NotSheep

This is where I try to remember everything else we’ve done in the last three days

Thursday, as mentioned, was spent doing tourist-y things. The rope-bridge will be taken down for the winter by the end of this month, and we wanted to take Henry across it before that. And since it’s only a few minutes away from one of the things he was really looking forward to, there was no point in doing just one of them

In case you’ve looked at the photographs and wondered why Barney was wearing his sweater around his neck in that weird fashion, the explanation is very simple: he spent the day being Zaphod Beeblebrox. Should I worry?

Friday… well, Friday started spectacularly badly. I shouted at Henry and made him cry Actually I shouted at everyone, but Henry took me much more seriously than any of the others ever do. And he was only asking for an envelope… though it was about the seventh time in two hours, and I had said I’d get him one when I got a minute to do it, and I was in the middle of one of those mornings where you say the same thing over and over (mostly “where are your swimming things?” and “why don’t you have your socks on yet?” this time)… but still… I apologised for shouting, and Henry cried a bit on my shoulder, and we made up. Later on, when I was telling Scratchy what had happened, I said “…but we made friends again”, and Henry came over and put his arm around my shoulder and said “We made family!” - so that was nice. Scratchy’s response to hearing the tale of woe was to stick his hand out to shake Henry’s and to say “You got shouted at? Welcome to the family!”

We got out to the car and I discovered one of the back seats wasn’t latched in properly; it took about 20 minutes to get it in, though it might have been quicker if I’d thought to look in the manual. The day did improve from there though. I took the Voyager (now otherwise known as “the black car”) to my mechanic, where one of the guys who works for him looked at it and made enthusiastic noises like “it’ll do you” and “yeah it’ll go”. Right. Thanks. We came home for lunch, then went swimming (all the kids and me), soccer-ing (Barney and Freddy) and basketball-ing (Henry, Barney and Scratchy).

Jack spent much of the day wailing; he likes to make sure everyone knows it when he’s feeling under the weather. He brightened enough to go swimming (I let him decide if he wanted to swim or watch), though wasn’t up to his usual levels of energy when we were in the pool. He breathes very heavily when he’s sick; I’m wondering if I should get that checked out.

This morning started with swimming lessons for Barney, George and Freddy, as Saturdays usually do - but unlike most Saturdays, I took them today. I wanted to go and work out in the gym. We got out of the car at the leisure centre and as I locked it, Scratchy phoned: George’s swimming stuff was still in the kitchen. I looked at George and Freddy and realised neither of them had a swimming-bag. At least Freddy’s was in the car - but we had to come back for George’s, so they were late to their lesson. Writing this, it’s just occurred to me that I could have sent him in with Barney’s swimming gear and brought Barney back for more, as his lesson doesn’t start until half an hour later… but I didn’t think of that this morning! Anyway, they all got their lessons and I got my workout, and Barney went to Fit Kids and then swam again, and we came back home so George could change into clothing more suitable for gymnastics (because y’know it just wouldn’t do to wear something suitable in the first place…) Meanwhile Henry stayed at home and did maths with Scratchy - Henry’s choice. Funny kid

The four oldest (that’s Barney, Henry, George and Freddy - just in case you were having trouble keeping up - which would be forgiven, because I have to think about it, and I live here LOL) spent the afternoon proving that they were indeed born in a barn, and I spent it saying “shut the door!” Barney and Henry went out with some local friends for a while, then came back in and played computer games; George and Freddy disappeared to R’s house (across the street - R’s mother has four children of her own, including three boys, so the arrival of my lot doesn’t scare her as much as it scares some of the other local mums LOL) Jack is still not quite well but is much better than the last day or two (or at least he’s a better colour and he’s not making nearly as much noise!); he watched Barney and Henry on the computer. Scratchy went to basketball and Toby beat me up with bits of paper and anything else he could find, laughing at himself the whole time. Now they’re all watching a DVD before bed, and I’m going to attempt to catch up on email.