marathon day

Is it bedtime yet? Despite a latish night, Mog was up and ready to be entertained at 5AM. Television alone was not good enough; she needed someone to share it with. So we sat and watched foxes with mange and geese with fishing line wrapped around their legs. Lovely. Little Fish on the other hand decided on a lie-in; I had to wake her at 8.30 to get ready for church.

Interesting service for Father's Day -much music. Little Fish had a present for me after her Sunday School class - they had all wrapped something up for Daddy, and had tried to persuade her to wrap something for Grandad. But she wasn't having any of it and insisted it was for me instead. Ahh! Funny though - for Mothering Sunday every woman in the church is given a daffodil. For Father's Day the children have been making cards, wrapping gifts, the services was loud, and there's a special event this evening.

In a similar vein, we now have a "men@church" group which holds various events for the men - weekends away, screening of football matches, walks to a pub, etc. The women's group on the other hand have midweek church services. A recent classic in our newsletter was two consecutive events advertised. Men's group - whisky tasting evening. Women's group - evening of prayer and reflection. It's not that I think prayer and reflection are bad things; it's not even that I'd especially enjoy an evening spent drinking whisky (but a nice wine tasting, now that would do me just fine!), and I do appreciate that the men's activities are designed at least partly as outreach activities. But the contrast does strike me as mildly entertaining at times.

Anyway, home from church and time to cook lunch. Remember all that milk? Still a few pints left, so chicken in a nice white sauce, and a chocolate ground rice pudding.

That's better.
I hope the milkman has strong fingers. And doesn't wake Mog when he collects them in the wee small hours.

Little Fish's first ever birthday party this afternoon. A disco, 30 preschoolers, lots of sugar, and a whole pile of excitement. She nearly enjoyed it - was just beginning to realise that the children were her friends from preschool when the entertainer suddenly turned up in a giant teddy bear costume which sent her back to her attempts at invisibility. Ah well. She enjoyed saying goodbye to her particular friends in the carpark afterwards! And she definitely enjoyed the sandwiches.

Home James and time for a little bit of peace before bedtime. I've had yo yo children tonight. First Little Fish didn't want to go to bed until after Mog had finished her shower. Then once both girls in bed Mog decided she needed to be up again and yelled until I brought her through to sit on the settee with me. Cuddled her back into calmness and posted her into bed, at which point Little Fish woke up in a big panic. Too panicked to stay in bed - normally I can just turn her head for her (don't ask me why she can't do this herself at night but apparently she can't despite being able to during the day) and she will settle again. But big hysteria tonight, so up for a cuddle and to let the panics escape her bedroom. She fell asleep in my arms (big treat for both of us that; she's not one to fall asleep in a cuddle), so I poured her back into bed and hooked her back up again. She woke up as I did so "Me Mummy baby gen ite" (I'm mummy's baby again tonight).

It's not a bad end to the day.
Tia