Teaching

Britain has a shortage of secondary school teachers. Especially science teachers, maths, IT, RE and modern languages. So, basically most subjects except PE and drama.

I have a science degree. I have been looking into teacher training. I would like to take up work again now that the little ones are older. I don't think accountancy is for me anymore. The five year break means lots of re-learning and also retaking of exams. Month end is unsociable and there is no 6 week break in the summer.

Problem is: Getting qualified will mean working long hours. Now this does not worry me unduly. However Mr Y.'s new job entails lost of long days and lots of working away from. Where is the difference with the old job I hear you ask. Well it's not international travel. Makes all the difference- apparently.

I can't commit the time at present. I want the girls to be settled into their school. I could ask my mum and dad to help out but somehow that feels wrong. They are in their 60's they don't have the puff to look after two lively girls.

The Teaching Development Agency are clearly desperate though. They have sent me on a three day taster course, organised school visits and are now trying to find a flexible course for me. I never knew chemistry was that much in demand. Hopefully I have managed to let them down gently. I told them that I would be unable to start before September 2010. "Don't worry Mrs Y." he said with a not unappealing Welsh lilt "I'll call you in six months time." "Why?" "Well now, you'll be needing to get your references in order and your application form. Don't worry though. I'll be there to help you through the process."

I think I had better dig up the old Chemistry text book.

Christmas Tree 2008

The tree is up. BC (or before children) we had classy trees. They were themed silver or blue or silver and blue. Now our trees are colourful and garish.
I think I like the after children trees better.

Top picture was taken by the 4 year old daughter.

Christmas Prep

Advent has begun and we have put up the Advent's calendars. We have four this year. Auntie H. decided not to check with us and sent them calendars. Nice thought but I had already bought them one each. I don't think the girls mind. The more Playmobil the merrier.

It is difficult to celebrate Sinter Klaas with just us. It seems a bit flat. No one else gets it. There is a Dutch society in Oxford. Mr Yoastie looked into joining but felt he had nothing in common with the people who went there other than his passport. Normally we have pepernoten etc. but my father-in-law is in hospital. Understandably sending Sinter Klaas stuff to grandchildren isn't really foremost on my mother-in-law's to do list.

But on a more cheerful note CS is one of the angels in the Christmas production. Apparently during rehearsals Mary was worried about the lack of hospital facilities in Bethlehem. The angels at least stick to the script. Mummies and Daddies are allowed to come and watch. We are a little worried that younger sisters are excluded, well CE is worried. Mr Y. will do his best to work from home on the opening night (lunch hour), so that he can see our eldest perform.
Luckily the school provides the costumes. I am not sure I could have mastered angel wings.

I will get on with some baking later. We have new biscuit cutters in the shape of reindeer and they need to be used.

My New wheels

Well here it is my new transport. Well, it isn't really for me. It is for my shopping. But never mind.
I know I haven't written much lately but it has been busy here. The girls have both been ill. First one for a week then the other. I dislike clearing up sick. I know it is not their fault and I feel sorry for them. There is so little you can do for them.
Started my new job. So far so good. Though for now I think I am more of a hindrance for the other teachers and not much of a help. But I hope to soon learn where the paint is kept etc.
I have had to look after Dad. Well not really but Mum went to my brother's as his wife has just had baby number 3. So Dad was on his own and lonely. Luckily daughter 2 loves her Opa, she phoned him lots and invited him over for apple pie.
I hope to soon have more interesting posts. But probably not I seem to lead a fairly mundane life.

Job offer

I've been offered a job.

All right, so it is to look after children two mornings a week. Not much change from what I do now. But I am excited. I am going to be a nursery school teacher. Mess about with paint and glitter and get paid for it. How cool is that?

Loo seat

We had a bit of a lavatorial disaster day. First the oldest daughter decides to help by putting new loo paper on the roll thing (holder? what do you call those anyway?). The whole new roll ended up in the unflushed loo. So that went straight into the bin.

Later on that same day I hear a crash and then the inevitable shout of "Mummy". The loo seat on the downstairs loo had come of. Sheared off. How on earth did she manage that? All right, the downstairs convenience is in need of refurbishment (or bombing or something) but our plumber has let us down, so this is on hold for now.

Luckily my youngest saw the positive side of things. "At least Daddy won't have to lift the lid anymore when he wants to go. And we won't have to tell him off for leaving it up."

I have taken this into consideration but have decided to opt for a new seat.

Shameless bragging.

Parents evening was a success. Mrs P. was very pleased with CS and told me that she was a very clever and intelligent girl. Well that saved me having to point this out. No need to worry about being a pushy parent :-)

After half term the class will be taught in small groups according to their ability in given areas (eg maths, reading, spelling). Bigger topics like history, science and geography they will all still be together. The only thing that worries Mrs P. is that the rest of the class are not on the same level with Maths as CS. In fact she thought CS would find a better match for her abilities in year 1 or 2. So, if we don't mind CS will be taught Maths on her own for now. Well I asked CS and as long as she gets to do plus and minus she does not care.

Bragging wasn't too bad, was it?

Conkers

"Would you like to feed the cat?"

"No, we are busy ... stuffing conkers in your gloves."

Pushy Parents?

Life has been busy. The whole Yoastie household has had to settle into a new routine. CS has to be in school by 8.50 or else there will be a late mark. CE isn't due at pre-school till 9.15, so plenty of time to get there. The schools are next door to each other, so normally I have to wait around for 25 minutes. Not bad when the weather was nice. But we are in England, so mostly it is not nice.

Mr Yoastie has a new job. It does not come with a company car, so we have said goodbye to his Mini. I am now without car as Mr Y has mine. Mostly that is fine as we live close to town centre and the shops. But as this country would benefit from a roof I am missing the car.

Next week is parents evening. I have been told by my daughter to tell Mrs P that school is fun but why doesn't she get to read more? Or write? or do numbers over 10? that is so pre-school numbers up to 10. And what about the plusing and minusing? why aren't they doing that?
So, I am now worried about how to get all this across without seeming like a pushy parent. I think I'll take her, that way she can teacher all about it herself.

Patchwork Blanket no1

Finished!
It only took me 19 years to complete :-)

I know it isn't perfectly straight and all that. But that is a two person job. I had to do this on my own; well with hindrance, sorry meant help, from a three year old.

First day of school.

We survived the first day of school. No tears. Well, a bit when CS fell over and grazed her knee but other than that the day went smoothly.

D-Day

The uniform has been washed, ironed and name-labeled. Together with the socks and book bag it has been put out ready to be worn for its first official outing tomorrow.

My eldest is going to be taking her first steps on the road to education. I am worried. She can't wait to go, tough she "may miss me a bit at lunch time". I will definitely miss her at lunch. But I will just have to be brave - and of course she is right when she tells me that.

It won't be easy for me though.

Net Curtains

"My, My. That opaque glass is not opaque." I thought yesterday as I was drawing the curtains.
The neighbours' son is home from Uni. He has a rather toned and muscled body, not displeasing to the eye. Since the neighbours took the curtains down in their bathroom I saw a lot more of their son's body than either he or I ever expected. I am a married woman, so of course averted my eyes.

Today alas I had a rather less pleasing view. The mother from across the road was getting ready. Lets just say that she has less muscle tone than her son (think German sauna and you'll understand what I mean).

Now my dilemma is:

1. Do I tell them and risk embarrassment for them and myself?
2. Not tell them and face the possibility of seeing the pater familias in the nude (one business lunch too many)?
   
3. Wait till term at Uni starts again and then try to drop it casually into conversation that their bathroom window is see through?
4. Get net curtains?
   

Nuts

I am glad to note that "Allergen information: this product contains nuts"

Bemused

Whenever we go to see Opa and Oma Nederland the girls are given far too many presents, clothes and spoiled rotten. But as we only go twice a year I guess they will just have to endure this :-)

Oma bought then some clothes at V&D. This is the wash label. Wash inside out with the same colours.


This is the t-shirt. Which same colours. Would that be the green, pink or the stripes on the back?


Any suggestions?

Fear

"When I am old I am going to have a dog"
"Is this wise? You are afraid of dogs."
"Not when I am a Mummy. Mummies aren't afraid of anything."

If only it were true. I am still afraid of the dark - retrieving things from the garden in the dark is only done with a good torch. I am still afraid of thunderstorms (I do think they are spectacular but scary). Ghost stories give me the chills and I certainly think birds are fearsome. Yes, birds. I have a fear of their flappy wings. Just thinking about it makes me shudder.

I think mummies or in any case this mummy have plenty of things they are afraid of. But you must not let them know that. I think that is the big difference. If I ran to hide under the bed every time there was a storm where would we be?

I still don't like birds though.

Sunflowers

This what my sunflowers turned out to look like. Not too shabby considering the snail problems they've had.
They botanically minded among you may spot the sweetcorn. We had our first four cobs last night. I fear they may be the last as the weather here is useless. Wet and cold, I had to check the date to make sure it wasn't autumn.

Off

We are off to Holland for a few days. This was not planned. My in-laws were supposed to come over to the UK but my father-in-law has become ill. He is getting better but a trip to the UK would be a long old haul for him. I am not sure that two active under fives will be helpful for anyone's recovery but it is worth a go.

Hippos

"Mummy? How long do you think it took them to train the hippos to swim synchronsisated?"

Nigella's Chocolate Gingerbread

FOR THE CAKE

• 175g unsalted butter
• 125g dark muscovado sugar
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 200g golden syrup
• 200g black treacle or molasses
• One-quarter teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• One and one-quarter teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 2 eggs
• 250ml milk
• 275g plain flour
• 40g cocoa
• 175g chocolate chips

FOR THE ICING

• 250g icing sugar
• 30g unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 60ml ginger ale

Don't worry if you don't have golden syrup, runny honey works just as well. Also I used Lebkuchengewuerz (2 tbsp) instead of the spices.

I couldn't find chocolate chips, so I bought normal bars and with the help of two under fives and a rolling pin smashed them to pieces.


Preheat the oven to gas mark 3/170C and tear off a big piece of baking parchment to line the bottom and sides of a roasting pan of approximately 30 x 20 x 5 cm deep.

In a decent-sized saucepan, melt the butter along with the sugars, golden syrup, treacle or molasses, cloves, cinnamon and ground ginger. In a cup dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the water. Take the saucepan off the heat and beat in the eggs, milk and bicarb in its water. Stir in the flour and cocoa and beat with a wooden spoon to mix. Fold in the chocolate chips, pour into the lined tin and bake for about 45 minutes until risen and firm. It will be slightly damp underneath the set top and that's the way you want it.

Remove to a wire rack and let cool in the tin. Once cool, get on with the icing.

Sieve the icing sugar. In a heavy-based saucepan heat the butter, cocoa and ginger ale. Once the butter's melted, whisk in the icing sugar. Lift the chocolate gingerbread out of the tin and unwrap the paper. Pour over the icing just to cover the top and cut into fat slabs when set.

Do not leave unattended.


Rinse off children. Clean up kitchen.

Wolf whistle

I got whistled at! Yes, really. I checked there were no 19 year olds anywhere or other females. It was one of the bin men who had whistled. I almost had to ask if he was sure he meant me.

I realise that my feminist principles should be outraged. I should be worried that I was inappropriately dressed. Now, I have no principles and I was in standard "bring children to school" outfit. So for 15 mins I felt good. Then I started to worry: what if he was taking the mickey? What if it was just a dare from the others to see how I would react? On balance I decided to go for compliment.

Marriage

At breakfast.

"Mummy? Can you marry your best friend?"

"Yes, of course you can. I was friends with your Daddy before I married him."

"Oh good! I'll marry Thomas then!"


After pre-school:

"I told Thomas I would marry him. He said that would be all right with him."


I must ask Thomas' Mummy how she feels about this. I think he will be a lucky man indeed. She's a good catch my eldest; clever and beautiful, if a little stubborn. But maybe they should to wait another 13 years give or take.

School Uniform

Well it is really happening. CS will be going to school in September. My first born, my little blond baby. I am feeling daunted at the prospect of her being "locked up" from 8.50 to 3.00. She thinks it will be a great adventure.

During the course of the summer holidays we will have to buy school uniform. I am not against uniform. I went to a school which did not have uniform and the bitchiness about labels and looks was terrible. Also I will just be able to say: you have to wear it, no arguments.

Things I have so far discovered about uniform:

1. It is shapeless and mostly drab.
2. It is inexpensive but 100% polyester.
   
3. Most shops stock some form of uniform. You do not have to go to a special outfitters.
4. Royal blue is not a standard colour, so you do have to go to the specialist.
5. It is all different than is Germany (or 20 odd years ago when I was at school)
6. Black school shoes are "so my favourite and my best"
7. The youngest is jealous of the uniform.
   
8. Mr Y. is not helping as "it isn't like this in NL" either.
   

Interview

So, I went and had my interview. I thought it had gone all right. After all I was dying of a cold but other than that...

I got a call to say I didn't get the job. Apparently I did not have enough experience to work in the "arts centre" side of the job. Sorry, I thought I had applied for admin job. How is admin for an arts centre different to admin for a buying department? I guess I'll never know.

Cold

If I were a man I would be dying of pneumonia as we speak. As I am not however, I merely have a cold. A nasty sniffley (is that a word?), almost lost my voice cold. What makes it worse is that I am allergic to Sudafed. This is an over-the-counter flu and cold remedy that makes me come out in hives. This I hasten to add is a recent discovery; yesterday.

I am a woman, so I struggle on. After much make up and aspirin I went to my job interview today. I hope they didn't think I sound that husky all the time.

However on the bright side Gin and Tonic has no medicinal effect or allergic ones, so right now I don't care.

Holiday Photos

Longleat

We went away for a midweek break to Longleat.
Longleat is in Somerset and is the ancestral home of the Marquess of Bath. In the 1950's the then Marquess was short of cash, so he decided to open his home to the fee-paying public. He was the first person to do so in the UK. Later he opened a Safari Park in his grounds. It is doubtful whether Capability Brown envisaged sea-lions in the lake or zebras and giraffes grazing on the rolling hills.
The present Marquess has added the attractions. He is an artist and has added murals to his private apartments. These are on display for small tours. I don't think they are pretty but the are impressive. The girls were very impressed by Lord Bath's excellent taste. He has painted the paneled doors in vivid colours. Pink and yellow for one set and purple and green for another.
We spent a lot of time at Pet's Corner. We saw the parrot show twice. CS got a kiss from one of the parrots. CE got to stroke lots of rabbits. We also saw fruit bats, otters, ferrets, tarantulas and the playground.
Only Mr Y was a little disappointed. He did not see Kate Humble. The BBC were filming for the Animal Park show but only Ben Fogle was there.

And what did you like?

We've been away for a few days. When I asked the youngest Yoastie what she had enjoyed most:
Petting the rabbit at Pet's Corner and feed the tiny, teenie duckelings.


So next year we will just take her to the local park and pet shop ;-)

Trouble

The fact that Cat thought the flower bed could be his new loo was bad news. But not as bad news as the slugs and snails. Of the 18 sunflowers planted out only 12 are still standing. This is war. No more Mrs nice Yoastie. This year there will be no beer for the slugs to slowly and merrily drown in. This year it is slug pellets.

Garden

They have spent long enough in the greenhouse. It is time to let them out in the wild.
This is what the flower/vegetable patch looks like all freshly dug and planted.




This is what I hope it will look like.


This will probably not happen as someone really likes the fact that we loosened the soil for him.

Daily Bread

We have a breadmaker and bake our bread fresh every day. Sometimes white, mostly brown and sometimes with raisins, nuts and honey. When my father and Mr Y. have a fish eating day (my mother and I loath fish, so father and hubby sometimes gang up and buy fish anyway) I make rye bread for them. I have recently found a good maize flour at the local health food shop, now corn bread is also possible.

My mother always baked her own bread - without breadmaker- and I always loved the bread she made. I therefore assumed the young Yoasties felt the same. However recently CS asked whether we could have nice bread "like they have at T's house". Bemused I asked T's mother what kind of bread CS had had when she was over for lunch. "Oh just normal sliced white bread." "From the baker?" "No, Hovis. It's in the brown bag, second aisle at Tesco."

Schools part 6

We got a letter from CS's school. There will be three open days on Thursdays in June. Slight snag they are at the same time as the girls' swimming lessons. I have managed to change the swimming lessons to Tuesdays. This will be a rush as I need to pick up the girls, get them changed and into the pool in 15 minutes. Never going to work but hey.

Included with the letter was a "pupil enrollment form". Standard questions like date of birth, address and parental details. One of the last questions was whether the child speaks another language at home and if the parents need a translator. I was so close to putting yes. Part of me thinks it would have been great to meet the local Dutch translator but the good part of me thought that was just a silly prank. There is always child number 2 ...

Text Twril

Hello, my name is Mrs Y. and I am addicted to text twirl.

A while ago now I joined Facebook. I thought what harm can it do? Chat to some old school friends, ex work colleagues. No harm in that. It is not like I'll be doing the "poking" thing - that is just childish or cyber slapping etc - total nonsense.

It started with scrabulous. You know, slowly playing with other friends. But this wasn't enough. Friend A. is a pilot and scrabulous wasn't fast paced enough for her. She convinced me to add text twirl and give it a go. I did (hangs head in shame). I am too slow at typing, so I got Mr Y. to type for me while I called out the words. I know I shouldn't have done it... but now I can't stop.

I am afraid to say it but I think I may be a nerd. Admitting it to yourself is the first step. I will try harder to resist.

Swings

When our neighbours moved back to Australia we inherited their swing (swing 1.1). This was fine except that the girls kept fighting over who's go it was. I spent at lot of last few months in the garden as peacekeeping force with the trustee egg timer to make sure both had the same length go.

I am not going to have to do this anymore. We now have swing 2.2.

Dress 2

I have finally managed to sew the ribbon onto her dress. It wasn't easy. It has been in the washing machine twice before it was officially finished. But here it is.

I won't stay clean for long though.

Babies

CE: "Mummy is Auntie K. going to have a boy or a girl?"

Mummy:"We don't know yet. We'll know when it is born."

CE:"But will it be a girl? Auntie K. wants a girl. She likes pink"

CS:"Don't worry it will a human baby."


Auntie K. has had her baby and it is human and a little girl.

Sewing

I have finished my first sewing project. CS was able to go to the 5th birthday party in her dress. Now I need to finish CE's dress. It is almost done. Well she has been wearing it already.
But her dress needs a ribbon on the waist too. "Shiny red, because I have red strawberries on white". Then a look of worry crossed her face: "It will match my pink shiny shoes, won't it?"

Nosey

I have told my daughter on any number of occasions not to put things up their noses. Today my youngest CE stuffed a foil wrapper from an easter egg up her nose. You know those little easter eggs and the foil can be scrunched up into balls? Just such a ball found its way up her nose as I was cooking dinner. This is a rough outline of the events:

Screaming three year old comes into the kitchen in a blind panic. "It's up my nose it won't come oout! Mummy!" Try to calm her down while searching for emergency out of hours doctor's phone number.

Call parents to line up emergency babysitter while still trying to calm child and find number. Decide to phone normal GP's and get answerphone, which tells me the right number. Need to call answerphone again as CE has another panic screaming fit. Write down number and call out-of-hours-service. Someone will call back.

Give dinner to self and eldest while trying to keep youngest calm. Grandpa decided to come over see whether he can help. GP calls back, if I haven't managed to get the ball of silver foil out of the child's nose then I can come to the Minor injuries unit but would I mind having another go, as they are a bit busy. Thanks.

Panicky toddler is not impressed by the idea. Try to extract the foil ball with eyebrow plucking tweezers. D*mn doesn't work. Curse husband for misplacing my long tweezers. Have another go with the eyebrow ones. Meanwhile the daughter is screaming the house down. The foil so tantalizing close yet so far.

Work out conspiracy theory as to why this sort of thing always happens when husband is away. Remember that the sewing machine came with long tweezers.

Shamelessly bribe daughter with a Shelly (this was bought in the Christmas sale a future bribe for eye drops) if she lets me have one last go. Daughter has seen tweezers and is having none of it. CS has seen Shelly and realises she could be in for a present too. Combined force of Grandpa and CS to hold CE down while I remove foil ball.

Hurrah it worked.

Snotty foil ball was admired by child who now stopped screaming and is rosy and happy.

So two happy and content girls have gone to bed. All I need to do now is find a new bribe for when the need eye drops.

Baking disaster

Well this is what happens if you do not grease the baking tin. Tastes lovely though. Maybe I will try and stick it together with some jam and cream...

Photoshoot

CE found out how to use the camera. These objects may look random to you but she chose to take pictures of them.

Holiday

Just booked our summer break. Really excited.

The girls approved; it has a swimming pool.

Thank you

Dear Startrite,

Thank you for making "daisy dot raspberry patent". They are the pinkest most shiniest shoes and they are mine. Not my sister's, all mine and I am not sharing. And they are pinker and shinier than Ellie's shoes. I think she is jealous.

May I suggest that for future product development you consider making the hearts on the soles pink as well. Only my sister has a purple fairy on the soles of her shoes and I don't. Thank you in advance.

Yours sincerely
CE Yoastie

One a penny, two a penny

We made hot cross buns. The hot cross buns are supposed to remind one of the crucifixion hence the cross on the top. Unfortunately I have no piping bag, so they are just hot buns.

There were more than two but by the time I found the camera ... Well at least they liked them.

Are you sure this works?

The new kitchen is installed. But we needed to test some of the important equipment, so we made cupcakes.

It does work. Which was a relief all round.

Schools part 5

We were afraid that the school of choice would not have a place but they do. Hurrah CS will go to School in September. She will only be 5 years old but she is really looking forward to it.

Colour Run

Argh! I forgot that CE's pale pink swimming costume and dark blue swim hat were in her white towel. I washed them and the erst of the towels at 90C. Now we have gray towels and a purplish swimming costume and one very upset daughter.

So I'll be off to the shop to buy colour run. Hope it works.

Kitchen part 2

The kitchen has arrived.
Maybe we should leave the shrinkwrap on. Should make cleaning easier.

Things I worry about

In general I don't have too many really serious things to worry about. Some things do occupy me though.

1. Why did Harry Potter never cure his own short-sightedness?
2. Pure-blood wizards must surely be inbred. Why is there never any mention of hereditary conditions in the wizarding community?
3. In the Chamber of Secrets we are led to believe that Slytherin designed the chamber in the middle ages. How then did he know about modern plumbing? If we are to believe Adam Hart-Davis taps as we know them (or described in the book) weren't around till 1800 odd.
   
4. In Heroes the TV show why is Mohinder's voice over so patronising?
5. Why do none of the participants in Property Ladder ever listen to Sarah Beeney's advice?
   
6. Why do not more people follow the teachings of Trinny and Susannah?
   

Ikea

It may not have escaped your attention that Mr Y loves Ikea. Well they have finally taken his love for them on board. A new range has been named after me. We got a thing in the post from Ikea with new products and the eldest daughter spots my name. Indeed there is a new range of textiles named after me. Almost, your spelling has to be that of a 4 year old but nevertheless.

So one down three to go Ikea :-)

Just wondering if we need some new cushions. hmmm

Rock a bye baby

Re the above nursery rhyme:

" Why is the cradle in the tree, anyway? Don't they know that's dangerous?"

Sauna

My Living room feels like a sauna. The plasterer has been and now the wet plaster needs to dry out. The radiators are on and the damp is making a lovely sauna like effect.

"Unfortunately" Mr Y is away on business till Thursday. The plaster should be dry then. I am not one for conspiracy theory but Mr Y's business trips have all been very convenient for him lately with regard to the kitchen fitting. hmm....

Winner

Hurrah I am a winner. Well all right then, a runner up. But I was impressed. My very own porcelain gold bunny.

Stripping

Mr Yoastie is back from Atlanta. He came bearing gifts of Disney Princess Tattoo plasters, Peanut butter and M&M's. (Somehow Gold, Frankincenses and Myrrh sound better).

Once unpacked Mr Yoastie got down to stripping. The wallpaper of the kitchen ceiling. Yes, the new kitchen has been ordered and will arrive soon. In five weeks soon. We have to get the ceiling plastered and electrics re-routed and plumbing done.

The builder called back on Monday and asked whether the electrician had been in touch. He had and I was happy with the quote. But the plumber was proving to be a problem. "Well Mrs Y if you get your other half to take the paper of the ceiling. - Oh, he has done so already. Blimey, he's quick. Well Love I'll get the plumber sorted for you."

The plumber called today will be round tomorrow. First time ever I have had anyone in the building sector who has actually called back and sorted out others. Should I worry? We'll find out.

Lonely

Mr Yoastie is away for a whole week. I think this is pretty lonely. Also Atlanta has a useless time difference with the UK. So phone calls are not able to take place at length.

But I have come to realise that there are some positives. I have had a nice evening in with Russell Crowe and some fudge ice cream. Master and Commander is according to Mr Y. a "girl film". The box of Lindor chocolates that was not eaten at Christmas has slowly been decimated this week. I have had a play on facebook and I have not tidied up my sewing machine all week.

I do miss him though.

Swimming

Tomorrow is swimming lesson number two. The girls have been packing and then emptying and then packing and repacking their bags.

They want me to take photos of them swimming, so that Daddy can see what they are up to. I don't think I will be allowed to take pictures of them. I saw a big sign last time that cameras were not allowed. I have promised to ask however, so fingers crossed I'll be able to take a photo of them.

Car Sickness

It stinks. It really stinks. The car and the fact that I have to clean it up.

The eldest child was sick in the car. Not just a little bit but lots. Think the Exorcist. The poor child was so stoical through it all and never complained. Her sister on the other hand screamed her head of. "Mummy! It's disgusting! It smells! She up throwed over my book!" I was well aware of the first two points. Breakfast had been rice crispies and a large glass of milk. Now it was decorating the back seat of the car and the child.

Our trip out the Oxford was cut short or rather abandoned. My first born was cleaned up successfully, as were my clothes, her sister's book, the booster seat and the floor mats. Now I have the rest of the car to do.

Mr Yoastie is away with a large time difference, so can't be relied upon to lend me a sympathetic ear. I called my mother. Helpfulness personified she reassured me that it is really hard to get vomit out of the door handles and window buttons. She was speaking from experience. Oh, cheers Mum. I will have to do my best.

It still stinks though.

The car now smells of washing powder, with sour notes. I think I may have to seek professional help.

Busy

We have had a busy few days. The girls had their first ever swimming lesson. We were there far too early and then they changed into their swimsuits really quickly. They had to wait for 15min and were very impatient to get started. The other mothers were impressed with the fact that I had brought toweling bathrobes for them, rather than trying to dry two children of at the poolside. Seemed odd to me as all of the children in my swim class in Germany came with robes but this just goes to show that all countries are different.

Today Mr Yoastie flew out to Atlanta. So now the cat is the only male in the house. To take my mind of being on my own (with the girls) we went to the cinema. They have an early showing of children's films that have been out for a while. Today's film was Surf's up. It did get scary (if you are under five) but had a happy ending. I now have the task of find out what type of penguins they were, why chickens can surf and why they would want to. Also why the penguin chick wanted to be rescued all the time.

Princesses - chapter two

Once again the daughters were in their Princess outfits. CE was dancing away in the living room, CS was busy scrubbing the kitchen, as she had been ordered to do so by the wicked stepmother.

""Oh, my fingers are worked to the bone!" sighed the Princess. But then she heard a knock at the door. The Prince was there. He had come to marry her. And his brother had come to marry princess CE. "Princess CE" called Princess CS. "It is the prince and his brother they have come to marry us.""

"NO, I don't need a Prince! I am fine dancing by myself!"

I think this just about sums up their characters.