Gruffalo day today. We went to Eastleigh (always a treat), with 2 kindred spirits, Andrea and Gillian, with assorted family members, to The Point for 'The Gruffalo Child' play. It was impressive. The actors were very talented and there were only 3 of them.

I cycled to Eastleigh. And home. Our serious car share trial began yesterday, so car use at weekends only, and I am starting as I mean to go on, even though Hat still has her car for 2 weeks, she is insured and the car is for her use Mon to Fri. It means we are doing a few creative journeys this holiday, and it is good that we are both 'j' people which means we plan ahead. Have to, to work out how to get everyone and stuff to right place at right time. Might need to get some panniers, and really need some cycle clips as have ripped another pair of trousers. I have started folding them up to the knee to avoid more mishaps, so if you spot a crazy cyclist with one trouser leg up and one down you can keep safely assume it is me.

Yesterday was a Hannah day. We spent the whole day together, got loads of activities packed in including pottery painting, hair cuts, swimming and a pub tea, and did it all on the buses ( 4 different trips.) Did Harefield to Bitterne, Bitterne to Woolston, Woolston to St Marys and then home on a number 7 to the top end of Thornhill. Woolston has a poundland shop which had modelling balloons, which H has desired for ages, so we bought some. H made her money back on them, as in the pub at tea time a gang of old guys on the next table were so impressed one of them gave her a pound coin. She made them benches and dogs, she actually is not bad at all at them, a skill worth nuturing for a lucrative career if the job at BLC doesn't come off.

My hair cut was a highlight of yesterday for me. I was there for ages, and H had hers done and made many balloon animals while she waited for me. I had it dried straight, which takes forever, and was well chuffed with my 'stepped out of the salon look'. However, swimming a couple of hours later does not do much for straight hair, and I was back to curly as ever within seconds of entering the water. By the time we reached the pub, I was feeling a bit despondent because I LIKE having my hair straight and it was curly again by then. We sat down in the pub, and one of the balloon model fan club walked in and looked at me and said: 'That hair style... amazing, looks incredible...' to me! To my normal curls!!!! I wonder if he was an angel sent by God to encourage me, which seems crazy, why would God be interested in my hair being curly or straight? But then the bible says that he notices each hair on our heads, and it is very hard for me to imagine a God who would be that involved with me. So, have taken it as an affirmation of my being made in God's image. Which is curly as well as straight.