The growing family

This morning I took Thomas to get his new school uniform and I took me back to five years ago when I did the same for Luke, and then again for Adam a year after him. It was so strange for me to see him in his 'brothers' uniform', especially in the rugby kit. And what a treat that the shop will sew all the name tags on for me too.

Then it was last minute shopping for our holiday (don't laugh - I take a cooler box filled with chicken as it is so expensive to buy fresh chicken in the Swiss mountains!!). As I went past the river I saw the swan family just hanging about where the people usually go to feed them. The cygnets have grown so much and I was pleased to realise that they will hopefully reach adulthood - last year no swans were born despite the adults sitting on a nest for weeks and weeks - I think a fox probably ate the eggs. The swans are so protective and stay near to their offspring at all times. I thought it was rather sweet how the babies were sleeping while drifting along but the mother was alert and awake - the male swan was just behind these keeping watch.

We leave at 5am tomorrow morning for our very long drive to the Swiss alps - it takes about 11 hours of actual driving time but with the channel crossing and the stops it ends up being a very long day, so I will not have time to respond to journals.