...well, 92 actually. It is 92 days since my last post, which I am heartily ashamed of. Thank you to all those lovely people who emailed me in the meantime and asked when I would return. So much has happened since the 27th January (my last post) that I don't know where to begin.
(Random lilac photo - the whole house smells of it)
I ended up working for the whole of last term in the Reception class, which I loved so much. I was really sad to leave, but am still going in on Tuesdays to help out, and as from this week will be volunteering in Year 1 (Ruth's class) for 2 afternoons a week too.
So, that's work out of the way. What else can I tell you about? Well, firstly (and most excitingly) we have our house on the market and we are hopefully moving. We have been in this house for 7 years and I love it wholeheartedly, but we have outgrown it - especially since Bodie arrived. The garden is tiny, but we have found somewhere we all love, within a 5 minute walk from here, with masses of outdoor space (I am checking out chicken coups already!), and more room inside to boot. It is the perfect house for us, is a private sale as it is owned by friends, and will hopefully be our home until the girls move out. We just need to sell ours now! So, I have frantically been decluttering (our playhouse now houses 2 boxes of china amongst other things!), and we had the bathroom and kitchen decorated and retiled. I have tried to go for the paler pieces to make everything seem bright and cheerful (as you can see from the before and after pics!). The walls are a much paler green too. So, if you know of anyone who wants to buy a pretty Victorian terrace within 5 minutes walk of Cheltenham town centre, please send them my way!
Before
After
I haven't really had time or energy to be creative, although I did make this candelabra based on one in the Spring edition of Marie Claire Idees, and 2 little bunnies for the girls for Easter. They always get masses of chocolate (which I end up stealing when they are in bed) and so these were instead of an egg from us. I also bought them a bird each from the RSPB which chirps the song of each bird - in this case a Bullfinch and a Chaffinch. Needless to say they much preferred those to the handmade bunnies. Note to self - next time only give handmade!
Spring has finally sprung and that means hard work at the allotment. Sophie and I have been there heaps over the last few weeks digging and sowing, and it is looking really good (although mainly bare earth at the mo - still waiting for seeds to germinate!). We are eating huge amounts of purple sprouting broccoli and rhubarb, and the asparagus is just beginning to come through. We went to a car boot sale last week and found the most perfect 1950s kitchen cupboard, which we both immediately fell in love with. After a battle fitting it into the car (with the 2 kitchen chairs that Sophie bought and the biggest picture in the world that I bought, and all the traders laughing their heads off at us) we took it to the allotment, only to find it wouldn't go through the shed door. We ended up sawing the bottom plinth off, and it now graces our 'social shed' (as opposed to the 'tool shed' at the other end of the allotment), and houses our stove and other kitchen essentials. This is my beautiful friend Sophie putting it to the test. 
The jumping up and down shrieking when we managed to get it set up brought bemused smiles from the flat-cap brigade (who think we are bonkers anyway), but it was worth it. As Sophie said, all we need now are a couple of sunbeds and we'll be set. Not sure Andy and Greg (Sophie's hubby) will let us spend so much time there if they think we are sunbathing rather than working!
So a brief run down of some other things that have happened in the last 92 days...
Holiday in Northumberland with my Mum and Dad, sister and her boyfriend in Feb
Holiday in Cornwall at Andy's parent's house over Spring holiday
Grace was in the inter-school Wildlife quiz and got heaps of questions right, despite being the youngest there by miles
We discovered the joys of orienteering last weekend with Greg (a seasoned orienteerer), and even Bodie enjoyed himself, despite copious amounts of mud
Grace has started piano lessons
I have summoned up the courage to drive again (having not driven since I passed my test 8 years ago)
My sis and her boyf are buying their first house
Ruth has decided to be 'grown up' and not have tantrums (we'll see!)
Bodie has escaped over the wall and upset the neighbours, who thought he was going to kill their toddler (who was inside with the door shut). You don't hear of many vicious labradors, but he may have licked it to death.
So, now I am back on track with the house, jobs, washing, allotment and school I will endeavour to update this blog a little more frequently. I hope you can all forgive me for deserting you. I have been checking in on your exploits (although I have got 1600 or so entries on Bloglines still unread at the mo), and will be a much better blogging friend in the future!
Happy Monday
Cathy X
PS If anyone has any rhubarb recipes I'd be very grateful. I am going to make chutney today, but we are sick of crumble and compote!
