Lathany

Bea went for her six monthly check-up this morning.

( How was little big head doing ? )

And as for the weekend, bateleur's Swordsmaster game was on the Saturday.

( Troubled Times in Monde )

What else ? Well, as ever, I'm concentrating on finishing book number two (for which I need a name) whilst juggling with babies and hiding from the heat. I'm counting down the days until the twins go off to Cambridge again (two or three depending on how it's measured) and making vague plans for things to do in their absence.

And Final Fantasy VIII has reached disc three.

I woke up this morning to find a bruise had come up on my knee. An incomplete circle with gaps where Beatrice's teeth haven't yet come through. Yes - she bit me yesterday evening. And it hurt. A lot.

Coming downstairs I found feathers all over the lounge. Blackbird feathers. No prizes for guessing what Emily had for breakfast. So I got out the vacuum cleaner and removed them all before the twins came down for their weetabix.

I hope that today improves.

Yesterday bateleur and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary. My parents were babysitting so we went to Swans (the best local restaurant) and then came home for drinks. It appears that we have managed to settle into a routine, see this !

Additionally Frances sent me a detailed review of Mourn's Gift. It agreed with most of the points that chrestomancy (and bateleur) made and gave me some ideas of how to improve the structuring of my writing to make a detailed plot more understandable (not to mention dealing with the problems caused by a cast of thousands). Some of this won't come in until I start book number three, though, 'cos my second book is over half-way through. There was also another vote for Obero as favourite character (who she described as "a slightly conceited shiny pigeon"). That gives Obero two votes, Mire one and Varilor one. And that copy will now be passed to venta.

My mother returned the Buffy and Angel tapes for episodes in the late-teens and the Hex trilogy (which she enjoyed) in exchange for the end of Buffy and Angel and bateleur's copy of Waking Dream. She'll also get the latest Harry Potter - once bateleur has finished with it.

All in all, a good day.

It's been a good weekend. bateleur's sister Josie was over on Saturday evening for twin-visiting, dinner and conversation. She's currently settling back in London and bateleur's has already commented on this.

On Sunday, chrestomancy ran a game for zandev, ao_lai, Frances, bateleur and myself. And the theme was Final Fantasy.

( Gunblades, Limit Breaks, Chocobos and a soundtrack )

Now I'm done I had better let the box-watcher and her brother see Teletubbies, or I could be in real trouble.

Saturday was a time for abandoning my offspring to the loving care of their father and disappearing Stratford-wards with chrestomancy for Measure for Measure.

( Measure for Measure )

Sunday was the day that my craving for spring rolls resulted in bateleur getting food-poisoning and for kirian and Pete coming round for a game and dinner.

( The Maunder Legacy - shortest game ever run by me )

I spent Sunday evening talking to my parents on the telephone about their holiday in America (they flew to Denver and did all the touristy stuff) and consequently have babysitters for bateleur and my eighth wedding anniversary next week (they missed the twins and were delighted to offer).

Despite still looking rather white, bateleur has gone into work today. This is despite always telling me that I tended to go in too readily when I was ill...

Yesterday was my Athory session.

( Will the real Duke Lawrence step forward please ? )

Meanwhile, fed up with baby food, Beatrice had been eying up the session snacks. She started by trying a few grapes - but found them rather large for her mouth. Undeterred, she looked around for something better; and found it. She sneaked up to the closed pack of mini muffins. As soon as she was certain that all the adults were pre-occupied with their strange game, she opened it and pulled out two mini-muffins sticking one straight in her mouth. Then of course, she was spotted. Mummy confiscated both muffins, then relented and gave one back after peeling the paper off of it. Mummy also whisked out the camera and took photographs. There were many chocolatey crumbs and expressions of enjoyment. Then Daddy returned from the bathroom to be told all about it.

Beatrice in a chocolatey mess is always bateleur's baby (as opposed to mine). Daddy got out the vacuum cleaner. He vacuumed the crumbs up off the floor (despite Bea's best efforts to pick them up and stuff them in her mouth first) and then vacuumed the Beatrice. Bea didn't like this at all and burst into tears ("I've never seen her so upset" exclaimed chrisvenus). However a couple of hugs later and she had recovered.

chrestomancy stuck around to do his saintly babysitting bit, so bateleur and I went out for a curry after cotting the babies. It's been several months since I last went for curry. I usually prefer chinese because meals out since the babies have been rare and the chinese is better. However I enjoyed my lamb pasanda, boiled rice (I've not been able to cope with the richness of any other type of rice since my post-pregnancy diet), peshwari nan and carribean coffee.

And Dom's mother confirmed that the babies will be disappearing again in thirty-three days time...

Well, Buffy may be over, but Angel's finale is next week.

( Angel - Peace Out )

I noticed that the Buffy episode was Amends which I assume means that Angel won the vote. The runner-up will be a more interesting contest, although I imagine Spike will probably get it. As for the girls though, is there any doubt that Willow will win ? Again, the runner-up will be the more interesting part.

In other news, it seems to have cooled down out there so the twins are more cheerful. Plus I have all the spaghetti carbonara ingredients for this evening.

Today was a rare occasion - I cooked the twins some meat for lunch.

( Toddlers and their food )

I also went clothes shopping for the two of them.

( Girls only wear pink )

Also I enjoyed food shopping in Tesco. I would have preferred to find their "chocolate pots" in stock, but the air-conditioning was enough to prompt an extended stay. I hate the heat. Whenever it goes above 22 degrees C I wilt, and right now it's on 30.

This time, from onebyone.

( another five questions with long answers )

As ever - I am happy to provide more questions to anyone who wants them.

Yesterday I finally finished the king of doorstops - a hardbacked version of Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.

( I hated it )

Bea's physiotherapy is drawing to a close, which would mark the end of all the twins "special attention" visits by various health experts. Except... if they don't start talking (in English) soon they'll get speech therapy. This is moderately depressing. I don't actually think they have a long term problem and I do like the people that have been working with them, but I've had my fill of visits now. I want the whole saga of special treatment to be over.

Outside of toddler-stuff, my time has been pretty story-heavy. I've written a short story, continued with my second book and generally been waiting for some feedback on Mourn's Gift. Plus I have a couple of Shakespeare trips due (Measure for Measure - 28th June, Twelfth Night - 28th July) that I'm looking forward to.

Roleplaying-wise, bateleur's Monde game is this weekend and my Athory campaign continues next weekend. Plus a number of one-offs and a third Dragon-blooded session are due to happen soon. Then, in six weeks time, I have another twinless week planned.

Life can be good.