Twelve Years Old

My youngest turned 12 recently, and because her birthday fell on a Sunday, we could extend the fun across the weekend. Friday involved a sleepover, Saturday was Stagecoach and then tea with grandparents, and Sunday was a day of treats and time with my daughter.

Thankfully, Rose was happy to be dragged come along to a Poultry Show and Sale on the Sunday morning but alas, no hens were suitable to join our flock, although we did have tea and cake and admired the Pekin bantams who were all very cute. Lunch consisted of vegan burgers in home-made buns with oven-baked potatoes, at Rose's request. In the afternoon, Rose asked if we could go to the allotment (she really did ask) as we have just become new tenants of a plot in the next village. The shed was painted and weeding was done and we found lots of worms as we forked through the soil. The allotments are situated on a fruit farm so we're all looking forward to spring blossom time as the view will be spectacular! Once the flask of tea had run out we headed home for vegan carrot cake with cashew frosting which was just absolutely delicious! Rosie's decision to explore veganism has been challenging at times but we've made some great finds and it's been good for me to get out of the rut of baking and cooking the same old stuff all the time.

So, it was low key and understated, but we had a lovely weekend, celebrating in our own inimitable style!

Another Birthday

Tristan turned 14 today, and this evening returned home and opened his presents from me and my family, having been with his father for the weekend. One of his presents, of course, was his Blitzen hat!

Ahh! He loves it! Well, he didn't actually say that, he sort of smirked and said it was ok, and hasn't taken it off so I'm translating that as him loving it :-)

Charles and I went in to town to purchase a couple of new items for the rabbit hutch - photos to follow when Rosie has seen her suprise. We then had lunch at the Merrie Harriers and sat outside in the sun. Who'd believe it, sitting outside in the warmth in November? I popped over to see Nicky this afternoon and tried on the poncho that she's just finished knitting. It's absolutely amazing! I am a bit mid-project at the moment with all my things, but I am back crocheting and loving it. I have much more of a feel for crochet than knitting and can do it far more quickly and easily. I'm working in rows rather than rounds for this latest item, having practised last night with some mitts when Kate came over. And Nicky gave me some cream wool for me to finish my bauble, so I might get that done tomorrow.

Maud couldn't put any weight on her foot this morning. I checked it for cuts and sprayed it with antiseptic but couldn't see anything obvious. She looked a bit miserable though so I'm hoping it's not an infection :-/ shame the vet doesn't do some sort of discount scheme for frequent clients...

My Little Girl

Today was Amber's birthday! She was officially 12 at 11.04 am this morning, while we were at Shinies. She had helped me with the animals first thing before coming back in to open presents:

She was very pleased with her pyjamas and slippers. She spends about 80% of her time in them so it's important that she likes them!

After Shinies, where T decided to go back with Joel for a sleepover, Amber said she wanted to go to a petting zoo (???) and apparently our back garden didn't count so we went to Blackberry Farm. Here the girls had the opportunity to see ducks:

and, er, chickens with chicks:

and ooh, hold a rabbit:

and so now Rose wants a guinea pig:

But admittedly in addition to the animals we have at home, there were other attractions, like a Dexter cow:

and Kune Kune piglets:

And of course lots of play things to bounce, swing, ride and slide on. Needless to say we almost had the place to ourselves so it was fun:

And Amber said it was her best birthday ever. I find it was quite touching that for all the time she seems soooo grown up, she still loves mucking about in her socks and playing around with animals. I love her so much :-)

A Birthday

I took the children over to Laura's this morning and caught up with the news over coffee - I had been given some coffee by Simon and Joss as a thank you for checking their bees so we enjoyed some 'Suave' coffee which was the mild one...the alternative being 'Fuerte' or intense but we decided we already had enough intensity and didn't need the caffeine variety too.

Back home and Charles came over for lunch which was really nice as it was his birthday. He was thrilled to bits with his presents although it was difficult for me to give them to him as I had taken the maxim of "buy gifts you'd like to receive yourself" rather far. I did make him promise to give the fossil trilobite back to me if he ever got bored of it but he said he wouldn't :-(

We then went to Scats to buy, amongst other things, a crowbar so I could break up my pallets:

Et voila

I have been trying to work out how to make a better run for the ducks and pallets bits are always a good place to start. Ooh, talking of ducks:

Ahh

We also went to the reclamation yard as everyone (ie Kirsty Allsopp) raves about them and we wondered what on earth people do with rusty guttering, gargoyles and peeling windows but hey, it was certainly an experience.

So then it was time to get the children as they "wanted to see Charles" which, roughly translated, meant have a slice of birthday cake

5 slices gone

and now, after all the excitement I'm feeling pleasantly tired so I think it's early bed with a podcast and some knitting, although I do need to quickly write 300 words on Cretaceous polar forests or I shall get behind with my studies...duck watching seems to be taking up an extraordinary amount of time. I did, however, find a Call duck website which gave all the genetics of the different colourways which was rather fascinating and constitutes work in my book. So what with that and looking up all about Metacanthiana trilobites on Wikipedia I'd say I've been rather productive on the work front. You can tell I home-educate! ;-)