Afternoon all (well it is here!) Got a bit discombobulated by clock change yesterday.
Oh no Toffee - sorry to hear the boys are 'hors de combat' again - they have had one cold after another poor things (as have you and dh). Is your house damp at all? Do get your house checked for moulds if so (can be invisible). I know it sounds mad, but used to work as a groom when I was a student and all the horses got very ill with respiratory infections over a five month period. No one could understand it. Vet came to do tests and there was a form of mould growing on the hay and in the stables itself. I remember blokes from lab saying that similar moulds could occur in domestic settings too. Anyway, had to have it all steam blasted and sterilised etc and they all recovered. Sorry - definitely not comparing you all to equines 
- just stuck in my mind ever since. And your dss do seem to have been in the wars all through the winter.
Whoknow thank you for links. I wonder if Ellie is up to running thread in April as it didn't sound as if convalescence was going too well when she was last on here? I would volunteer but am travelling for Easter hols from 6th to 19th April, then back for Easter weekend when we have visitors until end following week. Can volunteer for May and/or June though - travelling again July/Aug.
Blue Just Whoknows Dizzy like the sound of all your spring/Easter/horticultural activities and your photo Blue!! (Your lawn looks superb - ours is all moss atm!)
Hope your eye is OK Just (mine has recovered thank heavens!)
Yes, your Sunday sounds really lovely Whoknows!
What does MIA stand for Dizzy or shouldn't I ask? 
Swan hope your dd survived her school trip, cockroaches and all!
No mothering Sunday celebrations here yesterday - it's celebrated on another date in Europe I think (can never remember when!) and dd usually makes something under guidance from school. Can't say we make a big deal of it generally. Dh did bring me a fried egg on toast in bed on Saturday morning though!
[I know I'm awful but privately I was thinking, I would far prefer it if you carried the laundry paniers up and down the stairs to the basement or vice versa, or carried your shoes in the hall upstairs and put them away, or put the ladders away after you have used them, or occasionally got loo rolls or kitchen roll from basement and replaced them when they have run out.. or occasionally threw your worn socks in the laundry basket, not on the bathroom floor alongside it ... rather than breakfast in bed which you are- cooking for yourself anyway.. but that's just me being really mean isn't it
]
Rest of weekend was a bit trudge-worthy; apart from half day in countryside which was lovely but bit of a disappointment at same time (for various reasons). And nice roast chicken supper in evening. Majority of time spent on supervising dd's exam revision which is getting more gruelling as times goes on. DD had dreaded dictée this morning - I found it really, really hard (and she's only in year 5 of primary - gulp). I swear it was at what used to be A-level standard in my day back in Blighty (and I only sat O-level!). I've obviously improved a bit since living here, but dd at 10.5 yrs is now at the point of overtaking my formal/grammatical knowledge of written French and she has already started correcting my prononciation arrgghh - had better get back to the books/lessons if I want to keep up!
Big waves to Bitchy Ellie Feetheart Eustacia¨Peanut Castle Honu Goth Dizzy and everyone else I have missed!
Ta da:
up especially early because ran out of time yesterday owing to hour change and forgot to put on dw last night
ironed dd uniform
polished dd school shoes
morning routine inc dw, wm, rabbits, s&s
cleaned out ruddy hamster [grrr]
tidied up downstairs including hideous playroom (must sort during Easter hols)
finished ironing final 2 shirts of dh's
ironed white wash for dd - 4 uniform shirts/vests/gym top/tennis whites
complete home bleugh ground floor and stairs to first floor inc dining table hot spot,
cleaned sink area in laundry room
more laundry
wrote action plan for between now and Easter which is two pages long (gulp)
e-mails
made arrangements for next Sunday
To do:
so much it makes me feel sick to think about it (a good 40 % I have been putting off and had plenty of time to do it before and didn't - so only have myself to blame!!
Must go - dh has just popped in for lunch - and he is travelling rest of week so only opp to see him! Byyyyeeeee!