Daniel was filling in a children’s worksheet at mass. It asked him to circle the disciples’ names from the following list: Simon, William, Dylan, James, Matthew and Brandon. He played a blinder. It then asked him to list any other disciples he knew. He wrote diligently. I looked over the list: Judas, John, Thomas, Percy. Really, Percy? To what can we owe this?
We interrupt this endless detailing of summer holidays to point out that the children went back to school today. They seemed happy to be back. The boys have the same teacher as last year. I am delighted as she is lovely. Daniel was very keen to go back but Michael much less so. However, once they got their feet under the desks, they seemed very pleased with themselves. They are in second class and this is the year they make their first confession and first communion. Michael foresees much attendance at mass with deep gloom and is angling to be excused. I am trying very hard to underline the importance of the sacrament and not to resort to saying that he won’t get any money, if he doesn’t make his first communion. As he and Daniel have begun saving for an x-box (total so far, 70 cents), I can’t help feeling that it would be a significant incentive.
Due to numbers, fourth class, home to the Princess, has been divided in half (alphabetically)- she is in the fourth/fifth class end as are most of her friends. She looks very big in her school uniform now. She announced this morning that she no longer has to jump to get her uniform down from its shelf.
And tomorrow, I’m going to go back to work myself. I have slightly mixed feelings about this. I note that I have not had a migraine all summer. But I miss my work which is really interesting and my colleagues who are lovely. I may not be so enthusiastic by Friday.
Daniel lost his tooth last night. The tooth fairy gave him €1.70 in change for her own obscure reasons. This is the first tooth lost by one of the boys but Michael has two wobbly ones also. Do you think that the tooth fairy always gives the same amount for each tooth lost? If so, I see shoals ahead.
Daniel and Michael asked me to read to them from a book called “Yuck” the other night at bed time.
I have never read a more disgusting book in my life. Yuck is the most repulsive child. I actually started to feel vaguely ill as I read. Picture the scene, Yuck is in his bedroom playing. He goes to the wardrobe and gets out a bag of bogies from which he proceeds to build a castle which he fills with creepy crawlies. As his mother comes upstairs, he quickly hides it under his bed. His mother and sister come into the room. He empties another bag on to the floor filled with dried scabs [lovingly described]. “What are you doing?” asks his mother? “Playing tiddlywinks,” he says and flicks two scabs into his sister’s mouth.
I am foreswearing Yuck. If they want him in future, they can read him themselves. Need I say that they were rolling around the floor laughing as I read this revolting story?
Daniel (dividing Jenga Blocks into piles): Is 26 half of 52?
Me: Yes.
Daniel: These Jenga Blocks are James’s and these are William’s.
Me: Who on earth are James and William?
Daniel: Don’t your remember the Williamites and the Jacobites?
