Vegetables

Okay - who had bets on how long I would last before I strangled my kids? We left Auckland on May 17th, and today is June 17th. One month. I'm sure I've failed all bets miserably!

Today I had them all to myself as Ralph went off to Florence for the day. He came back buzzing, full of gorgeous shoe shops, delicatessens, food markets and cobbled streets (I turned a Gucci shade of green). As Ralph was away, Mathew and I were not able to do the usual schoolwork so by mid morning, he and Ana were at each other's throats and by midday I felt like my first glass of Chianti. We managed our walk in the afternoon and came across a mother duck and around 20 ducklings (I always thought Mother Ducks had five little ducks that went out one day, over the hill and far away). A great discovery and we had immediate thoughts about asking the owner for a duckling to take home...although I'm not sure he/she would be very safe here!

Then I cooked dinner - roast chicken and veggies. I think we have to have a rule from now on that lunch and dinner must include one vegetable - bread and salami does not a healthy dinner make! Nor does pizza or pasta alone. We are going to have to get tough, which may lead to more blogs like this where I mention violent acts against my children! Watch this space!