Lovely weather for a balloon ride...

Just realised this looks really dark and a bit rubbish once it is uploaded...sorry!

Or at least that's what everyone else seemed to think. I wonder how long some of the people in the air had waited for some decent weather so that they could use their birthday and christmas vouchers! There were lots of balloons and microlights in the air this evening...lucky buggers!

I had a long day in London on my course - what a waste of money. I used the time wisely to make lots of notes about things I want to do and generally felt irritated by some of the crap I had to listen to from the speaker and some numpty teachers. I stayed for lunch as they had been hyping up the fact that it was a vegetarian-only menu and the food was fabulous...seriously, they gave vegetarians a bad name. Some manky green soup, lettuce leaves with tomato and quiche and water...christ, am I in a health farm gone wrong?! Anyway, I snuck out after lunch and ambled through Islington, drank coffee in a fab little coffee shop and did a couple of hours work. Then mooched through the shops to Angel, boarded the tube and headed back home. So the day was saved!

Had a physio appointment on my way home, definitely making progress on the back and neck. Still snuffly and husky voiced but I feel better - I must be better cos I was stroppy with incompetence on the course...a sign that I am truly back to form!! So, when I got home I decided we would have a 'family walk', given that Pip technically isn't supposed to be walking anywhere. It was just like a family walk...one straggler needing to be pulled along, one hyperactive child being made to hold Mum's hand and a third dozy child who kept having to be reminded that it was a family walk and by the definition it meant we were supposed to walk together and enjoy the scenery not bugger off and look for birds! Anyway, I managed to keep them in check for a whole half hour...Pippa was so hyper that I dare not leave her at home for fear she might do herself a nasty in her excitement! We have abandoned the cone, she has agreed not to lick and so far seems to be obliging. Well, when I'm looking anyway! She is back to her chipper little self, seemingly unaware that she is all stitched up. Kids eh.

And so, this was one of the balloons on our family walk. The sky was gorgeous. full of colour and sun rays casting through the clouds. Lovely poppies in the hedgerow and hollyhocks everywhere. Wish you were here.

twelve days and counting...x