NotSheep

We’d another day of running around the country yesterday - I’m still trying to catch up on all the things that I got behind on while I was ill. The boys had an early lunch at home, then I did a few brief errands: bank, post office, that kind of thing. I’m always glad when I do those errands that I have a big kid or two with me, because it saves getting the little ones in and out of the car all the time - it must cut the time needed by at least a half. We stopped at about 2.30 and bought chips, since I hadn’t had anything to eat and was starting to feel the effects (but of course I couldn’t just buy them for me…)

Then it was off to my friend J’s house - she has a card for a local wholesale place and I was hoping to get small selection boxes or something for the Beavers, but as it turned out they’d hardly anything there and nothing suitable within my budget. I’d intended to leave most of my boys at my friend’s house while we shopped and to take at least Toby with me, but Toby had no such plans: he wanted to stay and play with the others, and - probably the key factor - the dog. Toby is absolutely fascinated with animals and his favourites seem to be dogs and giraffes. Anyway, shopping with me couldn’t compete. When my friend and I got back, he was happy to see me, but chose to stay and play for longer rather than come along on my next errand (I’d to go to talk to my mother and step-father about something). I got back for the boys at 6.25, which was cutting it a bit close, since we’d tickets for the pantomime in our town - on the other side of the city - at 7pm. Fortunately the traffic was good all the way across, and we made it with a few minutes to spare.

The pantomime was an amateur production in more ways than one but it entertained the kids - including the two Beavers I found sitting in the row behind me! Toby watched in fascination for about the first half, then started gigglng at the singing (I don’t think that bit was actually supposed to be funny, but whatever), then decided he’d had enough of sitting still, so I took him outside and he entertained himself for the rest of the evening by running up and down the hall. Jack, Freddy and George enjoyed the daft jokes and numerous references to a bird doing a “whoopsie” on someone’s hat, and Barney took pleasure in shouting the opposite of what the audience was supposed to shout every time he had a chance. Entertainment for the whole family

We got home shortly after 9pm, but nobody had had dinner (the boys had snacks at J’s house) so it took a bit longer to get everyone into bed. We all woke late, and we’re having a lazy time for now, though we need to get the living-room sorted out if we’re going to get a Christmas tree up this weekend, as specified by the plan. Oh yes we will…