mouse eats happy mais

O well, I was just tapping away at the computer in the boys' room annex, which is supposed to be Meg's room annex, 'cept it's still got Fergus's computer in it. But that's another story...Anyway there were poltergeist noises at the door, which can only mean Freddie, so I finally decided to take him back to bed. As I was sitting there in the quiet room I heard a scratching sound- was it the rain on the window? a bird? no, it was definitely a mouse. Very close to my head. So I carefully extracted myself from a sleeping Fred and slowly peered under the bed. Happy Mais. Of course, it was coming from a Happy Mais box. You know Happy Mais? Its maize and it makes you happy. No? It's basically Wotsits without the MSG. And it's dyed different colours and it's for making things with. (And you lick it to make it stick. Ew!)
So, anyway, I pulled the box out and carefully opened the lid a smidgen, and out popped the fastest, smallest mouse in the west which darted across the room, disappearing into the corner-most-buried-under-toys.
So, there's hardly any Happy Mais left. and I'm sure that box cost [Santa] a small fortune. Well, at least that will help towards the grand clear-out of toys that is happening in a small boy's room near you this weekend... hey, wonder if there's any more edible toys...we have hungry rabbits.

stranger than fiction 2

Well, we went to the library and I told the nice librarian that a man had taken away our books. "That'll be the book collection officer then". Right, no, but they weren't the right books, they weren't even library books. "O, I see. well, that's a bit strange. Well, they're not here...they'll be in Halifax...But he'll have to get them back to you...
Right...

Anyway, I managed to drag the boys outside, before the market closed, so I could get my Floradix. I honestly don't know why I bother getting it from Barry, as it invariably takes me weeks and weeks to get round to ordering it and more weeks till I get round to getting it, all for a measly 75p discount, and he got the wrong sort. And in the mean time I'm floating round with white spots in front of my eyes and only two remaining red blood cells in my body. I did manage to get a prescription for it once, but I couldn't find a pharmacy that would dispense it.

So we filled up my rucksack with more perishables, including the ingredients of enchiladas, which were very nice, thankyou. We went in search of guitar-fixing man, who wasn't there, but instead I bumped into wife of sewing -machine fixing man, who I had just been thinking about that morning. (this was all yeasterday)

I took my guitar into the guitar shop and he said it would be about £30 and it wasn't really worth it as not a very expensive guitar- he knows I really want a new one, see? But at least he told me what needs doing so maybe I can get Jimbob to do it? Or even the person who inadvertantly broke it when I first got it, as he was lowering the action he can't have glued the nut down and that's whats making it buzz.

Anyway, we called round at Helen's and she gave me a small chest of drawers and some shelves that were just coming down that I might be able to use for the boys' room.

O and I sorted out my car insurance... I finally found the doc's and it was only 10 days overdue!!! reminders must have gone to old house and new owners are very slow on the passing on to their next door neighbour.
Must go now- we have visitors...

stranger than fiction

A man from the Library came round yesterday while I was having a nap and asked for Joy's overdue books- They don't do this, so that's weird enough. Meg gave him the pile of 5 girls books off the kitchen table, where I'd told her. They were the wrong books. They weren't even library books. He didn't even check. But he wrote a receipt. So now I have to go to the library and explain?
The 5 books happened to be there as Joy had asked me to pick them up from the group, where she had left them. Needless to say I was a bit dozy after my nap and lost it a bit when I realised what had happened.

Also: A CD of my pictures that I had left on my borrowed work computer got returned to sender today for no apparent reason.

Also: I found out my name was in the new phonebook when Meg lost her purse at the weekend and the man from Marshalls found it and found us in the phonebook. So I had to check last night when I saw someones unopened phonebook... My name is in it... my FULL NAME. Bad enough I'm the only one with that surname but why have they included my first name too? I certainly didn't ask for it or fill in the form wrong, as was suggested last night. And I haven't paid any extra... or have I?

tantrums

OK I'm just a bit frazzled from a four year old's tantrum. Need to calm down and stop feeling so guilty. We were on our way down to the group, passing through the fleamarket this afternoon. We were on the last minute as it had taken ages to drag Fergus away from the computer and drag Freddie down the hill. Freddie had his purse, which had just over a pound in it. He saw a pot of Duplo at a stall: looked like one of those car-boot clearout kind of stalls: everything should've been cheap. The Duplo was £4. I started to think about how much I was prepared to pay, not £4, maybe 2 or 3. Then he started whingeing, and shouting, and it turned into a tantrum. Then I decided I wasn't buying it at all. I might have paid the £4 if this hadn't happened and we had had more time. But he was putting me under unreasonable pressure. So I had to put up with tantrum for the next 1/2 hour. Then on the way back we had to go through the market again. I had suggested that she might take less money for it a bit later on. It was about 2.30 by then. I offered her £2 which she refused, and the tantrum started again, leaving no room for negotiation. So we had more tantrum and a very slow walk home.
I looked on Ebay and the equivalent was the same price, plus postage. But you can't charge Ebay prices at an outdoor windswept fleamarket...? But the problem is the tantrum. I would've been prepared to go back and buy the sodding thing if it wasn't backing down over a tantrum. Now I feel all guilty and sad that he didn't get to buy anything.

it's never tomorrow, it's always today

I've just spent a very lazy morning in bed with one of Meg's magazines, and Nick (who is now more Clooney* than Kilner, due to a lot less hair) playing WoW with Fergus, who is now a level 15 Draenai Mage, whatever that is. Before your eyes gloss over, I won't be going into any more detail about WoW, or playing it myself. It's all a bit matrixy-weird for me. I prefer my cyber-life to bear some relation to the real world, that's why I do Myspace/Facebook, (AKA Myface) with only real friends. Mind you this is wierd enough for me.
So I thought I'd start the day with some wholesome blogging. It's gone all dark and hailstoney, so That rules out any outside activities. It's still a bit cold for my liking, anyway. Mind you I have reduced my layers to a T-shirt and a skinny thin hoody since the faintest ray of sunshine appeared in this grim northern clime.
Yesterday I made a long to-do list, as is my Monday morning tradition. I couldn't quite work out whether it was an outside or inside day, so it included things like getting more willow, as well as sourcing magnetic paint, which I attempted by a couple of phonecalls, but still haven't found any. Thing is it's very heavy and I don't want to be paying loads of carriage. I only want one tin.
Anyway, it did end up raining, but not before I had line-nearly-dried one load of washing, and had all sorts of plans for sorting out the shed/wendy house and the under-stairs outside shed thingy and yard. I'm sure this will ease the house situation as I should be able to shift some of the things that are in the utility room, leaving room for miscellaneous junk lying round the house, notably my room.
I did also manage to get hold of Mark, the shelf-putter-upper (I won't drill...), who is going on holiday but will be back next week, giving me chance to get sorted and decide exactly where I want shelves. The boy's room desperately needs tidying, and now, I have to face the truth, this will have to happen before the shelves are up, as access to the other side of the room is impossible.
I also had quite a good tidy, which involved hoovering and mopping floors, and microfibre cloths. And I put Joy's blinds back up, which had both come out of the wall, but just needed bigger rawl plugs and screws. (hey I never managed to get the spell checker to work before!)
Also there were computer happenings: Joy's PC was moved into her room, having been fitted with a wireless card and aerial. It's in quite a good position, being near the door, at the top of the landing, it doesn't feel too shut away with the door open. Yesterday Joy and Fergus were both playing WoW and could shout across to Nick and each other- Fergus is still struggling with the written word, but when threatened with certain death, he may just learn quick... well, it's an idea.
My work computer has gone now, after a brief revival. I was getting quite used to the Mac thing and still walk past my desk expecting to be able to check my emails... maybe I should just buy a laptop. I don't think mine will ever be fixed- is it possible to get the right screen for a laptop, with the right connectors? Mind you, I have even considered getting a Mac powerbook of my own, I liked it so much, but they are quite expensive, I think. In the meantime I am using Joy's computer and from my vantage point near the top of the stairs I can keep an eye on Fergus and Freddie running in between computers to see what it looks like from a different angle. I suggested we tidy his room today, and he said, "not today, tomorrow, but it's never tomorrow, it's always today, is that right?"
So, did I mention Joy went up to the stables at 8 this morning, leaving me a note saying "Mum, can you feed and water the rabbits, I don't have time today". OK, mustn't forget... We had to have a day at home yesterday so she could have a rest as she had been up there for 6 days and she spent the day on the computer or her bed reading. I have a vague idea that I will go up and get some willow on the way to picking her up tonight. O, no, but it's taichi... so... maybe she will get a lift... Text Joy. O and I have a Fringe Festival meeting tonight... have I really got time for this? Maybe best to keep busy.
Anyway, I uploaded most of the photos off the powerbook before giving it back- they're on Flickr (see left) under March 2008 and Callis Easter 2008, which is what we got up to on Easter Saturday. I think there are a few on my camera, some on Freddie's broken laptop, which has been returned to Daddy, again. I'm not sure what to do with the ones I have now- I hate all my pics being scattered- I have such a good filing system which has totally gone to pot now. Maybe I should get one of those phones which you can send pics straight to flickr... I'm really clueless, but I am planning to get Meg to help me get a new mobile on 3 network I think, as it will be cheaper than using the landline to call mobiles, which nearly all of my friends seem to use exclusively now. Not much use having anytime free calls to landline numbers, huh? and pay as you go on my little Nokia on O2. O this is getting too technical. I think it's time for coffee and toast.

*O yeah, talking of George, we saw Intolerable Cruelty last night, after a failed decision between Fargo and Millers Crossing, and another episode of Futurama (Kerrist! how may can you watch in a row?). It was much lighter than the title suggested to me- A kind of rom-com with a difference, A chick flick that your boyfriend will sit and watch all the way through. Could've been really cheesy but saved by the usual Coen bros perfection.
Anyway, Fergus is being particularly anarchic in WoW, disregarding all the rules, letting Nicks low-level character die repeatedly, and having fun...Freddie is still running about with glee. Time for lunch?

non-day

Anyway, it got better. Tuesday afternoon I got out and planted some more willow in the garden. (I do have pics somewhere..). That would normally have been enough to snap me out of whatever I was in, but after a couple of hours I gave up, leaving my secateurs (so how on earth do you spell it?) to rust in the garden. But I did make it to taichi.

Wednesday was ok. We went down to the group meeting and nobody turned up, which gave me the opportunity to go and browse the fleamarket, where I bought a few random items of clothing, including a rare find: boytrousers for Freddie. Dawn and Ro came round after school for a catch-up/play. I went on a bit of a mad night out as the children weren't here in the evening, resulting in a bit of a non-day today.

I had a few conversations about the possibility of sending them to school. Not with the kids, I mean with my friends. I have been thinking about it for a long time. And on bad days I actually think they would be better off there than with me. But they are all quite ardently against it... what have I done? I'm just not quite sure whether my mental state can take it having them around all the time, feeling unsupported and that I'm not doing the best thing for them. Joy spends most of her time at the riding stables, which is good, and she's started doing some kind of certificates in riding and stablecraft. Can't remember what it's called, and I think she's not on level one yet. The boys just seem to bimble around, and play computer games most of the time, unless I take them out somewhere. Even when I was gardening they only lasted half and hour or so in the garden with me. I suppose it did rain, but I just went in the treehouse.

Well, I suppose I'd better do the dishes and get them in bed. I didn't mention today: I didn't do a right lot and the kids did as above. Did some songwriting. Meg made the tea as I wasn't capable. My new amp arrived, at the wrong address, and some more speakers, that didn't need to be fetched from St Helens, are arriving at 9pm. Not sure if I'm up to setting them up tonight- I need an early night. bla...

Tuesday's always worse

I'm just feeling a bit wobbly this morning. I just read this which I wrote just after my dad died, with tears streaming down my face. It just happened to be there on the computer as I had been showing someone something else and having a laugh looking at the same old stupid things that I wrote. But I had Clare here yesterday afternoon for five hours. She just got back from her dad's funeral and needed to talk. Well I listened, and it was hard. I almost couldn't do it. If she leans on me any harder I think I might fall over.

Anyway, it's probably due to nicotine withdrawal and small blonde things asking too many questions before I've had chance to even get out of bed. They're quiet now, eating porridge and maple syrup. At times like that I could happily send them to school and go to work. Maybe I need a job...But I still can't bring myself to do it, really, the school thing, that is. Clare actually reminded me of how hard the playground is when you're not a desperate housewife. I'm not the only one who used to drop off late so as to avoid the plastic smiles. Is that a good enough reason not to do it?

I was doing so well yesterday, too. Painted the kitchen, well, 2 walls. And ended up quite exhausted, but having achieved. We didn't go out, but the children played quite happily with farmset/playmobil/etc and had little Lu the play for five hours. O, and the dog's gone, too, of course.

I'm just stuck about how to make the house work for everybody in it. The main problem seems to be the computers being in a room that have stairs leading directly up to Meg's attic with no door in between. So no privacy. Nowhere to put a door. The room's not really big enough either as the stairs stick out too far. So I could: Move the stairs and add door, move computers but where to? swap Meg with the boys.  

I keep trying to get the house sorted with shelves, but too many movable factors; I can't decide anything. So I'm doing the kitchen. And now I've inadvertantly bought and amp and some speakers from Ebay, and where do I put those? And when exactly am I supposed to find the time to got over to St Helens to pick them up?

Anyway, the tears have dried now into salty crusts on my cheeks. I haven't felt like that for ages. Must have been stuff about my dad, but sometimes I think it's not that I'm sad about, it's just like watching a weepy movie, just something to jerk the tears out that are always there, lurking. O, I'm so not a morning person, am I?

sun and snow

Someone didn't want to go to the farmers market. But we needed honey and Floradix.

And it was fun down by the ducks and pigeons being fed white bread by tourists, while double espresso was being consumed.

And the snowflakes were very big and swirly.