Sumsies

Summer has got big. Its nuts how much little kids grow and change in such a short space of time. I haven't seen her for a while so it was super duper to grab her and blow rasperrries on her little white belly and chase her round a pub garden in the sunshine. She made friends with a little boy called Harry, who decided to call her "Dummer", ate all her food, and insisted on wearing her pink hat much to the embarrassment of his blokey Dad. Summer didn't mind one bit though- and was gorgeous enough to share her new animal stickers. Peeling them off the sheet one by one and putting them carefully on Harry's t-shirt, she made the appropriate noises for each picture just so he knew what it was he was wearing. Lets hope that by the time she is ever confronted by a tiger she will realise that it actually goes "GRRRRR" and not "meow".

She's talking a lot more now- going through that stage where you ask where her nose is and she points to it saying something along the lines of "nose", followed with a huge goofy grin and enthused round of applause for herself. The joke of trying to get Summer to say "Sian" wont tire anytime soon either, much to the annoyance of our little sister...

Mia: "Say Sian"
Summer: "Shhhh, shhhoes"
Mia: "Sian"
Summer: "Shoes"
Mia: "Sian"
Summer: "Socks?"

Josie was telling me that recently she ran into the lounge to shouts of "Mia Mia Mia Mia"- only to find the little terror standing boldly on top of the dining table throwing a mug of old tea up the walls. The princess was towering above her kingdom of mutli-coloured felt tip scribbles all over the white carpet. Sounds like a scene out of Drop Dead Fred- minus the green suit and ginger hair. And I'm not sure why Summer was shouting my name repeatedly. She was probably just expressing how great an Aunty I am through the medium of pen and liquid.

Fatty Boom Batty

So I have just flexed my baking muscles after two and a half months living in hotel rooms without a kitchen. Couldn't be happier. I've been looking forward to making some fatty boom batty cake all day so much so that I stopped off at this cool baking shop on the way home to buy a new piping tool and spent £5.99 on a plunger type icing dream machine, lush. The whole time I was decorating the little things I couldn't believe that I had got by for so long without this tremendous piece of kit. The icing looked so friggin great by the end of the messy session that I know it doesn't matter if the thing actually tastes any good. "People will be proud to eat such a thing of beauty" I was telling myself in my brain's running commentry, "such a work of art- I should do this for a living"- hell yeah! In my mist of joy and blind self congratulation I failed to realise that the melted chocolate inside the tube had started to harden to the detriment of the plunger which i therefore managed to snap. Balls. I felt like such an idiot I nearly high-fived my own face. And now rather than keep it a secret Ive just written it on my blog. Balls x2. Yet, although 12 cupcakes have just cost me £5.99, the pleasure factor has been priceless. YUM YUM up yo bum.

6 weeks in Buxton

Fake ice, fake snow
They'll fake anything don't you know.
Pretty pink blossoms, sprouting daffs
The plastic roses were a bit naff
New born lambs bouncing around
Not a sound
To be heard
But the bleat bleat bleat bleat. Pretty sweet.
Watching sunrise every morn
Wrapping late to catch the dawn, too
Yawn.
My muddy shoes and a bright pink hat
I think I became
Renowned for that.
Ridiculous layers and endless tea
The cold, the wind, the sleet, the rain
To much for me- on the moors
Standing in with my ally
Prince Ed
Turn right, move left, now tilt your head.
"Nobody move there's been a murder"
Was one of Gary's best judged murmers
Of something apt, silly twat!
And I'll never forget Lynn
When she stood in
Mincing along with candlestick and grin
Oh how I laughed!
Oh how I laughed!
Judy and Penny
They come as a pair
Both lovely and smashing and acting with flair
Oh yeah! And Edward's crap wig, the wig that I love
That though hideous and rat-like
Did fit like a glove
He'd lose it then find it
Then don it with pride
Then shove in his pocket to keep safe by his side.
Jane walked 'with a purpose' everywhere it seems
Accross moors, over bridges
Through bog muddy streams
Whilst Rochester cries "Damnation"
In basically every scene
Falling off horses and haunting her dreams.
What's for lunch?!
Well jam roly poly, treacle tart
Apple crumble- and that's just the start!
Bowl of custard to make you feel better
Fruit salad
In a cup
Save it for later.
Rolling, cut, going again, swinging a lens
Quiet please!
We've had to shout a few of these again and again and again and again
Shhhh shhhh shhh shhhh shhut your face please. For once. Thanks.
Haddon Hall how I adored you so
Our last day there
Just did not want to go, no.
Cold cool stones
Dark dusty rooms
And the stunning gardens over which you loom
Wobbly glass panes, green and gold
Venture down corridors but you must be bold.
Ghost hunts; spooky shadows and ominous grunts
Watch your back now, don't get slack now.
Rossshestarr!
Broken car. Two of us on the minibus.
Cocktails at the Monk Bar.
Pizza Express. Simply Thai. St. Moritz.
That Indian Palace where the food was shit.
Nats Kitchen just me and you
And ending up at Level 2. Oh dear!
Old Hall Hotel, I shall miss you, lo!
If you visit Buxton tis the place to go
Oh! And the Opera House of course-
What a fine place to be
Watching Dara O'Brien
On my own, on my billy, laughing silly, just me.
And the Pavillion Gardens were good for a run
With tea rooms and brass bands
And pensioners- loads of 'em
What jolly good fun!
The mission back home seemed never that far
With Tina Turner pumping and shaking the car
Empire of the Sun, Disco massif
Eurythmics too-
Sweet Dreams and Put your loving in my box
I'll sing them for you (If you ask nicely).
Now back in London, I'm feeling quite glum
Missing the fields, the sheep and the sun.
We've a week left to shoot
With plenty to do
Pinewood and Broughton
Are our pastures anew.
And when those days are through
I shall get back to you
For reflection and thought
Of what next I will do.....