The flower row for my Ostrich finished

Well that's another row done - hand appliqued flowers formed with english piecing over paper

Next will be 'Opposites'

That'll test their initiative and imagination they can interpret it any way they like

Both my sporty kids did well this weekend

Nick had a football (soccer for you girls over the other side of the pond) match away against Minehead which is a seaside town just over half an hour's drive away so that was a reasonably early start.

Before the match Minehead were #2 in the league and Nick's team, Blackbrook Wolves was #4

We won 6 - 2 and it was a cracking match - Nick plays in defence so doesn't get the same opportunities to score as his sister in rugby but he put in some good defensive play and stopped some hard pushing advances by the opposition definitely keeping their score line down

Today Sarah's team played a derby match away against our closest side geographically - Bridgwater

It was a real grudge match as last year they were a real force to be reckoned with and our last match was a loss with a 50 - Nil scoreline

This year some of Bridgwater's eldest girls have graduated to Ladies and some of our U14's, including Sarah, have moved up to U17s obviously changing the dynamics of both teams. However they were still a hard team to play and the half time score was 15 - 5 against us.

Historically we've not been particularly good at coming back from the underdog position but today the girls did themselves proud with Sarah scoring a try under the posts from a 60 yard dash down the pitch and then converting her own try to put 7 of the 27 points on the board

Next week they have another toughie against Thornbury but at least that one's at home

My dad is much the same in hospital - I had a longish chat with the ward sister when I phoned this morning. It appears that the funny turns he's been having seem very much like text-book TIA's or Mini-Strokes and there is a very real risk of him suffering a biggie in their wake

He still needs the angiogram they talked about first of all post silent heart attack as the Medical team feel they are fighting two problems - one the post heart attack and secondly the strokes on the other hand

The thought of a major stroke will be especially frightening him underneath as his mother died during her second stroke at 51 and he nursed her at the age of 21 for the year after her first one up to her death

I really hope the CT scan and neck scan this next week will show the cause of the problem and indicate something that they can treat

Having said that if a full blown strike is inevitable I hope it's a real biggie as I know he'd hate to be left in the same state as his mother - I desperately don't want to lose him but you wouldn't wish that sort of existence on your worst enemy

We're contemplating a flying visit next weekend after Nick's football and then back later that night for Sarah to sleep at home for her match on the Sunday - I think it would give Dad a real lift to see us all including the kids and put my mind a bit at rest too :o)