Wednesday 14 November 2007

A weight is off in Z's mind

I was vastly encouraged yesterday, when I stepped on the bathroom scales for the first time for several years. I had received something of an unpleasant surprise when, against my protests, the doctor weighed me and I was several pounds heavier than I'd expected. Ro appropriated the scales some years ago and, since they only depressed me, I didn't miss them. But I thought I'd check - and I was about where I had thought I would be before I was forced into a position of complete embarrassment. Now, I appreciate that the doctor's scales are more likely to be accurate than mine, but that's not the point; it's that I hadn't put on, unexpectedly, the worst part of an extra half stone.

Having faffed around fluffily on Monday, I am well behind with the week's work, and I'll be out most of tomorrow. I'll catch up, of course, because I have deadlines next week and time expands most helpfully just before a deadline, usually into the early hours of the morning, but how easy life would be if one just got on with the bloody work and then went out and enjoyed oneself, rather than wasting time and feeling no satisfaction at all. I'd completely screwed things up today in any case, by saying I'd babysit in the morning and then realising I'd be out at a lecture I couldn't miss. Fortunately, by going in early with Al to set up the shop, he was able to leave at 8.30 to babysit and I waited for Tim and then left at 9.

When I arrived home in the evening, I went to see Dilly and the children and was met by Pugsley walking across the room. Until today, he hasn't managed more than a few steps without holding on to something, but now he can do corners and everything. Squiffany wanted to turn somersaults, and I put the cushions from ths sofa on the floor for her. As I put the last one down she said "Good, now we've got a rectangle." I was impressed. "Do you know the difference between a square and any other rectangle?" asked her mother. Squiffany drew shapes with her fingers to try to show the difference. I picked up another cushion. "What shape is this?" "It's a square", she said, correctly.

When her father arrived home, we told him. He wasn't surprised. I suppose I shouldn't have been either. When he was ten and his little brother was two, Al used to teach him addition and subtraction, in the greenhouse, using flowerpots.

9 comments:

Dave said...

I've lost track of all these amazing folk. Which one was the dog again?

Z said...

Dave, this talk of babies may be dull, but you wait. One day you may be a besotted grandparent too.

Pat said...

Congrats on the weight maintenance. One is always heavier at the surgery because one feels too shy to fling all ones clothes off and at home most of us step on the scales Harry Starkers. I wish one could easily get a totally reliable machine. I have to do sums with mine.

dharmabum said...

i like the title of this post - very clever, z ;)

Arabella said...

Visual maths! I'm sure I would have enjoyed doing sums with flower pots.

Z said...

Darling Pat, you are so sweet to congratulate me on not actually having put on weight! Does your machine weigh in kilos? Doubling, adding ten per cent and then dividing by 14 is a bit of a pill.

D, cheers, sweetie!

Arabella, objects are easier to understand than figures, aren't they?

The Boy said...

Expected or no, its always a thrill when they make those big learning (and physical) steps.

Z said...

It is, Boy.

Pat said...

No it''s just that it never goes back to nothing and I don't like to fiddle with it. So I have to subtract what it registers over when vacant and i'm just now losing the will to live:)