A New Start.....

If you [Dear Reader] were ticking off the seasons according to my blog then it may seem as if December never happened. The sproglets broke up on 7th December and are still off now...... I may have plenty of anecdotes but they are written in my notebook and haven't made it to the computer yet. Another reason I disappeared is that my trusty Kodak camera died, sad, fortunately Santa noticed and now I have a shiny new Canon.

Normal (or as normal as The Archers at The Larches can get) service to be resumed next week.

For me, 2012 felt a tricky, bitty year though there were notable highlights: The Olympics, Paralympics and antics from the then 9yo and 7yo, were of course wonderful as was raising the bottle fed lambs, publishing my first e-book and completing yet more essential work on the house, but the inclement weather put a distinct dampener on everything and our garden produce was woeful. I welcome 2013, if it behaves itself!

The New Year started well with a smashing dinner party and family sleepover at a friend's. We awoke to bright sunshine on the 1st. The weather has been fine ever since and yesterday we drove to the Carding Mill Valley (and hills) to visit with Sam at Middle Farm Cottages. As soon as we arrived we were helping to steer the biggest British Lop eared boar I've ever seen back to his pen. He must weigh a ton, only marginally ahead of me on the scales after a food fest Christmas. It transpired that Charlie had been on a love quest at another farm and was being returned home..... for a rest!

Incidentally if you are booking a mini break next year and want to be treated royally, check out Sam's website, the cottages are to die for, she and her hubbie are passionate foodies so you definitely won't starve and there's so much to do on her doorstep you'll never want to come home. (I can bear testimony to this as my two children were distinctly cool with me when I said we were leaving yesterday afternoon!)

Today the weather continues to be fine and tripping out to the wood shed in my PJs at 7am, the temperature was approximately 11° and rising. Lovely, I'm determined to do some gardening today and will try to get more broad beans in before the temperatures plummet. In the greenhouse the sweet peas have emerged from their loo roll seed trainers; we shall be assured of scent for summer. If you haven't sown any there's still time.

Roll on 2013.

Love
Lou

Gagging to play rugby....

The 7yo is thoroughly chuffed to be in Year 3 at school. He can see the Upper School from his classroom, he's officially almost big.

He has been playing tag rugby for three years now but this is his last year of tag, next year he will begin full contact rugby. In an effort to be bigger faster, he has been nagging for a gum shield.

'Please can I have one Mum?' he pleaded. 'I'll put it in my sports bag [at school] and never use it.'

Huh?

I resisted until his teacher suggested that he .... might.... use one for matches and that the price of a gum shield was less than new teeth. Good point.

Tonight there was great excitement as a pan of water was brought to simmering point, the 7yo watching every bubble rise to the surface. This was not an insane initiation ceremony for new rugby players.... or at least I don't think it was!! No, this was the molding of the gum shield.

1. Take small excited boy
2. Take 1 gum shield (preferably ridiculously coloured)
3. Dunk gum shield (not child) into decanted simmering water
4. Whip scalding gum shield out of water and force small child to stuff it in their mouth (none of the namby-pamby 'blow it, blow it' of olden times...)

The 7yo gagged and gagged and had I not yelled 'Take it out,' he'd have vommed the delish dinner of roasted chicken thighs, garden salad and fresh baked rolls, eaten while watching the paralympics.... Not on my watch!

The 7yo is now far less keen on being bigger.

On the subject of the paralympics she, who shall be nameless .... let's just call her Mil-ly, has told us she's been enjoying the spectacle of it all on the TV.

'You should see those paramedics run,' she said.

Must be the go-fast stripe on the green jump suits.

3rd in the medal table - rock on GB!