Monthly Archives: September 2002

wheeze – wheeze – wheeze – wheeze – wheeze – wheeze – wheeze – wheeze – wheeze – wheeze.
I ain’t well again. Unlike the last 2 Mondays I did manage to get some sleep, (cough medicine to calm me down) but I am immensely clogged up. Walking even makes me mildly out of breath. Bunged up, chesty cough, wheezing, aching limbs… my, you must have a spot of influenza Mr Schroeder…. duuuuuh.
What we been doing? If I could think straight, it would be a start, but I’m boringly narrowed in of feeling shite.
Eve has been a daredevil at playgroup – jumping off the slide (slide down halfway, and then leap). Louise had to tell her to stop it as others were failing to copy her, & were in danger of hurting themselves. Playgroups, from what Louise says, seems to be like a sitcom. The playgroup leaders are both dry & droll & some of the kids sound plain odd. There’s the boy. who. speaks. slowly. & deliberately. He was up to something the other day (playing with some anthropomorphic toy?) & Louise asked him what he was doing, “I’m. stabbing. him.” … Riiiiiight…. There’s also a couple of boys who roll around with monkey masks & monkey tails… OK… I’m sure it’s the same in playgroups up & down the country (ahem).

Oh – Friday 13th – how amusing.
Jude didn’t sleep too well last night – he has a similar sort of cough to me – a bit in the chest. Louise is going to take him at least to the pharmacist today to see if there’s anything that might assist alleviation of symptoms.
For a disturbed night, I don’t feel too bad, but my neck is rather stiff & I feel distinctly uncomfortable looking down to type.
I whitter a lot about sleep at the moment – probably because I’m greedy for more. To irk me Fortean Times also has an article on hypnagogic, or half sleep – one of the periods of sleep I really like best – that time between sleep & wake in the morning where you can really freewheel – but I never have the time to indulge any more – sigh… I can let my imagination play then without my conscious mind impeding it. Hey ho.
Right – I’m off to play (try a little light sleep) & rest my neck.

Indeed – typing was cut short yesterday.
My brain cannot think of a suitable point to start this morning… just sitting here with a big duuuhhh…
Got a new pair of jeans after work yesterday – that’s interesting isn’t it?
My computer at work has been downgraded – which is a bit of a drag.
ah – Louise snapped at me for doing something daft yesterday; I was holding Jude & pulled over my (now tepid) cup of tea – He got some on his foot – jerked him away & he cried – nasty shock… Louise took Jude off into the front room while I cleared up & suddenly Jack started crying. He was really upset. I stopped clearing up & went to see what was up & he could not tell me through sobs. It sounds bad, but he was not actually crying, & he was, after a while ‘forcing himself’ – that is to say, his crying seemed rather ‘labored’. Interesting. The reason he gave when he managed was that he thought that we were mad at each other (Louise & I). Well, yes, for a fleeting moment, but as always these things pass quickly. We do not generally bicker & we’re both poor at maintaining a grudge. The worst we tend to be is ‘snappy’. Jack’s reaction was interesting though… if a little melodramatic… I’ve been wondering why such a reaction came up? He has been very… pernickety at the moment. Louise had a trial of toast not being quite right yesterday – crusts toppings browness, I imagine – I cannot recall the details. He didn’t want his tea either, even though it was the same tea he ate with gusto last week. He has been loving & everything. Perhaps he’s not feeling very secure… I don’t know why though. He’s been getting a lot of ‘good behavior’ smiley stamps on his hands – but then again that could be insecurity & a desire to please. Sigh… Parents tend to worry when they think about things too much. He’s generally very happy sat the moment… Perhaps he’s been talking with someone at school whose parents have split. William’s back – his parents have split… Do kids of 5 talk about that sort of thing?

• 

Again I missed a Monday typing. I was far too jiggered again. An uneasy sleep Sunday night to Monday morning due to coughing again. At least I remembered to sleep on the train yesterday, although it didn’t really feel like it did any good. I believe that typing will be restricted this morning as well as there’s a train strike & I am likely to get someone wanting to sit next to me, & I cannot type with company. At least I have the new Fortean Times to read… That should give them something other than my typing for them to give quizzical looks at.
Slightly fractious weekend. Not really sure why, but both Louise & I were in snappy moods at times. Not usual, & not pleasant. I guess we are both rather run down at the moment. I am consciously trying to make an effort to get to sleep earlier. I was not at the weekend, as we got “the Lord of the Rings” out on DVD from the bibliotec. First time we have done such a thing. It was… OK. I remember the book was all about the journey & the film seems to be all about the battles…but I guess that’s just the cinematic experience & the difference between the 2 media.

Been falling behind on putting this journal thing up on the Internet… Oh well. There are only so many hrs. I’ve been working on getting ZUM! more up to date & all that… Nothing spectacular, just documenting what I should already have done, but not managed to.
Been prattling about on Ebay as well… Got me some Bionicle bits for Jack. He seems to like them, but have to confess that I also rather like them. Sad little me, but then, being a dad gives you a chance to play with your children’s toys (ahem).

I allegedly slept well last night… funny that. Seems I beg to differ with the actuality.

Eve is “The biggest girl in the wide world”. I thought I’d share that with you. She’s bigger than Jack, she’s bigger than Grandma, she’s bigger that daddy (me). I’m not sure where this opinion originated, but she is very pleased with it, & has often mentioned it over the past weeks.

Her playgroup has moved from the college to a room at Jack’s school. She went for the 1st time again yesterday & loved it immensely. She did not want Louise to go though… So Louise stayed & Jude enjoyed himself as well. Louise says that Eve really enjoyed herself. She was running with her head held high as she left.

Jack has settled into school again well. Louise was a bit worried on the 1st day back when the seating arrangements cast him as the only boy on a ‘girl table’, but this has not effected him. I think there was more concern he might get ribbed by more ‘boy centric’ boys for being on ‘the girl table’. Not so, & he does not really seem to have that distinction enforced as much as others. William, his old pal who moved to Spain has returned again – which has made him happy. I think he’s off to William’s after school this Friday. All in all, i think he’s enjoying school (as much as one does).
He’s a social animal.

We had another leak in a pipe above the back room – the one where we had a leak before & the insurance paid to have the room repapered. I all looked so nice, not quite so anymore. It’s not bad – it’s just not quite right anymore. Bother. Hattie (our plumber) came to fix it yesterday – which was really very good indeed as we thought she was already on holiday! It seems to be all fixed now. She came round yesterday afternoon & we left her to it while we went to pick up Jack from school – dilly-dally in the park & then we went shopping & had tea at the supermarket cafe (meeting other parents we knew there). All very convivial. All, quite importantly, out of the way – letting Hattie get on with work without having the kids (or me) peeking & poking their nose in. Still not quite sure of what she did from the description given on the invoice. Looks like a problem with the copper to lead connectors again. Yes, yes – lead – we still have some lead piping. I wish we didn’t, but it’s not like we can actually afford to have them removed. Bah.
Jude was up early this morning. Crawling round & happy. His word/noise of the moment seems to be, “Bwah”. He cawls round the floor investigating things with an accompanying “Bwah… Bwah…. Bwah”.

Missed typing yesterday for lack of brains. I had none – I was a somnambulist for most of the morning. Cough woke me too early & I did not manage to sleep again, thus I just was. Too stupid to realise that sleeping on the train would be a good idea as well… duh.
Jack is back to school today. He is not overtly keen; he’s been enjoying the holidays a lot & in ‘class 1’, “They don’t have so many toys” (he protested through tears when getting out of the bath the other night).
Still – he knows he’s going… so that bridge is crossed. Louise is worried that they won’t be able to get into the ‘morning routine’ that’s required to get him there.
He & Hamish have been playing very well over the last week – playing together for very long periods of time.. They seem to have come to a better understanding of each other & there are very few ‘fall outs’ as they want to go in different directions. I consider this a good thing – the art of compromise is working well for now. Hamish’s mum pointed out something which I hadn’t thought of with Jack having problems playing with his other near pal Jessie. Jessie has a close brother (age wise) & their playing could have a lot of non-verbal communication that Jessie might be expecting Jack to pick up on (as Jessie’s brother can) – & Jack plainly does not. Thus Jessie gets more annoyed & just sulks off to Jack’s incomprehension. I’ve seen this happen a couple of times.
Eve is very fragile at the moment. Not really sure why, but it could be likely to with the last tooth (upper right molar) which has yet to fully break through. It seems to be sapping her confidence as well at the moment. Louise & the kids went to another mother’s house yesterday & Eve was jumping about (as she does). The other mother was impressed by Eve’s agility & daring as her boy of similar age is not that daring (or foolhardy?). Eve managed a jump that bashed her chin somehow or other & she was hurt & she could not calm down. Louise had to take her out of the house for fear of her puking (as she does when really upset) She kept it in, but could not calm down. They had to leave, with Eve crying outside until Jude was put in the pushchair etc. She was still hot & bothered by the time we got home. She pointed to her chin – throwing her head back for me to inspect the gruesome damage… of which there was none. Still – it doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt. She bugged me into playing football & she threw it to me & I kicked it back – not that accurately because (lets face it) I’m not that good, & I was holding Jude as well. He was enjoying it – giggling at Eve & the ball. She did manage to impress me though. She kicked a very good volley back at me. A volley from a not quite 3 year old is impressive. She’s not really interested in the concepts of sport & kick about, (she’d rather sit on the ball a lot of the time) but she can kick the ball rather well if she wants to.
Jude is happy. He’s crawling with ease now, so is more interested in climbing up to a standing position on anything he can – sofa etc. He’s keen! He’s also a jolly baby. He finds many things amusing. We were down the kids bike track in the park the other day. It was a bit busy & he was in his pushchair while Jack & Eve (& Hamish & Amber) gadded about. He was happy just watching the kids pass by on their bikes – smiling & occasionally chuckling. His contentment is really amazing sometimes. He is quite strong though – he’s difficult to control in the bath. I sometimes give up & have to get him out before he’s really had enough play. Changing nappies can be very difficult as well, if he’s in no mood to cooperate. Louise uses the art of distractions to great effect.
I’m aware I’m just meandering in my writing, but sometimes it’s good to do that.