Random greeting, manky eyes and veg patch

1. A random man wishes us ‘good morning’ as we pass him in the street.  I resolve to smile and say good morning to more people.

2. Doctor Doris couldn’t fix Isla’s manky eyes so I take her to the real docs to get checked out.  She coos while the doctor listens to her chest and grabs hold of her finger. I fear the stethescope might get yanked at any minute…

3. Doris and I head out in the garden to dig over what will be her square metre of vegetable patch.  I ask her what she wants to plant. “Carrots and everything,” she replies.

Glutes attack, Doctor Dozza and rolls

1. Nearly an hour and a half of power walking up to and around Dunorlan Park with Isla in the buggy and with Cheryl and Tracy.  My gluteous maximus is going to hurt tomorrow…

2. ‘Doctor’ Doris bursts into the bathroom wearing her medical outfit. ‘When Isla wakes up, I will mend her poorly eye,’ she tells me very matter-of-factly and bustles away again.

3. Mat’s not keen on the wholemeal bread rolls done in the breadmaker but I love them.  Yes they taste a bit ‘worthy’ but I prefer to think of them as ‘nutty and interesting.’

Loser against all odds, Daddy’s home and pre-millennium wine

1. Somehow, despite the wine and puddings, I have managed to shed two pounds this week.

2. Isla’s little face lights up when she sees Mat through the window.

3. We get not one but two bottles of wine from one of this week’s French girls.  And one is a 1998 vintage – older than the giver herself!

Popping freckles, car wash and Doris hearts her bike

1. I can feel my freckles pop out whilst sitting outside eating a bacon sandwich in the glorious sunshine.

2. Doris, Fergus and Fraser set about cleaning the cars on the driveway with large brushes and soapy bubbles, as Isla and I look on. Mat hoovers out the inside of our car for the first time in many months and, when he’s finished, it looks amazing.

3. The bikeathon continues when we get back to RTW – Doris takes it out into the end-of-afternoon snshine for a quick spin around the garden.

Malmesbury munchies, dogwood red and on yer bike

1. Handmade Malmesbury pate and scotch eggs for lunch are an absolute revelation.

2. We talk a walk in Westonbirt Arboretum. There are so many beautiful trees but I particularly love the vibrant winter red of the dogwood.

3. Following the Craig boys’ gung ho example, Doris finally gets on her own balance bike – which has been gathering dust under the stairs for the last 18 months – and stays on for more than a few seconds.

The legend of Isla, keyworker praise and warm welcome

1. Isla’s  breaststroking antics have clearly been the talk of the swimming instructors. ‘Ah, this is the baby breaststroker I’ve been hearing about,’ says Sandra.

2. ‘Doris has been lovely today,’ says Amy her keyworker when I pick her up from nursery.

3. We drive west to a very warm welcome from the Craigs in Malmesbury and a delicious Toad in the Hole for dinner.

Southborough stroll, slide dust-down and merry meeting

1. I walk to Southborough to visit a friend.  It’s a half an hour away but it’s a beautiful day and it feels good to be out with the buggy instead of in the car.

2. Doris, Isla and I spend the afternoon in the garden. I get the plastic slide out of the shed, dust it down, and we take it in turns to go down it.

3. The second street party meeting involves an hour of going through the agenda and then two hours of drinking wine and chatting – bang go the Weight Watchers points…

Fab French girls, bread run and post-tea cuddle

1. The French girls clear up their own breakfast things, pack the dishwasher, wipe the table and get their packed lunch out of the fridge, leaving their room spotless and taking out their rubbish before they head back to France.

2. A bracing morning buggy power walk with Claire with a stop off en route at Flour Power City Bakery for a Pain de Campagne.

3. After swimming and tea, Doris, Isla and I have a cuddle on the sofa.

Sausage sanger, best behaviour and evening walk

1. Sinking my teeth into a spicy sausage sandwich with sundried tomatoes on homemade bread.

2. After a battle of wills getting Doris out of the house and down to the hairdressers, she is good as gold when we get there, while Isla looks on with quiet amusement.

3. The French girls fight to push the buggy and buggy board back from the 7.15 pick up while I enjoy walking unencumbered in the mild evening air.

Loser, bonny bubba and jonquille

1. I have lost a grand total of – wait for it – one hundred grams this week! But at least the scales went down not up.

2. A lady comes over in M&S cafe to admire ‘the bonny baby.’ Isla dutifully squeals in delight and fills her nappy.

3. One solitary daffodil has unfurled in the garden, proudly bobbing its sunny yellow head.