Marie's Web Log

Hee hee... just kidding. I don't look this good. The swimsuit (or as Amelia would say, "swimsoup") is quite similar, though the stripes down the side of mine are blue. My cap is blue, too. Makes a lovely mark on my forehead.

Thanks Dale, by the way. I can always depend on you for some unwarranted ego boosting. It did occur to me after I posted my last entry that I am, strictly speaking, biologically old enough to be a grandmother.

We drove up to Bristol yesterday. It's a larger city about an hour's drive north of here. Population of about 300,000 or 400,000 I think. We went to the City Museum and Art Gallery, which is in quite a spectacular building. I had a quick look round the paintings while Ian took Amelia through the Natural History part. (Nice thing about many British museums - the ones run by local councils, anyway - is they're free.) We had lunch there, then set off (walking) to find a Chinese supermarket we'd read about. We got a bit lost, so ended up going the roundabout way. Amelia has been suffering from a cold and by the time we got to the supermarket she was at the end of her tether, so poor Ian had to take her back to the car while I shopped. Got a few things for Chinese New Year. I'll describe them more another time. We're having the Mandarin playgroup at our house this coming Sunday, which is Chinese New Year's Day, and then the week after we're having a small party, also in honour of the new year. (Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally last for 15 days. And no, Dale, that doesn't mean 15 days of drinking!)

It has been about 25 years since Ian had been to Bristol. (I'd never been.) He thought it had changed for the better. Like many British cities, its waterfront and quay area has been fixed up, and the outdoor cafes give it a continental European air. It was nice to see a bit more diversity in the people, too. And the shopping looked good. (Mum, we might be making a trip up when you come!)

Amelia is going through the infamous Y stage. No, not "Y," "Why!" As in, "What are you doing Mummy?" "I'm changing a lightbulb." "Why?" It's cute but irritating at the same time (a bit like children in general. :-)) My favourite response is, "That's a good question," which she has now started to repeat back to me.