Love and beauty on any old day

For those of us fortunate enough to have any old day.

And for those who have not had any old day. The backdrop of the sickening targeting of a concert arena bursting with pre-teens and teenagers is hard to stomach from a distance. Lawd knows how the lovely City of Manchester must be grieving. Horrendous for those with loved ones hurt and missing.

Good conversations with both the kids who impressed me with their balance of understanding and empathy with a rational perspective on the impact to themselves and our lives.

And I am never more grateful to write that there is nothing more exciting to report from my day than my run was longer but harder than any so far, the sample hoodies I ordered for the year 6 leavers' hoodies are way better quality than I had feared given their price, and John Lewis appear to have lost the replacement mattress they ordered to replace the original one they lost. My words, not theirs - they just "don't know where it is".

J had a different session at school but is now all logged in, finger-printed (for using the canteen), and has had a full tour of the school so feels a lot more comfortable about the proposed extended sessions to start after half-term.

Anna seems to be back on full form (well apart from the still non-functioning thumb) and is enjoying the prospect of a final half-term of primary school which seems to consist of little more than rehearsing for their end of year show. It is a fantastic time of life.

Oh, and we have finally joined the world of the fidget spinners. The kids do love a craze and as they are both major fidgeters these are quite perfect. I'm slightly tempted to get one myself.

This is the camellia I bought a few weeks ago at Chiswick House. This little flower opened overnight which is mainly a relief as I moved it into a bigger pot and as I am very not green fingered I presume this means it didn't mind.

Lesley x