Continues...

Someone else wanted to know if I use those eco ball things in my washing machine!? (I’m always v happy to have a bit of a Green discussion) Anyway, I have to say, I bought them, I tried them, but they just weren’t really shifting the inevitable brown fruit stains on the Mini Boden. So I’d advocate super green Sonetti cleaning and washing stuff bought in bulk from www.greenfibres.co.uk. BULK as in 25 and 30 litre packs! If you buy enough, the postage is free and I swear they are so economical it’s like shopping at Lidl… which, by the way, I’m not too proud to say I do at least once a month.

Our big excitement of the summer was that Claudie started school! I expected to feel all tearful and snively on her first day, but she was so excited, I had to be happy for her.

P1 is nothing like it was In My Day though, obviously. The teacher is really kind and seems to realise that she’s dealing with small, shy five year olds. She tries to make learning fun (imagine!) and Claudie is learning the letter ‘n’ by being told to stretch her arms out wide and go ‘nnnnnnn’ like an aeroplane. But you do have to be 5 or very nearly 5 to go to school in Scotland, which is another thing I think we get right up here.

Personally, I think little boys (especially) being put into school too young, is a bit of a disaster. My children have both been 5 and a third at the start of P1 and they are the ultra-confident smart alecs in class (obviously this brings problems of its own: ‘No darling, I don’t think you’re a genius, just because you can sing The Snowman theme song backwards… I think it just means you’re a bit spooky.’)

One of the most interesting people I met at a book party (darlings) was the author’s younger brother, who’s just taken his first job teaching in a big Glasgow comprehensive. He said there is never a dull day, but he clearly gets a real kick from trying to inspire the kids. He was encouraging a girl to sit a more difficult exam than the one she’d signed up for but she decided not to because it would have meant getting a bigger bag to carry her school books in and she preferred her handbag! He has been busy researching big handbags and fashionable totes to try and convince her otherwise!