Day 89 - March 29th

The blossom in the hedgerows is starting to bloom now.

Day 88 - March 28th

Next weekend I am joining a group of friends for a craft weekend away. As is tradition, I'm making small gifts for everyone.

Day 87 - March 27th (Easter Sunday)

After chocolate for breakfast (!), this afternoon we had our Easter Egg Hunt. I don't think these three will ever be too old for an egg hunt.

Day 86 - March 26th

Today Lara decorated our Easter Tree with the tiny decorations that I've collected since the children were little.

After the tree was decorated she decided to make some cakes using some special easter cake cases and decorations which my mum had given us.

Day 85 - March 25th (Good Friday)

Today we took Millie for a walk and were surprised to see the extent of the work recently carried out by the drainage board since we last walked this way. 

The photograph below was taken a couple of years ago in roughly the same spot as the photo above which was taken today.

The land has been cleared and the ditches dredged and the area is now at least twice the width it used to be.

Millie was very surprised to be able to see into the ditch.

Where the ditches had been dredged, some of the rabbit burrows had been disturbed and we saw several rabbits sitting in the side of the ditch.

Day 84 - March 24th

The weather is starting to warm up. 

Today we found a Small tortoiseshell butterfly on the patio. It was somewhat subdued so I guess the weather probably wasn't quite warm enough for it.

Day 83 - March 23rd

We have a lot of self-set Polyanthus plants in our back garden. 

Although growing in the wrong place, they look lovely.

Day 82 - March 22nd

At the end of term school assembly Lara's band performed. She of course played the drums. She was also presented with an end of term COE award also for her work in Rock Band.

Day 81 - March 21st

Today Lara had a brace fitted to her bottom teeth. By the orthodontists own admission, she has a lovely smile with lovely straight teeth but unfortunately one of her teeth near the back is trapped between two other teeth and not coming through properly so they are hoping the brace will move the teeth that are causing the problem to allow the tooth to come through.

Today she chose turquoise bands.

Day 80 - March 20th

Whilst out walking this morning, we spotted this strange cloud formation hanging over the fields.

Day 79 - March 19th

Today we made a trip to Nottingham. We took Steven to a University Visit day for offer holders and we also had to collect Christopher to bring him home for the Easter holidays. 

As we found when we visited the Jubilee Campus before, there are lots of interestingly designed modern buildings.

The main, University Park Campus (which we also briefly visited today) by contrast has a large number of period listed buildings.

Day 78 - March 18th

I love it when the school gives you three days notice that the children have a 'dress up' day! For Sports Relief today the children had to go to school dressed as their favourite Sports Star. Lara decided at the last minute to go dressed as Kelly Sibley the highest ranked senior woman in English table tennis.

Day 77 - March 17th

When you buy a bunch of tulips in the supermarket you never know, until they open, what they will be like. Sometime they are standard tulips and on other accassions they are a little bit special like these pink tulips I bought this week.

Day 76 - March 16th

In a few weeks time I'm going away with a group of friends for our annual girly craft weekend so i have started thinking about the projects I am going to take with me. I've started choosing photos, papers and embelishments.

Day 75 - March 15th

The different coloured hyacinths in my Mum & Dad's garden are now coming out. This pale pink variety is so pretty.

Day 74 - March 14th

After the Hot Cross Bun I had the other day, today I was drawn to a giant bun which is about the size of four standard buns. I guess its meant for sharing???

Day 73 - March 13th

Lara has been set a Geography project at school to create a model in a shoe box depicting a natural disaster. She choose to create a model of an Ice Storm.

Day 72 - March 12th

I had a feeling I was being watched this morning when out with Millie and low and behold hiding in the bushes was a tiny black and white cat.

Day 71 - March 11th

Walking Millie this morning it was difficult to see far ahead. It was extremely foggy and it took several hours to lift.

Day 70 - March 10th

Today I sampled my first Hot Cross Bun of the year. 

Day 69 - March 9th

Lara has received her drum exam results. She passed! Well done Lara.

Day 68 - March 8th

The new carpet on the landing has been laid. It is so nice to have carpet underfoot again after having bare floorboards for a few weeks.

Day 67 - March 7th

Overnight the beautiful tulips that Christopher sent me for Mothering Sunday have opened.

Day 66 - March 6th (Mothering Sunday)

I received some lovely cards and presents today for Mothering Sunday.

Day 65 - March 5th

Our hallway make-over continued with a trip to the DIY centre today to pick up some more bits and pieces needed to finish the job.

Day 64 - March 4th

Today Lara's school celebrated World Book Day. The children all had to go to school dressed as their favourite book character. Lara went as Hermione Granger from Harry Potter.

Day 63 - March 3rd

The cyclamen that has waiting to flower for quite a few months is now in full flower. I counted twelve flower heads today.

Day 62 - March 2nd

Over the past few days I've seen several ladybirds including this one which was hiding in the grass.