Dad's visit

Oops, Mega-oops
There was a bit of a snafu at the beginning of dad's visit. I had asked my friend Caroline if she could pick him up at the train station as I was working at the time his train was to get in. But I said I wasn't positive he would get that train. I wasn't clear enough though and Caro thought I was going to call her once I heard that my dad had indeed landed. Only my dad's cell phone wasn't working when he touched down. In the end he got his train, but no one was there to pick him up. No hard feelings if you're reading this, Caro. It wouldn't be the first time I get into trouble thinking people can read my mind. Remi can attest to that. But all's well that ends well. Seasoned traveller that he is, my dad remembered the way to my place (though he didn't have the key). He rested in a park in the mild weather until I got home (er, about four and a half hours after his train got in).


I'm dreaming of sleep!
Juliette would decide to go wacky in her sleep when dad arrived. Waking and crying like she was in a nightmare. Virtually inconsolable. Then the cat started jumping on the door handle of the hall to get into our part of the house! Two or three nights of horrible sleep for everybody until we finally, begrudgingly, put the cat in the living room with dad. Catki sleeps on the couch with him or goes on to the balcony, and things are quieter.

It wouldn't be spring without...
Another childhood illness. Juliette ended up having conjunctivitis Monday and as I figured the sitter wouldn't want that in her house, I asked dad if he could watch Juju in the morning. I got an appointment with the doctor at midday and now she's got her treatment under way. Dad is quite helpful holding her while I give her the nose spray, or vice versa. She's almost to the point of not crying. Which is more than I can say for last Sunday...


The mother of all tantrums
That would be the day Juliette decided to say no to every l-i-t-t-l-e thing in the world. And cry and whine and turn her body in every direction. It broke the calm of our Sunday walk along this charming canal in the Somme. I'm sure the fishermen nearby were angry that she was scaring off the fish. I've never seen that girl cry and pout so much in one day. But I'm reluctant to pop her behind just when she's irritated, and it's hard to find a good time-out place in the outdoors. I'm getting used to the stares we get in stores when she goes all Exorcist on us. Could it be that she's turned into a bad child? We're still working on the discipline. Here you see her posing charmingly just before the bottom fell out.




Off to England
So we'll try a ferry-crossing and trip to Dover/Canterbury tomorrow with the dadster and Juju. A quick day and a half to soak up some English culture, tea and jolly accents. More later.