Friday, February 29, 2008

Kicking off, musical interlude and a strange request.

1. Watching Daniel trying to push himself up into a crawling position. Cat gives him loads of cheers for this, but he looks slightly puzzled: all he wanted was the toy that was just out of reach.

2. Drumming with Ellie. I am told off for not doing 'middle middle edge edge' and for pitter pattering in an unsatisfactory manner. Later we hang out with a story book and she switches on her father's stereo. It's Beethoven's Ode to Joy. She can already spot the swells that come at the end of each movement: 'Finish.' I tell her about the twiddly-twiddly-dee bits, and how they sound like people riding horses. She laughs.

3. A man on a mobile phone is demanding: 'Really bright light... yeah, like moonlight. Smear a load of grease on it.'

Morning, errands and entertainment.

1. I murmur an acknowledging greeting to a passing bin man. He is a well brought-up African and replies with eye contact and a warm 'Goo...