Friday- Skipton meeting

I was feeling very frazzled and stressed on Friday morning. Maeve was doing some work on her final project (Btech Graphic design), which has to be finished at the beginning of next week, and kept saying things like, how do you do... in Photoshop? which I can only guess at, really, and getting all stressed. She's been doing alright in the stress stakes so far, considering, anyway. She suddenly ran downstairs ant 11.30, saying "bye"..."where are you going?"... "Manchester" (duh?, of course?)...I know she was going out in Manchester in the evening to see REM, but 11.30am is a little bit early?
Anyway, Jem was off to Magna before 9, with the Montessori School trip. I cant say that I had had enough sleep. The boys were following me around, mithering all morning, while I was trying to help Maeve, and wake up, etc. I had to find out how to get to the Skipton meeting. I was determined to go as I didn't have to get back to pick Jem up as I usually do on a Friday. I'm usually pretty shattered by Friday, anyway. So, the meeting was Ok, it was nice to see people IRL, anyway, even if it was a bit difficult to actually have a conversation, due to boys continuing to be very demanding. Allie had only slept for about 5 minutes, but was still tired and clingy. Fugs was a bit shy for most of the time, and wouldn't join in to the activities without some help from me, which can be a bit wearing when all the activities, including eating are based on the floor and you have a toddler clinging to your lap. I was very kindly provided with some soya milk for my tea, which made things more bearable, athough, why do these places always have cups that are about a third of the size of what you actually need to drink? And once youv'e got your tiny cup of tea that's really it, because it's really too much hassle to go and get another. (Perhaps this was all grossly exaggerated by my tiredness; the cups seeming even tinier in proportion form my greater need for tea?)
I didnt reallise until right at the end that a much older boy had been hassling Fugs. He had been tickling him and picking him up, and Fugs seemed to be laughing and didn't say anything to me. But just before we left it happened again and he was suddenly crying and it had obviously got too much for him. He told me on the way home that an older girl had told the boy not to be so rough with him. I suppose this is what he is 'missing out on' by not going to school. Well, at least I was there and will be more vigilant next time. I mean he is only 4, and I don't think this sort of thing will toughen him up in a good way, more likely to make him do it to other kids. I don't know if the older boy knew he was upsetting him; I think maybe it was his way of interacting; he doesn't interact overly with other children. He had been hassling Jem on another day and I just assumed he had been accidentally bumping into her, but this when this was reiterated by Fugs today, I thought differently. Well, it's not a big deal, because I can watch out for it next time, and I'm sure I can deal with it somehow if it happens again.
It was a hot and humid day, with Irish mist (AKA light rain), which they played in th excellent park in, which I think was probably the best bit. The weather made me feel even tireder, but at least I talked to quite a few people, and managed to remember their names!
We were a bit late picking Jem up, but I think it was OK as it was a bit vague what time they would be back, anyway. So I managed to get everyone fed with roast vegetables, and while I was having a pre-putting to bed moment with a cup of tea and the computer, a large inflatable pirate ship paddling pool appeared in the hallway! (very enterprising children to suss it all out). I fell asleep as soon as they all did, so the 10' pirate ship was still blocking the door when the others came in, and almost fell right into it.