Life!

Amanda and children were with us to the end of the month.  I did several stints of babysitting - just Harrison! I didn't feel I could manage Bethany as well so she went to Carolyn's.  Amanda wanted to spend time at Leanne's flat helping her to clean it out and rearrange it so that she could fit another baby in, not to mention Ifty who is moving in sometime soon.  Amanda wrote down the schedule for the day and I was instructed in the art of making bottles and making up the powdered food.  The first day Mike went off to work at 7 and Amanda left shortly afterwards and I was left on my own for the rest of the day. The weather was absolutely awful and I was unable to take Harrison out in the pram - not least because there was no rain cover for it. The first nap happened on schedule - but the long nap at lunchtime never happened.  So I skyped with Jayne for about hour and a half with Harrison on my knee - he was fascinated by the screen luckily so this worked quite well.   I

Resolved not to make any New Year resolutions! On New Year's Day we went home - via Somerset and a couple of QPs for Mike at North Cheriton and Maperton with lunch in between at The Old Inn at Holton.  We arrived in time for the service at North Cheriton, but after the first hymn it was clear Suki was not going to settle so I took her outside again and left Mike to it.  The weather was appalling all day - rained the whole time although sometimes eased up a bit.  After the service Jay and I went to the pub for a coffee.  The serving staff were very nice but the landlady was very offhand and not a bit welcoming or friendly - at any time!  After lunch I walked from Holton to Maperton with Suki, despite the weather, and made good use of my mapping software again to find the correct path this time (I had failed to find it with a map previously).  I heard them start the QP again when I arrived at the church so I knew I was in for a long wait so peeled my wet things off and sat in the