Notes from suburbia

Bank Holiday Monday... The Husband: "Ok, so now we've sold the (huge, reclaimed oak, gorgeous, heavy, cumbersome) dining table we could sort out the (chipped, scuffed, scruffy) painted floor before we put another table in there.  We could make a start tomorrow.  I'd like to hire a sander though so we can get a better finish." The Father-in-law (visiting for the day):  "You could sand it right back to the wood and varnish it". The Husband:  "Yeah, it would look nice.  We'd need to do the hall and living room though 'cos it all runs into one with having no carpets in any of the downstairs rooms". Me:  " There's no way I can face all that dust, it would be a nightmare.  The only way that is going to happen is if you send me and the boys on a weeks holiday". The Husband: "Hmmm."  Later that very same day... Me:  I've had a rethink.  In fact, I've had a complete change of heart and think we should sa...

Ok.  Time to own up.  Who stole Summer? I'm not even making reference to the less than tropical weather conditions of the last few months.  No.  I'm talking about time.  Where have the last few weeks and months gone?  The school summer holidays have positively flown by.  We're already having to think about new school shoes and uniforms. I for one am not ready for the onslaught of September.  And no, the promise of a so called 'Indian Summer' isn't helping with that.  Actually, the very idea of it is like rubbing salt into the wound with the Sun grinning and saying "Ha, I refused to shine the whole time you were able to kick back and take it easy but not you're all back to the daily slog then here I am to mock you!!".  With September comes the return to school, nervous anticipation of a new class and the academic year stretching out ahead, seemingly endless.  It's much the same for me in my work at a local...

Me to The Eight Year Old: "So, if a a friend of yours at school was about to become a big brother or sister what would you say to them about what it's like to be a big brother to a one year old?" The Eight Year Old:  "Top three things...having cuddles....playing...making him laugh.  And top three bad things...being asked to watch him for a minute when I'm trying to play on the Wii...him trying to reach my lego...trying to play trains with him when all he wants to do is destroy the track and try to eat it!!"