My lovely little bear. The children were fantastic travelling companions, taking everything in their stride, and Arabella is very entertaining company.

Today, back at home, I called to her ' Arabella, have you seen my garden sieve with my blue trowel anywhere?' (suspecting her of having made some ghastly concoction in it and spirited it off to the Festering Hovel - sorry, Wendy House) 'No, Mummy,' she started to reply, then 'its over there, Mummy, right there by the gate, you can even see it, and you put it there!'

'Oh yes,' said I cheerfully, heading over to pick it up (from where it lay in plain sight) - but she hadn't finished: 'Mummy,' she exclaimed delightedly, 'you are just like a little squirrel, who hides its nuts and then forgets all about where he has put them. Why do you always forget where you have put all your things and lose all your lists and everything?!'

Why oh why indeed!!