I played two lots of 9 o clock tennis today. That was 9am with Dolcie from my beginners class, who managed to beat me 3 games to 2 when we were scoring, and has a wicked serve. Then 9pm tennis, which is R and I's regular slot, and today we were joined with another of my new tennis buddies, Jo. She is about as bad as me. R played against us, ie one vs two, and the only way we got anything like an even game (ie we won 1, he won 9) was when we made him play right handed. Things were so bad we were going to blindfold him and make him hop, just so we could get the odd point. I did my swimming practice straight after, and so in this last 24 hours 10% of my time has been devoted to exercising.

The girls and I had a lovely time in the Hedge End park next to the library, where I got chatting (for once it was someone else who started it) to someone which passed the time, and A made a lovely little friend to go on the swings etc with. Someone at work said that she and her son have a summer holiday challenge to go to a different park everyday, which I like. We did the park next to my new school the other day, a short, pleasant walk from Royal Victoria Park and a mlluch better selection of play equipment than in the parks by the tea shop. We popped into Hedge End library on a quest for as many CDs as possible to listen to on summer jouneys in the car. Maybe we could add to the park a day challenge, and add a library a day to it? we are enjoying some books by Jeanne Willis and Korky Paul called 'Crazy Jobs' and also reading Mr Gum by Andy Stanton. I totally recommend his writing, even if you don't have children, he loves words. I just found out about a course I want to do, it is an MA in Children's literature. I did English literature A level and wanted to study fairy tales at university, but didn't realise you actually could, so did Environmental Sciences. So, this could be my big chance, and as I have an MSc it would only be right to get an MA too. However, I don't think this year coming up would be the best time to start it, so am resisting and going to have a look at it again for next September, maybe. Its a distance learning course, and as I learn by talking, that might be a struggle for me.

H came to school with me today and proved to be very nifty on the paper trimmer, helping me out immensely. There still seems a lot to do, but the classroom is now clean and getting a bit of order in it! Meanwhile at home, A and R were busy cleaning out the playroom, with the objective of ridding it of cat wee smell once and for all. This involved sawing the bottom sections off all the shelves and 3 washes of the floor. We have put a fair few bits of toys/tat on freecycle, and are hoping to be able to do the ironing in the play room, as its not much fun having an ironing board in your bedroom. Where do other people keep theirs? It should be renamed the office/ironing room, as no one plays in it much. Only to do messy craft projects. A's project of the day was cutting hair off the doll's head thing she has and gluing it inside a shoebox. A bit macabre. She said her doll's head looked like a freak. It did before she cut its hair off, now it looks like a freak who had an appointment with the worst hairdresser in Britain.

R took the tents down at Netley, as a whole day passed without precipitation. Hurrah! And he took them for their obligatory daily dip at the pool while I tried to tidy the house up a bit ready for Wendy.

Most exciting of all, H and I went to Bitterne today, to pick up my prescription from Superdrug, and to buy some buns for us all in the Baker's Oven. H had some goes on the slide, but she is now so big for it, she gets to the bottom before she has left the top. On the noticeboard was a sign which said Bitterne's got talent! Geddit! It was asking for people to sign up to do a turn at some local talent contest. Now, how good is that? Sadly I don't have any talents which work on stage. yet.