#1286 Monday 30 November

Summer is here again ..... when dawn is very early ..... so Kaylia is up with the sun and the day begins for us!   ..... 5am this morning.

At breakfast everyone was at the table eating  ..... except me .... I was still preparing school lunch and all the other morning routines. So Naomi thought I needed an "ego stroke" ......

Evening:  News for Callum ..... I've started a new brew .... of lemonade .... half alcoholic and half non-alcoholic.  The lovely brew of apple cider is going fast! Only 4 bottles left.

#1285 Sunday 29 November

It was the usual routine today ..... except that I couldn't find the 'special' implements for making pancakes!  With new people in the house the items had found new places!

 ...... and "Dessert" played all the way again!

The greywater recycling system is now functional ..... and today I began the overflow pond.

#1284 Saturday 28 November

Hannah and Callum left this morning ..... everyone was sad with lots of tears.  As usual it all went over Kaylia's head ..... she still doesn't understand the concept of someone leaving.   I think in her mind they just fade away.   She will ask for them in the coming days .... she gets puzzled about why they're not here.

A similar thing is that recently she has been asking to visit Grandad ..... how do you explain to her that Grandad has died?

Evening:   She's having a tough time at present ..... It's as though something is hurting so we've given her painkillers ..... but she's still upset. Nothing is helping her and she can't tell us what is wrong.  Is it growth pains again?  I don't think it's teeth this time.

By 6:45pm she's asleep ...... an hour earlier than normal .... so maybe it was just that she's worn out!

#1283 Friday 27 November

Kaylia is in the final days of her primary school ..... lots of special events.  Today she goes to "the Maze" water park .... she's very excited.

Today is also the last day that Hannah and Callum are with us .... they fly to Queensland tomorrow.  We will all miss them ..... Kaylia, Teddy, Naomi and I.   The time they have given to us has been very special.

.... and tonight we had "Little Ceasars" pizza ...... a last feast!

#1282 Wednesday 25 November

Last night Naomi and I had a "night out" at the movies ...... Callum and Hannah looked after Kaylia ...... including the bedtime routine.  Today we heard that Kaylia expressed her displeasure with their version ..... and took over to show how it should be done!

(A big shout out to Callum's grandmother in UK)

I've spent today with Aunty Maxine .... she's had a fall and now has four crushed vertebrae.  Ouch! Not pleasant.  The good news is that the damage should heal in 3 - 6 months.

Tomorrow Kaylia has another visit to BCC  .... preparing for high school next year.

#1281 Tuesday 24 November

Once again the full moon approaches ..... and we have to adopt measures to counter the effect ...... this is the effect that doesn't exist!

In some ways I don't mind it ..... one of the main effects is that Kaylia can't get to sleep.   I try to get her to sleep in the usual ways but after twice the normal time, I resort to a dose of Melatonin.  Her normal pattern is a fairly quick descent into sleep .... about 30-45 minutes.   So after an hour of trying I give her Melatonin and she goes to sleep within 15 minutes.

I've found that during the settling phase, she likes to think about her future ..... so we will talk about the next few days and sometimes further ahead.  She whispers to herself and I can almost hear the cogs whirring as she works out a nice thought pattern that she can sleep to .... then she rolls over and settles to sleep.   It's a nice time.

#1280 Sunday 22 November

Oh the trials we endure ..... only partly joking!  Yesterday was a day of repetition!  She was latching onto the next event in her routine ..... and repeating it over and over .... and over ..... and over ..... 

None of the usual management techniques were working.   She wasn't showing any of the common anxiety signs ..... it had us puzzled.