Anniversary, flicks and confectionery

1. Eight years of marriage today – how the time has flown.
2. Surely my last child-free daytime trip to the cinema for quite some time so I make the most of it – sitting watching Gravityin a premier seat with my 3D specs and a box of Maltesers.
3. A veritable confectionery aisle of gifts from this week’s French students, two of whom are called Lucie, nice and easy to remember.

Homemade, posy memories and common

1. A breathtaking array of homemade Mother’s Day goodies, including perfume in a jam jar, dried play dough shapes and about four different cards – all proudly presently in a washing up bowl.

2. At the Mothering Sunday service the girls trot up the aisle to collect a posy each for me. Fond memories of Mothering Sundays gone by when I did the same for my Mum.
3. We ditch the idea of a drive to the sea and have a picnic on the common instead, randomly joining up with the Moore family. The children dig happily in the sand, while we chat.>

Cross country, safari and live

1. We eschew the M20 for a cross country trip to get to Port Lympne and it’s well worth it – winding lanes and beautiful countryside.
2. Winning two free tickets to the Port Lympne safari park as part of Kent’s BIg weekend. The girls love seeing giraffes, elephants, lions etc in the flesh and I survive the safari truck ride without going into labour…
3. Drinks and a live band in a local pub for a friend’s birthday, with babysitting courtesy of K, who has to endure Doris displaying all my impending homemade Mother’s Day gifts in a washing up bowl.

Assembly, washing and wine

1. Doris’ class assembly is a triumph and she performs her role as a ‘duck-billed dinosaur’ well and gets lots of laughs from the video she appears in with Bo.
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2. A load of washing out on the line.
3. After a glass of the 2005 Bourgogne brought by one of this week’s French girls, we realise it’s a pretty decent drop and not your regular supermarket bottle.>

Best parents, long sleep and TV dinner

1. When we wake up, Doris has laid a trail of letters spelling out ‘ I love you’ and has made us a card telling us we are the ‘best perants evu’.
2. A long and much-needed lunchtime sleep.
3. Mat’s home late so I guzzle pizza and supermarket-reduced pannacotta in front of the telly.

Chilly coffee, kip and bonbon

1. A sunny, if slightly chilly, coffee break in the garden.
2. Isla and I both fall asleep on the sofa and enjoy an hour’s skip under the blanket.
3. The French girls bring us all a bonbon during bedtime story time.

Wallow, stop over and red

1. At swimming I am no longer able to chase Isla round the pool so I wallow in the warmth while Isla ‘follows’ the teacher’s instructions.
2. An old friend and her daughter come to stay the night on a stop over from Lincoln. So lovely to catch up.
3. A small glass of smooth red.

Gold, smile and food

1. On the school run we see a flash of gold and then look up to see a goldfinch landing in the tree ahead.
2. The man at the supermarket checkout is so smiley and helpful and kind that I am moved to email in my appreciation to head office in the hope he gets some kind of reward.
3. Food gifts and wine from this week’s set of French students.

Dough, fluff remover and MFC

1. We’re out of play dough so Doris implores me to make some more and I cook up a very satisfying mound of bright pink soft stuff.
2. A nappy has ‘somehow’ got into the washing machine and exploded all over the wash. On the second wash the clothes are still covered in white fuzz BUT the tumble dryer miraculously gets rid of all traces of it – amazing.
3. Mat’s secret blend of fried chicken or MFC for tea, with creamy leeks and purple sprouting for added health value.

Paper, cake and unexpected takeaway

1. We actually manage to buy a Saturday paper after a three week hiatus. Not only is it entertaining but we also now have paper to put the food waste out in.
2. Our monthly trip to John Lewis to use our free coffee and cake vouchers.
3. The chicken’s still frozen so Mat pops out to buy fish and chips and a carton if mushy peas for me.