Archives: evening

Back to work (albeit later than usual today – I saw Jack off to school with Louise).
I had to stay at home yesterday, as Louise was rather ill. There’s this rather unpleasant bug around, you see. It all came on rather suddenly. After tea on Monday, Louise was not feeling that good… When we were getting the kids off to bed she took Jude up to our bed & went off to sleep with him, as she was rather tired. Then when all were asleep & I’d just popped downstairs to prat about on the computer I heard her shout form me. Dashed upstairs & she’d made it to the bathroom to be sick. She was in a bad way though. This continued for most of the night. We had a bowl by the bed & all that.
She was plainly incapacitated so I took the next day off to get the household things done. The kids up & fed & Jack off to school, & washing etc. I only really had Eve to keep amused, which was quite good. Jude stayed with Louise & slept for most of the day with her. This was rather good for me, as I would not have been able to cope so well with he straying as he does. Eve also acts different when he’s about. She either wants your attention in rival to him, or will play with him – but play with him wrong – she’s too rough & boisterous & want to pick him up & all that. All in all it went quite well.
Louise was able to stand up & move about again by yesterday evening, so was confident enough that I should return to work. Her mum’s also coming over today so that Eve can have someone to distract her. Eve wanted to come on the train to work with me, but we all had to wave bye-bye.

At home.

Another day off work.
Andy took me down to see the doctor on Monday – in the car – which was extraordinarily good of him. The dr’s waiting room was warm & the air must have been very dry as I felt the best I had for some time sitting in there. As it was an emergency booking as well, there was a while to wait. Andy stayed with me as well! Got to see the dr & had to do the take the Jacket & T-shirt off routine. He listened to my chest which was now hardy rattly & I felt a little like a fraud with flu. He then asked me to blow through a tube to see how my powerful breath was. I’m supposed to make 650 for someone my age etc on whatever the measurement for this is all based on, but I only managed 350. He then told me I have asthma (!!). Gave me steroids & antibiotics to take & an inhaler. Blimey!

As I started to write today I was just a little out of breath from descending 2 flights of stairs. At least I can feel I can do stairs at a reasonably normal pace. I’ve also not had to use the inhaler that much either. Only allowed 4 shots a day & I only needed 3 yesterday. Felt cruddy in the morning & threw up breakfast yesterday, (perhaps it’s the medication?) but started to feel less cruddy in the afternoon. By evening I even had a hunger pang. Satiated with a small bowl of cereal & a cup of tea.

Jack has not really liked me being at home. He does not understand that if I am off work, he still needs to go to school – it’s not fair. He made a fuss going off yesterday & today. On being collected from school yesterday he said to Louise that he did not feel well etc, but his teacher popped over to say that he’d been fine & enjoyed himself that day. Louise could see the ‘drat’ on his face when she did that.
I guess that’s the only upset to the daily routine I’ve really caused. I suspect as I was not eating yesterday tea time, Jack decided not to eat. He can be fickle at the best of times, so it’s kinda hard to be sure I can shoulder the blame for that one.

22:07

Jack was a bit ‘wild’ this evening. I think it’s down, basically to me being at home. A change of routine does not do him a lot of favours. We flared up at each other, & he got upset & angry. He calmed down with hugs & then some drawing/colouring & much sharpening of crayons.
Eve has had a haircut at last. A near bob – but at the 1st stage. She looks more impish than ever. She was also left at ‘school playgroup’ for an hour. Louise was able to get away. 1st time she’s let Louise do that since the end of the holidays & start of schools again. Her potty training is going well at the moment as well. She seems on form in general.
Jude is climbing up on anything he can. He wants to be standing up.
I am kinda keen to be back to work – to ‘normalise’ things. But Louise points out that I’m really not that much better. I still cough a lot (stomach weak from it) I still get out of breath quite easily & I am not eating anything approaching normally. So, I delay another day before returning. Try to ensure I’m on form tomorrow.
At least I am getting a good rest I don’t think I’ve managed to grasp as much sleep as I’ve had the past couple of days for ages. I sneak a sleep while Louise is off at playgroup. I am not constantly tired & that makes me feel quite good.

Did no work in the attic last night – but I did finish off a delayed project that I promised someone – so one less niggling guilt to contend with now.

Jude has had a gummed up eye the past 2 days. As he cannot cry tears properly as yet, I think such things affect babies more. Mucus gunk keeping his eye closed. I’m sure Eve suffered similar at some point, & possibly even Jack, but I just can’t remember. As he went for his 1st inoculation jabs on Tuesday (polio/whooping etc etc) they gave us some eye drops to help him – which he naturally would rather we wouldn’t bother with. He is most resistant to having them applied, so has only ever had them once. The jabs do not seem to have left his legs bruised too much. Eve was with them at the doctors & whoever was giving Jude the injections was worried that Eve would be distressed. Louise says that Eve was not for being distracted & watched with interest as the injections were administered. Craning her neck – trying to view as closely as possible… hmmm… Eve has been less manic in general these last couple of days. If it was teething, it’s died down a bit. If it was flu, she’s recovering. Ate heartily yesterday, although… She had a new bowl, which she said was her ‘pudding bowl (a week ago she would not touch pudding & custard). She wanted her pudding bolw at tea, but was most distressed when her normal tea arrive in the pudding bolw!! She tipped her tea on the table & cried & cried & howled for a good 10 minutes. Not impressed. Perhaps she was expecting pudding (oops!). When Jack decided he had enough (not much into his meal) Eve elected to polish his off in grand fashion. She’s eating so well – perhaps she’s on a growing spurt.

6:30 in the evening. Outside again, Jack is helping our neighbour Caroline again. She’s trimming a bit of privet hedge & he is helping to clear up by looks of things. Eve has just popped inside… oh hang on… i can hear her up to something in the porch… Ah – she’s only trying to put one of Jack’s sandals on. Too big, but it nearly stays on. She’s got a real thing for shoes. She was putting on her boots just now… then kicking them of… then I’d put them on… then she’d kick them off… & so on.
Ah – she has another of his old shoes on now.

Her language is coming on – she plainly misuses words. “Hamish Ball” is one of those things that can mean a lot of things. Neighbouring lad Hamish has left a ball here, so that’s where the word has come from. She is starting to use “where?” a fair bit – asking for things – & she even says “why?”. She loves chattering. “oh dear” is when something has gone wrong. Another general exclamation is, “Ee-aye, ee-aye, oh” (as in ‘Old Macdonald had a farm….’).