Down time

Yesterday morning I drove up to Kenilworth to look after Rhiannon, as Kath and Anto have the first of their band gigs of the new touring season. I enjoyed listening to her read, as well as reading to her. At the end of the school week, she didn't need too much from me, apart from her favourite tea time meal, and to be allowed to curl up on the sofa for a couple of hours to watch a familiar children's video and a little TV. She's not a great TV watcher, as her own imagination is so fertile. She loves making things and role playing with her dollies far more, so her desire to unwind with a little 'entertainment' was unusual, a sign of tiredness. She went to bed punctually with no resistance and was soon asleep.

The gig was closer to home than many, so Kath and Anto arrived home before midnight, pleased with the reception given to their revised set of songs. Anto got up early to watch the World Cup rugby, and was joined by Rhiannon on the sofa towards the end of the game. By breakfast time she was busy playing imaginatively as usual, refreshed by an undemanding evening and good sleep.

As I was about to leave Auntie Viv arrived to take over babysitting for a second evening's gig, somewhat further away in Staffordshire. Whatever time they return, Kath will have to be up in the small hours to drive to Heathrow for an early flight to Brussels for a meeting in Antwerp as part of her exciting research and development project on small children and dance. Such stamina! I headed home, hoping that the driving wouldn't leave me feeling too tired to enjoy tomorrow's duties.