Chickens in a box

The secret to living next to a school, is to avoid the parents at all costs. Today I surpassed myself... Mission - take children swimming. 15.00 Leave house with seconds to spare, chelsea tractors converging from all sides 15.20. Arrive pool (via alternative, cross-country route avoiding all educational facilities). Secure prime parent/child space (due to all parents still collecting offspring from school) 15.35. Enter pool. 1 other Mum swimming with small child 16.05. Parents have now collected offspring and head for water. Large children leap into pool and hog all available flotation devices 16.06. Exit pool. 16.30. Arrive home to a deserted village feeling smug 16.35. Mission II- cook tea and persuade children to eat it....

Children at nursery this morning so I hit the gym for an hour (20 minute run, 15 minute bike followed by weights). Back home in time to clean all the bathrooms and have a shower. Off to pick up James via the dry cleaners to drop off Eddie's suit. Scoop up JimBob and then off to Little Sunflowers for William. Home. Beans and cheese on toast with Will then both boys to bed (William was very quiet at nursery and said he felt very tired). Christmas puddings on to steam - for 8 hours. Put the washing on the line, write all James' thank you cards, wake the boys, post the cards. Home. Snakes and ladders, the boys bounce on the trampoline while I bring the washing in. CBeebies. Fish fingers, brocolli and crispy potatoes on the go as I'm ironing and watching the puddings. Eddie home. Bath, bed. I finish the ironing while Eddie cooks. Pasta arrabiata (sp?) in front of EastEnders. Washing up. Blog. 45 minutes until the puddings are done. Electric blanket set to '...

Home again after a wonderful fortnight in Cap Coz, Brittany. The sun shone every day (except one) and we spent our time beachcombing, swimming and enjoying the beauty of the place and its incredible seafood. Thank God this year we packed the stock pot and the crab actually fitted inside it.... As ever at the end of any holiday you're 'ready' to come home, but after 3 days of laundry it seemed like a dim and distant memory. Firmly back into the swing now, the boys are at nursery - for a bit longer this time to give me a chance to do a bit more work. Now I have to find some clients! Must stay confident and optimistic that good things will come my way if I just stay focused and don't lose heart. In the meantime it's James' birthday in 2 days so I'm starting work on a trampoline cake to go with his main pressie! I cannot believe my baby is going to be 2....yesterday he marched into our bedroom at 06.30 as per usual, announcing 'I'm awake' (lest ...