Subnuclear Family

So for the past couple of weeks, after the departure of Nicole to perform daughterly duties in Blighty after the passing beyond of her grandfather, Eloise and I have been going solo.

This has presented its challenges - behavioural, emotional, punctual, logistical - but with some help from friends we have muddled through.

School days were made a little longer and complicated by the Requirement to Skype at start and end, and by Eloise's decision to attend Reading and Maths Club before school, so we have struggled to get ourselves (read herself) ready to go and on the bike and there for 7.45am.

After-school activities have not been compromised either so the day has been ending between 4.30 and 5 each day.

This has meant certain fatigue problems, and with the advent of homework, the continuation of home reading and the occasional wash, well, it's been busy.

Which isn't to say that we haven't been missing Nicole, but there just hasn't really been time to express it.

So fatherly faux-pas have included, but are not necessarily limited to, forgetting to pack lunch one day (well having packed it, forgetting to put it in the bag), which was a bit embarrassing, and that's probably about it.

And, logistically, having had some evening work, childcare has been a smidge tricky.

But on the plus side, I did manage to skive off the School Beach Party when Eloise went with Marion. I had a nice nap.