Tuesday, April 05, 2005

My wonderful (or are they woberful) children.

Supper time conversation. We were talking about the Pope. Somehow this led on to JFK. There was a connection but what that was escapes me at the moment (I think it was Eric saying they were both popular but corrupt, or something similar), anyway Alice obviously knew something of the assassination (I think there is a video clip on Encarta- see they do utilise your pressie Stan/Carol) and started to offer some opinions on the matter. She was factually incorrect and Eric said "Well that just shows how ignorant you are" (he has that wonderful nurturing manner where Alice is concerned) to which Alice replied (in her usual indignant tone) "I'm not ignorant (pause for thought).... whatever that is"!!!!!! Of course the 3 of us fell off our chairs in hysterics as Alice sat their looking confused. She was then sent to consult a dictionary.

Harriette went off to music camp yesterday. She has used 'packing' almost all weekend to postpone tidying her room and it only got (half) done on Monday morning when I said I would only take her into town on the way to camp,to buy board shorts if she got it done. She had to take lunch and had prepared that on Sunday night. I offered to help with packing but no, she was quite capable of doing it herself. Imagine my reaction when, driving from town to the camp at Totaroa Springs (about 10km out of Matamata) when I asked, "Have you got your lunch", "No" (as I turn round to return to Matamata) "Have you got your takkies(trainers)", "No, I won't need them" (she's obviously psychic, how does she know!), "Have you got your;raincoat/pillow/sleeping bag" "No/No/No". Parental dilema. Do I go drop her at camp and a) go and collect forgotten/diliberately left behind items, b)take said items to camp in the evening or c)let her live with the consequences??? I opted for c). I was OK with that all day until the evening. We 3 had been sitting reading (well Eric was syudying, that's all he does these days) and as Alice got up to go to bed she said she was worried about Harriette and I was a negligent parent and should have taken the sleeping bag over. Ooooeeerrrr, pangs of guilt. Followed by "Robyn wouldn't let Sarah freeze"!!! I then gave Alice a lecture on learning to take responsibility and how, if we always ran around after them, they'd never learn to stand on their own 2 feet. I also reassured myself with the thoughts that she was actually staying in the motel and not in a cabin, and that if it was really an issue the staff would either phone me, or provide her with a blanket. We are up their to watch a concert this evening and I will take these things so she would have only frozen for one night.

Eric has been up since 4am studying (awake since 3am he adds!)and I have been awake since 5.45am (I know R+R would think this a positive lie in). However I must now go and start the day. Another altercation with Eric as he moans at the amount of coverage the Popes death is getting!. I also have some reservations about the Catholic church but believe John Paul was a great man who deserves the respect of the world in his death.

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