I have a friend. She has girls. They want to visit. And herein lies much stressing out, for although the girls are lovely they are, at the end of the day, girls. They have no testosterone and little patience with those who do. It will end in tears. There will be much apologising on my part and much frenzied assing about on Boss' part. I find having girls and Boss in the same room a complete nightmare. And not because of either party - I like the girls, they are lovely and I am jelous of people who have girls simply because they seem so keen to do things and have no problem at all at sitting down, holding a pen, listening, doing creative things or not hurting people *all* the time. I love Boss too - OK he quite clearly has certain energy level issues and thinks pulling hair is funny, but he is better than he used to be and one-on-one I can just about handle it. But put them together?? Do I need that headache? Do I need those tears and heartaches? I think I will decline the offer, thus declining another chance at talking to a real live adult (again). Will I have any friends left at this rate once my children have flown the nest???

I have also irked another friend. She lives in Bradford. Once again I spoke before I thought and instead of saying what I really thought and answering in a way she deserved I lashed out and tongue-lashed her through unthinking reflex of old habits and character traits. Lord, it is hard to change yourself, and just when you think you might have a handle on it, wham! some more crap rises to the surface. I remember reading a hadith that states that what we say can come between us and heaven on judgement day. I think from now on I will simply try to do dhikr ALL the time - that way I can't get anything wrong. I am going to have to ring her up and grovel. I am so lucky that I have such forgiving friends; if I was them I'd have drop-kicked me by now. *sigh*

Anyway, I have just bid on some Roald Dahl books on eBay - Danny Champion and Charlie Chocolate... should be amusing when we read one of the characters is called Willy Wonka ;-) Still haven't received our Charlotte's Web so made a start today on an abridged Wind in the Willows. It is going down very well so far. Boss telling everyone he meets that he's read LW&W. Aw, first big book....

Continuing our spring theme I presented Boss and Jaws today with their egg and egg cup - very good. We all enjoyed the egg and Boss walking round holding the cup all day like it was his new best friend, "I love you Mummy because you gave me this at breakfast time"...

Then we made a nest out of chocolate and Shredded Wheat and he was amazed to find some chocolate mini eggs there a while later. "A magic bird has laid some magic eggs!!!"

We did little else. Watched some David Attenborough DVDs on whales and sealife. Did you know that a Blue whale has veins so wide you could swim down them? And it's tongue is as heavy as an elephant? Clearly, you haven't lived and Boss *will* be informing you of these things very shortly...