What's French for Ginger?

The autumn colours are not particularly vibrant. I think everything went golden a long time ago with the dry weather. It depends on where you look. Some places must be damp and things are still green. Other places must be dry and windy and the leaves have just fallen off. But the Smoky Bush in the garden is lovely. The bark is dark which makes it more striking.

Spook went to work for about 3 hours this morning as there is crisis meetings taking place and he was to put his penny's worth in prior to the meeting. Then we went back to Diamond Hill and took the long route, which the children had refused to do before. It was a little bit harder work but an even better view. It always does feel better when I have got out and about, but I'm still struggling with self-motivation so we hatched a plan to make Spook my support worker. He has created cards for my days off with various lists of things for me to do. I pick a card on my day off and follow the plan. It will tell me what time to check my e-mails, housework, art, cycling or running and writing time. We agreed that I am at my best when employed, so I have to treat him as though he is my employer. ( I hope he doesn't take advantage of the situation - the children have already started leaving notes of what they expect done at the end of the day "please make our beds and leave us a surprise!!!!")

The children went to school in Mufti today (casual clothes). Wanaka is to be French for the day because of a play written about what it would be like if it had been settled by the French, which is playing at the festival today. So the children had to go in something French. Meg had a Tour De France t-shirt and Finn went in a white and blue fleece and a red t-shirt. A nice break from green and white stripes. He was a bit worried today because he said it was also 'Hug a Ginger' day. He said he was going to run away if anyone came near him. He was late home from school and Spook wondered if he was tied to a tree, getting hugged. He finally arrived, having meandered slowly home and said that the dreaded hugging day was next Friday.