The big storm, Virginia and surroundings

Around 11pm on Friday night the wind blew in and huge flashes of lightening lit up the sky and thunder rolled overhead. We watched from the upstairs window, though M wisely cautioned us not too. Our neighbour sought refuge with us and things got a bit wild.

The lights went out and in the aftermath we surveyed the damage - the car parked in front of ours had it's windscreen smashed and the house a street away got this new garden feature (pictured).

Obama called the Governor and with almost 1 million folk without power, a state of emergency was declared. "This is not a one-day situation; it is a multi-day challenge," Gov. Bob McDonnell said. Tonight the boys from Florida rolled passed our street with their massive emergency trucks - here to assist those not as fortunate as us. Our power returned after 40 very long and hot hours...

Energy = Air-Con + Refrigeration + TV!!!

How did they cope in 'Gone with the Wind'?

Randolph Public Pool, Richmond

A free public pool, minutes from our door, though in 40 degree heat (felt like 44), the air conditioned car was essential. At the entrance sat an overheating policeman and in the sparkling turquoise pool were plenty of boisterous kids. It was great, except for poor J, who's tummy ache meant water play was not top of her agenda. The faint whiff of weed passed my nostrils, adding an edge to it all.

Tinkering Camp, Sabot at Stony Point

A haunted doghouse - a design concept from MLT, constructed with fellow tinkerers at the magical Sabot Summer School. 'I want to suck your blood' daubed on the side, along with other spooky features and behind it a fabulous pirate ship - with plank! 


Power tools, proper construction materials, secret studios... go tinker!

Pony Pasture, James River Park System

We spent much of the week south of the James and got to see Pony Pasture in it's summer state and not as the roaring torrent we first experienced. Shallow pools and lolling swimmers, friendly wet dogs and fishermen... plus Billy-Jo who led M out into the deep.

Back in the Sabot sandpit was a one-time river canoe...

Mircoburst through Richmond

Our first severe weather warning that actually meant something... Tornado Watch is a regular feature of life but their paths are not usually through Richmond. On this occasion, a microburst - feels like a tornado but isn't - crossed the region and came down our street...

Like a good English woman, when the wind picked up, I went out to get the washing in. This was a little tricky and I was swept back inside clasping a billowing sheet. At this point a large section of tree fell across our garden.

Deciding we should move away from windows I was relieved to get a text from folks out in Mineral telling me get indoors and under the stairs - with an open plan, Brady-bunch style stairway this didn't feel that cozy. So the girls and I clasped each other at the top of the stairs in a corner. As I muttered stuff about getting to the neighbours if anything fell on me, another text arrived making the most sensible suggesting that we get in the laundry cupboard. I know how many spiders are in there and I resisted - next time, maybe.

The winds and rain abated and our neighbours appeared in our garden to check on us. In ten, brief minutes our side of the block was powerless and covered with debris, including live cables hanging in the street. P arrived from a hairy car drive home and surveyed the damage. Candle lit baths and a major ice-cream session was had. All quite romantic though we began to enjoy it less the next day as our food and the house got warmer and the laundry needed doing...

The tree that had been on the power lines was left propped against our garage by the power company,  so with a few margaritas for fuel, P and neighbour Jason, began a major chop down in the dark - H&S ?!?. However the back alley is now safe to traverse.

Some major garden clearance due this weekend! It's not over yet as the the cable company are due and one sheared trunk remains teetering... The blue sky was back out after a few minutes though.

Poolside, across Richmond

This is not quite Cotgrave Leisure Centre!!!

These poolside joys usually involve a favourable heat index (one shot is taken after 8pm!), cocktails (sangria and daiquiris  all round) and friends with memberships (the slight catch...).

Public swimming next on the agenda for a fairer contrast with our own Cotgrave.

PS: That is me diving!

Sun photography

I'm hooked on sun photography. We exposed 'little guy' - our playmobil friend in the sunshine and M gathered striking leaves, whilst I went for crumbly ones. It just looks fab when finished. Spotted someone had done the same thing with glass goblets at a Visual Arts Centre 'Ice-Cream Fundraiser' tonight and now I have to try that too. Not sure if the girls are going to stick with me through this new craze...

Day 4: Summer Vacation

Of the 51 remaining vacation-weekdays... I have hopes that proportionally more of the creative-summer-vision might become a reality.

Today it involved shaving foam and food dye, resulting in a hand stitched book of marbled paper of 'art' (thanks to neighbour Christine's supplies). Yesterday it was basil leaf and flower petal printing on muslin seed bags (thanks to the Botanical Garden's Explorers programme). Plus we baked number cookies (thanks Nigella!).

The level of joy achieved is rising gradually and our star chart even has me rushing to do my chores. My reward is an iced decaf; the girls are building to honey popcorn and a movie night.

Temperature 37C and a tad muggy! Outdoor living receding.

Day 1: Summer Vacation

The vision - pottering about making castles with recycled boxes, painting them on kitchen floor, everyone clearing up and washing brushes, strolling to amazing art store for supplies, family lunch and then the vision collapses...

Child 1 tried to gag Child 2. Child 1 wanted a movie and Parent 1 selected the wrong type of 101 Dalmation i.e. real not a cartoon. Parent 1 then could no longer access TV thanks to two remotes that don't make sense. Headed to grocery store and Child 1 just wanted everything, whilst Child 2 ate anything that they could reach and we hadn't yet paid for.

Opened bottle of wine to share with Neighbour 2 and decided to simplify supper to sausages, with the preferred option of ketchup as the main. Parent 2 took over and all seems quiet.

Flip that was Day 1. Bring on Day 2.

Sunday at home...

A leisurely day of car washing (and scrubbing), full-on boot/trunk clearance (mulch had formed in there) and then the swinging... The evolving circus act makes my stomach muscles twinge with envy.

My Obama 2012 magnetic badge is now on the gleaming car, though someone funny moves it to another body panel each morning.

M on swing

J on swing

Music in the Park, Forest Hill

The idyll that is Forest Hill park, hosted it's monthly summer band - this time it was a bit loud and bangy, so we selected a picnic spot a little further from the stage and muttered in an way that ages us...

It was still lovely though - pet goats to cuddle and a cute play area and hula hoops galore - plus the strange, bendy hula hoop lady was  twisting away.

Made an awesome mushroom and thyme pie in a bread basket that rose - felt like a culinary queen, though male staff should be credited with the dough. M of course only ate the bread, as these were not pizza-mushrooms!

Pocahontas State Park - Pool & Aquatic Recreation Centre

An Aquatic Recreation Centre no less. It was certainly a bit full on and fab... with mass pool clearances for the vomiting kid, then the lost kid and then just 'adult time'. I wanted some of that!

Took a pause in the beating sun for snacks and a bit of body-shape gawping... this was full-on America. In the woods were loads of large family groups cooking out or just swinging in their hammocks.

Down by the lake all was peaceful, with canoes for hire and a mass of water lilies. Bring on the camping cousins from Canada (and the heat!) - we're ready for our canvas adventure.

Fox Talent Show 2012

The slightly nihilistic lyrics of singer/song writer, MLT, performing live at Fox Talent Show 2012, under the guidance of the fabulous music teacher, Mr Winslow, who does a great British accent.

It doesn't what you look like,

It doesn't matter what you wear.

It doesn't matter what you do,

Doesn't matter about your hair.

Doesn't matter what you watch, 

Doesn't matter what you think.

It doesn't matter about anything you want to think.

My BIG question is what does matter?! I'm not meant to be recording the answer here, but apparently it's doing what you parents tell you to do!!!!

Talent Show: 'It doesn't matter'

Nick Jr. can be thanked for providing the inspiration, in the form of the Fresh Beat Band. Who are LIVE on tour this autumn in Richmond VA and we now have tickets...

Children's Museum on Broad

OK this is Planet Plastic, there is no coffee and I feel my soul ebbing away each time we enter and the sponsorship deals are so in-your-face...

BUT the children love it, there is a fabulous art studio, proper carousel, full-size ambulance, VELCRO'd car mechanic workshop, play-shop with barcode scanner that beeps, brand new water-play fountains, DIY mini-theatre and crazy (plastic!) caves... plus there is an apple tree they are addicted to gathering 'fruit' from - red plastic balls of course.

The staff are so sweet and know both girls - though I suspect the Code Red alert M caused on her first visit has marked us out. The police were on their way, before we finally found her hidden in the top of a plastic (!) palm tree.

More Yorktown, Chesapeake Bay

Now we have the kit... sun umbrella, spray-on sunscreen, beach shoes and a much maligned shark float. 'Did they not make princess ones?!?' I heard amidst tears. I chose the shark. I thought he was cute and not at all scary but it seems I was wrong. Thankfully he's peeling off and don't mention that there was actually a sweet Nemo option.

So thanks to Mattel's inane, 'Barbie and the Mermaid Tale 2' we have a kid who was so determined to swim that she spent all of Saturday coursing this bay, then all of Sunday getting herself down the length of the splendid pool at the Jefferson Country Club, coaxed on by us, her buddy Eliza and eventually much of the clientele.

Finally she mastered the full 20 metres before setting off for the diving board... after 15 minutes of weeping and shaking at its end and mutterings of, 'I can do it!' - she jumped. The crowd cheered, the life guards stood down (yes, 2!)  and she was addicted. She was hauled home many leaps later.

All this so that she can go and learn to surf in Hawaii!!! I thought this one was not determined. It seems I was wrong.

PS: There were baby jelly fish - blancmange like things that brushed us with each stroke in the water - no stings though.

Farm Bus on Kensington

Pulled up outside the local children's bookshop was this bus and a bunny and lots of local folks... inside it's like a movie set for fruit and veg.

We got our wicker basket and filled it up with yellow zucchini, blueberries and raspberries, that tasted as good as the ones from my granny's garden. I was transported back to summer afternoons picking them with her, debating if strawberries were better (they never were for me)  and then running around her raised walkway before tea on the lawn.

Instead I baked chocolate brownies with European cocoa, a dusting of icing sugar (aka confectioners) and a few surviving raspberries on the side - our Friday outdoor-cinema guests were happy!

The Farm Bus

PS: The car in front was owned by a cute guy offering free hugs - it was humid - I declined.

Splash Party, Fox Elementary

While I continue to fret about the UK versus USA public education systems i.e. what have we lost... there are moments of joy.

It seems Mrs Harris is a closet party-planner and for three hours M's class got to splash in wading pools on the school's front lawn, compete in watermelon pip-spitting contests, chase ginormous bubbles, lounge on beach towels, create sidewalk art, hula hoop to their hearts content or just snack on good eats (!). Plus popsicles aka lollies for the wind-down.

Kindergarten is almost over for us and in the UK the class we were part of will be disbanding too and so life moves on... sigh

The Jubilee Mini-break, Richmond

So the queen's loyal subjects in Richmond, VA - one Commonwealth member, one true Brit and one ex-resident got out the PIMMS, picnic chattels and Union Jack and set about marking the occasion... sunshine not showers being the hallmark of this diasporic celebration.

Thanks to Live Streaming we watched the 1000 strong flotilla slide beneath leaden skies and dire commentary, when the cameras weren't obscured by rain;  then marvelled at the setting and projections for the Palace rock concert, when we weren't mocking some of the crooners who should be abdicating - really Sir Cliff in pink and Sir Paul in the flag?!

M wild swam in the river, having never swum unaided before and our snake spotting skills were thankfully left unchallenged in the water and whilst peeing in the woods.

RULE BRITANNIA

PS: BBC receive complaints... (add us in)