Number 1 cat has a reactive polyarthropathy (wow cool) & has just shat all over the kitchen floor. Number 2’s urinary tract is in fine fettle.

Had a teeny little bit of a stressy day today.

We’ve been learning about Impressionism & enjoying it greatly.

Scary stuff here …

Today we’ve done work stuff, Claudia made Halloween decorations, Jasper scavenged for food, they’ve been swimming. I finally finished my Chevron Scarf & am stuff trying to reorganise what little space we have downstairs (mostly to fit in all Jasper’s new stuff ).

There have been lots of birthdays (Buttercup, Ernest, Jasper, Emily, FIL, & Claudia coming up), so we’ve had gatherings in various places.

We’ve carved an awful lot of pumpkins.

We have a garden full (two very large ash trees) of wood to be chopped for the fire.

We’ve been to Legoland, the theatre (Danny Champion of the World) and the cinema. All the usual activities are still ongoing, Lily & Claudia are going riding tomorrow.

Number 1 cat is injured, I’m just watching & waiting since Number 2 has already been at the vet’s this week & I’m sure they (cats &/or vets) have a plot to bankrupt us.

Jasper mostly walks now, he loves to dance & eat balloons. Claudia is more Claudia than ever, I swing between being fiercely proud & wondering how the fuck I am going to survive another day (let alone week, month, year) of HE.

Jasper’s birthday was lovely, we’ve had such a wonderful year he is joy in a body.

Claudia’s birthday is stressing me out big time.

I think I’m bored of the internet.

We’re all still alive in various states of health, there have been birthdays and parties and trips to places. Fun has been had.

Although I have had the same headache for a week & it is making me tetchy.

I found myself reading this today - odd mixture of revulsion & hilarity - jeeeeeeeezzzz I need more to do.

I’m really enjoying Ravelry.

I’m rolling my eyes at our local HE group.

I’m leaving Simon to clear up sick (Claudia).

I’m pleased that Jasper is not ill anymore, although he has eaten a lot of dirt.

I’m attempting to moves piles of suff around (tidying).

I’m wondering why they rename things for Americans.

I’m rather proud of Simon’s new scarf.

I’m not hungover, we had a really fun weekend!

Jasper added ‘dada’ to ‘cat’ as his second word today He has perfected waving, loves to dance, tries to feed us, put the ‘phone to our ears & brush our teeth. He likes to play the ‘thank you’ passing game, put things inside other things (Lego in cups of tea), build towers & knock them down & thinks chucking stuff is hilarious. He can make it up the stairs in about 40 seconds and has started climbing. He also wakes up at 4am every morning and is not impressed by my pitiful attempts at night weaning.

He hasn’t been at all well today, snotty, floppy & sad

Claudia read me ‘Madeleine’ and a couple of Richard Scary stories, and watched Barbie and the Nutcracker (puke) then went to GB.

I’m knitting a great scarf & the house is messy.

That’s all.

I started this just before we went to Cornwall & it knitted up really quickly but it has taken me ages to get round to finishing it.

It’s a Debbie Bliss pattern, ‘Nell’, very simple basic raglan, knitted in Noro Silver Thaw. Claudia likes it

We had a fabulous day yesterday, inspired by A we decided to go into the Natural History Museum. The train was packed - everyone was lovely, the tubes were screwed - everyone was good humoured & helpful, the museum was quiet - the few school groups there were polite & not noisy, I even chatted to a nice American teacher. The children were perfectly behaved & got masses of attention we got free tickets to see any exhibition we want next time we go! Not sure why everyone is suddenly nice … am I just in a permanently good mood?

We walked from High St Kensington to the museums because the Circle line was suspended & walked back to Paddington in the evening because the tube was a mess, I love walking around London, we played spot the CCTV camera .

We did the Human Biology, Marine Invertebrate, Mammal, Reptile & Amphibian galleries, then Claudia spent an hour with the dinosaurs. Jasper ate coprolite chocolate mousse. Was really lovely