So, we're back now. Had a lovely time with really really good weather, and both the grandmas seemed to have a nice time. I'll write some more about things we did when I have a little more time, and of course post some pictures on the website. But for the moment, I'm just trying to catch up.

Off tomorrow for a week in Norfolk - hopefully the weather will hold up. Kitchen now scheduled to begin 9 August as the builder is away the first week in August. Whatever. Maybe someday we'll have a new kitchen!

So, no blogging for at least a week, but will try to catch up after that.

 

A couple of the t-shirts we dyed today - these are a deep purply blue. Indigo, I guess! 

Well, school is finally over, which is good, I guess, although it means that the kids are now free for 7 1/2 weeks and will need to be entertained for that whole time. But at least it means I no longer have to set my alarm most mornings, which is definitely a good thing. Especially as my kids are fairly good at sleeping in, so I might actually get to get up after 8am some mornings!
 
Been busy this weekend doing some dyeing, including a whole lot of t-shirts, which have turned out very well - this is more sophisticated dyeing than normal Dylon dyes, so the colours are much better. Hopefully I'll be able to sell some of the t-shirts, as well - wouldn't it be nice to be able to generate a bit of income without having to do any actual work... 
 
And of course the other main event in  the house is that Grandma Kathy (my mother) arrived on Thursday for her summer visit, so the girls are having a great time having her here - Alex wasn't entirely sure at first who this woman was, and why she was in HIS house, but I think he's warming up to her. By the time she's ready to go home, I'm sure he'll be very attached.

Well, almost done with the school year - and hasn't it flown by! School fair went off quite well, despite a small amount of rain, and we made nearly £4000, which is great. I'm glad we didn't have it today, which was terrible weather - real "four seasons in one day" stuff. Sarah's friend Amelia, from nursery, who goes to Hatfeild school (yes, it's really spelled that way) had hers today - I think they got very wet. We're due to go round to their house for a barbecue tomorrow, though we may end up doing the food under the grill...

Anyway, the kids found out last week who their teachers will be next year - Sarah will actually have the same teacher as this year, which she's thrilled about - they all love her. Olivia is in a different class from most of her "best" friends, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, though she was slightly upset about it originally. But they still do a lot of playing together at play time and stuff, so I don't think it will be a problem.

This coming week should be a busy one - Foundation Stage "Fun Day" (Sports Day) on Monday, with a picnic after. And KS1 on Tuesday, also with picnic. Last day of nursery on Thursday, with a teddy bears' picnic & parents can stay (though I don't know if I will or not, as my mom is arriving from the US that day). And school finishes at 1.30 for the other kids on Friday. And then a million weeks of summer holidays - or actually 7 1/2, which will seem a million, frankly. At least having grandma here will help keep them entertained. Now if only the weather will co-operate!

Don't know how well you can see this - but it's a parakeet on our bird feeder. This isn't just some local person's escaped pet, this is one of the famous UK parakeets (found mainly in the south). Kind of bizarre, I know! Some guy even did his doctoral thesis on them see http://users.ox.ac.uk/~wolf0977/projectparakeet.html