Warming Up

Another tough day to get through, but luckily I didn’t have much to achieve. My son was still off school, but I felt pretty ill myself, so we mainly sat on the sofa and watched TV, which is what all days off-school should be. But I think it’s cheating having Netflix and even DVDs, so you can choose what you watch. It’s only a day off school if you watch Open University (catching sight of some breasts on a programme about surrealist films), Pipkins and Crown Court. Though my son did want to watch Scooby Doo which was at least the same era, though I did not approve of some of the things Shaggy and Scooby did in the episode that involved some Chinese gangsters. I hope they’ve been cancelled for their racism.

Ernie wasn’t too laid down with his illness and was a live wire as always, but he has a sweet heart. We walked the dog at lunchtime and popped into the shop on the way back so I could get him a treat. He chose a magazine and then wanted Maltesers too and there were no packets, just a box. But it turned out he didn’t want to eat them himself - he’d bought them for his sister. He loves her a lot (not entirely sure it’s reciprocal as on the way to school Phoebe had been fantasising about how sweet life would be if Ernie died), but it’s rare for a five year old to think of someone else like this, especially in the midst of illness. He might turn out to be a good person, in spite of the disadvantages conferred on him by having me as a dad.

It was good that I had nothing else pressing to do (though it would have been nice to do a bit work on the stand up show that I am doing on Wednesday night), but if Ernie had to get ill it would have been more considerate if he’d done it in December when I have nothing on, rather than during this rather busy five day period. Still I would have been wiped out today anyway, so it was nice to have a tiny companion beside me as I tried to stay awake.

I had to take Phoebe up to football practice and then, when we returned, I let both kids stay up to watch the football. It was a bit more exciting to watch this time, though the kids were still on their iPads (which I’d let them play on at half time) when the first two goals went in. I was sad for Wales (and Iran) but glad that the pricks who were all doom and gloom after the last match, despite the great play in the first, had to shut up (at least until England get beaten by Senegal). I am annoyed that my kids get to believe that England’s football teams are good after I’ve had to endure so many years of them being shit (it’s 56 years of hurt - in the men’s game - and I am 55). They are pretty blasé about it.