Weekend in Brighton

We have a good system for my visits to Brighton. I drive down on Friday afternoon stopping at M&S food shop on the way. I pick up food for dinner - not exactly ready meals but definitely easy prep. The boys go to bed at 6 and 7. We eat at 8, half an hour of Corrie and we are in bed by 9. This is not only desirable, it is essential because Boy 1 is up at 6AM and doesn't understand the concept of a lie-in or even a slow start. He needs his cereal and he needs it NOW. I have to get it just right - the correct bowl, and the amount of cereal to put in it. He seems able to judge it by the flake. When we have cereal in bowl, I pour on the milk and it has to be blue milk (full fat). Then it is time for spoon choice. He has various coloured plastic spoons all of which have to be got out and lined up. Is this a pink spoon morning? green? yellow? Only Harry knows and only Harry chooses. I then slouch around with a cup of coffee while he wolfs down the cereal. We take a break then to build train tracks before coming back for toast. By then, Tom is awake and having his first pint of the day. All this early activity is nice for me because I then so appreciate my own schedule when I'm back at home.

20 Days

That's how many days I haven't written my blog and I know you regulars are missing it! I haven't even finished the two watercolours I started on my last trip to Earnley. They are sitting in the shed/studio waiting for me to find the time to work on them. Ha Ha. That should read waiting for me to stop wasting time wool gathering and ruminating. My TV watching is all up to date it's just the writing and painting that suffer. Of course now I have the short day excuse. Don't ask me how that excuse works because I do have electricity. Anyway, I thought it was time to update this blog.

My back garden is covered in fallen leaves. The colour is a good red/orange/brown but they need to be removed and it is a big job. I could ruminate while I rake but luckily it's raining today. Also I have a couple of people coming for part of a lunch. This is a friend I met at BK and she and I and Kathleen are having lunch today - main course at Kathleen's followed by pudding at mine. Kathleen and I live next door to each other so we don't have to take a bus to get from fish pie to apple crumble.

I'm having dinner tonight with one of my local councillors. She has become a good friend. On Friday I go to Brighton for a weekend with the boys. Apparently Tom is mobile now so they have put him in a cage (a playpen) but Harry delights in announcing that it's time for Tom Tom to go in the cage. Harry will be four in about three weeks so he needs a birthday present. I suggested to his mother that I would buy him an electric car, the kind you ride in, but she vetoed this without a second thought. I'm disappointed because I always wanted one of those when I was a kid. Oh well.

Earnley again

I had another excellent watercolour course at Earnley today. I had to go because the place is closing next month and I needed a final shot of bed, food and first rate course. The drawback was driving home this evening in the rain, the dark, the rush hour traffic and only a hazy sense of direction. Actually, I followed the route perfectly and arrived home at 7PM. Of course I was exhausted so I meandered down to the Dong Dong for a glass of wine and a plate of noodles. I love that place - cheap and friendly. Thank god it's not closing. I still resisted doing pictures of fairies and dragons and concentrated on the techniques. I'm working on two pictures, one of Rosie sitting on a lion and one of Harry jumping. I shall post them when they are finished.

A further update

I have been very good about giving up wheat and gluten for the past two weeks and unfortunately, it works. I feel much better and much perkier. I shall keep it up as best I can. Chloe and Charles are staying with me this week while the rest of the family go to Cornwall for the mid term break.

An update

14 day detox - my energy level is chronically low so I decided to do something about my diet. I don't mean "dieting" although that would not go amiss. What I am doing for two weeks is not having wheat & gluten, no alcohol and no obvious sugar. I miss my bread. Gluten free bread is too awful and certainly doesn't lend itself to a nice ham sandwich. I have been doing it for five days and I think I feel better. I take a 30 min walk each day.

Courses - I have been going to a writing course on Tuesday evenings and I have given it up. It was so-o-o not working for me. I would come home exhausted and fed up so I withdrew yesterday. Just so I don't get lazy, I began a Photoshop course last night and it is great. Anything with a computer is the thing for me and I know I will be more than happy to do homework.
I'm wondering if courses are a bit like shopping for me; i.e. if I take a course, I can sit and listen to someone else talking about whatever it is instead of doing it myself. The shopping involves buying stuff for whatever new project takes my fancy instead of getting on with it!

Immigration - The forms are completed and with the solicitor who is handling the process. I decided to hire someone to do it with me so that it would be done right. I had an email from her yesterday asking me if I want to change my name before the application goes in or wait until it is done and change names in time for the new passport. I would like to change my name today but I don't want anything to hold up the citizenship process.

1970's tie dye dinner party

In order to cope with a very large (wide) dining table, I made a tie dye tablecloth from a sheet. Such a flashback to the 70's when that particular craft form was everywhere. I invited eight friends, three from my art group, three outliers and Rachel and Charlie. Alison and Sian decreed that I must have a 1970's menu so here it is:

Before- cheese and pineapple hedgehog
crisps and dip
Starter - prawn cocktail with MarieRose sauce
Main - chicken Kiev
chips
a selection of frozen veg
Pudding - Black Forest Gateau
apple crumble

To ease the blandness of the menu, I had good wine.


The tablecloth


The guests


After all this wonderfulness, can a macrame plant holder be far behind?

The boys, The park, The engine

Yes indeed, I had my weekend at the seaside with the family Williams.


It's a long way down. Did you mean for me to be here?




Child No.1 - I'm cool. I drink and swing
Child No.2 - This is the greatest thing since breast milk




I will always be faithful to Thomas, the engine, that is. The brother is a given.