The hills are alive (taking time off......)'s photostream  

....and here is a picture of Paula's wonderful home made birthday cake. Hoorah! Hugs to you sweet Paula!

Another photo of my favourite garden. It looks like my step-mom will be moving in a year or so, and I will lose access to the garden that she and my father tended together for so many years. Luckily I live in the age of photography, and I have many pictures to remind me of this place.....

I was inspired by Fiona to buy some Marmite for the first time in years, and for me there is only one thing to eat it with.......mmmmmm.... crumpets and butter. Wikipedia says you can get crumpets in Britain and her colonies. So, for those of you who live elsewhere - I tell you they are lovely. You toast them them so they are warm. They are also very chewy, with lots of big holes in the dough for the melted butter and Marmite to trickle into..... Deeeee-licious!

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Texture layer from SkeletalMess, used with many thanks.
www.flickr.com/photos/skeletalmess/3230636961/in/set-7215...

One of the perks of my job is the number of kids who come to the shop with their moms. They skip and gallop their way down the aisles, playing make believe games with the special offers, and stop to stare longingly at the sweet shelves. Sometimes their moms get them to help with the packing. They have no interest in packing savoury stuff, but lean forward enthusiastically to put the cakes, biscuits and ice cream into their bags.

Sometimes moms bring in the real wee ones. Babies only a few weeks old. The gurgling miracles.... Little fists peeking out of bundles of blankets.

Occasionally we get tantrums. Loud screeches of "I want, I want, I want! Please, please, please!" The moms always seem to cope with these brilliantly. They never give in to them, but are gentle and insistent in the face of all the yelling.

All of these things brighten my day. I love it that so many of the moms I see round here do such a fantastic job :^)

and more pleasures....
Bon Iver - Holocene.