Farewell family F

Our lovely friends have gone. Son is a a bit deflated not to have two bigger boys to wave sticks around with. Twin 2 is feeling bereft at dearth of big boys to flirt with. She also has chicken pox, and is wallowing in spotty misery. Twin 1 by comparison is quite perky. She agreed that she would miss the boys and their parents but was easily cheered up by plotting bits of furniture to desecrate with her new non-washable felt tips. Hubby is mildly glum, but has cheered himself up a tad by monopolising Son's new remote-control helicopter. 

Meena, on the other hand, is positively beaming. It must be the realisation that she no longer has to cater for nine every night.

I am really quite grumpy. This is partly because the nice family have gone, but also because I realise that I have committed myself to trekking next week with a family we barely know. And actually, the more I do get to know of them, the more nervous I become. The Twins went to the birthday party of their youngest child, and what struck me was that THERE WERE NO SWEETS BETWEEN THE LAYERS IN PASS THE PARCEL. Perhaps I'm a bit obsessed with pass the parcel, but sweets for all participants are just a necessary part of it now (not like in my day). I kept trying to remark cheerily on the nice shiny wrapping paper, but the gaggle of three and four year old girls could barely hide their disappointment at the lack of candy, and could hardly muster the enthusiasm to rip of the paper. And I couldn't help wondering how much fun is it going to be trekking with a family who don't have sweets at a birthday party? Perhaps I'm doing them a disservice. Or perhaps they have lots of dentists in the family. Or perhaps they are no fun? No, no, mustn't think that! Anyway, I will try not to dwell on it. We may have to cancel in any case as it is quite likely that Twin 2 will come down with the pox just in time.