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Sometimes only a Scooby cuddle will do...


Poor Abi is full of flu and feeling very sorry for herself.  She spent yesterday wrapped up in a massive duvet, dressing gown, jumper and slippers feeling boiling hot to touch but shivering and complaining of the cold. I knew it had to be bad as she has lost her appetite - very unusual for her!  Of course this coincided with Glenn leaving very early to do an off-roading day so I was left trying to get everyone sorted so we could get Scooby out for a walk.  I could see we weren't going to make it far so decided to take him into the woods - all very well except he thought this was a game rather than a walk and didn't seem inclined to do anything! I gave up in the end and we all trudged back to the house, apart from the girls who drove back in their ride on tractor / ambulance. Abi then spent the day either under her duvet or snuggled up to Scooby - a perfect companion if you need a long cuddle!  Izzy took full advantage and settled down for a day on the i-player watching various dramas set in the 1950s - her perfect day! Last night I said to Abi "If you are restless then you can sleep in with one of us." Bless her with her response "I'll try not to be Mummy, you have a busy day tomorrow and it's Daddy's birthday so you both need a good nights sleep." So sweet.
 
The plus side of being confined to the house yesterday meant that I spent the whole day (the whole weekend in fact) straightening everything out post kitchen revamp.  We are finally at the stage where we have handles on all the cupboards and everything is working.  Of course the floor isn't down and we don't have worktops yet but that's just detail against the general disruption of the last few weeks.  After a lot of hard work, and some ruthless throwing out of 'stuff which may (may not) be useful at some later date I could finally see the floor again in both my study and the playroom.  I can attest to the wisdom of 'A Squash and a Squeeze' - our utility room now looks enormous without the contents of our kitchen rammed into it!  We sat done last night in relative calm and I could see the fruits of our labour - finally!  Now we have a week of respite with only Andy in decorating before the final push next week of floors, then its time to enjoy our hard work.
 
The school year is definitely underway now and the girls are settling into various clubs and activities.  I've been a bit surprised at some of the choices, e.g. Abi as chosen to do climbing despite hating heights and Izzy has not chosen Gym despite spending most of her life doing headstands and attempting the splits.  It just shows that success is very much about the drive within as well as the opportunity.  Izzy is arguably the perfect shape to be a good gymnast. She's strong, light and flexible - a perfect combination. She is also lazy and doesn't have that relentless drive to practice and so it's pointless (in my mind) to try forcing her down a route of becoming something she's not.  She has chosen art club again and I think we will have to look at finding her a club where she can carry this on.  She loves art and drama and is constantly creating little scenarios (more conversations than plays) - theatre school maybe?!   Swimming and riding are also still a firm favourite - typical given we are no more likely to have a pool than a horse!
 
Final note to wish Grumps, Glenn and Ben very happy birthdays - next it's Abi and then Christmas is almost upon us - were has the year gone?



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