Half Term

Kids these days, eh? They seem to spend less time at school than ever. I remember in my day we were lucky to get a weekend off for half term - and we had about a week's worth of homework that had to be handed in as soon as we got back. Now it's all about taking some time off - a whole week - and just chilling.

Or to be more accurate, running up and down stairs screaming at your sister, playing tuneless noises on a recorder over and over again, watching the telly at full volume. Being loud.

Yes, it's that wonderful time again when the girls living next door (or to be more accurate, just the other side of the party wall against which my desk sits) are not picked up at half past eight by the bus and whisked away to be educated, but instead spend the whole day at home. And to add to their fun, their step-sister has come to stay.

Why are girls so noisy? And why can't they concentrate on just one thing for more than a minute? I've got headphones on and the music up loud just to try and blot it all out. And even then I can feel the ruckus through the floorboards from time to time.

Ah well, at least I've got some new tunes to listen to, courtesy of a good friend who has just sent me No Cool Bone by Diane French - very soothing, good writing music.

Now all I've got to do is get on with the writing...