Preparations.

I'm fascinated. This whole growing up business is amazing. I don't remember a whole lot myself. It's all a bit of a blur. But to be able to stand back slightly and watch someone who is not you but almost is, (you know what I mean!) is incredible. The subtle but enormous changes that take place under our noses, at our sides, is mind-boggling. One of the perks of being a parent.

Almost overnight, well, ok, the last few months, The Eldest has unfolded his wings. He has suddenly looked up and realised there is a whole other world out there and HE'S not the centre of it. There are other people who have needs and wants, and abilities, or not. He is Mr. Helpful, Mr. Responsible and Mr. Thoughtful, all in one. Not that he wasn't before, that generally is his nature, it's just it's now ballooned into 'Who I Am'.



Every year we have a big Midsummer party. It's a great excuse to do some work on the house. So lately we've been painting and clearing and re-organising and the minute we mentioned the party, when we recieved complaints about the amount of DIY that's going on, it was like lighting him up. He has risen to the task in an amazing way.

Clearing the patio and tidying the garden has been his contribution, purely his own idea.



So. We'll have various updates of how the preparations are going over the next few weeks. And I am getting excited too!

Today.

This morning I spent at the annual Home Birth Conference.
Every year it's so lovely to see the same faces, and lots of new, hopeful ones. I catch up with people I only ever see there, and others I don't see enough of. I hear amazing birth stories and outrageous tales of brushes with the 'medical' world. I see the amazing people who work long hard hours to put it on, and the rest of us who come along, listen, chat, eat and, hopefully, buy. Thank you all you wonderful people. The world needs you.

Later on I went to pick up The Eldest in Bray where he was 'peggin' around the beach with his friends.



After the last two days of temperatures up to 15C, it was COLD! The wind cut through you.



But it was refreshing after being in a crowded hall all morning.



Aren't kids amazing! The cold just didn't bother them.



They even had icecream...

Scroll For The Future.

Last Saturday I was in Daintree in Dublin, which if you love paper is well worth a visit. I can't remember when I was last in there but I could have bought the whole shop, no problem. As it was I contented myself with a few bits and bobs (tho no origami paper, which was top of my list, pity), including the cutest little scrolls that I got for the three older ones. I've asked them to write or draw on them, something relevent to Now in their lives. The Little One has done his, of course. The other two are thinking about it too much, but hopefully over the weekend they'll do something. I plan to get them whenever I'm in Daintree and when they've done something on them I'll date them and put them away.



If you do go there, you must not leave without a visit to my absolutely favourite cafe in Dublin,The Cake Cafe, which just happens to be in the same lovely building. I dream of having this on my doorstep, and find any excuse to visit. Sadly, I don't enough tho. For now.

Something Lovely.

This week, Something Lovely is from one of my favourite designers, Tord Boontje. Isn't this Midsummer curtain divine? And it would go perfectly with our Midsummer light we have in the sitting-room.



Though at 99 British pounds I reckon it's down the list quite a bit. Oh well...

Rhubarb And Worms.

Today was like summer. The morning was me and Lisa out fooding as usual. Then I spent about two hours in the playground with the two littlest and an assortment of friends. We came home sunkissed and tired but with a spring in our step. The kind that you get from blue-skies and warm breeze after the end of the winter. We had a lovely day. I left the house at 8.30am and didn't get back til nearly five. And my camera was left at home...grrr...

But, I still have yesterday to tell you about!

The older two were off at 12, so after picking up The Little One we headed south to visit some friends who live near Gorey. What a time we had. The younger children were glued to each other from the word go.



There was homebaked, by A, pizza, and bread and rhubarb tart. Fresh from the garden rhubarb. Wow. It was something else. That first pink flavour that compares to nothing else. Sigh...



There was mud to dig in, things to climb on, worms to examine, stones to throw, and river to catch them.






And a lovely walk through fields ploughed, and fields of fat greenest grass that was too inviting for some.



Thank you lovely people for a wonderful, inspiring day!