Fresh fruit salad

Today I am grateful for cups of fruit salad!

The local Centra shop to where I work (that's a Spar-type-shoppy for all my faithful readers who do not live on the Emerald Isle) makes lovely big cups of fruit salad, in fresh orange juice. It's how to feel like you're totally spoiling yourself, but without the guilt!!

I almost always get one when I'm working on a Saturday. I don't eat it for my lunch, but wait till the 4 o'clock munchies set in, then I can feel like I'm being wicked, having a big snack, when I'm really being good!! A bit like maltesers!!!

They have so much fruit in it too. I counted all the different kinds of fruit one day (it must have been particularly quiet that day!) and they certainly don't skimp! And you really feel like you've eaten something, not like you do when you have "a piece of fruit".

Why, I ask myself, do I not do this at home, for afternoon snacks, evening snacks, "I'm hungry" snacks, "what can I eat that's not too full of sugar" snacks!!!

I can think of no good reason why not, so I think I'll do it! I will be shopping tomorrow, so look out fruit stand, you are about to be raided!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

A creative mind

Meggie will be a writer.

I'm quite sure that at some time in the future she will write a novel.

I have come to this conclusion after hearing her explanation of a headache.

She was complaining earlier on about a sore head, so I asked, as I usually do, if she could tell me in what way it was sore - trying to determine if she did, in fact, have a sore head, and if so, how sore.

She replied that she could't explain how sore it was, so I asked her to describe the feeling to me, and this is what she came up with...

"It feels like lots and lots of fuzzy images in my head, rumbling around fighting with each other and knocking holes in my brain".

Now, I don't know about you, but I knew exactly what she meant, and thought that it was an absolutely stonking description of a headache!!!

So, today I am grateful for Meggie's wonderful way with words, and the fact that it wasn't me who had the headache!!

And for anyone who is worried, I'm quite sure the headache was a mixture of heavy, close weather and tiredness, and I gave her some Calpol!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Lazy hazy days

Well, that's it. Summer holidays are officially here!!

Meggie finished at 12 today, and that's it now for nearly 9 weeks!! (I can almost feel the bordom setting in already!!!)

I started the hols as I don't mean to go on! I spent most of the afternoon sitting in the sitootrie with my feet up, book in hand, doors open to let what breeze we could find cool the house. But I always feel so guilty, when I know the housework should be getting done!!

So I think a rota is called for...and some delegation! I think I might try to help the kids battle the bordom with some chores! A win-win situation, I think!

Don't know how they will feel about that, of course, but today I am definitely grateful for light-bulb moments of clarity and creative thinking!!!

Bring on the summer!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Costa del Coffee

Have you tasted the new Lemon Tart in Costa??

OMG! It is divine!

Thin, beautifully crunchy, melt-in-the-mouth pastry case filled with a layer of wonderfully tangy lemon sauce topped with  an incredibly not-too-sweet white chocolate ganache! My salivary glands have gone into overdrive just describing it to you!

It really made a solitary cup of coffee into a special event for me today. I took my time savouring it, and even my flat white seemed to taste better...could it be mindfull eating that did that???

Anyway, today I am grateful for small and only slightly guilty pleasures!

And as the kids are on holidays....I may just take them to Costa on Friday, as a special treat!! It's time they really learnt to appreciate the finer points of Italian coffee, don't you think???

Gratefully yours.
xx

Family

I've just been watching a really good programme on BBC1, called Turn back time - The family.

It was really good, and really made me stop and think about my family.

We really do take so much for granted these days, don't we? And, funnily enough, it was the upper class Edwardian family who seemed to suffer most as far as family was concerned. And why??? Because they were not allowed to interact together, the way we do now. The kids were herded up into the nursery, and the mum and big sister had to sit in the drawing room all day, reading and sewing...and missing the kids! Dad was off on his own doing whatever upper class men did, and hating every minute of it because he was lonely!!

Obviously the lower class family had a very tough time, lots of very hard manual work, but the were working as a team. They were still a family, and I think at the end of the day, they all realised the importance of that bond.

Today I am very, very grateful for my family, both the one I grew up in, and the one I am nurturing.

We really do have it good these days, and I am going to try much harder not to take that for granted anymore.

So here's to family. I love you all.

Gratefully yours.
xx

Holiday gear

The school holidays are nearly upon us. Yippee!!

Normally I'm the only mum who's not really looking forward to the holidays! But this year, I think I actually am! I just seem to have been so busy this year, working a lot more days than usual. I think that I am actually needing the break!

While the kids are off school (8 whole weeks!!) I am only doing my 2 mornings a week, and a couple of Saturdays, so the rest of the time will be spent concentrating on nothing but enjoying time off with the kids!

We took one day a week last year as a "day trip day", and I'm planning to do the same again this year. It gives us something to look forward to, and there are quite a lot of places around, within a couple of hours drive, that we can enjoy. I must sit down now over the next few days and draw up a list!!

Anyway, it is nice to be winding down a gear, even as the kids are getting more and more hyper!!!

Today I am grateful for holiday gear - one gear beyond cruise control!!!

Look out for "day trip diaries"!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Pottery

It was one of those pottery kind of Sundays today.

One where there's nothing hard or strenuous done, but lots of little things get done. Well ,okay, K did cut the grass which is a pretty big thing, but other than that nothing hard or strenuous!

Thomas spent the day with Fergus. Meggie and I played The Game of Life for about 2 hours this morning (fun game!) and then a few of her pals appeared and that was her for the afternoon.

K played his golf in the morning and then came home and cut the grass.

I did my food shop, cooked a chicken and potted up some flowers in the garden pots.

On the one hand, it was a fine relaxed day, but on the other hand, I don't feel like I've done anything. The day has just come and gone and that's it.

So, I'd better look at  the positive side...it's been a lovely, unexpectedly warm and sunny, relaxed day. Nobody had to rush to get anywhere, or to get anything done. The kids were occupied and didn't fight. I'm refreshed and ready for the coming week!

I am grateful for the chance to re-charge.

Hope you are all re-charged and ready for the week ahead also.

Gratefully yours.
xx

Then there was light

The light in my dining room/study/tv room/total thoroughfare room stopped working a few days ago.

Those of you who have been in my house may remember said light - a gothic type of black candelabra affair, with 6 bulbs-that-are-supposed-to-look-like-candles! Well, it has been very infrequently over the last 15 years that there have been 6 bulbs working at any one time. It was, in fact, a blooming nuisance of a thing!

Over the last month or so, we just gave up replacing bulbs as they blew, and so, finally, it gave up the fight!

Then, of course, came the onerous task of choosing a new light fitting!

That job was far more difficult than would first appear! I had no idea what I wanted, but I knew what I didn't want. And I knew what I didn't want to pay for it!!!

In the end, I spotted our new light in Homebase, when I was looking for a bathroom cabinet (whole other story!!! Ask me about it sometime!).

It was cheap, but I just knew it was what I was looking for.

2 days later, and my darling husband had it installed (not without a few strange and unexpected hiccoughs!) and ready for when I came home from work this evening.

Well...I am over the moon! It is absolutely beautiful! It needs a stronger bulb to give us any light (!!!), but who needs light??? The patterns it is throwing over the whole room, and the kitchen, are amazing! I knew it was the right one!!!

So, today I am grateful for going with my instincts....and getting wonderful gifts in return!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Funky!!

Drawing a blank

Need a little help here...

Drawing a total blank...

Third attempt at this tonight. Everything a write sounds contrived and stupid.

I'm grateful that my bed is waiting for me!!

I had a good day at work. The kids are hale and hearty as usual. My pussy-cat loves me. I saw a rainbow on the way home from work. K cooked my dinner and made me a cup of tea after it. It's bed time.

Sorry folks. This is as good as it gets tonight. Of that......I am positive! Boom, boom!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Convenience

Today I am grateful for shops that stay open long after I'm normally tucked up in bed!

Thomas has a habit of leaving everything till the very last (and I mean VERY last) minute! I really think that if he were any more laid back about things, he would be flat on his back!

He has a school trip tomorrow...an extra one, if you please, as a special "Thank you" to all the boys who take part in school choir, hurling and soccer teams. So when does he ask me about a "special roll" for his packed lunch....9.30 at night, as he's going off to his bed, and I'm putting my feet up with my jammies on!

So, I am just glad that there are convenience stores and supermarkets, very close to us, that open till late!!!

I know, I could have just said "no", but, well....he's my boy! And I'm surprised that they are both spoilt rotten!!! Who did that???

Sure, aren't they worth it???

Gratefully yours.
xx

A good laugh

There really is nothing better than a good old belly laugh!!

Coming home in the car today from singing, I thought I was going to have to pull over. I was laughing so much I could barely see where I was going. And it was just something totally silly on the radio!

A guy was trying to sing while gargling water. Listeners had to guess what song he was supposed to be singing. And it was just soooo funny! The other DJ kept telling him to do it again because it was impossible to guess what he was singing, and the poor guy was nearly choking!

Like I said...just a good old belly laugh! And it was one of those situations where once you've started laughing, you just can't stop.

I've heard it said that laughter is the best medicine, and I can see why. I am going to try to make a habit of having a good laugh every day! Mind you, people may start to suspect that I've lost my mind!!!

Today I am grateful for one of Nature's own cures - the belly laugh!

Now there's a good prescription for what ails you...one belly laugh, three times a day after food. Does not cause drowsiness, but may cause feelings of extreme happiness!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Catching up

Today I am grateful for my friends, both old and not so old!!

It has been a catching up day today.

I had coffee this afternoon with Audrey and her wee boy, Conor, who is now 4 months old. I hadn't seen them since April, so big changes in the wee man! I couldn't believe it had been so long since I'd seen them. Time just gets away from me completely! I have great intentions of going out to see them, but the time is just never there to do it, and before you know it...Conor will be going to university!

Seriously though...where does the time go???

And then this evening, just as K was trying to get the computer going for me to do my blog (nothing seemed to be connecting, even though we did have broadband access - just as well he's a bit of a techie!!) a Skype call came through from my pal Rhona, in Scotland.

I don't think we've spoken since Christmas. And before that it must have been this time last year!! It's terrible!

Thankfully, we always seem just to pick up where we left off, but it shouldn't happen! How hard is it to stay in touch??? And yet it is! Or is it just me??? Please tell me I'm not alone in this. I just feel that, more often than not, life seems to get in the way. Day to day stuff just seems to take priority.


Anyway, I have decided not to stress over it! I'm just going to be thankful when the opportunities do present themselves, and grab them with both hands.


Gratefully yours.
xx

Lentil mash

Did you ever have lentil mash?

I found the recipe in a low GI cookbook, and as I am now trying to come up with filling but low fat, low sugar, low everything-that-my-poor-man-likes foods, I thought I'd give it a try.

Just some red lentils cooked in a veggie stock cube for about 15-20 minutes. Mind you, at least 4 of you are vegetarians...I'm preaching to the converted here!!!

I actually mixed it in with some mashed tatties....thought K might run a mile if I just gave him lentils on their own! I was also giving him a pile of cabbage (green veg!!!Aaaaagh!), so I didn't want to frighten him altogether!

It was actually a very successful meal. K loved it - yes, even the cabbage!!! Thomas also had some cabbage and loved the mash too. And Megan...well, lets just not go there! Lets keep this positive!!!

So, today I am grateful that we are able to take something positive out of K's bad news. Healthy family dinners! It's such a pity it took something so drastic to give us all the push to do it!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Prima ballerina

Today we were at the theatre watching the ballet show of the year...Megan's ballet show!!

Talk about your heart swelling fit to burst with pride!!!

The whole ballet school take part in the show, from the babies (3-4 years old! Bless!) right up to young adults. Each class has an individual dance, all tied together under a theme, which, this year, was Mary Poppins.

Now I know this may sound a little biased, but Meggie's class were by far the best (not including the older girls, who had the added wow factor of point shoes). Seriously!! They all knew their dance without having to look off stage to be prompted, and they danced it beautifully.

 I was, of course, watching one little girl in particular, and she was brilliant! She is a real wee actress. As soon as she gets on a stage, she just takes on the required character to the hilt!

I was just so, so proud of her...and as for her Daddy!!! Need I say more?

Today I am grateful for my own wee Prima Ballerina.

Gratefully yours.
xx

individualism

Today was a day for individual pursuits.

K spent the morning on the golf course, Thomas on the hurling pitch, Meg and I in town shopping!

In the afternoon, Megan had her last rehearsal for her ballet show tomorrow, and Thomas was out at a pal's.

I can see, not too far on the horizon, a day when they will both go off first thing in the morning (well, I guess as near first thing as teenagers get is about lunch time!!) and not return until K and I are well tucked up in bed!

Time flies. It's nice to have some time to relax, watch a film (Letters to Juliet!!) drink a glass of rose, but it has also reminded me that they won't be young for long, and we should enjoy every minute of it.

Today I am grateful for the two individuals that are my babies, and the fact that they are growing up into their own people.

Gratefully yours.
xx

Life lessons

Today I learnt, first hand, a valuable lesson.

I guess over the years I've been taught this lesson a few times, and, even though you know it makes sense, it doesn't necessarily sink in completely! It's a lesson we have all learnt...or at least should have learnt!

I was working today, and it was a very quiet morning. VERY quiet! On several occasions I said, out loud, that I'd prefer to be busy....

You guessed it, when it did get busy, it got hectic! Several phone-calls from several doctors looking for weird and wonderful, seldom used products that I then had to make several phone-calls to track down. Patients all coming in at once with complicated scripts that they wanted to wait for, because "it'll only take you a minute - won't it??". And, as I'm not working there tomorrow...comprehensive note-writing so that tomorrows pharmacist knows what the heck is going on!!!

So, yes, from now on, I am going to be happy with what I've got! Happy here and now, not thinking that some other way looks better!!!

And I promise I won't complain about having a quiet morning ever again!!!

Today I am grateful that I have (finally - I hope!) learnt my lesson!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

In the pink

I have a little baby note-book in my handbag, with a bright, fuchsia-pink cover.

I bought it months ago, to write little things in that made me feel grateful, happy, smiley or all of the above.

I hadn't used it...till today! After yesterday's revelations, I thought it was about time I did.

I think that even the decision to write stuff down made me more aware of it throughout the day. Instead of waiting till now and then hoping to find something, I was noticing things all day...just like at the start of the year, really, when I started my blog!

So, today I am grateful for catching sight of the most beautiful stained-glass front door - when the sun shines through it, it must fill the whole hall with a rainbow of colour.

I am grateful for the way Gorgeous grooms herself - totally self-absorbed and focused. She should really be a Mindfulness teacher!!!

I am grateful for the house with the row of window boxes full of bright red geraniums. The symmetry of it, and the contrast against the white walls and black window frames was just perfect.

Yes...I shall continue writing in my little pink book, and I shall continue looking for life's little positives. Not because I feel I should, but because it makes me feel good!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Further changes...

...are needed!!

I came to the conclusion, while out walking this morning (yes, I took another new route, longer than usual, lots of time to mull things over, round about and every-which-way) that I have been relying on my blog, or, rather, on the writing of my blog, to make me feel positive about the day.

Do you see where I'm going wrong???

It would appear that I've dropped into the groove of toddling along in a daze and then trying, after the fact, to make something positive out of the day! Duuh! What happened to living in the moment, enjoying the moment? I'm so full of sh....ugar that I'm the one who ought to be diabetic!!!

I get so cross with myself sometimes! I forget so easily what I'm supposed to be doing. I just expect it to work, without any input from me!

But fear not! I have realised the error of my ways in time to save the world as we know it...or, at least my own little internal world! I will get out of my comfy little groove, and back on track.

I will open my eyes, I will breath, I will see the world around me and I will be grateful for another chance.

Today I am grateful for illumination!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Change of route

I changed the route of my walk this morning.

There are actually a few routes I've taken over the last while, but usually during the week I walk the same route. I could do it in my sleep....that's the problem!!

The days have been passing me by again. I'm back to going from one day to the next almost on auto-pilot. Not good.

So, I changed my route this morning. Got a change of perspective, a change of direction. Had to stay awake and take more notice.

I tried to do the same on my walk to work as well. I even stopped and counted the swans at one point - 25 in one small area of the river! Some were sleeping - floating on-the-spot, with their heads under one wing. Some seemed to keeping look-out and others were grazing for weeds at the edge of the wall. It was nice to notice them again.

I need to keep changing little things about my day, I think. Not disrupting my routine, but just adding a little something. Just little things to remind me to be in the moment and not let the days pass me by.

Any suggestions??

Gratefully yours.
xx

meteorological miss-information

Today I am grateful that the weather-people got it wrong...again!

This morning they were (again) forecasting rain for most of the day, with temperatures of no more than 13 degrees. By lunch-time, this was obviously not the case! Blazing sunshine and temperatures of about 18 degrees, with some amazing cloud formations!

Now the downside of this, should you wish to dwell on it, is that I was at work all day! But this blog is all about positivity, so I plan to not dwell on it!!!

I will focus on the fact that I had a lovely run home in the early evening sunshine, was able to enjoy a quiet dinner, because the kids were fed and out playing by the time I came home, and have just been sitting in the sitootrie watching as the few, wispy clouds, start to turn a lovely pink colour, as the sun packs up his briefcase and heads home to bed.

I am about to do likewise, and hope that the meteorologists get it wrong again tomorrow!

Gratefully yours.
xx

not many clouds up there to photograph!!

Hitting the spot

It's been one of those long lazy days today.

The weather was good, and I was glad to be able to go for a long walk this morning, sunglasses and all!

We kind of tootled along in the morning. Got the food shopping done without too much hastle...the kids now love to go off to the far corners of the shop to collect stuff, so it only takes half the time it used to! I was even quite pleased with my new, improved, diabetic-friendly menu for the week!

In the afternoon both kids got invitations to friends houses, both within walking distance, so I walked them round and continued on for a lovely walk through the bird sanctuary on my own (K was golfing!).

Later on K and I had time to sit together in the sitootrie and read and drink tea and blether - doesn't happen as often as it should!

Throw in a couple of brandys, a lovely roast chicken, and birds still singing beautifully at 10pm, and you've got a good day!

Today I am grateful for not letting opportunities slip by!

I enjoyed my day because I was present, and I saw what was in front of me, and I didn't let it slip by un-noticed.

Here's to the rest of the summer...long may it last!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Words

Words are very useful things.

They can help you to express all sorts of feelings and emotions. They can help you get your point of view across. They can comfort you when you're down and calm you down when you're over excited. They help you keep it touch with loved ones and they help you create new friendships.

Words can help you to make sense of the world around you, and of the world inside you.

Today I am grateful for words.

Even when I don't know what to write about, when I am not sure for what I am grateful, when the day is over and all I want is my bed...there are the words.

When I sit and listen, when I stop worrying and just let them come...there they are.

They let me communicate, and I am blessed that I am able to use them.(And, on the whole, spell them!!)

Gratefully yours.

xx

Spoilt rotten

Today I found a new way to spoil myself!!

I was actually heading to Costa at the time! I knew I shouldn't - I had already had my mocha at home, and a scone (homemade of course!) - but, as you probably all know, I can resist anything, except temptation, and, well, Costa is there, how much more tempting could it be???

But, as it happened, I was passing a busy Peter Marks hair salon, and decided, on the spur of the moment, to go in and see if they could give me a wash and blow dry...no reason, other than I thought it might be nice!!

Well...a wee bit more expensive than Costa, but, not only did I get a lovely cappuccino, I also got a wonderful head massage and came out with gorgeous, shiny, glossy hair!!! So, 20 minutes of pure indulgence, and d'ya know what? I deserve it!!! So there!!

So, today I am grateful that, busy or not, the girls at Peter Mark were able to fit me in.

Relaxed and looking, quite frankly, gorgeous!

Gratefully yours.
xx

PS lots of hugs, kisses and being there in spirit, for my darling sisters and niece as they head to the Moonwalk in Edinburgh tomorrow. You go girls!!

Knickers

I decided to have a wee look on the M&S website today, cos I need new knickers.

Who would have thought it would be so difficult!!! There are just so many different kinds to choose from...

There's hi-rise, low-rise, mini, midi, bikini, hi-leg, full brief, shorts, boy-shorts, thongs (ouch), hi-leg with modal (????), lace-trimmed, no VPL, cotton, brazilian, low-rise with no VPL, hi-leg with low-rise........

Then you've got to decide if you want black, white, natural, pink, blue, spots, stripes, all of the above!

I was cross-eyed by the time I'd got through them all. And what did I order??? None of them! I was too confused!!!

Today I am grateful that not all the choices I have to make are as complicated as buying new knickers!!

I'm definitely leaving the search for a new bra till another day!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Creamy and Mog modelling the latest in knicker-fashion

Hard job

I am finding it hard to find something positive tonight.

It's not been a bad day, but it's not been a stand out day either.

So today I am just grateful to know that you are all out there. Writing my blog, and knowing that you are out there reading it makes me feel that little bit closer to you all.

And that makes me smile.

Gratefully yours.
xx

No homework

Today I am grateful that I had no homework!!!

Thomas had his school trip today, and Megan's teacher was off, so she was set work to do in another classroom. This means that neither of them got homework....which means that I had no homework!!!

It was so nice to not have to worry about getting them to sit down and concentrate on homework, when all they want to do is anything but homework!

It meant that I got to have a cup of tea and read my book this afternoon between school and ballet, and it meant they could both go out after tea, leaving me to...you guessed it, have a cup of tea and read my book!!!

It's a good book too! You'll have to keep an eye on my Book lovers book blog for details!! (If you look down the right hand side of this blog - where it says About Me - and click on Grateful Gretta, it will take you to my profile page, where you can find The book lovers book blog. Just click on it to see it. Nothing to see yet, but keep checking!!!)

Think I'll go to bed now, and read some more!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Bank holiday blues...

... not a bit of it!!!

We had a fabulous few days, with all Tom's birthday celebrations and aunts and cousins coming out of every corner, but d'ya know what? I'm glad to be getting back to normality!

I'm definitely a creature of habit.

It was so nice this evening to come home to a nice quiet house - K had taken Dee and Thomas out for a few holes of golf, and Meggie was exhausted after the last few days, so she sat watching TV, wrapped in a blanket!
All I wanted to do was get the place tidied up and sit down with a nice cup of tea!

It's lovely to have a bit of excitement every now and then, but I'm starting to realise that my everyday treadmill is actually quite a comfy treadmill, and I actually rather enjoy walking it. In fact, maybe it's not a treadmill after all, but a nice, familiar walk in the country!

Today I am grateful for this fresh perspective on life!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Family

There really is nothing like your family.

My father-in-law is 70 on Tuesday, and his daughters organised a surprise party for him this afternoon. Not only were four of his five children there and five of his seven grandchildren, but also his youngest brother and seven of his sisters! (He is one of a family of 15 children, 14 of whom are still on the go!)

Once you add in three nieces, a wife and six assorted spouses ( or should that be spice??) that adds up to quite a party!!

And the look on his face when he walked in really was priceless! He truly was surprised, and very emotional.

It was amazing to be a part of that big family gathering, and to truly be made to feel as if I belonged.

So, today I am grateful for family.

They say you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family....but I think I chose pretty well!!!

My contribution to the party was 3 pavlovas! I had great fun making them and trying new flavours! I made a banoffi one, a double strawberry one and a rose and raspberry one (which went down very well!!).

I just wanted to tell you that so that I could show the photo of them!! I was very proud of my babies!!!

YUMMEE!!!

Gratefully yours.
xx

Ladies who lunch

Today is one of those "don't even need to think about it" days.

Today I am grateful for the creative genius who came up with Skype.

I was feeling a wee bit homesick today, knowing that my mammy was entertaining my three gorgeous sisters for lunch.

But, never fear!!! I made myself a cuppa, and skyped them!

Okay, I didn't get to taste the delicious looking lunch (although I did get a very tasty sausage sandwich shortly afterwards), or drink the pink fizz out of lovely tall wine glasses, but who cares! I got to be there in more than just spirit!! I got to chat and laugh and see them all!

Who would have thought, thirty-odd years ago, watching Star-Trek (OMG...could it even be forty-odd years ago!!!) that we would one day be looking at the person we were phoning?? Well obviously the smarty that invented Skype thought it!!!

Doesn't it just go to show you that nothing is impossible??

Lunch at mine next week, ladies???

Gratefully yours.
xx

All that you are

My mind is blank tonight.

Too much sun, I think!! Sat out in the sitootrie most of the afternoon reading my book, while Thomas, Megan and Fergus played away in the garden. Idyllic really...but too hot! I really think it has fried my brain!

When Kieran came home, we ate pizza and wedges and drank lovely cold Blossom Hill rose, still in the too-hot sitootrie, and watched the kids. (At least they all had the sense to eat outside!)

We had one of those "Yes...this is what it's all about" moments, which was lovely.

Life is all too short, and we need to grab these moments with both hands and cherish them.

Today I am grateful for all that I have, and all that I am.

Be grateful for all you have and all you are too! Because you are wonderful, and without you, my life would be poorer.

Gratefully yours.
xx