Red Light District

I've been asked to make a couple of clarifications and apologies regarding my last entry. First of all, it seems that there is a post box thingy outside Lymington Library to put your returning books in out of hours. I think someone might have told me this when I lived there. I paid enough in fines to fund a new wing.

Also, Lucy wants to know what Gravity Youth is...well....a sort of pilates class for children. We started Anna going because she stands like me with a big curve in her back and her bum sticking out, and we thought this might help her posture. And we have subsequently sent George because he isn't doing enough stuff and otherwise it is just an ongoing battle over the Playstation. It's not just pilates things - they do running about and games and they both seem to enjoy it. Hope that has been helpful Luce!

Speaking of pilates, I have had a very good week on the exercise front. It has always (sadly) been my dream to have a life where I could reasonably get to the gym every day in the week, and finally it's come true. So this week I have been at the gym every day, with the exception of Wednesday when I couldn't go because George was off school (more on that later).To make up for this, I did two classes back to back on Thursday - pilates and then Bodyjam. Although I enjoyed both of them, I was very tired later on in the day, and also found it hard training today, but I suppose the more often I do it, the easier it will get.

With regard to George's absence from school. He's having a bit of trouble adjusting. I was asked to go and collect him from school during Tuesday morning as he was feeling nauseous. He had been complaining of this for a couple of days on and off, though not really showing any other signs of illness, but he was definitely not himself. I had him at home for the rest of the day, and then again on Wednesday, when he didn't get any worse but didn't feel better either. In the evening I had a long chat with him in which something I said finally made him open up a little bit. He told me that he felt he didn't have any talents, and everyone else at his school does, and that he wants to be good at something. He cried and I thought my heart would break for him. I think that out of his comfort zone at Milford School, he is a little at sea and doesn't know where he fits. He has never had a lot of self confidence and obviously this very big change has been very challenging for him. George is generally happy, and says that he wouldn't want to go back to the UK, but underneath this he feels insecure I think. We've tried to impress on him that it is who he is that matters and not what he does (wish I could properly get a handle on this myself!), and that everything he does should be entered into with a positive attitude and his sense of fun, but it's a long journey isn't it? Thankfully since this conversation he hasn't felt sick anymore, and I've made arrangements to go in and talk to his teacher about things.

The only thing you really want for your children is for them to be happy, and when they are not........it's wretched.....

And if you are wondering what the title of this post is all about, it's because an extremely irritating thing has happened. Yesterday I received a letter in the post letting me know that I had gone through a red light at Brookvale, been caught on a camera (lots of traffic lights have cameras on them here) and was therefore being fine $308 and getting 3 demerit points. Now obviously, this isn't something that I would knowingly do. I don't recall doing it. And I can't find a way of making it Andrew's fault (v annoying this).

As if this wasn't bad enough, I can't help worrying that more letters are coming in the post about the driving misdemeanours I know I have committed.....ssshhhh though....don't tell Andrew.....