A cautionary tale, bicycle breakthrough and ramblings

I had a lovely start to the day today with breakfast in bed. An oatibix with strawberries on top. Very nice. Then followed a little collection of shop bought and home made Mothers Day cards, very sweet. Thankfully Craig had also listened to my many hints about gifts which would be most well received and my book pile has been replenished. I love having lots of new books. It's like opening a box of chocolates!

Hermione has now made a full recovery but Miles was very groggy first thing. We had planned on going to see a friend who works in the library today, to plant some bulbs in one of her natural craft sessions, but decided to stay home instead. Miles was happy to potter around for short periods so we set about putting some washing away. We sorted it all into piles on my bed and then took it to the right places. Having been out of the room for less than two minutes we came back to find the place really smelly and quite smoky. My first thought was that one of my really cheap and nasty joss sticks had somehow self ignited. Not so. I quickly realised that the window frame was on fire!



I have a confession to make. Craig has warned me on many occasion not to leave mirrors in direct sunlight but I thought that the 'mirror igniting fire' business was a myth perpetuated by the scouting movement. I tried for hours on end to start fires with a mirror as a child to no avail. Well now I have. The double sided mirror which I leave by the window for when I put my lenses in and out caused my window frame to ignite. I wouldn't believe it were it not that now have a two pence piece sized black scorched area on my window *sigh*. To think we had only been out of the room for the time it took to put Craig's socks away.

Hermione decided that her attempts to ride her bike without stabilisers were less hazardous than being in the house with a reckless mother and headed on out with Craig. He took off her remaining stabiliser and held onto the back of the bike while she rode up and down the garden. After half an hour this was the scene.



Sick of waiting for him to revive himself Hermione took off on her own. I think she had done a couple of laps before the realisation hit that she can now actually ride without stabilisers! Quite a milestone - which I didn't reach till my mid twenties *blush*.

Later in the day Miles perked up a little and decided he was going to make citrus punch after watching Big Cook Little Cook. The floor is still sticky.



Out in the garden Miles planted some sunflower seeds in our biodegradable toilet roll pots. We've put them on the shelf in the shed as it's probably a bit chilly for them outside yet.





I've been thinking about what to grow this year. Nana thinks there is quite a science to it, crop rotation and such like. I need to read up on it. One thing I do want to grow this year is squash. Our squashes were a huge failure last year. We didn't get any. They started off well but the the plant just seemed to rot away. I'm thinking of making a 'hot box' full of compost for them this year and adding some chicken wire contraption to it for them to trail over - that way the slugs shouldn't get them.

Craig suggested that we grow goji berries as Miles loves them. I thought he was joking as they grow in China, a rather different climate to ours, but he had heard about it on Radio 4 so I decided to Google for them. Sure enough you can buy goji berry bushes online and after their first year they are frost resistant and yield well.

Our compst is doing alright but could be better.



I don't think it is well enough rotted to be used yet. I've decided we need some household activator. Craig is best equipped for the job but refuses. I'm going to have to ponder this one.