Archives: paul

Trying to think why I was tardy in writing the end of last week… I might have been reading – there might have been trains without tables…
There were no trains on Friday at all what so ever. In the days of British Rail, if there were a train strike then all the trains would go. Nowadays – with competing train ‘companies’ a strike usually means I can still get the sparse service of another company (we being at the end of their reach into this ‘territory’ there are a couple of ‘turn back’ services a day, but no through runners’). Ah, but the shame, oh the shame, of the fact that both companies had a strike on Friday. I was forced to stay at home with the family :)
Got a little attic work done. More sanding, although this was curtailed by the auto sander packing up on me. Dunno why – it just stopped. The electric motor that runs it decided it didn’t want to play no more. It wasn’t like it was getting over heated or anything either…. Gah! Nevertheless, did get a good amount done before then. I’m now muttering to myself over the colour scheme I should use. I think, although I would like to go for a more daring warm purple for the woodwork, It will have to be a slate blue. I cannot see me doing the ceiling beams purple, & that means thinking of another colour to add to the balance, which won’t do at all.
We were discussing the problem with the chimney/roof & the leak up there somewhere. Now it has been dry for over a week we he suggested that he go up & have a look at it. I will not get onto the roof. I’m sure I could but I’d rather not dare to rationalise my vertigo. He had a good look & noted that there was some mortar, which was still damp – which seems odd. If I stand on a chair looking out of the velux window I can see it myself – so I took a couple of pictures with my digital camera. They are printed off now & Louise is going to call Jill to have a look at them, (or in fact the roof it self) to see if she thinks that this may be at the root of it all. It would be nice if it is – to finally get this all sorted. I worry now that the plaster may be afflicted to the extent that it needs to be redone. That would really be tedious (but hopefully covered on the insurance). Louise & I had a good ol’ chat about what we’d like to get done in the house. We would like to get the downstairs sorted out – kitchen & carpets – but we think that will have to wait another year. This year; window maintenance & painting the back room (as well at the attic). Louise has dangled the carrot of a CD writer for the completion of the latter…
Louise was not feeling well yesterday & was not really any better when I left this morning. She is worried that she has mastitis, but it may just be a cold as I have a few flu like symptoms as well (not as badly as poor Louise though). The kids seems basically OK as well – although there have been a few running noses etc to deal with.

The kids where in the front garden as I got home yesterday, so it seemed natural to do some gardening. We got some plants from our neighbour, Caroline, for Easter, & popped those in where I hope they will go well. Jack & I also set about trying to dig some of the moss from the beds. Its been trying to take over & makes it all look rather untidy. Jack does like gardening. It’s not just the mud (which seem to be Eve’s favorite) but the plants & the care as well.

Eve was ill again yesterday. Louise is worried that she has a milk intolerance (basically doe to the consistency of yesterday’s puke). It seems to have started all of a sudden if that be the case… She is reported as falling asleep twice during the day, & refusing medicine. Although, after tea, she did ask me if she could have some medicine -which I found worrying… Was she feeling poorly? I quizzed her as to where it might be hurting? Head? Stomach? She pointed to the back teeth in her mouth we know is teething at the moment… Hmmm… I really can’t conceive that all this disruption to her system is caused by teething.

Jude & I played ‘put the baby down/pick the baby up’ at bed time yesterday. Jack & Eve were asleep, & so (in theory) was Jude… So Pick Jude up to put him in the cot. He lays down fine. Put some books away… Snuffling noises – Oh, Jude’s got his eyes open & is waving indignant arms & legs. I picked him up & he’s a mad little boy, but hold him firm & he soon drifts off to sleep again (before we’ve made our way to the end of the hall). Delicately meander back to the bedroom & try to put him down. He detects the horizontal, so eyes are open once more, & protest starts. OK – back to shoulder …and hey, he’s asleep again… How does he do that? Different tack. Still holding at carrying height, I get him to the horizontal. Purses lips & relaxes again. Try to lower him into the cot… gently… slowly… head on the cot… let go of his bum so only my hand on the back of his head… slip my hand gently from the back of his head.. EYES OPEN!
Doh!
Start again.
All the above only more cautiously, but this time I keep my hands around his head… he holds onto my arm, but starts to relax & his arm drifts back… He has his face nuzzled into my palm, so gradually move. Not gradually enough – he starts to stir. Lean over right into him so that it might just give the impression I’m still holding him. It work – he relaxes again. Pull back again to the point where he release my arm & I can start moving my palm away again… ok – just a little further… Yes – he is asleep in the cot. YES! Pootle off switching the baby monitor on & triumphantly let Louise know that he’s asleep at last. Turn the monitor on downstairs – wait 2 minutes & dash back upstairs as I can hear him waking up again <sigh>. This time he’s not so easily tricked. He is mad at me & calm down won’t so easily when I pick him up. Bother. Louise comes up to announce that she’ll go to bed, & he can go in with her. It’s a good excuse to go to bed (she admits later) as she’s tired out anyway. By the time Louise is ready for me to pass him over he’s just about calmed asleep again – but what the hell – if he wasn’t with Louise he probably wouldn’t be happy. Some nights he’s compliant, some not.

What’s been happening of recent? Hmmm
The weather has been uncommonly pleasant – We’ve been playing out (the kids & I). Been enjoying the evenings. Jack has had the scooter out again. My parents gave him for his birthday last year, but Hamish fell off it & split his lip (falling on the wall?) so badly that he had to go to hospital to have a stitch or 2 in. Louise finally relented & let him play with it again. Initially in the front garden, as the space is limited to up & down the path. He then managed to bargain venturing out onto the street a little. He’s now tearing up & down the back street – with its moderately steep incline. He’s quite confident on it, & doesn’t fall off it much. Still – with one thing & another his shins are rather bruised at the moment. Dalmatian.
I did not go to work yesterday, as it was Good Friday. We went to Bradford & it was quiet; not a frantic push past the shoppers day. Nerves stayed intact. Rather enjoyed that.
Manchester arrives at the train again – darn it -sometimes I wish it would not keep running into this train. Perhaps the train will find somewhere more fun for me one of these days?

Present got yesterday, but still no sending address.

The kids were awake before I left for work – but only just – so that, in a small way, is an improvement. Jack did cry as Louise left him at school yesterday… Essentially he was not sad to be there, but did not want Louise to (I think that show it was).

Eve is walking very well at the moment. She likes to be out of the pushchair. I think she likes the freedom. She apparently walked to playgroup with Louise & enjoyed walking through the park & kicking at the fallen leaves. Her language develops… She can communicate all she wants to in staccato sentences. She informed Louise that, ‘

“Water in river!” yesterday; a nice observation. She has also taken to saying, “What’s this?” & “What’s that?” … Inquisitive or conversation? At the moment it seems to be the former. Louise thinks that she is more a comedienne than Jack used to be. She certainly seems to be a bit of a performer. Both of them love attention though.

Jack was saying that his tummy was not happy this morning & he didn’t think that he could go to school. This is going to wind Louise up if he keeps it up. He is going to school – he is not ill… this is just something he says. It’s not his dissent at the thought of school, as we know darned well he quite enjoys it really (like baths – he will sometimes say he does not want a bath – but once he is in he does not want to get out) it’s the general moaning demeanor he puts on which is such a wind up. He was way too early to rise again. He will be fagged out all day. He woke up at 5:00 again, but this time, I don’t think he ever went back to sleep proper. I got my shower & breakfast in peace before he came downstairs, but this was even before ‘The Hoobs’ had started! I mean!

At least with the clocks gone back at the end of summer the night draws in sooner & he has been in the bath earlier… not that he has actually relented into sleep earlier.

With school – he may find that he is more worn out & may, just may start to sleep better… we can but hope.

I had to resort to sending my brother an ‘ecard’ for his birthday – & an email asking what his address was? He & Jessica have moved into a house in Reading & I realise I have no idea what the address is! Gah! Such a good brother, I am! Still – at least it gives me time to get something to accompany the card…

Sitting waiting for the train to take me home. Brain does not really want to communicate, but then it did not this morning. I should sleep more. I used to sleep a lot, but that was years ago… sigh.

Yeah! – At least the train has started to take me home now.

My brother’s birthday tomorrow, & despite fretting & wondering what the hell to get him, I have to conclude I’m hopeless. No ideas whatsoever – just a list of things not to get him… sigh. I have to conclude that I don’t really know where my brother’s everyday interests lie any more. I’m not even sure if he has time to read… <shrug> I don’t have time to read books any more… comics on the other hand… Hmmm… comics… Maybe there is some salvation there… There have been a few good collected indies released recently… All I have to do is find a decent comics shop (damnation – foiled again: oxymoron).

Louise’s birthday soon – but she has expressed a preference…

Eve’s birthday soon – but what cold she be wanting for? I think she might enjoy this birthday this time… she’s at the age when it is actually starting to mean something. Hopefully Jack will not be left out though…

Eve slept all the way through the night in her own bed last night. She actually fell asleep on me in yesterday evening. She seems reluctant to sleep during the day nowadays, so when she has a busy little day, she can be just plain worn out on an evening.

Jack has taken it upon himself to try to get up early… He dashed out of bed at 5:00 this morning, off down the hall – into the bedroom & came to us to announce that he wanted to get up early. We told him it was way too early, & he fortunately was able to drift off to sleep again (unlike me who worried my 5:30 alarm might wake him again). Still – it was only 6:10 that I heard him descending the steps. I’m not really sure why he want to be up & about. He said that he wanted to be awake before Eve one time, but then this darned programme called ‘The Hoobs’ is on at that hour & he does seem to like watching that as well… If it is for the TV… the TV might mysteriously stop working before a pre-defined time… Hmph – not sure how I could do that one really. I will have to look at the settings on it – there could well be something there.

Got a redelivery of an item we picked up from Ikea the other day last night… A storage box bench thing… The last one was damaged – a split along a wood grain. I eagerly set about putting the newer one together only to find that the side panels supplied were both for the same side… so it didn’t fit together at all! I sat there glaring at it resentfully for a while – moaned to Louise about it – & put it away again. Need to call Ikea again to arrange for another swap delivery… sigh.

Yesterday evening Jack & Eve created an ‘installation’ on our stairs. He begged some blue-tack & stuck up cards, letters & leaflets up the stairway walls. Oh, & pegged a book to the door handle at the bottom. All quite decorative really, so we left it.

Louise & Jack have made the house jolly tidy during the holidays. Jack likes to be cleaning & tidying. Sometimes he gets the wrong end of the stick with tidying & makes more mess… but it’s all a game to him really – one which might involve making a bridge from his to Eve’s bed with their duvets.

Jack is now less apt to complain – more relaxed & …well, happier again. We think the nits must have been driving him to distraction a bit. It’s kinda fortuitous that this was all detected during the half term hols as he would most likely have been forced to stay away anyway.

I am going to have to make a start on getting the attic decorated soon. There’s still a lot to do, but I’ve been luxuriating in the lack of direction that I’ve allowed myself after completing the kid’s room… Oh – & playing with Ikea flat pack jigsaws. Hmmm… I still have not found my drill so that I can put the blind up in the back room…

Ah, I’ll do something this evening… honest!