YANGTZE and the art of assertive compassion...

Spent the last two days at Olwen's. It was Cathy's birthday party on Sunday - she's now 13. It reminds me of the Harry Enfield sketch where Kevin goes to bed a happy, well-balanced twelve year-old and wakes up in the morning a long-haired horror of a teenager. Scary. I always preferred the Fast Show to Harry Enfield personally. Nice.

We all had a great day, even though the kids managed to burst the paddling pool within two days of getting it by trying to move it full of water. It's called experiential learning. In the evening yesterday we had a game of Pictionary in the garden. This was characterised by Ellie and I (team 1) falling asleep whilst Olwen, Cathy, and Isaac (team 2) ripped us apart. When we did eventually get a turn, Ellie was outraged that I didn't get 'life-boat' from her impression of Picasso sketching spilt semolina. Then Ellie managed to roll over on, then tread on, Cathy's game box. We've promised to buy her a pristine copy and take the wrecked one. Anyway, the kids had fun and hey, what else matters?