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It's a scary thing, being without the internet. I forget how much I rely on it. Shopping, admin, nine tenths of all my regular communication, research, reassurance. Full credit to the Tech Guys, they arranged to have my laptop collected the morning after I phoned them, and it was dropped back here again this morning, all fixed and shiny looking (they might have cleaned the screen for me though).

Meanwhile I made the always pleasing discovery that my back up computer won't cooperate with the router. It was not the best time to have an unplanned break from the internet. One sick child, one school holiday, one missing carer and my emergency back up sanity squad (my parents) away visiting my brothers. I should have known - one or other of my girls always gets sick whenever my parents go away.

Thanks go to Lauren for keeping my blog reasonably functional for the past week. And for visiting on Monday. Note to self: work out that mobile blogging thing - it's all very well dicta-blogging but I suspect it gets old fast for the friend pressed into service as secretary.

We've managed the week fairly well so far. Friday and Saturday preparing for Mog's photographer, Sunday with the photographer, Monday with Lauren, and Tuesday with Tina and co. Just need to find things for tomorrow and Friday now.

Little Fish is only normally in school two mornings a week, but she finds missing those two mornings very hard. Every five minutes now she's asking for the school bus. I try not to take it personally. I am not used to this though. I ought to be really; she's been here for a year now. But I am used to Mog's more gentle ways - she likes to be busy but she needs to be peaceful too, and is quite happy to spend time listening to music, having cuddles, and generally living life in the slow lane. Goldy too was perfectly happy to have a quiet day now and then; she did need the routine of school but she could manage up to a fortnight without it quite happily. And now Little Fish wants to be actively entertained every waking minute. It's great, but it's hard work. Mog breathes a sigh of relief once Little Fish has gone to bed for the night; we have a gentle half hour or so most nights just enjoying being still and silent together. It's not that we don't love Little Fish and her busy-ness; it's just that we both appreciate the respite.

I've had to break the news of Goldy's death (in August) to two people this week. Not easy. She's on my mind.
Tia