Wednesday 19th November 2008

Things happening. I had a phone call today from the Registrar (of Births, Deaths, and Marriages). A nice, very sympathetic lady. To tell me they had recieved all the relevant information from the Coroners Office, and that Jude's death can now be officially recorded and death certificates issued. She asked if I would be the one doing it, or David. Well, I had to talk to David about it, naturally. He wants me to do it. I can understand that - especially since while talking to her she mentioned that she REMEMBERED David and Judith registering Thomas' birth. Everything is still so RAW! Even perfect strangers feel the need to say something!

So, in the next few days I have to pay a visit to her office. What I still have to find out is just how many copies of the death certificate I need. Insurance companies....pension funds...they all need a copy, and these things are £6 each. Strange, that even dying costs money.

As for today?.....Daniel was being a perfect little SOD! By the time Joanne came to collect the kids, I was worn out. Not PHYSICALLY worn out - mentally! They leave, and blessed silence ensues. And if Nell is off driving David and Thomas home, well, I turn off the TV, and put a CD in the player. Nothing like a bit of classical music, or opera, along with a glass of wine to help unwind :). Not that I can play it for long...........it goes off as soon as Nell returns :).

I really AM a bit concerned about Joanne's kids. Wild animals, the bunch of them! Not being the parent, I naturally have to sort of keep my distance, but I know if they were mine, there'd be an accounting :). They don't know (or won't) eat at the table, they regularly use 'no!' when they don't want to do something, they throw tantrums, scream, kick stuff.............and I just get madder and madder. This is NOT the way to bring up children! Then, of course, when I finally DO lose my temper and start to enforce some discipline, I am immediately in the wrong. Its starting to lead to friction in this house. Perhaps I am partly to blame for not speaking up sooner or laying down the law when they were younger (and by that I mean as regards that arch-spoiler of kids, Nell). I do know that its not going to happen again, with Thomas. This time, I WILL have my say, AND my way.

Hmm....right ole curmudgeon, ain't I :).

Bit annoyed, also, that since my circumstances have changed so drastically, I am losing touch with people I really value. OK, so they are mostly online folk - but all of them I consider genuine friends. (Come ON kids!!....keep up!). But its the nature of 'online' that 'offline' is starting to mean 'out of sight, out of mind'. I don't want that....I somehow have to find the time to keep those contacts up.

ok...enough for now.... More soon on the great car hunt, and the registration thing, and the tree thing (which Joanne is dealing with). Its never dull around here :).