Progress Report

The hexodont has now learned to clap hands, and to heave himself into a standing position while clutching someone's leg or the bars of his den. He has not yet learned that it would be nicer/wiser to eat everything that is presented to him, rather than distractedly catapulting it on to the kitchen floor, but we persevere.

I have now finished reading Diane Duane's Wizardry trilogy [*see comments], and thought it rather good. In fact, it was so enjoyable and thought-provoking that it made some of the Diana Wynne Jones I have also read recently seem a bit trivial. I'm not sure I shall seek to acquire any more of Duane's books, as reading some more Madeleine L'Engle and Russell Hoban is a higher priority (so many authors, so little time...), but I'm very glad to have tried these.

But as next week's family gathering is in Exmoor, I feel I ought to take Lorna Doone as my holiday reading.

Return of the Bug

Not since I got food poisoning from the canapes at an office reception have I had such a violent disturbance of the gut as the Squirmle's bug gave me last night: at least it was a short, sharp shock. Between 8 p.m. and midnight I made 6 visits as my lower intestine expelled its contents wetly, then at 1.30 a.m., after visit no. 7, I had a stupendous chunder, and in a few moments felt much better. I know: you really didn't need to know that, but I just had to mark the occasion for posterity.

A friend consoles me with the thought that, once your immune system has been hardened up by all the nursery bugs, you may hope for a couple of illness-free years before school starts the process again.

Bugs, books, and babies

Recovering from the last bug brought home by the Squirmle, we are now confronted with the prospect of another. He deposited a deeply-coloured blueberry residue across his cot at some point last night. Hoping that this was an isolated and cough-related incident, we packed him off to nursery, but they phoned late in the morning to say that he had been sick, and brought up his entire breakfast. Oh joy! We shall have to treat him as infectious for at least 24 hours, which means no Toddlers Club tomorrow.

Our ranking in the LT Largest Libraries Zeitgeist has slipped from peak position of No. 353, as other users have been beavering away. The list of similar libraries has been curiously fluid, presumably because adding even a dozen books subtly changes the statistics.

Getting older

My knees are getting wrinklier. Is it just age, or also wear and tear from sprawling on the carpet with the Squirmle? My birthday presents included a baking tray (a nice solid one which won't buckle) and an insulated mug with a tight lid (useful for keeping coffee warm while dealing with the Squirmle, and for avoiding spillages).

Spent yesterday hacking down the horrible ivy which my neighbour had wrenched off the back fence. His new fence is shorter than the old one, so we have even more of a grandstand view of his rather lurid tan-coloured shed. I'm going to have to find something very large to plant there: perhaps a Fatsia. Since I also need to buy and plant a quince tree this spring, and move a small conifer at the front, it's going to be a busy time.

Recuperation

Only after the doctor gave him antibiotics did the Squirmle show real signs of being ill: by the Thursday his temperature had reached over 100. Fortunately by Monday lunchtime he was back to normal, so I could take him to nursery and then crash out myself to try and fight off whatever he had passed on to me.

However, last Friday I woke early in the morning with a dull ache in both hands, reaching halfway up the forearm, and found that my fingers didn't work properly. I had no strength in my grip, and any attempt to lift or pull anything caused pain in the fingers and forearm. Pouring the tea took two hands, and I had to find a new way of holding my spray deodorant. Amid mutterings about "carpal tunnel syndrome" (which it certainly wasn't), I contacted the doctor. It may just have been a side effect of the viral infection, but it was worrying, since it made actions like picking up the baby and changing his nappy both extremely difficult and acutely painful. I was relieved that by today it had subsided to a vague tiredness of the muscles. Actually, the bit that made me feel the worst was the blood test ordered by the doctor. I've always felt faint after blood donation (had to give it up), but I discovered that having even a small amount of blood removed left me faint, nauseated, and deeply unhappy. I had to lie down for five minutes while the Squirmle wriggled in his buggy.

Restless nights

Teething and a cold are being blamed for the Squirmle's restlessness, which got me out of bed at least four times last night. Also, he is developing the habit of rocking on hands and knees in the cot, which I did a lot as a child. Tomorrow we see the doctor about eczema ointment, so maybe she can help with the snufflebug as well.

The LibraryThing catalogue has now hit the children's books. No hiding place. Must read some of them!

Wikipedia

Sorry to see that a Wikipedia editor with whom I have had fleeting contact (Sdedeo) is quitting because of proposed changes which would restrict the ability of casual editors to edit Wikipedia without some form of moderation.

I do not have the time to read up on the dispute. There are several "moderated" Wikipedia clones already. I see no reason to compromise the complete freedom of access which has characterized the original.

Link to original rhubarb is susan post.