Happy Valentine's!

I have decided that, generally speaking, I prefer other people's dogs to other people's children. Generally speaking, they are furrier and less intrusive, and cuter. However, I now realise that I should stop telling people this. I have confided this to a couple of other mums and the look of horror and outrage on their faces is a bit of a hint that the way I feel is not considered normal.
I try to be interested in other people's kids, really I do. Some of the older ones (above the age of two) are friendly and personable and not unattractive. But the younger ones can be a bit scary. I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to clutch someone else's baby to my bosom. Perhaps it's kind of post-traumatic-baby-stress? Perhaps having the Twins has just depleted any scrap of maternal instinct I ever had. Don't get me wrong, I adore my own children, and actually I like their friends, too. It's just that dogs are cuter (and you can kick them outside when you've had enough of them - although, come to think of it, I do that with kids as well).
Yes, well, sorry, that was a bit random, wasn't it?
Apart from that, what's been going on?
The shopping trip in the rain was a great success.
The car has broken down again.
Twins had class assembly, and we were very pleased that Twin 2 managed not to have a wee on stage this time.
Nice friends V&H have come to stay. Kids are very excited to have guests and Twin 2 has already decided that V should be another one of her husbands (the list also includes a boy from her class, her big brother, and Winnie the Pooh - she's not bothered about the legality of polygamy). However, I suspect that V&H feel the same way about kids as I do, and are far more interested in Gary-the-Tibetan-mastiff. I can't say I blame them as he is far cuter, furrier and less irritating than my children will ever be.
Hubby is in Pokhara. He says it's because he has to do interviews there in the morning, but it also conveniently gets him out of having to do anything for Valentine's. Never mind - I am going shopping with H tomorrow and I shall spend the money he should have spent on a Valentine's dinner by taking H out to french restaurant, fabric shop, jewellery shop and pashmina shop. That's if I manage to get Twin 1 to go to school. She has been complaining that her bottom hurts, which is kind of unspecific and could mean anything from a bruised bum to a urine infection. I'm going to take her to the doctor, who will hopefully say she's fine to go to school. Otherwise she'll have to come shopping with us, which I'm sure she and her hurting bottom will be thrilled about, but I think H would prefer if Gary could come instead...