WMC's diary pages, 2002.

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See-also: http://www.wmc.care4free.net/diary/.

May 2002

Wed 1st

am: work, interrupted by VACS meeting. Then spend spare time CRUNning jobs interrupted by monthly sabotage disguised as generator test.

Back 1:30, just as E is going to sleep. D wants to play Jump-Ahead Preschool (for the first time in ages) and M is off to work, so all is peace as I read the paper and drink my coffee. 3:30: D has been through JAPS, Henrys Party and now the one that came with the shreddies packet. E awakes, we go into the living room where she can have fun. N arrives to take D away to play with N, and after chatting a little (long enough that they start playing in the sandpit and have to be dragged away) they go off.

So, I am at home with E, D being off with N and N's. And the phone goes, and I nearly ignore it because its probably the Gas people trying to sell us stuff again... but no: it is Nikola: she has seen a swarm on the way back home; in a bush in the house on the corner just opposite the plough. Such fun: we'll have to deal with them after M gets back at 6. Settle down again; E is ramping around the floor. Again the phone: this time its Jo Clegg, who has a swarm in *her* garden: good grief. Its a day for swarms (later: I realise: its the first (or 2nd) day of good weather after several days of rain).

So... at 5:30 E and I cycle off to N's, pausing on the way to look at the swarm, which is small-to-medium and accessible-looking. At N's, they are watching the cartoon Robin Hood, except D looks bored with it (good). So we all troop off to look at JC's swarm. There it is: about a foot of the grass in a bush. The kids show an alarming lack of fear (or alertness) and Patrick has to be restrained from walking into them. Partly this is because they are pretty well clumped and settled down, and not at all obvious.

Take D home. Where is M? We get stuff together. D will come back with me and watch from a safe distance. M a bit late just as we're ready. So dump E on her and off we go. Park by N's; go in and collect N, N, P, Nelson. Nikola decides she wants to help/photo, so asks a neighbour ?rebecca? who did the course to come and childmind... off we go, now quite a crowd. Knock on the door of the house and the owner comes out, a touch bemused, and we explain. Strangely enough, he doesn't want the swarm, but stops out to watch. We need to borrow a stepladder from the plough - lesson number X forgotten again. So, with everyone else rather closer than I would have been (N keeps saying "they don't sting when they swarm", which is of course perfectly true, but...), I climb up, cut a few in-the-way twigs, position the box, snip the supporting branch, and lo! they fall neatly into the box. During all this I feel quite calm and in control, and nothing unexpected happens. Far more neatly than last time. Put box a inside wicker box b, shut lid but leave small gap, gather up a few laggard groups in case the queen is in them. This leaves 50-100 ish bees buzzing around and gradually settling into the box, while we stand around talking. At this point Howard comes by, so I show him the bees but he doesn't get too close.

After a while decide to leave these to settle, and go off to JC's. As we bumble along we pass the Dansies, who have missed the fun :-( Somewhere along the way D and N drift across the rec, and one way and another I end up going by self to JC's, so she comes out back to help, which mostly means holding the video. This also goes smoothly: snip a few twigs, slip and turn box into position, hold last 2 supporting twigs, cut those, and drop in. Fine. Even more go in this time: its getting on: 7:30 ish, so they aren't keen to be out. Go in for a beer and a quick chat. Then decide I need to take D home and come back for bees. But D is by now having dinner chez N; so change mind: take JC's swarm back with me and leave on the bench. Then go back, pick up the now-settled bees by the plough, take those to N, we put those at the back by her existing hive - then faff around deciding which way to turn them. She needs to get a spare hive from Bob Lemon, hopefully tomorrow, and some frames etc from Berrycroft.

So: inside: dinner. Its pudding time: ice cream for simplicity. D and N both have lollies, but also want ice cream. I have some just to be friendly, and D has some of mine. At last: time to go home: 8:30. Leave D with M, and set off down the garden to settle *my* swarm. So... chop down a shade sloe. Trample nettles. Find a floor; the roof (rip off angle bit on top); and with difficulty a spare super; that will have to do for now. Take these back to the house and flame-sterilise them. At last: reassemble then (sans roof, of course), get bees, and with trepidation upend the box, but lo! it works. They drop in, and stay in. Shake a few stragglers, put on roof. Fine. Inside, where long-delayed dinner awaits.

Thurs 2nd

Work. Yoga. Home, via N's to acquire new frames she has bought. Go out to see how her swarm is doing - fine - & glance about. Bloody Hell! I involuntarily ejaculate: another swarm, much bigger, in an apple in the orchard just opposite. N comes up & looks. What to do? I'll come back at 4.

Home/coffee/paper; get together bee stuff & some allot stuff. Drive there. So: out we go. This will have to be done hoping nnp behave; they 1/2 do. Bridge ditch with plank & fence with blocks. Approach & photograph & video. Tool up. N does it; I vid her with hers. Semi-smooth: branch is to strong to shake so she puts box under & sweeps them in but minor branches interfere in a minor way.

We are left with a box full & a coating on the branch. Leave them to sort themselves out. Go off & allot. Put in last pots (at last!) & hoe onions & plant at back toms I brought & new row of onions. So... things are full now, which is good. If all comes up, & I keep the weeds down.

Back to N's. 6.45. Her swarm is in its box, I vacillate over the other (we agreed: I get the 2 small & she the one big, which is prob from her hive anyway): close it now, & lose a few out foraging, or come back later? Close: N will get the stragglers. Home: 7. De in bath: M says I can bee.

Go down garden: examine situation: clear trees I had cut down for light & left fallen. Clear nettles from 'old' second site.

So I need another hive: find super (will do), roof: no floor. Knock one up, hastily. Sear old stuff. Make up 2 new frames as a token for them. Ready! Now 8: de asleep. Quickly & smoothly upend box over hive, put on crown, lid, done. Now: shower & cycle off to count. V light rain.

At the count. 3 votes short (presumably they count out the papers): are they in the parish box? 2 voids: totally blank: shown to Pearcy (con) & then to me when I ident self. There are 6 obs here (ex me) & 3 counters: 2 exp & 1 novice. The 3 missing turn up, hurrah!

Now checking #s for G'ch'str box: someone gets up to watch: all do: one against me! Another! A curious thrill. Can't see all being done but I saw 18 for me from G. My guess had been: elec about 1100, turnout 25%, my vote 5%, ie about 14

me: 73 (12%) page: 377 pearcy: 163 turnout: 613 (56%) spoilt: 3

Fri 3rd

Work. Talk to Jo Brown. Search out elec results.

Meet Med in town: rs toys. Buy thermo for Ma. Library: D selects 2 vids (btb & kipper) to take to Ma's. D & I up to cafe at his req; Me home.

Borders: D needs a poo. Thence to oxfam & w/s. Home. I microwave gunk M bought.

Sat 4th

Quiet morn. Bees ok - feed them. Plant wisteria & D's anemones.

3: finally leave for Ma's. Rnlt there.

Meal: political argument with Rob.

Watch skiing videos.

Sun 5th

Ma's b'day. While she & N are off at church we blow up ballons & decorate.

B'day lunch, though Ma has to cook it. She is 68. Just before I am finally obliged to go up & remove beard. Wah.. Braid it first so I can keep some. Leave on moustache (I only promised to do beard) & a bit under lip that is same colour.

3: drive off to visit bluebell woods near ashridge, which are gorgeous: such a saturated blue/purple: can photos capture? Lots of little paths - fun for D & L.

Back for tea &, in DL's case, weetabix.

Rnlt pack up to go at bedtime.

Mon 6th

E restless: woke at 4, 5, 6. Getting wriggly. Finally M gets up with her 7.

11: Ma, D & I off to Ivinghoe watermill, leaving Me in peace. But! It doesn't open till 2. Oops. Look around outside, then. Home? or... farm museum in Pitstone? Yes. A bit like Cam mus of tech: ie a collection of stuff, some in order. A blacksmith is going: that is fun. Then a sawmill. Loads of other stuff: a semi-automatic brush-makers; an old plumbers shop acquired when he shut down; a barn full off v old harvesters; etc etc. Also tea. Last till 2: D has fun & so do we.

To w/mill. Inside. Look around 3 floors; work out how the hoist works. D then importantly exps it to a girl. Then Windy Miller (watery m'er?) exps all with history & sets it going! & lo! it grinds. Fun.

Home. Tea. Xfer last of 'old' video to tape & leave it with Ma.

Back via J+J. J's arthritis still bad - she gets up from chair to say hello but no more. Acquire 5 bags of foxgloves: a small dent. D sleeps on way back.

Tues 7th

Grey. D to pgp (see Helen: N says Nelson has a sting). Home: coffee. Then loft: up to plank 8 & danish. M brings D & Billy back from pgp. After lunch they self-entertain till 2.30.

Then D & I start on paper cut-out-&-stick model w/mill we bought. Needs wax-crayonning to be w/proof.

4: cycle with D to town. Library (D gets forehead bonked on steps; bruise) to return vids; find new ttte. Pool for lessons. While D swims I arj & quickly cb1.

First buds of the rose are opening.

Wed 8th

D to pgp. Work: talk to Clothild.

Back. M off to work; E sleeps; D & I make his paper watermill & leave glue to set.

N arrives, she & D play in the tree house, then inside, then 'picnic', then maisie, then w/mill (doesn't work. Adjust. Works).

Bring down cot & set up in hurry. E had been in danger of falling out of crib.

Soir: M to pub. I model & finish hp&tgof.

Thus 9th

Work. Yoga. Home. Coffee. Loft: paint back wall auro-white, roughly. A temp expedient to make it clean - still needs plastering or mortar flattening.

Down for more coffee while paint dries. Garden a bit. Loft again. Put up some roof boards. Mde return & D joins me.

Soir: quiet. Play with portland yabcc a bit. Compose ccn article re bees.

Fri 10th

Back 1:30 as v bouncy E is put to sleep. But she does. As indeed do M & I unless awaken by D. Lunch.

E awakes 3:45 & to pool, fortunately in opp dir to hideous traffic. This time remember E's costume. Much hassle carrying all. E bobs in water with bands, & seems... puzzuled. Interested. When her mouth bobs below water she closes it & doesn't mind - unlike D. She floats mostly on her front & holds her head up.

10 lengths only: 28.5. No prizes. Flop back into small pool. D has fun playing with & around E.

I get out with E & feed her. Md flume then out 6. Too late for Arj so I go get a chinky. Home. D goes to play on the green with misc kids, I lawn while vaguely watching. Go take milk to M'a & pick up M's bike & take bees article to cp. Warm but o'cast.

D to bed. Chinky: ok but uninsp. Tofu ok.

Sat 11th

E does her 'early waking' again: argh.

M&J to visit so spent morning tidying. Pretty successful downstairs, & about time too: it was a mess.

Soir: take advantage & go to Orlando singers: Samson.

Sun 12th

am: lie-in courtesy M+J. Somewhat ruffled by E waking early (5-ish) and then distant drums!?

pm: do bees while D lies with M on sofa reading Tintin (the implausible Shooting Star). E is in a good mood: happy & burbly again.

Late pm: with D to allot, then pub. Meet people who have top 1/2 of B&S's allot (argh! I've forgot their names). Plant 2 toms, weed a bit when! JC arrives. *Another* swarm. Go meet Roy: a small one. 18:10. Promise to return later & take D to pub, who is now in the next room watching the games mach. He is better today: bouncy, but a bit tired now its late. Cycle home.

7: drive off Roys. He has a ladder ready - its in a leylandi hedge. Up, clip, snip - they are in the box in about 5 mins. Leave to settle. To TLC for spare hive... he has a big shed. Get 2, & supers. Back to R. 8ish. Put swarm into car - it has settled well. Stop via N to borrow brood foundation. Home. Hack place #4 out of under growth. Unload car. 9. Flame hive. Make up 3 brood frames - all I have time for. Carry all down. Place hive. Discover head-torch goes *on top* of veil. Put bees in. Take bits of leylandi out, shaking bees off. Put on roof. Done! 10. Whew.

Tidy. In. Dinner: curry&rice. Shower. M feeds E. Mail. Bed.

Mon 13th

Work. Wotsp all pm :-). Home - E already abed. D plays, then to bed happily with Mr Silly. M to yoga, I have a quiet evening - bath.

Tues 14th

E sleeps till 6 again, good. D gets up & goes down. Up with her & D 7:15. Choc tin foil on table. Me: 'd, have you eaten choc?' D: 'no, I put it back, I only got it out to smell it'.

D to pgp, home to measure loft. Go look at bees: quiet. Cycle to town, cb1, arj, then Ridgeons to order a pile of stuff (25x150 par prem redwood 3.3mx3, 3mx10; 12x100x3mx20 tongue and groove; etc. Total nearly £300) that should arrive on friday. Now for council offices... a bit past 12. To see the election folk (do I really have to fill in so many forms?) but! they are out today. hey ho. Home. Via N, to pick up her list of bee-stuff wanted. M is out with E shopping (food + new micro-wave). So look at bees: new est suspiciously quiet. Hmmm... build 2 new frames; suit up; roof off... ooops: no bees. Gone. Joined one of the other hives? Swarmed again? Curious. Put in 2 new frames (now 5 total) to store them. Other hives are busy in the sun.

Go collect D from Billys: he is very very sad to go, but comes after Stern Words. A busy pm: M brings new microwave. So: since we're off to Willngham, why not take old to "recycling centre"? And the mower. And the old radiator. Go idea, and D keen. So we do. D gets to look in the skips, and watch people throwing stuff in. Then to W'ham. Get stuff from Berrycroft, D gets a trip upstairs. Home (via N to drop off bee stuff; she is out; see her croquet set in the garden and D keen). When we get home I dig out the croquet set I got mostly for free from the jumble sale, which has balls and hammers but no hoops: these can be improvised; we have 2 games of D-gets-2-hits-to-my-one, and he wins both by 1 shot.

4:45: time to cycle to town for swimming (I *must* write a reply to the pool reply to my letter: or should I bother? Its stitched up), and arrive precisely on time. D swims; I nip off to cb1 for 20 mins of read and coffee. Back to collect him (he says his favourite part is 'fishes' where they pick up rings; but at home later says they didn't play that today. I'm confused); home; pancakes; E in just nappies.

M puts E+D to bed. I go out and potter in garden, somewhat overwhelmed. Pees need help. Cardoons exhuberant. Carrots possibly coming. Arparagus OK. Garlics OK. Dahlias OK. New wisteria at front is doing well, as are the foxgloves from J+J, helped by coolish moist weather recently. Sunset. In.

Wed 15th

Work, lightly. Home.

E sleeps 1:30 to 4:40 which makes things easy for me. H comes over 2-3 since she doesn't have to go to Burwell, & while D&Charlie play happily we go look at bees & a newt & the ever-popular cardoons.

'Buy' 1/3 of Nikolas new stainless steel (but cheap: £140) extactor. Pick up D, cycling there with E.

Soir: all to A+S, where CAN also arrive, for Sapnish Omlette dinner, which (cooked by A) are very good - somewhat to my surprise, since I don't like omlette. Take Andrea out for a ride in A+S's boat, and have fun whilst getting burnt up by 8's. D goes to bed happily enough with tCitHCB; Niamh also goes to bed but sadly comes back again, but quite late.

Thurs 16th

Today is to be an exciting day: I shall take the morning off and Do Things. Thing number 1 is to drink a pot of coffee and sit in the sun - its warm. #2 is to get stuff together and go to the allotment for a spot of weeding (at the front) and planting (3 squash and 7 tomatoes randomly inserted). There, taht was quickly said: but it took some time.

Home, lunch and sit. To dentists for 2: drive, sinfully.Even worse, put the AC on - as a test, of course. It works. Get my filling drilled out, a mask made (a bit odd that, there I am lying with my mouth open and a blob of latex is thrust in...) and a temp cover fitted to keep out the gum. I get to look via mirror: there really is very little upper tooth left. Off, with a mouth full of anaesthetic. Stop off at Bishops since I'm there: a new gas cartridge for the blow torch, for hive-cleaning; more yellow paint for Ds outside diggers; and a litre of Tung oil in lieu of Danish oil, which is said to be mostly Tung oil anyway. Home 3. Sit again.

Make up 4 more frames to be 11. Go off and do the bees (see bees memo) which stay happy - either because I'm nice or because I use lots of smoke. Put brood on swarm #1 - really they now need to be left alone.

Then the loft: get up 2 more T&Gv boards, then ponder the ceiling bit, and decide to do X, but after a bit foul it up, so I'll wait for more wood tomorrow. MDE are back by now, so eat M's urgh pre-made sainsburys pizza. D has the good taste not to want to eat any but we force him to.

M reads to D while feeding E pre-bed while I potter in the garden. I put D to bed, reading "the blind man and the hunter". He wants another but no: he is tired. Soir: plant out some sunflowers; tidy cardoons; bonfire.

Fri 17th

Bad night for E & hence for us, esp M, who is tired come morning. Up early with E & D & go out to watch wood arrive, & to help (in fact not sure how he would have got it off sans help).

M worried about E: spots: Scarlett fever? Unlikely of course, but to doc: its 'a virus', ie they don't know.

Work. Q4 meeting. Home.

Late-pm & after DE to bed: put cladding onto loft: a bit more painful since it hasnt been cut to 3m. Finish 10:30. Hall now just has flooring planks.

Just before bed: chomp some stilton: ugh: stone: spit out: but no: its my temporary filling. Oops.

Sat 18th

Short lie-in: things to do! Phone a dental-trail (deliberately diff?) & end up 'paging' one who phones back: yes I can wait till monday. Get together GP exp stuff.

Cb1: patiently letter 2*n evelopes & find n forms.

Late pm: Inspired by lying on the l'room floor, decide to get down the room-divider from the loft & work out how to make a 'playpen' for E. Attach from desk, now mid-radiator, out 1/2, then 1 1/2 to wall just short of window. Finish, as predicted, 5 mins after E to bed.

Soir: quiet. M cooks spinach & egg: v good.

Sun 19th

E early again - I get up with her/D 7:15, & try out the new squiranda-nest/den/cage: it works.

pm: E sleeps by wash machine so D & I out into bright sun to orchard. Food thin so D has fudge bar - I of course have none. Sit out & admire huge bamboo about 10m high. D wants to 'learn his letters' on the palm. Ha. D to play. Wander around vaguely.

Soir: 'do' another 2 floorboads. Then get usb to clie working (kernel rebuild) at m'night.

Kiss D goodnight as he sleeps: one virtue of no-beard is that I don't tickle him as I do it. M says she likes to see my smile.

Mon 20th

Work.

Soir: M to yoga. I cut 2 more: 5 left.

Late: make 'memos' work. We are going to bed too late (past 11) nowadays, given our 1/2 early rising.

Tues 21st

Up 7:15 with De. Do wash-up I didn't last night. D to pgp, me to town: arj/browns/cb1. Oxfam: £62: kipling dept ditties, soils of camb, calder ice ages. Borders (pc mart). Home via allot - have fun weeding. Looking v good.

3: drive to dentists with D for 3:30; all done quickly & money not mentioned. Does that mean I pay, or not? Who knows I presume I find out at final-bill time. Back, via bas: to coffee but a bit late - others off to talk. D & I look around, inc into clean room - will he take to science? Do I want him to? Yes, I guess so. Or at least to like it.

Soir: 7:45. K to babysit. To school. We are a bit late. Its pouring. I get a glass of wine.

Mary(Marion said Mary(on))(Leeper) & Sasha. Beryl (nurse).

D will need:

- pe kit in bag left at school (shirt & shorts) - wellies & coat - everything labelled - book bag (buy from school) - healthy snack (fruit/veg - will be passed around)

* Parents are encouraged to come & spend time in the classroom * there will be a reading workshop in the autumn

Then we go off and look at the reception classroom which seems all very friendly and so on. So thats OK.

Back 9:15 again through pouring rain, fortunately we have umbrellas.

Wed 22nd

Work: revive modem on Toms new computer but ukmo access expired: get their John King to revive it. Talk with JT/CDu re her work plans. Cluster jobs still running happily so look at TLC yabfe and confirm that 32 == 64, which is good. I should confirm that portland ==

Fujistsu.

Home through strong wind and fine light. All seems well, E is wiggly. Incidentally we don't call Miranda E, generally she gets called Squiranda or somesuch, but she will stay "E" in this.

M off to work. E in her pen, then after feed put down to sleep, as she does. D asks to play, and we decide on Go. Quickly decide to play "capture go" which D is keen on. He does remarkably well, ie in understanding-the-rules-by-playing, and quickly works out when he is about to be captured and the first-level of how to get me (ie, he knows to surround me, but not the stragegy of sneaking up). I win, and he gets sad, and I say: "its teaching, you are doing well", but he only wants to WIN. Telling him that I am really quite good at this doesn't help. Letting him win would, of course, but I won't. So he comes back for try #2, and I 'win' again. So he hides under the chair very sad. But comes back for #3.

Then N arrives, and I discuss digital cameras with N, who may get one as a pressie. But I'm not at all sure her computer is up to it (reminds me: must write to fuji). Then HandC arrive but get ignored for a bit :-(. Then I give H E to hold and she isn't really very happy :-((. Anyway, N off, and DNC play in sandpit - its an odd day: strong sun in between dark clouds and strong wind. H and I sit and watch outside while E wanders on grass. But when she gets into sandpit twice we go inside.

And so all is happy. H has a prospective (part-time) job, which is good. HC off 4:30-ish, just as N arrives but I say we can keep N longer. So we do: until 6, she and D play v happily together: D is happier than alone. E gets fed, and I do some tidying. M back before 6; I take N back by bike.

M cooks courgettes for dinner (hmmpf) and D has baked pot, one of his favourites.

Soir: M off to pgp meeting; I stay in and play with pilot-link. Well, I can download things; I can upload things; but I can't hand-edit the database on the computer. Nor can I make install-memo work. Hey ho.

Nearly 10: M comes back and reminds me I haven't done the washing up yet... bye.

Thurs 23rd

Hey ho. This written Sunday evening (and on M's portege too: still haven't got it working *quite* under linux yet: I can sync, but have no convenient way to edit memos yet...) - I'm getting rather bad at doing things in a Timely Manner.

So: thursday I took off, again. Extended b'fast and coffee. Then into loft for some more work, planing the edges of floorboards so they fit, which shows the poor quality of what Ridgeons gave me this time around (only a few of them, true). Then down, shower, shave, and change into Grey Long Trousers, shoes and (the best dark thing I can find) my grey BAS sweatshirt, for John Rickards funeral.

Cycle out to Crematorium, nervously, as the weather is showery (and indeed is to remain so until Sunday) but get there OK and in time, to see a mixture (or rather a not-mixture) of mainly Go players and Cambrdige software types. Who don't know each other. In fact M (who arrives by car a bit later) and I are probably the only ones who know both groups. Buts its hardly an occaision for glad-handing and introductions, so I just talk to both.

Funeral orations: discover JR was better at Maths than I knew, especially when young, but threw up a doctorate. Curious. But then, from what was said, he would have sounded like a whizz at Go when he was "only" a bit better than me (at my best). What I mean is that it can be misleading... Also a suitably near-inchoherent account of a punting trip and JRs coolness when stranded in a tree. So: after: stand outside chatting. Rain. A+S are around and their odd but useful car fits my bike quite easily, so we go into town for drinks at the Castle in mourning for John.

After this, what? I'm in town, somewhat oddly dressed, and inclined to ease, so visit cb1 then arjuna. This gets me home 4-ish so more lofting before Med arrive.

Fri 24th

Work. Later than usual as M takes De off to shop. In fact I'm back past 2 but they aren't so I can relax.

Soir: cut last floorboard to fit into loft, and with a ceremonial flourish I close the passage door that has been open since last friday - which seems a long time away (tuesday past, I had a panic in town, and wondered if I'd forgotten JR's funeral - but no; just that time was passing slowly; good).

Then Marion phones: she and John can't come this w'end (all that tidying in vain - but no, we had left it till tomorrow anyway).

Sat 25th

am: opt for working in loft in preference to town, does that make me brave? Get ceiling up to the peak, now needs a board to go across it.

4: E has finally settled down in her play-pen, having screamed for mins after 1st in. D plays adiboo. Hmm. E off again. Oh dear. She is getting on my nerves - shall I put it that way, perhaps.

Soon after: M comes back home and takes over. I go off to B+Q for wood - argh my hunger for wood... (though I find time to stop off at PC world on the way, briefly). B+Q is of course crapper than Ridgeons, but does do those nice glued-board shleving stuff, and I get some more T+G board, all nicely wrapped in plastic (Ridgeons stuff isn't, which means one side tends to get dirty, though usually they have carefully chosen the face side anyway). Feel tired (not helped by dumb argument with dumber bozo in B+Q carpark) so park the walk to cb1 and sit quietly and anonymously for 15mins with Golden Witchbreed - I could have been playing Go but no time.

Soir: M makes her poster for pgp Salsa evening till quite late.

Sun 26th

Late up: D goes down sometime; M feeds E 6ish but then she sleeps past 8. Take her down; D wants to play vid games & settles on winnie. I feed E (noisily) but she wriggles. M annoys me by coming down & taking over (of course, she is welcome to, its the implied & explicit criticism I dislike. Hmpflf).

In loft, with D watching, clear out disgusting birds nest from under tarpaper and board it off. Hopefully thats ended.

D and I go outside but soon chased in by rain.

Lunch: at table. Photo M feeding E, once D gets his head out of the way. There are very slight traces of jealousy when I photo ME - D tries to get in picture. But thats as bad as it gets, which is good. Mostly he like to hug her and bounce her and stuff.

pm: E sleeps; M and D play, I go up into loft for a Big Push. Get the 3 side boards down; uprights for the sidewalls (and shelf supports) in place.

dinner: make pizza; D no longer falls for the "skiing pizza" but does eat some, smothered in tomato sauce. Also 2 buns.

Bathe D and E, who splashes a lot, but is very happy doing so. D pours cupfulls of water over her - she likes that too.

Soir: get horizontals for shelves in, and they prove strong enough, and test-put the shelves on, hurrah. So now I think I can claim that the peak of mess is past. And M has finished her poster.

Bed: surprised by a full moon.

Mon 27th

Home from work early: time to cut grass, rain made this impossible w'end. Oh the encroachment of clover.

Soir: M yoga.

Denis phones: they have a William.

Late: M decides that Now is the Time to try ending the 10:30 feed. It seems to work.

Tues 28th

At home today. Sit with coffee & ww vol 10 till 10.30 then loft: paint end wall (which means taking up one floorboard: sigh: its easier to do in the right order. Then another pot while Guest Gulkan crosses the Swelaway sea. Then up! & fit the lowest 3 t+g boards, at last beginning to enclose space. Meanwhile B has arrived & he & D visit before we all go down. M off to work to make up her hours; e down to sleep.

pm at home with D (& E too, but she is asleep. Its 4). Billy was here till 2 (started badly: b had broken d's leaf-clock & was no longer d's best friend but that didn't last long). Put washing out but then it rained so rush out.

A quiet a'noon with D is pleasant.

To pool, by car, due to possible-rain which doesn't happen. Due to sh*t-headed pool policy, we can't swim while waiting (by car always have to leave safety margin in case of traffic). But D watches happily enough till he jumps in early to join in fishies - but is detected & ejected.

While D swims I arj (taking advantage of car to buy lots) & briefly cb1. Back just in time for fishies end.

Home: D helps carry in shopping. M up bathing E. Eat: cabbage & tofu, good. Loft again, photo. D comes up while E to bed, then M puts him to bed.

Soir: M does home-yoga. E doesn't sleep (tooth #2?) so comes down. I put her up again 9:30 - she now sleeps cutely curled up to crow.h

[This written to test upload of files as memos to Clie]

So, after some efforts, I have got irda between portege under linux and the clie 625 working! Hurrah. Still rather slow at the moment (22 mins to sync address, diary, memo and to-do) but quick if only adding one memo.

Today: up at a moderate hour (just past 7) as D wants to play. Bring E down as she's just awake, happily smiling at me.

Take D to pgp, to work, back 1:30, M off to her work with only a little overlap. She was playing cards with D; I take over; we play two rounds of Old Maid (I learn the rules, never having played before); D wins both, much to his delight. After my lunch we play game #2, pairs, ie memory; I win twice to D's disgust. E sleeps till 4.

Weather continues showery, or downpoury, so we mostly stay in. Tempted out 5-ish to rec, and have fun there, esp when Sophie, H+T arrive. Then shelter out a downpour, which is fun, see a double rainbow, and go home.

Start cooking; M back a little late. D has lettuce (with dressing, of course) then honey-weetabix. We have Sos, aubergine, cabbage. Then mango.

Login: no pub messages, so we'll stay at home. Must try all 4 of us sometime.

Soir: fix free drift at 32-bit (is in blokinit) using ElectricFence; and make irda work (well it does if you're reading this).

Thurs 30th

Why does fd + denscoeff die early if I remove the diag from tracer?

Debate over coffee: worth of participation in q4.

Still at work at 1 but I'm not working: I'm trying to re-scan those slides fuji did such a poor job on... but I can do no better. But then cg tells me how to manual-focus... but it doesn't work :-(.

Town: jessops: get prints in 1h. Cb1. M's drycleaning. Back to J to collect: ok-ish, a bit off-center, sigh, should I argue? No time.

Trapped in shed on allot by rain. Broad beans a fine show but nettles need weeding out. Shed leaks, gently.


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