James - Relaxed

Woke thinking the clock said 6.23 - by the time I'd realised it was 3.23 I was wide awake and stayed awake.

I got out to the last of our WEA study days - next week we are back at the Laing. We have decided to study Jane Austen next term, so I must look out my notes from the John Mullen workshop.

After buying a little £5 digger at the toy shop (James is obsessed with diggers and it is his 2nd birthday on Monday) I headed home for a quick read of my book group read before we headed to town to buy the tickets for Opera North in November. (four stars in the Guardian).

Then we headed out to Whitley Bay to pick up the boys from nursery. The parents had gone to Culzean Castle for the wedding tomorrow, stopping en route for a relaxing lunch.

Thomas fell asleep on the journey back but James stayed awake, shouting out about the traffic- "bus!", "Lorry!" and every distant digger was joyfully identified.

Bath and bedtime have been surprisingly relaxed - I bathed James and then Thomas, and then they both wanted Grandad to do the stories so I poured myself a glass of wine and watched Strictly, recorded. I have got Kevin and Louise in daughter's friend's sweepstake. They look like they'll last a while.

Early bed as the boys get up at 5.30!