30 June 2009

Jill kindly invited us to go along to Sophia's nursery for a look-see. It is a bit of a way, being about 40 minutes door-to-door, but it does have the advantage that they are happy to take kids on a part-time basis, which a lot of them won't do. You can also change the schedule month by month. The place itself was very small - if they had their maximum of 30 children there it would be crowded, but apparently it is never more than half full. The staff seemed very good with their charges. I chatted to an English girl called Zara; the activities are carried out in a mixture of English and Japanese. It is also very cheap, if you book a reasonable number of days and hours. Sitting outside at a cafe afterwards I tried putting Emily on the wrist rein again to stop her wandering off to the road, but she really doesn't like it, and it does feel as though I am walking a dog!

We met Nick for lunch afterwards and he gave me the green light for the nursery. I am thinking about putting Emily in two days a week, beginning with just a few hours and working up to 7 hours a day. It's a pity that Jill and Sophia will be leaving soon as I'm sure Emily would like it better there with another child she knows. However, I think that Jo may be quite interested in putting Isy there too.

After her nap I took Emily to Shiba Koen park, as it was fairly cool (ie only mid-20s) and overcast. It spotted with rain a bit while we were there, but didn't stop us having fun. Emily is getting quite good at kicking a ball now, and also, finally, staying upright while using a slide.

On the way out of the park a woman was feeding the stray cats there. There were at least a dozen, and she had a separate dish for each. They certainly seemed to be in better condition than most strays.

Back at home Emily was extremely lively, especially in the bath. She is putting more and more words together now, such as 'Emily tea' (she says 'tea' for any meal or snack; Emily comes out more like 'Ama').

29 June 2009

We went up to the local park in the morning. It was blisteringly hot even before 10am. I must get Emily some decent toys for the sandpit, as she gets upset by me constantly telling her to give back other kids' stuff.


After lunch, Jo called to ask us to go to Hon Shiba. By 3.30 there was cloud cover, and it felt quite acceptable there, especially as the mainline tracks make a corridor for the wind to blow along. They had fun in the sand with Isy's toys, then went in the pool. Emily hit Isy with a toy and then started laughing manically, even though Isy was crying. I was very annoyed by her reaction.

We saw Silvia there, and I felt bad for not keeping in touch with her. But I have made so many acquaintances in the last year, and have had to let some fall by the way and concentrate on people I have a bit in common with and gel with. With friends disappearing on me every few months I can't afford to be too choosy though. The most important thing is that Emily has plenty of playmates. Still, Silvia hadn't been in touch with me either, so there's no need to beat myself up about neglecting her.

28 June 2009

We had planned a day out at the seaside, on the Shonan coast around the historical mecca, Kamakura. As on previous occasions, we eschewed the area's many historical and cultural attractions and hopped on the quaint coast-hugging railway a few stops further, alighting at Inamuragasaki. As we travelled there it came on to rain. The forecast had been for cloud then sunshine in the afternoon, so we were woefully unprepared for the heavy and continuous downpour that lasted for the whole of our day out.

Emily had been awake since six, so by the time we got there she was already flagging. We joined a small queue outside the first decent-looking restaurant, which called itself an Italian taverna. It filled up rapidly so we quickly got our order in. Not fast enough to prevent Emily from getting upset though. We had to placate her with fruit and when the food did come she would only eat some bread and a few bits of pumpkin. It was a fairly up-market place and we didn't do it justice as we had to rush the meal.

Afterwards Emily was very obviously in need of sleep, so we walked her back and forth along the coastside pavement for an hour, struggling to steer the buggy with one hand while holding a brolly against the deluge in the other. On her waking, we went straight down to the beach. We found welcome shelter in a foot tunnel under the road, and used it to change into our swimming gear. I went in first, and found the water to be quite comfortable (maybe becasue there was not such a sharp contrast between air and water temperature?). I have always liked swimming in the rain too. In the end I stayed in for about quarter of an hour, before reluctantly getting out so that Nick could have a go while I played with Emily in the driving rain. She was having fun until Nick took her into the sea. She soon got goosebumps when they came out after the briefest of dunkings, and her feet turned alarmingly purple.

Once towelled off and in dry clothes she recovered, but by then we had to bundle her back into the stroller to walk on to Hase, 20 minutes round the coast. We knew exactly where we wanted to go: Cafe ChaCa, near the famous giant Buddha and Hasedera temple. We had been there twice before and love their waffles. After replenishing ourselves there we turned for home. Emily was very bright on the train, but a bit of a handful. At the moment she loves saying 'Mummy eye', 'Daddy noshe', 'Emily ear' etc.

Finally, the rain let up in the evening, just as I set off for my first run in three weeks. As I expected, it was awful, but at least conditions were lovely as there was a cool breeze. I made myself go for 40 minutes, but it was such a plod.

27 June 2009

It was already very hot as I walked to the station to go to Japanese, with no breeze to take the edge off it at all. The teacher began a new subject, so thankfully I didn't feel too out of my depth after missing five lessons.

On my way home I met Jill for a quick lunch at Monsoon Cafe in Azabu. Just when I am getting to know her well she is leaving Japan. An occupational hazard of being an expat I suppose.

Later Nick, Emily and I went to Meguro, to the playground with a water feature. Nick hadn't been, and I had only been once just before the trip home. Emily was happy splashing around with Nick and there were lots of other kids around her.

We went for some gorgeous smoothies before heading home. Emily slurped a good half of mine, but that's probably for the best as I suspect it was quite a high calorie one, albeit healthy. We all ate dinner together again (though Emily didn't join us in drinking a glass of wine), which meant that once she was in bed we had a nice long evening together, but we both felt very weary so were glad to fall into bed fairly early. Surely it can't still be jetlag?

26 June 2009

It was a bit of a scorcher from the outset. I'd arranged with Jill to meet at Hon Shiba park, so we rushed there so that we could leave again before it got too hot. Emily and Sophia played happily in the shallow pools there, and I found the water on my lower legs to be just the thing to cool my blood down. They then got plastered with sand before going back to the water once more. A group of American mums turned up with the same purpose in mind. I found that only one was at all friendly; the other two hardly uttered a word (even though I have seen one of them several times at TMG). I suppose when you are out in a group it is easy to switch off and not make an effort.


Emily and I spent the hottest few hours of the day at home, then we went to Appi Azabu to play for an hour. It was packed with other mums also escaping the conditions.


The news broke that Michael Jackson had died, at just 50. He apparently had a heart attack. The man gave me the creeps because of all the horrific alterations he had done to his face (though I concede that he got screwed up by childhood pressure and fame), but it still felt like one of those events that you will always remember, and which is shared by just about everyone on the planet. He did do some great stuff back in the 80s, for sure. I suppose that means we will be treated to endless footage of hysterical grieving fans (fanatic, in the true sense of the word).

25 June 2009

Thursday, so it was Jo and Bettina day. Jo had invited us to her place, and as it was pretty hot I was glad we could be inside. I had been feeling very unhappy, and chatting with my good friends helped a lot. Jo even made tea and scones to help me with my homesickness.

Tim bit Emily on the forearm. Poor Bettina was mortified, but I just felt sympathy for her and no hard feelings against him as he doesn't know any better. There were two sets of teethmarks left on her though. Afterwards it turned out that he was coming down with bronchitis, and he was certainly not his usual self.

24 June 2009

It was a really wet morning, but cooler - only 24C. We popped over to have lunch with Nick. Emily looked very pretty in the new pink dress from Gail. I keep thinking she can't get any cuter but she does (am I allowed to say that?!).


In the evening I was horrified to discover that we had a weevil infestation. Our main food cupboard was seething with them. It took from 11 until midnight to clean the cupboard out thoroughly and check every food package. On top of all that, I was gutted because I splashed a bit of bleach on my newest T-shirt. What a fool I was not to put on old clothes before I started.

23 June 2009

I called Julia to see if they wanted to play, and as she had some mums going to her place she asked me to go too. It was extremely hot, at about 30C by 10am. Emily played happily alongside the other kids for an hour and then I started to feel terrible so we had to leave. She fell asleep on the way home and I transferred her to her bed then fell into ours. We both napped 2 hours.

By the time we were up and about it was getting late. That meant it was somewhat cooler so I took Emily to Hon Shiba park. At four the sun had gone off the park and it was quite comfortable there. She played in the pool and then the sandpit (which meant she got covered in wet sand, which is a devil to get off and invariably ends up all over the apartment).

I had to stay with her as she was upset at bedtime again. And then, after less than an hour she woke crying hard. It took an hour to calm her back down - I think it may have been wind, which she rarely gets these days. I felt really groggy and bad tempered, and unfortunately Nick got the worse of it, so I expect he was happy when I trudged off to bed.

Emily's words at 18 Months

Mummy

Daddy

Ama (Emily)

Ma-maa (Grandma)

Ga-ga (Grandad)

Nanny (Granny)

People

Man

Boy

Baby

Erna (our cleaner)

'Fia (Sophia)



Giraffe

Cow

Baa (sheep)

Neigh

Miao

Beeshle (beetle)

Ee-or (donkey)

Turtle

Bud (bird)

Galilla (gorilla)

Eek-eek (mouse)

Woof

Gar (tiger)

Cheetah


Ant


Bee


Hato (Japanese for pigeon)


Caw-caw (crow)


Chor-chor (Japanese for butterfly)


Fishy (fish)


Gokiga (crocodile)


Banban (Panda)



Eye

Noshe (nose)

Mou (mouth)

Ear




Goggy (buggy)


Lorry


Car (and was saying Mummy car while in the UK)


Kisha (Japanese for train) and Choo-choo


Bus


Hikoki (Japanese for aeroplane)


Nee-naa (anything with a siren)


Dadaa (tractor)


Beep-beep

Bot (boat)

Mikan (Japanese for satsuma)

Apple

Toast


Pea


Bean


Sheri (cherry)


Tea (time)

More




Shoe


Stone


Carry


Fawa (flower)


Byebye


Aircon


Ball


Door


Key




Beebeebies (TV)


Iggle Piggle


Makka Pakka


Addy Adjy (Upsy Daisy)

George (character in book)

Bapama (Anpanman - a Japanese character)

Boboo (Pooh Bear)

22 June 2009

18 months today!

We had a quiet morning at the local playground as I didn't feel up to going far yet. In the afternoon we went as far as Appi Azabu jidokan. I spotted Donna there playing with Marianne. It felt good to see someone I know and like and I immediately felt happier about being back. Marianne had recently been in hospital to have a drain put in to relieve pressure on her brain, and I could see that her head already looked more in proportion to her body. The ridge of the tube was visible under her skin and it sounds as though it will have to stay there for a long time.

In the evening I managed to have Emily down at 8.30, but she was awake again at 10 and very playful. Eventually I took her to bed with us and she eventually settled down. Around 1am I had to take her back to her own bed as it was way too hot for her and uncomfortable for us.

21 June 2009

Emily woke around 1am. Nick tried to deal with it without me having to get up, but in the end I went in as I couldn't sleep with her crying anyway. It took me an hour to get her off again and I crawled out of the room on all fours wincing at every creak, sure she would wake again. But next thing I knew it was nearly 10am and no sound. Nick went in and gently woke her. I dragged myself out of bed feeling like I could easily stay there for many more hours.


After breakfast at 11, we decided to go on the boat to Odaiba though it was raining heavily, as Emily was already climbing the walls. It was light rain but it was drifting on the breeze so we still got very wet all over. She loved being on the boat and shouted 'bo' (boat) repeatedly as we crossed under Rainbow Bridge. We had lunch in Monsoon cafe, which serves mainly spicy Asian food. Emily picked at crab pancake, rice, and cucumber sucked clean of its spicy dressing. She liked the ceiling fan above our table a lot. The rain had eased off a bit and she needed to nap, so we put her in the buggy and walked along the waterfront for an hour. She took ages to succumb, then woke just as we boarded the last boat back to Shibaura.

While she napped we discussed plans for the future, but it probably wasn't a good time to do it, with me so fresh from home where life seemed so much easier. The old frustration about the language barrier surfaced, which had never gone away and had only been simmering quietly. And the fact is that our lifestyle here costs us more than it would back home (especially the food and rent). If we were in the UK I would be able to get a job more easily too, though as Nick pointed out I hadn't actually tried to get one in Tokyo yet, which I promised to work on.


We had dinner together again. It was nice to all sit down together and we will try to do it more often. I only made it to 9.15 before I had to retire, but felt relatively well tuned in to the new time zone.

20 June 2009

At Narita, Emily got excited about all the planes again. I think the Japanese passengers around us were impressed that she used their word, hikoki. The formalities were soon done with (it was quite good to be able to waltz up to the 're-entry visa' line rather than join the long 'foreign passports' queue). After her recent immunisations, I had worried that they would stop Emily at the heat-sensitive camera but we breezed through. The efficient baggage handlers soon sent our gear through and we were on our way, eagerly scanning the faces in the arrivals hall for Nick. Emily did her usual thing on clocking him, burying her face in my shoulder as though she was shy of a stranger. She soon relented and offered him monkey, a sure sign of favour. Before long she was chattering away to us and the babbling continued all the way back into town on the Narita Express. Nick was amazed at the change in her in just two weeks.

As expected it was very hot and humid in Tokyo, so with all that luggage to manage we didn't need to deliberate much about whether we should run to a taxi just this once. Ten minutes later we were at the apartment block. We had wondered if she would remember our home, but she recognised it right from the entrance to the building, and even went into the mailbox alcove as she always does. Upstairs she ran straight indoors and started reacquainting herself with all her toys.


After an hour we gave her a snack then put her to bed. We woke her up after an hour and a half as we wanted her to keep her long sleep for the evening to try to align her to Japan time quickly. I felt really wiped out by then, like a bad hangover, as I had been up nearly 30 hours. Nick took her to play in the park while I had an hour's nap. I almost wished I hadn't as I felt so awful, but don't think I could have made it through until 9pm as I'd hoped. Emily was very upset by bathtime. She was falling asleep as Nick brushed her teeth, and was in bed by 8.30. We sat on the balcony with a glass of wine for a while before turning in around 10.

19 June 2009

We were up and ready to leave in good time. Mum drove down to Reading in the morning and with her and Fi, we drove to Heathrow to drop off the hire car. I had been worrying about this for ages but actually it was all very simple and the roads quiet; we were soon in Terminal 3, where the check in also went quickly and smoothly. Sarah arrived at that point, and we repaired to a cafe for an hour or so, before strolling around until it was time for Emily and me to go through security. My rather too efficient emotional barriers came down and prevented me from feeling the pain of the separation. Sometimes I wish I could feel more, even when it hurts. I'm not sure how or when I developed this blocking mechanism. It was hard to get my head around how long it will be before I see them in the flesh again; Skype certainly helps but it's not the same. I mainly felt regret and guilt that Emily can't see her family for so long.

In the departure lounge, I felt a bit fraught as I had two bags and Emily to carry, there being no buggies available to use in the airport. I dashed around with her, buying supplies for the journey, and a new toy or two. Maybe it was all the activity and being constantly picked up and put down, but when we did sit for a moment she was sick all over monkey. He was already very stinky and in dire need of a good wash, so that didn't hep. She soon recovered, and was very pleased with her new toys - a motorised squid for the bath, and a model aeroplane.

I had to carry her a long way to the gate as the moving walkways were out of action. She did not want to walk herself, just kept stopping at every window to look at planes. Our flight was delayed more than half an hour as volcanic debris in the atmosphere, somewhere in Russia I think, meant they had to re-route. She played very happily with her toy plane, and we had a chase around a table, to the delight of some elderly Japanese waiting nearby.

On board, we had two seats in a row of four, with the one next to us unoccupied, as I'd hoped. Emily fell asleep on my shoulder just before take off. After the seat belt sign went out I managed to ease her off onto the two seats next to me, and she napped for an hour or so. Luckily she was asleep as they brought out the first meal, so I got to eat without fear of spillage. When she woke we watched some kids TV and walked round and round the aisles for what seemed an eternity. She resisted going off for a long sleep for ages. Just as I was getting to the end of my tether she finally dropped off, and slept for about three hours. She was moving around a lot so I had to stay awake in case she fell off onto the floor. Again, she was slumbering when they brought out a meal, so I got to eat that one too. She woke just as I was finishing, an hour out of Narita.

18 June 2009

On our last morning in Wales, I took Emily for a walk on Y Gaer with Mum. It was a day of grey skies and showers, so Emily wore her raincoat for the first time in ages. Near the car there were some puddles which she loved sploshing in. She did very well to walk all the way along the track as far as a field of sheep, after which she resolutely refused to walk any further. My arms were soon groaning, so she rode the rest of the short but steep pull to the top on my shoulders.

We left for Fiona's after lunch. Emily slept until Birdlip Hill. I thought she would like to get out and walk around on the hill to stretch her legs, but she got upset and wanted me to carry her, so we just sat on the grass and looked out at the view for 10 mins then carried on. She dropped her monkey around Swindon and got upset periodically from there on because I couldn't reach him to pass him back to her. Again, she managed to slip out of the straps on the baby seat: I noticed as I was doing over 80mph in the fast lane and felt quite relieved that we don't have a car as I'm not sure how I could teach her to stay safely buckled up.

Emily had fun playing with Fern once we'd collected her from nursery, apart from battles over a few favourite toys. They were very sweet playing in the bath together.

Emily was very lively but eventually settled in the small travel cot in the basement, unaware of the big day to come.

17 June 2009

The weather took a decided turn for the worse, starting grey and very grotty most of the day, before finishing fine but cold in the evening.

In the morning we were back at the surgery, where Emily had the missing pieces of her immunisation programme. We could get the jabs in Tokyo, but at quite a price, so I decided to wait and have them done at home for nothing. She cried for a minute or two, but the tears dried up as soon as I produced a snack.


After lunch we went to see Carole in Cwmbran. I worked with her at County Hall nearly 20 years ago, in my first payroll job. She is very religious so her home is full of crosses and Christian motifs. She had been to a religious conference in Korea the year before and we spent some time looking over her photos, but Emily got a bit restless after a while.

After a farewell dinner comprising some of my favourite things, I got the packing done. Despite having bought lots of groceries, toiletries and souvenirs there was plenty of room, thankfully. Emily got very upset around 10pm and I had to give her some medicine to settle her; the jabs maybe? Her legs did seem quite sore after the needles. I am praying that she is over the worse by the time we fly.

16 June 2009

This fine weather pattern seems quite settled and we enjoyed another sunny day with the odd cloudy interval. In the morning I took advantage of being home to go to the doctors surgery. A similar appointment in Tokyo would have cost more than a hundred pounds. Emily was very patient (terrible pun!), especially when she discovered that there was a Thomas toy and a book about beetles and butterflies in the box in the doctor's office.

After lunch, which we ate out on the patio together, I drove over to Maria's, stopping on the way to admire the mountain views while Emily snoozed in the back seat. We had a good afternoon at her house, with her two girls Alex (5) and Rhianna (3) showing Emily their extensive toy collection. She was delighted to see that they had two cats, but luckily there was enough to distract her from pursuing them.

Back at Mum's we all ate risotto for dinner, out by the pond. I must make more effort to eat with Emily as it was rather nice to have a meal together.

15 June 2009

We had another quiet day around Mum's, with a couple of trips into Abergavenny, first for shopping and then a haircut (Mum took Emily to the park while I popped off for half an hour). At lunchtime we had a shortlived deluge sweep through; otherwise it was another glorious day. My visit to the hairdresser was another regrettable experience of poor service. I wasn't acknowledged as I went in and sat for several minutes before being asked to take a seat at the sink, and throughout, the staff didn't make any attempt at conversation, though I gave them several possible intros.

14 June 2009

Emily enjoyed her morning of tormenting Rosie, denuding the back lawn of wildflowers, and rearranging the gravel on the patio. It was another fantastic bright summer's day with blue sky dotted with cloud and the gentlest of breezes to soften the heat of the sun.


After lunch we drove to Gail and Dave's. As we wanted Emily to sleep on the way we took a more circuitous route through the pleasant market town of Usk and up over the long wooded ridge of Wentwood. On the southern side we stopped to eat our sandwiches looking out over the Severn estuary to Avon. Emily woke at the first rustle of the crisp packet, having only napped for half an hour. We had a little walk down the hill before continuing. She looked very sweet sitting in a field of long grass full of clover, buttercups, speedwell and vetch.


At Gail and Dave's we sat out in the garden for the afternoon. Emily squealed with pleasure as we chased her around the trees and in among the long willow branches. There were plenty of aeroplanes to catch her attention, and she soon found some stones to play with as well. Gail had put out a set of quoits, which were rather fun; we all had a go, with mixed fortunes. We were there two and half hours, but it passed in a jiffy.


After Emily had gone to bed I had my dinner sitting out in the summerhouse, which was very cosy after being in the sun all day. It was wonderful to eat there, with the view westwards to the Black Mountains and the sounds of blackbirds trilling and lambs bleating.

13 June 2009

After a much-needed Skype call with Nick, I took Emily to visit Ali, Adrian and Amelia (four months older than Emily) in Bredon, near Tewkesbury. They had moved to Bredon recently from the town, and had really struck lucky as it was a great location and their nearly-new four bedroom house was wonderfully light and spacious. It was hard to keep the envy in check, to be honest, but they both work very hard and deserve it.

We spent a very pleasant afternoon in their garden in hot sunshine, and Emily and Amelia got on ever so well. Amelia was very generous with her toys; young children can often be possessive when they have visitors. She even pushed Emily around on her ride-on toy and gave her a few hugs.




While we were eating lunch on the patio a formation of three aircraft flew right over, perhaps on their way to a display.



The main line nearby provided the odd sound of a train rushing by, so what with that and the planes Emily was very content. Ali wrapped up the afternoon with a book, and they sat intently as she read though it all.

12 June 2009

Another day of mixed sunshine and cloud, mainly cool. Mum, Emily and I went to Wyevale garden centre, where we pootled around looking at the fish and letting Emily play with the toys for sale, before having lunch in their restaurant. Then we drove into Hereford and parked at the leisure centre. There was a new play area right next to the car park with loads of great equipment for all ages, and she was really happy, but I soon had to end her fun as she was late for her nap, and bundled her into the buggy.

Mum generously offered to walk Emily around while I went shopping for an hour. I spent half of it in M&S trying on bras, as I was determined to stock up on essentials, which I did with reasonable success. Emily seemed happy enough to wake and find I wasn't there, thankfully, so she is obviously becoming comfortable with Mum. We went for coffee and cake, after she had a ride on a Thomas machine in the shopping mall. 50p is a small price to pay to see her face light up with such a huge grin. We finished our trip with another visit to the playground before turning for home in what passes for rush hour traffic round these parts.


I was struck by what a nice place Hereford would be to live in. In the past I have been unimpressed with it and thought it terribly provincial, but viewed through the eyes of a mother it has bags of character, especially round the cathedral and castle green, and it is surrounded by lovely countryside. Its compact city centre (like Durham it is really only large town graced with the presence of a cathedral) has improved a lot and there is a better range of shops these days, though the credit crunch may see some of them off again, perhaps. Once again I was surprised by a high level of customer service and politeness.

11 June 2009

After our long drive we needed a quiet day. In the morning we just went to Waitrose with Mum and Dad. I am starting to dread going shopping because I am instantly full of frustration about all the things I can get here that are not available (or are just too darned pricey) back home. Again, I was like a kid in a sweet shop as I walked the aisles. A veritable paradise for someone who enjoys good food. At the in store cafe I made the mistake of giving Emily a milk jigger to keep her amused while we had our coffee, and predictably she ended up with milk all over her clothes.

After lunch we finally got to see Nick on Skype, six days since we last saw him at Scarborough station. It was great to talk to him face to face and we had a good connection so the call wasn't the usual frustrating experience. I think Emily had forgotten our apartment, and seemed at first to struggle to recall even her old favourites, the stuffed beetle toy and the George the Giant book.

Afterwards we went to Raglan garden centre and I was again full of longing, for all the plants I would grow if I had a garden.

Emily loved the brightly coloured koi they had for sale and kept saying 'fishy' and 'eye' hopefully as we headed back to the car. Earlier grey skies had given way to a really clear afternoon and it very hot in the sunshine. We could see distant Pen-Y-Fan and Clee Hill as we drove home via picturesque country lanes.

10 June 2009

It was a showery day for our drive to Mum's. We managed to be ready at 10, right on schedule, after a parting visit to Grandma and Grandad, who seemed to have really enjoyed having Emily around these few days.

Emily was occupied for the first half an hour with a raw carrot, then slept until we got to Bletchley. I had intended to stop there for lunch anyway, at the huge garden centre Mum and I had happened across last year when returning from taking 6 week old Emily to see her family. She was happy as a pig in muck, because she found their large display of wind chimes and a section devoted to outdoor games and toys. She and I shared a meal of plaice and chips, messily. After an hour and a half I was itching to be on our way, and felt bad to have to end her fun and bundle her into the car.

She was very patient and we got as far as Tewkesbury before I stopped again. We had a nice half an hour wandering around the Abbey grounds in light rain, before the final leg of the journey to Pandy. Halfway along the motorway I was horrified to discover that she had managed to get her arms free of the car seat straps, and immediately dropped my speed, terrified of crashing. It didn't help that she spent half the trip saying 'crash', which she thinks is really funny.

We arrived at Mum's to a peal of thunder and a downpour, so had to postpone an exploration of the garden. Emily seemed to settle in quickly, though still too nervous to let me out of her sight. At least she remembered 'ma-maa' and 'ga-ga'. I don't know if it was switching from her cot tent to a wooden cot, but at bedtime she was crying hysterically and trying to climb out, before finally giving in to slumber.

9 June 2009

I had thought that I would have to cancel my planned trip to London to see Lorraine as there was a tube strike scheduled; however, luckily it turned out that it was not due to start until 7pm, so Emily and I duly boarded the train at eleven.

She was a bit fretful by the time we got to Liverpool Street and I had decided in any case to walk all the way to Westminster so that she would nap in the borrowed pushchair. It was quite nostalgic for me to emerge onto Bishopsgate and walk down Gracechurch Street towards London Bridge. As it was lunchtime, all the City workers were out and about. I found it hard to believe I used to be one of them, and felt that I stuck out like a sore thumb in my T-shirt and jeans, pushing a baby around the Square Mile. The walk along the south bank of the river was really pleasant, and took me back to the many times I ran that route while I was living in Wapping. In particular the part from Blackfriars to the Eye reminded me of the fateful night I first met Nick, at the Nomura fun run 6 years ago.

My plan had been to go to the London Aquarium, so that Emily would enjoy her afternoon, but when I got there I was dismayed to see that it would cost 16 pounds each. So when Lorraine arrived I suggested that we just stroll along the river, given that the forecast rain had so far failed to materialise. Emily was excited to see so many boats and trains, and there were lots of children around, especially in the playground near the Eye.

The afternoon passed very quickly, and we didn't find enough time to go into the Tate, though we sat outside for a while. It was hard to catch up on more than a year's worth of conversations, while dealing with a roving toddler. Lorraine hadn't changed at all and still looked the same as when I first met her about 10 years ago in the heady (aka stressful) days at Barcap.

The train back to Braintree was busy and it was hard to keep Emily under control. When we got back her first utterance was 'woof'; she has become obsessed with Gunner and follows him all around the garden.

8 June 2009

I took Emily and Grandma to visit Auntie Sheila in the morning. She seemed very well physically and mentally; not bad for a woman of about 80 who had recently been widowed after dealing with a husband stricken with Alzheimer's. It's hard to remember Grandma before she got so confused and forgetful. Grandad is in a sorry state physically but still pretty sharp for 93.

Trudie had borrowed a pushchair from her friend and I loaded Emily up so that I could walk her off to sleep after lunch. We walked up and down the old railway line path for a good hour; I caught up on Private Eye as I slowly pushed her along in the sunshine. When she woke she got very upset and wanted me to carry her. I couldn't carry her and push the buggy, so I told her she could either walk or ride. That didn't go down well: she promptly threw herself to the ground and there began her first full-blown tantrum. It was hard to keep my resolve and not pick her up. It broke my heart to see her so upset and know it was in my power to stop it, but I knew that I had to stick to my guns. After more than half an hour of me trying to coax her, and just about keeping my cool (especially in the face of inquisitive passers-by), I forced her into the buggy, with her arching her back in protest. Two minutes later she was fine, and getting excited about a plane overhead. Only her red eyes gave away what had happened.

We popped into town briefly later to meet Tim's mum, Eileen, for a coffee. It was nice to see her, and of course she was keen for details of our week away with Tom. Back in Fairfield Road the boys were home from school, and we played with them for a while before tea. Emily had a fantastic time climbing up onto their bunk beds, and rolling around inside Hayden's laundry bin.

7 June 2009

Emily is taking a while to adapt to yet another place and new faces. She seems quite nervous of John and Andy and is very clingy (to the extent that she had to sit in the bathroom with me while I showered, despite the lure of Ann's lap and Thomas on TV). She likes having Radley and Hayden around though, even though they are so much older. They are very good with her.

After her lunch, I bundled her into the car and drove to my friend David's place in South Woodham Ferrers. She was asleep in moments, and woke just as we pulled up. It had been raining heavily all morning, but as I travelled there the sky cleared, so we were able to sit out in the garden. It was great to see David, and also Steve, plus both their families. In the space of several years, their children had become almost unrecognisable. After a lifetime of unhealthy living, Steve had jacked in smoking and taken up fitness, even running the Marathon this year, so he was looking very toned and healthy. Emily seemed much more confident, perhaps because there were a couple of other kids there, and went off out of sight quite a bit, which made it easier to chew the fat with my old mates from the bad old Canary Wharf days.

Back at John and Ann's, the Fairfield Road contingent all sat down to Sunday dinner; Emily had her first roast, complete with beef, gravy, potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. She finished with tiramisu (alcohol-free of course).

6 June 2009

It was a bit of a fraught morning as we all scrambled to pack while trying to keep tabs on the kids. Tempers flared a bit and I suppose it did feel like it was time to part company. It had been a great week though, and so lovely to see the children playing together.


At ten we all set off on our journeys, with Emily and I moving on to Braintree for a few days. It was too difficult to arrange to drive in convoy in such heavy traffic, and we were all going different ways once past York. Emily fell asleep very quickly and didn't wake for an hour and a half, which got us as far as Doncaster. We had a long stop at Blyth for lunch. I had overheard stories about a long queue just ahead on the A1, and used a map in the shop to work out a detour through Retford. I was not the only one to divert that way, so it was slow progress, but I emerged onto the ghostly empty dual carriageway to see a huge tailback on the other side.


Emily was very good, and I passed her a selection of toys to keep her amused and awake until we stopped again at Peterborough Services. We played at the playground there for a while before the final push to Braintree. She got a bit upset during the last half an hour, then fell asleep just before we got there. Once at John and Ann's she perked up, especially when Gunner came bounding in, following him around saying 'eye' repeatedly. It must be tough for Emily to take in so many new houses and people, so not surprisingly she was very clingy and wouldn't let me out of her sight. Despite being so tired, she took age to settle down in the tent, but once she did, she (and I) had a good, undisturbed night.

5 June 2009

Nick had to get back to London as his flight was on Saturday, so we took him to Scarborough to get a train. Pam and Graham had lunch with us first, then Mum and Dad joined us at the station to see him off. I hated to see him go, even though it is only for two weeks. Back at the car park I soon realised that Nick had taken more than he'd meant to, ie. the car key. In a panic I ran back over to the station to plead for help. At first the girl in the ticket office was being a bit of a jobsworth and saying that there was nothing that she could do, but then she relented and called the next station, Malton, to see if they could intercept him. They got aboard and managed to retrieve the key from a very surprised Nick, and even said they'd have them sent back to Scarborough on the next train. Impressive service for the UK.

It had come on to rain as Mum, Dad and I waved Pam and Graham off on their way home, then we went to meet Fi, Sarah and co., who were in the shopping mall nearby. Emily made a beeline for a Thomas ride, and she and Fern had great fun on it, with Dan a couple of quid lighter by the end.

Though it was still raining lightly we decided to go for a walk down to the seafront. Sarah, Tim and Tom parted with us after a while as Tom needed to sleep, the rest of us continued. We took the old wood-lined funicular for the very short drop down the cliff to the shore. Right by the bottom there was a Night Garden ride, and another pound went on Emily and Fern taking a boat ride with Iggle Piggle.

The surf was up and there were quite a few surfers riding the waves. Emily and Fern enjoyed their walk, though I had to carry Emily a fair bit and wished I had a pushchair for her. Eventually I had to borrow Fi's. I was quite impressed with Scarborough and thought it didn't deserve its reputation as it actually seems a genteel sort of place, with lots of pleasant shops and cafes.

The weather was deteriorating rapidly, so we all set back off for the comfort of the cottage over roads enveloped in thick cloud. The children went wild, having a madcap chase round and round the huge kitchen table with the doll buggies.

4 June 2009

With Graham's arrival, we could now go for our day out on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Somehow we all managed to get ready in time to leave at 9.30 for the short drive over hill and down dale to Grosmont station. We were in good time, so had plenty of opportunity to watch the engines come and go, and admittedly it was quite exciting. Our train was puffing away quietly as we climbed aboard the old-fashioned carriage. We were lucky to get several seats together as it was the first departure of the day and therefore busy.

The hour-long journey to Pickering was nothing short of spectacular. It was all that's best in English scenery: wild moorland, deep, wooded valleys, babbling brooks, cute lambs and calves, pheasants, and accompanied by billows of white steam hanging among the delicate new leaves of trackside birch trees.

At Pickering we watched the locomotive change ends for the return trip, like obsessed schoolboys. Emily was brave when it whistled, and mustered a wave for the departing passengers.

It seemed expedient to eat at the station cafe as we only had less than an hour before our return train. Unfortunately they struggled to cope with a flood of orders, and Nick and I only got 10 minutes to wolf down our food before departure time. Emily battled sleep until halfway back before settling uncomfortably on Nick's lap. Graham imparted various tidbits of info to add flavour to the ride back to Grosmont, where we then spent some time looking round the sheds and admiring various engines.

Later Pam, Nick, Emily and I went to Larpool again to see Nick's Gran. Emily was very taken with her collection of necklace, and her extensive range of toys.

Before dinner Graham, Nick and I went for a run. We had to begin with a fairly stiff climb before half a mile on the level on a moorland road. From there we had a brief glimpse of coast before beginning a lengthy downhill section, ending up at a beck. We followed the undulating Coast to Coast footpath that tracked the small river down to Midge Hall, passing through lovely mature woodland of oak, beech, sweet chestnut and maple. Finally we emerged down the road from the farm. I had never properly recovered from the climb at the start, and had to walk the final 100 metres or so to our cottage, but it was a very rewarding run, nonetheless.

3 June 2009

The weather had turned decidedly cooler but it was still bright and clear. We said our goodbyes to Kate, who was setting off back to Adlington, then went into Whitby. Fi and Dan went their own way for the day, and Dad and Tim were doing a 10 mile walk via Robin Hoods Bay. That left me, Nick and Emily, Sarah and Tom, Mum and Pam.

We settled on taking a half hour boat trip first, as we were offered a good deal and we thought we should go in case the weather changed (a good plan, as it turned out). For now, the sky was azure, with some interesting cloud formations above us.

Our vessel was the old lifeboat, Mary Ann Hepworth, manned by a sailor in a thin T-shirt; we were huddled in several layers as a vigorous north wind chilled us. He thought it may be too rough out on the open sea, and as we inched slowly out between the jaws of the two long piers he declared that we had better turn back and cruise up-river instead. As he carried out the turning manoeuvre we were tossed around in the swell like a toy boat, and we were perfectly happy with his decision.

The Esk Valley was very pretty, and we travelled up as far as a picturesque red brick viaduct that towered over us.

An added bonus was the river's proximity to the railway line, because we were fortunate to catch some glimpses of a steam train as it left Whitby.

After our ride we led the others to our old haunt, Sanders Yard, for a slap-up lunch. Emily and Tom were kept entertained by a chest of toys at the restaurant, and we were early enough to bag some squishy chairs in the lounge area. Back out in the chill wind we walked up the 199 steps to the abbey.

Emily had dropped off in the carrier, and as it was spitting with rain we took refuge in the gift shop, to the detriment of our funds. On the way back into town we called in at Fortunes smokery to get some of their famous kippers

then joined the few other hardy souls braving the biting wind on the exposed jetty. It was quite exhilarating to see the huge rollers pound the pier.

Graham arrived in the evening, still a bit sooty after a day cleaning steam trains at Bury. It was a baptism of fire for him, as Tom and Fern galloped around in a state of high excitement. He must have wondered what he was letting himself in for.

2 June 2009

We woke at the civilised hour of 7am to another fabulous day.

Eventually we all gathered ourselves together and drove in several cars over to Staithes. The village is so inaccessible that all visitors have to park on the clifftop and walk ten minutes down a 1 in 4 hill to the harbourside.

It was a fantastic spot for a family day out, and improved further by a very decent cafe with great coffee and good food. There is a small sandy beach with almost becalmed water, backed by picturesque houses (including one of Captain Cook's first dwellings). We all had a great couple of hours playing on the sand before it was time to head for home. I was sorry we hadn't made it down there years ago as it seemed so idyllic.

Nick was determined to take Emily in for another dip, but as before she yelled when the cold water surprised her. She did calm down quickly afterwards though, and was soon sat on an upturned boat gnawing a stone.

After hanging out at the farm a while we took a stroll down to Falling Foss. The children had a wonderful time sploshing in the shallow stream

before we moved on into the garden of Midge Hall for tea and cake. Emily was very lively, really liking the tyre swing.

I saw a robin and some wagtails, and I realised that I mustn't take them for granted as there don't seem to be any in Japan.

In the evening we finally put the games room to some use and had a brief snooker tournament. There was still some light in the sky as we retired at eleven. In Japan it doesn't stay light much beyond 8pm, as it is further south and they don't have daylight saving.

1 June 2009

Nick, Emily and I went to Flamingoland, near Pickering, where we met up with Pam, Kate and Gran. Pam had promised her animal-loving Mum a trip to see the tigers, and we thought that Emily would enjoy the animals and the child-friendly rides.

After seeing some giraffes, zebras, ostriches and rhinos it was Emily's lunchtime, so Nick and I took her off to one of the cafes to eat her ready meal, which the staff kindly heated up. Maybe it was the distraction of the nearby softplay area or the blaring music, but she got very upset and refused to eat. As I had PMT I was very frustrated and also got worked up to the point where I felt I might cry. There followed an hour of soul-searching and reasoning. All toddlers have difficult patches but it doesn't help to know that when it is you going through it.

Eventually I gave up trying to feed her and calmed down a bit, and we carried on. We took the cow-patterned 'People-Moover' monorail for the short distance to Muddy Duck Farm, where we checked out the livestock. Kate and Nick split off to try a few rides in the theme park, and I took Emily on a tame helicopter ride. Afterwards we took a little train around the zoo, then a small wild west-style Ferris wheel. Nick and Kate emerged dripping from the log flume and then it was my turn to try a white knuckle ride. I plumped for Velocity, a rollercoaster that seemed tame as it didn't go upside down or particularly high. My mistake was in not taking into account the name, speed being its main point of interest. Kate and I sat astride a pair of pseudo-motorbikes, leaning into the body with our feet firmly wedged in a streamline position. Though I had watched previous groups go off, I was totally unprepared for the force of 24 metres per second (0-60mph in a second or two). There followed a minute of gut-wrenching swoops and curves at mega-speed, during which I feared I might actually black out, before we were safely deposited at the end, with my stomach several metres behind me and my knees quivering. I was pleased I had given it a shot though. Kate, being a bit of a thrill-seeker, went on yet again afterwards with Nick.

In the evening, Nick's friends Sarah and Richard and Rachel and Chris came over from York to see us. We had wondered if one of them would have a surprise for us and, yes, Sarah was 23 weeks pregnant with No. 2. We set off for a meal in Ruswarp, but having decided where to sit and what we wanted to drink, we discovered that the kitchen was closed for renovation. We carried on to what seemed to be the only pub in Sleights, to find that the barman was on his own for the night and struggling to cope. Eventually we got a passably good meal; in the meantime we had a good chat and Nick, Sarah and Rachel mulled over some of the more colourful parts of their student days. I even learned something new about my husband, though I wish I hadn't!