what did we do before....

indoor play areas?

This one at Woburn safari park ...

but we have several soft play centres within a mile of home. ideal for a wet Sunday or school holiday - not to mention kids' parties.

relaxed weekend

21 Feb felt like spring, sunny, warm....

Ix went with Ml to his horse riding (riding for disabled - except she got lost and they got there too late! oh dear - my instructions not clear enough....)

I took L and G to Richmond by the river to eat lunch with my sister and bro in law, then we saw "Why the Whales Came" - a great piece of theatre.

Walk by the river then home to a tired Ix and Ml who had walked for miles.

Sunday Ix went for a walk with Mel and I took L and G swimming, then we were at home for lunch just as my Aunt arrived.

girls pottered in garden replanting bulbs and "weeding", Ix played CBEEBIES website and watched youtube... Aunt and I put world to rights.

monkey love

14 Feb Ix was making heart cookies at respite.

I took L, G and G's friend P to Woburn safari park.

There was still snow on the ground.


As we drove through the monkey enclosure one jumped on the bonnet.

Then another.

"Oh mummy, the monkeys are mating!"

Lessons in love.

the flood (topped by ice)

the snow pic

and now the flood!

now the garden is under water!

pic to follow...

and i cannot remember what is sitting on the floor of the shed...but am not sure if it is waterproof.... will the lawnmower work again?

Spring will come soon...

On the mouse front: one mouse, grey, caught in the sticky trap....

hard to understand....

how someone can state before a district judge that they will do anything to see their children...then refuse to see them in an agreed contact centre.

apparently on the grounds he "does not like it". I have seen a pleasant environment - controlled, yes, and secure, but once inside a bright, friendly room with toys, books, etc.

hard to understand why someone told in court to stick to 8.00 pm for indirect contact on a Wednesday evening - can turn up at 0800 a.m. hours on a Monday, and, when reminded, on the Wednesday comes at 9.36 pm!

hard to understand how someone who has apparently accepted the need for contact centre, supervised contact, in front of a district judge - recognising they have had mental illness (after all, he persuaded his own GP to call me to tell me how very ill and depressed he was...), have had anger problems, have been violent - then sends a text message to his children on a Saturday suggesting they meet him in the park...and that we can "all go in the big car together"...

hard to understand why someone who now says they cannot afford to pay half the costs of the contact centre - as agreed in court - buys a £180 i-pod for his child and sends a text message saying "have now bought an i-pod docking station".

hard to understand how - after being reminded indirect contact is 8 pm on a Wednesday - sends a text message on Saturday saying "can I pick up the i-pod later today to test the docking station".

maybe is just being trying.

idea of supervised contact is to assess and for them to give feedback and recommendation on whether to progress to unsupervised contact or not....but if you don't go for the first bit you don't get the second...

but amusing(?), however, to learn that he has bumped into oldest child while out with his (the child's) carer...carer reports that he speaks to the child and refers to "your crazy mother..."


hey ho....

snow snow lovely snow!

still some in the garden, had wonderful snow-time monday

- tho slightly flumoxed by knock on door from ex at 0800 hours - who is only allowed to come drop stuff on wednesday at 8 pm. snow clearly has strange effect on people...don't think court will view it other than dimly tho.

so two days off school for oldest; one day off for girls.

now so behind on work etcetcetc