Park, Park, Park & Park

On display at Sheringdale School in the hallway. Snapped on my phone at church (C wasn't that interested in Psalm 95).  The top part is a counting line to help with addition and subtraction.

D and I started to make a puzzle this afternoon.  She got a little frustrated and bored with just a few pieces put together, so I asked her if she wanted to stop. C overheard our conversation in the next room. He got up from the playroom and his cherished Legos, and came to see us. As he stood over us, he said: "Dorothy, don't give up.  Show resilience." And then all three of us finished the puzzle together.

Saturday afternoon we celebrated C's 6th birthday with a Deadly 60's themed party.  After going on a expedition to the park to find giant deadly bugs, we came back to Kung Fu Panda, cake and lots of charging around the house. The saving grace was the drinks with the parents- only martinis- when they arrived to haul their monsters away. Jacob, C, Rupert, Nicky, Issac, Alex, D Legos were a bit hit this year-  cars, planes, and bases to build things on.  C has spent most of his free time building things the last 24 hours.

D brought home Sunny the Bear from school on Friday.  The idea- the same as Thomasina with C - is that D shows Sunny around, does some fun stuff and then reports back. D did indeed have a great time with Sunny and pictures were taken and compiled for school. Here's one of a situation D managed well:

Bells and I had a lovely time at Lucy Fishers' 40th birthday last night, held at our fantastic local pub the Earl of Spencer. Due to that, we were feeling a little ropey this morning.  Bells suggested a sure-fire cure (after a cappuccino for me)- a stomp around Wimbledon Common. The unintended consequence was C losing his aversion to dogs (D still has it a little, but that's due to her relative size, I think). As we approached a small pond there, a lady walking her lab arrived.  C then proceeded to spend a good chunk of time throwing an old tennis ball out into this lake for this black lab to retrieve.  Over and over.  And over. The lab would drop it right at his feet, and C became less and less afraid of reaching right down to the labs mouth and picking it up. Even said "I want a dog when D is older..." After that, D led the charge into the woods and up the trees.

As you will have read , D is pretty committed to learning to ride her like-a-bike.  Again today she was out, putting it and herself through the paces. Right now, it's a go slowly, some tumbles, Dad push me routine.  But the fact that she is going slow, falling over and has to have me stoop over to help, doesn't lower her enthusiasm or determination. Hence the smile AFTER her ride today...

Here are C and D at the Tate Britain just before getting on the boat up the Thames: And at the Golden Hind ... And then Bells in front of Tate Modern, St Pauls across the river in the background...

And here's some of what he took... Could be the beginning of a new proportion series... Not bad....  Thanks to the Ryans for the subject matter Not sure why our broom closet made the cut...