Archives: weekend

Train on time shocker.

Not been typing much this week because… well the train was late, (it gets crowded) there was something to read, that sort of thing.

So that weekend past – what was that about? All very low key really – not much a doing as we didn’t have a game plan to be heading out for some reason or another, therefore, it was a ‘staying at home’ weekend.. There was no real snow to add to the general excitement, excepting that empty promise that fell Sunday afternoon & evening & all but vanished by Monday morning (poor Jack). Actually, all but Jack & I are fed up with snow. I’d quite happily see more & Jack actively wants more. Jude was never a bit fan to start with, Louise likes the idea of it to start with, but quickly gets fed up of its presence, Eve got bored of being wet & cold, but enjoys it really, & Esme, well – she’s be happy whatever it did, so long as there was opportunity for play.

Jack’s been getting up a little earlier in the mornings to catch the school bus rather than the service bus, He catches the service bus up to Walsden though, so that he has a chance of getting a seat on the school bus (it gets a bit full by the time it reaches Tod). Not sure of the change of heart – I think he’s wanting to be a little more social…

Um…

Oh, I guess our new overlords are coming into the office today (delayed from last week). I guess we might get a feel for things, but I’ve know this year meant change in some form… I’m not sure in what form, but ( know that my job is not safe, in that it is not going to exist as it is at present… It’s what they decide to do, & what I decide I can do. I know it’s impracticable to move down south – it would be too great a wrench, we wouldn’t be able to sell the house, we couldn’t move Jack from this school (I don’t think there’s anything in the state sector down their way that comes close) .. So, their stated desire to centralise their resources are at odds with the limitations of our lives. A year of change…. I really don’t see the point of worrying about such things though, a bunch of homilies come to mind, but I cannot dread change – it should at lest be interesting.

Saturday I was due to meet Darryl in Waterstone’s in Bradford. Louise said it was OK, she could manage the kids OK, but her mum called the night before & as she’s more at a loose end nowadays (without Alice & Cathleen) Louise said she should come over.

So, meeting Darryl didn’t go so well… I was just a little later leaving the house that I was comfortable with, but seeing as how everyone was up I had to say bye-bye to everyone more than the once & … well, that takes a little longer when you’re cutting thing fine. So I missed that train… Never mind. Louise thought it an idea to get a bus to Hebden to see if it was possible to catch a Blackpool train – which I think I did.. Although it took so long to get there it might have been the next train through Todmorden that passes through Bradford.. Ah well. Still – I was on my way again (with a paper to read).

Got to Bradford half an our late, & dashed off to Waterstone’s (I don’t like being late – it’s just me). No sign of Darryl after a scan of the store, so decided eventually to settle in the cafe overlooking the shop & try to relax. Called Louise as I don’t have Darryl’s present mobile number & see if she could get that number for his home because I could at least see if he has got a number from his parents. When I called his dad seemed to indicate that he thought Darryl had set out late, so I didn’t worry then, at least we were both late, I could sit & wait for him – relax & do a bit a drawing. Made my coffee last a good long while…. Passed the time quite well… a lttle too well as it slipped & slipped & still no company. So I called back Darryl’s home again & … spoke to Darryl… Um. I’m not sure whether I must have misinterpreted Darryl’s dad before… Anyway he had, (I think) assumed that Darryl had set out after the house was quite from him getting back from town, but … Darryl was resting having woken up with Migraine. To be fair he had sent a mail tome that arrived half an hour before I set out advising that he was unwell, but … but I didn’t see it & I can in no way blame Darryl for being unwell, but it was all a little deflating….

So… I pack up up my pens, & drank up the dregs of cold coffee & went on my way. Called Louise to tell her the bad news, pottered around a bit (disappointing charity shop shuffle) & went home.

Still the family was good; Jude was in a sprightly mood, He & Jack were getting along while Eve & Esme were down at the park with Louise’s mum). I lost my temper with Jude a bit later in the evening because he was being so obnoxious.. I regret that… I don’t like making him cry & in the end I’m really not sure it serves the right purpose. It served to upset Louise as well though, which also makes me feel bad.

So Sunday; that was different. We were off to the pantomime; Caroline had bought us tickets as she did last year. Billy Pearce in Cinderella. Actually there were quite a few familiar faces in the cast… Anyway we had to get there & this time the trains were wonky, not our timing. I was looking online at the one we were supposed to be catching & when it was 15 mins late setting out we made the decision to dash for the bus to Hebden to see if it was possible to get the Blackpool train. We managed that OK – amazingly enough. Although in the end it was the delayed version of the train that we were supposed to catch in Tod, rather than the Blackpool one, but that was just as well as we would have likely missed the beginning of the performance if we did get the Blackpool one. One train an hour on Sundays seems to be a little bad, but then it’s always been like that – the contentious timetable changes that have happened recently don’t make a jot of difference to that.

It was a good performance. There were no tumblers this year, but they did have more special effects; namely a couple of 3D sections using a big screen. They worked jolly well. There were also a few real horses which were… well – that added an extra something. It was enjoyable & whether the corpsing & larking were scripted they worked well & had me laughing. That was fun. The only dark mark was Jude insisting afterwards that he had to ave a flashing rod thing – cheap (overpriced) plastic novelty that we wouldn’t have allowed in the home & naturally he thumped Louise because she said no & that naturally put Louise in bad mood (demands & humiliation don’t go down too well – Jude wasn’t the only one with demands) . Caroline bought him one, which I’m not sure was helpful… He’s a funny one he would have been a bad apple all the way home likely as not) if Caroline hadn’t bought him that, but she kept it – he didn’t get to bring it home (which was the best solution). It’s not like he really really wanted it though.. As Louis pointed out later he just feels he need something like tha tat times like that to round off the good time: an acquisition… But not getting it is also bad… so what are you to do.

Assembled a bike this weekend. Another bike for Jude; a birthday present. It’s more a BMX model & he’s really only just big enough for it. I’ve lowered the seat as far down as it can go – so hopefully this will satiate him. Eve is keen to pick up use of his older bike now that poor Bluebell has lost her glamour somewhat (never properly recovered from having the back wheel run over & tyres changed to non-whitewall

It turned into a task getting the bike home from Bradford where we bought it. Was a shame that it needed to be assembled really as that took that frisson of excitement out of the whole thing for Jude; although, I don’t think it dampened the day too much for him in the end: he was happy & excitable at home in the evening even without the actuality of the bike. On the whole it’s been quite a good weekend. We met up in Bradford with Louise’s mum, as planned & dibbed off to Pizza Hut. Been years since I’ve been in such a place & as we had not had the forethought to book we had to wait a while to get in. The kids still behaved themselves: we didn’t have to mutter about not doing things as we waited. They were good in the restaurant (if you can truly call it that) as well – well, Esme stood on the set & they were a little noisy (but didn’t have to be told not to be) but these tings blended in well & they all enjoyed themselves & their grub. I guess such places are designed with families in mind… You wouldn’t think of going to Pizza Hut for a business meeting really… well, maybe not a besuited one. I think we killed a couple of hours n there – which was a little surprising.

Thence back to the bus station for a free bus down to the … big warehousey shop area on the edge of the centre of town & we bought Jude’s bike (& some skates for Eve & Jack) Esme didn’t need retail therapy to feel included; such things are not on her radar as yet. I wanted to get a new bag, as they do some cheap there, but I couldn’t get a decent compromise between style, price & size, so I left it after Louise frowned at my ‘too expensive’ choice. At least I have a better idea at what I’m aiming for, I suppose. I’m not sure even that one would have managed an A3 sketchpad that’s an ‘agenda’ item I don’t think I’ll quite ever manage. Jude’s bike was in a big heavy box… so started lugging that home. It was inconvenient to carry & dug into my fingers, and n the end Jack & Louise carried the last litle bit up the backstreet, but we got it hone fine & by the time Jude went to bed it looked like a bike (I just had the brakes to fit & adjust). By the morning it was ready & when he was dressed he had ago (in a pause in the rain) & came back a little put out muttering about it being too big. I took the seat down to the absolute minimum & he tested it, agreed that it was better but has yet to go out in it again… oh, well… when the time comes… when the time comes… Oh – and it’s all black, with white lettering – looks a bit swish.

Sunday was more a ‘climbing uphill’ day, Lots of rain never helps motivate a day. Eve had a ‘last minute’ invite to Isobel’s birthday party. We had a standby present that seemed a little lacking, so I bought a pad & pen when ut doing the shopping as a supplement. Then Louise topped her off up the valley for the party (not quite a small walk away). Jack decided to start his Ecodome, but was also distracted by playing with his remote control helicopter with Jude & Jo, so in the end I had to nag him to tidy things up – which he ‘sort of’ did… in that it’s tidied up from outside, but not put away. I can’t begrudge him though as he was in a good sharing mood all day. Most of the weekend… The silly grudge match started over a Gogo on … Thursday evening with Jude seemed to blow over quite nicely, so that was a relief.

Last week… I was slack with the writing & I may well be again this week. I was reading Fortean Times last week, but I’ve nothing I especially have to read this week… Not sure – there’s a background lethargy on my part… sort of. Maybe it’s a craving for novelty & typing seems too much like what I said before… or maybe it’s the days drawing in & the cold seeming into the corners… That’s always a handy excuse his time of year (the desire for comfort).

So.. last week? There may well have been some notable things, but although I feel alert this morning there’s also the usual considerable for of my dull brain to scythe though…

So, this weekend? We set out to Keighley… which was just about right really – its a big town, but not a major conurbation in the terms of somewhere that flocks in the shoppers. It has its shopping centre & so forth, but I imagine many from Keighley choose to venture away from the town for weekend shopping jaunts. Good supermarket, wool shop, even a Woolies, a good crop of charity shops & that’s good enough for us. Stopped by the supermarket with the kids first; cafe food & some distraction & purchases fro the toy isle. My nerves got a little fraught from time to time. Jude wanted quite a lot & had to be talked back. Esme was skittish. Jack didn’t really want anything, but then pointed out a Jeremy Clarkson DVD from Louise with cars & explosions in it which was a little daft of him really as it’s just the sort of thing Louise disapproves of… No, he’s not having it. There was no locksmiths, which was a disappointment to Jude. Sainsbury’s is quite good for half price toys at the moment. If there was one more accessible I’d be tempted to try to do a little Xmas shopping.

That main bit done (Louise had been the the wool shop while I started them out at the cafe) we set out to do a little generic shopping.

Charity shops… We were due to go to a stationers, but Jude was satiated with a pad at the supermarket, so we passed that by. My hankering for a perusal had to fall by the wayside,.. shame… I do have to remind myself of a recent ebay purchase though… that should hopefully satiate this.. I’m hoping that will arrive by my birthday in a few weeks (as that’s sort of what ot is..) A shop or 2 in a locksmiths is spotted so I pop Into this poor fellah’s shop with a bunch of over excitables & ask for a couple of sets of our back door key. Jack needs one as he’s off to school al the time & on Wednesdays he’s home earlier & there’s a chance that there’s no one home when he arrives. It’s a Just in case thing really, but a necessity. Louise needs one, & I need one. I do not have a back door key though because Jude ‘needs’ one. He doesn’t use it as such; there’s no real necessity for him to be able to open the door, & indeed he does not take it out of the house as a rule. Still – Jude being Jude he ‘needs’ one. Hm. Therefore as Jack needs one I’ve been left without a back door key. Thus I was qute pleased to get a couple of back door keys cut: one for me & one for Louise (as hers is a little bent – leaving the bent one as a spare)

Jude starts bringing me keyrings in the shop. Jude likes keyrings. The one he seems to have set his heart on is a plastic ribbon style thig with, “Dad’s Keys” printed on them. I have 2 internal rejections of this; (aside from spending more money on him when he’s just had a car & some pads from the supermarket) ; that is that I don’t like this plasticated object & I wince at the printing thereon. I deny, he persists, I deny he persists, the keys are completed in the fastest possible time, I pay, Jude leaves , I leave, Outside Jude is beseeching to Louise, upset at the unfairness of it all. Denied, he turns & starts being a right pain in the bum. ‘Tape Loop’: “I want a Keyring, I want a keyring, I want…”

Well, we’ve had better weekends. In the end I ended up taking Jack, Jude & Esme to Burnley on the Saturday. It was planned that we all go to Huddersfield & Jack was none too impressed at a bus journey, but it was too late I the day for the train. Louise blamed herself & ended up staying home in case Eve returned from play with Amber (she didn’t). Sunday was better; got some sorting out done, Took Eve & Esme out shopping to Morrisons & met Amber there, (with her mum & dad & Lilly) so popped to the Cafe with Amber (released from her parents charge to walk home with Eve & I). No problems having to worry about it not being fair that Esme would be put out about not having Lilly because she was soud asleep. I got Esme a scone at the Cafe in case she woke up, but as usual it was not until outside that the cold air roused her from slumber, so she got to eat it on the way home (which evidently cheered her up).

Jack is still swamped by homework. It was all we could do to nag hi into completing what he did over the weekend & we’re trying to work on him to apply himself better to sorting it out. I thing a wall chart is the next thing; something that allows for us to have things set out in an easy to see format that needs to e transcribed from his jotter. We shouldn’t get nasty surprises line ‘page 18 of your science to be handed in Monday’ (read last night from his jotter at 22:00 last night. You could see Jack’s face drop). He doesn’t have science on Mondays but his form teacher is his science teacher…

Tuesday – was too jiggered yesterday too type.

Long weekend though – that was good. I met Louise & the kids in Halifax on the Thursday; stayed on he train & went to Sainsburys to pick them all up & then homeward bound. Not greatly interesting for me, but the kids were happy (well – maybe Jack was a little sanguine because he hasn’t so keen on being out as the rest. I think the reason for it all was that Jude wanted a pencil case, but that was probably the prerequisite that Louise required to be heading out with them.

So – why was I off on the Friday? There was a Halloween do on the backstreet that we were supposed to e preparing for Now, the real preparation here wasn’t settling decorations or anything of that nature. Because there was a possibility of adults roaming into our house we needed to have a general tidy. Not really reason enough for to be taking a day off… no… Well – OK – the real reason for taking a day off was that it was half term & the kids were home & Louise asked me to take the day off: that’s all I need as a reason. Fact is though; I mainly did tidying up.

I found that the vacuum cleaner (DC08) I got from the market had no filters at all which set off my asthma a little as it bumped up the stairs & shook some dusk out into it’s ‘air out’. That was not so clever & I ordered a new filter off ebay. It’s not only me though – it’s Jude as well – it caused him a few wheezy days as well which was a shame. He had been all geared up for Halloween wanting face paint etc, but when it came to dressing up he decided it better to play & then get in the bath & into his pyjamas… It was only Debra (neighbour) popping in to try to extricate her twins (Gabe & Jules – a little older than Esme) from the wooden train track set out in the back room & commenting to Jude that he was missing the fun & encouraging him out that made him change back out of his pyjamas & into civvies (not halloweenies) & join in with everyone.

As a whole the party went well. Eve was first to be dressed up as she had Evie’s Halloween birthday party to attend before the ‘street’ party.

While she was away we brought down the enormous box that had arrived the other day from Hazel – what could it be? There were 4 smaller ‘Cadbury’s’ labelled boxes for the kids. This was handed out & they were ripped open & contained a Halloween bucket filled with backs of Halloween themed animal biscuits & a pack of Halloweeny marshmallows. Jude & Esme started tucking into the biscuits straight away & were keen to be going out to to trick or treat, but it was too early.

This was only stalled until Jack joined in, getting his Skeleton costume on & wanting to head out with his bucket, egged on by a desperate Esme. So as it was starting to get dark we let them out to some of the neighbours.

Annnd again it was a ‘no venturing forth’ weekend.

Well, Louise is not so good at the moment. The tummy bug that was getting to Esme & Jude seem to have fallen upon her (& it’s a bit crippling). It’s something we’ve all had before, I’m sure; cramping stomach pains that prevent you from eating & as a whole you feel drained. She ate something on Saturday that left her completely scuppered by evening.

Things done… um…

Emptied everything out of the porch on Sunday, & found the carpet in the corner was a bit mouldy… That won’t make it through the winter so I decided to ditch it… but what to replace it with? Hm – well – there’s these rugs… Chose the larger hessian one (didn’t mum & dad bring this as a hand-me-down from Neil?) It’s been folded up in the porch a good while now; having been family trampled into a state of splotchy disrepair for some time now). It’s a bit big for the task to hand – so lay it flat & put the old carpet atop & cut out a new one. It being hessian all the edges are frayed though; so grab the white gaffer tape & follow around as I cut to seal it up. The kids return from playing & asked what I’m doing? “Bodging, dear; bodging.” I cannot really o DIY, but I can ‘bodge’ to a reasonable degree.

Eve had a slightly highly strung weekend. She found a lot of things “Not fair!” to a tear inducing degree.

I’m not sure there’s a remedy to this slightly disadvantages world view. Sometimes she may have a point, but most of the time no. Jude muttered that she’s going through the same sort of thing that Jack went through a couple of years back: a propensity to emotional thinking. I’m not so sure, but it’s interesting that Jude must have picked up on musings between Louise & I. Okay, to a degree I think there’s a similarity to Jack, & he weighed most of the blame for this at school; a certain level of feeling victimised there & to an extent that was true, but there was a self distortion field in being used as well. Eve may even be suffering a similar thing at school, because goodness knows some of her fellow pupils are the epitome of ‘the only child’. It’s difficult though. As I say it’s not the same as Jack; she’s different for a start. I’m minded to keep an open mind to see how she copes.

And all that brings to mind it’s parent’s evening at school today, so I need to be on form & be getting back home to help Louise… I’m not sure whether I’m taking the kids home or the kids are hanging about while we go see teachers. If I’m I with the teachers I have to keep my big fat mouth shut & let Louise do the talking; I tend to say important things in a daft way which can lead away from the point I’m trying to make, Possibly my tangental way of thinking about things?

Weekend low key. Jack was not keen on applying himself on homework & we paid a little last night because although he had written his history essay it needed typing up & sticking in his book.

Again I have a vestige of memory of something on Friday, but I refuse to scrabble round trying to figure it out. Monday… Eve had extra homework from school as she’s on the ‘top table’ & someone on the table said that they wouldn’t mind extra homework (Eve was aghast!) . She protested about it after tea bemoaning the (un)fairness of it all. However Louise managed to get her to sit down & make a start; sat with her & guided her & through what she was doing & Eve started to enjoy what she was doing. I think she’s starting to realise that she can do this it’s not really so hard when you look at it. I think Louise has managed to bolster Eve’s confidence quite well. When Eve came home yesterday she announced that she’s enjoyed the maths lesson that day. Jude piped up that maths was his favourite lesson (he is good with his numbers at the moment, is Jude).

Oh, I remember what the Friday ‘thing’ was – Eve had hurt her ankle at school, but it seems mostly better now. She’s apparently excused games for a bit, but that’s about all. When she got home on the Friday she was quite weepy about things & not really able (or willing) to put her weight on it. She’s fallen off the climbing wall (which is not high – she just dropped down badly) It was a little swollen & we were a little surprised that they hadn’t really taken a look at it at school because she was chided by her ‘friends’ (hm – well, classmates, then) going to & fro the church for the Harvest Festival service. Jude had a speaking part in that…

So although we were concerned enough to call up the health centre we were brushed off by the terse receptionists with the explanation that it was an ‘incident’ (the hurting of an ankle) & therefore we should not go down to see a doctor, but to go to a casualty department. Louise says I should just have asked if it was possible to see the duty nurse, but I evidently do not know my way around that particular bureaucracy.

So, in the morning Eve is not much better. Esme is still in a clingly mood after her tummy upset the week prior, but as she’s feeling better she has a greater propensity to show off & be a noisy attention seeking monkey, so although I could take Eve, I could not face a time in hospital with a performing chimp. Esme was being very ‘daddy’s girl’ proclaiming that she wanted to go with me, so I muttered that it wouldn’t be possible for me to go, therefore pissing off Louise as she would have to go . It’s not that I wanted to manoeuvre her into a corner, but I was manoeuvred into a corner…

Louise set out with hobbling Eve & I was left with the kids for the morning… afternoon… I did manage to get them out to the supermarket as we needed to get supplies & Louise & Eve came home (Louise a little refreshed by the change of pace from frantic to tedious: hospital time) & Eve was … happier having spent some time with just the one parent & had an x ray & so forth – all that attention. And she had 2 chapters of the Gruesome Grotto read to her.

Low key weekend… he kids played & we got the shopping… or did we play & the kids get the shopping? When did Louise & I last get to ‘play’? That’s silly. The kids did go shopping though – both on Saturday & Sunday Jack, Eve & Jude set out to to Morrisons on their bikes. On Saturday I cramped their style & turned up as well (as they only had a portion of the shopping to do. Caught up with them (on my bike) just as they got to the shop, so they couldn’t nip into the cafe to get themselves some toast. On the Sunday they tried to get toast, but they were refused by the very fickle staff there as they were supposed to be 15 or over to be able to have toast. Not that I haven’t seen younger kids being served there – they’re just fickle. Things went a little wrong then because they’d already done their shopping & thus headed back. Stopped off at Heals to get some drinks & Eve was supposed to stay outside (as Jude had the day before when they stopped by the newsagents) to look after the bikes, but Eve though this grossly unfair & said that they would get her the wrong kind of drink, had huff & headed home on her own (they are supposed to stick together). Jack mutters that he probably won’t take Eve again, but it’s been more her general attitude this weekend. Very ‘half empty glass’ & apt to shout about things being unfair (when they aren’t really) & that we don’t understand (possibly all too well) & generally being rude & wailing. We put iyt partially down to being tired still from being so late to bed on Friday….

Friday we went to the Parents Evening up at school. It was not so much a .. hmmm – well – I knew it wasn’t a parent’s evening like ‘meeting the teacher to see how your child is doing’ but more an ‘open evening’ affair. I’m not sure what I envisaged, but parents got to sit at large tables & even buy a beer or wine while the kids went off to one of the halls to be entertained by some sixth formers. We were given a similar lesson to one Jack will have had toward the beginning of term in his ‘learning to learn’ lessons. A little self assessing quiz to see what type of learning strategy would work best for us? I turn out quite high on kinaesthetic; which I guess kind of figures. I discussed with Louise that she would be higher on the aural/verbal learning were some of the questions not skewed to assume you had huge self confidence, but both Jack & Louise scored highest on … oh the ones about being able to take stuff in just reading it. Discussion on all these types of learning & it was interesting enough to stop me doodling & sketching – so that was something. It was also supposed to be an evening where we could socialise with other parents, but .. well we didn’t – we stuck to our table & didn’t attempt to try. We enjoyed it though. Got a brief chat with Jack’s teacher so she can put adults to the child. All went as well as we could have wanted. Must have just missed a bus home because we had to wait a while & Jack & Eve got bored. Eve looked the part – she had her new blouse on, her calotts, her glasses & her hair in bunches. She brought along her colouring books in a small shoulder bag that also added to making a good impression. Jack’s teacher had noticed her. Eve enjoyed herself & likes the school a lot. We need to try to capitalise on this & try to get her to apply herself instead of digging her heels in & telling herself something is hard when she just need to calm down, look at something & get on with things evenly.

Well, Esme did a lot better last night – she’s slept quite soundly. On Friday to Saturday she was quite disturbed with the Chicken Pox making her uncomfortable & the fever making her too warm, and on the Saturday to Sunday she was initially being driven nutty by the itching. We gave her some Piriton in the end (should have thought of it earlier) & she was still very frustrated until the small hours & the medicine started kicking in & it all calmed down. Gave her Piriton before settling to sleep last night & she was much better for it. She came up when I was drifting off just after 11 & as she was warm she had some ibuprofen & she seems to have slept soundly most of the night. I slipped out & had some sudofed then so that I could breathe without a gaping mouth & I feel rested this morning as well. Spent yesterday with a headache & things crawling in the corner of periphery of my vision – mainly lack of sleep, with some head cold thrown in for good measure. Not half as bad as Esme’s been having; she’s been doing well really. Clingy & weepy, but she has been playing for the most part. Late afternoon yesterday she tried playing with Lilly when she came round, but had to give up & be held again. I think she was a bit annoyed that she didn’t get to go out with me that day. I’d taken Jude out to his party at Jitterbugs in Littleborough (James & Daniels’ birthday) & Eve had tagged along. Amber had gone out, so Eve had no direction & she wanted to come & was upset that I initially refused on the grounds that she wouldn’t be allowed to the party. This provoked quite a reaction (weeping & gnashing, “You don’t understand!”) so as long as she understood that there was no way she could stay at the party it was fine – I let her tag along. As it turned out we only had tome to go to the supermarket &then a café before we had to scoot back to pick up Jude. Still – it was pleasant to have her along (probably good for Louise to have her out of the way if she was going to be bored & whinging at home). & good for Eve to just be out instead of bored & frustrated. Jack was very sweet with Esme while we were out & made her a colouring book from internet printouts, but Esme was tuckered out when we got back (public transport back from Littleborough was not so good & quite expensive).

Saturday?

We had a jaunt out to Bradford, It had been previously arranged that we were going to Louise’s mum’s & meeting up with Elaine & Kyle (Louise’s sister). For…. various reasons we’ve not seen them for quite a while & I guess it all went well. Eve was chatty & friendly with Elaine & the kids behaved quite well.. We went out to the park. Jack took Jude & Eve on the boating lake (I didn’t have to do it) And they had a good little go to the playground. I was relieved to see (or rather had my underlying guilt assuaged) by the presence of another little girl who quite obviously had chicken pox. Esme’s pox are not so easily noticeable as they are mainly on her trunk, back of the neck & head – her hair covers the latter 2. You still feel a bit bad about her being about so much though; doesn’t feel wholly responsible. We were obliged though – it had been arranged – Louise’s mum expected us to be going. We were expecting to be off sooner, but before lunch (we apparently arrived late when we arrived just about exactly when we said we would) it was announced that we would have some eggs for tea? (For tea? – Oh.. OK, then).

The kids enjoyed it all – I think (probably) Eve especially as she loves the socialising & she also managed to pick up a few nicknacks. Jack & Eve even got to play around the fountains at Lister Hall for a bit (Jude got bored & wanted to go back so Jude & Esme went back to the flat with Grandma). Louise & I got to watch fascinating people who had a wedding at the Hall & a photo opportunity in the gardens – we do love people watching.