LOVELY CHILDREN

David and I have been congratulating ourselves (again) recently.  We really like our children, despite the fact that sometimes the way we talk about them you'd think they drove us up the wall constantly.

I think what particularly surprises and impresses us both is the fact that other people seem to like our children as well.  I think - being big-headed for a moment - we have three very nice looking and mostly quite charming children.  Edward and Isabella in particular both seem to like people and to approach them in a friendly way, assuming they won't get rebuffed, and so most of the time that's exactly what happens - they end up making friends.  Edward was cruising over to Penny and holding her hand this evening after I'd been running her and she was here for supper, which was really nice.

Louis was also here for supper and stayed on a bit chatting after Penny and Tim had left.  He said we seem to have met some really good people.  I think he's right.  David and I both feel settled here: our 'souls' feel right, and we feel more embedded in the community (and the countryside?) than we have anywhere else.

We've talked about moving to Canada, but I'm not sure our hearts are in it.  I'm sure Cumbria will come up with more money for us sooner or later - and as David said this morning, which would we rather have - Edward or more money?  There's no decision to make.

We feel great with our trail running and the ability to get out into the countryside whenever we want to (it's right on our doorstep, not a half-hour's drive in the car); and in addition doing my singing/music and writing again is fulfilling for me, even if I'm not earning much.

Every time I go to a city and to nice shops (Aberdeen, Newcastle - even Carlisle occasionally) I think it would be nice to have a bit of a windfall to splash out on new things with: but I'm conscious that there's very little I really need.  And if our children grow up happy and confident and manage to achieve happy, confident lives, then that's - at the moment - all I ask.