aka dead cow minced up with tomato, basil and red wine sauce, served with large portions of carbs 🙂 (think I might stop the dead animal stuff now actually, for those who don’t partake in the eating of them this is probably not so pleasant, for those who do it is not delightful either! FFS I am supposed to make my living working in marketing and I’m not even making my own dinner sound palatable to myself 🙂 )
Hmm, well a mixed day really. Ady is having some big time stuff going on at work, and frankly it’s been that long since I had a real job (yes, about 5 years actually!) that I seem to have lost touch a bit with the concept of a life outside the house. That is not said in a complaining way, more a bit of a shock realisation that while for me my life *is* the kids and the stuff I blog about with pinches of Nic here and there while for Ady although his home life is his priority it is certainly not the only thing going on for him. Hmm, maybe I need to be a bit more aware of this actually… Anyway, he’s doing well, and I am very proud of him. As with the kids I am a bit crap at praising him too much. I know where his strengths are and sort of take them for granted but at times (like now) he seems to need reminding of them, raving about them and stroking of egos, sighing in a girlie fashion and so on also a cunning plan!
Elsewhere here in the space bubble that is me, the kids, the cats, the house, home ed and the washing machine our day has been ok. Went to the library first thing to collect a couple of books I had ordered; one was some sort of special needs essential skills type thing so cancelled that, another I realised when I got in the car was one I have already read (grr, cost 60p to reserve as well – which is odd that I am cross about as it is *only* 60p and I am the queen of wasting thousands of pounds after all!) and the other is the book Joyce was talking about – My sisters keeper, which I am a little nervous about but also really want to read.
Popped up to Sainsburys where after some swift negotiation (if you sit in the trolley I will buy you the vastly overpriced magazine with a cheapo plastic tat toy sellotaped to the front featuring Dora) with Scarlett went fairly smoothly. Home for lunch and then Rachel, E and baby A arrived. We’ve only seen E once this year (just after he started school in Jan) so it was actually a bit odd. Davies didn’t really want him to come and was quite standoffish with him but I thought E had calmed down a lot – I think school actually agrees with him! (Jim if you are reading, yes it is *that* Rachel!). There was a more marked difference in the boys than ever – unfortunately for once Davies was probably the less agreeable to have around as he just kept interupting us talking, asking repeatedly for Dangermouse to be put on (and then when I relented and it was failed to actually watch it anyway) and didn’t really seem to know what to do with himself. It didn’t really work! Rachel and I talked a bit about how the children are now at the stage where despite best efforts from parents they make their own minds up about other children and while they might tolerate them they could not be called friends. Davies and Leo are genuinely pleased to see each other, Davies and A the little boy who we went bowling with the other week have fun together and Barbara’s B is still talked about a lot here, but Davies has his opinion of E and he ain’t gonna change it. Whilst it is a wee bit inconvenient for me I sort of respect that really. They did manage a game of sorts towards the end but them E started to get a bit rough and Tarly was getting pushed about a bit so we called it a day and they went home. Don’t know whethter it is the fact that they are two very different children or simply the start of the division between schooled children and HE ones but Davies is definitely growing in his independant thinking and developing his own interests and passions while E appears like some sort of junior army cadet – like I say he is happy and it seems to be a positive change for him but challenging as it may be I think I’d rather have my free thinker living with me! (total aside but has anyone read the Dr Seuss Diffen doofer day book? All about the most outlandish school which has no traditional lessons but teaches its pupils to think and when they have to take a test despite not *learning* all the answers they score the highest possible cos they just *know* them anway! Excellent for HEers to read!)
What else? Mum and Dad arrived home safe this evening. Seeing them tomorrow for a proper catch up but I think it has been an eyeopening trip for them.
Pox watch – hmm yes, she does have several blemishes on her back and front which may or may not be it. With Davies I only noticed them when they had become blisters, with an hourly pox watch going on I might be a bit too alert to the smallest mark on Scarlett. She has had a runny nose and cough today, she was running a slight temp at bedtime and she stirred coughing about half an hour ago and when I stroked her head there was another small lump in her hairline. Would not be at all surprised if she wakes tomorrow with the pox. We’ll see…
Tonight Davies was doing an impressive effort at reading – he has suddenly started showing huge interest in books and written words again. I have lots of early reader type stuff about and he is getting into looking at them, running a finger over the words and so on. Keep meaning to do some more 100 EL with him but have not gotten round to it – must try harder!
well, i wait to see if pox is present for you again!
Yes, you can’t *make8 children be friendly, though TBH, we tended to automatically try with mum’s friends children, but of course I remember that as an older child than Davies. i’ve noticed the effect school has had on my nephew, and it does make a difference. Although he is happy to play with Elinor, he does try the *boy* thing with her, whereas before they were just friends. Saying that, a LOL moment was when he breastfed her doll, they had a discussion, and decided boys didn’t do it, so he couldn’t really pretend either, so he helped her latch the doll onto her nipple. Luckilly BIL not there, as he might have died!!
oh God – an OT, on the tv prog about precious babies, just found triplets, so gone in to obs mode and panicking for them [survival is dire]
Ah bollox, they have lost one of the triplets, please let it be early enough not to lose more.
this is why i did not go into repro med, i just cant seperate and be neutral. Also why i want to ditch the obstetrics!
can’t watch precious babies shows, and if ever someone gives birth on telly I am in floods of tears. William and Mary finishes me off every episode.
mmm Dinner sounds lovely. I envy you your carbs quite passionatly just now. This low carb business is bloody boring sometimes. Anyway. I know its not other people’s experience, but the gulf that rapidly appeared between Hannah and her friends who went to school was one of the really nasty HE awakenings for me. I’m sure I’ve ranted about it somewhere in the past 🙁 Made worse in this case as I felt that it was encouraged by the parents, who (understanably I guess, if I’m being reasonable) didn’t want their reluctant 4 year olds to discover not going was an option. We don’t really have that many at all now. Alhough she goes to loads of things, and seems to be popular when she is there, not much ever comes of it. We often have kids round, but she isn’t that often asked back, and I do think the parents have something to do with that. Well, one even told me so, which I guess was honest. I’m rambling. I’ll stop.