A year in the wife

Vanessa had yet another birthday this week - I've long-since forgotten how old she is - and really trailed this one out.

The picture above was taken on Wednesday, her official birthday.

The one below was snapped on Friday when we were out for a family birthday meal in her honour.      

Charlotte had a better time than it looks.

However, other members of the White clan also managed to celebrate some landmark moments of our own.

Charlotte finished her days at Rainbows with the formal handing over ceremony to Brownies.   

Literally. 

There she goes, jumping over the toadstool and into the hands of her new keepers.

It's good preparation for when she joins the Freemasons.

And yesterday I visited the Ilkley Beer Festival for the very first time. 

I think it was good.  

Young step, old shuffle

Another new step up the ladder of life this morning when Jamie headed off to school on his own with neither Vanessa nor me to be seen.

Normally one or other of us follows along behind him, with Charlotte in very slow tow.

Sadly Little Missy was off school today after barfing on her hands and coat on the way back into class after break.  That's an instant red card and one match ban these days; she's due to return tomorrow having shown no signs of illness since.   

And what a day it's setting up to be as tomorrow night we're off to a family magic show at St Oswald's Primary School in aid of the parents' group.  

Oh, and Vanessa turns 43.  We know how to spoil that woman.

I mean, look how excited she is.

Happy birthday Vanessa.    

Vin de Van, anyone?

A few weeks ago, having completed a massive pre-Christmas raid of Morrisons alcohol department, I decided that we didn't have quite enough drink in our house.  So I selflessly decided to add something extra to Vanessa's Santa list.

You can see the results of it above. Well, just about.

Yes, it's a bucket of almost-ready-to-drink white wine.  All our in-house maker needs to do now is get it out of the bucket and into these.  

Actually, there are many more than that.  The bucket holds 30 bottles of wine in all and we're well-equipped after I - selflessly once again - put the time in to build up our stockpile of empties.  What a trooper, nay, hero.

The one challenge Vanessa now faces is how to syphon.  She supposedly had all the necessary kit but she's since identified another tube that can apparently do the job better - a snip at just £3 from Wilkinsons.  So we're off there this afternoon.

And then, well, hopefully I'll be invited to participate in an evening taste test.  

Give that it's a school night, I reckon three bottles will be almost more than enough.