I hope our house has elastic walls. Having made the fairly modest addition of a dog, we've now acquired an extra child, a schoolfriend of penultimate son who was left homeless after things failed at home. The spare room isn't ideal for a teenage girl, but it and the family can offer her some security and stability until the whole situation is sorted out, and that's unlikely to happen quickly. She's a joy to have around, sharing the chores and making her own mark on the way we work as a family. Parents' evening proved complicated, with two sets of teachers to see, but it was quite wonderful to be able to come home and tell two kids that I was proud of them.
Bertie has become very much part of
the family, showing enthusiastic affection and gentle obedience, and occasionally giving us cause for merriment. A few days ago, the boys were playing Monopoly, and Bertie decided to join in, but he hasn't yet got the hang of taking his place at the board properly.
Now that the worst of the wet winter is over, walking the dog is more a pleasure than a chore. Each lunchtime, I escape the office for an hour, the first three-quarters of which sees the two of us hurtling round the cemetery. I've lost weight and lowered my blood pressure, and Bertie has gained weight and bounce, and now runs most of the way round, streaking away and back to the path so that he must travel twice the distance I do.
Meanwhile at work, term drew to a welcome close with the usual flurry of student tutorials, intensified because I had my sick colleague's cohort as well as my own two. In addition there are vocational training matters to deal with, and the odd crisis to survive. On a good day, I remind myself that I'm honing my organisational skills and stamina, but by the end of term, I was mostly just exhausted.
But term is over, and a beautiful Maundy Thursday service at the Cathedral last night reminded me why I do this stuff.
Today we're all at home making hot cross buns with the prospect of an evening bowling and then going out for a meal. We have lots to celebrate: surviving a heavy term, the kind of parents' evening every Mum hopes for, youngest son's A* in maths GCSE (taken early), and happy additions to the family.
After a short break with my lover last month, we were able to fit in a city break recently, which after an arid winter, is positively an embarras de richesse. Fine food and champagne, shopping and art galleries, dinner with a friend and a luxury hotel - it's all a whole different world from the everyday grind, and I come back happy and refreshed. With so many positive things, I think Easter this year is going to be joyful indeed.
