Happy

Eeh, it's been a topsy turvy week.

Thank you for your words of support and comfort yesterday. You'd think by the third child, I'd be sending them off packing with a celebratory punch in the air (I saw one mother do just that yesterday). Honestly I reel from one emotion to the other these days. So many changes afoot here, I sometimes feel as if I am in the eye of the storm. Here I am watching life swirling around me, just trying to keep a tenuous grip on it all so that I don't fly off into the void!

I am reminded of the television series Outnumbered. Do you ever watch it? For those of you that live outside of the UK, you must if you can. I am Claire, the mother. I identify with her so much. She agonises over every behavioural nuance of her kids. She worries about saying or doing the 'right' thing. She is always in the kitchen multi-tasking, looking rather harassed. My three boys remind me of their three children. Marc often looks like the Dad, Pete, when he comes home from work. My favourite quote from the show is when she asks Pete if he thinks that they over-parent or under-parent. He replies "Both. Usually at the same time!" That's parenting in a nutshell for me. My parenting style anyway.

Here's my little gems of happy from this week.

• Walking resumed
• Blind date
• Pretty frock
• Floral gifts
  

When I go out for my walks, I am never alone. My dog Honey is always by my side. She trots along happily, without the need for a lead. Some people may think of her as a lap dog. Not to me. She will walk for miles and miles. She loves being out and about. I think she is part Cavalier and part Collie dog. The girl should be living on a farm. She has been poorly for the past couple of weeks. An abscess on her eye has meant that she has not been able to go out for walks. So not only has she been in pain, she has sat by the front door every morning, only to see me go out without her. Poor Honey. It's made her rather depressed. She got the all clear from the vet yesterday evening. So walks are resumed (in about five minutes). I have missed my little companion.

This week I met Sarah. She writes the lovely blog Down By The Sea. Perhaps you are a follower of hers? She writes about her life on the Dorset coast. She goes for walks and entices her readers with breathtaking photographs of her ramblings. I always feel as if I have walked the walk with her. I was nervous, and I think I may have babbled my way through the time we shared. What a lovely lady. We never took a photograph of ourselves together (how remiss of us Sarah), but she gave me this packet of seeds as a gift. Thank you. 

Marc and I are going to a wedding next weekend. I have been to a lot of weddings. I have always borrowed the clothes that I wore, or cobbled together something to wear on the day. I have never felt comfortable or appropriately dressed for the occasion. So my sister in law has taken me in hand, and here is my frock! I love it. It hides the bulge at the front. It makes my waist look small. It flatters my derriere. And it is a spotted number. What more could I ask for? All I need now are shoes, a bag, some fake tan, my eyebrows waxed and an umbrella, because I've heard it rains quite a bit in Ireland...

Some good friends of mine came round for food and chat this week. I provided the food and they provided the wine and the chat. I haven't laughed so much for a long while. Mel gave me these gorgeous flowers. She shouldn't have. But I was very touched. They are a posy of garden flowers. My absolute favourites. You can keep your exotic lilies. Cornflowers, poppies and marigolds do it for me every time. 

Happy things. 

Have a lovely weekend. Hope the rain doesn't stop play.

Leanne xx