Who's this then?

This small person is Fynn Sebastian Sturk, born at 7.06pm on December 19th 2008. Just in time for the Archers. Mother and baby are doing great and Dad is wandering around in a happy daze. Uncle Richard and Aunty Philippa went to see them yesterday and Helen was serene and looking terrific - we found it hard to believe she had just had a baby. They will be FABULOUS parents and we couldn't be more happy for them. Now the adventure begins...

Well done you three!

Tom's Christmas list

After Richard had lit a roaring fire, Tom's wishlist went up the chimney. As ever, we adults were more excited than the six year old who frankly had better things to do, like make a "secret agent camp" out of the firescreen behind us.

PS we think Santa has sorted out these much desired objects. A gold star for anyone who can actually read it anyhow!

The perils of internet ordering...

So just before the attack of the worms (see below) we all arrived home to find a stack of boxes on the doorstep, gradually getting soggy in the rain. Most of them were from Amazon and addressed to me, as I have an Amazon account. The trouble was that Philippa had ordered from Amazon on my account as well, so we each had presents for the other and neither of us could open them for fear of spoiling the surprise. It was about then that I had an absolutely brilliant idea. "Lets let Tom open the box", I cried."I will tell him what my present for Philippa is, and if it isn't that, then it must be a present for me!" Tom thought this was all very amusing and opened the box. He looked a bit puzzled for a moment then and then leaped up and shrieked "its a present for ME!!!!!" And it was...

Attack of the Killer Worms

We're all sitting cosy in the basement den, as it hammers it down with rain in the dark outside. I just picked up a leaf stem from the floor. Only it wasn't a leaf - it was a wriggly worm. Funny, I thought, and popped the worm into the flower pot outside. Five minutes later, I came down from the kitchen to find FOUR more worms wiggling across the carpet. They're all coming in from the cold! Richard opened the basement door this time, to find a horde of them, suitcases packed, launching themselves over the threshold.

After he'd pitched them all out again, I said to Richard I'm going to put a note on the blog about our wildlife infestation.

And I picked up the laptop and found a curly worm clinging to it.... !

Thank goodness they're only wiggly worms... Though come to think of it, our babysitter did report seeing a mouse run across the basement floor the other night.

Making fairy cakes

I was laid up with cold today, and it was freezing outside, so the boys stayed in and made fairy cakes. Tom actually found the recipe on Cbeebies and insisted on making it. Yum! P

Granny Heather's knitting

I know you've waited a year to see this mum, but now it fits beautifully. Smart boy! Thankyou very much. P xx

The tooth fairy has come

A quarter doesnt get much nowadays. But it was the thought that counted. Tom now has the proper first grader gappy grin!