That morning fatigue descends. I’ve got to the station with time to spare & it’s just this journey to work now before my body has to react again. It’s trying to tempt my brain to sleep… but I will persist in exercising my hands to type…

We did the expedition to Ikea on Saturday. The kids had been up foolishly early the past few days, so it was on Saturday – granting us the chance to set off early. We were at the station for the 8:19 – which arrived at 8:30 & were on our way. Got to the shop at 10:00ish. The shelves we were looking at in the catalogue proved to be a bit naff in real life – so we opted for the trusty expandable units that they do. Got the beds for the kids – well – a proper mattress for Jack for now, & a ‘storage bench’ type thing. Basically, all that we went there for. Was not too stressful, as getting there that little bit early we were just ahead of the wave of busy that hits the place. We did get caught up in that after a spell in the restaurant, which all got a bit claustrophobic, so by the time it got to the place where all the knick-nacks are at the end, we were ready to flee – thus missing a couple of sundry items we would have searched for otherwise. Ah, well. Journey home again. I had Eve on the back carrier, & was OK with it until the end of the day where it seemed to be starting to get heavier & heavier. Eve really enjoys it in there though. She’s only really been in it once before & that was as good while ago, but she remembered it when it was brought out & was stamping with excitement to get in. All in all the kids did very well. Jack fell asleep a couple of times when travelling, but Eve, who had been late off yesterday, just kept going & going. By the end of the day she was a bit manic & fragile though.

On the Sunday the furniture arrived. Have a few boxes still to do, but the main one – their beds – is sorted. Eve’s bed was the only task I was set to do, really. Jack was very interested in helping & hijacked one of the alum keys to ensure my cooperation in allowing his assistance. He can be quite helpful, but at one point I decided that the mangled phillips screwdriver I have needed replacing. This meant stopping what we were doing & popping to the Sunday market to get one from one of the stalls there. Now, Jack is still not the right way out at the moment. He is getting frustrated & annoyed at us when we tell him we & thus he is going to do something. As with us all he wants a say in how things should be done. Unfortunately for him, the options we sometimes offer are not what he wants – like the other day when we were moving the bedrooms about & he wanted Jessie to come & play – but he did not want to go out to play with him. This time we needed to go out – me to get the screwdriver & Louise needed to go for a shop – supermarket – provisions – no milk in the house! Jack was not too keen – to put it mildly & was I was stupidly determined that he should go. So, Jack & I get mad at each other. I get really mad, but you cannot take these things out on your children. I did put him outside the back door in the rain without a coat, as I was heartily sick of his going on. Was a bit spiteful & Louise soon rescued him from getting wet. I stormed off – as it was the best option. I would have only continued to rage in the house. I went to get my stupid screwdriver. Louise caught me up later when I had just finished mulling between the stalls as to which one actually looked like it might last more than 5 minutes. Had a chat with our neighbour Andy while I was there as he is staring up a new recycling business thing. Must try to find his website to put a ling here as he has some swanky stuff.

Anyway – after the weekly shop & cafe – where Jack was very good! We went home to finish off the bed. Eve fell asleep which left Jack & I to complete it in relative pace (no extra person climbing over things).

Later that day he was complaining of the itches getting in again. ‘Itches’ are the midge flies that attack you on the evening in the garden around here. Right annoying they is. Nasty thought occurred – we had a warning letter from the school the other day about head lice! As we had been given a lice comb I went & dug it out & gave him a comb… uh,oh… what’s that?

It looks like Jack has the dreaded blighters. A quick heck of the rest of the family looks like Louise & Eve had one or 2 & I have scalp debris & fluff, but nothing, as yet. Poor Jack – they must have been a torment… & of course it’s not over… we have to be rid of them proper – any eggs & all! Gah!

Eve’s hair is very fine – the comb teeth seem too large for her, but she gets knots in her hair from sleeping. Jack & Louise share similar hair – although Louise’s is denser & thicker. Jack needed a good ol’ combing & I did so until I could find no more. In the process he fell asleep on my lap, so we put him to bed in his new bed & he slept quite well. For the 1st time in few days he was still asleep at the time I set off to work.

Now then… have you itched your head reading that? ‘Itches’ – there’s a thing that catches psychologically…