Today's thoughts...

I'm sure there are much better things to be doing than sitting here writingthis. It seems no matter how productive my plans are for a day, thatday arrives and I don't get as much done. I tell myself this is the newme; if it doesn't get done, it's OK. Go easy on yourself!

via this flickr

A country walk this morning with the pup. Yesterday itwas the beach, where I discovered that he knows his name but sometimeschooses not to respond to it! I am doing my best with the puppytraining but it's hard; just when I think I've cracked it, he remindsme that he is just a baby and is learning all the time.

photograph by aaron delesie

In recent months, my daughter Boo has been unsettled; at times to an alarming degree. I am so grateful now that she seems calmer. She is so diligent with her school work; so keen to please. In fact both of them have this innate need for reassurance and praise. This is, I assume, as it should be and those assurances are given daily, but still it seems there is always scope for more. I am trying hard to provide her with consistency and a regular rhythm in life, in the hope that it will give her confidence and surety. I've come to accept that some children need routine to thrive...

Meanwhile, yesterday my son had to have his hair cut; this is always a trauma for me as there is a Samson-esque quality about his hair. It is so him. His hair is his strength. He has blonde-tipped curls that I just adore - his hair is like a hit of mummy pheromones to me. So I stood by watching them tumble as his hair was cut and it is just a little too short. It'll grow...

The weather seems to have turned and we are back to some autumnal norm. I survey the apples fallen from the trees in our garden and wonder for the hundredth time - what am I going to do with them all? There is only so much stewed apple one family can take...so it goes in my country life.