Wednesday, 31st March 2020 was my mother’s birthday, and I awoke to messages on my phone telling me how a charming family of four (The Marshes) had produced a brilliant rendition of a Les Mis song, and it had gone viral. I watched the news the next day – and Read more
Yesterday morning, the first words that issued from Mini Seymour’s mouth were, “Daddy, I want a new pony.” “But you don’t have an old pony, dear”, said I. Daddy was not there. She’s referring to Peanuts, who is my friend’s Shetland. Mini Seymour used to ride him occasionally. Peanuts has Read more
Yesterday, we attempted a bike ride, Boy, Number One and I. The bike ride was fine. Boy only fell off spectacularly once.( He fell out of the back door yesterday, and into the ditch the day before. It was hilarious and sad and infuriating all at the same time, hence Read more
Wednesday. Little Seymour Number Two had yet another tantrum. This one was over her Science homework. She point blank refused to read what was in front of her, and claimed she did not understand it. I read it and re-read it, then asked her to say it out loud. She Read more
Tuesday. The Prime Minister did last night actually decree that we must not leave our homes except for a very few limited reasons. This just keeps getting weirder, more surreal and actually, a little bit scary. So, we carried on with our home school. Little Seymour was having another tantrum Read more
Last week was a gentle introduction into the new status quo. We were still functioning as normal. Ish. Most of the kids remained at school until at least Thursday, and I even had a day’s work on Friday, such was the teacher shortage. There was a dentist appointment, a shopping Read more
In July 2004, Little Seymour Number One was born. A tiny little thing she was, with blue eyes and limbs so thin I was scared of accidentally snapping them. I remember the first time she smiled at me – or at least, I think I do. She was four weeks Read more
So the play is cancelled. After months of rehearsals, stress, worry and fear, the play that was proving so tricky is now on hold until October, unless the world is over by then. I was disappointed – I was ready to go! To get it done. To put it behind Read more
The Four Little Seymours like to make their own entertainment. Well, the Naughty Two do, anyway. Hence why they are commonly known as The Buggers. After heeding my nagging about getting off devices for once, Mini and Boy went into the garden at the weekend, and discovered an incredibly large Read more
Kids. I love them. I had spent time one morning hunting down an errant judo kit, and had placed it by the back door, from where we leave to go to school. I had prepared all the packed lunches, and lined them up on the worktop. I had forced Little Read more