with Maria and Lol. At about 8pm (hic), I returned to pick up the girls from a very successful party, but a mistake with the pouring of red wine, meant a very short taxi ride, rather than a walk, home suddenly became highly appealing. On Saturday, I took over Rob's regular routine - pancake-making followed by a movie at the local cinema - this time Horrid Henry, the movie version of Scarlett's favourite books. We stopped in at a charity shop on the way home to pick up VHS tapes (we are the last home in Britain with a VCR) of Grease, Madeline and 101 Dalmatians (3 for a quid). With the newspapers under  the other arm, we headed home, in violent wind and rain, to settle in for afternoon of movies, reading and snacking. After dinner we changed in comfy PJs, made popcorn and snuggled together for The X Factor, which is getting better every week. I am LOVING this year's judging panel, much improved by the departure of Simon Cowell and the arrival of Gary Barlow. What's not to love?

On Sunday we awoke to beautiful, clear, blue skies and made plans to meet Maria and Lol, Dad and Alexandra at the Hastings Seafood & Wine Festival. We went last year as Hastings newbies and loved it. the sun shone, people swam and waterskiied and we lay on the beach. This year, just as we were leaving the house it started to chuck it down and we cocooned ourselves inside raincoats and cowered under umbrellas. Once at the seafront it cleared up a bit and by the late afternoon the beach was bathed in sunlight. I drank quite a few halves of Biddenden cider, the drink of my youth, and the girls and I shared fish gougons, grilled sardines and whitebait. We spent a good while in the kids tent making a giant pink fish out of foil and listening to a great storyteller. Having met up with everyone (including Maggie and Popi, Adrian and Laline plus several others we knew from school and around about - making us feel very much the locals) we moved to the music tent to listen to cover band Quiff Richard and the Shadows.  At 6pm,  I rounded up the girls from the seashore and we headed home to meet Rob. However halfway home he called to say he had missed his flight and was still in Budapest until Monday night. D'oh!

Florence starts school aged 4 and a half.

 This morning Mummy had to pack two lunches instead of just one for Scarlett.

 Florence was already up and dressed before my alarm had even gone off this morning. She had a drawing and some wild flowers ready for her new teacher, Mis Wood, who we already like because she looks like Florence's Godmother, Melissa.

Here is Florence with her friend Darcie. Last week, while Darcie was over for a play, they had a fight that involved door slamming and a punch up, but they seem happy enough here. They are both in the same class - Woodpeckers.

Here is Miss Wood. See what I mean about the resemblance to Melissa? There were a few tearful mums in the playground as these tiny kids walked into class for the first time, but as Flo was so happy to go, it wasn't nearly as emotional as Scarlett's first day at school. In fact, some witnesses report hearing me shout "I'm free", as I ran to my car. Have a great day Florence.

The seasons they are-a-changin'

Summer here has been brilliant, and this weekend we are promised a couple of 25 degree days, but I confess I am slightly thrilled at the thought of the approaching Autumn smells, colours and culinary tastes. And we all know what comes after that - winter. Dark evenings, fairy lights, snow, maybe?

These summer hols have been extremely pleasing. We have been very lucky with our trips to Spain, Wales, Scotland and Suffolk as well as lots of fun closer to home. Through my job, I have become a baking and icing demon. You should see my cupcakes - seriously. After years of hating baking and finding the whole precision of it silly and pointless, I am now completely converted. At work I make trays of flapjacks, brownies and caramel slices. I make and ice cupcakes, finish French pastries, make pasties, coleslaw, bean salads, tzatziki, meringues, gingerbread, all manner of cookies, including gluten and wheat-free. I make soups and scotch eggs with gay abandon. I have been been given the responsibility of printing labels for the sandwiches. Me, a journalist for 23 years, have been trusted with operating the bakery PC and printer. Imagine! Flo starts school on Monday - big school. Big 5 days-a-week school. I have no idea how Rob and I will fill the time, that for the last 7.5 years, has always involved some level of childcare at home. First ideas - sleep (in bed or hammock). Bed - to watch Tv (work out how to watch Tv in hammock.) Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. Read papers, the ones that have been piling up for the last 6 months.  Did I mention sleep? I will miss my little sunshine girl, but she is raring to go and can't wait for Sep 5 to roll around. I have enrolled for a year-long photography course at the local college and am waiting to hear if I have a place. I will enjoy doing a little something for me.