Categories: uncategorized
Date: 07 March 2004 22:35:56
It was a lovely lie in this morning. The idea was that the boys needed a lie in. They were both shattered last night, Tiddles the more so as he was up during the night in tears again. But it didn't quite work that way. The pair of them were up playing in their bedroom at 6, and it was me who managed to sleep in until 8. But I wasn't sorry they missed swimming, especially as it gave me a bit longer to practise the hymns for church.
It was one of those mornings this morning. One of the hymns was dropped on me at the last minute, chosen by the Sunday School. Another was a hymn I had never heard before, so I practised and practised until I knew it perfectly, only to be told on arrival at the church that they wanted it to another tune.... one with THREE FLATS! So it was to be the perfect opportunity to practise my sight reading. I managed to cheat somewhat, though. I got my friend Pat to play the piano for three of the hymns and I accompanied her on the accordion. It goes with such a swing that way, the congregation loves it, I enjoy playing more, and one member of the congregation who has learning difficulties is moved to dancing and infectious joy. That just left Dear Lord and Father of Mankind. I so wish I could play this! To make matters worse, it was used for the prayers of intercession with prayers between each verse, which meant I had to play soft and slowly (couldn't fudge the duff notes by moving rapidly on) and didn't build up any momentum. It also meant I missed out on the prayers, which was a shame. Still, I don't think the congregation noticed all the wrong notes. Bother... means they won't take me off the rota!
Tiddles is full of enthusiasm today. He has suddenly realised that he will be going to Scouts for the third week in a row for the very first time tomorrow. He is so proud of himself - and I of him too, to tell the truth. The arrangement has been this. Because Scouts is such a late night, we had agreed that he could start Scouts last May, but that if he had a tantrum after it he was not to go the following week. Two tantrums in a week meant no Scouts for a month. And the goal was to manage four weeks in a row, after which I would buy him the uniform and he could be invested. It's a real testament to his growing self-control that he has now, for the first time, managed three whole weeks without a tantrum and is determined to make it through the fourth - and this despite the exhaustion of spending an hour or two in tears each evening as he works through his past. He's managed to do his homework well and without a fuss too.
Another treat this afternoon - the boys made the Sunday Dinner. They are so chuffed. Smudgelet peeled and chopped the carrots and set the table. Tiddles peeled the potatoes and did the cooking of the veg and the meat pie and gravy. I was reduced to standing unwanted in the middle of the kitchen, offering advice, pouring the boiling water out of the veg, and naturally trying to appear calm at the sight of both boys wielding sharp knives in different parts of the kitchen. Dinner was served with no blood shed, and was actually rather tasty. This is a good thing. It bodes well for a life of idleness, being waited on hand and foot by my two young men - who looked particularly handsome today as they decided to wear their waistcoats and ties for church.
All that didn't get done today was Smudgelet's homework - a maths game. Lovely homework, but we could have done with the necessary resources being sent home from school. We needed £3 of 20p pieces, plus a handful of tens, fives, twos and one pence pieces. Somehow my credit card didn't quite fit the bill.