More thoughts!

Wow - we had five girls in the house this afternoon! I know a couple of my friends have four or even five kids of their own, but I guess you get used to the way of life one child at a time. My two are quiet in comparison to having five around, and these were well-behaved additions, I am pleased to be able to say. They are a family from church - one is the same year at school as the EFG, one is a Y6, so one year ahead of the YFG, and the little one is Y2 and very cute; the YFG dotes on her. They slotted into the family here very well and they all get on together. They all spent time outside on the trampoline and then the smaller three snuggled up together and watched part of a DVD whilst the older two were upstairs doing what 12/13 year olds do best - chatting! They stayed for tea and were so effusive with their praise of my cooking that I told them they could come back anytime - the middle one loved the chocolate slab cake and advised that I could open a bakery! It is so nice to be appreciated.

This morning I went out and sold some books at a playgroup. This has become a tradition at this particular group as I have been there in October every year since I began selling Usborne. They hold a coffee morning and the mums (and dads, sometimes) gather to chat and buy bits and pieces - I was there with the books, there was a Chocoholics lady, and a Body Shop person. I know who sold most and it wasn't either of them! Yes, I sold just over £250 of books in just under an hour and a half, and I was very pleased with that. I have been worried with the "global financial crisis" as the BBC like to call it, that people would be careful this Christmas and sales would be down, but not this morning - mums were handing over £20 notes and flashing credit and debit cards like nobody's business! The playgroup were pleased as I was able to give them £50 worth of books for free. I do love that bit of this business as groups which are always short of cash but trying to do their best for children benefit from the sales that I do in that way - and the leader was a bit overwhelmed at the thought of getting to choose so many books for the children.

Today is a day in the middle of two birthdays - my late grandmother would have been 105 yesterday but she died in September 2002 days short of her 99th birthday. My dad turns 79 tomorrow, so I have sent him a birthday card and phoned him for a chat tonight as I know that he and I both have busy days tomorrow. He lives about 15 - 20 miles away, near Huntingdon and we see him about once a fortnight or so. He is in generally good health but has some problems with his heart which are long-term but under control.

Well, I was going to tell you about Chorley-Wood bread and stockpiling tonight, but I have run out of time so I'll leave that for another day. If you get a minute, Google (funny how we all recognise that as a verb these days!) Chorley wood and you will begin to understand why home-made bread is best!