Babbling from Idiot's Corner

Oh gawd! I’m such a bad mother! I’ve just dropped Rosie off at Meithrin and another mum was reminding her child about wearing her sun hat and confirming to the staff that she had sun cream on. I had to confirm to the staff that not only had I forgotten Rosie’s sun hat, but she wasn’t wearing any sun cream either.

I shall retire to the idiot’s corner with a copy of Dr Stoppard’s book on childcare. This is especially important as I have just realised I have sent Hannah to school without hat or cream either. But, for pity’s sake, it’s April! I don’t remember Mum plastering me in creams and hats to send me to school when I was a kid. Obviously she was a Bad Mother too and it’s hereditary.

I’ve just grabbed a few child free minutes to have a quick blog and a quick read of blogs – really I should be cleaning or gardening or doing other proper housewifery things like changing the bed clothes or thinking of something nutritious for tea.

I have just made some almond balls for H and R when they return later. These originated as a treat in Carol Vorderman’s detox diet book – just ground almonds mixed with honey, rolled into balls and tossed in ground cinnamon. The girls love them and I feel they are better than sweets. Hannah has lost a lot of weight during this recent virus and looks a bit too “fashionably thin” for a five-year-old. So I’m looking for healthy but fattening food to tempt her tiny appetite with.

The garden is full of dandelion clocks. On trips through the garden I have been pausing to glare at them and crush a few, but yesterday Rosie grabbed one and had a lovely time blowing the seeds everywhere (yes, I know, ‘one year’s seeding means seven year’s weeding’). This morning I looked up out of the kitchen window to see that a flock of Goldfinches had landed on what we laughingly call the “lawn”. They were perching on the stems of the dandelions, pecking at the seeds in the clocks. Adorable birds. The dandelions will have to stay.

The sowing and planting continues apace. Over the weekend I put in more carrots. The first sowing a month ago failed to germinate, which was very disappointing. It was either the hot, dry spell or a plague of slugs (or both). I hope this next batch of seeds has better luck.

On Saturday we went to Colby Woodland Gardens down in the south of the county. These National Trust gardens are just gorgeous at this time of year. The bluebells are out, as are all the rhododendrons and azaleas. The gardens boast the tallest redwood in the UK and a maze of paths and steps just perfect for little girls to run about on. It has a babbling river, little bridges to cross and a lovely meadow to waft about on. Oh, and a fantastic restaurant where we had a delicious lunch. The whole place is very child friendly. We go as often as we can, but it really is perfect just now and I highly recommend a visit.