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The things I learnt today

... that when you rush to work, leaving everything as per to the last minute - by which I mean loading the washing machine, feeding the dogs, rinsing the dishes so that there is a chance that the stay at home offspring will manage to wash them up properly much later in the morning, chucking bread ingredients into the bread maker so that the same offspring will have food for lunch, making hot chocolate for Littlest, taking the fed dogs out for a walk round the garden with poop-scoop toolage and wellies and a raincoat and actually remembering to eat breakfast and find vaguely matching, vaguely respectable attire that will vaguely 'do' for work - and you push the speed limit along country lanes to arrive on time. And you do arrive on time. Just. And after saying, "Hello," and "Isn't the weather awful?" the receptionist politely inquires, "You do know you start at nine?" And it's an hour earlier than nine. That salvation lies in a cup of freshly ground coffee and a cooling-off stroll in the rain.

... that little girls have the best sleep overs:  a pile of neatly arranged, chatted to and named cuddly toys; pizza; soft cushions; fluffy blankets and a film with popcorn and hot water bottles. The latter because ... well - it's England, it's nearly June and the temperature is at the average for January.

... that I haven't rabbit-proofed enough of the garden. That Four-legged-rabbit-killer-friend is only interested when they are little or lame and therefore not requiring of too great an effort to catch. That Bertie Baggins disdains all things rabbity - apart from the small round tasty brown treats they scatter about the garden. And that rabbits unfortunately don't eat weeds which means that I am definitely becoming more a fan of Mr McGregor than Peter Rabbit. Which is probably a sign of increasing years ...

... that I don't know the difference between inquire and enquire and have probably got it wrong and will have to look it up. Again. And more worryingly, I look at my title and fleetingly think, 'should it be learned' ... but it is late, I can barely focus on the screen, and I do know the answer to that one!

... that an earlier bedtime would be a good idea

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