Final days of being 8

While we might rail against Ottawacker Jr.'s propensity to act like water and follow the path of least resistance - at least where making beds, clearing dishes, picking up toys, etc. are concerned, we are still trying to do our best to make these Covid times as happy as possible. This has been the Ottawacker Jr. day today.

Rise. Demand cuddle. Decamp to downstairs. Reading. Ask what time breakfast is. Breakfast. Allotted XBox time (1 hour). Convince father that he has to train Allison to take free-kicks and improve catching (45 minutes). Ask what time lunch is. Lunch. Suffer obligatory nag to clear dishes from table. Receive visitors to front door & accept invitation to go skating. Go skating (3 hours). Return home. Bath. Read. Goalkeeper training in the front room. Ask what time dinner is. Snack. Ask what time supper is again. Supper. Watch new All Creatures Great and Small as it is birthday week. Bed.

He turns 9 in two days. The time has flown. I regret enormously that his childhood has been marked by Covid, but he's happy and cheerful, cheeky and funny, stubborn and thoughtful, kind and gentle. We're thrilled. His birthday marks the half-way point to his adulthood.