So, rather than becoming better at managing my time, I just seem to be more and more busy!
There are some excellent sides to this, and some less excellent.
Firstly, it means I have my finger in lots of pies. I enjoy my job, I still have contacts with my other job, I am starting to actually do things for my third job, … wait, did you know about that one? Well I’m part of a company that designs phone apps (I actually own the american branch…), but only because I’m friendly (like *really* friendly) with the company’s founder… I think you get it. This means I’ve had the chance to play with PD again (Pure Data) and now I’m making some sounds for it too. I’ve also drafted up the beginnings of an app which I think will totally brilliant, though it was more David’s idea. I’ve also ended up writing some sound for someone’s third year performance piece, and lastly in the gaps in between I’ve been rehearsing for the lounge duo that is starting up for the purposes of earning more money! A couple of friends also wanted me to join a fun local choir, which I know I would have enjoyed, but turned down due to lack of time.
The “less excellent” is that somewhere in all that, there are a couple of small boys that I vaguely remember. We had a morning last week where we took the boys to McDonalds for breakfast, as we had no milk for cereal and no butter for toast! I don’t even try to attend various (seemingly daily) school functions, and I even turned down a good night out, on the grounds that I wouldn’t get to spend an evening with the kids this week! This week was the first time I actually had to address the “my life vs theirs” question. I think this week I’ve probably got the balance right, although, when I finished work early and went to collect the boys early from after-school club, Thomas was outraged, was physically aggressive, and cried his eyes out because I’d come too soon! He was not-at-all please to see me and spend time with me. (I got the hint when he wailed “I wish I’d never been born!”)
To add to the excitement this week, we have had a leak under the bath, so the bathroom carpet is soaked, meaning that we couldn’t use the bathroom sink.
Anyway, some words now on Ollie:
He is totally into school. It’s as if he was born to go to school. His teacher says that he is just taking everything in – as much as she can throw at him, he absorbs it. At home, he grabs pieces of paper and obsessively writes out numbers – getting as high as he can keep his concentration.

I had to take him to the doctor this week, as he’s been coughing a lot at night again – and it was waking me up every night, and I sleep in the opposite corner of the flat so Ollie must be exhausted. Anyway, he now has a Fluticasone inhaler again though, check this out: The doctor told me that in the UK they make them in 50mcg and 100mcg doses, and opted for the 50mcg one. The one he was given in the states was 110mcg! Still it seems to be doing the trick, thank goodness, as I was exhausted enough to develop a UTI last weekend (urinary tract infection) and had to take antibiotics for 3 days.
We took the boys to see the Tintin movie in Hull on Sunday, where they also got lunch at their favourite eatery there “Pizza Express” because they get to make their own bread constructions:

Finally there’s not much to say about Thomas, other than the padlock finally made it’s appearance. I have a photo of it, but will wait to see what the general consensus is about whether you want to see it or not… cast your votes please. Oh, and I should mention, for the record, I’ve had my first argument with Thomas where I felt he was actually out-manoeuvring me in the conversation. I mention it because although I didn’t lose the argument, it shocked me. (I hasten to add it wasn’t over a disciplinary action… we were just arguing the pros & cons of something). He is now happily attending chess club every week with kids from years 5 & 6, and loves it! He reports when he’s won or lost at suicide chess so much that I had to ask him whether they play proper chess (they do).
I’m starting to get a bit more comfortable with talking about Thomas being bright, thankfully, it’s still not something we have to do anything about, other than normal stuff, like make sure he has books to read. He has group violin lessons at school, (I cannot help but smile when I think about the Simpsons episode where Lisa gets her saxophone) and he is allowed to attend a chess club for older kids. So I think his school is more than adequately meeting his needs for now, and I am sincerely grateful for this, as I know not everybody finds this happy match.
Sadly though, his stomach aches are still prevalent, and also his inability to sleep. I captured some pictures of the boys at bedtime to show them the dreadful bags under both their eyes, Thomas seemingly unable to fall asleep before 9pm, and Ollie with his coughing:


Phew, this post ended up being very long, and I apologise that the photos are all iphone-taken.