Has it really been a week?

End of the first week back at work after the holiday. It wasn't too bad, actually - particularly as I am now a part-time slacker. I find that you can cope with even the most boring of jobs if you know you are leaving at lunchtime. The post-Canada withdrawal symptoms are manageable for the most part. Although I did see a car drive up to our little corner shop over the road this morning with a Canadian flag sticking out of the window. I pined, slightly.

The boys for their part are enjoying some heavy-duty slobbing. They have re-established their love affair with their XBox and, inexplicably, with watching the odd episode of "Judge Judy" on TV while eating porridge in the morning. Bizarre.

I meant to say before that one of the best parts of this year's holiday was taking the boys to Hennigar's in Greenwich for ice cream. Now, we have been going to Hennigar's for ice cream for years but this is the first year that First Born has been able to truly participate. His dairy allergy is on the retreat now to such an extent that he can eat ice cream. And (on this holiday alone) cheese, pizza, whipped cream from a can, yogurt, chocolate mousse and frozen chocolate mousse (we all had a taste of that when he ordered it and frankly he is lucky the rest of us didn't wrestle him to the ground, sit on him and eat his dessert while ignoring his pleas for mercy. It was THAT GOOD). Oh, and donuts in Tim Hortons.

The joy of being able to take FB into any restaurant we like (except one that serves vegetables, obviously - he still has standards) and let him order whatever he wants off the menu without having to cross examine the staff on the ingredients - it was wonderful. Of course, it means he also wants to try EVERYTHING now and no food in my possession is safe. I used to be able to protect things I wanted to keep to myself by claiming they "may" have milk in them and I wouldn't want him to be ill. But no more. Now if he sees it, he wants to try it. Unless it is green and leafy. Anyone have a recipe for spinach ice cream?

Did you miss me?

Just back from the wonders of Canada. We had the usual grind of having to negotiate Gatwick and London on our way back so will take a day or two to recover from that (hurry up someone, and reinstate direct flights to Nova Scotia from Glasgow - this is getting tiresome). That said, I would go through a great deal to get to the Maritimes for our annual break. Staying in a cottage with a view like this from its deck is priceless
Those two not-so-little blobs on the beach are First Born and Second Born off to frolic in the surf. I was on the deck coating myself in SPF 60 sunblock and snapped a photo before I left.

Also, wonder of wonders, my curse is broken! I am no longer known as "The Whale Repellant" We went whalewatching from Brier Island and.......I SAW WHALES!!! We encountered a female humpback whale and her calf and they stayed and played around the boat for over an hour. (In fact the captain of the boat tried repeatedly to leave but was thwarted by the whales playing and rolling around the boat - he couldn't start up the engines without risking their injury and they wouldn't leave!!) These photos don't really do justice to how wonderful the whales were and how close they were - we got thoroughly sprayed from their blow-holes every time they surfaced ("Aargh! Whale snot!!!" yelled my children, much to their own amusement.)
More soon once brain is functioning. Meantime, congratulations to Isabelle and K on becoming a grandmother and mother respectively. Pop over to Isabelle's blog for some lovely pictures to coo over.