The Teapot Trust children’s charity uses art therapy as a way of helping young people cope with long term medical conditions. We know that these conditions can cause anxiety, anger or upset for children and families. Art therapy provides a way of expressing and dealing with feelings, helping children to feel more in control and to cope with their condition.

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Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.

Bible Version: The Message

Varda doesn't like our new rug!

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Varda is just about 8½ months old now and I can't imagine how our lives would be different without her. She's one of the happiest babies I've ever encountered and rarely gets upset for any period of time. Within the last month she's started to crawl and has already started to continually pull herself up onto her feet by leaning against the furniture or either myself, Beck or Tore. She's probably going to be walking within the next month or so. About the only time she really cries is when she falls over and bangs her head whilst she either leans backwards to look up at something or tries to stand.

Anyway, in the past year or so, I've seen a number of stories on social media and news sites about people causing horrific injuries, and even killing young babies; especially stories of people doing these things to their own children. In the past these stories would've saddened me and then I'd think no more about it. Not anymore. These days, I find such stories to be quite distressing and just can't get my head around the fact that somebody would do something so despicable to such a defenceless child. Logically, I understand that some people can't cope, have mental issues, are just plain evil, etc. However, as a new parent, albeit probably a very lucky one in terms of Vards behaviour and temperment, I just can't rationalise their actions.

I'm almost ashamed to say that I found it almost gratifying to discover that the mother who was recently jailed for stamping her baby to death had been seriously attacked in prison.

This time last year I was waking up as a single man for the very last time.

It's been an interesting year; a few ups and downs, but mainly ups.

We had a weekend without the kids; who were at the grandparents. So, we decided to head to Coniston yesterday. We popped in to say "Hi" to Tim and June, who were so kind to loan us their home last summer for our honeymoon. We had a meal at the Black Bull and then had a short walk on the lakefront. We picked up some Duck Eggs and some Home Cured Bacon, which I'm just about to cook up for our breakfast.

We'll be going back again next year; a tradition has been started.

Well, after yesterday's general election here in the UK it looks like we'll be getting another 5 years of Conservative government; although without having to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats, who have lost roughly 50 seats since the 2010 election. I guess that's a strong message that their supporters were not happy that they got into bed with the Conservatives last time around.

Locally, labour candidate Jamie Reed retained his seat with 16,750 votes (42.3% share), a majority of 2,564, with a 63.8% turnout.

With the school's off for the Easter holidays, Beck and I took the opportunity to head off with the kids, to Butlins in Skegness. We met up with Beck's sister, her husband and their two kids. I think everybody more or less had a good time, although as is usually the case, not everything went smoothly. It's been about 20-25 years since I last visited Butlins, that time in Ayr, and I think the quality of the holidays have improved; the food selection was pretty damned good, and we had fried breakfasts every morning and a wide selection to choose from each night. I never had the same evening meal twice. There was also a wide selection of events and entertainment to enjoy, including street dance troupe, Diversity, winners of the third series of Britain's Got Talent. I'd heard of them, but never seen them, and was surprised to find myself enjoying their show.

All in all, a good week!