BASKETTCASE

The time is going so quickly.  The fortnight we have looked forward to for so long is well into its second week, but we still have some nice things to do.  Mary-Ann and Dom had a most disappointing meal at Hethersett Park Farm; they had had better at a Harvester and at least that is honest about what is on offer.  It was sad because this was their annual special meal which hitherto has always been at  Number 24 in Wymondham, where the food is always perfectly cooked and they have been made to feel special .  Park Farm was built up as a first class restaurant both on their web-site and also in the recent booklet of Norfolk eating places given away with the EDP.  The menus indicate unusual combinations of food cooked by a chef, but did not in any way live up to the lyrical descriptions.  Dave had driven them to Hethersett, and was only back home for just over an hour before they were on the phone to be picked up, just eager to get out of there.  It was more expensive than Number 24 too.  They didn't want to spoil their wedding anniversary by going through the whole complaint thing, but Mary-Ann has written to express their disappointment.

Anyway, tonight they are in Cromer.  We bought them tickets for the End of the Pier Show.  I think when it came to it they probably felt it was a long journey and a ot of trouble for a local variety show, but we are keeping our fingers crossed that they are able to relax and be entertained.  The boys have gone to bed without any fuss, so up to now we are feeling quite smug, particularly as we are a leaving them with Dot and Rodney tomorrow to go out for an 'all you can eat'  chinese buffet at the Lucky Star in Norwich.  I have been going through my 3-weekly bad days since Monday, but expect to be able to enjoy a meal out by tomorrow.  It really hasn't been as bad this time, presumably because of the reduced dosage.

The family are going to High Lodge in Thetford Forest with Mary-Ann's school-friend Sally and her children tomorrow, so that I can take it easy.  Then on Friday if the weather allows we hope to be able to visit Africa Live courtesy of Tesco Rewards, although as yet the rewards haven't arrived.  Then it will be the weekend and the holiday will be over.

Both the boys are book mad.  They have the audio version of Julia Donaldson's 'Room on the Broom' on Mary-Ann's i-pod, which keeps them occupied in the car, and we bought them the book.  Joe is now word perfect, turning the pages and reciting the words with all the expression.  He is beginning to recognise the shapes of the blocks of text and some of the words.  I know Mary-Ann is keen for him to discover the thrill of reading at school, but I think it is going to be hard to hold him back.  James' vocabulary is growing daily, complete with little sayings like 'it's not funny'.  He also does the pointy finger when he doesn't like what is said to him, which is very amusing but must not be laughed at.

We have done drawing and sticking, complete with glitter and crumpled tissue paper, and a giant mural is awaiting some blu-tack to adorn Joe's bedroom wall.  Fortunately it is an underwater scene, which will not be out of place with his sea-side mural.  James, being right-handed, holds a pen far more comfortably than Joe, and concentrates very well for a two year old..  He loves to do whatever Joe is doing, and while Joe was filling a page with random letters yesterday, James filled his with his own hieroglyphics, which were surprisingly neat, contained and many of them joined up shapes.

Baking has been our other bit of fun, done while James has his sleep at lunch-time.  Joe and I have made two batches of cookies, and today he helped Mary-Ann make carrot cup-cakes.  He sticks it out to the end, finishing with lifting them onto the cooling tray.

I am so grateful, to God and to Mary-Ann and Dom, that we have the privilege of sharing this advent ure of growing up all over again, this time with grandchildren.  They are such a joy.

p.s. Just been up to James for the fourth or fifth time, at twenty to nine.  The room is still surprisingly light, as we took down the blackout linings for Joe's sea-side room when we thought the boys were going to share it.  I have hung bath sheets over the curtain rail in the hope that if he wakes again he will just assume it is the middle of the night and go back to sleep.  Maybe we'll move the curtain linings back into his room tomorrow, as Joe now sleeps with the door open onto the lit landing so he can get up to the loo.