Monday we saw Helen off on the train on here way to Athens for a conference. We all managed to go together when she went there before a couple of years ago, but feeling a bit more broke at the moment, and the rules on drug companies paying for such things have got stricter. So me and the girls are still here. Shame, Elinor enjoyed all the ruins etc. she’s really into all the Greek Myths etc. now so would have got even more out of it now.
So we all sort of lazed and moped around bit really, Helen not feeling like she wanted to go, still all in the depths of job worry etc. But once me and the girls were back home, got the girsl into bed reasonably early and was even in my bed by about 10.30 – which is probably some sort of record.
Tuesday, can’t really remember much about the morning, had visit from a local woman who I sort of know. She is starting to HE her only just 4 yo daughter C, so she came round to look at some of the resources we use, and just generally chat about things. Monday was their ‘first day’, she used to be nursery teacher at one point and has leapt into in in very a ‘must be organised’ and ‘do stuff’ kind of way, including having a book to record everything they do in, and how well it goes, and what to do next etc. I was gently pushing our, ‘little bit of structure but mostly going with the flow and the childs interests’ approach. She did email back to say the next day had more relaxed approach which had been successful. she is interested in some of the local group stuff so I expect we will be seeing more of them, and of course SB and C had fun playing, though C didn’t like BB being on the scene once she got up, I think she liked having E to herself.
There is another HE family in the village so I’ve heard, but never yet come across them.
Wednesday SB was goign off to stay at my parents overnight somehow getting up, pottering about, going over there, doing this and that there and then coming home took most of the day. I did have to go and get BB some new shoes though. The jelly shoes nroke the night before, leaving her with two left foot wellies of the right size, a pair of too big wellies and one black patent shoe of the rightiash size (the other ones gone AWOL). So went to a nice empty 
shoe shop and got here some shoes. BB slept in the car on the way home, so of course didn’t go to sleep until about 11pm…..
Today it was just me and BB , who did managed to sleep in to a reasonable time, spent most of the morning playing with her really, with other things such as washing fitted in around that. Lots of Playdo, looking at a few books, building towers of blocks, running around out side, playing ball, all good fun, and it’s farily concentrated attention that she doesn’t really get some much with SB around. While she napped after lunch, I treated myself to some child-free peace and quiet – I sat for a good hour in the conservatory, with a fresh brew of coffee, and a book (Da Vinci Code, not read it before, trashy but fairly entertaining) – luxury…..
Rest of afternoon disappeared in domestic tasks really, until SB came home. After dinner there was Dumbo watching before bed. I think modern computer animated films are great, but some how, knowing that people sat down it did all these older films by hand always gives me an extra pleasure. And I love the crows.
Tomorrow is ‘packing and up and going to Nics house for Monsters party’ day. Missing Helen, looking forward to seeing Helen on Saturday night at her parents.
Hope that we can shift some of the slough that’s been weighing on us some what for the last few months now.
