Its now Monday morning and I'm feeling refreshed. I slept solidly from 9.oo pm last night until 7.30 am. Today I plan a very lazy day, its only 9.30 and I'm sitting out in the garden under the umbrella. Bliss!

Thursday evening turned out to be beautifully warm and balmy, just right for the barbecue with Elaine & Brian.
As I'd said earlier in the week, summer seems to have arrived at last and it may continue for a few more days.
Steve & I have been looking after our niece & nephew for the weekend. Steve has come back with a cold and I'm feeling shattered. The two little ones were amazingly happy, considering it was the first time they had ever been left overnight. Maisie at 19 months is an absolute poppet, she is feisty, funny and accepted her parents absence without any fuzz. Vince at 6 months is a happy delightful little baby, he smiled, laughed, puked and poohed to excess. Vince still has formula in the night, so I was prepared for being up in the small hours. At my suggestion Steve happily slept in the spare room. Vince sleeps in his cot at the foot of his parents bed and that's where I spent the night. After a very busy day, we were very successful in getting both children into bed for 7.00 pm. Maisie went happily to bed after Steve had read her bedtime story. Steve & I had a Chinese take away before we retired separately. Steve slept reasonably well on a deflating airbed.
My night was busy, a 'dream' feed at 10.00pm did in fact go like a dream and the little guy slept through it and was deposited safely back in his cot where he slumbered until Midnight. This waking wasn't in the routine that Rebecca had left, it was obviously far too early as his next feed wasn't scheduled until 2.00pm. A quick nappy change and thankfully Vince went back to sleep until 3'o'clock when he was fed again and again returned to his cot. I'm not sure how much I actually slept as it was the hottest night of the year and the windows needed to be open to let in some air and the residents of Leigh on Sea seemed to be partying through the night. Maisie was woken a couple of times as the occupants of a house somewhere over the back from her bedroom were having a barbecue that went on and on and on. Maisie was easy to settle, reassurance, a dummy and her favoured 'blankie' and she soon went back to sleep. Vince woke at 5.00 and as his schedule stated is the time he comes into the parental bed, this is what he did and we dozed together until 7.00 am when Maisie was nosily awake to begin her day.
The morning was a hive of activity, washing, dressing, breakfast and a walk to the park. At noon when both children were settled for their naps, I took the opportunity and had a little snooze. At 3.00pm with Simon & Rebecca both in charge, we took our leave to drive home separately as I'd gone up a day ahead of Steve to get familiar with Maisie & Vincent.

Elaine & Brian Called in this afternoon with ice cream to refresh us on this very hot afternoon. Steve arrived home early, so we have arranged an impromptu barbecue on the beach. Would you believe the sun has gone in and the sky is now overcast and was that thunder I heard in the distance? More later.............................

Were having a summer, how long will it last? Who knows, but I'm really enjoying it and will do so while its here.

Wow, its been a glorious day today, has our summer arrived at last? I have been out for most of the day with Elaine to Gunwarfe. We mossied around the shops, didn't buy too much, well a pair of Birkenstock sandals and a skirt for me, both in the sale and a real bargain. The best part was being out with a friend, the chatter and the laughter & the companionship. Elaine is a new friend, by which I mean I didn't know her before our move to the coast, though I know we will always remain friends.

I'm a little on edge as the time limit of 30 days is up. 3o days in which, if an apology is not received by a certain woman from my Mother & husband before they will apparently be sued for defamation & harassment. I'm hoping that it is an empty threat as I'm certain that the certain party could not win such a case, but the time, cost and effort it would take to defend ourselves would be such a waste.

I'm now back home & awaiting the grocery delivery, oh the wonder of the Internet, which allowed me so much more time today to do the things I wanted to do. Has Steve's disappearance to the boat yard got anything to do with the fact that the Tesco delivery van has just arrived and the shopping will need putting away.

I'm looking forward to a little bit of time off work, after tomorrow I'm taking a weeks leave. On Friday I'm going up to look after Maisie & Vincent. Steve will come up on Saturday so if we have two unsettled babies we can share in the pacing the floor! Am I nervous, you bet. I have brought up two children, looked after endless others, I give advice everyday as part of my work to parents, but this seems such a big responsibility.

Gosh, I can't believe it's 10 days since I have written here, but it is. Doesn't time fly when your enjoying yourself! Our social life potters on nicely, most weekends we have things going on. Work is horrendously busy, but then its the NHS. Were short staffed throughout the Fareham & Gosport area, so we are being asked to cover other areas and to deliver only the 'core programme' of work. This morning I taught a group of new Mum's how to massage their babies. It seems that this is the last class I can do until the staffing crises eases, its a shame as I think that new Mum's groups are very beneficial.
After Tuesday next week I have a weeks holiday (at least our leave can't be stopped)! I don't have much planned, except at the end of the week we will go to Lee on Sea to look after Maisie & Vincent. I'm anticipating a weekend with two babies will be quite exhausting, so I have a couple of days off afterwards to recuperate.
Steve is sailing at Chichester tomorrow & Sunday, I have nothing planned except a visit to the library, I intend to be very lazy and do very little.

On Saturday we had a barbecue in honor of Steve's 49th birthday. The weather was overcast but the rain stayed away and we were able to sit outside until late. We had a lovely evening with friends. Although we didn't go to bed until nearly 2.00am we were up at 7.3o am as a gale was blowing and we needed to take down the 'Gazebo' (tarpaulin shelter) before it blew away in the wind. Apart from clearing up after the party I did very little yesterday. I lazed on the sofa, read, dozed and watched the Wimbledon final on television. I admit I could only dip into it as watching for 4 hours and 48 minutes was just too much.