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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?

Well -I was supposed to be on the earlier train, but it was cancelled. My mild panic after a dawdle in town was pointless. Hey ho.
Home a little later than intended. I hope it doesn’t piss off Louise as she’s hoping that we take advantage of her mum’s presence & go take books back to the library, get shopping etc.
Oh – & it’s a bank holiday – so I get to have a long weekend! Yeay!
The new arrangement of Louise & I sleeping upstairs (attic area) seems to be OK. It does have it’s drawbacks. Jack shouted out “Paul! Paul! Paul! Paul!… PAUL!” last night & I had to stagger across the room, down the stairs & into his room to see what the matter was; “Can I pop upstairs for just a minute?”
“No.”
It only used to be a stagger down the hall to his room. There’s a lot more to negotiate in a semi-comatose state.
Is Eve better on with the potty at the moment after recent ‘lapses’? Uh – well – take each day as it comes. She gets distracted & tired & she can be just plain lazy about it as well. She can remember though & makes a mad dash for the potty.
I can remember my parents getting mad at me as I was always leaving things to the last minute as a kid. Mad dashes used to annoy them.

Are you calling me dull? dim? vacant?
Well – I concede there’s an element of truth there… I cannot deny it. I should not have stayed up late at the weekend… but hey – we had guests… a guest – Caroline from London.
Been good to have her here. Jack really likes her; Eve has no worries & Jude smiles at everyone.
Louise was saying that by this age Eve was starting to become clingy & not want others to hold her, Jude however is quite happy for anyone friendly to hold him & will smile at everyone. He’s even known to instigate smiling. That’s not to say that he’s one dimensional – he did the most quizzical side look at Eve the other day after she got down from the dinner table to lean forward at him & go “EEEaaaark!” & walk off. It was a definite – ‘what the hell was that about – is she crazy?’ look. He is, on the whole an immensely happy baby tho.
What have we done while Caroline has been with us this weekend?
Well… We were in Manchester after picking her up on Saturday. We are impressed with the refurbishment at Manchester Piccadilly station – Drab modernist to open sweeping ‘glass’ roof – all curves & elegance. We’d rather not have waited quite so long for her train. It was nearly an hour late after mysteriously taking a wrong turn & ending up in Coventry. A train taking a wrong turn? Bizarre. We wandered into a very busy Manchester. Not only was it a Saturday, but the last weekend of the Commonwealth Games. Abuzz, it was. People all over, band playing & all sorts. Quite cosmopolitan (well – it is a city – duh!). Not home too late for the kids, but they could not get a grip on going to bed – so were playing out in the back yard in their pajamas, before we dragged them off to bed.
Sunday – off to Hebden bridge. Jack has gone with Hamish on an earlier train & we get there a bit later by bus. We meet up in the playground & the skies open just as Jack & Hamish get to the paddling pool. I’m impressed by the speed at which the playground empties. There are a few persistent kids getting wet. Jack & Hamish shelter with us, even thought they are already sodden from the pool. Logic does not really come into it. That could have worked better…. Oh well.
In the evening, Louise it’s tired & although she wants to stay up, she can’t cope with watching Monster’s Inc with us all (Jack has had a bath & come back down to watch it.) He is very late to bed – I hope that he sleeps in a while this morning. Louise fell asleep getting Jack to sleep. I just about did as well… but managed to hang on for a bit longer.
Caroline heads back this evening. I’m meeting them after work in Manchester & we’re going to go & visit Urbis… Should be interesting – I’m intrigued how the building will look on the inside.

standing in the same spot at the same time each morning

Tipsy
Glass of beer.

This is not really like a diary is it? I hardly keep a daily routine. It’s a journal, I guess. Yeh, I try to think of it more like that…
Itchy ears from sunburn.

Been fun these days.

The comic convention in Bristol was a bit of a let down. Saw some familiar faces, (and was good to see them) but it was more like a glorified comics mart rather than a convention. For a convention that last year prided itself on being family friendly – this was a big hot hall full of traders selling comics.
There were a bunch of small pressers there, but the lack of any real social areas was the missing ingredient that made the whole thing fail.
Shame really.

Been on holiday since Monday, but not really had a chance to do much typing. I’m supposed to be relaxing, but as usual, where’s the time for that? Still, I am enjoying myself.
I’m typing at the moment as I’ve got up too early. Jack & I are off to Bristol this morning with my dad. He’s off to the Veg market in Bristol & we’ve decided to hitch a ride with him. He sets off early, but I’m up too early; I kinda set the alarm a bit too soon. Hey ho. Off to Bristol as we’re off to the Comics convention there, today. This is one of the reasons we decided to actually take a holiday at this time; so that I could go. I’m going to be talking on the small press comics panel discussion – but I doubt that means I’ll be getting in gratis.
Have quite a sun burnt neck & arms today. We spent some time down at the beach yesterday as it was the 1st day of unadulterated sunshine (it’s been showery). Jack & I made quite a magnificent sand castle. Well, a big pile of sand with moat around it. It also had a bridge, as there was a flat bit of stone/concrete that I could place over the moat. Jack was decorating it with stones when he lost interest. There were some other boys playing in the water nearby & that was more fun. We then peeled off to get some ice cream & said boys started the demolition. Sandcastles are transient, so I don’t worry. I was tempted to have a rave at the older boy (7 years?) as he was the one who started it, but I could not be sure who the parents were. Turned out to be the ones who were sleeping nearby, so perhaps I should have & it would have lasted longer. Still – It was a large edifice & there was still evidence of it sometime later. Some other kids were playing with it then & looked to be trying to reinstate the moat.