Ready for my close up

This dog has had a lot of attention today. Not least because of a fabulous game bought for us all by our house guests. It's called Woof and involves a mix of doggy top trumps, testing your dog related knowledge, and getting your dog to do tricks. Properly bonkers fun but might actually help with her training. Though I'm not sure we'll ever get her to balance on her hind legs for a slow count of 3.

Before all of that the day started with sad goodbyes to our visitors, really signalling the end of the holidays. Interestingly, if two weeks ago someone had given me the option of cancelling the festive season I would have taken it in a flash. But I would have been wrong. There's been far more good than not good and seeing so much of my family and our lovely, lovely friends has been fabulous and good for all our souls.

My early night last night paid off and after a slowish start I suddenly sprung into full on action mode and have finally tackled the boy's bedroom which has been driving me a little insane. We did it together and it was quite entertaining, if a little alarmingly touching to realise quite how sentimental he is about certain times of clothing. So as well as clothes to keep and a pile for charity we needed a "personality pile", my biggest point of negotiation on which was that they could live in a separate bag somewhere and didn't need to take up valuable wardrobe space.

And the Christmas tree and most of the decorations have gone. So I guess it must be time for a different normality. We have an easier re-entry than some as Anna isn't at school until Wednesday. But tomorrow will hopefully see the start of a full week in the oxygen tank for J and Carl and I both need to rediscover our work heads so it will be early nights all round.

No real reason for the picture other than I didn't take many today and I really like it when Albi sits like royalty in our winged back chairs.

Lesley x