Bubbles…

Ady was back to work today. I always like the idea of him being home more and I’m sure if it was a permanent arrangement it would be great but on a temporary basis, especially with Christmas in the middle of it all I quite like the line him going back to work draws under last year and lets us get on with this one.

Davies is being tricky at the moment. He’s not sleeping at all well, often still awake way past 10am but still up again at 7am which is clearly not enough sleep for him as it leaves him fragile, pale and stroppy. He is prone to great drama anyway which I try and keep on top of with a combination of sympathy, time and attention and a hefty dose of not letting him wallow. He’s been teasing Tarly lots today, which she never responds well to and just being a pain generally. We made up at bedtime though and we have plenty planned for the next couple of weeks so hopefully it’s a blip of too much festivity, not enough sleep that we’ll overcome pretty quick.

Davies has X boxed, played with plasticine, painted a thermometer from a Christmas kit and played with some magnetic letters than were in the childrens’ stockings and are currently adorning the fireguard. He’s been doing lots of number noticing the last few days – pointing out ’99’ to me yesterday at Drusillas (not a big deal I know, but equally not something I’ve ever actively shown him) and messing about with magnetic numbers today he did some sums and I realised he knows the signs for plus, minus, times and equals, what they are all called and what they mean. Again not a big deal at all but still surprising that he somehow picked that up without being told anywhere along the line. He did the first of the only two thank you notes I’m insisting on – for the Thank You Neighbours, not even out of politeness really, just because it amuses me to keep the whole ping-pong match of thankyou notes alive really :). I’m also insisting they do one each for the neighbour who lives on the other side of us and gave them a small Christmas gift each too.

Scarlett has done her thank you notes using a fairy writing set she got for Christmas, also X boxed, rather surprisingly at her own request and doing it all herself she set up the x box (which involves plugging some cables into the tv and changing the av channels, I’m not sure I could do it :lol:) and played Barbie Wild Horses or whatever it’s called for a while. She gets very cross with the ponies when they don’t do what she wants them to and keeps up a continuous dialogue with them coaxing or chastising accordingly :lol:. She also played with the magnetic letters, painted a thermometer and her and I planted up her Grow your own Venus Flytrap plant kit too.

Davies had moaned yesterday that I don’t ‘do stuff’ with them enough so I offered various things they’d got for Christmas but in the event they were both happily self entertained so he declined. I cleared the table in the playroom of all the festive food, did several loads of laundry processing, spent some time outside taking photos of bantams, read quite a bit of my book , ate quite a bit of posh cheese and posh German Christmas biscuits, assisted in Xboxing pony control, painting thermometers and planting up venus flytraps and bolstered by our monthly statement from the CCCS did a blogpost over on Money Can’t Buy Me Love. I spent some time tracking down an old newsgroup I used to post on lots and tried to track down a couple of the other regular posters with no luck. Oh and we all watched The Simpsons Movie. Again.

We had to go to the butchers for our meat for January so about 3pm we headed out to do that. The children were delighted to see Mick the Butcher and engaged him in conversation for the duration of our visit. Scarlett asked such questions as ‘did you have a good Christmas?’ ‘Do you live here in the butchers?’ and ‘what are your pyjamas like?’ and is now in possession of plenty of facts about Mick that I imagine most of his other regular customers don’t know :lol:. Davies speculated on what meat a lion would go for first should it come to the butchers (prompted by the recent news story about an escaped lion, not just apropos of nothing!) and put to Mick the idea that he should add a ‘No Lions Allowed’ sign to protect himself from this eventuality alongside his ‘No Dogs Allowed’ and ‘No Smoking’ signs on the wall. Mick explained that lions don’t read as well as dogs so Davies now has plans for an illustrated sign to take there for Mick on our February visit 😆 I’d like to think we brightened his day ;).

Late this afternoon while the children were eating their tea a bubble lamp came up on the local freecycle list so I replied, rang in reponse to the givers email and Ady collected it on the way home from work. It is currently bubbling away prettily in the lounge although I think it is destined for Davies’ room eventually – need to get some distilled water for it though as apparently tap water grows algae pretty quickly in it.

I’ve spoken to the Rainbows leader and got all the information about Tarly starting there although they are not back until 18th January. It is from 6-7pm which is far better than the 5-6pm I thought it was as it will mean I will be home from work to take her myself rather than Dad having to take her every fortnight when I work Fridays. She is fine with me staying until Tarly is happy there and very laid back about her coming along for a few weeks to decide if she likes it before forking out on uniform or even paying subs so that’s good :). I think she’ll really enjoy it. I’ve officially left Magical Mondays with an email to say goodbye and organised a few get togethers for the rest of the month to keep us busy. Ady has two QVC appearances lined up, which we may be able to go up to London with him for and find something to do while he’s busy with that. He is also away for four nights on his annual B&Q trip (we had Merry to stay last year and Babs the year before so if anyone wants to come and keep up the tradition please shout and we’ll get it arranged :)).

I’m off to work tomorrow so after a series of late nights for me too I better get to bed myself otherwise I’ll be being stroppy, childish and dramatic tomorrow too ;).