We have arctic conditions here "up north" but it makes the tree in the courtyard look pretty!

We have a smaller tree this year inside the barn but we love all the decorations that we've either collected or been bought over the years

Lat Sunday, whilst outside the blizzard reined down, we were in a local hotel enjoying (oh yes we were) a panto with Jack and Emily..Aladdin. getting back home was a bit of an ordeal -my car doesn't do snow and ice very well!!

Prague Xmas Markets 2009

The Hotel Josef where we stayed for 4 nights. Very contemporary in the old market town area just off the Jewish Quarter

This is what it's all about -hand carved wooden nativity scenes

..and of course we took a carriage tour of the night scene

and here's the spectacular Xmas tree with the famous gothic church as the backdrop in the old town square

Wembley waits for Jack!

Great excitement last night as Jack's football team (Sheffield United -the Blades) beat Preston North End to reach the Championship play off final at Wembley, where they will contest promotion to the Premier league (worth £40m) against Burnley...Dan and Jack are both season ticket holders so will definitely be going, and hopefully Sally will be able to get hold of a ticket through her Dad's membership as he'll be vacationing in Canada.

Jack went to the match last night and rang me on the way home; really excited by it all. I think the atmosphere at night games is always enriched.

The play off final will take place next Bank Holiday Monday...fingers crossed for Jack's Blades!

"Flowers in the rain, making the garden grow"...etc.

I promised to let you see the climbing yellow rose to the side of the barn door; so here's a few pics as it comes into full bloom. Lovely little multi headed blooms.

Speaking of blooms here's Emily peering through the galleried landing at me,

and here's the two of them tucking into "breakfast at Grandma's" whilst watching Kids' TV!!

M'aidez M'aidez!

Yep it's May Day. The sun is shining brightly and it's very warm today. The summer forecast for the UK is it's going to be a sizzler; let's hope so, the last two have been complete washouts with record amounts of rain.

It's also M'aidez because today May 1st, Jack and Emily have come to play!!

Hiding in the den under the willow

Take a seat your highness

You may sit next to me.

My My

...someone asked for the longer version, so here it is!

Mamma Mia....here I go again..."My My...etc"

Well, thank goodness it's the weekend coming up fast. We've got Emily and Jack overnight on Saturday and our good friends Sue and Alan are coming round for dinner in the evening. Tomorrow (Friday) morning Marg is going with Sally and Emily to enrol her in "baby ballet" (Emily not Sally). She's been for 3 taster sessions already and really enjoys it, bossing us all about "good toes/naughty toes!" All you former girlie dancers will know about that I am told [ by Margaret].

Here is two year old Emily's first semi musical solo rendition captured eventually on video. Goodness knows where she has picked it up from, but it is quite amusing.....this is the short version by the way! She has just started jabbering incessantlyand drives us mad with "Why?" When we asked her to sing hickory dock she said clearly "No, I am going to sing my my"..so there you have it. Eat your hearts out Abba, Meryl Streep & Co and French and Saunders.