Happy Biker Girl

Miss L has cracked riding without stabilisers and is clearly very proud of herself! A quick ride round the village after school and only one near-death experience!
I've had a funny old day.
The last few days I've woken up at about 5am and not been able to get back to sleep. The birds outside are deafening and I find myself fretting and going over and over things in my head. Not the most relaxing start to the day.
As usual the morning was spent doing French homework. There were only two of us again in the lesson which is great. We get so much done and there's nowhere to hide! 
A quick trip to Tescos then to school(s) to pick up the Little Misses. 
When we got home Miss E dropped and smashed her iPad. To say she was distraught would be an understatement! She was wailing that Daddy would be so cross and wouldn't buy her a new one. 
She was so upset and cross with herself there didn't seem to be too much point in getting upset and cross. I just kept hugging her and telling her I'd sort it out.
I had planned to break it gently to Mr K but unfortunately Miss E announced it as soon as he'd walked through the door. He got cross and Miss E ended up bawling under her duvet.
With me trying to comfort her again.
All while I'm bawling too because I can't bear to see her so sad; it was an accident; I'm feeling all at sea because I've got children at different schools; the new school's unfamiliar and I can't stand change; I'm worried about my dad; I still haven't booked Eurotunnel for Summer despite meaning to for weeks and now all the early trains are sold out and I still haven't done it; I need another extension for my coursework which I still haven't got to.......
And because the news about Prince dying knocked me for six.
Growing up Prince was a massive part of my brother's life. He worshipped him.
He spent the best part of the late Eighties channelling Christopher Tracey and we must have watched Under The Cherry Moon a hundred times. When we weren't watching Purple Rain.
After his brief Howard Jones phase the only music I can remember him listening to is Prince.
He loved him so I loved him too!
I was lucky enough to go and see him at Wembley once when I was about sixteen. Mr D had tickets but couldn't go. It sounds cheesy but being there amongst the  thousands of people waving their lighters (pre mobile phones!) as he sang Purple Rain is one of the best moments of my life
All the other deaths this year have struck me as sad; a shame and a loss to their area of creativity. But no more really.
I was surprisingly devastated today when I heard the news that Prince had died. 
In recent years I haven't really been able to listen to his music because it reminds me of Mr D and how life doesn't turn out as it should.
But tonight - with all the tributes and songs being played, especially Sometimes it Snows in April - it all came crashing back and I couldn't hold back the tears.
I tried to explain a bit to Miss E why I was sad but I couldn't really. It was so much more than just a musician dying.
I was reminded of my mum crying when John Lennon was shot when I was about Miss L's age. The next day at school I got in a fight because someone was taking the mickey about John Lemon getting shot. I didn't really understand what was going on but I was so cross on my mum's behalf that someone was being so mean!
I've just checked - I was only five!!