Today I've mostly bin...

[Bunnylump]

...Remembering how annoying year 7s are. I think I'm turning into a proper old tartar. I kept wanting to tell the weepy watery ones to "man up." I generally much prefer the older ones (you know, those annoying teenagers everyone hates?)

Although, I can't imagine either of my two kids ever telling someone in their secondary school that they "wanted to go home to their Mummy." They'd have known what short shrift they would have got.

I'm horrible, aren't I?

[Laura]

No, just more suited to dealing with horrible bolshy year 9 and above's that everyone else would rather not deal with. They need a few like you in every school. They just shouldn't make you deal with the weepy little uns!

[SparkOut]

Miserying

[giraffe]

?????

[Bunnylump]

Oh, Sparkout, what's wrong? Hope everything is OK. x

Conversely, I'm being quite happy. Just found a hand-turned wooden candle holder in my porch with this little note. "My 1st attempt at wood turning since school - made from the Athelstan walnut tree. John Hall. "

That was the giant walnut tree which used to be in my Mum and Dad's back garden, which my Dad planted himself. My Mum always absolutely loved the tree and refused to have it cut down, even though the neighbours were constantly complaining about the walnut skins in their garden*. She liked the fact that the birds nested in it and the squirrels would scurry about helping themselves to the nuts before she ever got any! The house has now been sold (after Mum died four years ago) and the garden is being built on. John (who is a tree surgeon) had the job of taking the tree down and has been kind and thoughtful enough to keep some of the wood and then make us this lovely surprise as a memento. That brought a tear.

[chazzie]

How lovely

[SparkOut]

That made me smile, thank you

[Wulfruna]

Sparkout, that is nice - but we are still concerned about your state. Are things still bad, or should we not ask?

[LAT]

That's really lovely Bunnylump.

And hope all is OK with you Sparkout.

[SparkOut]

Things could definitely be worse. Just not having a great time right now. Thank you though.

[giraffe]

.....just taken F to the station to start his next adventure. We will be following him up to Scotland later with his luggage, leaving the girls to have a weekend on their own! I think they are planning pizza and popcorn in front of a film later. Feeling a bit guilty about abandoning them on K's birthday, but not much we can do about that.

[Bunnylump]

Hoping things are feeling a little better today, Sparkout.

Giraffe, hope the transfer of stuff all goes smoothly. What a shame about Kingsley's birthday though...

[Bunnylump]

(Yesterday) got dragged along to a jazz evening for charity at the local church (of all places!) Was sort of dreading it. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The bass player (who had an amazing 6 stringed bass) was a reverend. He was the absolute star of the show. It transpired that "in a former life" he had played with bands such as Madness and ELO! The female singer is apparently also a singer with the New Seekers, and had a great voice.

Quite a pleasant surprise.

[LAT]

Sounds good fun bunny.

Hope all goes well giraffe and that Fernando is happy at St Andrews. I'm sure the girls will enjoy their weekend too.

All I can say is thank goodness for weekends. It's been so stressful at work we all look up with relief as each person turns up each day! I have been close to tears at times and in three and a half days I think I have managed about 3 hours' worth of my normal work. Heaven knows when I will catch up again.

[Bunnylump]

That's SO unfair, LAT!

[Bunnylump]

...Walking, and blackberrying! Have just made a giant blackberry and apple crumble. Yum.

[LAT]

How lovely!

We've just been playing "Settlers of Catan". When my daughter is here she always tries to persuade us to play a family game. Yesterday it was "Funny Rummy" We have another week of this before she leaves to go on her travels!

[Scurra]

We've just been playing "Settlers of Catan". [...] We have another week of this before she leaves to go on her travels!

You make that sound like it's a bad thing.

[giraffe]

Is she travelling far this time?

[clvrlad]

How lovely!

We've just been playing "Settlers of Catan". When my daughter is here she always tries to persuade us to play a family game. Yesterday it was "Funny Rummy" We have another week of this before she leaves to go on her travels!

send her up here
i love playing board games