While in Chiswick - on a soggy walkabout...

...gets her first pigtails!

While in Chiswick - a tea party

While in Chiswick

The family of 5....at no time is everyone awake OR still at the same time. G was asleep and still. M and V awake and in motion. The parents were awake and still, in as much as they could be with an arm load of toddler and babe. It was momentous having them all in the same room hence the shot!

While in Chiswick

While in Chiswick

V and the giant chicken.
G and the mobile world.

While in Chiswick

M goes to school 5 days a week from about 9:30 am to 4:30 or 5:oo pm. When she gets home there is a routine that starts first with washing hands. Because of the babies there was constant washing of hands. M. coming straight from play school was no exception!

Then catch a show or two. This one was " Tokoro" on her own little computer.

Mickey Mouse is also a big hit at the house. There were so many times I wanted a video of that scene...M. seated in front of the tv, riveted, snack eaten, if it was eaten at all, unknowingly. J and I, one or the other with a feeding baby in arm, both staring in equal mesmorized states, at one version after the other of Mickey Mouse and pals. In the semi darkness, when we spoke at all, it was to voice opinions as to which characters we liked best.t. Pete, for example, is a bit confusing. Is he good, bad or dumb?

This inert scene however always ended with the Hot Dog Dance that comes at the end of each Mickey Mouse show. Up jump all, including the mama or gammy with the feeding baby to join the cast and Marlena in the dance. I did a mean Goofy and J was superb as Minnie Mouse. Hot Diggity Dog!

So Grand

Back home, missing babies M, J and O but thrilled to be here as well. I may be the only person in Jackson happy to be here in November. As you can see from the above, snow is on the mountains. The valley is ochre except for the evergreens, the cottonwood trees and aspens are bare and, even on a beautiful day, there is a sense of waiting for the first BIG snow.

It is quiet. No lines in the grocery, most are restaurants closed until early December and only the year rounders ( and us who think we are year rounders and are not) are here.

A walk on the levee yesterday gave us a spot of 3 trumpeter swans on a pond near the river. Today on the same walk, one flew in a recon circle as we approached letting us know that they were there first - a polite suggestion we turn about which we did. The trumpeter wingspan looks to be about 7 feet. As close as we were, the swan in flight was a beautiful sight.

Earlier while practicing piano a beautiful solo buck rounded the corner of the house. I stopped playing, he stopped walking and for about 2 minutes we looked each other eye to eye. Communion.

When in London the days were blessedly filled with baby feeding, burping, changing, the school run, cooking, an occasional outing with J for lunch- little time for posting. I do have more images to add though - great memories for me - and will post those very soon. As always, stay tuned.

A Two Year Old Trail

And The Other Doll!

The Doll

A Doll's Bath

For Aunt L

there is a bear in there somewhere!

Kidding Around in the UK

G- did you hear the one about the horse that went into the bar?
V- not that one again!

v-just kidding!