I'm not back to work until the 15th! Unfortunately, I have 30 assignments to mark, it will only be 20 by the end of today. Bad timing. Having Mum and Dad here is great, though, as they can amuse the kids while I get some of the marking done before I go to meet the new twins on Sunday!

Milo and Sunny are loving it too.

Sweet holidays

It's so good of Mum and Dad to come in the holidays to amuse the kids while we are at work. It is also great that this working week is shorter than usual, so we also get to spend time with them. They arrived on Sunday afternoon and we all got to sleep in on Monday (one of the joys of older children). I was up at least an hour before anyone else and I slept until 8!

We threw together a picnic and went to the Botanic Gardens to see some friends, up from Albury. The weather was delightful and we all had a lovely time chatting and eating.

Mmm, lamingtons.

Mum, Bethany and I took the dogs for a walk and enjoyed the last of the blossoms.

Andrew and I were back to work today but Mum, Dad and the kids had a great day down town, at least, the kids had a ball shopping and hot chocolating. I could certainly get used to someone doing my ironing and preparing my dinner while I'm at work!

Excitement

We're all excited because Mama and Bop will be here soon! Even Milo has cause for excitement because they are bringing Sunny.

Mum and Bethany

On my day off I usually clean the house, do the washing and maybe make some cards. During the school holidays, I like to mix things up. With Andrew and Toby away and Joss off with her friends at the hideously expensive Wagga Show, I decided to do none of the usual things and just have fun with Bethany.

We went shopping and bought her a pretty dress of her choice and a cute top (Myer were having a great sale). We met Margot at Cache and Bethany had a hot chocolate. Margot never fails to give presents to the kids and she came with a bag full of make up and a bass recorder! It's lucky she did really, as we chatted for almost two hours over our coffees and Bethany was very good.

We played with Milo and made a cake to Bethany's design. A sponge (the Nigella sort with maximum butter) with cream and, wait for it, marshmallows.

She wasn't all that enamoured of the taste, and I certainly can't blame her, but the fun was in the making. Hopefully, her taste will refine over time.

It's a library thing

Sometimes, being a librarian means that I have to fashion straps for a cardboard car so that a fellow from the Army Band Kapooka can wear it and still bang on a rubbish bin lid.

New dog

Poor Milo has been sleeping outside since we moved into town. As it gets a wee bit cold here in Wagga, we have left him to get very woolly indeed. Now that the weather is warming up nicely, and remembering that our Spring and Autumn tend to be very quick, at least the mild days are few and we go from cold to hot very quickly, I made the appointment to rid Milo of his shaggy, matted coat.

Bethany took some photos of Milo as we dropped him off at the vet.

He always looks so embarrassed and sad when he is naked.

Bethany fed him the food he was unable to be given this morning (nil by mouth as he needs to be sedated to have his ears plucked) and, don't tell the landlords, but I let him inside for a bit this evening. Poor fellow!

Girls alone

Andrew and Toby left for Sydney this morning. As I write, they are at the Opera House seeing Mnozil Brass.

Bethany has discovered that she loves to get the washing off the line. Joss pulls the trampoline over so she can reach.

She folds everything up into a tiny parcel, it takes her a very long time!