B'day party meltdowns & general ramble..

I'm really starting to dislike taking Billy to kid's b'day parties. He's fine with family ones because he knows everyone but friend's ones where there are lots of kids, he doesn't know many of them and there is no structure - he just melts down every time.. We went to one today for one of his homeschooling friends, Johno. This was a combined party with Johno's cousin as well - so probably about 20 kids of varying ages. It was noisy, they were exuberant, he only knew the b'day family and they were busy with their other friends & cousins. He was fine to start with, just stayed fairly close to me, but then wanted to go on the 'tractor ride' - they were pulling kids around on the trailer of a ride-on mower. Part way around he fell off - and came bawling to me. He wasn't hurt, maybe a little shocked, but he was mainly upset that they didn't stop for him to get back on so he missed the rest of the ride! He couldn't find the lolly bag with his name on it (even though it was there), so more tears.. And so on for quite a while - missed out on finding a prize at the treasure hunt etc etc.. He ended up playing quite happily by himself having a tea party in the cubby and was fine! By the time we left he was ok and wanted to stay, but it breaks your heart to hear your kid sobbing "this is the worst b'day party ever".. (he is also a drama queen lol) I have to admit that I also worry what people will think, are the other kids calling him a crybaby etc.. Maybe he has more of my introversion than I give him credit for.

Hopefully he'll be ok on Monday - he's booked in for a claymation workshop at the art gallery and I don't have to stay. I think he'll be ok - the teachers will keep an eye on him and there's structure so fingers crossed - but I'll leave my mobile number just in case.

Other than that, life is going really well - I feel so much more relaxed with my new routine. I'm sleeping better, not clock watching all of the time and getting sooo much more done. I'm still only checking email 3 or 4 times a day, and if I get on the computer to do something I (generally) have a set purpose, do that and get off. I'm not perfect - I have strayed a bit lol - but on the whole I've even lost the urge to get online all of the time. I've unsubbed from some yahoo groups & gone no mail on others, or daily digest so I can skim the post headings. And you know what - life hasn't come to an end!

I'm coping with no microwave - the main thing is that I have to be more organised! I can't just zap something to defrost it, so I have to plan ahead a bit more. I bought myself a small vege steamer to go in the saucepan and have used that most nights. So far I can't see any reason to replace it.

I've been reading Jackie French's Backyard Self-Sufficiency again (I love that book) - got myself some hay mulch from a lady on LETS to mulch the fruit trees - and it's rained ever since, so it still hasn't been done! I bit the bullet and joined the Digger's Club - I've been sitting here drooling over the catalogues :)

I've even had time for Me - I've been reading a fair bit (when I would've normally be wasting time mindlessly surfing the net), been doing some logic problems (the brain has atrophied a lot since I used to do them!) and I even bought myself a cheap jigsaw today.

Apologies if this doesn't make sense - I'm ready for bed..