Dreaming of revelry

That's her 'Stig' cake there, Alex had super mario, hers makes a change from princesses and such things and she does like The Stig, the singing got a bit out of hand, as there were a few rowdy people who had been incited by the party host girl to do some shouting just before they went in for food, why do they do that?

It was a very jolly birthday, and tomorrow there is more, the chance to wear age appropriate badges and be sung to more.

It has been gloriously sunny all day today and just now she is helping dad make a bed for her new ' little sister' dolly now named Maxine, who is tall and has long hair you can brush.

Today was the big birthday bash, in honour of younger sibling's sixth birthday. Phew, it was the start of british summertime too , so everyone had to be super organised to avoid that embarrassing turning up an hour late thing that will always happen sometime, somewhere.

We shared it with little mate Alex, and there were lots of rather loud friends, but it was in a large hangar, with play equipment so we managed, just. Though the bit where the coffeee machine wasn't ready till a bit later was a bit dispiriting. We really needed some caffeine. Really.

So loads of shouting, chips, and presents, Nirvana.

I loosen my tie.

This is Lucy, she is the Syrian hamster who came to live with us as first born's birthday present. She has been a very reqarding present. She now has a super large cage, and sometimes comes out for a play, she used to make an other worldly growling noise when she first moved in but now seems more chilled about things.

As you can see she has odd eyes, and I wonder if she doesn't actually see very well at all, she is quite determined, as small rodents can be, and she likes a bit of meat now and then, and one day first born may feel able to pick her up, but just now she is so quick and wraith like that it makes first bron quite edgy to think she has sole charge of Lucy when she's out.

The magnolia tree may be in bloom for younger sibling's birthday, it often has been, and she has been cheered to have another little mate over, though Scrabble was a bit tiresome, playing mums and dads seemed better, there were tricky things to do with the care of the dolly, and that's what they like to do best, chat about who does what, and what they might say about it.

Fire in my bones

We have been having a very busy time, with two visits to the hospital and lots of faffing around trying to get work sorted. First born is home recovering from her minor op, and off spring is eagerly awaiting the big birthday bash, plus they have all changed sleeping quarters so there's even more chaos than usual.

Today it's the other March birthday, so let us rejoice that pater celebrates another year.

I could use somebody

Boy the weekend got heavy and took it's toll. Younger sibling actually had to have a sleep before she was ready for that party, poor little might. By Sunday she was too tired to make it to the second party so stayed home and played with her little mate. Yep we are giving more thought to meeting our needs, so as to be better placed to address those of every other blighter who seems to cross our paths at the moment. Offspring had a great time painting these delightful garden adornments too, even though I don't generally go for gnomes I find they make me smile when I see them though the patio doors, they were meant to be for the second party host but hey ho, some you win, some you lose.

After school we have been playing 'Pop to the Shops' an every day tale of going shopping, more ho hum there, but at least we are doing change, adding up and taking turns, plus everyone needs to wind down and after a busy day as a wage slave it's good to exist where a large chocolate cake costs £1:20.

There have been occasional days when the sun has come out, and over the weekend that brought on a rash of camping, so the tents appeared and off spring plus the little mate negotiated who had which one and who had to improvise a big piece of material draped over the washing line.

This poor prunus 'Kojo nai mai' or something has had to fight it's corner out on the patio as it doesn't get a lot of TLC, but it's about to go all pnik and frothy in celebration of spring, and a daff too, all brought down to earth by the large holes dug by the squirrels in the pot, the vandals.

The elephants have entered the room

Younger sibling just back from her tap exam. She was a candidate for 'Introductory Tap' so we are conversant with the thoery book, ( why do we show arm swings?) and those who have been concentrating can do heel drops, with our arms the right way round too, all very technical stuff.

As you would expect she took it all in her stride, and the most difficult bit was getting her hair all tidy. Friday was Red Nose dday so she had to have red stuff washed out of her hair, which made her hair silky smooth and what with mother being rather duff at arranging hair neatly and younger sibling having very short tolerance for pulling her hair into tidy shapes it was a trial.

Pater familias is getting ready for his exams, well actually he is assidiously cleaning bits of a motorbike engine which has appeared in the garage, although it cannot be disputed that it's very relaxing it means there's less time for 'other things' like swotting law for social workers and painting the box room.