Right.

Well, I'm just home from a lovely riparian picnic with the 11 year old. (If you needed to look it up you've either forgotten Hyacinth Bucket -pronounced "Bouquet", or you've never met her on "Keeping up Appearances"!)

I brought the jam sandwich, the juice box, the cut up apples in a bag, the cookies and the book.

I met him at school and we walked the 2 1/2 blocks to the river, found a shaded bench and spent a nice 45 minutes.

The dry grass makes pleasant sounds when the wind whispers through it, and there was a cheery little bird in one of the leafless branches just up from where we sat.

We're reading (well, I'm reading, he's listening!) Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Black Arrow". We're both quite enjoying it.

You should be reading this with a British accent, by the way, because it's being written with one, and since I maintain that things should be read the way they were written... It makes Robert Louis Stevenson fun. Sometimes we read him Scottish, and sometimes British. The Harry Potter books are delightful, when read properly! (Although Hagrid's accent is a bit more difficult!)

Today has been a thoroughly delightful day so far, and there is the prospect of the theatre this evening to round it off nicely. Opening night for the eldest daughter's school musical- one of my favourites, too. ("Seven Brides for Seven Brothers")

Well, back to the kitchen. I have BBC7 to keep me company as I do the washing up and then tackle my dress for the brother-in-law's wedding next week-end. (not quite a fortnight, so I'll have to sew quickly!)

....Bouquet residence; Lady of the house speaking!