easing back to normal...

goodbye soon to this...



and begin the big tidy up.

but we have the Spanish custom of the "Reyes" (three kings) 6 January to come...wot, more presents?

work opened today, woke with bunged head and sore throat, so when carer called to say she was sick it was easier to stay in pyjamas and stay in...also on pretext of awaiting "Bogdan" to come and unblock the overflowing drain...tho it may be frozen. anyway, he eventually said he coming tomorrow instead.

but it cold out, we ventured out only to jump on the ice on the water-filled sandpit...

so, one child back to school tomorrow, the other two on Thursday.

New Year was spent staying over with friends - several children, we nearly missed the TV countdown



this preceeded by trip to see our friend M in a fab panto at Greenwich Theatre Mother Goose - keeping Ix in his seat and entertained throughout gave it full marks.

So, back to reality.

appointments at coeliac clinic (just a review) for L, and GOSH again for Ix :



not pretty - by all accounts we may leave with little more than steroid cream, but who knows what they might say...and should a bald 13 year old wear a wig?

(NHS online national appointments system, v. impressive, choice of hospitals and clinics, tho ultimately it came down to availability.... plus it came up with a very weird extra appointment that I dont know what is for - and it said "call to find out your time, you cannot cancel this appointment". think i will ignore...)

Christmas peace

Busy build up - driving through the snow on Monday 21st was hair raising, day off work Tuesday as babysitter could not get thru frozen bus stop in north north London....cinema and walk in snowy Regents Park.


Wednesday and Thursday work then finally time to get ready and relax...

24th kids went to see their dad with the babysitter. baby sitter had to take the food with them as he was unable to cook...but they seemed happy enough with the visit...

she said he was "miserable" and she wondered at his state of mental well being... I assured her we had been here before and what would be would be: his life, his choice....

The big day - a lovely time, los of nice presents, Leila got Biscuit the dog and Georgia "my little cousin roxanne" - plus loads more....chaos of unwrapping on the day, then Aunt for turkey lunch.

knock at door and presents delivered by their dad...(repeat to self - "I am not responsible for his misery" - but text messages received later so clearly was "fine"....)

Boxing Day trip to stay over with pregnant friend in Oxford: ice cream sundaes at G&D's on sunday. yummy.

now a week with office closed so can spend time with children and catch up on stuff...

minor irritations as Xmas excitement mounts

Friday morning, out to car for school run - eh? glass on floor, rear small window smashed... oh dear - teen gangs? it will be breezy but we neeed to go. will sort later with insurance.

hang on check glove compartment - dang, the sat nav is gone...
G: "you can buy a new one mummy".

sensible at 7.

absolutely, objects are replaceable.... the glass will be repaired.

this is big news; they rush to tell their school mates! guess what happened...

(realise that I am hopefully teaching them: for some irritations there are solutions, keep calm and carry on...rather than the catastrophic response the Ex would have given).

weekend homework: four sentences on "the festive season":

we put up the Christmas tree (tick, done! bought from street vendor on way home on Friday, much excitement from all, Ix restrained with decorations, only pulling off the tinsel three or four times...he finds Dora the Explorer and Santa on youtube and blasts us with "feliz navidad!" 100 times...)

we give cards and presents to family and friends (behind on those but have some family gifts ready)

we will have Christmas meal with the family (big meal next weekend, my turn to host the siblings and families pre-Xmas Xmas meal and gift exchange, girls very excited, planning the seating arrangements etc)

we go to lots of Christmas fairs and parties (one party, tick, one Christmas fair, tick, one Christmas fair (Brownies) this coming week...and more to follow...)

lists posted to Santa.... feeling relaxed....

I have got someone in place to take kids to the Ex on Christmas Eve so technically speaking they can have Christmas with him then... if he turns up/becomes capable.

if not I think we will make up for it ourselves.

they are realising that he is unreliable, but life goes on and they "can't wait for Christmas!"

L and the huskie!

L and the huskie...Tradar...at Bankside Winter Festival.

Went down with M in charge of Ix, which was just as well as he wasn't interested in huskies and had a wander while girls had a ride on the huskies-pulled chariot!

walked across (not-)wobbly bridge past St Paul's then home again.