We drove over to Beccles yesterday to spend the day with my parents; left just about the time that the explosion was happening, but we didn't hear anything. No visible fumes this far south today, but I can't help wondering about the toxins that we must be inhaling.

The children were vile on way to Beccles - bickery and grumpy and mean to each other for much of the way. I was very disappointed by their behaviour. They redeemed themselves on the way home, though, falling asleep in a friendly snuggly pile.

It was a pleasant day, though, once we were there and out of the car. This picture is from a walk we all took along the river. I liked the way the afternoon sun was colouring the mist.





I have been quite productive today. Sorted out tons of papers that had been lurking in a crumb-strewn pile on one of the kitchen counters, mailed off a formal non-acceptance letter to the doctors' practice and an acceptance one for the school, phoned to organise a criminal records disclosure (necessary for me to work in a school here), done masses of laundry and swept the floors. Oh, and cleaned out all the kitchen cupboards.

Almost time to fetch the kids from school. I am going to be warm and cheerful in my new (to me) coat. Yesterday, my mom passed on a couple of coats that used to belong to my grandmother. My gran had bought them in Hong Kong, years and years and years ago. One (the one I'll wear today) is a tomato-red,hand-sewn woollen coat. Not my normal colour but perfect to lift my mood on a grey winter morning. And the other is a lighter coat, sort of dark raspberry in colour. They're both excellent quality. They were just too small for my mother, but fit me perfectly. I like the feeling of wearing something that belonged to my gran ... something good about passing useful, well-made things down through the generations.