Woke early and went downstairs.
A couple of emails from the people who run the swimming club. I run their website, just keeping the notices ticking over, telling the members and their parents what's going on. It's not a high-powered thing, but I was the only person who responded when they asked for help in maintaining the site.
Having done the updating, I went into the kitchen to clear up after last night. We had some people round and there were a few bottles of champagne to wash out and tidy away, as well as a lot of detritus from a fun evening.
Next I spent a while sending emails out to people. My mother has given me a painting done by her brother in law, Don Breckon. It's not a very commercial piece. Don paints trains — or rather he did. He says the inspiration does not fire him up any more, so he thinks about painting, rather than actually doing it.
The painting is in dull greens and browns. It's called, Condemned Engine and has sat on my parents' wall for 20 years or more. My mum bought it from Don when he was struggling, just after he had given up teaching in art college to begin a new life as a painter. Since then, we have seen his paintings go for quite large sums, but I suspect this one is not worth more than a thousand or two, and then it would have to go to the right collector.
However, when I shine a spotlight on the painting, it comes alive with other colours, showing the skill Don has and why his paintings have become so popular.
Eventually, the rest of the family emerges and we share a little family time.
Then AspieBoy has to go off to his tutor. Around my area we still have the 11-plus exam, and this year he has to take exams to see if he is smart enough to get into the local grammar schools.
He is, but he's a bit ditzy. So we employ a tutor to help him deal with exam technique. This is the final mock exam before the real ones start in earnest. Turns out that he got stuck on a question. Instead of passing on and answering other questions, he just worried way at this one question, so got a poor mark. Thank goodness for mock exams.
When he came back from that, we went around to a friend who is celebrating his birthday, and enjoyed a barbeque and drinks with friends. We caught up with people and found out what they have been doing over the summer. There was champagne and speeches and gifts.
AspieBoy had to go to a party where he and some friends went swimming for a couple of hours. That was great, as he was exhausted by the time we got him home.
Sunday was a lovely day. it was Aspieboy's birthday. He is now 11 years old, and he slept in, not waking until 7:30, thanks to the excitement of the previous day.
In other news, I reached 50 years old on Saturday. Nothing much has changed.