Bumbo Baby

In a flash of inspiration on Monday morning, Helen realised that we wouldn't be seeing Emma's Granny and Grandad in Tisbury for AGES, and we had a day spare. One telephone call later, we were off down the M5 motorway to spend some time with the folks. Granny/Jenny/Mum was impressed by how much more smiley and interactive Emma was compared with when we met to go shopping in Street a couple of weeks ago. Emma showed off her Bumbo (the chair she is sitting in on the left) and was looking around at everyone. We went on a walk after lunch around Stubbles and did a little shopping in Tisbury. I was amazed at how the shops have changed since I moved out of home in 2000.

We got back fairly late after having some Chinese food with Mum and Dad in the evening. The sky was beautiful as the sun set on the way home. Emma didn't react badly to having the unusual taste of Chinese food in her milk this time. She slept well except for a wake in the middle of the night for some milk.


On Tuesday, Leila visited and she and Helen gave Emma a bath in the Tummy Tub. They used the kitchen sink so it was at a good level that didn't involve kneeling or bending. Helen's back has started playing her up a bit.

On Wednesday I had the day off and took Emma out for a walk around Poets Walk in her Papoose in the morning so Helen could have a bath and sort herself out. Emma and I also had a play with her Barnacle Boat. Walking around I noticed that the sloes were out on the bushes and the elderberries were fully ripe too.

After a lunch of soup made from Wallmead vegetables, Helen and I headed out with some punnets to gather elderberries. A telephone call to my brother-in-law, Jasper, established that the sloes would not be ready for picking for some months as they need a frost to soften them. We saw some creepy crawlies including this caterpillar, and a funny insect that you can see on these blackberries. There were a few blackberries ready, but they are still mostly green in Clevedon After our exertions of picking the fruit, and having a pint at the Salthouse, I set about squeezing and crushing the berries. Helen cut and stoned some plums we've been given by Susie at work. I alos siphoned all the other wines off their lees. The plum and rhubarb are rather cloudy, but the Tickenham gooseberries are clear as anything and I'll have to bottle them soon. I added some potassium sorbate to each to stop the fermentation - and hopefully prevent explosions in the garage! Today, Helen had a very pleasant lunch with Becky, Leila and Connie at the Drum and Monkey. I got back at 6.30pm from the quietest day at work for some time and we ate a chicken and vegetable supper followed by a game of scrabble that Helen beat me at by 11 points. All the time we were eating and playing scrabble, Emma was amusing herself by kicking the overhead dangly thing of her Mama and Papas Barbacle Boat. We were both delighted at how much pleasure she was taking playing on her own. She got tired by about 8pm and Helen fed her. There were a few tears before she went down to sleep.