Why do toads need holes?

Temperatures hit +12* today with fabulous sunshine, though it was quite windy. It felt like Spring, it was beautiful.

After the boys went to school, I went to aerobics. My arms and legs felt too heavy to lift and it was hard work as the space was warm. We had the fan on and all the windows open - in February!! We did some more of those exercises that made me hurt so much last week. Ooh can't wait for tomorrow!

The rest of my morning was spent doing washing and drying. Huffle and I had lunch together and watched half of The Undateables. Our favourite is the boy who gets his words all jumbled. He desperately wants to meet a girl and he speaks like Yoda, bless! Last night, Small and I watched James Mays Cars for the People. I was so pleased he showcased two of my favourite cars I owned. A Triumph Dolomite (who I named Dylan and he was bright yellow) and an Allegro Vanden Plas (who was electric blue and I named Polly). I loved those cars. It was a very interesting program too.

This afternoon I tried to make batter for a Toad in the Hole. The boys always request this dinner despite the fact I have never yet successfully made the 'hole' part. I used a foolproof recipe from Hugh Fernley Whittingwhatsit and doubled the recipe (as far as the flour was concerned) but didn't double the eggs part hence I had mixture hitting the brand new cupboards in no time!

I went for a walk around the Hamlet with ClownRose and Fin and we put the world to rights before I came home and met the boys off the bus. Small got an award this week. He was nominated by his classmates as a good team player.

No snow but lots of puddles

Small has decided he doesn't want to listen to me anymore, after all I have nothing interesting to say and he knows best and so is constantly fighting with me. Because he was messing about trying to lock Smallest and I in the bathroom while I was folding laundry, I handed him the compost bag and asked him to take it away. He argued and looked grumpy and asked me if I didn't care he had homework and then stomped off. He was gone for ages and I shouted him. The numpty was at the compost bin (which we don't use this time of year becuase it is normally (perhaps not today) frozen. The region (council) take our compost (cooked or not) away every week and I expected him to put it in the green bin. When I told him this he got all upset with me. I never told him, he didn't know, why do I always pick on him................... I helped him to get it all out as it was mainly cooked leftovers and explained to him why it was no good etc etc. I asked him to stop fighting with me constantly and then I realised the back gate had been left open (despite me ALWAYS telling everyone to close it because it slams and gets stuck so we can't use it to get in or out) and had got stuck again. I explained to both boys once again why I keep asking them to shut it but no-one took any responsibility as usual. Small just thought I was picking on him again. Huffle came out and helped and finally got it free. Despite his almost teenager grumpiness (Small not Huffle) he forgives and forgets very quickly and came down after his homework to say sorry and give me a hug.

Huffle is very stressed again with his work and I made him walk away from it as I don't want him getting ill. He sorted the gate which is a different kind of stress in itself. ARRRRGGGGGHHH. I feel like I'm living in a mad house! The boys got on with their homework and hid from me and Huffle sat and worried about work in the bunker, I got on with making Hole for those damn toads!

............and they were a success. HUURAH FOR HUGH. Fabulous, I'm so pleased.

After dinner I took the boys to basketball where they both worked by hard, especially Smallest who played in both sessions again.

Huffle went for a walk to stretch his hamstring and get some fresh air while we were gone and then had a relaxing bath.

I found some photos of the school trip that Small went on.

 

My 'fit band' has been working well counting my steps but today it told me I had done 300 steps before I even got out of bed (and I don't wear it in bed!) so either a ghost has been wearing it or it's a bit faulty!

 

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