Upsides and downsides

We have had a mixed day today, so I have listed it.

Upsides

1. Nanjo is back.

2. We have bought organic extra thick double cream for the ice cream maker.

3. The children have been self-directed and absorbed in educational projects.

4. We have bought a day bed from Ikea for the au pair who is coming over soon to be interviewed by Shark, Tiger and Squirrel.

5. The weather is lovely and we have all the doors open to the garden. 'Tra la la' everyone is singing with the joys of spring.

6. I made delicious stuffed mushrooms for tea thanks to a can of spicy Greek beans in tomato sauce. And mushrooms, of course.

Downsides

1. Nanjo is worn out after a heavy Easter weekend and has collapsed on the sofa in front of James and the Giant Peach which she says is rubbish anyway.

2. We have lost the spindle that clips the paddle to the motor in the ice cream maker.

3. Squirrel spilled yellow paint all over the yard. My knickers, which were hanging on the line without pegs, because we have no pegs, fell in the yellow paint. Then Tiger locked herself in the top flat and refused to come out. Shark screamed herself hoarse in the garden because she had seen a bee.

4. Raj at the Ikea checkout put his elbow on Hot key 7 and I paid £1.49 for Glimma Tealt 1o. We had no Glimma Tealt 1o. But I didn't notice until the transaction was complete which meant that I had to go to the Returns desk. Unfortunately, because I had no Glimma Tealt 1o I had nothing to return. A very fat lady had to come down from a different floor and enter a special code for invisible returns. It took 20 minutes.

5. The blackbird who lives outside flew in the kitchen and proceeded to bang its head against the window repeatedly while pooping everywhere. We opened a window nearby and Dig started to wave a broom wildly about which he called 'encouragement'. I fled the grisly scene and wouldn't go back in until all was quiet.

6. I burned my hand on the pan handle. It stings a lot and I've wrapped round it a bag of spinach.