Double Digits

Call me super crazy, but Tanzin desperately wanted a sleepover for her 10th birthday with her pals from school, so after the Easter holidays, that's what we did.  On Friday after school, we convoyed 14 girls back to ours to start the party.

The girls were wonderful and they all had masses of fun.  Loved watching them all play.  I wasn't too thrilled with the 3.45am "Please go to bed girls"!!!!!!!!   All worth it though and a party they'll always remember I'm sure.

On May Day, there was a festival in Norwich that some of the girls from school chose to dance around the May Pole.   Sweet and cute.

The weather has really picked up in the past week and everyone is outside sizzling those sausages on their barbies.  Looking forward to some long hot days next week when the girls are on school holidays.

Toasting marshmallows

Tan Tan & Ro Ro

Friends hanging in the buttercups

Ready to party!

May Pole action on May Day!

Jaimie

With day light savings, we now get plenty of time to play in the garden after school.  
I find it too irresistible not to pick up the camera and play along with Jaimie.  And of course, it doesn't hurt that little Madam doesn't mind the camera, as you can see!!

Kneeling on a blanket of blossom flowers.

Fields of gold

Easter Joy

We've just had another fabulous week skiing with friends at Les Arcs 1950 over Easter.  
The weather was divine as the sun was out in full force, though the skiing was still good, until the end of the week, and it became quite slushy.

The week is utterly and completely indulgent with large pints of beer consumed over a long lunch, to mouth watering suppers of raclette and fondue!  Keep telling ourselves all that skiing will pay off!

We had a stop-over at Troyes on our way back and a couple of nights with the Guinnevarch's, who returned back to France from HK nearly a year ago.  They live near Lille, which is only 45 mins from Brugge, so we had a day trip to Belgium to ooh and ahh over every sumptuous chocolate shop.  That's where heaven is!!!

When we arrived back home in England, we were treated to a visit by the White family (also from HK).  Besties, Ella and Finnley loved the walk we all did to the Swan Inn for our Good Friday lunch.

On Easter Sunday, we rose early for our easter egg hunt as we later travelled to Bath for a couple of nights to stay with our friends (you guessed it, also from HK!)
Fell in love with Bath, such a beautiful city to explore.  The open top tour bus was fun and very informative actually!

Troyes

Troyes

Cheers!

Taylor in Troyes

Happy together again, Jaimie and Madeline

Chocolate waffle and a chocolate cup of chocolates for the best hot chocolate IN THE WORLD!!!

Brugge

Oh yeah Taylor, I'm so with ya!!

Ella & Tanzin hiding in the Rape Seed

The Easter Egg hunt is ON!

Tanzin & Gabrielle outside the terraced houses in Royal Crescent

Daffodils

Daffodils, by William Wordsworth 

I wander'd lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: -
A poet could not but be gay
In such a jocund company!
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought.

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.

HRH

I still can't believe this, but I was so lucky and thrilled to be invited on behalf of the British Australian society to meet His Royal Highness, Duke of Edinburgh last Wednesday at St James' Palace.  

A small group of us Aussie 'Shielas' as the Norfolk branch is known, tottered off to the big smoke and kicked up our heels in true style!  It was such a magical evening that I will never forget!  

Birthday

February is birthday month for both JP & I.  This year for my birthday, we celebrated at Kesgrave Hall in Ipswich.  http://www.milsomhotels.com/kesgravehall/   For JP's earlier in Feb, we went cycling through Thetford forest with 5 other families, then convoyed on for an early supper at a divine pub which was once owned by the Guinness family.  Good times!  

Winter wonder

Seriously, I have to show you this right now....  Yes, it's blue, hot, sunny today!  Middle of Winter, in England where the country has battered the most severe storms recently.  Madness, but am certainly not complaining!  

I'm happily working out in the garden today (am on a smoko break!!!)