Just Jo!

I like all things froggy.
I collect froggy things.
I needed new knickers.
We went to Primark.
They’ve got froggy knickers!
For £1.50!!
I am a happy woman!!

That was Monday. I’m sure other things happened as well, but I was too busy waving my knickers in the air.

Olivia broke two bottles of sauce in the fridge….
“It’s not my fault!”
“Um….perhaps if you opened the fridge in a normal manner, and not yank it open in the hopes of scaring any fridge monsters into complete submission, sauce bottles wouldn’t then leap out in a Hari Kari style….”
“Why are they even in the fridge anyway??”
“It says on the label, ‘Once open, refrigerate.’ I’m guessing the fridge will do a better job than the cupboard.”

We’ve also eaten things again…
Jam sandwiches.

Jam on toast.

Jam tarts. But they were eaten too quickly to get a snap.
We like our blackberry jam.
More things made with blackberries, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen via Eleanor, and then veganised quite easily.

Some of us, needless to say who mind, may possibly have been eating too many blackberries….

We’ve been attending various workshops of one kind or another….

Think the most popular with the two of us was gargoyle making and brass rubbing at the Cathedral. Especially as I got to have a go too!
Also think that was the day we made a wondrous discovery in Sainsbury’s, whilst hunting our picnic down….

Oh, ’twas indeed good!!

We found a moth in the back garden, maybe not as cute as the hedgehog, but still quite impressive none the less….

From this point on you may notice a distinct lack of pictorial reportage….

Friday, we had Lisa’s girls for the afternoon. We picked them up, stocked a picnic hamper with Lidl’s goodies ( a picnic hamper that looked remarkably like two Lidl’s plastic bags….), headed up into the hills, plonked ourselves down on a rug and stuffed ourselves silly with said feast. Then meandered down to a free fun day by way of more paddling in the panny, ’til all four girls were convinced they were being sucked dry by leeches and came squealing out.
Fun day included juggling, hoop spinning, free drinks and biscuits, throwing beanbags, building a tower, skipping, plate spinning, parachute games, oh and art, but none of the girls did that. They all had a go at building the highest tower possible out of giant dominoes to win a prize of a T-shirt. Three of them managed it. But not D. Who sulked. Because her sisters had both won one, “I never win anything! They always do!!” So Olivia donated hers in order that all three sisters would then have the same. Blimey, sign of maturity in daughter!
Nice chat with Lisa before they all scarpered off for the weekend.
Our weekend yesterday started off gloriously with a train and bus trip down to Brixham to meet up with some friends. I’d printed off another Treasure Trail (more of a murder mystery though), the first clue being right at the bus stop as we stepped off the bus. So we got going with it straight away. The trail took us past the Golden Hind, so we made a detour to step onboard. Then our friends phoned as soon as we stepped off again, so we finished the rest of the trail with them.

*** SPOILER ALERT***

Just in case you ever feel the urge to do the same trail….

Marilyn Edwards poisoned a local trawler man, Rod Fisher!!!
Awful woman….

Olivia and Elliot (he’s two) bonded big time, with Elliot holding Olivia’s hand at every opportunity and doing what ever she asked of him.
Down to the beach for a paddle and late lunch. Then up to Berry Head to watch Brixham’s Castle, which told the story of the Napoleonic Fort there. Built by a woman it was, scandalous in them days apparently. And it got a bit nippy towards the end, so Elliot sat on Olivia’s lap.
We were given a lift back to Paignton to catch the train, which was jolly decent, or we’d have had to leave the show early to get the bus in time to catch the last train home.
We got back to Exeter about 10:40 and Olivia wanted to get a photo of the pebbles that light up. She went to get the camera out of her bag….
And this is where our wonderful day went completely tits up….
She left the camera on the train!!!
On the bloody train!!!
I am seriously not amused.
So the money she’s been saving up for her own camera is now being put towards mine. Well, half of it is, because I was planning on getting a new one anyway. But that’s not the point!
Almost 600 photos on that SD card!
Thank God for Flickr is all I can say!
Except for the photos from the last two days.
So she very gently tapped on my door this morning, “I made you a cup of tea, mum.”
And made my breakfast.
And she’s hoovered all of downstairs.
Think I might even get lunch as well.