Purple Dragon

For the last three weeks, our white hen has been sitting on five eggs.

Yesterday I went to the coop to check up on her and one was hatched, but dead (and what a nasty, smelly mess that was!); one egg was missing completely - no shell, no chick, nothing; and one was hatched - the chick was still damp. The other two eggs were pipping.

I decided that I wanted the family in a more secure enclosure. Some psychic sense made the crows from the nearby trees (the evil ones from gosling-killing fame) alight already on the coop roof.

I made up a cage and box for Mum and her new baby, and her two pipping eggs and left them to it. The eggs were cheeping when I moved them

Anyway, this morning, we now have three cute little fluffy yellow baby chickens. So cute! I shall give them a week or so in the nursery coop and then move them back into the big one.

Well, everyone else has an opinion on the death of Michael Jackson, and because I would sit here all night commenting on what everyone else has said, I thought I would add my thoughts, here, in my own space.

Michael Jackson's music was pretty much the soundtrack to my mis-spent youth. I remember visiting a nightclub (the one where they used to exterior for the shots of outside Fawlty Towers) for the First Big Showing of the Thriller video. I was a bit disappointed but hype gets me like that.

I remember the nightclubs where I was a regular Thursday, Friday and Saturday night customer, playing his songs, dancing away to them. My friend Charlotte knew all the words to all the songs, and all the dances too.

Yes, he turned right freaky eventually. But which one of us doesn't have hang ups about some portion of their anatomy that they may well change if they had all his money?

Yes, he took the plastic surgery way too far. But how many people have that syndrome, where they are addicted to surgery and because they aren't in the public eye, no one says anything.

Does anyone else remember the picture of him in the oxygen tank - where the media claimed he was in there to live a longer life? Or the time Elizabeth Taylor visited him at Neverland and he gave her an elephant as a gift? Eccentric ... or bonkers?

The paedophile thing was never proven. Were the folk hitting on him because he was rich and famous? Did he pay the first lot off because he couldn't take the pressure and just wanted it to stop? Or was he really a pervert? We will never know the truth and we can speculate till we are blue in the face.

I thought he was a sad, lonely man who didn't really understand the world he lived in, perhaps didn't even want to understand it. An eccentric, definately.

He was hugely talented in his heyday, perhaps the court frights he had made him less able in the later years, his ill health and lack of understanding, but when I was younger, he was The Man! There are very few acts I can name nowadays that can put on a show like he used to! Britney flippin Spears can't even sing live!

I think it is a loss to the music world. He might have managed his comeback concerts, began selling albums again - we will never know.

But to die at 50 - that is only 5 and a bit years older than me - that is a waste of anyone's life.

Oh, and a footnote - I am reading a book right now that says "...for ours is an age without passion... [Kierkegaard]. How many show-folk are there now that can stir such passion? Where are The Beatles of our age? The Elvis Presleys? And - yes - the Michael Jacksons? Will this be remembered as a passionless century?

Well, the vet basically doesn't really know what is up with Archie. He is having a reaction and the vet says it is a typical flea allergy exacerbated by continual scratching, breaking of the skin, and then scratching again. However, he can't find any evidence of fleas. He went thru his fur with a torch and found nothing.

So, he got an antibiotic injection, another of antiinflammatory, and his flea and worming drops.

He is to go back in a fortnight to see how he is progressing.

Every year about this time, the kids in our school get to have 'Moving Up Day' where they spend the day with the teacher they will have next session, in the new classroom.

No1Child went up to P6 for the day. He was totally impressed by being in the 'big' classroom. Apparently they have a Wii although I have yet to determine the educational benefits there. His summing up was 'totally cool' but I don't really know why it qualified as such. He's the sort who replies "Nothing" when asked what he was doing at school today.

No2Child was less happy. She is going to be in a composite class and although she will be a P3, she will be one of 6 children remaining in the class she had this year, with the same teacher. There will be 6 P3s and the rest will be P2s. Previously she was happy about this because she really likes her teacher, because this class has the Activity Area and because she will be one of the 'big ones' helping along the wee-er ones. Not so this evening. Apparently The Six were teased after school and told the new class was way better. I don't think this will last though - the novelty will wear off and things will settle down.

No3Child was very much less enamoured. She enjoyed being in the 'big class' but - stubborn as she is - she wanted it on her terms. Apparently today's catchphrase was "I don't want to". She wouldn't drink the juice they gave her. She wanted water. Bizarrely I was told that if she wanted water, then I was to send in a water bottle with her as they couldn't provide it otherwise. She wouldn't eat the snack because she didn't like it. I'm not surprised - she is very particular about what she eats. She didn't want to do sports although they cajoled her into it in the end. Then when I went to pick her up, she couldn't get her outside shoes on again, and that was the last straw. Apparently now she doesn't want to be a big girl after all.

Ho hum. I guess no one said having kids was easy.

Remember way back when No2Child started primary school and we were going thru all sorts of shite because she hated it, she didn't 'get it', she couldn't relate to the other kids, etc etc?

I dropped her off this morning and her pals were waiting by the gate for her. As soon as she got out of the car it was "Laura! Laura!" and a gaggle of 6 year olds surrounded her.

I couldn't be happier

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In other news, today No3Child and I go to the school canteen at 12.15 for school dinners. This is supposed to make visiting the canteen for lunch when she is actually in P1 a less daunting experience and reassure parents that the kids won't actually starve when they are at school. Today we have grilled sausages.

She then goes to nursery and I go to a meeting with her new teacher. She is a lovely lady with the unfortunate name of Mrs Paterson, and as anyone who has ever watched Kevin & Perry will know, makes it practically impossible to actually call her by her name without inflection.

Is it just me, or does everyone spend aaages reading a textbook because of going off on tangents from other references.

I am trying to read a book just now, and the author has made mention of another book .. one I haven't read. So, I have just had to order the book from the library or I won't really know or appreciate the point my current author is making.

No wonder it takes me so long to trawl thru non-fiction.

There is so much that I don't know.

My collie isn't well.

He's been getting treated for a skin condition from the vet for a couple of months now. We weren't sure what caused it as there was no obvious reason for his fur being so sparse. Perhaps a skin condition? Perhaps stress? Perhaps hormonal after his castration?

Anyway, he got some stuff to add to his food and it seemed to be doing the job. His fur was growing back thicker and he looked healthier.

However, he keeps turning on himself and biting his back. This has gotten to such a bad state that he now has a bald patch about 6" long and about 2" wide just beside his spine where he has nibbled and nibbled and now his skin is sore and grazed.

I have an appointment for him on Thursday. Must be the good weather making the animals sicker - or perhaps the vets are on their holidays.

So, although I'm not too worried about the skin thing, what does have me worried is the feel of him. He doesn't have a belly and all three dogs are well exercised, fit, run well etc etc. No fat on the other two. But. The collie, when you put your hands round his middle/chest - it is like his ribs are twice the width they should be. Imagine taking a really big breath, then double it, then hold it. And those ribs are solid. No give at all.

God, I hope he's okay and not massively ill. He is No1Child's dog.

Bloody hell, if it isn't one thing, it's another.

USING ONLY ONE WORD Not as easy as you might think! !

Where is your mobile phone?
kitchen

Your significant other?
driving

Your hair?
grey

Your mother?
bonkers

Your father?
missed

Your favourite thing?
yoga

Your dream last night?
bizarre!

Your favourite drink?
tea

Your dream/goal?
teaching

What room are you in?
office

Your hobby?
yoga

Your fear?
bereavement

Where do you want to be in 6 years?
teaching

Where were you last night?
bed

Something that you aren't?
disciplined

Muffins?
blah

Wish list item?
trainers

Last thing you did?
hugged

What are you wearing?
clothes

TV?
crap

Your pets?
messy

Friends?
blessed

Your life?
hectic

Your mood?
peaceful

Missing someone?
unfortunately

Drinking?
wish!

Smoking?
yeuch

Your car?
broken

Something you're not wearing?
hat

Your favourite store?
none

Your favourite colour?
purple

When is the last time you cried?
today

Where do you go to over and over?
school

Five people who email me regularly?
Mum, Kimmie, blog, Yahoo, son

My favourite place to eat?
table

Favourite place I'd like to be at right now?
here

For my Dad

Kissed any one of your blog friends? No

Been arrested? Taken in for questioning but not charged

Kissed someone you didn't like? Yes

Slept in until 5 PM? I think anyone who has been a teenager says yes to this!

Fallen asleep at work/school? Yes

Held a snake? Yes, lovely creatures but stinky

Ran a red light? By accident

Been suspended from school? No

Experienced love at first sight? Yes

Totaled your car in an accident? Yes

Been fired from a job? Yes

Fired somebody? Yes

Sang karaoke? No, I've never ever been *that* drunk!

Pointed a gun at someone? Not a loaded one

Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? Yes

Laughed until something you were drinking or eating came out your nose? -No

Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes

Had a close brush with death? Yes

Played spin-the-bottle? No

Sang in the shower? Yes

Smoked a cigar? Yes - yeuch

Sat on a rooftop? Yes

Smuggled something into another country? No

Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? Yep

Broken a bone? Fractured skull and a hairline crack in my pinky

Skipped school? Frequently

Sleepwalked? Yes

Walked a moonlit beach? Yes

Rode a motorcycle? Yes

Dumped someone? Yes

Forgotten your anniversary? We don't bother with them

Lied to avoid a ticket? Hmm, is this a trick question to get caught?

Ridden on a helicopter? No

Shaved your head? No

Played a prank on someone? No

Hit a home run? No

Felt like killing someone? Oh, yes.

Cross-dressed? I'm a girl - does wearing trousers count?

Been falling-down drunk? Oh, god, yes

Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? Yes

Eaten snake? Yeuch - NO

Marched/Protested? Yes

Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? No

Puked on amusement ride? No

Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? Yes

Been in a band? No

Knitted? Yeah, but just boring squares

Been on TV? No

Shot a gun? Yes, but I'd be hard pressed to hit the side of a barn

Skinny-dipped? Yes, we used to do it after clubbing

Gave someone stitches? No

Eaten a whole habenero pepper? No

Ridden a surfboard? No

Drank straight from a liquor bottle? Yes

Had surgery? Yes

Streaked? Yes

Taken by ambulance to hospital? Yes

Tripped on mushrooms? No

Passed out when not drinking? Yes

Peed on a bush? Yes

Donated Blood? No

Grabbed electric fence? Yes

Eaten alligator meat? No

Eaten your kids' Halloween candy? Yes

Killed an animal when not hunting? Yes, to put a hen out of its misery

Peed your pants in public? No

Written graffiti? No

Still love someone you shouldn't? No

Think about the future? Yes

Been in handcuffs? Yes, but not by the police

Believe in love? Yes

Sleep on a certain side of the bed? Yes

Yesterday we had the Gymnastics Display for the parents. It was really good - the children really gave a fine performance and we were very proud of them. I wish I could have posted some pix but we weren't allowed to take any. Mr Boy achieved his Level 5 award and got a badge and a certificate for it. He also got a trophy but we aren't sure what for. And finally he won Boy Gymnast of The Year and got a trophy and certificate for that as well. I was proud as anything and he was totally high as a kite on it - I couldn't even get him to bed till 10.30 and god only knows what time he fell asleep. He has taken them into school this morning to show his pals and his head teacher.

Today has been right busy. We slept in and I also ran out of milk so I had to drop the kids at school, run thru to the shop for milk, rush back to the house to be here for Tesco delivering my new washing machine (mine died), then the builder was here to give me a quote for replacing the shower in my en suite. Sat and blethered to him for a while and my pal drove into my drive as he was driving out. Went and collected No3Child from nursery, came back and had lunch, collected up the recycling and as we were driving out of the drive to go to the tip, Scottish Water drove in to come and empty the septic tank. I don't fancy their job!

We have two hockey practices and a football practice to go to this evening, along with homework that hasn't been fitted in all week, then tea, and then hopefully an early night for them all.

Tomorrow, two more weeks, then it is the summer break for six weeks.

On today's date in 2005 I made my first blog entry.

Since I made my last blog entry back in May, lots of things have happened. It is getting towards the end of the academic year, so we have lots on.

Anthony has been playing football for two different clubs. The school club has it's tournament on Wednesday, but he can't be involved until half way thru because he has his gymnastics display on the same day and he is an integral part of the boys display. I am looking forward to that evening for different reasons, which will be explained on/after Wednesday. He will be moving up to Primary 6 in August, which is unbelieveable to me. It doesn't seem like a term ago that I was watching him walk thru the gate for P1.

Laura had her Highland Dancing Concert last week. Monday and Tuesday evenings from 6.15 to 10pm! Poor kids were ker-nackered! So was I. I went to watch both nights because there was no one else to cheer her on. The children (especially Laura!) were excellent and really made a good show of themselves. Laura was in 5 dances - clowns (in which she wore a clown outfit); rabbits (which was a pink tutu and bunny ears); kangaroos (guess); and Highland Fling and Swords (both kilts). The flippin crosspiece fell off her sword but fortunately it was after the dance. Rehearsals for the concert seemed to go on for ever - evenings and weekends. That is the dancing over now till August though - thank goodness! A bit of a break. Laura will start Primary 3 in August - another one who seems to have grown up all of a sudden.

Rachel has dropped out of swimming lessons. We had a bit of a to-do with the instructor, I made a complaint to the manager, and I'm getting my fees back. I was *not* chuffed, and it transpired that a lot of the other children who had dropped out had been because of this instructor as well, but the complaints hadn't been getting back to the Manager. Go to the top, see, that's my motto! Rachel starts Primary 1 in August. I have bought her some Jolly Phonics books for her to work on during the holidays because I don't want to go thru with her what I went thru with Laura. She has been having all her 'moving up' stuff - visits to Primary 1, we have a visit to the teacher and we have to share a meal with them in the canteen so they are not so intimidated by the 'Big' school. She won't be full time to start with, but it won't be long, and then I shall have all day to fill. Ho hum.

I went to a fancy dress 40th party last night. What a laugh. Some of the outfits were hysterical. One lassie came as a Smurf - painted blue and everything. I looked appalling, but what the heck - it was fun. My pal (who I went with)* wore fluorescent yellow and pink, with roller skates. Amazingly enough she never fell over once! Her man dressed as Rod Stewart. I wandered home at the back of 1am and slept till 10am, and have had a bit of a headache all day. I don't get out often, though, so it did me some good.

What didn't do me any good was one lassie asking me if I was my pal's Mum. Not good for the ego. However, several other people told me how much younger I look without my spex, and no one guessed my real ago. Mind you, folk always estimmate well down from the age they really think you are, dont they?

*I am trying so hard not to type "with whom I went".