Ah joy - the birds are up and about singing early, the temperature seemed to reach giddy heights today (we had a fantastic walk in the forest in the 'heat of the day') - seedlings are sprouting right, left and centre - and life is as full and exciting as ever.

One minute we're having to cancel the Continuum Concept tour - next minute I'm arranging for Veronika Robinson to start developing her UK talk tour. We're starting in Brighton on 1st May (see events), she is then addressing the Cambridge Natural Parenting Seminar on May 2nd -  and all being well will be appearing in Manchester later in May. There may even be an event in Birmingham in-between them all!

Last night saw the culmination of weeks (actually months!) of fun with my two daughters and some other home-educating friends who performed in a play that I wrote and 'directed' for them. It was great fun and I'm so pleased that I have learnt to value such experiences in my life  --  my public school education didn't really do a lot in the way of telling me how important it was to value those 'little' things that make up family and community life! Fortunately I had great role models in my mum and dad...

Response to the new website has been WONDERFUL - thank you all those of you who have commented. It is much appreciated.

We are currently researching the possibility of a Mother magazine camp for early August. We have found a fantastic possible venue, and now have to do the number-crunching to see if it is a risk that we can afford to take. Veronika is very confident that it will be really well attended  - the last Mother camp certainly was!

If you haven't signed the avaaz 'Tibet' petition please consider doing so - they seem to be doing amazing work.

We're live! And the last 24 hours has been a real test of the new system which seems to be handling everything beautifully! I'm really pleased with the way the new site looks and handles  (my god, I'm sounding like Jeremy Clarkson...) - and particularly pleased that we now are able to offer Winnie's beautiful paintings and drawings as hand printed cards (see Greetings Cards). I've been dreaming of her paintings becoming cards ever since we first met...

We've also been able to create new subscription choices to The Mother. Overseas subs have become more expensive due to the exchange rates and postage costs - so now you can select a 6 month or 12 month subscription sent by surface mail or air mail. We've also included the 6 month subscription as a choice in the UK.

Combine that with our existing offer to UK residents to pay via monthly standing order and that must put the magazine within reach of everybody's budgets!

I'm delighted to report that the magazine has gone from strength to strength in the last 18 months and that we are continuing to attract a list of contributors that would make any parenting magazine jealous!

Look out for regular offers on the site and for news of upcoming talks by Veronika Robinson, editor of The Mother, on her new book 'The Drinks Are On Me' (see events). Veronika is one of the guest speakers in Cambridge on May 4th at a Natural Parenting Seminar (again, see 'events'). 

Winnie is also holding her wonderful 'Awakening the Goddess' day part 1 in Kent in May - see 'events'.

And there is even rumour of my return to the talk circuit in the not too distant future...

Sunday night. Came back from my weekly run around game of football (with a bunch of other old farts and some younger whipper-snappers) at about 9.00pm (drenched and highly delighted with self for scoring at least twice and not needing oxygen tank at all).  Made transatlantic call to Jean Liedloff (via Skype - doncha love it?) to check all ok. Stomach sank when she reported seriously deteriorated knee problem. Lots of tickets sold, venues booked, final payments all due this week.

Monday. After great sleep (it takes a lot to stop that happening) and lovely old morning meditation and dog walk in the forest, get email from New York. Supermodel and prime time TV hostess Tyra Banks wants our very own Mother mag editor to appear on show about working mothers versus stay-at-home mothers. Emails fly rapidly across cyber space in between coaching client and space clearing in dining-room in preparation for arrival of next issue of The Mother (for worldwide mailout next day). From emails we try to work out their motivations (Veronika has had some nasty media experiences) - is this another freak show or a genuine attempt to tackle an interesting debate? With a US audience of 11 million and worldwide even bigger (it's syndicated) we push for plug for V's new book and our website (since you can't buy it in shops!).

Monday Night. A further call is made to Jean in San Francisco. Condition of leg doesn't sound great. Jean doesn't want to let anyone down and doesn't want to cancel -  and we don't want to be faced with cancelling at the last minute and risk being wiped out having paid all venue hires, tech stuff etc. Let alone having to try to get hold of ticket holders- plus the extra worry of knowing many are travelling, booking accomodation - we even had people coming from Spain to hear her.

Tuesday. After helping a married couple to discover that maybe they really do seem ready to separate, a pallet of new magazines arrives at the front door. The new issue of The Mother - cover looks great - no time to check anything else yet, got to print out a multitude of labels and stamps and get the the wonderful family team in situ for stuffing, labelling and boxing up.

Send Jean email saying we really think we should consider cancelling the UK leg of the tour - we know what will be involved and we cannot guarantee to provide the support she needs. This is hard for us to do as we so want to do this tour, tickets are selling so well, there is so much excitement etc etc. Difficult for us to explain to ticket holders if European leg goes ahead anyway but we cannot afford to take such a huge risk. At this stage cancelling means we lose something, but any later and we risk losing so much more, including the goodwill of all the ticketholders.

Negotiations with Tyra Banks show continue - they want her to film on thursday which means flying over wednesday. Tuesday night, we conclude negotiations, get promise of book and website plug, Veronika becomes the first European guest to get paid for appearing on her show, and a taxi gets booked for 4.30 am pick up in the lake district for 2 hour drive to Manchester airport.

Wednesday. Whilst Veronika is heading over the Atlantic, The DHs (including a wonderful Grandma who is always there when we need help) continue stuffing labelling, mailing out new magazines. No reply from jean Liedloff yet re her leg. Lots of meditating and fresh air. Catch a guy called Rob Hopkins in the evening at a packed local village hall talking about the transition town movement. Inspiring speaker - make note, get him to to write for mag.

Thursday 5.10am. Wake up early with prod to go and check email. There's one from Jean. On weighing everything up she has decided she can't go ahead with any of the tourt - her leg is just not up to it. Feel mixture of sadness and relief. Email Eurpoean tour organiser Clara immediately. Then meditate, cook breakfast and go for long refreshing walk with Win and Billy the bonkers dog.

Jean has posted news up on CC forum and emails start flying in. We announce it officially soon afterwards. Long process of informing and refunding begins with phone calls to venues.

Thursday 11.00pm. Email from Paul (Veronika's hubby) - TV show was awful. They just wanted to make her out to be weird. Sad feeling that the media find it so hard to report, interview, responsibly.

Friday. Final magazines go out. Coach a business client through an awkward negotiation. Upload products information to new website which should have been live weeks ago. We're going to need it even more if Veronika gets on this US show - I don't think my little old website will cope with the amount of hits we could suddenly start experiencing. Email New York contact about TB show - she confirms that Veronika held her own with Tyra and that she was handing in her notice as a result of Veronika's treatment on the show.

Saturday. Garden day. A bit of seed sowing, garden tidying, compost stirring etc in preparation for spring. Leave messages alone for today. Check V arrives back safely. Contemplate meaning of life, the Universe and everything...

Sunday. Now then. where's that football...?

What's to say? Jean has reluctantly decided to cancel both the UK and European tour due to, what she lovingly calls, 'a wonky knee'. Try as she has to whip it into shape, the darned thing just hasn't wanted to play ball and has let her know in no uncertain terms.

So what was the point of all that then, if all we end up with is what I would have once called 'months of hard work for nothing', a bill for the things we've already committed too and a bunch of disappointed ticket-holders? Well, I feel the perfection in it all will continue to unfold in days, weeks and months to come. Even now I know our lives are far richer for the new friends we have already made as a result of being the UK organisers; and the friendship we have now struck up with Jean has brought a wealth of humour and wisdom into our lives for which no price could be paid. 

It's been an incredible few months of high excitement, and  wonderful conversations and emails with lovers of TCC who were planning to travel from afar to hear Jean speak about her experiences. Talking with Clara, the European organiser and original inspiration behind the whole tour, it has become clear how the talk of the tour has once again raised TCC in the consciousness of many people. 

People who read the book years ago were dusting off their old copies, and re-reading chapters to remind themselves of why it is they loved it, or found it challenging, in the first place. Groups of like-minded people were connecting, discussing the book, discussing Jean, and preparing to meet en masse in East Grinstead, London, Bristol, Leicester, Brighton or Manchester.

A national newspaper even offered to fly Jean over earlier to get an exclusive interview with the woman behind the book that has changed how many of us see the world and our families and ourselves.

Let's face it - the tour being cancelled is a bummer. And for us, more than just a bummer - it's quite a challenge. But we'll get up again, dust ourselves off, take a look up the mountain and see that the summit is still very much in sight. And while we're in this spot, we'll rest for a minute, give our eyes some time to adjust, and enjoy the view. 

And if we look really closely, we'll probably see Jean, wonky knee 'n all -  up ahead, taking a rest by the path, with arms open wide in loving embrace...

Well, the flyers are through for the tour and they look just fab. Great that they're printed using veggie ink too! Still can't believe that we're going to be having one of our 'heroes' staying in our house! Word seems to be spreading through all the continuum, sling, parenting and other related networks -  people are being really wonderful by offering to hand out flyers to groups, friends etc. If you're reading this and could distribute some flyers to people who'd be interested, do let us know.

We really want to make sure that anyone who might be interested in hearing Jean speak, will have found out about it. As a small, (but beautifully formed!), family partnership we ain't got the bucks to plough into endless national advertising. We're going to have to let the Universe take care of that for us!

Seems to be doing a pretty good job so far...