and all that jazz

Its been a while since I've updated the old journal for one of two reasons.

1- I don't have the energy and 2, she has been behaving herself for a change. None of the drama of recent months thank god.

We had our second appointment with her psychiatrist yesterday they recommend anti-depressants for her. 25 mg's for the first two weeks and then we'll see how it goes from there. So between Mammy2 and herself on anti-depressants the home life is going to be a barrel of laughs. In fairness to the the kid, she has improved a lot mentally, we feel in the last few weeks, gotten a lot more confidence and is really making an effort.

We also had to lay down some new rules in relation to bedtime, which she was delighted with, obviously. She's warming to the idea, even though no teenager has had to go through the trauma of bedtime like she has. Bless. Her best mate is staying over more often with us, which we don't mind at all. In fact, we're glad, she seems to love it with us, says we're like a proper family.

Her family are a bit off, it was her birthday last Tuesday, so we got her a card and a cd and bought a cake complete with candles etc and sang, well, Mammy2 sang and I mouthed happy birthday to her.

She was chuffed. The kid tells us yesterday that the family forgot about her birthday. She's an only child? They got her a present and that was it. What more did she want? Good lord, I wonder how some people can be allowed to be parents. So, we've inherited another kid! Well, if it keeps the child happy, then we're happy. Speaking of the child, the ongoing battle with her year head continues. I seriously think some people are not cut out to be teachers.

Rules and regulations is all they seemed to be concerned with. There are certain rules in the school that the kid just has problems with the main one being the makeup. She wears black eye makeup which is bound to attract more attention then the ordinary makeup the other kids wear. However, she is doing her best, she lightens it as best she can, also she refuses to wear the tie right up to the neck as its very constricting so she wears it where it can be seen and according to the rules it has to be visible. Well, the last 3 days, her year head and class tutor have been chasing her around the place checking makeup and tie.

The year head had the audacity to ring me at work the other day and basically say that she looked like she's spent the night in a ditch, with her uniform crumpled, tie not on properly, etc.

When I asked the kid about this , she went mad, and to be honest, I check her most mornings before she gets on the bus and she looks fine, she takes great pride in her appearence, even if she does look like, and I quote, a giant snot!
We're not those parents that think their child is saint, on the contratry we know exactly what she's like, a handful and a half, but give her a break!

Mammy 2 is ringing the vice principal today to discuss things with her and try and get those muppets to put some perspective on things.

1) She's lost her mother less then 7 months ago.
2) She's moved from the country to the city and had to adjust.
3) She's changed schools twice already.

She gets up in the morning, goes into that hellhole, does as much of the work as she can and then we have hachet features and that other yoke
chasing her around the place telling her to check her tie???

I'd love to buy them a clue.

To top all this off, I haven't been sleeping and the cranky head that's upon my shoulders these days. Mammy 2 diagnosed it as my subconscious starting to force me to deal with things. Hmmmm, I hate when she's right. Since I've stopped working at home, I've more time on my hands and more time allows me to dwell on things, always dangerous. So, now, every night, I'm awake for ages thinking of things.

On the plus side its nearly the weekend. And Mammy 2's birthday. She'll be 31, getting on a bit. She's insistent that she's not getting old, so much so that she refuses to even look the side of those Lowe Alpine jackets that most 30 something's seem to be sporting. She thinks that once we go down that road, we're doomed. Perms follow closely behind. I'm not sure what she's been smoking, but anyway..