So Ollie would like some unicorn flash up shoes. Sounds fabulous! Wonder if they do them in my size and if he’d mind it we matched? I shouldn’t think so, he tried to nab my mermaid holiday necklace lovely Lee bought me and when I told him it said Lucy which is my name, he said that was okay because he loves me! Did melt a bit.

I will admit to the tiniest niggle, the smallest worry that someone might tease him, but I realised that would say more about them than him and Ollie is adored for bringing sunshine wherever he goes and light up unicorn shoes could only add to that. I then wondered what my Mum would have done being from a less accepting generation. Well she’d have already bought them and got them gift wrapped! In fact she encouraged me to buy the most garish unicorn rainbow trainers in my mid 30s.

In other news, Harry has decided that he no longer eats animals. We have no idea where it came from, only that he really means it and you should have seen the anguish on his little face when he asked if the ketchup on his hot dog was actually blood. I sent an email to nursery explaining in preparation and they agreed to support him whole heartedly.

When I went to pick the boys up from Little Bears the other day, Becky said Harry had exclaimed to the whole table over tea, how much he liked cheese and tomato toasties and that they weren’t meat or dead. Oh, he’s going to be one of “those” vegetarians!! Let’s hope he never becomes an ex smoker and that he never smokes in the first place, obvs.

Ollie told me yesterday morning just as we were getting in the car that he didn’t want to eat animals either. I forgot to tell nursery! I emailed them quickly at around 11 when I had a flash from my memory banks. It was too late. Nursery reported that evening that Ollie had merrily tucked in to his Lamb Keema at lunch but had not eaten the skin on his cucumber at break. Right.

It was like on Sunday when I tried to explain to Harry that he couldn’t have the gravy on his vegetarian roast because it wasn’t animal friendly.

“But I like gravy” he said and poured it on. At four he’s a bit too young for us to explain about animal juices so we just left him to it and made a note to buy some vegetarian stuff.

As Saturdays go, this one is pretty delicious so far.

Had a knock from next door whose car wouldn’t start and desperately needed to get to work. She offered to pay and didn’t give two hoots I was still in my pyjamas. I told her not to be daft and that’s what neighbours do. Then my car wouldn’t start either. Then I realised I’d grabbed my husbands keys. Once under way I realised how fabulous she looked and how dirty my car was and that I hadn’t even cleaned my teeth. As she stuck her head out of the window “because she was having a hot flush” I wondered if she was in fact being polite and that I smelt worse than I realised.

I dropped her off and said Lee could give her a jump later. She thanked me for our services and said that was probably taking it one step too far and we had a little giggle.

I high tailed it home and straight in to the bath x

We are back from deepest, darkest Cornwall, Bodmin to be precise. Not the jail I hasten to add, although there were times Harry pushed my buttons and I was tempted to visit and return minus 1.

Being a Brit I should firstly advise you of the weather which was mainly kind beach / woods weather mixed with a little gale force winds and fat rain, but what English caravan holiday would be complete without storms?
I learned a few things this holiday, to name a few (not in priority order) :-

1.  I hate Lego! Ollie talked me into getting a dragon for him and car for Harry reduced to £3 in Morrisons. Now I realise there was a reason the pesky stuff was reduced. It took me an hour to build Harry’s car with bits continuously breaking as I fixed other areas and put the slightest pressure on. Victoriously and with pride I handed it to Harry who took less than 5 minutes to pull it apart again. I slowly counted to 10 in my head.
2. I remembered to not heat pyjamas in the microwave as they caught fire last year and fires and caravans definitely don’t mix.
3. Lee discovered that you could turn the lounge eating area in to a comfortable double bed on the last night. Would have been handy if he’d discovered that on the first night or I had one of the 6 times I’d stayed in the caravan previously! Storms, snoring, tall people and small caravan beds do not mix so Lee and I resign ourselves to the fact we’re going to sleep in separate rooms whilst on a caravan holiday. I still believe I heard him do a little cheer when we first decided this. I tend to take the lounge as I’m more of an early bird and had got quite good at making a Tetris bed on the lounge floor out of cushions, only now discovering I didn’t need to. 
4. I’m too old to flash a boob at my friend who I spot sitting by the back window in her caravan when I think there is no one else about and definitely not in front of her poor unsuspecting father who was innocently looking out the side window. Oopsie Daisy.  

We had a lovely holiday, made even better by sharing it with friends. We’ve already booked to go back next year.

We had a few beach days, a woods day, a first ever trip to the cinema day which went really well, the boys were so well behaved even when I spilled half a cup of water on Harry (by accident!) and an adventure park day which could have gone better if the internet wasn’t down and they weren’t only accepting cash payments for everything.

We split into groups with Harry and Daddy in the fearless group taking on pretty big scary rides. Harry always amazes me with how intrepid he is.

I was with Ollie who sometimes gets scared getting out the car. He was definitely a lot braver this year and particularly enjoyed the mini pirate ship which I could hear him shouting to everyone “look out below”. As he got off the ride he turned to the assistant and told him the ride had made him get his bonkers out which made a few people laugh.

Ollie’s imagination is certainly growing. Whilst crouched naked on the side of the caravan bath/shower (Ollie not me) the following conversation ensued

Ollie “ do you know who also crouches on the side of the bath like this?”

Me, honestly “no?”

Ollie “ Spiderman”

Me “oh right, how do you know that?”

Ollie “he told me the other day when I was a baby”

Me “ oh right and was he still wearing his Spiderman suit?”

Ollie bemused “ of course not Mummy he was naked and had a poo hole like a cat”

Me summing up “ so the other day, when you were a baby, you had a shower with Spiderman who was crouching on the side, naked, showing his cat like poo hole?”

Ollie “ only kidding Mummy”

Well thank goodness for that!

It’s nice to be home.

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx

My goodness, it’s been a busy few weeks! It would be easy to focus on the bad stuff, but you don’t want to hear about that! I just reminded myself of Chris Tarrant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,

“Here I have a cheque for £10,000, but you don’t want that!”

I’ll be the judge of that thanks Chris, I’d take a cheque for a tenner and a Mars Bar!

Anyway, I seem to have digressed.

I was getting the Twinkles ready for bed last Friday evening, everything was lovely and then suddenly calamity hit when Ollie decided to lick the case of his novelty lights and it turned out to be battery acid, barely visible to the eye, but sticky to the touch.

He jumped up and grabbed his mouth and started running round the room and spitting.

It is fair to see that our little Ollie is a drama Queen and oh so wonderful at theatrics so I didn’t take it too seriously to begin with, might have even asked him to stop spitting on the bedroom floor, well it is a little uncouth.

I looked at the battery case and couldn’t see anything, I looked at his mouth and noticed it was a little red, but the room was dark on account of the fact my kebab had arrived and I was trying to get them to sleep.

I gave him a glass of milk, it was an automatic reaction. Then, like something out of a horror movie, a layer of his lips and mouth peeled away. To quote Harry “it was gross!”

All change, clothes on, slippers on, off to hospital we go, lucky I had the gumption to pick up the novelty lights.

It was a long old wait and accident and emergency got busy, but Ollie did us proud and barely complained and befriended anyone who came near although his tongue was a little too big for his mouth and it was slightly hard to understand him. A lovely little boy in his football kit who had broken his wrist when being scissor kicked by a “friend” understood Ollie though when he asked if he’d been playing football for England.

Ollie put his cardigan on the ground in front of the tellie and invited anyone to come and join him.

We eventually got seen and apparently if you tell the nurse your child has been an idiot (well he had) they get all social servicey, especially when you’ve been in to A&E twice recently because the same child didn’t want to get his hands dirty and broke his fall with his face.

It was nearly midnight and the hospital sounds had got a little manic so I popped my ear pods in to little Ollies ears and introduced him to a bit of Enya. If she can’t soothe you no one will! He was impressed, but hopefully not impressed enough to request Enya at his nursery disco!

We had to go to the children’s hospital the next morning just to ensure Ollie hadn’t ingested any of the poison and was safe. It had been a long night. When you’re told to monitor your child whilst he sleeps in case his tongue swells or his throat closes you do!

Ollie had the time of his life, stickers galore, hours of attention and having to eat ice cream where as I was surviving on fumes and purely powered by caffeine.

The doctor looked in his mouth, said it would heal very quickly as it’s a mouth and pretty much waved me off. His people skills left a little to be desired, but to be fair he also looked tired and might have been up all night saving some child’s life. I did tell him that I would have preferred to be at home, snuggled up in bed but had been made to come by A&E and his demeanour changed. He looked me in the eye, became softer and reassured me that the right procedure has been followed, smiled and told me he didn’t think I was anything for social services to be worried about, which is always good to hear!

Once we got home, I was updating Lee only to look over his shoulder at Ollie licking the conservatory window! It’s going to be a long few years!

Life is a beautiful and wonderful thing and every day should be treasured x we are lucky to be here so we need to make the most of it to honour those who aren’t. Xxx

I AM IN THE BATH!! Hallelujah, praise be to Jesus (said like Eddie Murphy in Trading Places!)

I haven’t had a bath since Sunday which is simply unheard of. I don’t even mind that I’m sharing it with a lizard (not a real one), a skeleton (not a real or life size one), or even if the boys have weed in it! Not a suggestion and from the disgusted looks on their faces at the hint of it, not a likelihood.

Plus the one on Sunday wasn’t up to its usual solitary standard. Ollie marched in and started taking his clothes off. I asked him what he was doing and he replied that he needed (needed not wanted) to take a dip! I told him I needed to wash my hair and it was my bath and to go away. He kindly said he’d wait until I’d washed my hair. I said I also need to wash myself in an attempt to fob him off and he said he’d help dipping his ice cold hand in my bath and tapping my shoulder. It was a literally ice cold have as he’d been playing with ice cubes. I gave in and let him in only to regret it once had his foot up my bottom and was asking why I didn’t have a willy.

It’s been another long week! Poor Harry had a temperature of 42 and has been convalescing since Wednesday evening. Thankfully it wasn’t covid but it’s hard to look after one poorly, grumpy, twin and one who is bouncing off the ceiling happy to be alive. However Ollie did milk it for all it was worth and tried to pretend he was sick when he wanted to be wrapped in a blanket and brought snacks and drinks.

I did them a picky lunch earlier and the cheeky monkey actually said and I quote,

“Oh Mummy I just don’t have time for this, I’m trying to sleep!”

He was lucky I didn’t decide to dish up his grub on his lap, especially as there were cheese and pineapple skewers, a favourite from Nannys.

I can hear Lee shouting at Alexa to play instrumental lullabies, doesn’t sound very relaxing or like Lee is winning! My cue to get out the bath, say goodnight to the Twinkles and make a delicious Friday delicatessen dinner washed down with orange gin, it says from Seville, but let’s be honest, it’s from Aldi.

Ooh but in Ollie’s defence, not that I think he needs one with all you kind people, he did give me a hug earlier and tell me he was really proud of me for saving a bee and rescuing some snails which wiped all the annoying stuff away. Im still waiting for Harry’s offering! Only joking he’s been ill so has rights.

Love and hugs x

Back to normality tomorrow, at least a step closer anyway.

The Coronacoaster has certainly given us a rough ride and very glad to be out the other side and getting off!

Severely lacking in energy and trapped indoors the Twinkles and I have grown accustomed to watching not one, but two movies a day. Well they watch them and jiggle my feet when I snore too loudly.

They might have watched a few too many as Ollie told me there was a shadow army in Princess and the frog and Harry asked me if I would turn in to a mouse if I took my wedding ring off?

Ollie knew he’d been clocked pinching one of Harry’s sweets and took it out of his mouth and gave it to him, telling him he’d put it in his mouth first so Harry could taste his Ollieness as if he had done him a favour.

I was treated to a show of ballet or balletet as they call it. They told me it’s where one wears a big skirt and the other doesn’t and looked very sweet holding each other and spinning around their bedroom although I would have prefered they had got in to bed like I’d asked them to.

Finally out of isolation we were able to visit the boys new school which they start in September. Having moved to Weston in August we haven’t even had a chance to step a foot over the threshold so it was all a bit of a gamble.

The boys loved it which was a relief!

The setting is great, like a tardis, bigger on the inside than it looks and plenty of space to play in. The teachers were lovely and friendly and the other children, their new best friends for life all seemed delightful!

Ollie started out being shy so I went with him to a table to do some colouring in where another Mum and her son were sat. Unfortunately for the other Mum, her son Max asked her to draw a rocket. She started with the main chamber and added two stands and then some flames coming out the bottom which only added to how phallic it looked. Luckily she added a few windows and I commented that they made it look a lot more PG. Later we were all outside and I couldn’t help but sidle over to her and ask if she wanted me to ask the teachers for some chalk so she could draw a big rocket in the middle of the playground and we both had a giggle, it’s safe to say she is going to be my friend!

There was one point when I looked over and Lee was playing football with about 5 children and then backy sacks, I was so proud! Yes that awesome Dad is my husband!

Right I need to get ready for work tomorrow, I’m excited but also a little anxious.

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes.

We had jumped the last hurdle and made it to the finishing straight, but stumbled and fell just before the finishing line.

Damn you Covid! She says shaking her fist to the heavens!

It was Wednesday, day 9 of our 10 day isolation! Day NINE! How unfair is that?

Lee was feeling dicey and not looking his best. In fact he’d gone a very strange colour, sort of zombiesque and was a puddle of sweat, sexy!

He’d had his second vaccination on the Sunday so we thought this was residue from that, but Lee being the solid, steady man I love went to a drive through PCR testing site to be sure and to keep our family safe because that is what he does best.

The result came back Thursday and you guessed it, POSITIVE! So that pesky virus had been bubbling away in his system, incubating for all that time. Turns out the isolation period isn’t a gimmick folks.

We’ve cordoned off an area of our home for the sick which includes the X-Box for when he’s well enough to play again. I’m regularly throwing in trays of food and drinks and considering investing in a family pack of hazmat suits.

I’m taking a Covid test every morning, it’s become second nature, nice little gagging session before breakfast. I’m surprised every time I get a negative especially this morning. We all feel poorly, sore throats, severe fatigue, aching bones and so many sneezes and bogies! So I think our immune systems are putting up one hell of a fight with the aid of lashings of vitamin C and rest.

I fell asleep on the sofa during the day the other day, that NEVER happens, being one of those with severe FOMO (fear of missing out). I woke up to Ollie cupping my face and saying “who’s a little cutie?”

I tried to check invisible symptoms with Harry and asked if he was feeling hot, he started touching himself all over and said hot and cold, I didn’t have the energy to explain. Especially not when they are being such divas. This is actually yesterday’s breakfast conversation.

Me “ what would you like for breakfast?”

Harry “surprise us”

I did them a picky plate filled with yummy things and served it to them.

Ollie “ oh no!!” Actually covering his face with his hands and throwing himself on to the sofa. “I don’t like this! Try again!”

I remember the one time I’ve actually had flu when the boys were very young. Lee got home from work and found us in the bathroom. The boys were laughing their heads off in the bath and I had my head resting on the toilet and had covered myself with towels. Near to tears I turned to him and said that they wouldn’t stop splashing me. Unfortunately we’re on our own in the childcare department so we suck it up and get on with it, but we’ve managed to get this far and are doing okay.

Luckily my work are amazing and my manager called the other day to let me have a good old rant and lend a very supportive shoulder. She put my mind at rest and reassured me that I wasn’t letting them down which was one worry off my plate. I will knock her socks off when I’m back in and a batch of thank you Tiffin is definitely in order.

I’m sure we will all feel better soon, the sun will keep on shining, the hot tub will keep on bubbling and we’ll be able to enjoy our last few days in isolation together as a family.

Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds xxx

So we got our bad boy PCR tests back, all with a big fat negative!!

“ BOOM” as Ollie would say, punching one little sticky fist in to a grubby cupped hand. I’m not quite sure where he’s got this latest move from, certainly not Mr Tumble or Bing Bunny. I don’t mean to be controversial, but I’m just not sure about Mr Tumble.

I remember asking the boys if they were ready to take their tests and the Twinkles shouting in unison YES and then Harry added ‘let’s get ready to rumble’ I’m not sure how rumbling taking a PCR test is, but we rocked it all the same.

Actually we’re rocking a lot of things at the moment, music seems to be keeping us sane. At least I think we’re still sane, but it might be one of those situations like when you’ve drunk a coffee and you don’t realise how strong it was until you start jabbering to a coworker and you can see on their face they think you’re totally cray cray.

Bonkers, that’s Ollie’s favourite Alexa ask by Dizzie Rascal. When we play it in the car the boys yell at me to put the windows down and the volume up so everyone else can hear it. This is something we did at Christmas when Christmas Songs came on the radio, sharing the love, but not sure how grateful the people of Milton are about it, especially cyclists. There are the odd drivers we pull up next to who return the thumbs up and smile at the boys head banging in the back. In fact a lovely policeman waved at Ollie the other day and then overtook us with his blues and twos on to give the boys a show, well they thought that was marvellous and I did too once I’d got over the initial shock.

In normal times when we walk to nursery, Lee drives past and we tend to wave, wiggle or perform jazz hands for him. Anything bigger than a car generally gets waved at ( by the boys not me…..oh okay, by me as well) and I’ve had to explain to Ollie that it isn’t really appropriate to gesture guns at passing police.

In other news, it’s my lovely step sisters birthday today, we’ve had some good times and pretty much known each other all our lives. I loved visiting her home in Sittingbourne as a child, it was so big, but still cosy with hidden staircases and large fire places and in the country with a nearby green and pub serving yummy food. I lived on a very busy main road so the novelty of cycling to a nearby farm and buying apples provided very happy childhood memories. I dyed my hair for the first time ever with her, can’t remember whose idea that was, but she was always so much fun and I felt safe with her. When Mum died she handled everything even down to my strange request of wanting Mum to wear a lovely new jumper from Marks & Spencer that she’d never had the chance to.

As step sisters go and even friends, I’ve pretty much been blessed with the best. Happy birthday Lucy and thank you for everything, even drinking me under the table xxx

Well for starters I have the song “I’m a dingly dangly scarecrow with a flippy floppy hat’ permanently stuck in my head. Long gone are the holidays song artist such as Lost Frequencies.

We’ve all been getting along famously which has to count for something with 6 people and two dogs stuck under one roof. Thank goodness that roof has three floors under it, a garden and a hot tub. Divide and conquer my friends, divide and conquer.

Luckily Grandad brought a large stash of Halo peanut ice cream with him on the his last visit so I can eat my feelings and not feel guilty at 390 calories per pot.

I thought we might need to invest in a seesaw or a swing, but Lee found the plastic frame of what once was a small pond, turned it over and filled it with snails which has kept the boys entertained for hours. Apparently Bobby is Harry’s best friend for life (he does have a very nice patterned shell) and has replaced the first Bobby which Harry lost when playing catch with him. Don’t worry, I have spoken to them about cruelty to snails hence the firm friendships forming.

The family were having dinner outside (on seperate tables) and I took the chance to change my covid conflicted stepsons bedding (we’d already given his room a thorough cleaning when he’d had his bath earlier including lemon shake n’ vac so it smelled delicious and not like a normal 9 year old boys bedroom)

The Twinkles were talking about their new found friends when Stepmonster 2 ( not being mean, we’re the Stepmonster gang) decided to divulge that French people eat snails. Harry came running in to inform me and I told him he was correct and that I had eaten some when I lived in Paris. Obviously not your normal garden snails, very chewy and rather garlicky.

Well that was it, I got a proper telling off from both twins and when I ventured out in to the garden they shouted at me not to eat their snails, heaven knows what the neighbours must think.

Later on when I was doing Ollies bedtime story ( he basically chooses a toy for me and a toy for him and they have a chat) we had the oddest conversation.

Ollie had taken Spiderbears Spiderman costume off and put it on his pink unicorn (I describe the unicorn as he has many) and I was trying to go down the route of Spiderbear still be the greater super hero and here is how our story went.

Spiderbear (me) “ Spidercorn do you know why I’m the greatest Super hero?”

Spidercorn (Ollie) “ because you can poo?”

Ollie giggles.

Spiderbear “ Urm, yes I can poo, but do you know why I’m greatest Super hero?”

Spidercorn “22?!”

Now where does one go with that? It was like starring in a Douglas Adam’s story! I was actually going to point out that his tummy still smelled of butter popcorn ( an awesome Build a Bear gimmick), but just went for a bedtime cuddle instead.

Making the most of every day in spite of the rain.

Love and hugs, kisses and wishes xxx

Not only was it Friday, but it was the beginning of half term holiday and pay day to boot! Could a day feel more peachy?

4pm hit and I was packed up and skipping out the door in a jiffy on my way to collect the Twinkles and take them for a celebratory jolly around the woods. Wasn’t that jolly, Harry needed a poo! I swear I’ve started to pick up more child’s poo in them there woods than dog poo and why they feel the need to tell every dog walker they’ve relieved themselves and point to the bag I’m holding in pride, I will never know, but it becomes a little less embarrassing every time.

Oh what plans we had, because we could, the pandemic had finally started to behave and subside.

Weekend of fun with the Stepmonster gang, the Twinkles and I finally getting the chance to see Lee play football in a charity game, a big fat family reunion as we haven’t all been together in over a year, Tuesday a day to myself with Lee at work and the boys at nursery and Wednesday off to Kent for a couple of days to see our close friends and dear Aunt Joan and Uncle Dick and then finally a peaceful weekend, just the four of us to relax and lock in the memories of June half term 2021.

Well that was the blinking plan anyway!

We’ve been so careful to keep Coronavirus at bay especially as Lee has asthma. We’ve followed the rules meticulously and even put a ban on hugs (which as a hugger is torture). We’ve been so good and now Covid is in our home, sat upstairs playing on the Xbox.

There was a text from my stepsons school Saturday to say there had been a positive case in his year. That was quickly followed by an email to say it had been found in his class and to self isolate for 10 days. Our world was turned upside down, but we went in to survival mode automatic. What could we do and what couldn’t we do?

The first person I text was my boss, I knew she’d have the answers and she’s always so supportive, I really am very lucky.

My stepson was banished to his room, doesn’t that sound mean? Trust me, it isn’t, he has an Xbox and a bell! I dropped in a McDonalds for dinner yesterday ( we decided we could all do with a pick me up) and he gave me the biggest smile and told the friends he was playing against over the mic. I even heard him say he was living the dream my friends! Which is good, no it’s wonderful even because he had to take 3 tests (rapid and PCR) and he only has little nostrils and the news hit hard when it was a positive. So at least this isn’t a nightmare for him and we can laugh at me running after him when he needs the loo, cleaning all the door knobs etc with disinfectant.

Lee has been taking him out early evening for bike rides when no one is around to get him some exercise and fresh air, I’m not sure if we’re allowed to do this but he’s on his bike, doesn’t touch anything, it’s a safe and secluded cycle path and he doesn’t pick up £200 when he passes Go.
Next thing, get the hot tub clean and up. We seem to have a puncture but it is still holding water so at least the boys and my Stepdaughter have something to enjoy hours of fun in, especially as the sun is currently on our side.

We’ve all tested negative. We literally sat around the kitchen table and did our tests together, nothing like a family gagging session. Ollie found the whole thing hilarious, Harry not so much. We are still keeping away from the general public. Luckily we have the big woods on our doorstep and our beach, both you can walk for miles without bumping in to another human and there’s nothing to touch and leave germs, but I still have my Dettol wipes at the ready just in case. The children are okay, they are all just seeing it as a fun holiday together and Lee and I will be sure to keep it that way, make the most of some quality time together.

Sleep deprivation is a curse, especially in minefields like this one so Lee and I have been proper grown ups and are taking it in turns to get a good nights sleep, team work makes the dream work, very apt in this scenario.

I’ll be honest with you though, I woke up at 4am this morning feeling very anxious and desperately sad and could feel the darkness at the door. I don’t mean the band, whilst I enjoyed “I believe in a Thing Called Love”, they’re not personal friends. I mean the black hole, the chasm of despair.

I’d sent a message in our family group text as things unfolded and not one replied, maybe they didn’t know what to say, but I felt so alone. I sent a text to my Dad and he started talking about the fair? Each to their own and I’m sure he meant well.

I was able to have a good old rant to my friend we were due to be seeing and she soon had me feeling better! The sisterhood of friendship, the family we choose.

I took the dogs out to watch the sunrise and get the adrenaline flowing. My head was jumbled with negative thoughts of things we don’t have, worries and concerns, but the harder I marched I was able to tell myself to concentrate on all that we do have and all we have to look forward to and push the destructive emotions further away.

I even managed a whole hour in the bath.

I can hear the boys next door watching CBeebies and munching on their picky breakfast ( I can’t hear them eating or they’d be getting told off) Actually this blog has taken so long to write the Twinkles are now in the hot tub, but Harry was sure to ask Alexa to play Postman Pat for me first which I think he thought was thoughtful and that’s what counts.

Right, today I am planning a BBQ and to put the tent up in the garden so my stepson can join us.
We’ll make the best of the hand we’ve been dealt and with a positive attitude and a bit of hard work I’m sure we will make it a time we look back on fondly. We’ve got each other xxx

I was joined again by a little dandelion blowing, flower picking, dinosaur on the dog walk at 05:30hrs this morning. That’s the second time this week and I get the feeling ( now singing “I got a feeling” by Black Eyed Peas in my head, which doesn’t help when trying to write a blog) that it is going to become a regular occurrence.

I have to admit it’s quite nice, but don’t tell Ollie that. Usually I stomp around the field , checking my heart rate on my Fitbit, dragging one dog on a lead, calling for the other to stop shouting at men in fluorescent overalls running to work, stopping for a few seconds to take a pic of the sunrise, dreaming of being at home in the bath with a cup of tea and getting at least 10 minutes before hearing the boys wake on the monitor and needing to get out. However on the two mornings with Ollie in tow the pace was more leisurely as he stopped every 5 seconds to pick dandelions and we drank in the sunrise together, said good morning to Nanny Jenny in Heaven and watched the daisies open from their slumber. Something really quite special.

It turns out Ollie is being picked on by a bird who keeps flying at their bedroom window and who has a scary squawk. Both Lee and I have heard it and he isn’t exaggerating. So fair enough he got up and came running downstairs for a cuddle.

Ollie is particularly sensitive to loud noises which sometimes has me wondering if he’s on the Autistic spectrum. Something I might have found alarming or not even thought of if I hadn’t grown up with a brother with Aspergers or “Assburgers” as he likes to call it.

Things are very different now to what they were when my Mum was struggling to get Jon help as a child. He was wrongly diagnosed with ADHD initially and prescribed Ritalin, I don’t need to tell you that Autism and Speed do not mix well.

However, against the odds, my brother ( who I am incredibly proud of) has his own flat, a good job and is a wonderful Uncle to the Twinkles. So any fears I may have had are quashed as what will be, will be and there is plenty of help out there for our boy and he is surrounded by all the love any little fella could possibly need.

Incidentally it is Jons birthday today so I dedicate this piece to him because he is awesome and I love him!

Jelly Tots Jon xxx