Last Minute from School

Today, this evening, after the local shops have closed, bear tells me that the school are doing their version of the World Cup and bear is in the Argentina squad, so please can he go to school in shorts and a pale blue t-shirt. 

I found the letter which was sent out when bear was at his high school for the induction day, dated 3 July, so even if bear had been prompt, I would have been scrambling around.  It also requests sun cream (yes, I have that), water bottles (no problem) and a hat.  Bear does not possess a hat.  We don't usually get him out of the house much unless it's to play football in the street.  He is actually in the street quite a lot, but the street is half in shade and you can't really wear a hat for football.  Bear has utterly refused to wear a winter hat and the British weather means that most of the time there is no point in a summer hat.  If bear had mentioned it briefly in passing a little earlier, he could go in with a hat.  It is likely to be hot and I worry. 

Barbara - I think you are right about the machines built to break.  It's daunting.  Fortunately, or perhaps not fortunately, I bought an insurance with the machine.  I pay so much a month (around £5) which means that they will come out and at no extra cost will repair it if possible or replace like for like if not.  Last time they came out they sort of sucked their teeth and said not to worry, it was age.  I think that they couldn't be bothered.  I suspect that the bearings went.  Before it stopped working it sounded like it was tumbling a hod of bricks instead of bear's shirts.  It means that I can't just up and replace it because I'm sick of the dratted thing, or because the noise is getting on my nerves, but it does mean that things keep going longer and that it is very likely that I will not have paid the cost of the washing machine in insurance before it's replaced (I did a lot of sums).  I wish things lasted longer.  My mother's old twin tub kept going for years and it was an incredibly efficient way of doing a week's wash with a minimum of wasted water.  You could be incredibly subtle about gauging the temperature and the length of agitation and judge exactly when a shirt or a blouse was finished or whether a towel needed a little longer.  I'm still sticking to my automatic, you understand, as it was back breaking work, but there was a skill in it and the machine just kept going. 

btw I have gone back to replying individually to comments.  I'm never sure what is best, especially as I am getting more and more back into the land of the living and able to do more.  You are all amazing.

also btw I have put up a little flash fiction on Always Another Chapter as my version of going to the writing gym.  I will not be linking little bits like that in future, but will be linking other good stuff like book reviews and, of course, the White Hart.  New posts will shop up in the Blog roll at the right hand side if you are interested. 

also also btw if any blogs aren't showing on my blog roll and you would like me to add them, please let me know.