Healing power of Bagpuss

Ida is fed up with us all.

You see, she was ill at the weekend and was the centre of attention as she was pathetically sick. Sometime in the early hours today the V fairy waved her wand over the rest of us and the rest of the night was a whirl of sheet-changing, washing piling, dettol swilling, and elbowing each other out-of-the-way at the bathroom door. She slept serenely through it. When she did deign to awake she spent the first hour saying “Ida not sick” in a self-satisfied way by the head of whoever was indisposed.

That soon got old I can tell you. For her too when she realised all we planned to do today was lie around and whimper a little. Three viewings of the Aristocats later I finally gave in to the silent struggle of wills with Steve about who was going to get to lie in bed feeling like death and who was going to go downstairs and prop themselves between the sofa and the coffee table and pretend to be interested in puzzles, felt tipping and tea parties.

It’s been a long old day – I’m writing this while anticipating a change in shift. There is no sound from upstairs. Zeph has just arrived looking less like a zombie. He hasn’t been sick for about five hours. Should I try him with some dry toast? Where is his father? When will I get to lie down? I read him [Steve] the riot act about two hours ago which lost its impact when I had to take a hurried toilet break halfway through. When I returned, still enraged he looked at me all pathetically and said “but I’m sick…” Which he is, poor honey. I know it’s a cliché but really – why am I the one multi tasking? I have NEVER claimed to be good at it.

Well now I’ve equally repelled you by over sharing and annoyed you with whining I will find at least three BT’s. Actually I think today it’ll have to be silver linings.

Today I am thankful for;

We had a free day as we were supposed to be at the hospital with Zeph so at least S didn’t have to stress about work although he absolutely has to go tomorrow (another reason he should stay in bed I guess.) While I’m here, thank all gods I don’t have to juggle work and childcare. This is an enormous blessing.

Ida kissing me better, she is a very loving baggage, full of pats and strokes.

Actually there’s some nice stuff on cbeebies. We like Tinga Tinga, Third & Bird and Mr Maker. Ida is rendered hysterically excited by Rastamouse but I’m not keen. After a bit we put Bagpuss on which pleased us both. God I love Bagpuss.

When I let Mittens out the sky was black with rain. By the time she was meowing at the window in her Mog impression big fat drops were splashing down. When I put my face up they felt like warm kisses. The hammering on the conservatory roof and against the windows make it seem surprisingly cosy indoors.

At one point we were all in our bed with everybody wants to be a cat on in the background. I’m so pleased we got that big bed.