Half way through the first week of school. Transition to high school seems to be going pretty well although we are all to imagine the unfortunateness of having the guy you think is cute in only one class, and that class is chemistry, and you have to wear goggles....

Sam has a math teacher that is making my heart sing. Not only does he not yell at the students and eat popcorn during class (last year's nightmare) but he actually corrects their homework himself and talks to them about where they went wrong. I know this sounds like common sense, but let me tell you people, there is a lot of correcting each other's work in middle school here.

oink oink

I have been down with the flu (not swine, I don't think) since Monday. Well, I should have been down, but I kept trying to deny that I was actually ill so the minute I felt any surge of energy, off I went full tilt. This culminated with a Wednesday evening back to school clothes shopping trip which I am going to blame for knocking me out once and for all. Yesterday I was forced (for reasons that I will not disgust you with) not to leave my house. At 10:30 last night, I was convinced that I was in fact going to die. Craig conveniently out at a band practice - probably best as no one should witness that horrible choice of which 'end' to deal with first. Today, the worst had passed, but still all day in bed. Managed a cup of noodles this afternoon. This is of course impossible timing because term starts on Monday and I have no syllabus prepared. I go to Croatia for a conference in ten days....

fabulous mini holidays

One great thing about the annual pilgrimage to England is the whole holiday within a holiday way we get to do things. A bit like a big chocolate easter bunny with candy inside. The easter bunny is the England part as a whole and the candies inside this year are Dublin, the barn walking trip and our trip down to Brighton. Dublin has already appeared in pictures in an earlier post. The barn walking trip was also absolutely wonderful. Pictures to follow, but suffice to say that several times each day, I found myself sighing and saying aloud how completely perfect everything was. Now we are in Brighton with Alison and Sian where we arrived in the middle of gay pride (which if you know anything about Brighton, you can picture) and the pouring rain. Today was beautifully sunny and we went to Beachy Head (competing for top suicide spot with the Golden Gate Bridge).

Tonight pizza and tele...ahhhh

Celebrating Sam's birthday on the farm

Auntie Rachel serving

Sam's birthday dinner request -- shepherd's pie.

Charlie, Sam and Adam putting up with party hats.
Cakes.

Dublin

This was the most perfect rainbow I have ever seen taken on our return drive to the airport.

Dublin Bay.

Ikea round the world.

Catherine and I both liked this.

Sam is 13

Hiking with his dad in Italy

Eating his favorite spinach dumplings in Italy

gorgeous picture

Sam looking for fish at Barfleur