There's nothing quite like the feeling of slipping, fresh from the shower, into clean sheets after an active day.

I enjoyed the weekend.

Saturday morning was Daniel's 'gala' at which the different groups taught by the swimming teacher show off their skills for watching parents, siblings and grandparents. He enjoyed himself and was thrilled to receive his chocolate medal at the end of his session.

We came home and had brunch and whizzed quite quickly through the usual Saturday morning chores, and then, pleasantly and surprisingly, the three kids became totally embroiled in some sort of involved fantasy game leaving Peter and me to nap and research party ideas (for Daniel's birthday) respectively. Since the house building may have started by the time his party comes up, it seems fitting to have a Bob the Builder party. As usual one of my favourite websites, birthdaypartyideas.com, is full of useful ideas.

By the way, google on party butterflies flowers mural and see what you get. :-)

Today a friend came round for lunch. She and I had a good chat, though Peter was busy with some work-related favour for a colleague, and also (fanfare) completing his tax return. Gosh! That's organised! (You must be thinking.) Completing his return with February barely past!

Er, sadly, no. Wrong February.

My friend (who came today) has recently left her husband (just a week ago), after having finally been on the receiving end of too much abuse. Abuse which I had thought had been only verbal until today, at the end of the afternoon when we were washing dishes together (the dishwasher is broken, sob), she blurted out that he'd been hitting her. Even though we've become quite close, she'd battled to tell me this part of it. I suppose it's quite common in these situations. You feel ashamed to admit to yourself and to the world, who (what) it is you are married to, and what your life has become.

I admire her enormously for taking steps to get herself and her kids away from this man, and towards a better life. It makes me so angry, sick and angry, to think what she's been through. The news was a shock. I've never known anyone personally before who has been beaten up by her husband. It's the sort of thing that happens to other people.