It's school half-term this week, so Amelie's been holidaying along the coast for a couple of days, unwinding from the stresses of modern life by winding up my old-fashioned parents. The good news (for my Mum and Dad at least) is that she returned home yesterday afternoon, so I arrived back from work to find her well-rested and rejuvenated, and bouncing around the flat like a hyperactive maniac on Red Bull.

Fortunately she knows how to relax. Having allowed me to sit next to her on the sofa, she announced that the first person to put their hand up could have the honour of rubbing her feet. I hadn't seen her since Saturday, and was slightly giddy with the overwhelming emotion of our reunion, so she caught me unawares and I found myself sticking my arm in the air. At which point she turned to my Mum and said "Ok then, you can rub my head".

The good news is that Amelie's not the only one feeling good from top to toe. Toby's health is improving too. He's still a bit quieter than usual (which is no bad thing), but he hasn't been sick since Sunday, and he's started eating normally again. Well, normally for a fifteen-month-old. He's still a bit picky by his own rapacious standards. Lisa thinks he looks a bit pale, but he spent the summer with his bare legs sticking out of the buggy, and we kept forgetting to apply sunscreen, so I think it's just that his deep mahogany tan's begun to fade.

Anyhoo, Amelie's spent today posing with friends in the manner of an FA Cup-winning captain...

... while I spent my lunch break in the 99p Store, buying up their supplies of high quality Halloween goods. The spooky torch I bought for Amelie was an undoubted bargain, as were the bat stickers she's used to cover our front door, but sadly the Scream mask I bought for myself has had a limited life span. Having walked in on Lisa whilst wearing it, she demonstrated why they call it a Scream mask, claimed she was having a heart attack, then threatened me with divorce and shoved it straight in the bin.