Last night I watched a youtube video of the 15 most dangerous toys ever . .This was an American perspective and included some utterly insane inventions from the 1950s onwards, including a pogo stick with an internal combustion engine, a chemistry set with arsenic and lead, various toy guns powerful enough to take a child's...See More »
Strange goings on . .A trail of floury footprints leading from the kitchen to the bathroom . . Wet footprints from the bathroom to my daughter's bedroom . . Wet towels and dirty clothes strewn randomly on the floor . . And according to my daughter none of this has...See More »
This afternoon we are making Easter biscuits, fairy cakes, and chocolate swiss roll . .. . My daughter is still wearing her emerald green leotard from gymnastics, with a red stripy apron over the top 😅 She says she is "fine", but I don't think Mrs Beeton would have approved 🔪
Not a moment to lose!My long, drowsy afternoon alone has come to an abrupt end with the return of my teenager from school 🌪️ She can now use the washing machine, which is a great help. Multitasking - trying to get out of her uniform while doing her homework and telling...See More »
We have had a really nice Mothering SundayOur daughter brought us tea in bed and two cards that she had made herself. We then almost had a whole bathtime uninterrupted . . daughter burst in towards the end to discuss oven timings 😅 Then we had a lovely walk in the sunshine by the river and...See More »
Washing machineThe rain has finally relented and my daughter and niece were thrilled to be able to go crosscountry running this afternoon 🌈 They came straight back to our home after school in preference to using the school showers. Staring into the abyss of...See More »
All of a sudden I realised that it was unnervingly quiet in my daughter's bedroomPeeked around the door to find her and her usually very noisy friend painting each other's toe nails. Purples, greens, sparkles . . homemade anklets, friendship bracelets, and scrunchies to accessorise. She doesn't have an interest in any other...See More »
216 year old Faroese sweater unwrapped Cargo seized by the Royal Navy from the Anne-Marie ship on 2 September 1807 has been opened in the National Archives for the first time. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68452333 The ship had set sail for Denmark from the Faroe Isles unaware that the...See More »
My daughter's year head requested an informal meetingSo I popped into her office yesterday after our dance club session had finished. Slightly in trepidation, given daughter's mixed disciplinary record 😐 But it was to tell me that my girl is going to be made a junior prefect and anti-bullying...See More »
Maths is fun!My teenager is very annoyed with me right now 🥺 Despite having had the whole weekend to complete her maths assignment, she has left it until 7.00pm on Sunday evening. Of course I will help her with any questions she has. But that does not extend to...See More »
I asked my teenager how her school day went . .* Stepped in a puddle and got wet socks * Forgot French homework had to be handed in and spent 5 mins frantically completing it * Got told off for running in the corridor * Got told off for shouting in the corridor 🤦♀️ * Shared packed lunch with a f...See More »
My niece is very grumpy this afternoon . .She went to a half term holiday craft workshop where the children could make a volcano, an ava!anche, or a tsunami (paper models on a plate, obviously, not the real thing 😏). She completed a pretty awesome volcano and tsunami, but hadn't started on...See More »
I think I need a second washing machine . .This week is half term break at my daughter's school and I am sure that I have washed every single item of her wardrobe at least twice 😐 Today I took her and her friend out to the woods with the vague notion that we might be able to burn off...See More »
World record for model Eiffel Tower A 7.19m high matchstick model of the Eiffel Tower has officially been declared the world's tallest matchstick building, just hours after it was disqualified by Guinness World Records for using the "wrong" sort of matchsticks. Richard Plaud, who...See More »
My two little mud gremlins are bathed and sweetly smelling once more . .Snug and warm in their pyjamas. Daughter is finishing her homework. Niece is reading her book. Pizza will go in the oven soon for their tea. Friday nights in the winter don't come much better than this 🤗
My daughter and niece have just arrived home from their hockey matchHow is it possible for so much mud to have become attached to two small girls? 😮🤦♀️😭😖🚿🛀
A message from the Corleone familyWhen I went out just now I found a used light bulb, wrapped up in WHSmith plastic bag, deposited in my left walking boot 🤔 Although it is likely to have been left there by my wife because she got distracted on the way to the recycling box, there is...See More »
Our tree came down todayOr at least I took the lights off and put it in the garden. It still looks green and fresh after two months, so we picked a winner this year 🎄 The days are getting longer and my dread of dark winter is slowly receding as the snowdrops and daffodils...See More »
Our Friday evening routineDaughter crashed through the front door fifteen minutes ago. Shoes and socks deposited on the doormat. PE bag in the corner where it was thrown, its grubby contents spilling out. Now starts the race to finish all her homework before dinner. If it...See More »
Panic overSo we got to meet our daughter's friend-who-is-a-boy-but-definitely-not-her-boyfriend. The good news is that his intentions are wholly honourable. He plays on the school rugby team and has got her onto a training programme organised by oir local...See More »
Time for girl talkSo the moment of parenthood that I was dreading most of all came about yesterday evening 🥺 My daughter decided she needed a heart-to-heart talk about Will, a boy in the year above her at school whom she has managed to name-check in every other...See More »
National TreasureThe Times today reveals that Bernie Ecclestone, the sprightly 93 year old former F1 CEO, was the second highest tax payer in the UK in the last tax year, paying an estimated £652.6 million to HMRC. Admittedly £650 million of that was in...See More »
Safe from the stormMy daughter is bathed, changed into her pyjamas, and snuggled up under the duvet with her teddies reading Harry Potter. My wife is home from work, taking a bath. I just had a good long chat with my mum who is looking forward to the week ahead. All...See More »
Please give this bear a home I rescued him from Paddington railway station yesterday morning and brought him home for my daughter. He is already a firm favourite and we are currently sitting together watching my daughter's gymnastics class (I removed his welly boots first).
Christmas extendedMy 6 year old niece was devastated this week when her daddy unfairly took advantage of her return to school to take down their Christmas tree 😥 Our tree is still up (albeit with all decorations but the lights removed). It is a beautiful tree that p...See More »