There was one in the bed

It was strange last night, putting one small boy to bed and tucking one small boy in later in the evening. This morning we were able to waken up in our own time and I was able to go upstairs to get the small boy out of his bed. Rowan is very good at staying in bed until someone goes to get him, although when that someone is Sean or Finn he usually goes from 0 to 90 in no time and is soon shouting his way around the house. Last night Finn went away for his first sleepover, to Zoe's house. Sean was on his third and last night of a second caravan holiday with the Patersons, down at Melrose this time. So we only had Rowan to feed, change and put to bed. He's enough of a handful on his own anyway!

Sean sounds very grown up when he phones home. He and Ross were doing laps of the campsite on their bikes, motivated by money to try removing their stabilisers. In the event, they came home with one stabiliser each. They visited Floors Castle where Sean really liked filling in the quiz as they went round and went for a walk yesterday despite the heavy showers. The boys ended up with chocolate and strawberry ice-creams. he has thoroughly enjoyed his two caravan holidays and is asking if we can go on one sometime. I'm not sure if Sharon and I are up to the thought of four children in a confined space!

Without Sean, Finn and Rowan tend to be a bit rudderless. I took them to see Lesley and Stuart on Saturday then on to Beecraigs Park where we went for a walk in the woods, following the blue trail. Rowan did well to walk the 1.25 miles, only complaining towards the end after Finn had bumped him to the ground and left him with dirty wet knees. They had a good play in the playpark then we drove home, them asleep and me silently cheering St.Mirren's 2-0 victory over Falkirk which lifted them off the bottom of the league and more or less assured their survival this season. On Monday, Rowan, Finn and I went to Ratho on a fruitless trip to the soft play. It was too busy, so we looked in Tiso, had lunch and came home via Sainsburys and IKEA. Zoe came round and that was Finn happy again. Zoe even came to watch him do his swimming lesson. Sharon said they were funny, waving to each other. Finn is now at Zoe's swimming lesson, no doubt looking to pass on some tips as he closes in on the last couple of stickers that would earn him his yellow hat.

I started the annual hedge-trimming today, doing the front and driveway hedges. I didn't cut the cable this time (it gets shorter ever year): today's feature mishap was standing on the cable as I lifted up the trimmer, thereby pulling the wires out of the connector. Just about every time I use that trimmer I end up having to repair something!