First things first – I really don’t like April Fools. Or New Years’ pranks. Maybe I’m sensitive, maybe I’m a spoil-sport, I don’t really care what people think but it’s not something I have any interest in. (Except for Jamie Oliver’s 1 Ingredient Recipes – that was pure genius!)

So with that out of the way I can enjoy my day!

Steve was up early again to set the fire and cook the pancakes, but not early enough for the cats who were waiting for him this morning! Closest he’s been yet, either they’re getting used to him too or hunger was driving them!

The “easter bunny” managed last night despite everything to create the foundation for a most enjoyable morning. Pancakes and a simple chocolate hunt and more chocolates and the kids at least actually got chocolated out fairly soon. New books and magazines and lego to create and sunshine to enjoy it in – perfect morning.

Someone else was enjoying the day though too and I was NOT happy about it – that dratted shrew was back, and as they are fiercely territorial we suspected it may have killed the other two we’d found outside previously. I’d been hearing it scrabbling around under the skirting for several days and so had Steve so he went off to try and tweak a couple of mousetraps so they were on a hair-trigger. I discovered what it was trying to get out from under the skirting, and watched it completely avoid the trap, scrambling underneath it to get away but shrews need to eat every couple of hours and it really wanted this stale piece of pølsehorn bread. Steve put a piece of it in the other trap. And then watched as the shrew climbed onto the hair-trigger trap, sat ON the trigger, didn’t trigger the thing, and sat there nibbling at the bread. So Steve threw a sticklebrick at the trap and the shrew was done.

And then we found another dead shrew outside in the afternoon so maybe it was the cats catching the other ones after all?!

Needed something yummy to look forward to for dinner so as I had a bowl of sourdough ready to shape I suggested a cheese and marmite roll again, which we could then leave to prove until we were ready to eat.

We needed to bring some wood down, and there was a bonfire to set up, so while Steve dealt with trees I piled up the bonfire pile.

After we’d eaten a bit and after the sun had set we got everyone wrapped up in coats and boots and headed out to light the bonfire. Ben was terrified it would spread or set the woodland on fire, Charley was desperate to create a torch, and Erika was more interested in sliding down the slide! I LOVED it. Best easter evening I’ve ever had.