Time to draw breath!

Just getting back to normal after a very busy weekend.

Our guests have been a delight to have staying with us. I'd forgotten how exhausting toddlers are but Toby's such a poppet that it didn't matter at all. It was great for his parents to have some spare time without having to constantly watch him as our three found 'toddler following' to be serious fun.

Here he is on Sarah's lap, both of them wearing Gloucester rugby shirts, with pictures of Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends on the pc monitor - like Nigel he just loves trains.

It was also great to see our American friend Steve who said he really felt at home all weekend. He may well have to come back on several occasions to the UK for work and we'd love to host him again. Who knows maybe someday when we win enough on the lottery to buy the air fares we might be able to visit him and his family in Pittsburgh.

The weather has been mild and kind to us all weekend - this butterfly was basking in the sunlight on the wall of our house just above the conservatory. Hard to believe we're into the last week of October - lots of the trees are still green too.

I had some lovely post before and after the weekend.

Firstly the Fabric Postcard book I won in Kate's weekly draw plopped through my letterbox - I daren't look at it too closely - I need alternative projects like a hole in the head

Then yesterday morning my Four Seasons Quilt finally arrived beautifully wrapped in gorgeous fabric and shimmery ribbon - it's been hanging around in the postal system for some time and I was beginning to wonder if it had gone awol in transit.

However fortunately it was not so - good job too as it is a beautiful little quilt - just the style of thing I would try myself and I'm delighted with it - thank you so much Wendy

The chocolate that accompanied it was delicious - I didn't even try to save it and the halloween stickers are already being eyed up by Louise

I haven't touched any stitching at all over the weekend.

Tomorrow we head off to Bath for the day to visit my niece Gemma who is at university there so probably not much time for stitching then either but I must crack on with some later in the week - Christmas is now beckoning so the serious process of making presents must get underway with gusto.

A final word on the rugby - congratulations to the Springboks - they were better than our boys especially on the line outs - however England was the only side who came remotely close to scoring a try (whether you believe the tv ref or not) and had the referee punished all infringements equally on both sides, particularly for hands in the ruck, high tackling and crossing/obstructions then the score line may well have been much, much closer.

But our boys were incredibly dignified and magnanimous in defeat and for this, as well as their performance, every English fan should be rightly proud - there was precious little bleating about lost opportunities and this made the world of rugby a far more honourable place than the world of football (soccer) for example.

As a family we've enjoyed the World Cup coverage so much and we're already suffering serious withdrawal symptoms now it's all over - we don't have Sky tv so can't watch any of the club games and it will be a long old haul until the 6 Nations starts in February.