Ice Sculptures

Today was not the best day to be trailing through Norwich city centre on the 4th annual Ice Sculpture as it was very mild and the sculptures were rapidly melting in front of our eyes.

As usual Ben didn't feel this would be an exciting use of his time, so he stayed in bed (after all he is a teenager !) Had he come with us he could have visited his favourite stall on Norwich Market, where he spends most of his hard earned money !

This is the first time I have been on the trail and it was very interesting - here are some of the sculptures that we saw :-

The Friar

The City Dweller

The Dragon

The Church & State

And my favourite - Norwich Cathedral Spire

Sam's 12th Birthday

Molly & Layla's Christening

Molly is my neice ,Jason (my youngest brother) & Amy's daughter and Layla is Molly's cousin.


I went up to Glossop in Derbyshire on Friday on my own, as luckily Sam had a respite weekend, and as Norwich were playing Ipswich (our local derby) on the Sunday neither Ben or Julian wanted to miss the match. (The christening had been postponed by one week already because it clashed with the Manchester United/City derby !)

I stayed at my Dad's and we went out for an indian meal on the Saturday evening with my Dad and Sylvia, my middle brother Alex and his partner Helen, my Dad's best friend Michael and my mum.

Sunday morning we all met at the Methodist Church in Glossop and joined the Brownies and Guides for their toy service and Molly & Layla were christened. They both wore matching outfits and were really well behaved. Molly was waving at everybody.

Molly with her favourite rabbit blanket

Proud parents Jason & Amy

After the service we all went over to Hadfield for a buffet. It was lovely to see most of my family all together. My oldest brother Greg only made it to the church as he was feeling quite poorly (something had disagreed with him !)

In the evening I went over to Jason & Amy's new house where Molly & Layla opened all their lovely presents.

A GREAT DAY - topped off with a beautiful sunset over Hadfield.

Blu Tac Art

Ben's school friends Rosa, Lauren & Fiona popped round today after school and produced a piece of art work on Ben's bedroom wall just by his pillow !!

It Snowed Today

Some photos out of our front window :-

Ben Is Poorly

Ben very rarely has a day off school through illness. But this morning he woke up with a stinking cold. So he stay in bed for a while then got up and had a duvet day.


Being a sweet, kind mummy I made him a lovely hot bowl of porridge with strawberry jam.

Ben's 14th Birthday

It's Ben's birthday today - 14 years ago he was a 7lb baby, today he is a 5ft 6 long haired teenager - but we still love him !

Birthday tea was Ben's choice - Gammon, Chips & Fried Egg - Yum Yum

Sorry no photos of the day

Feeding Time In Our Back Garden !

Meet My Niece ......

A Deer Rut

Today we decided to go along to RSPB Minsmere which is near Dunwich in Suffolk - as the RSPB had set up a viewing area with telescopes so the public could watch the red deer rutting.

I was hoping to take some lovely photos of the red deer - but when we got there, if you squinted really hard you could just about see some brown objects in the hedges which apparently were the red deer !




Looking through the telescopes was much better, but unfortunately Sam didn't get to see anything, but he did enjoy watching all the people around and lots of them spoke to him.


We saw a few foxes running around, loads of rabbits and of course the deer.

This is what I was hoping to see close up - but I pinched this from a website about the Minsmere herd , which is one of the largest herds in England.

Girlguiding's Big Gig

Today 2 coaches and 74 guides, senior section & guiders from Taverham, Costessey & Horsford set off in party gear for the annual girlguiding concert "The Big Gig". This year it was at the NEC Birmingham.

Can you imagine 10,000 girls screaming in a hot, dark arena with the majority wearing blue flashing bunny ears ??? It is very LOUD !! But great FUN !! This is the 5th time I have been with the Guides to the Big Gig and I have never been disappointed.

We were entertained with The Sugarbabes, Leon Jackson, Sam Beeton, DJ Ironik, Alphabeat, Avenue, The Saturdays, The Script, The Hoosiers and finally Scouting for Girls.

Eggy Bread Wednesday

I feel ashamed to admit that this was my idea - the silver balls are cake decorations - there were left over from Guides last week and Ben has been eating them like sweets this week.

But combine them with eggy bread and tomato sauce and the result is 0/10 !!!

He said it was absolutely disgusting so scraped them all off. I wont be doing that again me thinks.

Goodbye Pear Tree

Take one 40 year old pear tree,

one 13 year old boy

and one hand saw (later followed by a chainsaw)

and the pear tree is no more.

Shame because we now have no where to hang the bird feeders.

Genetics Clinic

Today Sam had an appointment in the Genetics clinic at the Norfolk and Norwich hospital (N&N). The geneticists from Addenbrookes hospital regularly hold clinics at the N&N.

We have waited 3 years for this appointment, we were told at the last meeting in 2005 that new tests would be available in the next few years and we should wait.

So we have waited and waited.

I went along today hoping that we would finally be able to get a diagnosis for Sam. I don't know why I bothered going though.

As Sam hasn't lost any skills (can't say he's gained many either though !), and he doesn't have any dysmorphic features (both consultants had a good look at his fingers !) they really don't think they can do any more testing at the moment. But they did take a few photos of him and said they would discuss him at a team meeting.

Guess we are going to have to wait some more !!

Our Pear Tree Has Died !

I noticed the other week that our pear tree seemed to be leaning over - I originally thought it was straining under the weight of fruit on its branches - but no.

Yesterday I suggested to Julian that he could try and prop it up - but this morning we woke up to this :-

Which our cat Phoebe found much more accessible !