Day 240. Pretty in pink.

After two days away visiting grandparents Captain Chaos is home.

Looking at this you'd think she likes pink. She doesn't. Like many girls she is often in receipt of gifts that are pink because after all pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Andie Walsh may be the one person, above the age of 4, who is happy with this. Then again she's a fictional character so that argument doesn't stand either. I loved that film. Jon Cryer as Duckie, very cool. Tiny crush on Andrew McCarthy. Looking back he was a bit wet wasn't he? More a John Cusack kinda gal; then and now.

Give Bea some credit though, she's happy to use these and is thankful (in an eight year old's way) for the thought.

In September she's off on her first school trip. I think I'll buy her some luggage she really likes. Preferably not covered in flowers. Or cherries. And definitely not pink. I'll leave that for Andie.

Day 105. You'll never walk alone.

Forgive me but I'm going to break my rule today and post a picture that I haven't taken. 

My Nan had eleven children and there were reds and blues amongst them.  She was a red, so is my Dad. I remember watching a match with her when I was little and she popped a pair of red pants on her head for luck. It's alright they were clean. Like so many Liverpool families there was good humoured rivalry between the two sides and Derby days provided fond memories of much laughter; loud, boisterous, family days. When my Nan died they played 'You'll Never Walk Alone' at her funeral and the effect was profound. I'd sung that song so many times in the past but from then on its meaning was deeply rooted.

I think this painting by Mackenzie Thorpe captures the mood of today beautifully - I hope he doesn't mind me pinching this image. I'm a Scouser, it's par for the course obviously.

As I've already posted, twenty four years ago today friends and family headed off to a football match at Hillsborough. Luckily for me they all came home but for them it's a day they will never forget. Each year I feel the bond with my home city and get in touch with the people I love who were there that day. I want them to know that they, and the people they lost, are in my thoughts. 

You'll never walk alone. Find my Nan. She's the one with the pants on her head.

Day 51. Girls on tour.

We spent most of the day travelling so after a quick turnaround at the hotel we headed straight out for some dinner.

There are many things I love about this photo. Bea's expression above all, her painted nails, the Blue Peter use of a hair bobble to aid chopstick control and the various people in the background who don't seem to be having half the fun we are. We're now all tucked up in bed after a pit stop at a HUGE M&S to stock up on pants and vests. I'll leave you to decide who they were for.