So somehow we are right in the middle of October and I couldn’t be more chuffed that my favourite season has properly started – none of this disconcerting Indian summer nonsense now, thank goodness.  Skirts, tights and boots FTW!  Also? HALLOWEEEEEEEEN!!! I am so excited about Evelina’s first Halloween.  Today I bought her first Halloween outfit.  I was going to make something but I thought I would wait until next year at least so that it’s a bit easier to fit it to her (the whole standing thing is fine but the only time she doesn’t want to stand, it seems, is when I want her to). I also bought the trick or treat sweets so all I need now is to dig out our Halloween decorations out of the loft and buy pumpkins.  Who knows, I might even make another decoration this year!

I realised that I hadn’t posted in a while but when I saw that I hadn’t posted at all in October yet, I was a little appalled.  My lack of posting could be put down to the fact that I have returned to work although since I am working a piddling two days a week, it hardly seems like a proper excuse.  Whatever the reason I am still here.  Here is just a flavour of what we have been up to since I last wrote:

• Evelina was baptised and it was a lovely (and low-key) day
• I started work after almost a year. A new office, a new desk and a new computer but otherwise it was like I hadn’t been away. It helps having a great boss.
• We went for a walk around Brueton Park in Solihull with Ste, Fay and cutie-pie Gabe.
• We visited Evelina’s Nanny and Granddad B
• I drove over to Long Hanborough* to take my car to the Swift Garage, then stopped for lunch at Bicester Avenue** (Hobbycraft! 1 ball of wool purchased for £1.50)
• Evelina and I had coffee with Roisin and Nic (well. Evelina had cottage pie and I had Chai Latte) so that I could FINALLY give Roisin her birthday present.
• Carys came to visit and we talked and talked and laughed and talked and ate bagels and cheesecake.  Bliss.
• We visited our friends Lee and Caroline and their girls Nadine and Carmen for the weekend which involved playing at the swingpark, eating yummy food, half-watching the X Factor, talking the hind legs off a donkey and having a general blast. We also came away with a load of baby swag – muchos clothing!

*Long Hanborough is 48 miles away. That’s pretty far when you have a 10 month old in the back who is hungry.  Here is a map so you can get your bearings:

I went here because it was the one we bought it from and the one I used when we were still working in Oxfordshire. They needed to diagnose a problem that they identified during its last service, a problem they subsequently forgot about / lost the paperwork / messed up with somehow. After feeding Evelina her lunch in the car showroom for half an hour, I was asked to come back the following week and leave my car in for a few days so that they can diagnose it some more.  I have that joy to look forward to on Wednesday.

**I was so irritated by the surly attitude of the middle-aged server behind the toasted sandwich counter of the garden centre restaurant, I did something I always say I will do and never do: I wrote a strongly worded email when I got back home.  I don’t know when I became the sort of person who writes strongly worded emails but apparently I have.  The email contained the phrase: “it is not an exaggeration to say that it ruined my lunch” which was true but a little emotional. I was pretty impressed to get a reply which in turn included the phrase: “As a result of which the entire team have been spoken to with the emphasis on Customer Care with retraining given were (sic) necessary.” I like to think that my email was so strongly worded that it made the Head Chef who replied nervous, hence the typo.