Killer Ladybirds have Got My Curtains - window dressing that is..

Oh My God. Just went to drew the curtains and looked up at the wire, thought oh how lovely, someone has wrapped some beads around the corner of the wire. Then, why would anyone, apart from me that is do that, I guess I could say its the sort of decorating I do come up with.

Then I realised it was the killer ladybirds. A whole gang of them, at least fifteen, why are they there? Is my house too damp (the bay window does have Damp)? How can I make them go? Decided to close curtains and wait for Long Suffering Husband 'just make them go'.

But how hideous, what are they doing? I read earlier in the year about them, apparantly they've come from Nowhere, or Somewhere Abroad, and are eating all our little cute English ladybirds. It's something like the red squirrel/grey squirrel story, evil American grey wins over cuter English red. But they were not beetles really and did not breed in my curtains. God God God, how to deal with creatures this house brings up.

I saw a fox wandering up the road last night, cute, but poos in the garden so not keen anymore on lovely urban foxes. Also one ate my friend H in London's lovely white Birkenstocks once, so not friendly, also looked at her mum, can't remember why last bit wrong but was Bad.

We had a lovely valuation lady today, our house has gone up to Band D council tax which we're appealing against. She was very nice, but it is very complicated, I think we should win though as we only have 3 bedrooms, unlike our neighbours who are rightly D because they have decent extensions and attic conversations that are more than 3 foot long, and for an actual purpose.

Very unsure about purpose of our attic conversion, as its off master bedroom, and is just sort of full of bookshelves. Possibly just a reading room thing with no heating and no floor. It's useful for putting things in but then so are actual attic's. This one does have two windows, and does somehow serve to suck all the heat out of our bedroom in to it, and straight out the windows. So that's useful in the summer, bloody frezing now though.

Oh, and in terms of to do list - have done these tasks so far this week:

• Nearly all massive three week pile of ironing

• Vacuumed house, and mopped all the floors

• Bathroom cleaned, although not by me am afraid to say

• Made four winter garden wreaths - photo to follow, one is alright if slightly too Christmassy for time of year, did try to tie apples to it to make it more autumnal but they fell off and was worried that local children might steal them aka apple theft, although probably would be community service by me as better for them than the sweets and fizzy pop I normally see them with.

• Made and frozen soup and veggie sausage rolls

• Shopping online completed

• Bought some new sheets but forgot pillows which was why I went out..

• Went to son's parents evening, which went well apart from him leaning over on the table and bumping his head on it, then five minutes later daughter did the same. Teacher then asked what the problem with our family was, course I could tell her it was Husband who was extremely clumsy, luckily he was there to look sort of clumsy.

• Decoupaged a little Ikea stool, with bits of pictures that I like, its sort of funky but also a bit strange. Think I will do another one tonight for the children's playroom, have cut out bits from magazines that I like already. It will be a bit girlie but will be able to do another one for Ol from more 'cool' things when we collect some more grown up magazines. Can't believe how gendered they both are. And I've worked hard to make sure they weren't, I do think its partly age related though, daughter is in to Bob the Builder and Dora and little children things, and son in to computer things, suspect he would be keen on Power rangers and cartoon things we let him watch them, but do try to avoid violence.

• Sorted out children's playroom, and their toys - just need to buy new inner bag for bean bag too now.

• Dusted whole house, except for afore mentioned attic room which has A Lot of Shelves.

• Oh, and went to new and really not very comfortable playgroup with daughter this morning. Parents quite deprived and sitting on table facing away from children. All the children there came and played with me and friend K because we looked at them, and sat on the floor. It was really a bit sad, but probably good for parents as they got to chat (they all seemed to know each other), and ok for children to be out with other children. Think quite a few smoked so probably good for children to be out from smoky environments too, n.b. Hastings has one of the largest populations of smokers in the South East,and more surprisingly people here, even with children actually smoke in their houses. Did not know anyone really did that anymore. Also the community centre housing group was very depressing with breeze blocked walls and obligatory scent of bleach. At least it was clean though I guess. One of first playgroup experiences was Cheeky Monkey's in Leytonstone which we all grew to love, but first time we went with little babies were so scared of the dirty old carpets on the floor, had to put babies on muslin sheets, and think were too alarmed by whole place to drink tea. Mind you once did get children a beaker of juice and found lots of mould inside. Is that ok for them?

Think that is all of excitement for last two days, bar usual dinner making, and washing, and drying, and sorting children out. Latter three all made far worse this morning by daughter coming in our bed after putting hand down her nappy. Woke up to bad smell in my face which was her hand. Very hideous.