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When will the holidays end?!

Trying not to peak too early
on the stationery shop!
Poor Izzy. Much as she likes the fact that she can sleep in, if push came to shove, she would give this luxury up to be back in school. It's not the lessons she is missing but the on-tap social opportunity. Although she has been busy almost every day, she prefers the fact that at school she gets to see everyone and doesn't have to make those tricky choices of who to spend time with today. I think deep down she's also prefer to be in her own bed (this is the girl after all who on coming home from holiday, went straight upstairs and 'had a moment' saying hello to her bed after 6 nights away!), and of course the holidays offers lots of sleep overs which she can never say no to then regrets when she gets back knackered!

It's fair to say that she is also missing Abi who is having such a good time at Angie's (and missing us so little), didn't make it home this weekend. We knew right from Monday that this could well be the case - when Glenn dropped her off Angie said "Of course it's the Lamar Tree Festival this weekend so Abi will want to stay..." and so Abi was expected to stay whether she wanted to or not. In reality she's in her element. We've had a few texts, even fewer phone calls (which are generally very short and quite distracted at her end) but we are assured that all is well and she is loving it. She is certainly loving the fact that on Friday afternoon Angie paid her £50 for her first weeks work - a fortune in her eyes! Sadly with a festival to go to over the weekend she's spent the lot already, but such is life and at least she will understand that it takes far less time to spend £50 than to earn it! She is also getting a very unrealistic view of festival life. After doing the stables every evening Grace and Abi have got dressed up (which must therefore mean she's had some clothes washed) and walked through the field to the festival site where the security guards have been asked to let them in through the back fence! I have pointed out this isn't normal and she shouldn't get used to it, but if she hangs out with Angie it probably is - that women clearly comes from a well connected family!

So no Abi this weekend, and Izzy was at Mia's on Friday, home Friday night, then to Amber's on Sat, also home for the night, then to Mia's again this afternoon where she is staying over. It's a good job I don't mind them being independent and seeing their friends - if I was a bit more clingy I'd be having a real problem about the fact they are barely ever here at the moment. As it is I quite like it. They are only ever down the road and generally I know the parents well so I can always pop in for a cup of tea and a hug if I want one - seems to work OK and I get plenty of space to do my thing as well. It does make me smile that if the current discussions about work etc. come off it may be me doing the flexi-boarding rather than them - so much for best laid plans. All this independence though makes me realise that they are growing up and (as with all kids their age) their main focus is themselves. Given this it's OK to also think about what suits me and us as well as them so I won't worry unduly.

Chip off the block on the ice-cream front!

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