the eye is improving.

the same can be said for the knees.

i feel very adult and responsible with the way i have treated my knees these last two weeks. i have not gone for a run, or done any serious walking (over 2k). i did a very tepid workout the other day on the elliptical trainer with no side effects so i am ready to do an easy run i reckon. don't you?

20 years ago i would have powered through any pain, ignored everyone, not bothered seeing any doctors and made everything worse, and probably would have had a dramatic accident somewhere. but 38, ah, we love ye, and i am a respectable matron, and respecting my limbs is all part of the game. tomorrow i pick up where i left off.

we had sebastian's birthday party today. 10 boys. star wars party. that's all i am saying.

the first 2/3 was excellent, the last third was not as great, but hey, what can you say. the boys had fun and on the whole, were well behaved. the ones that weren't, i talked to, jokily at first, with my beady eye next, and then with narrowed still gooby red eye and questions that required no answers.

ie: did you hear me say don't walk on that fence?

my almost seven year old was thrilled with his special afternoon. LOVE HIM.

and if you want to know how i didn't include the triplets in sebastian's party, read on. but first, my justificiation:

i wanted sebastian to have both his parents just focusing on him at his party. i didn't want him having to share his party with his siblings. we will have a family party another day. we will also talk about the hypocrisy of us wanting sebastian to have a separate birthday when sela and carys will probably share until they leave for college at some other point.

at first jasper, sela and carys did not want to be left out of the festivities. there was incredulity, shrieking, stomping and yelling in that order. and then mummy began the bribery, and basically offered them everything that was going to be happening at the party, except better. at the party there was pizza and chips. well, i offered them pizza and crisps, TWO FAMILY BAG SIZES. it wasn't enough, but it was a good start to negotiations. the boys at the party were going to watch THE THUNDERBIRDS, which didn't thrill my younger three. so i called andrea and she said i could borrow MARY POPPINS ("you can keep it, it's shite" interjected chad). the triplets were thrilled. MARY POTTINS! shouted jasper. and then the kicker.

the main injustice was that sebastian was getting out for a party. and they, were being asked to stay home because they never get out and never go anywhere. so andrea offered and i agreed with pathetic eagerness, to let her host the pizza and crisps party at her home. and let it be said the triplets are in andrea's home at least four times a week. yet…when i played this card on top of the other incentives…pizza, crisps…two bags at that…a mini birthday cake of your own, party bags, mary poppins and AT ANDREAS…they exploded into delight. the deal was done. they could not hide their joy.

i felt very good.

and it was very good to come back from the party, satisfied that sebastian had had a good time, and see my trio, and realise they had celebrated sebastian's birthday, as mary herself would say, "in a most delightful way".

it almost makes me feel as if i am, "practically perfect in every way".

almost but not quite.