Just Kick The Bloody Thing

 I love a kickabout, but when someone (usually a child) starts introducing rules as in- "You stand over there- no- further back- and I'll be goalie and you try to get it past me" my heart sinks a little- because now you've moved beyond the primal delights of ball control- where the only person you need to impress is yourself- into the arena of competition- and that horrid thing called team spirit can't be far away- and one's freedom of action has been compromised- and tears and screaming matches have become that much more likely. 

Only Sleeping

•  My mother spends most of her time asleep. The carers get her out of bed mid-morning and put her back again early evening. She spends the first part of her short day dozing in a chair in the dining room and the second part dozing in a chair in the living room. 

She eats and drinks- but has to be prompted to do so. "Don't forget you have a cup of tea," is something we say several times every morning. "I haven't forgotten" she replies, only of course she had.