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Tuesday 6 October 2020

Snaizeholme and sneezes

Saturday we weren't sure what to do.  We didn't want to do anything too strenuous as we knew Tom would be tired from school and had a full week stretching ahead of him.  I suddenly had the idea to go to Snaizeholme to visit the red squirrels.  We weren't disappointed.  We saw loads, in fact I think we spent over an hour down by the holiday let just watching them scampering from place to place, red squirrels never sit still making photography so difficult, but it was fun trying to get some good shots / video and certainly a pleasure just to sit back and watch them busy around us.  A good visit. 

We then decided to go to Hawes as we were so close for lunch.  We headed to the creamery, there was a queue, but when we agreed to eat outside we got served pretty quickly, and it wasn't too cold.  We then went for a walk around the town.  I decided to hunt out the Chapel Gallery who got in touch with me prior to Covid about stocking my chocolates.  I found it, had a look around (all decent stuff) and spoke with the owner who was still keen for me to work with her, so I left it that I would build up some stock and then get back in touch.  Should have asked about who her 'average' customer is to get an idea of what to make - oh hum, I'll get some stock together and then see what she says.


Sunday we had a morning of cricket training.  It was a beautiful morning, so all the parents were out sunning themselves.  The kids were amusing themselves nicely and we were chatting.  Then Tom announced he had a sore throat - but he hadn't drunk anything after charging around all morning, so we put it down as being a dry throat.  It didn't go away though...

Monday morning and Tom woke up in a complete state!  He was streaming and clearly not at all well.  He was also crying.  Crying because he felt unwell and crying because he didn't want to miss school and crying because he knew he couldn't go to school.  There was no way we could send him in, so we wiped up his tears and sent him back to bed.  We had a quiet day, watched a film on the sofa, lots of cuddles, and he got brighter as the day went on.  We, of course were then in a position of what do we do about school.  I had taken Tom's temperature throughout the day - it was normal.  He didn't have a cough and could taste things, so none of the classic symptoms of Covid.  Matt phoned the school and they said if it is a snotty cold, that is fine, send him back when well enough.  I made Tom a chicken curry for tea which cheered him up further.  He was in bed around 7pm.

Tom came bouncing into our bedroom at 7am this morning.  He was well enough to go to school and very much wanted to go.  We figured if he was happy enough to go to let him.  We checked his temperature - normal, so he got dressed, had breakfast and went along to the bus stop.  Different today as the whole school were at school today for the first time.  I had some cakes to do to keep me busy, but I was still a bit emotional.  My problem is that I didn't enjoy Secondary school so am worried / scared for him, but of course he isn't me, he is himself.  Also, schools have changed a lot in 30 years, so my concerns probably aren't all that relevant anymore.  Doesn't stop me from worrying though!  Tom came bouncing in at 3.15, he had had a good day (had snotted his way through 2 packs of tissues) but apart from that he had a good day and had actually been to a lesson.

As the week went on, he settled in fine.  He has already made new friends, and talks lots about Isaac and Jack so that meeting with them put him in good stead.  He doesn't talk about any of the Ingleton boys, just the Ingleton girls and other boys in his class, this is a good sign.   He is spreading his wings, we hope it continues.  

Oh and we found a solution to the lunchtime problem.  Someone suggested getting a wide necked flask so he could take hot food with him.  Genius.  Matt got on to Amazon, bought one in.  I made a huge caldron of curry.  We gave him curry and rice for lunch, with a whole load of snacks for break time.  Bingo, he came home very happy with not a crumb left.  He was very happy.  That is what I need to do now, make huge caldrons of stews etc and then freeze lunchtime portions for him to take to school.  Phew!

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