Health update

So, it all started two weeks ago with Emily's tonsilitis, swiftly followed by Phoebe's gastroenteritis. That lasted the better part of a week, and no sooner were the kids over their illnesses than Nevi came down with something similar, which thankfully only lasted two days thanks to the use of Yoga mind-control and Lemsip (this is according to Nevi, who firmly believes that there is very little that cannot be cured by either Yoga or Lemsip). That takes us up to Tuesday of this week. Meanwhile, Pappous had come down with "the worst cold I have ever had in my life", which prevented him from having his planned cataract operation on Wednesday (something to do with the danger of him sneezing at an inopportune moment). On Tuesday night, Emily complained of feeling unwell, and sure enough, in the small hours of Wednesday morning the vomiting began. Today is Saturday and she is able to eat something for the first time in three days (she was even bringing up the tiny amounts of water she was allowed to have). Oh, and she also seems to have a cold.

That makes me very much Last Man Standing, and at the moment I am sorely tempted to paint a big red cross on the front door and sneak off somewhere uninfectious...

Emily the rat

Emily is less than happy to have been cast as a rat in her class production of The Nutcracker. I am trying to convince her that it is a very good role but so far she remains unconvinced. (On reflection, it may have been a mistake to talk about typecasting...) Anyway, unless I can bring her round, I expect that on the big day the King will be surrounded by a scampering entourage of rats, all ready to do his bidding, with the exception of one huffy minion standing with her back turned, her arms folded, her scowl defiantly in place...

I can hardly wait!

Bleuchhh

I have been absent because it has been a week of illness, with Emily taking antibiotics for tonsilitis and Phoebe vomiting here there and everywhere, having caught the bug that is currently doing the rounds. It's not so much that I didn't have the time (I never really have the time) but rather that taking temperatures and cleaning up pools of sick do not make for great blogging*.

* "Better than the usual rubbish you post here," I hear you cry...

Morning

As the weather gets colder it is becoming increasingly difficult to get the girls up in the morning. My new strategy is therefore to liven up the whole getting-out-of-bed experience with appropriately themed showtunes. Yes! Unfortunately, my impression of Debbie Reynolds singing "Good morning, good morning" elicited no more than the usual sleepy request for "five more minutes" from Phoebe and an unusually intense scowl from Emily. Never mind, though, because I have high hopes for Ethel Merman's "I got the sun in the morning" and if all else fails, I always have Howard Keel's "Oh what a beautiful morning" to fall back on.

Bike

Phoebe has learnt to ride her bike. All by herself. Without stabilisers. With no fuss at all, she just hopped on and wobbled off with nary a backward glance. I'm sure we can all agree that this is THE MOST SELFISH THING EVER!!!

There I am, looking forward to playing a key role in this important moment in her young life (which she should later be able to look back on as "The Day Daddy Taught Me To Ride My Bike") and I end up completely sidelined just because she decides to go off and "do her own thing".

Honestly, children are so thoughtless sometimes.

(She'll be back, though - she doesn't know how to use the brakes yet!)

Things I have said etc etc (no. 5)

Emily: Daddy, I don't think that's how you're supposed to do Euclidean long division (see previous post).

Me: Probably not, my darling, but the answer's correct. And the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Emily: Eh?

"Helping" Emily with her maths homework

Emily is learning how to do Euclidean long division and unfortunately I do not seem to be able to help her with it. Seeing as I am absolutely sure that I remember how to do long division, it must be the Euclidean bit that is confusing me. I do think it is most unfair to expect young children to cope with advanced mathematics when not even someone with a maths O-level can understand what is going on.

(And I've a good mind to write a strongly-worded letter to this chap Euclid to tell him just what I think of him...)