Evening folks,
Just tried to read the thread and failed to retain anything, sorry. 
Everyone already knows about our disasterous Monday evening with ds1, but other than that the week has been ok really. Lots of very positive feedback from three different teachers and we were so pleased that ds1 was able to bounce back after Monday and go on to do some really good work and actually enjoy school. In fact, for the second week in a row he has said he's sad because its the weekend and he'd rather go to school!
Been to the school bonfire/fireworks this evening. Bloody hate them myself, had a huge phobia of them as a child and used to faint and/or throw up every year as soon as the first firework went off. Didn't stop my parents making me go to a huge display every year though. 
I am better now, after making myself go for several years on the trot with the dcs. Fortunately, our school makes a point of choosing a 'quiet' firework pack, so there's not that many big bangs to deal with and its only really the finale that's a bit much.
I have to fortify the house, put on the tumble drier, loud stereo, turn the tv up and close all the curtains before we go out as well, to stop our firework phobic dog from completely losing it. Fortunately (iyswim) she is going a bit deaf in her old age, so this year hasn't been as bad as most.
Had a bit of a panic at the display, as we allowed the dses to go off around the playground and mix/play with their friends, on the proviso they stayed on the back playground and didn't go past the corner of the building. They both had double ended lightsabers that were different from the ones the school was selling, so I could easily spot them in the dark, so I thought it would be ok, as all their friends were hanging around where we were. Ds1 was ok for the first half an hour, then his best friend decided to go to the other side of the playground where it was most crowded and of course he went too. Cue dh and ds2 frantically searching the crowds for him, with no luck. I have to say, I was getting a more than a tad stressed, which is daft, because the gates were manned by the SENCO and there's no way she would have let him escape - but still. He didn't turn up until the end of the flipping display either! 
I still can't believe he can cope with the bangs. He used to flatly refuse to go and we introduced him to it gradually, by first watching it out of his bedroom window when he was in nursery, then giving him ear defenders and then suddenly last year he said he didn't want his ear defenders and he was absolutely fine. How he not bear me to open a packet in the kitchen when he's doing his homework - but he's fine listening to big bangs is beyond me. 
Ds2 however, says the bangs hurt his ears and had both his own hands and his best friend's hands over his ears! We forgot the ear defenders for dd - and she absolutely loved it anyway - she is soooo different than her brothers were at her age.
Sorry, that was long and rambly. I have a bad head and some other odd symptoms tonight, so feel free to ignore. Brain, neck and spine scan this Wednesday - always assuming they can find a brain to scan that is! 