Greetings

I know things have been terribly quiet here on the blog - I just can't figure out how to make the routine of our life at the moment even remotely interesting! Dugald has been sick - he was home all last week with a temperature. This morning he limped out of here around 11 am and it's 6:30 pm and he's not home yet, so that's almost a full day. I think his temperature is finally gone but he's still darn run-down. To be fair he was working like a mad man when we got back, really long hours, so it's not much of a surprise that he got sick. I optimistically washed all the sheets and duvet cover and wiped down all door handles with anti-bacterial wipes in the hopes that things are on the up and up. Time will tell.

The girls are doing well with our new and improved school schedule - it's a lot more demanding on all of us but we are making it work and settling into it well enough. Our Mondays are very busy - lots of housework to catch up on after the weekend, plus school, plus I swim for an hour with my swim group and then we all go get coffee so that takes a hunk out of the morning. Speaking of swimming, we are participating in the "Dead Sea Challenge" which is to swim the length of the Dead Sea (around 55 K's) by the end of October. Those who make it are in the draw for prizes - I have no idea what they are - so we are all "giving it a go". So far I've done 13 K's. I have some serious swimming to do!

My heart was heavy when we got back here and I heard of the death of my very good friend's mother. She has been sick with Alzheimer's for many years but it still is so hard to say goodbye and my heart hurt for my friend as much as with missing her mom. I was wishing I could be there to hug her neck. We also had a few fairly serious health scares in my immediate family but I am VERY grateful to say that both of those people are doing a lot better.

Lastly, our weekends have been full of ballet, ballet and more ballet! Netball finished last weekend with it's Saturday morning games, to be replaced by extra ballet rehearsals for the oldest three as they prepare for their exams. I can't complain though, if anyone needed the extra practices it was my girls after being away for seven weeks. They all are doing so well - as most of you know both Katie and Josie are naturals when it comes to dancing - but Meggie has surprised even herself with how much she is enjoying it! I still wouldn't call her a natural but because she loves it so much she is practicing at home and is doing fantastically well - it's hard to believe she only just started taking six months ago or so.

Well I started this post when I was making dinner and it's now 7:45 and we just finished and believe it or not we are not far away from my bed-time. Ever since we've been back I've been heading to bed early and up by 6:30 in the morning. I'm not complaining (but Dugald kind of is), I quite like it, long may it last.

Lots of love to all! xx