Family Life

Finding a blackbird chick in my garden seemed symbolic. It was the week before my daughter's christening; she was napping and I had seized the time to wander on the grass. Wildlife often nestles at the edges of this vast stretch of green. I've seen frogs, rabbits and hedgehogs in the past. The chick was brown and fluffy and looked bigger than his parents. He had shiny black eyes and didn't move as I squatted down beside him for a closer look. There is something so vulnerable and trusting about the young.

You know you've had a successful shopping trip when you return home with a Gingerbread house and a packet of Scotch Eggs. Yes, I'm easily pleased, not for me the finery and luxury of a silk blouse or the exquisite tailoring of an expensive wrap dress.

My parents came over from Wales to visit me, last week. We spent a precious few days together, prompting me to write this blog post full of cherished highlights . . . Day 1 was seaside day.

You know your life has changed when you sit down of a Sunday Evening to watch Antiques Roadshow with your in-laws. Gone, are the days when you used to bemoan the fact that Antiques Roadshow even existed.

Having given you an insight into my Christmas shopping habits last year, I feel compelled to revisit the topic. I can confirm that I am still distracted by anything shiny but I have stayed clear of DIY shops this year.

My long awaited trip home to Swansea has passed in a whirl of catch ups, crepes, milkshakes, coffees, dinners and birthday cake. The food highlights also included a famous Joe's Icecream! But more of that later . . . It all began with Marilyn Monroe Ave.