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Things stopping me from blogging:-

- Under Eight's activity day - chaperoning 5 little people in a crowd of 300, took another full day to stop feeling like I'd just run a marathon.

- School camp - purchasing, labelling and packing, emotional trauma of child growing up too soon - still not over that one!

- 36 pretty pink cupcakes - Samara's birthday is turning into a week long saga. Her birthday fell on Under Eights' day, and so the classroom celebration was put off until today. Extras had to be made for the older students who were unable to go on camp, as they are participating in the younger classrooms for the rest of the week. Throw in a few more cupcakes for teachers and a specially gift wrapped one for Joshua's teacher (whose birthday is today).

- laundry

- The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver - finished reading it between cake batches. Awesome book on so many levels. It tells the story of a missionary family in the Congo during the period of upheaval as Belgium handed over the government to the Congolese. I could really relate to the daughters arriving in the Congo, as my own childhood was eerily similar, though thankfully a lot safer, and happier.

- Riverbend Books and Teahouse - We had made a reservation here last week, and then the restaurant (basically a verandah for the bookstore) was closed due to the rain and wind. We went last night, perfect timing for the purchase of my next book, Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood. Any excuse, hey?

Hopefully next week I will have something to show for my time!

We had a 'small' celebration for Samara's upcoming ninth birthday yesterday. I say 'small' because we only invited grandparents, nearby cousins and our very best friends, but that still results in 9 children and 8 adults crammed into a house not much bigger than a shoe box.

I have to show you the fairies on the cake. Aren't they cute? Our supermarket is stocking more and more great cake decorations.

Even though they look to good to eat.

Yet to be made: cupcakes for a classroom.

This cute little 'bag-ette' has been created by my talented little sister, Sasha. She recently had her second baby, AND moved house, and still found time to set up an Etsy store. To win one of her creations, head on over to Connie's blog and leave a comment!

It's probably too late to start building that ark, huh?

This is runoff from the inch of rain we received in the past hour. On top of the four - five inches we've already had in the past 36 hours, it's more than the earth can soak up.

I think the brick fence just got on to my list of things that have to go.

The forecasters are saying that we can expect more of the same for today and tomorrow. This birthday party is looking more and more 'interesting'.

We have a birthday celebration coming up in our house, and in anticipation of a gorgeous autumn day, I planted the cool weather blooms that make winter so beautiful here. My violas, most obligingly, have started flowering, and yesterday morning everything was looking lush and lovely.

Today, however, our backyard, which serves as drainage for seemingly the entire suburb, is ankle deep in water. My violas and alyssum are decidedly soggy. The goldfish's pond has overflowed.

But isn't it still pretty? Other than the tragically sagging clothes line.

Our car is still at the workshop, giving me a wonderful excuse to keep the kids at home today. It's a 500m walk to the train station. Convenient in fine weather, but certainly not my idea of fun in the current deluge. It's chilly, and I didn't want to think about the wet, cold children in drafty classrooms all day. Far nicer to stay home and drink hot chocolate! Even if homework still needs to be done. Hopefully the car will be done today.

We're expecting a "rain event" in our part of the world. It's making life interesting, as we had over 55 mls of rain overnight, and had to take our car down to the mechanic this morning. The teachers are on a (well justified) strike, so I had three children with umbrellas trudging home in the rain.

I do love the back yard in wet weather, though. Loving the rain is a prerequisite for living with me.

Dandelions are a feature in my garden.

These are two of the three first limes on my tree. Years of low rainfall meant that it would flower and then the tiny fruit would fall off before they had a chance to grow. This year, at long last, we have actually had substantial rainfall, and here is my reward - three gin and tonics!

Someone's been messing with my placemats.

Can I blame her for loving a sunbeam?

Edited to add: Hehe, now she's snoring!

It is a well known fact of my life that I usually jump in at the deep end. None of that easy beginner's stuff for me! So, having knitted up this scarf for my beloved in only a week, naturally I felt ready to take on something 'a little more challenging'. Because surely, having successfully knitted a rib stitch scarf, I am ready to start lace knitting!

Moments after having cast off the ribbed scarf, I was casting on the 39 stitches required for Brooke's Column of Leaves Scarf. Three times. With the help of knitting reference books and youtube videos. It only took an entire day, but I managed to do 3 repetitions of the pattern. Only lots and lots left to go!

If you are even a little interested in knitting and crochet, you must go and join up at Ravelry. Seriously. They have more patterns (many free) than you can poke a (pointy) stick at. And you can keep a record of your stash, WIP's. So many knitters, all in one place.

When I finish cleaning up the disaster zone that is my post-Mother's Day kitchen I will post some pics of the pressies I got. My kids are too cute for words.

And I won't complain about the mess too much - this mother got a way worse Mother's Day treat.