Lovely day.

Today was a beautiful day, both in terms of weather and in terms of being relaxed but quite productive in its own way.

This morning M & I continued in her bid to declutter (or as she would more likely put it 'have less stuff'), getting rid of a lot of junk from one of the many cardboard boxes she has in various corners or her room.  Meanwhile K carried on doing the same on her own in her room. 

The girls had piano lessons at midday and as usual M wanted to go to the park (I'm happy to when it's dry, although she'd go even when it was pouring if I were up for it).  On the way to the park M told me about the book she's reading, which she was given for her birthday, The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop, she's enjoying it, but told me that she thought it was 'a bit gendery'.  On further questioning she meant that the two main characters, a boy and a girl like stereotypically boy/girl things, which I thought was an interesting observation.  M also told me that she was ready to start doing 'some more learny things', which I understand to mean a bit more structured or formal learning, so we're going to have a think about what sort of things she has in mind.  Usually K & I play Phase 10 while M has her lesson, but today K decided to go to the park too.

K at the park.

After piano lessons, we took a picnic lunch to the park, where I also read a couple of chapters of Ruby Redfort, before we went to the library.  The girls went to the park for a bit, while I popped to a couple of shops before we came home.

A shield bug that joined us at the park.

This afternoon, having reminded M that she has some thank yous to write for her birthday presents, which the expectation that she write one a day until they're done.  I was quite surprised that she wrote 8 of them, they are admittedly very short and to the point, but still.  Meanwhile K was continuing in her slow but steady progress of sorting her room.

Unfortunately M discovered that her Blue Peter badge, which she wears all the time, had fallen off at some point during the day.  She was a bit upset but has already started on a picture to send in to try to get another one to replace it.