Archives: paul

To work on a Saturday again… Would normally be working next Saturday, but there’s a train strike then, so I would not make it – so swapped shifts.
Jack was not for settling to sleep last night. It was all a bit hectic. Eve & Jude had their bath while Jack was still out playing at Jessie’s house (after a bit of initial resistance Jack Hamish & Jessie seem to have settled to playing well – there was a bit of unevenness in the dynamic for a bit there, but it seems to have worked out). I went to get Jack, & it was deemed a bit late for a bath, so he was straight to bed, which was probably a mistake as although he was jolly tired he was not keen to settle down. I read to him for a bit in which time a very flakey Eve succumbed to sleep. Jack was in the mood for more. Tried to put the sleeping Jude into his cot & only succeeded in waking him, much to Louise’s annoyance. So we had Jude & Jack awake, & Louise needed to be getting on. As we were both flakey we were in poor decision making mode. Jack was grabbing books to look at rather than sitting in bed. If he was I could have coaxed him to sleep. Still, rather than risk waking Eve with loud Jude Louise took him out of the room. As Jack was refusing to settle I went as well, with the advice that we had things to be a doing & to go to sleep when he had finished with the books. I thought he would soon come downstairs again… He didn’t – he actually settled down & went to sleep! Now this may seem foolish of us, but that was the 1st time the he went to sleep on his own – with no one else there to guide him to slumber… I was annoyed that he wouldn’t settle down, but so immeasurably pleased that he managed to do that on his own.

I seem to have written very little about Jack’s party…. perhaps because it was all rather a blur. I think that the meal must have started a little late as it was all over quite quickly in the end. Suddenly there are a lot of parents & we have to cut the cake & slice it up for putting in the party bags. Louise said that was the time that she nearly panicked as it all seemed a bit of a ‘How the hell do we do this?’ moment. We did though… & the children left. Louise’s mum & Eve got a lift home with Jill leaving just Louise, Jack, Jude & myself. Found various bits that got left behind (but you wonder how regularly clear the ball pool of old socks – a few were lost that day).
Eve has been reported as having had a growing spurt recently. A few people have commented that she’s grown, & Louise has noticed some of her clothes do not quite fit as well as they should. It’s hard to notice such things when she changes so little, really.
Jude has burbling yesterday (Jack said he’s nearly talking) – bya bya bya bna bya bya

Jack is 5 now. It’s kinda strange to think of that – 5 years. Louise was saying that she finds it odd. She does not miss not having worked the past 5 years & I was a little (…brain not working well enough to get the right word…) that she felt that way – I meant – who would really miss work? I know I would not. She also does not have time to miss work – 3 kids! I mean! Mind you – Eve stayed at college playgroup on her own last Friday, & she did the same on Tuesday! Cor! Previously she would find ways of getting out being left alone. Louise would say “I’ll just go and get some shopping while you’re at college today” & Eve would mull this over, think it though, & say, “Better go with you.” as if she were needed to ensure that Louise didn’t get lost.
I would rather wish this cough would go away. Jude seems to have the same one, & it seems to have lingered for far too long. I mention it now as I’m to a stage where my limbs feel heavy & I cannot walk at my normal pace without getting short of breath. Resigned to disliking being ill.

Jack’s party. There were 21 kids in attendance in the end! Blimey! It’s a good venue for kid’s parties, & the numbers did not fill the place. They had a good old time in the indoor adventure playground/ball pool thing, but we only just felt that we were in control. Fortunately there were a good mix of boys & girls, & although there were boy & girl groups, there was also a large overlap between group play & no boy girl acrimony. Jack chose the people who came, & all got along well. Nice bunch of hyper kids. We felt a little short on the adult contingent at some points, but then – it’s a kid’s party.

Jack’s birthday tomorrow. I have the day off as well – yeay! Did a stomp around town yesterday & was quite put out at how abysmal the toy selection is in the centre of town, until I remembered the toy shop (duuuuh) – which is only a little way off centre. Got him a few things & got told off by Louise for it later, as that was not really the plan… Still, could you resist? I didn’t spend too much honest!
It’ll all work out though.
Went looking on the Internet for a buggy board last night. I can find them OK, but can I understand them OK? It seems you have to know how they might attach to your pushchair before you can order, & as there’s scant information about that, it’s somewhat difficult know what your supposed to be getting & whether it will work with your pushchair. We feel do need one although we know it will cause arguments as Jack & Eve battle for it. Eve, on the whole is much more willing to walk than Jack ever was, but even she gets tired. Jack still angles for getting a ‘pick up’, whereas Eve would rather be put down. Hmm – that may be indicative of their characters though – Jack is very tactile, whereas Eve is only tactile on her terms.
Odd thing last night – went to bed & only woke up when my alarm went off – I was not disturbed in the night… weird.

A couple of days to go until Jack’s birthday!
Have we got him anything? …Uh, not really. We have organised a party for him this year though – at ‘Pockets’ which is a snooker hall… but we’re going to be playing in the kiddies indoor climbing frame ball park thing, & then a little party is put on. It looks quite like there are going to be 20 kids in attendance (including Jack & Eve). Blimey!
Preparations still to be done!
Washed Jude’s hair in the bath the other day & it’s made it look fluffier, & in doing so made his hair look longer. His hair seems lighter (more blond) than Jack & Eve’s did, but I think it still could go red, as Jack’s did. He’s currently waking at 10:55 on a regular basis. It’s kinda good for ensuring if we’re not in we’re goinmg to bed, yourngoing to bed, but it seems a bit too habitual at the moment. He won’t be comforted by me & yells & coughs when I try (looking around all the time for Louise). It would be better if he were more satisfied, but he’s also getting in the habit of coughing & yelling & then Louise arrives, & he can calm down… So I’m rejected as comfort giver (not that I can realistically do ‘comfort’).

Type anything to start typing… Having trouble thinking this morning. Jude & Eve were awake an hour before I’m due to get up. Eve wasn’t making a fuss or anything, & Jude wasn’t being that loud, but they were awake at the perfect time to throw my sleeping pattern. I think I’d rather have my eyes closed this morning; mitigating circumstances are: I can’t think.
Eve was on the ‘Nyeurks” again yesterday. Not full on, but being a bit of a pain. One day off, one day on? Louise & Eve may be going to college today – there apparently being a spare place at the play group there. Interestingly, it seems that the college has been making it difficult for the playgroup – rising rents, poor facilities… Jack’s school has had a new porta-cabin installed & it looks as though they are going to move to that (they have close links with the school anyway as the playgroup to nursery to reception class thing has a consistency of the people involved. Really, this can only be a good thing for Eve as she will be going to that school. It’s a shame the college seems to have taken, if not a negative attitude toward the playgroup, certainly a uncaring one. One of the reasons it was initially set up there, I believe, was so that those taking classes there could have some form of facility of their young ones…
Shortsightedness & ‘market forces’ win out again. <sigh>

Actually got back to decorating again last night. As usual – not much, but the act of actually doing it is encouraging enough. At this rate I shall be in a position to finish off the skirting boards, if not this week, then certainly next.
Eve slept through in her own bed last night – something she’s not managed for… um… well, probably since we got back from holiday. She also had a much better day in general. She’s been off form with teething & impetigo. Her favorite word of the past week or so seems to have been, “Nyeurk!” – as in,
“Are you OK Eve?”
“Nyeurk!”
“What’s that in yer mouth Ev…”
“Nyeurk!”
“Would you li…”
“Nyeurk!”
“Could y..”
“Nyeurk!”
“EVE!”
“NYEURK!”
sigh
Hopefully she will be feeling less nyeurky now.

One day weekend.
We were going to go to Manchester yesterday, as Jack needs some new school trousers. We didn’t make the train though, so we went in the other direction to less glam Halifax. We were on our way home through the Piece Hall there (old enclosed market square historically used for cloth trade) & there was a sort of ‘event day’. Band playing (Was that brass or trad jazz? -I forget now) & a few craft oriented stalls. Spotted a very nice bench in passing & went back to investigate. We decided to buy the darn thing. Nice High back & ample seat. He was happy to deliver for no extra charge as well (weird coincidence – he said he sold a table to someone as was packing up for the evening & someone came up asking to buy a table. Asked if he could deliver he joked that only if you live in Todmorden – as he had to deliver this bench to us… The fella did live in Tod & only just round the corner as well.
The bench sits very nicely in the back yard. Louse & I managed to sit down together on it for a whole 10 minutes before the need to be getting on with things pushed us off.

Traveling home from work. Grotty brained. Hmmm – I was thinking I might write, but I can’t really muster the enthusiasm. An unproductive day at work (between calls). Just pratted about instead of applying myself. I’m not saying that it was hateful or anything, but I’ve come away with a feeling of nothing achieved, when I could have… but that’s the way it goes. I’m not a super motivated focus person. Ambition is not my goal. I do frustrate myself sometimes though. Shall I harangue myself into renewed vigor?
I think not.
It would be nice if I had the ability to focus better; & I sometimes think that’s what can push a person to be really good at something, but it’s the everyday I need to focus on, & attentions pull & push in all directions. Too much to do creates catharsis. Stubborn sod that I am.
Mark this down as another self-centred naval gazing entry to the journal.
:P

Jack was keen to go to the fair, so I took them. Louise had to go home with Jude as the pushchair would not have coped. Into the mud we ventured.
“Uh-uh mud
Thick oozy mud
We can’t go under it,
We can’t go over it
Oh no, we’ll have to go through it”
I still carried Eve. We made it through squelching & squertching as well as sloshing through, I hesitate to demean with what might seem an inadequate description: puddles. They enjoyed themselves they went round & round & up & down – they wanted more. We ventured further to a stall. Oddly there seemed few stalls with less people willing to wade. With limited funds we managed to get a Combine Harvester & farm set for Jack & Eve to play with. Oh, & a couple of beach balls on a string & stick – masquerading as balloons (cheap & cheerful). Unfortunately this left only enough for one more ‘ride’. Jack went into ‘the house of fun’. Enjoyed himself a good while with Eve & I looking on. We had to go in the end though. Take our muddy feet home.
Home things:
Eve is teething at the moment. A lower right molar is trying to make an appearance. This drives her a little nutty. She’s was being a right madam & miscreant yesterday; cereal on the floor & hitting Jude to name but 2 offences. Hitting Jude it the one that’s very annoying. She’s also still got a bit of impetigo on her chin but that’s thankfully healing up. It’s meant that Louise can’t take her to playgroup etc though, so they’ve had less distraction that they would usually get. Hopefully it will be deemed cleared up enough for her to go to college today.