Busy, Busy

We've had a fine time so far this week, with many thanks to all who organised everything and for helping us out in tricky moments. We loved all of it, apart from Ds's moment of panic when he believed that he simply couldn't do one of the activities due to the suggestion that it may involve some acting. His panic passed with the promise that he wouldn't have to do it if I couldn't help him out. In the event he enjoyed himself and didn't need me at all, though I doubt that we have really tackled the stage fright thingy in the long term since the acting demands were actually pretty minimal.

I am not unduly bothered by Ds's inability to face the acting stuff. My brother (a wag and a wit and now a public speaker par excellence) virtually couldn't make himself stand upright on a stage as a child. When eventually put on his spot, his only option other than collapse was to tighten every muscle in his body and stand completely rigid until someone dragged him off again. So I sort of figure it might work it's way out of Ds's system at some stage, or if not ever, so be it.

Yes, we've done a lot this week. I guess I should have realised how busy we'd been and not tried to buy socks late on a Friday afternoon.

In the sock shop:

Me: "No..honestly cannibals do, or at least used to, eat people. That is what cannibals are about."
Dd wide-eyed " Muuuuummm...they don't eat people. They blow people UP".
Me re socks" Not those, not those; they're way too big. NO cannibals EAAAAAAT people."
Dd, backing away and looking for other people to attach herself to: "Mum, I don't think that is what happens."
Me "Yes, it is. It is. It is. They EAT, EAT, EAT people. How many pairs do you think?"
Dd "Errr...Can I have the phone? I think I might phone daddy."
Ds " Yes, yes, phone a friend. You're both NUTS. "
Me: "Look darling. I know it's disgusting and perhaps I should have told you at a more sensitive time, but you're pretty cool about these sorts of things normally for someone of your age. I didn't think it would freak you out like this. But sad to say, that yes, in some cultures, Papua New Guinea, I think, cannibals really did eat other people."
Dd, "But how could they? They don't have mouths."

A ninety-six year old woman hobbles past, breathing heavily and sporting a hearing aid. She asks ME if I am alright and then goes on to say that in her opinion I am talking about cannibals whilst Dd is discussing cannon balls and did I need any other help.

Yeah, right.