The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1660 by Angharad Copyright © 2012 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

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After lunch, I went into town, taking Jacquie and Catherine with me. Stella was looking after her own two and trying to get ready to go out for a date. It seemed that my attempts to get her and Gareth back together had failed.

We were looking for a Play station 3 and some games. I know I copped out but not so far as to get her Grand Theft Auto. The play station was easy enough, the games a nightmare. I bought a cache of basic ones and the latest edition of the Sims, so she can build planets or whatever for a few days. I know she’ll be bored stiff, but as a back-up, I bought Tomb Raider–Danny will like it in any case and probably Simon will too. I spent far too much money, especially as I got the Wii for Livvie while I was at it. So they’ll all be super fit as well.

Back in the shops after putting our treasures in the car, I got her a new cycling helmet–she left the old one in the drive and Simon ran over it–polystyrene doesn’t easily cope with a ton of metal running over it.

I wasn’t doing formal parties this year, she could have a DVD and have a few friends round to watch it. I’d do a sit down meal for them–chicken and chips with peas. I bought the chicken portions and I also changed the oil in the deep fat fryer. I don’t cook many chips, so this would be a real treat for them. I was doing the same for us afterwards.

So it was that we arrived at Trish’s birthday, Saturday twenty fifth of March. I had to remember to put the clocks forwards before I went to bed. Daddy did the grandfather clock in the lounge but I did the rest, helped by Simon, he can reach some of them easier than I.

Trish got her prezzies after breakfast, and was delighted with her PS3 until she found I hadn’t got the game she wanted. We had a small tantrum when I explained that it was for adults not children. She didn’t want the Sims, so I threatened to take it back for a refund. She snatched it off me and ran away to the dining room, wearing the cycle helmet Mima had given her.

I’d bought all three of the Toy Story DVDs because it was cheaper. I think they’re well made and the animation is phenomenal, with top actors doing the voices. They could see the latest one, which some of the kids might have seen but as far as I know, mine haven’t.

Trish had a new outfit to wear, so did Livvie and Meems. They all looked neat and tidy for five minutes, although their friends weren’t coming until four o’clock, when they’d get a drink and a chocolate biscuit. They’d then watch the film and about an hour or so later, I’d dish up their dinners.

She had four friends coming, plus our three was seven. Danny eschewed the female company, opting to have dinner with us afterwards. I’d sent Jacquie off to do the goody-bags, we’d give the girls afterwards. She managed to find a small toy, a hair accessory, some lip balm, plus a handful of sweets for each of them. I hoped none of the girls were bald, because they’d have to blu-tack the slide or barrette in place.

At quarter to four, the gates were left open and a few minutes later the first ‘guest’ arrived. I was glad I’d let Trish wear her three quarter jeans, because the girl arriving had similar ones.

It’s funny, up to the early teens, kids like to wear the same. Once they’re adults, not self respecting woman would stay at a social event if someone had the same outfit on, they’d be embarrassed if they had the same shoes or hair style–but kids–no problem, jeans, tee shirt and hoodie, with appropriate trainers on their feet. Trish had pink ones which flashed when she walked or ran. Definitely tres chic, well, Henry thought so, or Monica did, because they sent a pair for Trish and some for Livvie for her birthday. They also sent fifty pounds of vouchers, so not a bad haul.

I bought some of the flashing trainers for Catherine, she pulled them off her feet and ate them–well chewed them and fused the LEDs or whatever the system was. They certainly didn’t work after that. If she continues like this we’ll be calling her either badger or conger, because of her bite.

None of the girls wore skirts, none of mine did either. I was in jeans too, so obviously setting a poor example of a feminine role model–but hell, I’m a woman not a bloody model. If you want to see beautiful people in dresses, look up Andrej Pejic on the internet.

Talking of whom, apparently FHM voted him 98th sexiest woman in the world, then discovered their error and pulled his name off the list. Sad, he’s probably sexier than the group of women we saw queuing in the supermarket when we bought the chicken portions.

Jacquie organised the film show, while I slaved in the kitchen. The girls ate in the dining room and chattered like a flock starlings before, during, and afterwards. What do they find to talk about? Trish produced her PS3 and they took turns to try some car race game that came with it. That kept them busy after their tea.

I finally got rid of them at seven o’clock and was able to dish up dinner for the adults and Danny, while the girls continued playing the car race game. One would think that Trish would have an advantage over the other two, but she didn’t. Apparently, her reflexes are too slow, and both her sisters beat her at the car racing. She walked off in a huff at one point. Perhaps she’ll enjoy the Sims after all.

Simon was busy much of the day, the banks are still sorting out this mis-selling of insurance to cover mortgages and credit cards–High St were as naughty as the rest, and had to set aside five hundred million to cover it. He had meeting with his team to show the FSA that they had been trying to contact everyone who had been sold the insurance and to process claims as fast as they could. He wasn’t involved in it directly, but as head of the retail banking division, he’s got to sort it out. Henry’s been on his back about it, so we’ve actually seen very little of him for the past week or two.

The court in the US awarded Simon and the bank damages of a billion pounds/ one and half billion dollars, against the directors of the bank in Kansas, although they were long since gone. It exonerated him, and if the absconders turn up anywhere with an extradition treaty to the US, they’d be in trouble, as the court also issued warrants for their arrests.

It didn’t mean he got his money back, but at least his name was cleared, except in not reading the small print closely enough–until after the event.