Is it just me, or is life getting more and more confrontational, miserable, exhausting and just too damned complicated? Anyone need some simple, light relief? Here it is:
Shall I explain, or are any of you already ahead of me?
I’m back in manic mode with work. On top of an already decent-looking diary, and a second go at my NEBOSH exams next month, I’ve accepted an emergency call to help a long-time client dig themselves out of a hole. Trouble is, it means working at one of the biggest, baddest new millennial workhouse employers the UK is home to. Ten hour shifts, six days a week, and the punchline – a 130 mile / 160 minute each way commute! So yeah, I’m stressed again.
Trouble is, at the moment in the DsD household, we all are. Darcey’s poorly and getting bullied at school; DsMam’s got a new job she’s not qualified for, and hospitalised family left, right & centre; and DsSis is having her musical talents called upon from so many different outfits, she’s got current scheduling conflicts that she’s getting some (imo) very unfair pressure / emotional blackmail over. We’re all aware of each other’s problems, and trying to hold it together, but Ye Gods, it’s hard.
Outside of meal times, it’s rare we all find ourselves in the same room, but the other day we were, and got such a sweet moment of relief, I’ve got to share it with you.
Walking into the lounge, one of the girls was channel-surfing the TV, and a little talking heads montage came on. Various TV celebs were shown all fiddling with the same prop, and as I looked at the screen, one of them got it just right. “Angela Rippon can do the paper bag trick!” I exclaimed. “I tried for YEARS to do that, and could never get it right.”
DsMam smiled and said “You sad man!”, and the girls just looked at their dad with the usual ‘what-on-earth-are-you-on-about?’ faces on. I tried to explain, but I could see I wasn’t getting through. So I grabbed the laptop, and a quick search got me the following YouTube vid. Within 90 seconds, we were all laughing, but the sound of my daughters’ laughter (different to mine & Julie’s because we’re used to the gag), was just a brilliant burst of light in the current gloom. I haven’t heard DsSis laugh like that in just a-g-e-s. “Again, again …” she cried gleefully, like she used to as a toddler over a decade ago.
Simple. Innocent. Funny. Enjoy.
The 'Spill 
While you’re there check out Two Ronnies – 4 candles.
I’ve added a link
I always loved the paper bag trick. We used to have a go at it when we were kids. I haven’t done for ages though. Must be a paper bag somewhere in the flat…………
The Common Cormorant – Christopher Isherwood –
The common cormorant (or shag)
Lays eggs inside a paper bag,
You follow the idea, no doubt?
It’s to keep the lightning out.
But what these unobservant birds
Have never thought of, is that herds
Of wandering bears might come with buns
And steal the bags to hold the crumbs.
My sister and i both managed to work out how he did the paper bag trick.
On a more serious nore, DsD, I was bullied at primary school and it was horrible. I really sympathise with Darcey. I hope that her teachers are taking it seriously. Back when I was little, schools just seemed to treat bullying as part of everyday school life most of the time. Much of my final year at primary school was a complete misery.
Sorry Carole, I’m a bit behind …
OUCH! That’s bang on the money here.
Bullying is always horrible, so I need to put the next comment into context, but hopefully –
it’s not too much of a problem. * fingers crossed *
Firstly, it’s all over one specific issue, and that issue will be resolved one way or the other in the first week of March.
Second, the advantage (if there is such a thing) that we have here is that DsMam is back in the same school as a TA, so she has better access to the staff than most parents.
The antagonist is/was part of a large-ish circle of friends, who for want of a better phrase, you could stereotype as “the bright kids”. For whatever reason, this child made a Horlicks of the 11-plus, and is the only one (there may be two) out of 10-12 who probably won’t be going to the grammar schools. She’s taking the disappointment out on Darcey, who happens to be closest to her in class. Between the results coming out and mid-Jan, the situation was spiralling downwards until Darce was coming home in tears more days than not. In the last 3-4 weeks we think we’ve got a grip on it.
When the school places allocations come out in a fortnight, the uncertainty will be removed. The situation will either go away [as friendship group bonds start to change], or it will explode [and the teaching staff will now be ready to pounce].
I really appreciate your concern though; an extra-familial POV always helps refocus the mind.
Thanks.
Let’s hope that there is a smooth and painless resolution, Rich. Good luck.