Monthly Archives: January 2009

Jude didn’t have his inhaler at school yesterday… Not that he actually needs it… He doesn’t have asthma bad at the moment or anything… Actually, when Louise took him to the asthma clinic the other day the nurse said that as he was seemingly a lot better at that point & the fact that he as on Piriton at the time indicated that it might not so much be asthma, but an allergy, so he’s had a note passed to the doctor, so that a referral be made for allergy tests,

Progress of sorts, perhaps?

So, Jude didn’t have his inhaler. He didn’t need it medically, but psychologically he seems to need crutches. He had got into the habit of having some ventolin at… some point & this was denied him. He became worried & a call was put into Louise who advised that at the moment he doesn’t seem to need it… And therefore Jude had a bad day. I can’t say what his day was like third hand & he’s not really forthcoming on this sort of level, so… All the same Louise got a remark of the likes of, “He’s had a difficult day” fro his teacher when picking him up at school. Louise’s mum was there so they went of to Seventy Two (cafe) & Jude got cheesy toast. & all was happy when I got home.

Not a bad evening.. Esme was vociferous & tired & getting them to bed was a bit of a task in the end (bed times seem to be especially difficult at the moment – someone disagrees all the time). Jude wanted his hair checking for head lice because .. well – the teacher asked then to do so, so presumable there some about… Jude has none, but was out of the bath by 7:15. Not bad.. But then Esme & Eve would not … I had to pick Esme up & plonk her in the bath red faced tear filled eyes calling me stupid, idiotic & declaring that she wasn’t listening (Jude’s 3 touchstone phrases of disagreement). And the some of the usual post bath procrastination & some reading & by the time Louise finished reading to Jude & I finished reading to Eve (these are synchronised as best possible) it was ten to nine. How did that happen? Jack finalised what he was dong for RE & was proof read by Louise & Esme had eventually slipped into slumber by then, but all the same – that was later than ever.

And then…

Jude starts whimpering & worrying – he has a tummy ache half a centimetre above his belly button. The pain in his upper right chest area (between ribs) has died down thankfully, but this new ‘disomfort’ is shaping up nicely as a big worry to present settling. So.. He’s definitely not going to go to sleep before Louise goes downstairs… Louise needs a rest, but reluctantly bids him good night after 5 minutes & later has to admonish Jack for not wring up what he’s finalised for RE (it’s supposed to be a rough to bring to class for something in lesson). But it would be better if it were legible, didn’t have Louise’s ‘marking’ on it…

Many mutterings & sighs later Jude finally drops off to sleep – sneak off out of the room at 9:30 (past). I’ve to still to draw an Uakia monkey for him for tomorrow (animal alphabet) & so on… I mess about a bit & am later to bed than I should be.

Jude arrives in our bedroom at 03:45 – which means he may have been awake a bit before this. I’m not as responsive as I could be (dragged reluctantly from sleep) & Louise tells Jude he needs to settle down & go back to bed, to which he responds with a sulky collapse to the floor & then curling into ‘grump position’. I pick him up & put him to bed & try to mutter something soothing & bland & stagger back to bed. Jude’s back later after I’ve fallen solidly enough & Esme seems to have wrapped herself around me (she’s a fidgety sleeper).

So Louise goes off to settle him, but stays down there on the futon. When I get up at 5:45 they’re both still awake.

Might be an interesting evening…

Not so bad…

Jack dipped on the homework at the weekend – had trouble applying himself & was looking for distraction (well, can you blame him). This week, thus far, he’s done well – producing a rather good sonnet last night (it’s a good logic & a good meter (I’ll try t get hold of a copy & type it up).

Jude is doing a lot better – he still loses his temper (we wouldn’t expect that to vanish at a thrice) but it’s less so & he recovers quicker. He’s worrying more… Last night as he was supposed to be going off to sleep he asked if something special happened when children die. I had to get him to repeat it a few times before I was sure that’s what he said & then I had to tease out he explanation for the question… He was curious that something specific happened to make apparently healthy people (children) die, rather than, say, old people who seem to die because they’re old. I had to explain that you don’t actually die of ‘old age’, but when you do get ol your body gets worn out & weaker and if you do get something like pneumonia,then that can kill you. Both Alice & Kathleen were actually killed by pneumonia, not ‘old age’ itself. That Esme had pneumonia & survived was because she is young & healthy, but it was still horrible & difficult.

Sobering.

I could do with a quicker start up time in Ubuntu… I think when CrunchBang (#!) get a mature eee distro I might move there.

Yar,yar,yar… (for the sense the above makes)

So – another weekend out & about… We had planed to go to see Inkhart at the cinemas this weekend, but it seems that this as not the last weekend of Jan – as Jan manages to place a foot into next weekend after all – so we had a rethink. Mentioned to Louise that there’s a Croc (shoe) shop in Manchester & Eve is in need of new school shoes (her last pair seemingly falling apart) so we needed to go somewhere. It was planned that Sat would be the shopping day, but we turned it to Sunday & invited Louise’s mum along as well.

Saturday was a playing day for the kids & they did rather excel at it – not together most of the time, but individually they did fine.

Sunday we were worried about panicked setting off – didn’t want to repeat the previous weekend (although I pointed out to Louise that we did set out 15 minutes earlier than we’d planned to do last week). We were supposed to meet Louise’s mum at the station, but it was not surprise that she turned up at the house – as I said, she’d be early & she wouldn’t want to wait up at the station for us if she were. Served as a reasonable ‘were just about to go’ reminder for the kids as well – bit of excitement as well.

Train was crowded – didn’t all get to sit together – so I’m sat with Esme with Eve & Louise’s mum on the seat behind and the boys a distance away up the train. Packed lunches passed down we set in for the journey, Esme delighted to have an audience in the seat behind as well as next to her (lot’s of bouncing around). Standing room only past Littleborough stopped Esme being able to wander anywhere & she couldn’t do her parade down to the toilet because the train was just too packed (she was not desperate, just loves the novelty).

Shopping went OK. It was useful that we had to split up just when we reached the first shops – Jude needed the loo. So I went back with Esme & Jude to get the Crocs while Louise took Eve off to shoe shops (proper) to get her shoes. This effectively stymied the critical mass off fussing that they reach when they al want something in a shop. Jude & Esme got Crocs & Eve got shoes & no one got upset. Jack got to read (as he’s not interested in getting shoes, nor does he need any). Esme’s Crocs are too big at the moment, but they last a good while these things. Jude wore his most of the day. They are decorated with Wall-E & are brighter than we would have normally bought, but sales is sales. Eve is also happy with her new choice of footwear.

That was the predominant reason for going, so that done we decamped to a cafe (even though they’d eaten on the way in this is expected). The had fun & were satiated (Jack couldn’t eat all the chocolate & orange cake we got (although he would have drunk another 2 cups of hot chocolate given the chance… he wasn’t – just a bottle of water). A nice thing about BHS Cafe is that it’s big – you can be lost with your unruly brood in a corner & not feel that you’re bothering anyone. Not that they were badly behaved or anything – they were just a little exuberant (they usually are – they’re a happy bunch on the whole).

They to Waterstones which has this nice area at the back of the shop where the kids can sit about. They had fortne cookies out (Chinese new year doncha know) but I’m not sure they laiked the taste of this. Jack found hs book, Jude accumulated a little pile of things, but then decided on the one ‘Go go gamig thing as he was paying for this out of his own vouchers rather than us payng for it for him (shrewd). Esme wanted books, & so did daddy, but the book he wanted (on the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire) was too expensive).

Thence tesco (sundries) & home. In early for the train so although it was packed we had plumb seats this time.

Not been typing too much this week…

Though it might do a little more what with that verbose chuntering on Monday, but, one thing & another. Jude was awake quite a bit in the night this week. His cough was playing him up & his imagination was running away with him. He caught some of the news from Israel’s invasion of Gaza where they reported that a whole family was wiped out (excepting one) & that seems to have resonated with a fear in him. You cannot deny that there’s a lot of bad in the world, but I’ve pointed out we’re privileged to live in a mostly peaceful country.

I also took him to the doctors for his relentless cough & his asthma is not so bad at the moment – it’s more the fact that 9s throat is irritated, so we were given some piriton & that seems to have calmed things down considerably for him. That said he’s still prone to a little unreasonable worry or so at the moment. He noticed that his new front (lower) teeth are not as smooth as his milk teeth. Adult teeth seem to have more ridges along the top. He does not like this; the shape of his teeth on his tongue annoys him. Yesterday he had a bit if a panic attack at school & Louise was called down to see him because he though that he had swallowed a chip off his tooth. I’m not sure if he’d mentioned this as the cause, but he had some ventolin & calmed down. …He’s a funny one because he is also very strong – quite independently minded, but … his self confidence has taken a knock of recent.

On the whole Jack is doing very well. He seems to have got to grips a lot better with the homework thing & is getting more done & doing it better. This takes out a lump of stress from the daily routine & is much appreciated,

Saturday I was due to meet Darryl in Waterstone’s in Bradford. Louise said it was OK, she could manage the kids OK, but her mum called the night before & as she’s more at a loose end nowadays (without Alice & Cathleen) Louise said she should come over.

So, meeting Darryl didn’t go so well… I was just a little later leaving the house that I was comfortable with, but seeing as how everyone was up I had to say bye-bye to everyone more than the once & … well, that takes a little longer when you’re cutting thing fine. So I missed that train… Never mind. Louise thought it an idea to get a bus to Hebden to see if it was possible to catch a Blackpool train – which I think I did.. Although it took so long to get there it might have been the next train through Todmorden that passes through Bradford.. Ah well. Still – I was on my way again (with a paper to read).

Got to Bradford half an our late, & dashed off to Waterstone’s (I don’t like being late – it’s just me). No sign of Darryl after a scan of the store, so decided eventually to settle in the cafe overlooking the shop & try to relax. Called Louise as I don’t have Darryl’s present mobile number & see if she could get that number for his home because I could at least see if he has got a number from his parents. When I called his dad seemed to indicate that he thought Darryl had set out late, so I didn’t worry then, at least we were both late, I could sit & wait for him – relax & do a bit a drawing. Made my coffee last a good long while…. Passed the time quite well… a lttle too well as it slipped & slipped & still no company. So I called back Darryl’s home again & … spoke to Darryl… Um. I’m not sure whether I must have misinterpreted Darryl’s dad before… Anyway he had, (I think) assumed that Darryl had set out after the house was quite from him getting back from town, but … Darryl was resting having woken up with Migraine. To be fair he had sent a mail tome that arrived half an hour before I set out advising that he was unwell, but … but I didn’t see it & I can in no way blame Darryl for being unwell, but it was all a little deflating….

So… I pack up up my pens, & drank up the dregs of cold coffee & went on my way. Called Louise to tell her the bad news, pottered around a bit (disappointing charity shop shuffle) & went home.

Still the family was good; Jude was in a sprightly mood, He & Jack were getting along while Eve & Esme were down at the park with Louise’s mum). I lost my temper with Jude a bit later in the evening because he was being so obnoxious.. I regret that… I don’t like making him cry & in the end I’m really not sure it serves the right purpose. It served to upset Louise as well though, which also makes me feel bad.

So Sunday; that was different. We were off to the pantomime; Caroline had bought us tickets as she did last year. Billy Pearce in Cinderella. Actually there were quite a few familiar faces in the cast… Anyway we had to get there & this time the trains were wonky, not our timing. I was looking online at the one we were supposed to be catching & when it was 15 mins late setting out we made the decision to dash for the bus to Hebden to see if it was possible to get the Blackpool train. We managed that OK – amazingly enough. Although in the end it was the delayed version of the train that we were supposed to catch in Tod, rather than the Blackpool one, but that was just as well as we would have likely missed the beginning of the performance if we did get the Blackpool one. One train an hour on Sundays seems to be a little bad, but then it’s always been like that – the contentious timetable changes that have happened recently don’t make a jot of difference to that.

It was a good performance. There were no tumblers this year, but they did have more special effects; namely a couple of 3D sections using a big screen. They worked jolly well. There were also a few real horses which were… well – that added an extra something. It was enjoyable & whether the corpsing & larking were scripted they worked well & had me laughing. That was fun. The only dark mark was Jude insisting afterwards that he had to ave a flashing rod thing – cheap (overpriced) plastic novelty that we wouldn’t have allowed in the home & naturally he thumped Louise because she said no & that naturally put Louise in bad mood (demands & humiliation don’t go down too well – Jude wasn’t the only one with demands) . Caroline bought him one, which I’m not sure was helpful… He’s a funny one he would have been a bad apple all the way home likely as not) if Caroline hadn’t bought him that, but she kept it – he didn’t get to bring it home (which was the best solution). It’s not like he really really wanted it though.. As Louis pointed out later he just feels he need something like tha tat times like that to round off the good time: an acquisition… But not getting it is also bad… so what are you to do.

Things moving at the corner of my eyes this morning; not enough sleep. Must try harder to stop. Jude was in a bad mood on the way home from school & decided to remain so for some time… Not unil after tea & a Kitkat that I brought back fro the swimming pool after Eve’s lesson did he become more loving & playful. I dunno – as Louise says; it’s something from the transition from school to home that seems to throw his equilibrium.

Eve was a star: she did her homework, she was in a buoyant mood, had a good swim, practised her 7 times table & did some quite complicated sums & was generally good company, so got good attention.

Forgot to give Esme a parting kiss & hug this morning – that may have been a mistake… I’ve not been in her good books so much yesterday & this morning (not doing what she wants when she wants it because… well, because…)

duuuuh

Typically, I’ve managed to get the blog thing up to date (yesterday’s typing actually posted yesterday (what’s that about?). And now my nearly rested (nearly feel as though I might have had a quota of sleep) brain would just rather hum jaunty chord progressions.

Went a little earlier again yesterday as I like that train from Manchester that only stops at Rochdale & Todmorden – I’m back home all the quicker with that & was able t catch Louise & Esme up at playgroup again made Esme jump again) . Eve apparently has a bit of homework to do this week which she diligently avoided keeping busy with play all evening. Jude & Jack had a couple of ‘flare-ups’ for petty reasons. We really do have to get through to Jack that winding Jude up is so counter productive & foolish. Never mind it was all handled well enough & I would hope that simmering resentments will be dissipated….

“Well, not until the next time anyway”.

Assembled a bike this weekend. Another bike for Jude; a birthday present. It’s more a BMX model & he’s really only just big enough for it. I’ve lowered the seat as far down as it can go – so hopefully this will satiate him. Eve is keen to pick up use of his older bike now that poor Bluebell has lost her glamour somewhat (never properly recovered from having the back wheel run over & tyres changed to non-whitewall

It turned into a task getting the bike home from Bradford where we bought it. Was a shame that it needed to be assembled really as that took that frisson of excitement out of the whole thing for Jude; although, I don’t think it dampened the day too much for him in the end: he was happy & excitable at home in the evening even without the actuality of the bike. On the whole it’s been quite a good weekend. We met up in Bradford with Louise’s mum, as planned & dibbed off to Pizza Hut. Been years since I’ve been in such a place & as we had not had the forethought to book we had to wait a while to get in. The kids still behaved themselves: we didn’t have to mutter about not doing things as we waited. They were good in the restaurant (if you can truly call it that) as well – well, Esme stood on the set & they were a little noisy (but didn’t have to be told not to be) but these tings blended in well & they all enjoyed themselves & their grub. I guess such places are designed with families in mind… You wouldn’t think of going to Pizza Hut for a business meeting really… well, maybe not a besuited one. I think we killed a couple of hours n there – which was a little surprising.

Thence back to the bus station for a free bus down to the … big warehousey shop area on the edge of the centre of town & we bought Jude’s bike (& some skates for Eve & Jack) Esme didn’t need retail therapy to feel included; such things are not on her radar as yet. I wanted to get a new bag, as they do some cheap there, but I couldn’t get a decent compromise between style, price & size, so I left it after Louise frowned at my ‘too expensive’ choice. At least I have a better idea at what I’m aiming for, I suppose. I’m not sure even that one would have managed an A3 sketchpad that’s an ‘agenda’ item I don’t think I’ll quite ever manage. Jude’s bike was in a big heavy box… so started lugging that home. It was inconvenient to carry & dug into my fingers, and n the end Jack & Louise carried the last litle bit up the backstreet, but we got it hone fine & by the time Jude went to bed it looked like a bike (I just had the brakes to fit & adjust). By the morning it was ready & when he was dressed he had ago (in a pause in the rain) & came back a little put out muttering about it being too big. I took the seat down to the absolute minimum & he tested it, agreed that it was better but has yet to go out in it again… oh, well… when the time comes… when the time comes… Oh – and it’s all black, with white lettering – looks a bit swish.

Sunday was more a ‘climbing uphill’ day, Lots of rain never helps motivate a day. Eve had a ‘last minute’ invite to Isobel’s birthday party. We had a standby present that seemed a little lacking, so I bought a pad & pen when ut doing the shopping as a supplement. Then Louise topped her off up the valley for the party (not quite a small walk away). Jack decided to start his Ecodome, but was also distracted by playing with his remote control helicopter with Jude & Jo, so in the end I had to nag him to tidy things up – which he ‘sort of’ did… in that it’s tidied up from outside, but not put away. I can’t begrudge him though as he was in a good sharing mood all day. Most of the weekend… The silly grudge match started over a Gogo on … Thursday evening with Jude seemed to blow over quite nicely, so that was a relief.

Tired this morning – that fog brain thing I get whin I don’t get enough sleep. Esme didn’t sleep well & spent a deal of time kicking about – which is not comfortable when she’s lying next to you.

One day we’ll have the bed to ourselves.

Jude started term with a bit of a bang… They’re starting their history thing & the class learned about the Black Death… It seems a vivid picture projected onto the whiteboard seems to have lodged firmly into his imagination & it sounds a s though he’s nearly had a panic attack about getting ‘black hands’. (There was someone with black hands in the picture). He had his inhalers with him (because of the cold – it is very cold at the moment) & was in need of them. He also needed to sit with Eve at lunch & Louise needed to sit with him for 15 mins in the library (?) after dropping Esme off at playgroup. As I say – his imagination was somewhat transfigured. After some chat & reassurance at bedtime he seems to have slept OK last night. Was not needful of further night time reassurance.

Hmm – well work is busy & I guess that’s to be expected after things have mounted up while I was away over Christmas & New Year… and I’ll have too much to do because of the month start jobs as well. So… well… there’s nothing unusual there.

Not been typing for a while so I guess I have the freedom to write about quite a few bits & bats. It’s not like this is a diary or anything where I’m beholden to detail my daily musings… In a way that would be better n a way that would be worse. It would be better ‘picture’ if I was stricter with my jottings, but I would rebel soon enough resentful of the ‘duty’ beholden on me by the act of writing. At least I have a level of documentation here that is just about sustainable. Besides I’m not setting time aside to specifically mutter – where would I find that time?

That said I do feel a little guilty that I did not manage to get a little more detail in over the festive period as my detail of the Christmas period & what the kids were up to is going to be a little blurred & I think that my parents at least (for whom this is often pitched) will want to know more detail. Anyone who’s called the Schroeder house on the phone to speak to me will know that my attention is not so great as to be able to have an in depth conversation without many interruptions. Mind you it’s probably more sensible that the kids take over the phone conversations anyway as they’re certainly more entertaining. I was a little annoyed at Jude shouting rudely at me in the background when Jack was on the phone to my dad when they called on Christmas day, but as Louise pointed out, it was a little late in the day for a boy who’d been up as early as he dare (& he has a brass neck). Still – such detail may have been missed & I’m a fool for pointing out my own embarrassment. Can’t recall why I was considered idiotic at the time… probably something minor in the way of peacekeeping.

Christmas day? Well it went OK this year. Louise got a bit cross at .. um… Hm… I forget now. It was after lunch though & she was peeved for a bit. Got over it soon enough & it was probably my fault. Hey look at me I’m moaning on about bad things! I’ve already said I thought that the day went well (glossing?). I’ve no idea now when the kids were awake this year, Jude & Eve would have been first & they were noisy enough n their excitement to wake up Jack & Esme. Jack was a bit put out when he couldn’t find his Santa stocking & went back to bed, but I’d had to keep that back as I was sure he was still awake at midnight when I dropped them off with the others; Jack’s sleeping habits go awry during holidays – staying up late reading & ligging in bed in the mornings.

With them all up & Santa’s offerings demolished there’s no point in keeping them un suspense for more presents (as they just get all cranky with the anticipation) so I dragged down all the presents from us & the wider family. Mum & dad did well (ahem) with the remote control copter for Jack, the scooter for Jude, the shopping trolley for Esme & the Brats stuff for Eve as they enjoyed these things greatly. The shopping trolley was the centre of a few Eve, Jude, Esme games during the next few days. Jack broke the copter, unfortunately but we now have a replacement unit from the manufacturers. He did spend a deal of time attempting to fix it using blue-tack which was largely unsuccessful but it got off the ground… it was just a little .. erratic.