It's over

I am so relieved to have finally finished marking. I shouldn't have taken on the extra five assignments, particularly as I would end up away for part of the marking period. I came home from Tim and Shona's and stayed up late every night until Wednesday. I dropped them off on Thursday morning and that's that for a long while.

So, to catch up. Bethany came to track racing on Wednesday evening and gathered a crowd. It's her DS they are looking at.

Someone else comes to see. Toby asked her if she saw him win one of his races and she had to confess that she hadn't.

It has gotten hot in the middle of the day so I am very thankful for this avenue of trees that shades me on my way home. Oh dear, summer is coming.

Tomorrow, I am really hoping for a sleep in! Sorry to those for whom sleeping in is a far away dream....

Final moments

Mum and Dad also stayed at Tim and Shona's last night. They brought porchetta and Nigella's potato gratin for dinner, so very delicious. They were also very kind and drove me to the airport this afternoon, saving me long and expensive train trips!

I t was hard to say goodbye. I had such a lovely time and it was a privilege to be able to share some of the early days of a new family of six. Pumpkin and Gumnut are delightful children, lots of fun to play with. Here is Gumnut in two pairs of special shoes.

Oops, I took no photos of Pumpkin this morning! We did go on a long, wet walk to the coffee shop while the twins had their needles. They seem to have gotten over the surprise.

Now I am home and have hit the ground running. Gotta go, so much to do!

Beachy

I'm only here for one more full day. I'm going to miss these big and little people.

Today, after rejecting a plan to take a three year old to the movies, we had popcorn and a movie at home.

We played with all four children.

We even went to the beach. We didn't actually go onto the beach, preferring the park and then the view from under the trees.

The twins slept beautifully (I hope they do the same tonight, for their parents' sake).

I caught the gumnut throwing his hat away while posing for a photo. He is such a cheeky boy!

The land of the little people

I'm having a wonderful time with the big and little people at Tim and Shona's house. They are doing so well with four under four! We have been out to coffee with the twins and they slept through the whole thing.

Pumpkin and Gumnut have been at pre-school so the days have been quiet, though busy with two five week old babies.

The twins are very beautiful and tiny.  The older two are also gorgeous and great talkers!

Gumnut is very proud of his polish.

They are both proud of the twins.

Tomorrow is Tim's day off and everyone will be home. Family day! Such a lovely family they are, too, though I miss Andrew and my 'babies'.

Going away

Mum and Dad are leaving this morning. I would feel very sad except that they are taking me with them. Road trip! It's a shame they won't want to listen to my eighties' music, but then it makes sense that we are not of the same generation, doesn't it?

We packed a lot into their last day. Coffee at The Blessed Bean. Such good coffee it is, too. Bethany assures me that she loooves coffee, but as perking up is the last thing she needs, amongst other reasons, she had a hot chocolate.

We went to Monica and Mike's wedding in the afternoon. Three little girls stood around afterwards, holding Monica's dress up. Given that it would have been hard for them to work out their priorities, it was lucky the dress bride was busy being photographed long enough for them to squeeze in a few brownies, biscuits and fruit before going on dress duty.

Joss went to a birthday party and when I picked her and Hannah up, the car smelled like hairspray. They told me it was deodorant but I don't know why they would be putting that in their hair, even if it was a party.

On Friday afternoon we dropped Toby out to Downside church, an old, irregularly used church in between Wagga and Coolamon, for a Kids' Club camp. All weekend. Can you imagine signing up as a leader, to spend the last weekend of the holidays with primary school aged kids and no electricity or proper toilets? Such dedication! It was raining yesterday too. After dropping Joss home, Andrew and I drove out to Downside Hall where the Kids' Club kids were joining in with the regular bushdance. I danced a few dances with Toby, who got right into it (only one little boy from the group didn't dance), kissed him goodbye and came home to get ready for my trip to muck in at the house of many little people.

Getting up this morning at 7-when-it-feels-like-6 should be good practice for keeping toddler and baby hours for the next week. Andrew won't exactly be relaxing either with a million things going on night and day for him and the kids this week. A quiet life would be dull, wouldn't it?

Library fun

Public libraries during the school holidays!

I did not touch the snake but I have been in one of the tunnels. Sometimes I forget how old I am, and that I am wearing a skirt.

Almost over

Mum and Dad's week in Wagga is almost over. Tomorrow is their last day here. I wasn't at work today because it has been our council's picnic day. I think there is a real picnic involved, but I have never been to it. I love the idea of a paid day off, though!

I found this photo on my phone and it illustrates, amongst other things, the fact that during Mum and Dad's stay, Spring disappeared and Summer arrived. Joss was wearing her dressing gown and I was wearing a velvet jacket earlier this week and we had the heater on at night. Yesterday and today I have been properly hot!

Tim sent this picture to me and Mum. It isn't true of my book club. I won't speak on behalf of Mum's.

Last night we left Joss at home babysitting and went to the Thirsty Crow, a local microbrewery. Mum and Andrew had a pink lady cider and Dad had one of their beers. I had pizza. This was a Sunday roast pizza, with peas and gravy!

This was a very delicious mushroom and bacon pizza.

We have been exercising our stomach muscles by watching Miranda in the evenings. We watched the first series on DVD and the second episode of the second series was on TV tonight. Such fun! How I love Miranda.... After the pizza last night, we went to get some gelato, parking in front of a new clothes shop. Mum knew about it and was telling me what it was like. She got as far as "It's what I call a" when we all fell about laughing. If you don't get it, watch Miranda. It's what I call amusing.