Friday 9th November, 2012

Two unfeasibly large cans of Zippo lighter fuel surprisingly arrived on our front door step at home last week. It transpires that Bob ordered these having discovered that I had set up one click shopping on Amazon. Precisely what purpose he has in mind I know not, but for the moment it would appear I got off lightly. A friend of mine told me he knew someone who ended up with a 125cc rally cross motorbike through a similar misadventure. Well, relaying this story last night, I may have stumbled upon a soul mate for Bob. I was with a friend to watch a "play", Simon Callow in The Mystery of Charles Dickens....go David, another winner. It's not a play really. More of a monologue. If you want to listen to someone recounting a protracted and frankly pretty boring bedtime story whilst you sit in a cramped seat in a stuffy theatre ( inevitably with some large uncouth yob behind you coughing their insides out ) this one is for you. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. Well would you credit it, but my friend's son - who has a fine collection of knives apparently - had also done the 1 Click Amazon thing. A book arrived at his office...."Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction". Respect! Bob's Christmas present sorted one might think. But not necessarily. I have some extraordinary news for you. The other day I got an email out of the blue informing me he had joined the choir. And shortly after that he secured permission from his mother to re-jig his GCSE options. He has given up History ( shame on him and Sophie ) and taken up Art. Here is a picture he sent me in a text message, made from leaves apparently. In due course I suppose it could be a valuable as an example of work from his formative years so I'll file this. It is too early to tell whether Bob's more sensitive side is taking over or to put another way he is turning over a new leaf. Boom boom. I have learnt from Hen that change in character traits take a while to play out don't they. People continue to ask me why we hear so little of Hen these days and I think I have told you already that life was becoming an altogether more serious business for her. At 20 you would expect that really. But if you want an update of her progress, studying photography at Leeds University, you may be amused to hear that I received this message from one of her house mates who seems to be finding her mature outlook too much to bear. "Hen is sitting in her room cutting out pictures of fairies and listening to Metallica....I want her to move out."