The Downside...

...of the kids going to Stagecoach all week is that they are putting on a show this afternoon, and I have had to put up with them singing this every day...




Although I have to say I'd prefer listening to A Hard Knock Life then that bloody Tomorrow song...

And I don't mind this one. But then I'm a big fan of Oliver!



Although truth be known my favourite song is this one, which I find terribly affecting. It must be Mark Lester's cute little face...



No4 is also delighted to be singing this, as after having seen The Sound of Music she decided as the youngest in the family she is destined to play Gretl. Although, alas, not today...




They have also quite hilariously tried to demonstrate this one to me this morning no 4 dressed as a tiger and no 3 as a lion. No 1 refused to take part because she hates her off the shoulder leopardskin costume so much I am banned from videoing this afternoon's great performance. No2 sang the first bit then decided the whole thing was too embarrassing for words so marched off. I have a feeling Disney did it somewhat better...



There has been much excitement in the house about this great event - despite nos 1&2 inevitably bitching about the unfairness of not having major roles (that's showbusiness, kids, get used to it!). No 4 has been obsessing about her costumes since Monday. Most of it's provided (thank god), but I had to find some ripped shirts and rub them with coal (Coal???? who has coal in these centrally heated times?). I provided an old school shirt, but this wasn't good enough, so no 4 unilaterally decided to cut up another shirt which wasn't quite so old. Nos 2&3 spent yesterday afternoon sewing patches on their orphan dresses (I will no doubt be sitting on needles for months), and then no3 spent a happy time in the vegetable patch rolling hers in mud, while no 2 squeezed teabags over hers to get the desired raggedy look effect.

I could have done without the costume palaver, but they've had a blast.

And on the upside I've written 10 000 words this week, and am nearly at the 30 000 mark. I'm roughly a quarter of the way through, which means if I can keep doing little bits over the summer I won't be in such dire straits as I was at the start of last school year when I stopped writing for about six weeks, got stuck very heavily into no 1's startingsecondaryschool traumas which left me no emotional energy and severely dented my ability to write, and had a panicky time trying to meet my deadline.

On the other hand, knowing how my life works, I'm sure there'll be a new domestic crisis which will bite me on the backside just to make sure I end up racing to the end at breakneck speed.

Still, I probably couldn't do it all if I actually had TIME to...