so after school ice skating trip on weds, panto on thurs, it was school fayre day today (why 'fayre'...?). as a kind and helpful person, i volunteered to help for the morning. i am not sure i will ever recover.... take one victorian gym hall - tall, brick walls, narrow and with no sound softening at all; add 400+ kids released in groups of 66 into the hall to spend their few quid on other people's junk; result = no conversation at a volume less than shouting for 2 hours solid.

carpet biter1 overwhelmed and tearful at the prospect so clung to me as we went round the stalls. but still managed to spend quite a lot and get a good deal of junk in return including mr incredible for carpet biter2. carpet biter2 less overwhelmed - won on the raffle first go and bought a huge balloon which burst in the playground 5 mins later with no tears shed (i would have gone back for another if i didnt think i'd have gone mad being back in that chaos...). next year i will make generous donations and keep a loooowwww profile