Headteachers and home.

Another busy week. I worked all week again, but took time out on Tuesday morning for Rob and I to attend the senior's screening of Contagion at the cinema. Included in the (heavily subsidised for OAPs) ticket price is a raffle ticket and a cup of tea.  We both love Steven Soderbergh films and this was just as good as his usual high standard. A thrilling depiction of how a deadly disease could grip the planet. Most alarming was not being asked to prove our advanced ages to the bloke selling the tickets. The weekend started with Florence receiving a Headteacher's Award at school for all her hard work in class. It's such a great event. The names of the children who get one are read out, they have to stand at the front and then the whole school claps and cheers them.  Scarlett was also thrilled to receive a copy of the book a poem she wrote has been publsihed in. Only 19 children from the whole school were included in this book of poetry written by children across Sussex. A copy will sit in the British Library. Proud.

After school on Friday we drove north to Dad's for the night. It is always such a tonic to go home. Dad always cooks a great dinner, the kids colour and draw before bed and then we settle in for a jaw before a bit of telly. By Saturday morning it had turned very cold and it almost felt like snow was on the way - grey skies and a chilly breeze didn't stop us piling on the layers and the wellies for a walk down to the church where we were married. We love walking around the churchyard looking for the headstones of old friends and noting any new ones. Then we walked on down to Kettle Bridge for a game of Pooh sticks. Talking of poo, hilarity, not seen since the last Carry On film, ensued when Rob and the girls maturely took turns pretending to be responsible for the massive pile of horse manure in the middle of the field.

At lunchtime we drove to the gorgeous village of West Peckham, to a brilliant pub with roaring fires for a lovely lunch. I'd like to go back in the summer when the cricket pitch out the front has a game going. It's another cold but sunny one today, so we're off for a walk along the seafront to lunch at a friend's house. I love it when I don't have to do the cooking for a change.

Winter is good

New year, new you

Cheesy women's magazine coverlines aside, I forgot to blog last week due to busy, buzzy bee life. We had a rollicking lunch last Sunday, with Janice and Roger, Adrian and Laline and Maggie and Popi taking seats around our rather small dining table, for several bottles of red and a huge leg of lamb. Too much wine and too much chat prevented me from reaching for my camera.

On Monday, rather woolly headed, I got the train to London to met Chris and Nick, partners in a marketing agency, who were hoping I might like to work for them on a contract basis providing lifestyle copy for client magazines. Wowed by their creative chat and uber cool warehouse office on the canal, near where I used to live in Westbourne Park, I said I would. They asked me to come up again on Wednesday to meet their client, a huge residential property developer in their Chelsea offices. Bada bing, bada boom, the client rang to ok the project while we were at lunch on the Kings Road and so my new life begins tomorrow. I did my last 3 shifts at Judges bakery on Saturday, so while the sun sets on my baking career, it rises on my old, and preferred, career of journalism. I head back to London tomorrow for the planning meeting for the first issue of what will, at this stage at least, be a bi-annual magazine, packed full of features on food, travel, adventure and interviews. While the reasearch will take place in and around London, I'll be able to write it all from home so it should be a winner for the family too.  I expect there will be a fair bit of disruption to our lives during the next few weeks, while we all get used to my new routine and odd nights I'll have to spend in London, but hopefully normal service will resume soon after.
A STUNNING day in Hastings today - very cold, but lovely and sunny, so we aresoon heading out for a lovely beach walk, all wrapped up.

Happy new year!

Just back from four brilliant days in Scotland with the magnificent Mckendrys. As ever, the hospitality was boundless, and we enjoyed food, wine and company without match. Lousy weather but what the hoo, we still managed lots of walks, in spite of the rain and the wind and the cold, pub lunches and a day in Edinburgh at the castle. 

 The highlight was a fantastic New Year's Eve  that began with the girls practicing dance routines, a game of hide and seek in the woods with Kirsty, Gav and their kids, and then a wonderful dinner for 12 orchestrated by Moira, complete with games, gifts and a disco.

 All in bed by 3am so a bit ropey yesterday, but nothing a long walk and a pub lunch couldn't fix. 2012 was always going to be a year of decision for us, so let's see what it throws at us. Happy new year.