Plodding on

   

The sun came out, and we felt the need to commemorate the event. Sadly, it looks as though the sun will not be out at the weekend, in time for a traditionally festive Bun Throwing. But that's ok; we had our own mini  version with the Guides and Brownies on Monday. And jolly good it was too.


Friends visiting for the weekend; fun and food and far too many little girls all competing for cuddles.

One small seven year old delighted with herself for "Knowing all my tens and twos"; one mother slightly less delighted to see evidence of this scrawled over any flat surface; one certificate proving this warrants entry into the school's "Golden Book" for fabulous achievements, and, at the same time, one little girl sad that her sessions with the play specialist have come to an end.

One nine year old, celebrating the summer with multiple doses of rectal diazepam; not great news as she's currently on four regular anticonvulsants which should, between them, leave her far too snowed to even think about slipping into prolongued seizures.

But also, one nine year old who is managing to express herself clearly and consistently, so that I have now had similar conversations with both school and respite along the lines of "We asked her if she was getting full, and she said she wanted more to eat, but we thought we'd better just check." Lovely stuff - that she is now feeling hungry at times, and also knows when she is getting full. And even more than that, that she is letting others know. Knowing that she can express herself even when I am not around to interpret is a big deal.

More overnight visitors last night; last minute and a short on-the-way-to-hospital stay, but all went well for them today, so that's good too.

A fixed van door; £15 for the part and £85 for the labour. Ouch, but getting in and out is kind of useful really.

Two huge cats still negotiating their peace agreement (spot them both in the photo if you can); both wishing to assert their rights to my lap. One of whom has discovered the best way to guarantee nighttime attention is to leap on The Little Princess' bed and prowl around her face until she wakes and calls for me. I shut him in a room; he calls all night. I shut her in her room; she calls all night. So I settle for much muttering.

Plans afoot for the summer holidays, for October half term, even for Christmas, but so far only one day booked up over half term. Since tomorrow is the last day of term, I'm thinking this may need sorting out.

A child apparently accidentally discharged from three different medical bits and pieces, so much chasing of appointments. A letter from a different hospital, dated April 30th but only just reached us, rearranging an appointment which we have already attended. Wonderful.

So the sun's sort of out, the girls are sort of alright, and I'm sort of tired; sat down to read emails before going to bed and that was too long ago. Soft sheets are calling my name. Pictures are semi unrelated and in wrong orders; can't work out the new blogger format. Sorry.

Tia

Summertime

Wettest Drought in History?

 Hail

 Monsoon?

 Flood

 And possibly only in England would this be a sensible and logical display, with all the products on it useable at different times on the same day in May.

Side note: I emailed some of this to this blog a few days ago and it never appeared - anyone else using blogger who has had problems with blogging by mail? 

Tia

The Many Morning Faces of Miss Mog.

She's exhausted, I'm exhausted, and no one seems to know why. She's not particularly stiff, there's no obvious bloating or other tummy troubles, she slept really well all night without needing pain relief or sedation. And then woke up and needed holding and snuggling and wrapping tight; alternating inconsolable with gigglefest, and then having voiciferously rejected her wheelchair repeatedly for two hours, suddenly decided it was more than acceptable, and has been really happy all day. Two hours is definitely better than ten days, but I would love to know what it is that's bothering her so much. And I suspect she'd quite like it if I knew, too.

Tia

BookSneeze Review - Daily Gifts of Grace

I'll admit, it's taken me longer than it should to review this. I've had it since January; sorry folks. This is a daily dip-in kind of a book; I'm not sure what I was expecting but it's certainly much briefer than other bible notes I've used before. One verse, and a page written by one of several different women.

On the plus side, it's a beautiful book. It has a really satisfying magnetic snappetty snap fastening cover; very satisfying. It's very easy to read, and although each entry is dated, there is no sense of progression, meaning that if a few days get missed, you can dip back in wherever you are, rather than feeling obliged to catch up.

On the less positive side; it is very brief. There isn't a sense of continuity between readings, and I have struggled to find the relevance of the writing to the bible verse selected on occasion. It also seems to have been put together without much thought for the dates assigned to each reading; I'm not convinced for example that the suggestion to take a nice picnic out for a gentle walk was best placed in January!

Daily Gifts of Grace hasn't grabbed me as the other books I've reviewed here have. It will be useful; I did find it helpful in hospital when my concentration levels were minimal, and I do find pause for thought in most readings. But it does not have the meat I like to find in a daily devotional. Daily Droplets might be a better title; content worth musing on for a few minutes rather than something to chew on for a full day. I will keep dipping into it; and I can see that I will not be throwing it out at the end of the year. It will stay in my shelves for more five minute moments. But I wouldn't be ordering next year's as a sole set of Bible reading notes.  That said, I might give it as a gift to someone I knew didn't have a lot of time, and did want plenty of encouragement.

 

Tia

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Long time no blog

All still here, all ticking along more or less smoothly. Which makes for boring reading really, but thought I'd better post something to reassure the worriers that we are in fact all still here, all ticking along more or less smoothly.

Miss Mog is enjoying her respite sessions and seems much happier and more relaxed with her new seizure meds. Her new diet is suiting her beautifully, her teeth are shining once more, and she is enjoying being able to tell people when she is full or empty.

the Little Princess is having a few princessly moments, both in terms of temper tantrums and also shiningly excellent manners. They probably just about balance themselves out, I think. She's nearly healed up from February's op; just in time to develop a lovely pressure blister on her heel instead.

And I am getting more sleep than I have for years, but seem to be getting more tired the longer I sleep. Ain't no coffee strong enough!

Cats are shaking down well together; Benjamin is currently trying to eat the beads on the blouse I am wearing and Grolly is looking on disdainfully.

Photo is from Osterley House, where we spend Bank Holiday Monday. A nice day, even if rather jolly wet - this has to be the wettest drought in history, surely? Mog was most taken with the Pastry kitchen. tLP preferred the tour guide app . Neither girl particularly enjoyed becoming exhibit number 21 whilst waiting downstairs for the rest of us to take turns zipping up to have a look around; I'm working on the perfect message for Mog's switch in these circumstances but haven't found the perfect wording yet. Any suggestions? Some kind of multilingual "We aren't part of the show; move on or at least say hello" would do I think.

I can hear the beep beep beep of tLP's school bus reversing down our cul de sac, so I must wrap this up and go and be a Mummy again. Is it bedtime yet?
Tia