Snow!

I have pretty much everything I want. Lucky girl. So, the only thing I asked Santa for this year was a White Christmas. I figured thin thighs and a flat tum would be beyond his magical powers. Especially in my condition.

I didn't expect to get what I wished for.

It snowed a few days before Christmas. Proper thick snow that fell 6 inches deep and stayed put. For days.

Els got really excited then realised that snow is horribly cold and hard to play with when a) you only have woollen mittens not waterproof ones and b) there's only your mum to play with.

After a few days of being cooped up at home, our travel plans disrupted due to heavy snow and not enough grit and salt on the roads, we finally ventured out en famille on Winter Solstice. It was a consolation for not being able to get to Sarada's solstice party.
We had fun throwing snowballs in the dark, and then decided to head for our local pub.




I treated myself to a Snowball of the Advocaat variety, and we listened to the locals tell tales of abandoned Beemers and Mercs strewn across Henley. We later found out that John Lewis customers in High Wycombe ended up sleeping overnight in the bed department!

The white stuff was everywhere, and has only just melted. It may not have been a White Christmas as defined by the Met Office, but I definitely got the Christmas pressie I asked for.

The Snowman and Wasabi

I got really cheap tickets to see The Snowman at the Peacock Theatre in London on Saturday, and we all loved every minute of it. 

Based on the Raymond Briggs book, the Snowman is a charming, magical experience which combines gorgeous costumes, a full orchestra and ballet-style choreography.

Best of all is the stagecraft - a triumph of magic made possible by mechanics. This includes an electric motorbike, a puffing toy steam train and eye-popping scenes where the Snowman and the little boy really do rise up into the air and fly across the stage. Beautiful. 

My eyes were watering on several occassions. I was transported. El was entertained throughout, and loved the fact that it was OK for her to ask us questions and make comments to us throughout the performance. After all, the theatre was full of kids doing the same. Because there was no dialogue, it was easy for her to get caught up in the story, and I think it would appeal to kids much younger than Ella for this very reason.

Before the show, we went to a Japanese restaurant for veggie sushi, tempura and noodles. Ella impressed me no end by trying a little wasabi with her Sushi. She loved it. "I really like it Mummy, but for a little bit it feels like a strong fizzing and then like you have a needle stuck up your nose". Spot on.