Leave Me Alone

After deciding at Christmas that the children would enjoy seeing more wildlife in the garden, I bought bird seed and some feeders. Since then we've done nothing but chase wildlife out the garden. Today I was seen running around our snow-covered lawn waving a sweeping brush at two scampering squirrels. It's in moments like these you wonder where things went wrong. (As do our neighbours.) Then I realise I was always this mad. (That, believe it or not, is a consolation.)

So apart from the presence of the thieving pests, and the less obtrusive legitimate visitors to the bird feeder, my Saturday has felt swamped by the twittering of my own little brood who have flocked around me noisily all day, when, following yesterday's long and tiring episode, I just wanted to be left in peace and quiet.

I couldn't bring myself to chase them with a brush however - and I do love them dearly - so I put up with them until bedtime before enjoying Back To The Future with the Mrs then further solitude as she went off to bed and left me alone with the bonus features.

If only I could travel back in time and tell my teenage self what it's going to be like being married with three kids and a bird feeder in my mid-thirties. Would that mess up my space-time continuum?