ELEVENSES HERE *****************************************************************************************

[MaryAnnSingleton]

think we've been deleted,so shall we put ourselves here in other subjects ?
Sleepless night fretting about T and loos and lunches at big school - how neurotic am I ?!

oooh, sorry, missed the bit about L's mum...
(was too busy digging you see )

There is no way she will think you were rude, after all she probably won't know where you were picking dh up from. And presumably she knows all about the crutches?
Don't ring now, 'tis a bit late, but catch her at school tomorrow morning. She will be fine, honest

yes, it'll be fine hotcross - just ring tomorrow - am sure she understood perfectly - crikey,we are worry warts aren't we ! fwiw,I always think I talk complete crap at parent things,or if not crap,it's that I jabber on too much...
The poetry book,to be honest,I'm a little disappointed in because they left out illustrations for quite a few of the poems (in fact the axolotl poem was in there, just no drawing) - I did do a lot of drawings,probably much more than required,well obviously many more than required ! The design of the pages is a bit duff too,imo and some of the little bugs were put in upside down ! I'm always hypercritical of my work anyway. If you do come across it,it's called Wild ! Rhymes that Roar compiled by Graham Denton and James Carter,published by Macmillan.
I'd love to meet up with you both again soon - that'd be fantastic ! Did we say that we might make it Farnham before when we thought about it ? or is that too far for you two ?

Hello. Thank you for your messages last night - didn't catch mum at school this morning but will apologise profusely at pick up!

Have had a lovely morning having coffee with one of the Reception mums. We discovered by chance that we both have balance problems, so we had a good chat exchanging stories and sympathising. Have the old house envy thing going on again though.... She lives in part of a converted huge old mansion, with gorgeous wood panelling, intricate coving etc etc. All Farrow and Ball loveliness and the most enormous garden backing onto the common. Why is it that I seem to end up friends with these people??? Surely there are normal people out there, who don't live in country life type houses?? She is so down to earth and lovely though, and the house itself was a bit chaotic, so I had a lovely time

MAS - we have the travelling book people at school ATM and your book is in the catalogue! I'll have a look for it at pick up!

now hotcross, am sure your house is perfectly lovely !
Is it a Scholastic book fair ? I guess T's school doesn't do those anymore,being a secondary. Fancy them having my book though !

oh,have checked Travelling bookfairs website and if it's the same one then I also illustrated Fiona Walter's Laugh out Loud !!

Hotcross, your garden looked lovely judging by your snow pictures, and teh one of B in teh lane / road - if that is your street I am

Friend sounds lovely though

Not sure when our school has a scolastic bookfair, but as soon as they do I will look out for your books MAS!

E came out of school happy because she played with little S. It transpires that QueenBee M and her two closest friends would not let little S play today, so little S found E.
Nice, but it irks me that E is the back-up option.
Never mind, I have to let it go don't I??

O has a friend to play today. Said friend came out of school brandishing his guitar and two Darth Vader masks, so I think we are in for an entertaining afternoon He is a real character this boy. A bit of a square peg in a round hole at school though, and gets marginalised and picked on a lot. Unfortunately he retaliates with swearing and agression, so puts himself in a difficult position. But I like him, O likes him, adn his mum is lovely and a friend of mine. So it is nice to have him here

Re our next meet up - Farnham sounds fine to me (if you don't want to come here), but be prepared for me to get lost and be late again

oh I'd love to come to yours hippi, I was just fretting about getting lost in Surrey as I am a stranger to the place,Farnham I know,so that's different ! Have fun with Darth Vader masks and guitar - sounds great !!
And yes, your garden and the lane B was in looked enchanting

last comment to hotcross, obviously Am awaiting T';s return from his grandparents- I was on childcare duty for my friend P so sent him over there

at MAS worrying about getting lost in Surrey. That is how I feel about Farnham, so you better give clear (and very easy to follow) instructions

Hotcross, how are things?

O had a fab time with his friend J yesterday. His mum came up to me this morning to tell me she had managed to get J into a new school starting after the half term. Am happy for J and my friend, but sad for O.
My friend has managed to get J into the very very good Catholic school in W, which feeds into the best (Catholic) secondary in the area.
I am pleased for her. J needs a new start, where is previous behaviours are not held against him with his peers.
I will miss seeing my friend at the school gate though!

E seems a bit happier this morning. She is still showing nervous tics adn OCD style 'tapping' with her fingers (3 times each side when touching an object), but half term starts tomorrow (inset day) so a break will be great!!

Hope you are both ok!

MAS, I looked Wild! up on Amazon yesterday, love the picture of the bunny with he guitar, E wants to buy the book on the basis of the picture alone!!
She said the picture would have been perfect if it had been a violin though Cheeky mare!!

glad O and friend had a lovely time but sorry you will miss seeing your friend at school hippi..but it's good that friend J gets a fresh start.
So sorry that you are worrying about E - maybe she is just feeling over stressed by things at the moment, and as you say a break will be a good thing,I'm sure.
I may have to negotiate Surrey shortly as my school friend E is coming over from the US to visit in March and I am meetin g up with her and our 2 friends V and M - we have known each other since we were 5 or 6 ! Anyway, M and E's sister live in Cobham and that's where E will be based..V lives in Wimbledon ..we have previously met in Farnham as I needed to be nr enough to home to collect T from school/or be home for him, but this time he can go to mum's. M got hopelessly lost twice in Farnham.
I hate to say it, but the cover wasn't done by me - they never let me do those - hope it doesn't put E off
Laugh Out Loud is by far the better book ,imo.

hey, just noticed you've lost three pounds hippi

Well done Hippi! I think I'm going to have to try actually weighing myself to lose weight. I thought I could do it just by whether my clothes felt tight or not, but somehow the incentive isn't there. Not like stepping on the scales and seeing an actual loss IYKWIM?

Sorry about J leaving But it does sound like a fresh start will be good for him. My friend teaches at the very good secondary school, if it's the one I think it is? She says it's an amazing place, where every child is noticed and expectations of good behaviour and hard work are incredibly high. So J should end up doing well I should think.

Poor E. I really feel for her - and for you. It's not nice when you can see your dcs unhappy or stressed, but I agree the holidays may be enough to give her a break.

They didn't have any copies of your book at the book fair MAS, so I'll have to search it out when I get to a bookshop. I can't wait to see your illustrations - it's very exciting to know someone famous

I've been trying to think of where to meet... There is a really lovely antiques/gifts centre just outside Farnham. It's very expensive but lovely for a potter and a coffee... I shall try to link to it...www.packhouse.com Don't know if that would work? Another easy place to find is Guildford Cathedral. I know they have a coffee shop, but haven't been in it for years, but at least it's easily spotted from the A3... And of course Farnham itself..

woo, the packhouse looks gorgeous !!!!

hotcross - I think Laugh Out Loud much nicer for B if you are getting a book - she'd find it funny...this one is more serious in a way and I prefer my drawings in LOL !! I'd send you a copy if I had any spare but they tend to just give me a few and I always have to give one to my parents,T and to my agent...

Oh no, I wasn't hinting I wanted a copy Anyway, presumably the more copies sold, the more you get paid or doesn't it work like that??? No, B has some book tokens to spend, so she may fancy buying a copy

alas, I only get a one- off fee, no royalties (though it obviously helps the publisher to think,hmm that's selling well !) I do get Public Lending Rights on any copies of my books that are registered, so borrow it from library !!!!

The Packhouse looks gorgeous As long as it is easy to find and has carparking nearby (I get terribly nervous driving round looking for a spot) then I'll be just fine.
Just heard from my friend; J had his trial morning at St D school and loved it. The secondary it feeds into is SJB and is meant to be outstanding. Sadly we are not catholic so would not get in, but am pleased for my friend and J

I may get Laugh out Loud for E. Am always happy to buy books

Three pounds loss sounds great, but it has taken me a month That has to be the slowest weightloss in history!! But never mind, slow adn steady wins the race

hope everyone is ok and having a good half term.
I am trying to get Theo's passport renewed for a French day trip - there are limited places so it's first come first served and you have to show a current passport and E what ever it is health card (which I think has arrived today - have to sign for it at post office - we were out on our 2nd attempt to get the form p;assed, 3rd time lucky I hope ! )
Off to hair cut shortly,followed by swimming lesson...he went to friend P's this morning which was nice

Busy days MAS

We had a generaly tidying day on Monday, combined with a trip to the dentist for check-ups (all fine )
Monday afternoon O's friend arrived for a sleepover. Had takeaway pizza and they played nicely. Got them to bed for 9 but they chatted till 11 !
Took the boys adn E to the park Tuesday morning and then to the cinema to see Bolt in the afternoon before dropping friend back home. It was fun, my first foray into hosting a sleepover. (shan't do another one in a hurry though, I like my house to myself )
Today we have just come back from a long roam on Horsell Common with Dillydog.
Tomorrow Dillydog needs to go to Guildford for a haircut. May pop into Guildford for a spot of shopping - need a dress for E to complete her Winnie The Witch dressing up for book week!
Friday O is at his friend J's party (the one who is moving to a new school)
And then it is the weekend already

Bit mad really, it has gone sooo quick!

oh we're off to see Bolt later !
Finally sorted passport (fingers crossed) - anyway, it's been checked and sent off at post office...
Did Sainsbury's and had lunch, now just relaxing a bit.
Tomorrow is T's hospital appointment and dreaded blood test - not looking forward to that.
Well done for surviving a sleepover - I'd loathe to have one !!!

You will LOVE Bolt, 'tis fab. Bits of it made me laugh out loud - look out for the hamster, he is the best , and bits of it made me cry (quietly, under cover of darkness )

Sleepver was easier than I thought. Had been dreading it for weeks...
But O had been to two sleepovers at this boy's house, so it really was my turn.
This boy, M, is lovely. He has never been in O's class at school, but is in the same year and they are in teh same Maths class.
He goes to drama club with O.
He is just the loveliest, kindest, funniest sweetest boy. I really really like him.

Sadly he will be going to Gordon's School for secondary, not the local comp.

Good luck for the hospital appt tomorrow. Is this a routine check on the spleen thing?

oh,I'm sure to cry is there's anything remotely weep-worthy !!
M sounds lovely - am glad it went well
Appointment is annual check up - weighing,stomach prodding and eek,blood test ! am expecting all to be perfectly fine but the blood test causes T huge amounts of anxiety beforehand and we find it pretty stressful too !

Let me know if you do cry, I need to know I am not alone this!

Actually, E turned to me at one point and said: "It's a bit sad now".

Have a great time!

aww,it was great ! I loved all the credits animation too - and yes, I did get a bit eye prickly towards the end at the bits you probably did too !