taking it easy...and the case of the missing pumpkin

well the goat was taking it easy, on a damp but warm last-day-of-October.

G's homework for half term (English) was to find pictures of farm animals and write four sentences...so we all went to the city farm to take some pics with Ix's new camera. he was quite happy to come too and walk around the farm but needs more training to actually take pics...tho likes to look at them on computer.


too lazy to go home cook lunch so we ate out - G wanted sausages and mash, L wanted chips...so the usual place in park was out...chips and pasta but no mash usually...fortunately we tried a new place (to us) next to Hampstead Heath which did both sausages and mash AND chips AND fishfingers for Ix - and a nice plate of mezze for me. very pleasant, sitting outside!

bought a pumpkin nearby, home, carving said pumpkin.. girls dressed up and Ix went out to library with carer E.

off to a smart enclave of kensal rise for trick or treating - many houses dress up and welcome groups of children, all very north-kensington-ish and jolly. adults joining in the dressing up too. very civilised... if the house has pumpkin(s), spiders' web, is obviously dressed-up - you call. if not, you dont...one treat per child per time.

treat bags full, home again and meet some local trick-or-treaters...who dip their hands into our treat box and take away handfuls!

we put our lit up pumpkin outside but dont get any more callers...the next morning the pumpkin is gone!

perhaps not so civilised...

Sunday - Ix wakes at 6.30, drags me out of bed to put on TV and computer, i lay on sofa and soon G and L are waking me up - but at least somehow i manage to stay prostrate til 9.00 a.m. without any major disasters....

lazy morning at home, lunch, G's friend comes and we take the girls to a birthday party. escape to the cafe for latte while Ix has crisps/juice and watches his portable DVD player (horrid henry) then we walk nearby to buy Sunday paper before going back to the party. Ix tries to tell everyone about his blood test back in September. is becoming a bit of an obsession...

(no supervisor available so girls didnt see their dad - he sent message asking if he could come to my home to "be a good father to them and play with them".

meeting CAFCASS this week, hopefully can try again to get across the message: is up to him to be a good father to them independently of me; he cannot come to my house after smashing it up in 2008, simple.

and especially if he is not up to being independent and is "low" and needy: I certainly dont need another child to watch over.

of course...I don't mind the children having their friends over to play and looking after that child(ren), but the risks of having him in the house are too great. it just isn't an option. even nearby.

until he shows he fully understands where we are at, then I just cannot be even in the vicinity of him....no, not even his "can I just go for a walk with you all"...no, no, no...

how long wil it take to get the message across?