Lab work

TallGirl is finally set to do Proper Science: blowing stuff up, getting covered in dangerous chemicals, hacking frogs to bits - all the good stuff.  So she needs a proper lab coat.  The PTA organised a joint purchase, but that was all done while we were in Scotland and they couldn't wait a few days for my cheque (thanks guys) so we're flying solo.  Obviously I took the advice of the lab coat company to order slightly bigger than I thought "because it has to last three years" whilst not somehow holding in my brain at the same time the fact that TallGirl has stopped growing upwards and is looking very unlikely to grow outwards in the near future (or at least not to the 14 stone that would fill this lab coat...)  No time for an exchange, so I will be mostly sewing tomorrow...  (If she doesn't get covered in something really dangerous on Friday I'll be furious.)

In other news, only a half day of school today for everyone, which Mr B can - after six years here - just about manage to remember, providing I prod him with a "you know, Wednesday" when required.  The kids were allowed some summer-holiday-reprised lazing around this afternoon (since the only homework in the house was colouring in the cover of a french exercise book - seriously? Are they back in nursery?)  I did, however, manage to get them to sort out the DVD cupboard - so all the kiddie movies are in boxes, and the cupboard is now full of just the stuff they shouldn't really be watching, but we let them because we're a bit rubbish.

Everyone seems to be coping with the early starts better than expected (largely thanks to coffee injections in TallGirl's case) - I'm anticipating problems in week 3 when the novelty of alarm clocks and getting up in the (nearly) dark wears off.  My early start today was mainly as back-up for them (they kindly think I should just stay in bed), but had the side benefit of giving me a 45 minute gap between them leaving and me needing to be somewhere - perfectly filled with some yoga (new rentrée hobby) and a shower.  Very civilised.  Followed by two hours trying desperately to stop being the school treasurer (though did have the advantage of getting to play with my successor's super-cute kids, and remembering with something close to nostalgia trying to type accurately with a kid on each knee, stopping them stealing my phone, knocking over the water, kicking the dog, fighting or drawing on my trousers, whilst also concentrating on file name protocols.... Ok, so I don't miss it that much...)

Very grey and wet this morning, but after a stint in my (shuttered) office I spotted that the day had gone all bright and breezy.  Yes, I know you're thinking the same thought: a good drying day.  So, lots of washing done, lots of bedding refreshed (breezes have been scarce here this summer) and some admin and work caught up on in the gaps.

More school taxi services when TallGirl decided that she couldn't wait around for 35 minutes for the bus at lunch time (she'd forgotten her coat...) but I have warned them that this is definitely not a regular thing.  I have to say that two of my favourite times of the year are the shrugging off of routine at the start of the long holidays and then gratefully tugging it back on in September.  It's like that first day you wear flipflops and have warm sunkissed toes, and that first day you pull on a cosy cardie in autumn: which is best?

Well, this year has a new routine and I'm determined that it will have lots of me time (gosh, it's true what they say - yoga is empowering!)  Though, of course, tomorrow's me time is mostly sewing for TallGirl and sorting CarbBoy's room...

Tonight, after a cobbled together 'using stuff up' dinner that the kids bizarrely loved, Heroes on the telly (remember that?) with the kids marvelling yet again at how we ever coped with having to wait A Whole Week for the next episode, and (seeing as I've used a lifetime's supply of brackets) I'd best go now.

Oh, except just to note that when I came down (at 6.30) CarbBoy was putting together his packed lunch - which he has never done before.  I felt rather cruel to have to point out that it's Wednesday and he'd be eating lunch at home...

And also there're a bunch of backblips.