H and I had a swim at The Quays today, very peaceful, we were in there for about an hour or so around tea time. The recent threat to the Under 7s free swimming, which was going to be 'axed' under Conservative council budget cuts, was actually turned around completely by Southampton's new Lib/Lab administration, which has increased it to all Southampton resident and educated children up to 12. I feel personally responsible for this U turn, as I wrote an email in protest at the cuts. So, please bother to vote at the start of May, and please vote for a Lib or a Lab, purely so my children can continue to get free and unlimited swimming at The Quays. Sorry to get so political and use this blog as blatant canvassing, but, surely the Bowens' swimming prowess is a campaign worth getting behind? H can do the 'caterpillar' stroke now - like the butterfly but without the arms.

We bought new school shoes today, and had the marvellous experience of sharing the John Lewis children's shoe department with the most fantastically plummy ladies with their offspring, who must live in another world to me, with their children dressed in jodphurs and with their fabulous 'Winchester set' country casual look. I really do find it harder and harder to realise that I share my world with people from such a different world, and we probably only live a few miles apart. Like Curdridge or Colden Common or somewhere out there. We only go to John Lewis for shoes because R started the tradition when H was small and he liked the fact that they page you to let you know when to come back to be served rather than waiting. We have been to the Clarks in Woolston a few times in my bid to 'buy local' but the girls see John Lewis as the only place to buy shoes worth a mention.