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.

Halifax Piece Hall when we left the Ice Rink

Later in to work because I’ve left my keys there – not that work is starting earlier – reduced hours in place due to the festive season.

So – are we prepared?

Hm – well – that’s a little difficult to say.. I’d say yes.. but only provisionally. I’m not convinced & I’ve been sent out today with instruction to purchase other bits & bobs. At least I’ve basically finished struggling home somewhat overburdened with stuff that needed to be sneaked into the house while Louise is picking the kids up from school. Plans there weren’t helped by Jack, Jude & Eve being of ill. Esme was ill away from playgroup as well, but that’s less … well, less that being away from school. They’ve all had a nasty cough/cold/sore throat/fever/sicky combination with varying degrees of differing seriousness on each symptom. Louise & I have been a little off, but thankfully nothing as bad as they seem to have had. Louise took Esme to the doctors because it included night time fevers, and once past the receptionist firewall obfuscations the doctor was quite conciliatory & understanding that we’d bring her in with fever & cold symptoms (after everything)

We’ll see we’ll see…

Still to finish off wrapping (must remember more paper!) as there’s been quite a bit to do. Jack was muttering to Louise that he always seems to get books or some such. He does read voraciously… It is a good option (on the whole) but then I do understand because he’s a kid & it’s good to have frivolous toys & fun things. He does have.. well… at least one thing… um… Hmmm.

I’m aware that the blog thing has not been updated for a while. I’m concious – I’m aware – I’m… well, no – I’m not especially guilty. I’ve had time pushed from all quarters & I just shrug & continue as there’s no point in worrying about it as that would imply that I think there’s something unjust & unfair whereas that’s just the way things are at the moment.

Here are other things I should worry about as well, but I’ll have time later (maybe).

School nativity plays… Had to carry Jude down to school last night because he was adamant he didn’t want to go. Not very adamant though because he let me carry him (bit of a give away that). Eve couldn’t participate in her play because she’d been ill at home all day. She came along though as it’s not like she can stay at home on her own… Jude went into the class to change & get ready quite happily (so much for reluctance) & we settled down for the wait (20 mins in the hall while they got ready). They did fine with the play. Jude had his narrator’s part (3 narrators in all) & there was the traditional loud annunciation for which infants nativity plays are well known. Jude fluffed a line or 2, but did fine. His teacher though he was more nervous that yesterday when he was word perfect, but he was probably a tad more nervous because we were there (?) & he was also a bit tired (it takes t out of them a bit) I noted that he was giggling with narrator one (Rhapsody) from time to time as the play went on (the dropping nerves?). I took Esme home after the infants play – didn’t hang about for the Junior’s play because she probably would have fallen asleep during the longer play anyway… And Eve wasn’t in it anyway…

Not been typing for a while… Nothing wrong per se – I’ve just been preoccupied reading.

So… yes… writing…

Well – the days have passed as you’d expect them to – so no real revelations there: days are days no matter what spin you put on them.

But what has bee happening within those days?

I’m not sure, but I think I’ve been so lax that I didn’t mention hat we got up to on my birthday. Louise & I went to Leeds & did a little shopping. I got a couple of books (thanks to the present from my brother). Louise managed to get a couple of bit of clobber from Mark’s & Esme enjoyed the day (I think).

At the moment Esme is not so well.. Jude is getting a little better. Jack is over it & Eve seems to be coming down with the lurgy that’s been lurking around the family. I seem to have scraped through (but given that felt lousy a few weeks back I may have had it already I may have not quite so much escaped…) As Esme’s been very warm in the night Louise took her to se the doctor yesterday & it seems that it’s agreed that there’s something awry & they even conceded that as we ended up with the hospital bout over April that they quite understood Louise’s concerns (unlike the firewall receptionists who seem to think it their duty to use tactic to make you feel guilty or stupid for deeming it necessary to try to see a doctor). Esme has some antibiotics, so they must think there’s a bacterial element to this illness rather than it being just a virus.

Jack was off school the end of last week with this bug, Jude had Friday off (I think) & has had a racking cough that only abated yesterday. Louise is worried that Jude’s got skinny again. Unfortunately last night’s school nativity seems to have taken its toll on Eve. She complained of a headache & sore throat from the shouting & singing. This morning before I left for work she (she’s stirred n bed & asked for some more water because hers, “Tasted funny”) she was very warm & complained of a headache & sore throat. I suspect that if she’s not a lot better when she actually gets up that she’s going to find that Louise may keep her off school. Naturally this will cause problems getting Jude to school… He is a lot better though – he can’t hope to justify it.

Hopefully she’ll be back tomorrow as I’ve yet to sneak all the Christmas presents home from work. It’s daft – I can’t get them into the house when there’s anyone about, & next week they’re no longer at school.

We’ve also got a ridiculous amount of wrapping to do.

Other sparkling highlights missed out on are the fact that I redid the seal around the bath at last. Cleaning out the rabbit’s hutch with rabbit in situ (she doesn’t like getting out) She doesn’t seem to mind at all.