So sorry for not posting yesterday, to be honest I entirely forgot, supreme evidence of the evils of TV. Our TV still not working (from the local network that is, no problems with the mechanisms), we haven't been watching anything but we both felt like a TV dinner last night so we flicked through the archive of things we'd got recorded on the hard drive and came across Captain Corelli's Mandolin (for some reason we hadn't got round to watching it in about 3 years of it being on the hard drive - I wonder why) and watched it - well a bit paltry but it's all a novelty at the moment, and once it had quite ground to a halt we just stumbled off to bed, my brain was quite a blank.
Anyway, the reason that we had a TV dinner all to ourselves was because I'd had to feed the Non early on, as she was going to the school disco at 5:30 and had to have something in her beforehand. So I made her some Non-mix pork-noodles-veg and off she skipped, all pink-frocked, butterfly-tatooed and flower-hairbanded. As ever, was slightly wondering about how she would take to a special social occasion but utterly unnecessary, she waltzed away with never a backwards glance. She did come out a little later when things were in swing, and I was about to shoo her back but actually she'd just spied me outside and had come out to deposit a sweetie she's received and wanted neither to eat nor put away anywhere. So off they went for a bit more boogey-ing and after a little while more she came out again, properly through the gates with Sophie hand in had - I was about to chase them in again when they ignored me to the best of their abilities and Sophie explained - 'she needs the toilet' - and I said Oh Ok I'll take her but no, none of it, they went in to the toilets and the same cubicle no less firmly hand in had and didn't come out for the next 10 minutes, and then with perfect equanimity washed hands and went back off to join the boogie-fest again so fears utterly unfounded. Had a great time, and went to bed completely happy.
Oh, in the meantime, earlier on in the day the parents were called into the school to help make the Easter hats - and a more elaborate glue-and stick fest has yet to be beheld, I think, my goodness the splendour of some of those hats has to be seen to be believed. Where exactly all this Easter hat thing came from I have no idea, and it's totally pointless but the kids loved it anyway and it's all a good laugh. Hopefully some of the pics will have come out so you'll see what I mean when I say elaborate. My goodness. I think there was one hat there that was 5 feet high, and I exaggerate not. The veils, the trails, the feathers, the I-can't-see-anything-this-is-really-dangerous-but-fun, the sheer gauze-and-tulle-extravagance of it all was astounding. Anyway, they left the creations on their desks yesterday evening and this morning they did the Easter Hat Parade - took a while but all the kids had a good time, there was music, there was a raffle with copious amounts of chocolate, there were photo shots, there were hot dogs and the ketchup ran out because they were so popular, there were easter eggs galore and after lunch most of us left the kids behind and had a couple of hours of sanity before the reality of holidays kicked in.
Which time we seized to go shopping - we hadn't even planned what we were going to have over easter let alone get provisions for it - anyway this has been rectified and we're stocked up. Back just in time to unpack and pick up the Littles from school, and en route enrol a couple of accomplices for a small beach-party in the afternoon. Sophie's mum dropped her off at our place, and we went down to the Merewether Baths for a dip. Unfortunately the baths themselves were being cleaned early on account of the public holiday tomorrow, but we went along the beach and they had a fantastic time. Lillian also joined us, and they all first splashed about in the mini-baths (riding the crocodile and goggling underwater alternately), eating watermelon and crisps and having a hell of a fight and entertainment with the seagulls, building sandcastles and digging seagull-traps on the beach, and flying the dragon-kite and running for miles. All in all a thoroughly good time had by all.
Then we went home and the Mr made us an absolutely fantastic dinner of the fish we'd brought home today - nile perch, very like haddock in taste and texture (a bit finer-grained but still large-flaked) but with a distinct aroma of prawns, steam-wrapped on the barbie with sugar snap peas and broccoli, served with barbecues butternut squash and soft little squashed - just divine. Really lovely. Such a nice taste that I didn't even want to spoil it with lemon - tried a few drops but that was enough. Nile perch rocks. Whatever it is - no idea.
Well there we are. We've got a few play-dates set up for the first week of the holidays, nothing for the second as yet, but I think we'll be OK. Actually at the moment for the first week we've only got Wednesday and Thursday open as far as I recall, so not too bad. Bit of this, bit of that, you know.
Anyway, very nice to talk to the W&W just now, and hope things are going OK in the Cro with the Pie, fingers crossed everlastingly on that front and hoping you all get back in one piece, lots of love all round, V xxx
Wonderful pictures and fantastic hats. Talk about mothers wearing stunning hats, the children have now taken over. The Non looks lovely as usual and really happy, having lots of fun, and who is the young gentleman walking with her and holding her hand? Did she pick the tallest chap in the school just to embarrass him? You must feel good that you have achieved so much with her. Hope you all have a very good easter holiday with many eggs, lots of lamb barbies, and miles of swimming. No end of kisses to the 3 of you.
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