T tells me to try this

It is an arty film here. I had wandered in for the nth time to encourage lights out and T showed me a bit of what he was watching.

I haven't yet got good enough speed to watch it, so I'm sharing here first, then I'll persevere with trying to see it for myself.

Evening moments

"I hate you!.... Thank you' as I fish crumpled, but salvageable English notes out of the fireplace, wiping the dust off on my dressing gown.

Now to find a phone which has gone walkabout.

S came into the darkened kitchen, 'Why are all the lights off?' Well, I thought that having them off might equal night time and therefore sleeping time to T. 'Does it work?' Of course not, but it's a harmless occupation and keeps me sane.

That's why there are no lights on for the stairs and I keep on switching everything off as I wander around the house putting away laundry. I do try not to fall down stairs, so I hold onto the bannisters carefully.

With any luck T might have found his own phone before I get round to actually putting any effort into looking for it properly...No point in being too effective at finding children's stuff for them.

Infinity Broadband

We have a happy house this evening, full of people using superfast broadband. We hardly talk to each other any more.

Confession

I found myself picking up a Coke can and giving it a little shake. There was some left, so I drank it. I have a view that no germs transmit via chocolate which has fallen on the floor or Coke left by the boys.

I eat chunks of left over Crunchie bars too. The shame. Not enough for me to stop!

Finding a format

Some bloggers seem to have found a format they stick to and which is distinctively theirs. I'm still thrashing around and trying this and that. I want to put a photo in each time or even each day, but it isn't happening yet.

Anyone else with a similar state of confusion?

It doesn't help that T takes lovely photos and knows what he is about to take and what with. I wander around the garden mumbling that I don't know what the story is, why should I photograph this and not that.

Maybe I need to simply do mug of coffee garden appreciation and shelve any plans for mixing life out there with life tapping away in here?

Questions

H asked me, apropos of nothing, which was my favourite squirrel? I decided on the grey ones.

I then asked him, which was his favourite fish? He said cod, so I asked him to use google images to see what they looked like. Quite ferocious and mixed up with screen shots of the early Call Of Duty playstation games.

TV

Last night I saw H sitting comfortably in our kitchen in front of the TV with my laptop on his lap.

I told him to switch off the TV as it looked boring and he didn't seem to be involved in it.

He said 'No' so I looked more closely and it turned out he was watching a scathing but dignified demolition of some of the current Catholic Church's attitudes.

Well, well. That told me. I sat down and watched the rest of it.

Wonderful......

'He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought -
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!'

from Jabberwocky

by Lewis Carroll

We have big heads

S has gone halfway round the world for *one* meeting.

T won first prize for photography at the Village Show and saw it get a lovely high value after deciding to donate it for the charity auction at the end.

H was surrounded by younger boys quietly watching him play a computer game in the cafe area of the show.

I got first prize for my 2lb loaf!!!! How pleased am I?

I softened

First I was tired and cross, wanting the bed time toothbrushing to be done quickly so I could then go off to bed.

Then I was tired and cross, being told to watch a programme while H delayed. I sat on a bit of duvet with a cold hot water bottle under it, that made me jump and giggle.

Finally I was engaged and enjoying the programme and was rewarded as it happens by seeing H doing his teeth.

Teaching Patience

Just don't bother.

If there is a real situation where patience is required then the person will deal with it to the best of their abilities. The parent, me, will help as much as I can.

It is fake and pointless for me to artificially create a requirement for patience.

I hope I will not need to relearn this lesson.

Wiped out

T went back to school for one day then slept for most of the next 16 hours. I'm now having a mini version of deep tiredness myself.

Magic moments

All of a sudden I looked outside and spotted S teaching H how to mow our front lawn!

Book Group

T suggests Larsson's Millenium Trilogy.

"They are insanely good!"

We are rushing to get the 3rd one first thing tomorrow morning. It's that good.

Photo trip

T and I went to our favourite cross roads in the brisk wind. It was like being on holiday for an hour, perfect. These have not been photoshopped (yet) and have a dainty quality to them, ie pale and interesting.

Problems

One thing I say to the boys is that I have good problems. I started this a couple of years ago when I was worried about something and could see they were getting worried too.

I wanted to vent a bit about the situation, not remain silent, so this was my method of being honest. I like the concept of good and bad problems. Good ones are the ones where I realise how lucky I am to even be able to have the issue in the first place!!