A fresh start

The Summer term commences tomorrow - so we have new beginnings.

The beginning of the end for the EFG - her last few weeks at secondary school, as she will have finished all her exams by the second week after half term in June, and so she is now on the home stretch of this stage of her education.

Spring is really here now and so I have begun the grass cutting season - the front lawn was done on Saturday and the back today. It is very satisfying to see the short, uniform grass rather than the rather untidy thatch that the winter had left! The rabbits will be glad to get out of their cages in rotation and spend time on the lawn in the run - I think Guiness might get the first honour!

The EFG spent her morning at school today doing an art workshop in preparation for her upcoming exam. So the YFG and I dropped her off at 8.50am and pootled off across the fields to the lovely Cambridgeshire town of St Ives. It was a very pleasant journey, and I called in on a friend, and then we mooched around the town market. It has been years since I looked around that market, and it has changed and moved on, now boasting stalls selling mobiles, for example, and yet it has stayed the same in that the veg stalls still stand in exactly the same spot that I remember! We didn't have time to go down to the river and feed the swans, but on a longer visit, that would have been where I would have enjoyed lingering. We popped into Poundland and spent a few - we don't have one in this area so it is a novelty to see all the things that they can manage to sell for just £1!

This afternoon I spent time in the garden, doing the lawn mowing as well as tidying up all the strawberry plants and talking to the chooks. They are laying at least 20 eggs a day now and so I need to find some new customers!! I gave two dozen away today - one to a friend in the village who does our hair and the other to my friend in St Ives.

And what of the weekend and the meditations? It was a good weekend on lots of levels. Friday was hectic, with the YFG having a friend here overnight on Thursday and then having the friend stay all day on Friday, having a marathon Wii session. The friend is an only child so they do enjoy playing together when they get the chance. Another pair of little friends had already been invited to tea, so I cooked them Toad in the Hole, and then chocolate buns for pudding. They went home well stuffed at 7.30pm and I took the girls and we went babysitting in the village. We had a very relaxing evening, watching tv and reading, whilst the little girl remained fast asleep all the time we were there - we never even saw her!

On Saturday, we spent most of the day at home until I took the girls out in the late afternoon to do a spot of uniform shopping. The EFG needed a pair of black trousers that she could wear for this half term to school but which would still be useful when uniform is no longer needed. We got two pairs of cheapish ones from Asda, and popped in to some other shops whilst we were out. It was a lovely ride home across the fields again. I do enjoy driving in the countryside at this time of year!

Saturday evening the girls decided to have a sleepover together on the lounge floor in their sleeping bags, and watch some films. They have their moments of togetherness, and this was one of them - sometimes they seem to really get on, and at other times appear not to be able to stand one another!! So I encouraged them to spend time together, and indulged them - I didn't wake them on Sunday morning and the FH and I slipped out at 9.15am to go to church and left them sleeping.....

Today has been lovely too, although the YFG was very very quiet this morning. Eventually I extracted the problem that she was worrying about - some homework - and so when we picked up the EFG, she was able to nip into school and have a word with the teacher who was in school as it was a training day. She has been back to her normal self this afternoon and much happier!

This evening I have turned up one of the pairs of trousers for the EFG to wear tomorrow and we have watched Silent Witness together. I bought two large pieces of topside this morning at reduced prices, so I have cooked them both this afternoon and now 16 portions of beef reside in the freezer - 4 dinners for 4 people - half with accompanying gravy made from the juices as well! Can't wait to dig into that one Sunday lunch time!

I hope you have all had a peaceful and relaxing weekend. We are back into the fray tomorrow: the girls are off to school and I have a meeting at school here in the morning, followed by gym in the later afternoon and early evening.......best get some rest!!