24th March 2010 (Wednesday)

Many thanks for communications amid packing-flurry from the Pie – can’t believe you managed to cram in writing, sending parcels and searching for schools amid the hubbub. One of these days you’ll earn yourself a quiet and peaceful life, I’m sure of it.


Do we have a huge amount of news today? Hmm, let’s think ... NO. Another humdrum day. Actually started off OK then tailed off very sharply at about 8:30 a.m. when the Non was absolutely REFUSING to pack her lunchbag into her rucksack with even a smallest modicum of sense. (Now you might think this was a minor point but it was specially highlighted by the teacher as a point to be practiced at home, so it’s causing problems at school) – made me quite ill seeing her tug and heave with such utter ineffectualness at the bags for so very, very very long, despite innumerable demonstrations and repetitions in the slowest of circumstances imaginable. Sometimes I really wonder. I know she’s pretending but unfortunately the pretence makes into reality because if you don’t give yourself the opportunity to practice you keep yourself back at step 1. ... However, it is I suppose gratifying that you can threaten a child very effectively with ‘if you don’t get this into your bag properly you’ll have to stay at home, you won’t be able to go to school’ (followed by utterly desperate screams). There is not a shadow of a doubt as to where she’s rather be.

Meanwhile the list for her Sunday’s Toy-Warming party is filing up – I only really invited the girls in the one class she’s in but we’ve already got 9 acceptances. I’d better think of some activities. Oh well, it’s only a little more than the usual Wednesday get-together we used to have every week and they’re all older now too, it’s not a big deal. Very nice that so many of them are showing up. I wanted to kind of make amends for her having to start a bit later than the rest of them, so a kind of ‘this is Lara’s house and you can come and play it’s not scary’ sort of thing (ho ho ho) – plus no doubt there are already existing networks in place that have been going since they were born, just like in Winslow. Always room for another one to break in. Talking of which we’ve been asked to do our first pick-up-and-sit for tomorrow by the ever-lovely Anna, so we’ll have Lillian over for after school tomorrow. The Non won’t know what’s hit her, we won’t be able to do our usual work so we’ll have to do activities instead (Lillian, like most kids her age of course can’t yet read properly and I think sure as hell isn’t used to being sat down to a page of find-the-verb and a good drum-out of maths flash cards, so it’ll have to be colouring and storytelling – possibly toys – good lord). The kids are certainly y getting end-of-term fatigue, the level of noise and general increase in the pressure needed to get them to concentrate on their task at hand today was markedly increased (it was my turn at the Phonics today). Perhaps that’s why last night was the first time since we’ve moved here that the Non had an accident in bed – well, to be more precise, over Gosingen Moose. Poor moose. Oh well, at least it’s warm here, I’ll give him a wash and he’ll be fine. Still haven’t managed to put the bed up (it’s only a few screws but it needs two people, the Mr thinks he might be able to do it tomorrow morning) but it looks really nice, I think it’ going to be just right. Not too low, not too high, perfect. Many thanks, W&W! (And at last we can make the den underneath it, with the Pie’s sofa! )

Right, all sorts of windows are now popping up because I’m typig very sloppily by accident, so it’s time to draw to a close. I think it’s nearly time for the W&W to come back from Rome so loo forward to hearing how that went, lots of love all round, V xxx