has passed us by but this year I was a bit more on the case..we had home-grown apples, plums and even a couple of lemon drizzle cakes made by me! I have become a domestic goddess after all!

Managed to contain Esther this year who just danced in the pew instead of down the aisle although I had strategically positioned Andrew at the end in case anyone needed to capture the mad escapee.

Just had a few days in Edinburgh during half-term - caught up with lots of folk and saw Todd loads which was lovely. Ettie did have a very funny question for him..he thought she was just wibbling and responded "it’s over there…" in fact - as Rawdy translated - she was asking Todd "where is your hair?" When she thought about it - she added that it had possibly blown off in the wind!

Had Rawdy’s parents evening the other night. He’s now in Class 1 at Clunbury and his form and headteacher, Mrs Greenaway, confirmed that he is a genious. She said "We are only really beginning to realise exactly how bright he actually is". He’s being taught with the year 2’s and is apparently doing their work rather than year 1 work.

Genet has been and gone. She decided to move down to London to try to get a job.

Other news: Rawdy has lost his first two teeth and was thrilled that the tooth fairy left him £1 for each one - lots of bird-like arm flapping and jumping up and down with excitement.

Had Rawdon’s harvest festival last Friday. The usual massive stress the night before about what the hell to give. Nothing in the fridge - managed to find an old marrow, some jam tarts, horseradish sauce and four penguin bars..mmm. was quite relieved to see that the other children on the school bus seemed to have equally odd offerings.

The service was at Clunbury Church..the children performed a harvest samba and a rock n’roll number. Ettie was rocking down the aisles until she saw Rawdon’s class get up to perform a poem when she ran to the front. She stood inches infront of him shouting Rawdy, Rawdy - he was chuckling in a sort of embarrassed way. Very funny. I felt quite uplifted by the whole thing…

Other news last week was that Genet arrived on Sunday in the pouring rain…quite an adjustment for her and for us. Not all the natives have been brimming with hospitality. I think she was surprised by how very, very far we are from London.

The children were delighted to see her.

Still no news on Andrew…feeling very grim about how long he may have to stay in Sudan for.

Ettie’s big teeth are coming through so she’s doing a lot of early hours squaking.

Sirian’s 40th today! Can’t quite believe. Going over to drink champagne at her new Church Stretton mansion (she moved in last week)

The world in language according to Ettie (16 months and a bit)…..in order of preference:

Rawdy, Daddy, No, Yes, Juice, Mummy, Duck…uh oh..and now we’re scraping the barrel..that’s it….

Sunny days in beautiful south Shropshire. Loving being back in Broome with the children but really missing Andrew who’s still in Sudan. Mum’s here at the moment helping me while I whizz about working at Radio Shropshire. I’m enjoying the job - it’s really interesting. I still feel like I’m getting into it even I started two months ago. Budget day so lots of analysing and number crunching.

Big news here is that Ettie has just started walking - last week really but she did her first few wobbly steps while Andrew was here (week of May 21st). Rawdy has started going to the nursery at Clunbury School and he’s loving it. I am taking him for a taster day at Moor Park on Thursday just to look at all of our options but we’ll see….

He has just started reading his very first books which is fantastic. Very early stages but he’s doing well. He and Fenn have been going to Greek dancing lessons together on Monday afternoons and they have a show at Concord College on Saturday.

Mum has bought or certainly made an offer on the house next door which is great news.

Had a great few days with dad a week or so ago and with Todd who came down from Edinburgh.

two-day haboob in khartoum. looks like the whole city is very foggy.

just back after a week in Zanzibar with the Holmes family - Jo, Tim, Ben, Elizabeth and Sam. a much needed break only marred by Zanzibar’s power cuts

Ettie seems to have come on leaps and bounds while we were away. she’s now speed crawling and pulling herself up as often as possible. She’s really becoming a proper little person. She’s now sleeping all through the night until around 7am.

Rawdy is getting more and more enthusiastic about painting and drawing and will spend hours doing art work. He’s also started asking us to help him write words

 He comes out with some funny little things. After bedtime the other night I caught him playing with his toys after I’d told him not to…he said he wasn’t playing but then admitted that he was playing but just in his heart!

 Looking at schools for him now in the UK. Clunbury, Shrewsbury High and Bedstone in the frame.

got job on wednesday. now race to find decent primary school - wish we could do prestfelde

went to a "street party" at KICS this evening. Exotic food, stalls - variation on the British fete theme with v hot weather

Rawdy’s total highlight was the prospect of a clown performing. He had even spent the day making the clown a collage (which said on the back "Clown, lots of love Rawdy and Ettie, Mummy and Daddy").

The clown came on stage to rawdon’s delight at 7.30pm…R was raucous! laughing, shouting and loving it. I had to restrain him to stop him running onto the stage to give the clown his picture but in the end I couldn’t. He ran down the steps of the amphitheatre and onto the stage and gave the clown his collage, they shook hands, hugged, the clown gave him a miniature rubber chicken and waved him goodbye!!

So brave and confident!!

Ettie started some wobbly crawling maneouvres (can’t spell) last week.

Latin american goodwill ambassador for UNICEF came last week to sudan. check out his youtube video afterwards http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PDiBGpq2tI 

went for a massage last saturday because I was so hassled - haven’t been able to move my neck for a week.

still waiting to find out about political reporter job.

feel very out of touch and think we all fancy a bit of time back in the UK. we’ll see

Ettie cut her first teeth over Christmas..lots of 4am waking..very unlike her…

She is nearly nine months - sitting up very well, rolling and able to get into the crawling position but so far unable to move beyond bouncing up and down….

had to have her haircut over christmas at Shampers in Church Stretton - she couldn’t see out becuase her hair was so long at the front and she was weighed down by the mullet at the back

Back in Sudan after two fabulous but hectic weeks back in the UK. It was snowy when we arrived on Dec 22nd and carried on being very icy and cold throughout.

We had everyone for Christmas Day in Broome (Mum, dad, Chad, Laura, Gabriel, Todd, Peter, Audrey, Laura’s mother Anne) which was fantastic. Peter and Audrey drove over from Leominster every day but everyone else stayed on Christmas Day night.

We saw Sirian, Fenn, Tabs and Arthur Gilbert almost every day. The boys even got a couple of trips to the play barn in. We also went for a few lovely walks. We did a walk behind the Ragleth Inn on New Year’s Day with Sirry, Fenn, T-s, Kay and Kimberley, mum, Dad, Chad, Laura, gabriel and up to Founder’s Folly on our last day which was magnificant - a crisp, icey day (bit of car sliding dwon lanes) with blue skies and the most extraordinary views - with Sirry’s friend Tracey and her cousin and family who hold the key to the folly.

We also had Ben and Lucy to stay on the 28th which was great and Andrew and I managed a night away on our own. We went to the walnut Tree near to Abergavenny and stayed in one of their gorgeous cottages. We also managed a night out at Housman’s in Church Stretton with Sirry, Kay and Kimberly - really good fun.

Now back in Sudan - back at work at UNICEF…swimming and catching up with friends so quite nice really..not too hot yet….