22nd February 2010 (Monday)

Didn't get round to thanking you all for the lovely comments on the blog yesterday - apologies, it was a very tiring day. The science experiment sounds fantastic - what are the crystals like? I think I've seen the kit but never of course seen the result... pics?? Hope Makoto's trip to Arizona went OK. I was going to say hot times but of course it's not - this whole seasons-topsy-turvey-thing takes a bit of getting used to, we're still baking here at 36 degrees even in the evening. No, we haven't been to see the by-now-famous 'house number 4' and may not for a while... it's been such a terrible time for the poor Mr to try and get his work done at really no distractions that are non-essential are welcome. We'll pop along eventually - purely out of nosey-ness. In the meantime I've asked the estate agent to forget about the house we saw on Saturday but instead get a builder to look at The Shack in Flowerdale. It's very difficult to explain (especially as on one viewing we can't precisely recall the layout ourselves) but I have the notion of regigging the whole place on the 3-levels basis (it's really quite a slope it's on), maximising the dramatic potential and tiering the garden, including adding on substantial extra living space and swapping round the living and bedroom spaces. Anyway, this much would cost us nothing (the viewing and the estimate, that is, obviously not the works!), and I can go on my own without the Mr (he's seen it already), might as well. The Shack certainly has potential - loads of space. Filled with spiders and creepy crawlies, cracked walls, strange rooms and lots of holes in the ceilings and walls. Still, it's a valuable and tangible commodity.

The Mr went off to work today bright and early and we went to the school at 9 to drop off some paperwork. Exponentially hot day, morning not so bad but really, I mean, it's HOT. That's another thing, the material these houses are made of (as you would of course expect) is just so flimsy that it offers no insulation at all. At the end of the day the wall by the dining room table is like a radiator on the inside. Incredibly hot.

... can I just say, I'm typing this on the old computer and frankly I'm in fear of losing the script at any moment. It's SO dicey, the cursor keeps jumping, the screen freezes, the processor can't keep up with the net, and generally it's just an uncontrollable shambles so I think I won't linger long. So just to round up, the lovely Mr came home early today specially so that I could take the Littles to the beach (need to drive now), so at about 4 we went, and had a great time - that is, I took the Littles and the Mr of course stayed here and did his grant writing. Did lots of 'chucking in' today, the Baths were closed so we went to Bar Beach where there's a nice little pool (actually the same sea-squirt pool from the pics the other day) and she had a good time. Today's speciality was hoisting her into the air and throwing her into the water (my arms are aching), 'CHUCK ME IN!!' being the shrill cry piercing the heat and the surf. For dinner later we did another round of the lamb 'slabs' - this time just in the pan as the barbecue isn't constructed yet and yes, they are delicious in barbecue or not. Really, truly, much better lamb here than in the UK, absolutely no comparison. Have a suspicion that it's slaughtered at a younger date, but have no proof of that. Perhaps it's the different diet. Really a fantastic succulent, moist, non-fatty, non-muttony, wonderful flavour every time. Anyway, on that juicy note I think I'll stop making demands on this poor machine and post-and-go, lots of love to all of you,V xxxx