October 1

This week Ian was in Tallinn, spouting useful advice on a stage, and getting URBACT slippers (everyone carries around indoor shoes with them in Estonia because you change your shoes when you go inside, so URBACT gave all the uncouth foreigners slippers!).

There were strange things afoot.....

The children and I started our journey towards being pro-geologists, by making crystals. This started with lots of sugar, water, fruit polos and food colouring. I'll let you know what we've grown!

I spent a day speeding to a conference in London and back which was great fun. There is nothing better than a good reason to have to walk through Bloomsbury in the sun!

There wasn't enough wind to make sailing today a sensible idea, and also a marathon in the way of our journey to Bishopthorpe. So the kids spent a very happy morning making llama farms and trampolines in Minecraft (one day I'll take some screen shots and show you around our world), while we sat in bed with tea and books (very civilized). And this morning we took a wander along the Nidd Gorge at Knaresborough.

The kids practised their tracking, falling behind or racing ahead and then "silently" stalking us and ambushing.

There was much cutting of switches in trees to mark our route, and whittling of arrows with Nathaniel's birthday knife.

And we generally just enjoyed being in the woods and by the water. All the beaches we played on earlier in the year were well under water and we enjoyed watching the change between the rapids and the smooth deep water.

Then we wandered home for Sunday evening supper and Fawlty Towers. Most acceptable!