Coals to Newcastle

Great weather the last couple of days - it's super to feel the breeze on bits not normally out and about.

On my run this evening I noticed this big red truck outside a neighbour's house. It was there to drop off a snow machine.

And I have finally got my replacement product from Lush. I'd bought some shower gel about 6 weeks ago now, which turned to be pure water when I got home and opened it. I complained to the US, but they "didn't get my e-mail" (I've never trusted computers), so I sent an e to the UK branch, who then got the US to call me, who then sent me a parcel full of goodies. Except it didn't arrive and someone else, it turned out, signed for it. So they sent another parcel. Ditto.

Somewhere I have a neighbour who is perfectly rotten but who smells really rather nice. Anyway, I am English, and Do Not Give Up (unless I am playing cricket), so called them again this morning. This time she drove around, and voila, a nice replacement (bigger) bottle and a little gift-wrapped present of promised goodies.

Tonight we bathe, whether we need it or not.

Today was T's parent-teacher meeting. Very pleased, as I was rather concerned her refusal to speak French would mean her having to redo Kindy, but she is going up to 1st Grade (even though, obviously, she is still an ickle baby to me). The teacher said her maths was great, as she can do subtraction up to 10 in her head (ummm, yes....), and that her cursive-writing (yes, really) was already as good as the first-graders.

They are not reading yet in her class - the French way is to start with syllables. What they emphasise more at this point is their ability to communicate (so, for instance, they take photos of the child and put them in a little wallet, and get the child to describe each photo, writing it down for them and putting it in the same sleeve. Makes for better reading than Twilight), and developing their verbal skills. So you want your child to read at five, or hold a coherent conversation? - our decision is made.

PS I am trying to promote my blog (see one of the sites here: Blog search directory). I have been a bit dubious of web-sites since I joined Facebook and saw "Rachel-E. Hurley has no friends"), so we'll see.