Yesterday we met the mayor of Southampton. H took part in a summer reading challenge, so we dutifully waited at Thornhill library (he was 30 minutes late, the children of Bitterne had all turned up for their medals). H got her medal, along with a ragtag bunch of kids of similar ages and stages, and 2 fantastically named broods. One set of siblings were called Edward, Francis and Cecilia. Another set were called - wait for it - Hermione, Xavier and Sebastian. Where do they think they live? Notting Hill? Hogwarts?

Bitternetastic day on Friday, when the first swim of the day was cancelled as the water was too cold, but we cycled there for H's lesson and A and I bravely went in the baby pool while H did her widths of the deep end. Cycling home again was an effort but H made a brave attempt at the hills, and stopped for some chips. Chips is one of those post swimming comfort foods in my world. We used to go with the Cubs to Walton Swimming Pool, a giant concrete structure of the 60s. We did everything with the Cubs. Anyway, mum and dad used to go to Sainsburys and do the shopping leaving me and my brother with the Cubs to look after us. So I learnt to swim with Clive Finnear. God bless you, swimming teacher. He was one of the Cub dad helpers. Anyway, we used to stop sometimes as a rare and exciting treat to get a cone of chips to share in the back on the way home. Even more thrilling was when mum bought us a pot noodle, to share, when we got home. We used to painstakingly ' fill to here' and time the minutes between stirs. We licked the soy sauce from the sachet while waiting. One of us had to get a bowl and eat half of it from there, but we took turns and oh - the bliss - I am salivating now - when you got the pot and there was a bit of unrehydrated MSG at the bottom. Or a pea, proving that pot noodles are good for you.

I am teaching 2 days a week at the moment, for a few more weeks, covering for someone who has broken her arm. Right now, I should be planning. But instead I am getting excited about a pot noodle. No wonder children can't read and write anymore eh?