the kid has her say

Seeing as I spent most of the time on this blog giving out about the kid, here's a little insight into how her mind works. Please remember she has talks a lot of txt speak and has no problem using language to express how she feels

This letter was slid under our door last night and I got it this morning:

Hey!!,

Just wanted to leave a letter for ya thanking you for being the best sis EVER and putting up
with all my teenage bullshit and for helping me thru all the crap and being there for me no matter
what, even when I knew you wanted to ring my neck!! But remember as much of a c**t that I am,
I love you 10,000 times that!

And please try not to feel down about mam(I know the eyebrow is rasied!! It's a stupid thing to say) but she really is always here, I mean before the anniversary I believed she was gone forever but now I know that she is definetly ok and is definetly happy & watching us every day,er, well, not all the time LOL!! But she's so so proud of you for being the coolest lesbian mammy ever and such a (can't read her writing here) f**ker! And I know she is SO proud for the way u live ur life and how far you've come workwise.

She's not gone at all, she might have gone thru hell here but she's grand now, as I write this, she's sitting on a couch smirking and puffing on a ciggie. She's always be here, ya can't f**kin ger rid of her!! LOL!

But thank you so much, I mean you will never know how grateful I am for all you and Mammy2 have done for me, maybe someday I can replay you for it all, until then I apologise in advance for the adolescent tantrums & bullshit PMT!!

Thanks for being one of the 2 best big sisters and thank you , Mammy 2 for being the coolest titch in law ever!

Love you more then Slayer and Lacuna Coil AND my guitar!!

xxxxx

the kid

Not much more I can say really, I'm going to wallow in her sweet comments for a while. She has her first date today, fingers crossed it all goes well.

monday , monday

Yesterday was so hot. I decided that this would be a good time to resume training. Its offical, I am a nut. Trying to get from East Point to a bus stop that the 27 stops at , you would think would be relatively straightfoward. Not in Dublin. It took be 20 minutes to get to a bus stop, at this stage I was so peeved I was thinking about not going at all. the 27 pulled up beside me and that removed the tempation to skip back to town.

Training was tough, and the warm-up only lasted 20 minutes, thank god. I was partnered with another robo-cop. One wonders if they see me arriving and make sure to partner me with some sort of human machine that can keep going. Whilst I am seating buckets, he's only warming up. the final straw came when we have to line against the wall and our partner throws various punches ar our stomachs. I thought I was going to throw up. How unfit am I. 10 minutes to get my breath back
and I was alright. I fell into the car when Mammy2 and the kid picked me up afterwards. I won't get to go on Wednesday as its date night, so hopefully I'll be in better shape next week.

The kid has her date on Wednesday as well, she's all excited. I hope it goes well for her. She's pmting at the moment, she's not as bad as usual so I'd like to think that its because of the Vitamin B6 we're been bating into her, but then again it could be because she's not at school. She goes through phases of being bored and then loving her holidays.

She has her interview again today with the tatoo place and I hope they take her on, it would be so good for her. Fingers and toes crossed!
I'm sitting here wondering if the sperm is being invited in for tea yet by my ovaries, strange to think of what might be going on inside my body as I type this, or maybe what I would like to think is going on inside my body. In another 2 weeks, I suppose we'll know.

thank god the weekend is over...

I cannot believe its Monday morning already, I think I managed a grand total of 14 hours sleep over the weekend. Friday evening was supposed to be baby-making, but our man missed his lift and so had to catch a later bus. Hence, the brilliant suggestion of going for a drink after work. A few beers later, I'm ready for bed rather then ready to prepare for baby making. The sister K was very funny, she didn't know whether to be freaked or not. I decided to have a lie down and prepare myself for the task in hand. I was just dozing off when I heard the phone ring in the bathoom. Talk about bad timing. It was our man's mate ringing for a chat, she was told that it wasn't a good time and could she call back. So, once our man had done his thing, the sister K started on the wine. Think Patsy from Ab Fab. By the time we were finished, she was sprawled on the couch, cigarette in one hand, half empty bottle in the other. She assured me she was fine with it. The kid had arrived from hanging as well and was all chat.

Saturday morning arrived and we were up town at 10 o'clock to pick up her present. It was going to be one of those days. Got back to the apartment just as the kid and the sister were arising, the sister feeling a bit under the weather due to the over consumption of vino the previous night. Our man was paying another visit and so it was into the kitchen to cook up an irish breakfast for everyone. Breakfast over with, our man was all set to do his thing, however, we weren't. It was early morning, Mammy2 hadn't even left out the yohurt pot. Cue 5 minutes of stuffing her face with petit filou and legging it to the bathroom to sterilise the pot.

Yes, we're very prepared.

After baby making, it was rainbow flags and banners as we headed to the pride parade. Of course we were late. There was hair straightening and showers. We arrived in O'Connell street as the parade started. The reaction from the people on the sidelines was quite good, muted but no abuse or hassle. Apart from one poor man, who decided to wave a placard about sins and what not to the marchers as they passed. To be honest , he probably did us a favour as he made us look normal next to his meanderings.

The belong2 bus passed and the kid fell in love with some girl who blew her a kiss from the bus. She was determined she was going to get her number when we got to the civic offices. I nodded in all the right places. She really got into the spirit of things, taking the rainbow flag and wearing it like a skirt wrapped around her. Its the most color I've seen on her in years!

By the time the parade reached Dame Street it had doubled in size. Arriving into the civic offices we got great seats. We stayed for about an hour of the party and I was tiring fast. The kid kept poking at me, wanting to get up and dance, wanting me to get the number of the girl who blew her a kiss, wanting me to stand on my head. So we headed off to one of the after parade parties and the kid stayed on with our mate J. She was heading out to 'hang' in Darndale afterwards. Once the party was over, we met up with her to make sure she was in one piece. She was delighted, she got the girl's number. She got a friend of ours to ask for her number?!

Sunday morning arrived and we woke her up to give her her pressie, the guitar and amp. She was delighted and got us in a headlock, which was supposed to be a hug. I went shopping with the sister then as she had a few things to get before heading back to Holland today. The kid was hanging with the best mate D and texting her new love interest. The birthday dinner was at 6 in the Thunderroad Cafe and whilst I didn't think the food was great, the kid enjoyed herself which was the main thing. The last 2 years of her birthdays haven't been great, as last year , it was just a month after Mam passed away and the previous year, Mam went into hospital on her birthday. A few of our mates came to the birthday dinner and she loved all the attention.

We headed back to the apartment and rented out Team America, which was alright. I didn't think it was as good as the reviews said. In bed for around 1.30, and I am so tired. I am planning on heading training tonight. I am not a well bunny.

sweet sixteen...yeah right!

Its raining and its lovely. Its that really soft rain that makes you feel like you are growing, except these days I'm realastic enough to know that it only works on plants not on people. Took me a while to come to terms with that though!

Into my 2nd week here at the new job, and while I've settled in work wise, socially its still a bit odd. Or perhaps I should say I'm a bit odd. I hate small talk, hence that rules me out of most conversations with strangers! It was the same when I started working in my previous job, managed to avoid small talk and people for ages and then C came along and that was it. Whilst I still
didn't go as far as small talk with people, he was king of it, I was a wee bit more sociable.

So, its the kids first week off from school and study and she's BORED already. She lost her phone last weekend and since then has gone cold turkey. Bless her cottens, she thought we had nothing better to do then rush out and buy her a new one, she has since gotten over that, since both myself and Mammy2 laughed for ages at the mere idea. She has to learn that things cost money and can't be just bought whenever she thinks she 'needs' them. I think some time without the phone is a good idea, although with her 16th around the corner, she's asked the brother to get her one for her birthday. It remains to be seen whether he will or not.

She was in great form last night, even cleared the dishes away after dinner and washed them. Myself and Mammy2 were afraid to move from the dinner table for fear it may end and we'd hear her throwing the dishes into the bin. After a late night Wednesday night chatting to the sister K, she flew in that night from Holland, I was wrecked yesterday and so opted for an early night. This would usually cause much frowns and pouting from her as she seems to like us sitting up whilst she works on her art or listens to a cd.

Last night, she was shooing me off to bed while herself and Mammy2 worked on her cv. She's going 'job hunting' today. This is a girl who has trouble ordering a coke when we're in a restuarent, it'll be interesting to see how she gets on. Oh to be a fly on the wall of anywhere she enters. I think the thought of 3 whole months of doing nothing stretching ahead of her will be some motivation. And the lack of money is also a factor, espeically where her telephone bills are concerned.

We await the next one due in 2 weeks.

The tatoo interview didn't go well, the person who was supposed to know what to do left their only brain cell at home the day the kid dropped in, so she has to call back next week.

Looking forward to the weekend altough its going to be mad. Babymaking tonight, all going well, the pride parade and party tomorrow and then the kids 16th birthday dinner on Sunday. I'll be crawling into work on Monday morning.

the kid's getting older

We spent most of last night tidying and cleaning the apartment as we have our six month inspection by the estate agents to check we haven't knocked down any walls etc. Its been such a headache as the kids room needed so much work, I'm afraid to ask what she gets up to. I put the finishing touches to the wall with some paint.
We had to repaint the room as it was covered in posters and when they came down, so did most of the paint. The place is gleaming now, so hopefully then it comes the time for lease renewal, we can get the place for another year. This will give us some time to try and get a deposit together.

She's got an interview today with a tatoo place. It would be her ideal job, being taken on as an apprentice and working with a tatoo artist. I hope she gets on okay, it would be great for her, even if she wasn't getting paid at least it would take up some of the day and maybe she could cut back on the hanging with her 'crew'. She is 16 in 5 days, I can't believe it. I am really starting to feel old.

We have to pick up the guitar and amp at some stage this week and a set of headphones. The neighbours would not be happy with her plucking on that all hours of the night. Actually, now that I think of it, niether would we. Pride is this weekend, as is baby making. Our 3rd attempt and wouldn't it be funny if we conceived on Pride weekend. The kid would have to wear rainbow baby gros.
The sister from Holland is home tomorrow, looking forward to seeing her. She's home for the kids birthday. A mad week in store for us.

And I'm still adjusting to public transport. Can someone answer me the following questions?

1) The huge timetable that is on display in Connelly, do the DART drivers actually work from this or their own?

2) When pulling at the platform with about 12,345 carriages, why do they insist on not actually stopping the train until they are pratically at Clontarf, and you have to race along the platform, sometimes toppling over and onto the rails , thereby looking like a fool

3) The display announcing that your train has arrived on the platform you're standing at whilst the train actually pulls in on a different platform.

4) If a train is pulling out in Belfast, why must the 8.05 to Malahide wait half way out of the station for at least 39 minutes?

thanks for listening!

strange day

I came home yesterday after a tramatic journey via the lovely DART and Luas Services to find the child wrapped up in Mammy2's arms. Mammy2 came home to find her hanging out our window, we're 2 stories up and the windows are full size. Apparently she wanted to end it all. Whether she was only threatening or not, Mammy2 didn't take a chance and dragged her down from the window.

She had texted all her mates to say she was going to end it all and of course some of her 'mates' texted her back telling her to cop on. She can pick them. So, she got lots of hugs from Mammy2 , questions from me and then she went to call one of real mates and chat with them.

We pondered what prompted it. Like I said she has been doing so well lately, although she has been skipping the odd tablet which she admitted to use yesterday. Whether that had anything to do with or not, I don't know. But an hour later she appeared grand. We chatted, she drew pics, we watched Will and Grace. It seemed like nothing had happened, still we're going to let her therapist know
just in case.

With the summer holidays looming ahead, I don't want to be sitting here in work pondering what she's up to and if she's harming herself. I'll never get a tap done.

On the funnier side, there's a large lump of plywood in her room. I arrived home the other evening to it sitting on her bed. I asked her about it and she just mentioned something about school. Yesterday one of her mates texted her to say that the vice principal was going mad because part of the ceiling in the girls toilets were missing. This became relevant when she incidiated the plywood in her room belonged to the ceiling.

Needless to say, we were less then impressed. We told her to return the ceiling when she had her final exam tomorrow, Home Ec. I don't know what comes over her at times, I had images of Crimelime and a reconstuction of the whole thing. Thank god its Thursday, we are finally getting around to grocery shopping. Every cupboard in the place is empty, we're starting to eye up the goldfish
for dinner. The weekend should be quiet enough, we have a 40th bday party to go to down the country, in my homeland as a matter of fact. It will be strange.

At least we get to visit the grave and put some flowers on it. We haven't been down in a while.

where do I begin..

This is something I have put off for a couple of weeks simply because I refuse to accept it. It is times like this that I wish I was anything but a guardian , a parent, a big sister. Take your pick. There has to be a guidebook out there for stuff like this?

She has been improving greatly with therapy so much so that when i found a knife in her room the other day, don't ask, I didn't even think to check her for scars, she has stopped that the last 3/4 months and they are healing up.
The therapist is a lovely woman, very maternal , which I think is just what the kid needs.

So naturally, when the kid announced she wanted to have a chat with both myself and mammy2 about 'something', I was going to panic . What parent wouldn't. I ran through numerous scenarios in my head. Eventually, she told us. She had sex. I'm still totally freaked at typing this and I once I have made this post, it shall not be mentioned again.

Last year with her ex-boyf and this year with the dutch exboyf. It took myself and Mammy2 another 2 weeks to filter it through in our head and all the while I wanted to run screaming to the hills, quickly followed by a giant pliers and some removal of body parts from certain young fellas. Not that I'm blaming them or anything but it would provide some relief. She's a lot wiser then her 15 years belie, not that I'm condoning this.

I don't want her to ever have sex, well, at least until she's 55, which I think is only fair. For me, she will always be the baby, I changed her nappies, burped her, she got sick on my shoulder, she took her first steps while I was holding her head. She's that 4 year old with the missing front tooth, heading off for her first day in school and all day my stomach was sick with worry. She's an annoying 8 year old. She most certainly is not a sexually active being.

I have to accept some things. Over the last 2 weeks, I wonder how Mam would have handled it. Would it have happened if she wasn't in the big city, if she still lived in Ballygobackwards where the average age of the menfolk is 23423 or thereabouts and you get a good deal on two sheep and a cow for every daughter you part with. It might have gone up now since inflation , its been a while since I sold any daughters. Or would things still have happened the same way?
See what I told you about thinking too much! Its a danger.

So, we chatted with her. We asked her if she had thought the consequences through. What if she became pregant, what if she contracted a disease. To be fair to her, she had answers for everything and had obviously given this a lot of thought. The reason if took her so long to tell us was because apparently I was going to sue anyone that touched her. Well, what's wrong with that. She is 15 after all, but I could understand where she was coming from. It is a bit daunting trying to confide in your guardians when all they do all day is mutter the words statutory rape.

For the record, she did it because she was in love with the person and would not have otherwise. Think what you like, I'm sticking with this explanation.

Now we have to bring her to the doctor and get her checked for STI's. She looked a bit daunted at that, but if you do the deed , prepare for the consequences. We also said this was going to severly curtail her activities involving staying over etc. She understood this. If I had my way, she was never leaving the apartment again, but Mammy2 explained that we couldn't realistically keep her locked up.

I just hope now, that just because it has happend, she doesn't think it is something that you should just do for the sake of it. Its all too scary.

I survived

I am in my new job 2 days and so far so good, the first day is always the worst and a bit daunting after the best part of 5 years in my previous work place, not to mention the fact that I had to face public transport.
Living and working in town, one gets a wee bit spoilt. The place I'm working in is not that far from the centre of town, and I am considering getting a bicycle. However, when I utter these words to anyone, they usually bless themselves a few times and then mention the fact that it might not be such a good idea. I think they have images in their heads of me flying across the bonnet of a car or something.

Not that I'm saying it might not happen, but I'd like to think I'd be more sensible then that.

So, new job, new location and hopefully a fresh start. Trouble is now I have more time to think.
I personally think, no pun intended there folks, that people should be banned from dwelling too much
on things. Seriously, some people think themselves in a tizzy and so thinking should come with a health warning. There has to be a way of avoiding it, thought that is. If you know of a solution let me know.

The junior cert is nearing an end. Still not one sign of stress unless you count the pictures she has been working on as stress related. She worked her way of out of her sulk on Saturday once we went shopping clothes. I was delighted to see some of them actually involved material, more then 2 inches which is always a bonus.

She also regaled me with tales from Slipknot, the mosh pit and passing out. Not sure what happened
but she said at one stage that she had to be dragged out of the pit because she felt faint and then
realised she was on a security guards shoulder and bring brought outside for air. She recovered and headed back in again. It sounded like hell on toast to me, but she enjoyed herself.

I had thought there would be no more talk of the grounding, but no, the crafty fecker waited until
we had sat down to lunch and then laid it on thick. I stuck firm. She pouted for a bit and then forgot about it as there was more shopping to be done. We found the guitar she was looking for, a wee bit more expensive then we had planned but she loves it, tis a Vintage which is very cool apparently.
Before you go off thinking we're lunatics for spending this much money on her, remember the year that she's had and the fact that she's 16 in 2 weeks. And also the fact that she won't be getting another present until she's 21. I forgot to mention that to her.

I was wrecked after walking around the shops, and throwing glares the general direction of anyone who looked sideways at her. Men or rather boys, should I say. Grr....Did their parents never teach them its rude to stare?

Sunday, Mammy2 had to work so I annoyed the kid by watching the GAA and cleaning. She sat strumming the guitar and telling me that some guy was texting her, one of her mates allegedly asking her what she was wearing and to describe it. I told her that I would have words with him if she passed on his number. Another look and a roll of the eyes, are all teenagers this surly and this attached to their mobile phone.

Half the time it sounds like a small mouse tap dancing.

Back to work for me, only 2 hours left and I can go home, document reading is tiring.

silence is not so golden

The silence is ominous. Mammy2 escaped to work, where she'll be until things calm down methinks.
The kid went to Slipknot last night, had a great time and then threw a tantrum. She had asked could she stay over at her mates after the concert , to which we had said no. Basically, we wanted her home after the concert. This was all grand in theory and I walked her to the bustop, gave her money for a taxi home as I didn't like the thought of her walking through the city at 11.30 at night and said goodbye.

Meanwhile myself and Mammy2 had a bday celebration to go to, a meal in the Lotts and then onto
the cinema to see Mr and Mrs Smith. The film is alright, but Angie makes it, there are no words to describe this woman!
After the film, we headed for a drink with the bday girl and then the Call Me's commenced. Call Me is like this message that Metoer users can send when they've no credit and want you to call them. We're well up on these, we average 4 a day.
I knew what it was about, she wanted to stay over at the mates house. I told Mammy2 who headed away to call her the answer was No to everything she asked. Sure enough, the conversation was had and she was told no. There commenced a serious of phone calls and texting all with the same answer.

She was getting more stroppy and so hence the grounding which we issued this morning. Its all the worse, according to her, because she had a date with that Gav character this week. I'm delighted, he's not high on my list of suitors for the kid.

Other then that exciting incident, the week has been fairly uneventful. She's cruising through her exams, with no sign of stress. She looks perplexed when people ask how she's coping with them as if they were talking in a foreign language. We're supposed to be going clothes shopping today, this is going to be fun. Between that and the flat warming I've to attend tonight, its going to be great fun.

The horrible woman I may have mentioned a few posts back is going to be at this party, and I have to go. I haven't seen her in months and am happy enough going through life never having to look at her face again, but however, we should be at this flat warming as it is Mammy2's sisters do.

A good few mates are going, so safety in numbers eh. Its going to be a fun day, I can feel it already.

There's a certain chill in the air at the moment, she floated past me a few minutes ago, dumped her wash basket next to the washing machine and floated back into the room. I'll bet she's in there levitating at the moment while she comes up with some spell to make me forget the grounding. Its a hard life being guardian to a wiccan.

Wonder if I hid her broomstick would it make any difference or is that being completly blasphemous?
You people are all witnesses, if I don't post for the next week, call the police, a nice female guard would be great!

stress levels you say....

Its only been a matter of days since I updated here, but good lord has it feels like a lifetime. With these last few days off work, I'm been feeling quite relaxed.

Which is just as well, really, considering the kid. Gav went and then came back again. She received a text from a friend to say he was kissing other girls and that was it as far as she was concerned.
On Saturday, she went out to band practice. Yes, believe it or not they had hired a studio and were going to practice together. Miracle of miracles.

Many costume changes were needed for this, obviously and when she finally did settle on one, she changed again. She arrived home that night well pissed off. We had taken an early night after watching the dismal display by Ireland in the world cup qualifier. There was only Shay Given's
shoulders to cheer us up and even that didn't work.

When she got home, I got up and made her tea and asked how the day went. There followed a litany of abuse against everyone and everything/Gav had ignored her, chosing to flirt with some other girl they had brought along with them to turn off amps etc. It must be a tough job, this amp
business and not being able to turn it off yourself.

Anyhew, himself and some other guy were nasty to her saying that she never does anything, no singing etc, and she claims that they won't do covers. She ended this tirade by claiming all men are barstewards. Needless to say, I was delighted with this declaration and put ideas of a chastity belt quickly to the back of my mind.

Atfer tea, hugs and some chocolate she was feeling a wee bit better, and the Sex Pistols album I bought her cheered her up.

The following morning Mammy2 administered more hugs and she was much recovered although still hated all men. Excellent. I also got rid of the tapes I had been playing to her every night. She was planning on studying for a bit on Sunday. Laid back doesn't begin to describe this girl's attitude to exams. Compared to the horror we went through with Art, this was a pleasant surprise.

The merchant of Venice was whipped out again and Mammy2 went through some poems before we left to go to Croker for the Dublin- Meath match.
Great result. Mammy2 headed onto celebrate with her brother who was up from Mayo for the day and arrived home suitable inebriated.
Monday, we went shopping and the kid wanted a lift to Darndale as she was going to 'sort stuff out' with the band? I would love to be a fly on the wall when she's sorting stuff out? What stuff? The fact that they won't do covers? The fact that they want to call the band Fluffy Bunny Feet?

God only knows, once shopping was over, she asked us to drop out just outside a dubious looking estate. There was no way we were just dropping her there. The natives were looking restless.

There followed endless eye rolling, dramatics sighs and pointing out of random houses , claiming she knew the person who lived there. Obviously in the hopes that we would just leave her there.

Finally we found the house she was looking for and she hopped out of the car, with a muttered thanks and clunked over the house, indticating that we should leave before we were seen.

She was under orders to be home by 6.30 as dinner was going to be ready then. She saunters in at 7.45. All the buses were full apparently. There was the usual hands on hips, head jauntily to one side as we expressed our disbelief that the buses were all full.

Yesterday she opened the books for a while, at the same time as she was taking in Will and Grace's latest antics. I suppose some people might think we're crazy by not forcing her to study. Firstly , if a child doesn't want to study, locking them in their room is not going to make them study. Secondly, its only the junior cert and with the year she's had, I'll just be glad if she gets through it.
Thirdly, only if you are a parent already, can you criticise! Okay?!

Now to Summer job hunting as she'll be climbing walls, or rather we'll be climbing walls with her around for the whole 3 months of summer. Maybe the local Tesco might take her!

Last night I awoke at around 3, to find the living room light still on. Thinking she'd had a last minute panic attack, I got up to see if she was alright. She was 'tidying' no less?! And she'd written a song. I asked if it was about the Merchant of Venice. Eyes narrowed.
I think she got to sleep around 4, and was up bright as a button this morning at 7. I was wrecked. Thank god I had these few days off, next week, I'll be comatose!

Now I think I better get the dinner on before the wife and kid arrive home.

osmosis - the new form of study..

Basically what you do is leave your books beside you, as near as possible to you whilst you are doing anything else, the informationwill eventually travel through your body and into your head.
This is her theory, I can only assume.

She arrived back from Holland on Monday night and was in good form. She had gotten 'closure' with the Dutch boyf and was a bit happier about things. The 31 degrees heat did nothing for her, I had images of her coming through the airport looking like something off a crisp and dry advert.

Mammy2 was at the Tori Amos concert, so the lovely C drove me out to the airport. She has calmed down a lot, but doesn't seemed to be bothered about that little thing known as study, one supposed you can't force her.

We enjoyed our time away from him, god knows, it will probably be a while again before she heads over to Holland. The baby making was on Friday night, and I had forgotten what time our man was arriving at to perform for us. I am in the middle of work on Friday evening and the phone rings. Mammy2 tells me that the donor has arrived. Needless to say, one is supposed to sufficiently rested and relaxed before any attempts should be made to increase the chances.

I could not have been more stressed.

I powered down the pc, said good luck and legged it out the door, arriving home in a tizzy. Mammy2 was just back from leaving the kid to the airport.

Our guy finished his 'business', and headed off leaving a frazzled pair of Mammies behind. I eventually calmed down, listened to some chill out music. Thankfully Mammy2 refrained from putting on Barry White, it wouldn't have been appreciated. So things are going grand, if you are anyway squeamish about things involving people getting it on or sperm, my advice to you us look away now.

Mammy2 was in seduction mode and whilst removing her watch , tossed it on the chest of drawers. On top of the yoghurt pot. Holding the donation. I froze whilst Mammy2 was still removing clothes and then she realised where my eyes were. She had initially thought I was joking. Luckily, the stuff is quite sturdy and we only lost about 1% of it, which ironically enough ended up on the kid's picture.

Things went fine after that once we had recovered from laughing.

The rest of the weekend was mad, with a forum meet on the Saturday night and a dismal Westmeath match on the Sunday. We were dreadful and now have the qualifiers to look forward to.

The rest of this week has been spent doing handovers as I finish up here tomorrow. I can't wait, I am so feckin tired , I'm going to sleep all weekend if I can . Well apart from the Saturday night which is the Ireland match and the Sunday which is the Dublin Meath match, when I shall don my blue colours!

And I have all next week off, thank god. It will give me enough time to stress before I start my new job.

The junior cert kicks off next Wednesday. I can't wait for it to be over, we can have part of the living room back then, from history books to Home ec books.

She's got band practice tomorrow and is not happy about it, because Gav, who she was only kissing and hadn't declared her undying love for, had been kissing other girls while she was in Holland. How dare he? Thankfully, this means he's gone.

Hopefully...