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John is home - hurrah! And he's bought me back 'something Aussie' - in fact several things.

Made me smile when he arrived back ahead of time and brought me a cup of tea in bed. Followed by Isaac who had made the cup of tea!

The boys were given koala bears and boomerangs. Lots of smiles this afternoon as they tried them out in the Country Valley Park. Initial efforts weren't overly impressive but they got the hang of it. And then Jude threw hos boomerang into a tree surrounded by dense undergrowth and stinging nettles. 30 minutes of searching armed with my crutches as beating sticks and boomerang was finally found. 

And that made us all smile! Lots! 

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Too tired to post last night so catch up time!

An early start was made better by this bag by the kettle at 6am! Thank you John x

More smiles as I tweeted with @MissJ0nes as we 'sped' (ha ha!) on the train from opposite ends of the British Isles to meet in York with others for a day of research (brain imploded with information overload!)

Great to see Thérèse and many other familiar faces in York - shame I missed Suzi though.

Good to be home after another rail nightmare - I am NOT travelling by train on a Friday evening again - and thanks to John for picking me up from Birmingham with Medjool dates to calm me!

However I did get a chocolate lolly from the guard who called me 'young lady'

Big thank yous from the boys for the chocolates I left outside their rooms this morning.  

And the new PPA timetable sees me teaching Year 2 - WA-HOOOO!

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Isaac's turbo is finally up and running. The boys had great fun, especially Isaac.

The 12 days of Christmas is back! Day 1 saw us playing a board game. We failed to catch Mister X (Isaac) -  but it was very close!

Boxing Day saw plenty of reading, a new pair of boots and some funky tights, and a run in the sunshine. Lots of smiles there!

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Christmas is here! Smiles as we opened presents, as Jude won the accolade of 'Most unusual present' for his telescopic backscratcher at church and as I sang the descant with Shelagh.

More smiles at my guillotine, John wearing his cycling shoes indoors, at Christmas dinner of venison and then passion fruit mousse (delicious!) and watching Toy Story 3.

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Frohe Weihnachten, Bon Nadal et Joyeux Noël.

Cheers!

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This sculpture always makes me smile, simply because I cannot do handstands. I'm not sure I've ever done them very well, and I've certainly never managed a cartwheel. I used to joke that I was an expert at trolley wheels (starts as a cartwheel then turns into a sideways bunny hop!)

Still, you can't be good at everything ;)

Thanks to my Secret Santa for my gift - disappointed it wasn't lilac lacy lingerie but you went with S for Stevens rather than L for Lisa so that's ok, and I do like spotty scarves. 

And for the second day running I was tasked with a year 3 class and glitter... I thought yesterday was carnage but this was something else. I was still dusting it out of my hair at bathtime!

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After he was sick all night and felt very ill all day, it was lovely to see Jude smiling when he opened his present from his cousins 

Thank you Alex Julie Harry and Robert. He loves his mute and as you can see he loved the card!

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It's my birthday and I'm smiling for so many reasons. 

Cards and gifts from family including chocolate, Prosecco, a Freitag purse, a new MBP, money and a panda onesie with matching slippers!

And lots of greetings from around the world on FB and Twitter. No idea why a photo of me nearly 2 years ago started getting attention but it made me smile to inspire discussion and debate about my 'look'!

Thank you everyone xx

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Today was Muttertag in Switzerland so I had breakfast in bed, presents, homemade cards and lots of love!

And these lovely yellow roses. Always remind me of my Dad. So I smiled double!

I am somewhat bothered by the fact that they seem to celebrate Muttertag not with a sumptuous chocolate cake but with a pork (veal actually!) pie bar! 

Say cheese in other languages

In Hindi, you say हसो (haso) - laugh!

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Some cheeky smiles from 2010 :o)

That's my boys!

Happiness is... a purple erasable pen. Thank you to John for my present from his travels. And before you say that's a naff gift,

 a)it's what I wanted 

b)he was only gone 48 hours and 

c)he bought me an iPad mini last time!

Other things that made me smile today

"He (John Partridge) looks just like the gay one from Eastenders" says Jude. "He is the gay one from Eastenders" replies Isaac. "That explains it then!" says Jude.

Jude calling Toby Flood "Tobes"

Cuddly things around the house having adventures.

The mystery of who put the cotton wool ball on the chair.

Smile in other languages 

In Urdu - مسکرانا

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I had a stressful day so I was glad to sit down in the bay window of Orell Fussli earlier to enjoy a hot chocolate with David Millar. Well, his book anyway!

Things that made me smile today.

The multitude of kind medical staff who have put up with me mangling their language, didn't treat me like a mad woman and let me speak English when I became incomprehensible!

The lovely young lady who repaired John's glasses - for nothing and offered me a coffee whilst I waited for the favour.

My kind friend who gave the boys a lift home to save me the trip - and she's not well either. Get well soon Lisa xx

John who has brought me a present in America :o)

Isaac's German homework which featured a character called Inspector Louis Fliegenpfiff (I'm easily amused!)

Reading a brilliant article about cheating by a talented friend.

Smiles in other languages

In Galician - un sorriso