A mixed week

It's been a strange week. I'm feeling rather bereft but also like I'm settingly into a new routine.

The week began with us saying goodbye to our lovely cat Tau. She was nearly 12 years old and had been with us since she was a kitten. Tau-ie (as we liked to call her) was a tortoiseshell cat who had the softest fur and the softest personality possible. She was lovely and friendly, never hissed, bit or spat (even at my young daughter!). She always purred her lovely rattlely purr whenever you paid her any attention. In the evenings once our daughter was in bed she'd jump up next to me for a good old cuddle. Unfotunately she had cancer and deteriorated so much over the weekend that we had her put down.

Her cousin Mu is still with us and it's felt strange having only one cat to feed and look after, only one lot of food to put down, one plate to clean. Mu's been a bit lost herself and spent a while looking around and mewing.

It's also our daughter's first full week at school, full time, including school dinners. Her dad joined her for lunch on Wednesday and was pleased to report it was like school dinners when he was a child in the late 60s/early 70s! He said there was proper food on the menu and our girl chose lots of veg to eat.

As it's the first full week she also got homework. Now I'm not sure what I think of this. To be honest I'm not sure she should be at school yet - so many other countries wait till they're a bit older... i.e. don't have 'infant' classes. But she's there and they've given her homework every night. On the positive side, she's enjoyed colouring in and practising her 'jolly phonics' and on Thursday evening came home with an laminated elephant picture (coloured in green) with 4 words attached (I, can, said, the) and her very first reading book (Hop, said the frog. I can hop said the snake...) - which she read! Amazing.

The other change this week was my working pattern. For the last few years I've left work on Wed/Thu at 4.15pm to get to our child minder for 5pm so I could spend some time with Elizabeth before bed (I'm at home on Tuesday's and Fridays and her dad is here on Mondays). This week I left the office at 2.30pm to pick her up from school. (I had to do the extra time at home). I felt like I was deserting my colleagues at lunchtime - so early!

We also had our first school friend (and her mum) round for tea on Friday. I planned on clearing up and then baking but got delayed at the allotment for over two hours showing new people around. So I had only 3 hours to shop, tidy, hoover, clean and bake. Something had to give and I'm afraid it was the tidying and some of the hoovering. My bedroom, the spare room and the study were a mess. I closed the doors but Elizabeth gave our visitors a tour of the house including messy rooms (eek). On the positive side, the sandwiches, cakes and fruit I served for tea went down well and the girls enjoyed playing (dressing up, dancing, colouring in, shops etc).

So this week's been all about change. We're missing our beloved cat Tau-ie, we've had to get used to feeding only one cat. We're also now doing the school run 5 days a week and helping with homework. Is change good - I'll let you know in a few weeks.

Oh, one last thing. The strangest event of the week was on Friday afternoon. We were adopted by a big Tom cat. He suddenly appeared a few doors down as we walked from school and followed us home (just like our Tau used to do sometimes). He wanted to come in with us when he reached the door but I wouldn't let him, so he went round the back and tried to get in the cat flap (Elizabeth locked it to stop him). He's now camped outside and given how cold it is we gave in and fed him - he was very hungry. We've contacted the local cat rescue places and tomorrow will put up signs - hopefully his owners will find him soon.