Wednesday 11 June 2008

The children started school this morning, and I am amazed and delighted that with a 08h45 start as there was no stress and we were all ready to go on time and with no shouting and screaming at all. Bee did say it would be so nice for SA to adopt the later morning start, but as I said to her at the time, think you need to be able to enjoy your afternoons there which are really over by around 18h30 in the Summber and around 17h00 in the winter where as here the sun only sets after 21h30 in the summer and in winter the sun only rises after 08h00 so have to have a late start so that kids not leaving for school in the dark.

Day seemed to go well and both kids like their classes and Megs came home with a whole list of friends and the brightest of smiles as there doesn't appear to be any homework (mommy also smiling - long may it last!!!!!) and she managed to get some of the answers right in her maths test...so she really is settling in already.

My little Phillip on the other hand had a little hiccup around midday and landed himself in the head teacher's office for stubbornly refusing to do the country dancing - now for those of you who know him well, you will be nodding your heads knowingly, but let me tell you it was enough to knock my wheels off, being phoned at home by the head teacher to tell me about said incident and ask for my input - Simon had to deal with a hysterical mother at her wits end (I mean lets face it this is not the first time I have had to face the wrath of a teacher on Phillip's behalf).

Anyhoo went in to see the head teacher at collection time and she was great and had accepted the fact that Phillip wasn't a "little toad" to use her words (the english, gotta love them), but was simply prepared to have his leg cut off rather than be forced to dance with a girl in front of first his class mates and then the mother's next tuesday...hence the stubborn behaviour. Needless to say Phillip and I have had a heart to heart and he is going to take part in dancing next week and hopefully that will be the last we hear of it.

Had another surprise when the inspector came around from Leaders (our letting agent) to check on the Gas (something they apparently do each year for safety reasons) and condemned my central heating unit - although it is working fine now - so no worries of Carbon Monoxide poisioning, it has three areas which are not up to regulations and as such needed to be sealed off with immediate effect and have a large red warning lable placed on it - so the joys of gas, all I can say is thank the pope the stove wasn't affected (also gas) and it isn't the middle of winter!!!!! Must say very comforting to know that these kinds of precautions are in place, makes one realise that this really is a first world country.