Rain and Rugby.
Rain and Rugby don't mix. They make for soggy pitches and cold miserable spectators.
Late nights and early starts don't mix well either. Glasses of (Rhiannon!) bubbles that taste so good in the wee small hours in the company of friends make for muggy heads and bodies that don't want to crawl out of bed at 7.30am to get three kids up and dressed and off to Rugby matches.
When I looked out the window this morning at the rain pitter pattering on the patio below I confidently assumed that Rugby was cancelled. A phone call to Gareth's Rugby coach took the smile off my face, it was still kick off at 9am.
The following 30 minutes were spent running around, finding socks, filling water bottles, cutting oranges into easy-to-eat-at-half-time wedges, dressing, brushing teeth, shouting at kids gently reminding the kids to hurry up and get in the car. This is the part of the blog where you are expecting to see photos of a muddy rugby pitch, drizzling rain, muddy boys and triumphant faces as trys are scored. Sorry, we got a text half way to the Rugby grounds apologizing for the late notice but announcing that the match was indeed cancelled. We pulled in to the side of the road, looked at each other and then rang Joe (who was also planning to meet us there) to tell him to stop rushing. We were disappointed not to be seeing Joe, Rhonda and Cian so we suggested that they come to our house instead. We did a u-turn and returned home and put the kettle on.
Always trying to find the silver lining we praised ourselves for being up and dressed so bright and early ready to make the most of the day ahead (while secretly thinking this was a load of positive rubbish and we would much rather be still cuddled up in bed!) Still trying to be upbeat and not grumpy I decided the best way to cheer us up was by eating. I'm not ready to analyse why I turn to food as comfort, I don't need to think about the messages I am programming my kids with. For now we all fit through the door of the house and God knows freshly baked muffins on a rainy day makes me feel happy! Besides, I couldn't waste the chopped up un-eaten oranges could I!
Joe, Rhonda and Cian poured through the door. Out came the food processor, flour, eggs, butter, poppyseeds and with a little bit of 2 year old Cian help... 
Voila! Freshly brewed coffee, cups of tea (de-caf for the pregnant amongst us!) ...and a plate overflowing with "Golden orange poppyseed muffins"
Perfect!