School and all that

I can't believe how hot it is today, wish we'd had more days like that when I was off work!

The last week has been busy with both the kids back at school.  Rosie started secondary school on Monday and I was a bit worried about she would settle in as she had a major wobble during the last half term of primary.  She really wanted to go to this school and we had a lot of problems getting her into it after the allocations last year, when she was given her third choice!  Its a girls only school and already she has been called "bumbag girl" and told she has a freakishly long skirt plus a few other choice things (oh well, its a girls school!!) .... anyway, I've suggested she gets drops the bumbag but she doesn't want to - she does have a strong spirit, so we'll see whether she'll continue to want to be different, I hope so.  My sister would be so proud of her.  Its been 4 years now since we lost her mum Barb to breast cancer and Rosie and her brother, Matthew, came to live with me and my husband, they were then 7 and 8.

Matthew went back to school on Tuesday.  He goes to a special needs school and is now 13 but he is the youngest in his class being born at the end of August.  He has dyspraxia and some other probs.  He is great at reading though and although he can be difficult at times on the whole he is not a bad boy.  He never forgets anything that is important to him and is very precise about wanting to know whats going on and likes to keep to routine.  He always like to help me and would never let me carry anything heavy.  He and Rosie argue like cat and dog, they are the best of friends and the worst of enemies!  Just like all kids, I suppose.

I was one of 5 children.  I lost my eldest sister, Andrea, in 1999 to breast cancer and then we lost Barb in 2002.  My sister, Chris, has also had breast cancer and had a masectomy in 2001 but has just had her 5 year all clear.  She is a great girl, I'll tell you more about them all another time.  I also have a brother Peter, there was 16 years between him and Andrea, so he really suffered having 4 big sisters.

My friend Alex had her baby Ruby yesterday, she was 8lb 4oz and about 5 days overdue.  I just can't wait to see her and to talk to Alex.  I really miss working with Alex, she was like a little sister to me.  I work with about 12 girls, some nice and some very difficult.  I am back to doing full weeks now but still plan to take 3 weeks unpaid leave on top of my annual leave of 5 weeks 2 days next holiday year (starts 1st Oct) so I can manage to cover school hols etc.  I have promised myself at least one day to myself, where I will be alone, no housework, no kids and doing something nice just for me!

Yesterday, we spent a lazy day at home - just a minute it wasn't that lazy, I cleaned and I washed and ironed for England and still have loads to do later on today.  I didn't even bother going to the supermarket until about 6 to get the week's shopping.  Then I got charged £34 for 2 £3 quiches!  I thought my bill was high and then checked it as I walked away from the till, so heres a warning you cannot trust them on them blimming tills!  I even said as I paid that I thought it was a lot for what I had.  She had keyed in 21 instead of 2.  Quite often I have thought my shopping has come to a lot but I will be checking like a hawk in future.

We've just got back from the car boot.  The kids love it there and have come back with lots of things, Matthew managed to sneakily get a bb gun, which has been confiscated until his big brother is here to supervise him.  Can you imagine if I let him loose with it ....  It was his birthday the other week and so he has money in his pocket to get his dream things.  Shame.  I got myself a book called Wild Cat about Jessie Wallace, I do like a good biography.  Rosie has a few Beezer and Topper Annuals, she loves comic books and particularly the Beano but she has most of those old Annuals going back a few years now after going up the car boot regularly.  One day the ceiling will fall down with what she has got up there.  In fact I am going up this afternoon to try to clear a space for her as she starts her homework this week and I think it will be better if its clutter free for her to do some up there.

Dinner today is honey and mustard chicken tonight with greens, carrots and mash, mmmmm!

Over and out for now.

Terry