just another morning here

Think I did all right today; got through all of the things I’d aimed to do, plus we went out to a church shared lunch and a short park visit afterwards. The Christmas cards and finishing off the painting were easily achieved, cello practise took a bit more blood, sweat and tears … trying to help Anna to understand where her cello part fits in with the tune of the carol that she knows was easier said than done! I think we made it, but whether she’ll be able to hold it together playing carols in the big group bash in the shopping centre next week I don’t know.

And then there was the Different Life trailer … I only saw the one that came before the programme, not the one that came afterwards … wonder if they were the same? I am nervous and excited about next week’s programme, can’t stop thinking about it now. Still, having watched the whole series so far, I can’t help thinking (although I guess I’m biased and I would say this) that the production company who made our episode have done a better job on the whole than the other two companies who’ve been involved. The kids were really excited to see it as well …

Josiah has been hard work recently, and today culminated in me handing him over to Steve when Steve got home from the garage, because I’d had enough of trying to deal with him. He is just pushing every limit at the moment (mine, mostly), and I’d had enough of him for one day. So he was in bed by 6pm because Steve was going out shortly afterwards – but was asleep within 5 minutes so maybe he was just tired? If I ask him to do something he will either refuse outright, or when I try to reason with him he’ll ‘think about it’, but that takes an age, and usually ends up with him trying to bargain something unreasonable … I’m probably too soft and let him get away with a lot because he’s the youngest (well, this is Steve’s theory, anyway) but then on the other hand I think I expect far more of him than I ever did of the girls at that age, because they’re more grown up and I sort of expect him to come up to their level. Most of the time he does, though! Ah well, another one of those parenting puzzles … which will probably get worked out by itself in time …

Anyway, Steve’s out, I have the ironing that didn’t get done last night to do this evening, and a bottle of wine for company. Must make a menu and shopping list for next week, too. The girls are both reading in bed – Anna is loving the Lemony Snicket books – so they’re happy.

Final question – I have googled but not really come up with anything useful yet – I’m looking for some instructions for making a little gift box, big enough to hold a few chocolate truffles – has anyone got a link hiding in their favourites anywhere? If not I will have to devise my own template, but making and decorating boxes is next on my list of Christmassy things to achieve, then we’ll get on with filling them Guess we could make hama bead boxes if the worst comes to the worst, but that probably is a very time intensive way to do it! They’d look nice though …

Before today’s A Different Life there was a fairly long (well, it seemed it to me!) trailer with us on it – aaargh! We didn’t know that was coming! I am so nervous about next week’s programme, I so wish we’d had a preview so at least I’d be prepared for whatever else Anna is going to say!!! But I guess it’s a little bit exciting too …

Found this – probably only exciting to me!

After a very lazy start today we had poached eggs and toast for breakfast, lazed around a bit more, then watched A Different Life together. Only two weeks to go till our turn!

Steve had the day off today as we’d been invited out for Sunday lunch with a friend from church. Jack is the founder of the church, grandfather to at least three of Steve and my friends, and Josiah is at nursery with one of his great-grand daughters! His cooking is legendary so we were looking forward to it, and we weren’t disappointed – we had a fab roast dinner with all the trimmings, hence Anna’s title for my blog post.

It was lovely to visit with someone much older, we don’t do it very often, other than family members, anyway. The children were very good, and after lunch Jack showed them his butterfly collection, his insect collection, and the garden – which included a greenhouse full of carnivorous plants! So it was very educational as well! Steve has known Jack pretty much all his life, and confessed to having seen these fascinating exhibits before, but he hadn’t told me about them so I was completely surprised. Especially by the bugs, which were housed in a case that looked like a painting but then opened up to show tarantulas, scorpions, beetles etc. I think Jack was quite impressed by Anna’s level of bug knowledge, too!

After that Josiah had a birthday party to go to, and the girls & I, along with our friends from the close, went to a Christingle service in the local church. Now we’re back to lazing around again, it seems. The friends who we’re going away with at Christmas are coming over later to see if we can plan a menu and get organised with regard to the food shopping, so it will be nice to think about that, we’re all really looking forward to it.

Abbie and I did some beading today and made a Christmas tree decoration with wire and beads, that was nice … and I’m pleased to have got my two red boots favicon sorted, because I’m sad like that

edit: Oh bugger, I’ve just noticed how completely and utterly awful our family site looks in Firefox. So there’s another project for me, eh?