The Beach and a Bit About the Blog

So, my small and not so small children, I have decided to create a blog. I like the idea of writing to you, explaining my response to the day, and maybe (when in years to come you do an internet search on me/you) why I acted like a snappy dragon (hence the name!) on certain occasions.

With four of you, a job, and Daddy, I have quite a bit to get on with, and I can't promise you'll find my views on everything here - sometimes it's just a no, with no deep and meaningful behind it. Those would be the times you don't get biscuits for breakfast, to watch an 18 (no matter that all of your friends have seen it...hmmmm), or to invite all your friends to Disneyland Paris for your birthdays. That sort of thing.

On the other hand, maybe I can let slip to you all those things you have no idea about - the times I stand in the doorway of your rooms at night, just waiting to hear you breathing before I can go to sleep myself. You all look quite lovely then; it's nice to end the day pleased that all is well (and asleep and not fighting over the remote control...)

Let's start with yesterday. With hindsight, I should have shown more interest in the hundreds and thousands of pebbles on the beach. It's just quite hard to concentrate on looking for the zebra pattern on a lump of stone while trying to make sure your siblings don't throw themselves into the sea.

Also, after a while*, 'treasure' is redefined as old rusty bottle tops, and bits of sharp glass. When you are a boring grown up, it's easier to focus too much on the risk assessment of picking up old bottles, and not enough on the shininess of them.

*two hours

I'm sorry about the sand throwing Number One Son; trouble is you can't 'even up the score' once you've been asked to stop throwing. It may well have been started by the other little girl, but even if she had got two more throws in by the time you were told to stop, that's just tough. I couldn't let you throw a couple of handfuls to make it 'fair'.

I have to say, watching you all dozing off, sun kissed and sandy, in the back of the car is another of those hundreds of happy moments I'm glad about.