Large Families and Chicken Pox: The Kids Aren’t Happy

  There have been varying degrees of illness for the last six weeks. Yes, six weeks. As soon as one child recovered, another came down with something-or-other. Then two weeks ago this happened:     Eddie came to the breakfast table sporting a red, spotty number. Chicken pox. I incorrectly worked out that eight of… Read More

Making Homemade Ravioli: It’s a Family Affair

  My Saturday plans to make fresh ravioli for dinner ended up with the opening of the culinary domestic sweatshop. Paddy came on board to cook the filling earlier on during the day. Afternoon came around and with the filling now cool, it was time to begin preparing the ravioli. Obviously, with 13 of us… Read More

A Week of Birthdays

    We ended up marking the end of more than a month of various bugs and illness by celebrating three birthdays within five days. Ben celebrated his 22nd birthday on the 10th, miles away from us of course, being in the chilly north for uni while we are remain in the almost-as-chilly-but-not-quite-as-cold south-east. A… Read More

Questioning My Sanity: The Verdict Is In

    It seems like an eternity since we returned from Italy, getting straight back into continuing work on the house in preparation for selling. Although we have only been back since the end of August it seems ages since the photo above was taken. Of course, if you are sitting there counting everyone you… Read More