Circular rug, in progress...

Here it is - the thrift store fabric-fest of a rug, currently a mix of six blankets, throws and tablecloths. Of course I have a plan and that plan is fairly colour specific! Solid colours, no earthy tones and a Marimekko Melooni aesthetic that challenges my suppliers - the good folk of Richmond VA.

Have 6 foot (!) ambitions and red is up for sourcing next. Then I can justify this IKEA classic rocking chair to complete the look or maybe its non rocking, cheaper alternative.

Proper Pie

New to Richmond this month is the aptly named Proper Pie Company. Hailing from New Zealand these guys have a buzzing busy shop and we struck lucky getting window bench seats.

The Cornish Pastie was sold out, but they had warm soup, sausage role, Chicken & Kumara pie (pictured) and Chili Bean (in my tummy). To follow we enjoyed the Mixed Berry Streusel and thorougly recommend the Treacle Tart.

The staff were great, graphics and atmosphere were fantastic and we'll be back for more pie.

We followed the lunch with a walk to the end of East Grace Street for an amazing panoramic view of Downtown and a city information panel describing it all, including the site at the centre of the slave trade - a particularly grim spot known as Devil's Half Acre.

Thrifting

For The Love of Jesus Thrift Store, is open 7 days a week -- who needs a rest?!

Our search continued for material for C's rug, and we actually found some bright orange fabric, amongst retro furniture, plastic princess castles and more Patricia Cornwell than I cared to count. We were also kind of not surprised to be greeted by an assistant wearing a "Satan Sucks" t-shirt.

The rug consumes amazing quantities of material retrieved from thrifting. Some discarded Snuggies are enjoying a more dignified re-use, but  I think the donor of a beautifully ironed and folded red Christmas table-cloth and placemats might be rather dismayed as this less formal re-purposing.

Five minutes further down Midlothian Turnpike is Goodwill Thrift and their outlet centre. It's the thrift store of unsellable left-over thrift stock, the buckets and bins of possible treasure, silently and slowly being sifted for items of use or value. For a country of consumption, there are places where nothing goes to waste.

Yorktown in winter...

It was chilly but beautiful, so we English took to the beach once more. Sand was eaten, paddling was endured and the Delly, with the 'y' was open and serving fries - what more do you need on a winter's day?

NB: M's necklace - designed and made herself using 'ironing-beads'.

Christmas day, RVA

Before breakfast... wooly mammoths, polar bears, chocolate reindeer poo (that J cautiously resisted, until force-fed), deafening bird whistles and peanut shells under the duvet.

Before lunch... the Queen's Speech (!) with neighbour and Prosecco, then on to the great James river, miniature pineapple chucks, freezing paddling and actual sunshine.

Before the turkey (over-brined!)... the park for an inter-generational assault course, much panting, then plenty of TV panto time.

Bed for all at 9pm and no stirring 'till twelve hours later - utter bliss!

Nativity Pageant, St Mark's

Baby Jesus can crawl, the lamb wore sheep-skin slippers, the kings were down to two and Joseph was absent! St Mark's cutely ramshackle nativity had everyone chucking once more. We love it there.

Under the stars the night before we gazed up as 200 Richmonders  did the Nativity in splendour on the ramparts of the Carillon. Angels sprung up on queue, wobbling a little and in the stillness a lone voice sang out - it was breath catching, though I've forgotten which carol it was...

Vintage Barbies on Boulevard

I love Barbie and this is her original home, with an elevator and a Calder mobile on the wall. How cool is she?

Plus how cool is the mum, now granny, who saved these for her grandchildren?!

PS: They also had my old Fisher-Price house. I may have to sneak back to play again.

Tacky Lights, Take 2

They're still out there and as whacky and fab as ever. Started just a few blocks from home with this joyful icicle house. Our van was full and M plinked on her Birthday ukulele to each festive tune the local radio station could muster - it was a tad trying by the end. J was on lookout duty, crying out 'House with Lights!'  every few blocks.

All drowned out, just once, by the euro beat from a home with its own radio frequency in tune with some pulsating light choreography - intense and crazy stuff. Bring on the Moscow Mules and real-life Santa babies (we kid you not).

The 'Roadtrip' party...

... happened amidst loud, chaotic shrieks (of joy!).

We covered ground whizzing from ice cream for breakfast c/o Bev's, with Pizza Angel soundtrack special, on to a London Olympic Park assault aka obstacle course in the back yard with ramps, paddling pool, mini car, bikes, bean bags and planks across treasure pits.

Before 3-D art map production with reversed cereal boxes for each child's home (a late-night challenge even with double-sided tape), plentiful paint and a giant map of the Fan.

Finally P's Florentine Pizzeria delivered, the Prosecco & pomegranate appeared, cake candles were lit and the child-to-adult ratio rose, before peaceful life resumed.

Phew!

The Great 12/12/12 Birthday Bake-off

The birthday menu was specific and considered so I got in the kitchen early with sous-chef J and we began the process of whipping up some 24 mango yellow and dirty lavender  iced cupcakes with sprinkles, mainly on floor. Then added in one felt & pipe cleaner fairy I'd manage to create late one night. Brushed off the Union Jack cake stand and got out the IKEA turquoise bird napkins - an aesthetic cacophony that I may need therapy for.

Next was the chorizo soup with chickpeas aka garbanzo beans and kale with home-made stock - we did it all! Consumed communally and with little ceremony in the basement of the school, amongst a rising tide of noise.

Then back home for the brewing of a bolognese sauce and vegetarian equivalent, before I went on strike, bought a greek salad from Shields Store and left the pasta to the master.

Phew... next the full-proof, family-recipe Birthday Cake for the party, but not today!

Seasonal craft

Some giant maple leaves distracted us on our way to school today. Cycling whilst grasping one proved a challenge for J. We drew round them and went for bright orange, then mixed up brown and finally cut around them, once dry, with banana bread in the oven and sun beams out.

Elongating Fall continues with my addiction to silver, asthma-inducing spray and anything organic - this year more pumpkins, magnolia leaves, pine cones and rocks!

Carols and company

In an almost English cottage, with an almost real fire burning and quite the most delightful guitarist, the girls and assorted parents sang their first carols of the season. The instrument of choice was the sliding penny whistle...

Back with the Southern Baptists the night before the coffee cup and harp had featured in a high octane, slick concert that might have overwhelmed us, if it hadn't been for a familiar face in the choir and its annual event status - we were late for the second year in a row thanks to a fab pre-concert Chinese.

Baywatch Clubhouse, Phase 3

Under warm, grey and decidedly damp Virginian skies P proceeded with the clubhouse this weekend. Skinning and roofing being the critical targets. So now we have a post-modern concentration-camp aesthetic that hopefully, with a dash of paint, might seem more Malibu-esque.

J's tour is audible until the sawing cuts in, though I think we can all see the lack of decent ablutions is a design omission.

GardenFest of Light 2012, Lewis Ginter

It wasn't the National Trust and the night was a balmy 25C... an LED-fuelled bout of homesickness descended.

The only magic we found was subversively achieved by crossing barriers to hug this lion and a fabulous model railway scene with tiny houses made from things found in the garden - complete with minature clothes on a washing line and acorn cups for seats.

Signs on Floyd

"No more letters?!",  J exclaimed in utter horror on spotting this sign at the end of our street.

No more leaves and some creative back alley parking is the reality, as well as a very swanky smooth, new road surface.

Home-schooling just got even better thanks to the input of these guys - we know about little millers and big millers, dump trucks and something I couldn't translate that scraped the surface clean.

PS: Raking our leaves street-ward was darn hard work.

Baywatch Clubhouse, Phase 2

Power tools, tight-rope planks and fab IKEA chairs - who needs an actual playhouse?!

Some minor structural oversights to be addressed before next weekend's push to clad the walls... than it's the summer sky exterior paint, spider-proof mesh and a roof that can bear child-weight & weather.

Christmas Parade, Broad

The festive season started today at 10am EST down Broad... Our first repeat event of Year 2 Stateside and the fabulous Dave once again held our curb-side spot, so we could leisurely wander in with coffee.

It's a truly crazy concoction of Richmond folk from energetic Bolivians, fully-feathered Native Americans, calming Falun Gong meditators, sinister Star Wars' storm troopers and the Shriners - Masons with fez and tiny cars!!!

The highlight was definitely the Norfolk State Band's  take on Earth Wind and Fire classics, plus watching the giant inflatables pitching under the traffic lights.

As with the world over there were plenty of bored teenagers shuffling along, mal-coordinated kids and massive sponsorship logos. Everyone behaved and we wore T-shirts in the December sun.