Crap - I have loads of work to do for my 'Facilitating Learning In Practice' course to become a midwifery mentor. The deadline is 28th January - 2 weeks away! And I am here blogging and writing my book, very productively, but I'm evidently not prioritising! It has been strange being away from work for so long. Spraining my ankle took my out of action for a week, which was followed by my week of holidays - I am not going to want to go back!

Our visitors have gone, bound for Barcelona - damn, I really want to visit Barcelona. It may be slightly warmer there, of course that would not be difficult. We gave all our duvets and most of our blankets to our guests, given that they were stepping out of summer and flying around the world into winter. This left me so cold at night I have been sleeping in my thick fleece dressing gown, which had me cooked by morning! It was good to see them though. Hopefully they can come again for longer when we are moved and in the summer so we can have more days out.

I was late dropping Ali at nursery again today. The look on the teachers face screamed 'failure as a mother' while she uttered the words 'don't worry, we are just about to start the register' and forced a fake smile. Luckily I was biting my tongue as my head thundered out 'when you have your own kids honey, then, and only then can you penalise me for being 5 minutes late with mine!' Making sure I was early to collect Ali, I watched as she came out of school trying to interact with a certain group from her class. Evidently the playground politics start at an early age these days. She was positively ignored in favour of each group member. My heart broke for her as I recalled the situation all too well. It wasn't as if I was being wholly accepted into the 'parent' group of these kids either. Looking on as the teacher came out to inform one mother how her son had created something quite interestingly beyond his age that day, and another mother how her daughter had been very kind and looked after someone new today; I wanted to cry as I saw the 'failure as a mother' sign in flashing pink neon lights above my head. No tears left. Having constantly cried through the last few days, for every possible reason, and enhanced by my monthly cycle, there was absolutely no fluid left in my body at all. So a promise of tea out and the soft play area and everything was right again. For Ali anyhow.

Oh my goodness - Postman Pat has a helicopter? And a motorbike?