Many hands make sunshine

I'm writing this after saying good bye to my sister following a wonderful weekend visit. There is no other way to put this: she is good for me. We have had a lovely 48 hours (not long enough :( ) together. I didn't get enough sleep as our conversations meandered into the small hours and the children were, as they are every weekend, full of energy and raring to go in the mornings...

I moved to Copenhagen nearly a year ago (our first anniversary is next week!!!) and in that time my sister has made four visits from London - say no more - she is my best friend and I miss her terribly. This was her first trip to the Danish capital when the sun wasn't shining. She came during the last winter with its sub-zero temperatures but she reminded me that the skies were blue and it was a crisp and fresh kind of cold. This trip was a weekend of grey skies, snow showers and damp.

And as we ventured out only to Panduro Hobby and Agnes Cupcakes at Torvehallerne yesterday to get supplies and for lunch at our local Laundramat today, we were indoors and drowning in a sea of Lego for most of the visit as my 4 year built and rebuilt fire engines, hospitals, police stations and helicopters...

For a break from the Lego we decided to paint a canvas and given the gloomy weather I thought we could create a bright sun using our handprints. We had lots of fun and now have a momento from the time we shared together. There is something very therapeutic about covering your hands in paint and more so when someone else paints your palm and it tickles. Much to my son's delight. The child in me was very reluctant to wash up when it was all over. And, notwithstanding the t-shirts that are soaking in a Vanish solution this evening, the burst of colour was uplifting.

Well, here's hoping our crafty efforts will encourage some clearer skies in the days to come.