Not a desperately productive day, as I’m feeling ropey, and trying to catch up on my photography reading. But the kids are tucked up in bed, I remembered to wash their school uniform and we have food in the house after I did a raid on Sainsburys, so I can’t complain.

Rosie was given her first mobile this week for her 11th birthday. It seemed appropriate timing – we had resisted up til now, even though “everyone else” had one.

She sent me a text after cross-country practice today: “I’m leaving”. Jenny and I were still down the road, having been to the GP, so I replied, asking if she had her keys.

The next response I got was “Rainbow”.  That made me smile. Even though Jenny and I weren’t in the right place to see it, Rosie was still sharing it.

I shared my sunset photos with her when we got home.

Most weekday mornings, Mr Angelfeet and I are turfed out of our cosy Kingsize bed by two little girls, still warm from their own beds, still sleepy and hoping to drift back into their slumbers. The cat waits impatiently to settle into the warmth of the spot where Mr Angelfeet has been sleeping, which is now occupied by one child or the other.

The cat has to wait, the girls cannot slip back into sleep, and instead they have the morning drinks and then I say, “Time to get dressed” seventeen hundred times, before I finally go purple and they get the idea that it’s time to get ready for school.

And then on special days, the days when we celebrate family birthdays, all that happens, but we also manage to fit in present giving, card opening, and lots of cuddles.

Happy Birthday, Rosie!

I don’t think I’ve ever made a pumpkin head for Halloween before. Despite growing some on the allotments specifically for this year’s festivities, I didn’t manage to get down there to harvest them and instead bought our tiny, overpriced vegetable from Sainsburys. Oh well, never mind. Much fun was had.

Oo, surprise! I’ve finally updated my original blog. There are words and everything. I may even try and post something there and here every day in November, a la NaBlopoMo. Oh lord, what have I said.

Life’s been . . . full.  So I decided I wasn’t busy enough and signed up for an online digital photography course. I can’t guarantee my photography is improving, although I know learning more about how my camera works can only help.

This shot, taken today, is definitely not my best shot. But photography is about capturing the essence of something, as well as producing something beautiful.

And they are beautiful.

I can’t quite believe it. But Jenny is seven today. Happy Birthday my darling.

No, unfortunately, we’re not still by the coast in North Yorkshire, overlooking the bay and taking healthy walks on the beach every day.

Back to London, where life goes on and children return to school etc. Jenny, I’m pleased to say, has found the transition to year 2 almost effortless. She seems to like her new teacher, is enjoying the learning, and has not had trouble in leaving me in the mornings. That’s a huge relief.

Rosie loves year 6 so far and I’m trying not to panic about secondary schools for her. So all’s mostly well, except for Rosie smashing her knee into her mouth yesterday, whilst on a trampoline. Blood everywhere and teeth a little wobbly. Will someone say something reassuring about slightly wobbly teeth? I’m currently re-running nightmare pictures in my head of imagined surgery for these teeth and a lifetime of misery with them.

Apart from that . . .  well, I’ve made some big decisions about life-work balance. which I’ll write about another time.

It’s suddenly got very autumnal, which was a bit of a surprise and I can’t really find the right footwear, despite a fairly wide selection. Meanwhile the wild sweet peas are putting on a beautiful display, which is hindering our access to the front path. They’re not ready to say goodbye to summer.