Indoors

Boys have temporarily been banned from the grass, or what is left of it.  There's a huge bare patch which is either dust or mud, depending on the rain levels.  I've sprinkled some grass seed over it, but I have a feeling it might not be germinating.  In the meantime there is football on the patio and lots of inside stuff.  The chess set is back out after a long break.

There's also been lots of drawing, making, writing and reading.  I look out for old classic books for the children when I can.  I remember loving Paddington bear when I was little.  I read it to the boys the other day and we all laughed so hard at his decorating disasters.

Also loving Beatrix Potter.  This is a particular favourite of the littlest boy, who is all about the Flopsy Bunnies.

The oldest has a new i-Spy book, so we're also a little bit obsessed with leaves at the moment.  We were thrilled to find an Indian Bean tree on the way to school.  Twenty-five points!

The littlest boy needs a bit of encouragement to read.  (By encouragement I of course mean bribery).  He has been promised a small rabbit soft toy from the local country park when he's done a good amount of reading.  While he loves to look at books, reading the actual words isn't for him.  He resists almost every single time.  Yesterday he received a postcard from the rabbit.

It said, "I am typing this with my paw.  Please do lots of reading so that I can come and live with you.  I really want to come and be at your house, so read everything you can so that I don't have to wait too long to be your rabbit.  I don't want to live in a shop any more.  When I come and live with you will you take me out on adventures with you please?  Lots of love from Rabbit xxx".  As you can see, the typewriter ribbon got away from Rabbit a little...  In case you were wondering, the postcard is propped again a jar of hamster food, it's not my breakfast muesli.  The little man is planning to send a postcard back saying, "Dear Rabbit, I love you and you can come and live at my house and have adventures".

For the grown-ups a little collection of P G Wodehouse is being amassed.  I had forgotten how utterly wonderful his writing is.

I'll leave you with a delicious quote if I may.

“Freddie experienced the sort of abysmal soul-sadness which afflicts one of Tolstoy's Russian peasants when, after putting in a heavy day's work strangling his father, beating his wife, and dropping the baby into the city's reservoir, he turns to the cupboards, only to find the vodka bottle empty.” 

Hope you have a good day.