Splutter, sniffle, sigh…

Actually the kids are better today – the both slept really well last night and irritating cough I have developed today aside it would appear we probably will make it after all!

Did very little this morning, faffed about on the laptop for a while and the kids watched Teachers TV and then I read them The Enormous Crocodile which was in one of the lucky dip bags from BP yesterday. That went down well and has been read twice more since 🙂 Ady rang and chatted for ages – it’s his new way of ensuring we have time together, as the kids yell at us if we try and talk while they are still up and as soon as they go to bed I plug into my laptop it’s his best way of getting my attention 😉 So that was nice!

Decided that unless I made a mammoth effort to do something we were likely to fester today so I dug out the pushchair and we walked into Lancing (well D and I walked, Tarly was pushed!). It was very nice actually, the sun was shining and we all three chatted all the way there. We walked through the alleys which the kids decided were like toilets for dogs (nice 🙁 ) and then Davies realised that the word for alley is similar to the name Ali who is our friend (I say this here now Ali incase you get refered to as a dog’s toilet and worry it is not flattering!) . They then between them identified loads of plants and flowers – rose, lavender, budliea (sp), daisy, dandelion, poppy, fushia and hydrangea – which was impressive for them (partic Tarly who knew all but hydrangea and fushia) and humbling for me as that is my entire horticultural knowledge already shared with them! Just as well Ady is ‘in the business’ and able to offer further information! Can’t recall what else we chatted about but I know it was fairly educational if you were in a box ticking mood (I’m not!) and they were good company and we all laughed a bit too. 🙂

Into Lancing where we did a quick look round the charity shops and I picked up a book about Captain Beaky (which I loved as a child and knew all the words to the songs – it’s that nonsense thing again) – must see if my parents still have the album somewhere. At the weekend my Mum had given Davies a shaun sheep soft toy (he still has his sheep thing going on since Ardingly) and the children spotted a shaun sheep toy with a flower in his mouth which they deemed a necessary companion for Davies’ and one for Tarly to have – so we bought that too. Which then meant Davies had to have something too. There was nothing in any of the other charity shops so I ended up getting him a leappad book which was half price in Woollies – ah well at least it was a bargain and educational (maths one). Also got some new sock and pants airer thingies for the washing line from the pound shop. Davies paid for everything today – I gave him the money and either stood outside the shop or waited nearby for him while he stood in the queue, spoke to the cashiers and took the change etc – he did well 🙂

We then called into the library and got a couple of books out which Davies also did by himself. I looked at the Reading Voyage thing but think we have left it a little late really, will definitely do it next year though.

On the way home we talked more – I know one of the topics was our current favourite words – mine is recepticle, Davies’ is village and Scarlett’s is pink. We talked about signs – one for no bikes allowed in the alleyways, one about neighbourhood watch (quite a tricky concept to explain that – but Davies learnt a new favourite word – vigilant) and he spotted the P O letters on a slab covering something in the ground which I need to look up and find out what it was! They also set up and stuck rigidly to a rota for sharing the bottle of water we had with us and we talked about litter and rubbish.

Home for lunch – Ady arrrived moments after us and then went off again (he needed to change his shirt as he was going competitior watching and needed to be incognito) and the kids have played with leap pads, beads, marble runs, dressing up and the aquamat all afternoon. In between being shouted at by me!

Oh and almost forgot we made some rice crispy (gotta use up that Horrible History justified bulk cereal purchase somehow!) cakes with marshmallows and chocolate drops which were yummy too 🙂

Tomorrow we are supposed to be going to Arundel Lido but I am going to cry off on the basis that snotty noses and outdoor swimming are never a great combination whatever the weather. Might still see Julie and the twins elsewhere if she is not desperate to swim herself though.

Had planned a blog and flickr training session for Ady and bunged curry in the oven to slow cook at lunchtime but as it is nearly 10pm and we have not had it yet I’m guessing it will be postponed again!