Laura got all indignant tonight. I called Nik to look on the computer at a rude joke someone had emailed me. Laura knew she wasn't invited to look and she complained to Nik.

"It's not fair", she said. "You know, mum, I'm not a baby and there are people in my class who know the B word". She almost did the Les Dawson nod-head-with-arms-folded look.
"Well you know the B word", said Nik. "It's 'bloody'."
"Oh, is it?" Laura said. "Well, anyway, some people know the F word", she said, conspiratorily.
"I don't want to hear you say that - ever", said Nik. "It's a very unpleasant word and nobody who's nice ever says it".
"Oh...

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It was just Laura and me today. She doesn't go back to school until tomorrow (inset day today) and her mum was at work so we had each other for company.

I got up slowly, as I often do these days, and came downstairs at 9 to find Laura curled up on a sofa in front of the fire, snuggled in her fleecy dressing gown and watching Spongebob on the telly. I had my orange juice then went to make my breakfast porridge. I asked Laura if she'd had her brekky earlier, with her mum. She said no, she hadn't, but she didn't fancy porridge and she'd make herself some toast with chocolate spread. In the interests of an un-chocolate-smeared kitchen worktop I made it for her - very carefully - the bread hasn't to go brown, it must become hot and...

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Our next-door neighbours have got a new cat. They've had him about a month and he's 4 months old, just being allowed out for the first time over Christmas. He's a tabby with white feet and he's going to be very handsome when he's fully grown. At the moment he's like a gangly teenager, all legs and big ears.

Jeanette was scared to let him out because he hasn't been neutered yet (he's in for that treat in February). She's never had a tom before but I assured her he's too young to spray his territory or to have lascivious thoughts about queens - or, if he has them, to do anything about them - I've had many tom-cats so I know what's what in that department. She also worries because they had 2 lovely little queens, Fluffy and Smokey,...

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