Excerpts from the last few days ...

Most pitiful sight: Stephen and Sophie in the living room yesterday, playing what they term "virtual baddy". "Baddy" being short for badminton. This is what they do when it is raining outside : a badminton game inside, with rackets, but without shuttlecocks, played with each of them lying on a sofa. The really tragic part is when they argue about whether a certain shot is out.

Most confusing sentence read : "Any reference to the singular applies to the plural, and any reference to the masculine applies to the feminine." A phrase from the contract we signed today, which signing (along with the simultaneous handing over 10% of the cost of the house) means that we should own our house in the next few weeks.

Most money spent : See above.

Most futile outing : Saturday's trip to a local wine estate. We drove there, only to discover that the tours for that day were booked out. And couldn't even stroll around the grounds as the rain started in earnest just as we got there. So we drove home again. At least it was only fifteen minutes or so away from home.

Least money spent : See above.

Most enjoyable outing : Sunday's trip into London, where we visited the Museum of London. It was absolutely fascinating; the museum traces the development of London from pre-history through to the Victorian era. Museums have certainly changed since I was a child; they are so much more interactive these days, and so much better designed.

The picture below is the garden in the middle of the museum; I liked the contrast of the glass with the greenness. And the garden itself is interesting; as you walk along the path, you trace the introduction of new plants to London's garden.





The kids were most taken with the Victorian section; discussing it on the train on the way home, both girls felt that they'd like to have lived in Victorian times. I think listening to The Shadow in the North probably fuelled that a bit. I pointed out to them that they'd have had to fight for the vote if they'd lived then, and Sophie said darkly, "In case you haven't noticed, I don't have a vote right now."