Nothing special going on...

 These were some flowers I noticed at the park by the funfair earlier in the Summer, and I'd forgotten to upload them- they are rather stunning.


 As opposed to these 2 peaks, Mount Washmore and Mont Foldme- do you have piles like this forming, approximately 4 times a week?

The Summer has taken some leave, and we have had somewhat autumnal weather, with heavy rain and gusty winds. I am actually quite pleased as
1. I don't have to go and water the allotment.
2. I don't have to feel that I'm commiting a crime not going out in the beautiful weather when I really just want to wallow about at home.

The first three weeks of the hols was taken up with the swimming school.  H did enjoy it and was quite keen to go. Biryani, on the other hand, took a few steps into the water on her first lesson, and that was it. Not going in. Full stop. I couldn't bring myself to force her to go in, what with her tearful eyes and frozen rabbit-in-headlights look. So we went home. This is where having two parents is an advantage. DH had other ideas and so he was in charge of taking them to the next swimming lesson. She did go in, still reluctantly, and then we manged to change the time to the group for younger children. She enjoyed going to this group where they played games, and talked about what games they had played before they had come to the lesson. By the third week, she was saying 'Hurry up we'll be late!'.
So if it had been down to me, I would've just given up until next year. Sometimes it is good to have another opinion.

Summer hols- still lots to do locally

Biryani and M help out making the potato salad- made totally (save mayonnaise and black pepper) of allotment harvest- new potatoes, chives, and onion.

Here is where they get to cool off when we don't get to the beach/ pool/ water playground; a cheapo, tincy pool. Admittedly, the hose plus attachment, usually reserved for watering the plants, was the most entertaining. Well, who doesn't like making rainbows, or your sister scream by spraying her back with cold water?!

Yes! Biryani can now swing (without needing to be pushed). She happily swings back and forth for ages, and so trips to the park are much more entertaining for her nowadays.(The same cannot be said for indoor activities. The phrase 'I'm bored!' pops out almost every ten minutes.)
She wants to play a game with me (as she has no sisters, she complains, and I am a more worthy subsitute than any of the brothers). But it cannot be just any old game; it has to be one she's never played before. The same goes for computer games, which means the computer is not such an easy thing to keep her occupied while I make a phone call/ cook dinner/ have a shower etc! We must head to the main library which has board games you can borrow...(books, they're old hat, you know)

and the boys jump about in the forest playground, found in the middle of suburbia- fun!
So only 6 weeks of hols left- we've had 3 and a half already- what shall we do?