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It has been far too long since I updated this blog - so what better opportunity than some pictures of Delphie at 6 months!

Cute, even if I say so myself!

Well, my lovingly nutured tomatoes have somehow managed to contract what I think is blight! They were looking so promising as well. My dad tells me that his outdoor tomatoes have gone the same way - my friend Ben’s on the other hand seem to be doing really well in his greenhouse (although he is significantly more green fingered than i could ever claim to be!).

So this is what they look like - pretty nasty stuff this blight:

All six plants (Marmande, Pixie, Sungold, Olivade, Red Alert and Sweet Million) are all now showing signs of this stuff… Anyway, all is not lost as I’ve turned all the fruit that doesn’t look like it’s going to ripen (before the plants succumb to the blight) into Green Tomato Chutney:

450g of apples (grated)
2 onions peeled and grated
1.5kg green tomatoes (thinly sliced)
225g sultanas
225g sugar
2tsp salt
450ml malt vinegar
4 small pieces of ginger
Half teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tsp mustard powder

Shove it all in a pan, bring slowly to the boil and leave for a couple of hours. Remove the ginger before you put it all in some sterilised jars. Leave it to mature for a couple of months. Voila.. some chutney for the autumn and a house that smells like a vinegar factory.

She’s here… well she actually arrived three weeks ago, but such is the life changing experience it has taken us a while to post this update!
Delphine Rose Hurrell arrived at 7.40am on 30th May 2007, at a very healthy 8lbs 4oz. Delphine and I are doing well after a labour which lasted 4 hours from waking up with contractions to Delphine’s arrival. Apologies to all those people who spent several days in labour, and advice to anyone about to have a child, when things are happening very quickly, no, the Dad’s do not have time to have a shower!!! (James wanted to shower, and then would not drive faster than 30 mph because there was a speed camera.)
Thanks to everyone who has sent us cards, presents and good wishes - our house is now a sea of pink!

There are more pictures here!

Well, this annoucement is a bit overdue, but better late than never. So straight to the point, Juliet is pregnant!

The baby is due mid to end of May and so far all is going well. We’re (or maybe that should be I’m) a bit overwhelmed and daunted at the same time, but I guess that’s what it feels like to have all the responsibility that goes with becoming parents. Me, a father??? - I’m barely able to look after myself, but as everyone keeps saying, it’ll come naturally.

So for the interested among you, here are three pictures from our 12 week scan - admittedly it looks a bit indistinct, but it is a baby I assure you!

Somehow we have managed to sell our house without even putting it on the market. Juliet and I had been thinking about moving house for some time, but wedding plans and preparation had put paid to that (can you imagine the stress..?). However, now that we’ve sold it, we have to find somewhere else to live pretty sharpish!

If all else fails, we do have a nice big tent and plenty of friends with big gardens!