Twelve Hours To Go

It's Laura's birthday, she's 9. When ideas for a party came up she said please could she have a few friends for a sleep-over. She's been to a couple. We eventually agreed.

Six were invited but one couldn't come as she's gone into hospital today to have her tonsils out and one couldn't come as she's allergic to our cat. She came for tea a couple of months ago and ended up with a rash and a slight asthma attack. That left four of them plus Laura.

Savannah arrived first. She's a nice, quiet child but she's a little "old for her years" - very body-image conscious (how sad at 8 years old) and only wears "trendy" clothes. Vicky came next, she's one of Nik's Brownies, along with Laura and Savannah, and she's naughty - the defiant sort - but covers it with a polite veneer. Maya is troublesome but Laura likes her. Maya is small for her age but you can't miss her because she's LOUD. Last to come was Molly, Laura's best friend. She's a very nice girl, thank God.

I bought Laura a trampoline for her birthday and Nik and I put it together, yesterday, with much swearing and many pulled muscles and it was there in the back garden ready to be bounced on. It kept them amused for half an hour until Vicky thought it would be fun to run round the side of the house and ring the front door bell. I told her off, loud and clear, but she was unconcerned.

We got them fish and chips for their tea, which went down well. Savannah had chips and curry sauce and worried about how many chips she had - but ate them all anyway. For dessert they had ice cream with a variety of sauces and 99 flakes and chocolate buttons. The birthday cake was a big chocolate affair but they haven't had any yet.

After tea we played a couple of games of "pass the parcel" with forfeits instead of prizes. They liked that. Then we offered them a DVD to watch. They chose "Nanny McPhee" and settled down to watch it. When I say "settled down", they were quiet while Nik, who is used to shutting girls up, was in the room with them. If she moved, for any reason, all hell broke loose. I had to go in twice, like the Wicked Witch of the West, and threaten them with dire consequences if they didn't stop screaming/jumping on the furniture/running round flicking lights on and off.

After the film Nik made them all a cup of hot chocolate and, after drinking it, they went up to bed. Vicky and Maya had forgotten their toothbrushes - tough! the only spare one I have is used to clean the awkward bits in the sink and lavatory.

By 9.45 they were all, nominally, in bed. Savannah was the first to come down, complaining that Vicky was kicking her. Nik went up to sort it out. Next was Maya complaining that Laura was showing Molly and Savannah her diary and wouldn't show it to the other two. Nik went up to sort it out. Then Laura came down and grabbed her Nintendo DS because Vicky had brought hers and was playing with it (this was at 10.30). Nik went up to sort it out (confiscated until morning).

It's now 11.15 and they are still chatting, quietly. We have no idea what time they will get up in the morning but they're not going to sleep in - Molly is being picked up at 8.40 to go to Drama club.

They are all due to be gone by noon tomorrow. I may be in bed by 1 p.m. for a well-earned siesta.