Hospital appointments and newspaper photos

What a busy day it's been. I'm not feeling at all well now. I feel like I need to sleep for a month. I've noticed I'm getting tired every day, just like I used to before I started making bread from home milled wheat. I'm going to get back into making a loaf every day again, as it's so beneficial to my energy levels.

Today Luke had an appointment at the Royal Children's Hospital in Belfast. Our appointment was for 10.30am but we weren't seen until after 12.30. It seems that they give everyone an appointment for 10.30 and then just let them all sit for 2 hours or more. Jude came with us, as she thinks that going to the Royal is a good exciting free day out. There are plenty of toys, and the whole place is like a kids museum - umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, display under glass floors, playdough to create with, dolls houses, castles, things hanging down from the ceiling. It's like an indoor adventure playground. When we got to the orthopaedics outpatient department there was a children's theatre group putting on a performance! How exciting! They were all dressed in ridiculous costumes, one was playing the guitar, one playing the accordion, and they had a flea circus with them. They perform various acts with performing fleas, which were quite enchanting. We had the camera with us, so Jude stood up to take a photo. The performers relished this photo opportunity and started posing for her. "One more", they kept saying, pulling different poses. She got some good shots. It seems that they go round the hospital performing in the various wards for the children, which is lovely. They were there for about 20 minutes after we arrived, but then the kids entertained themselves for another hour and a half while we waited to see the consultant.

Eventually we were seen. The consultant was lovely, and very good with Luke who hates people looking at his feet. He had already taken his socks and shoes off to show me that there was nothing wrong with his feet, and so he didn't need to see a doctor! The consultant asked him to walk up and down the room, and then played with his feet a bit. Once again they told me that he is unusually flexible and he should be enrolled in a dance or gymnastics class to help strengthen his ankles, and because he could have a natural talent because of his flexibility. I must look into that. This time the consultant decided it is time to do something about his feet. They are not improving on their own. So he now has an appointment in October to get a plaster cast taken of his feet. They will then use this cast to make him a special pair of insole type supports, moulded to the shape of his feet. He will need to get his feet cast every time they grow a size (which is very often, I can tell you!) It's going to be some fun trying to get him to wear them.

We were planning to go to W5 after the appointment but there was no time left. We did go to pizza hut and had the buffet while we waited for Uncle David to finish at Uni. (We had Aunty Hannah with us). Then we drove back home with them both. They are, at this moment, getting some portrait photography done, to celebrate their engagement. Then I drove to the school to pick Sam up, drove Jude to archery, drove Sam home, drove back to archery to get Jude. Then we had the photographer from the local newspaper out to take a photo of the children with their tallest sunflower, which is now 9ft 3.

The boy in Sam's class who thumped him, thumped him again yesterday. The boy tried to tell the teacher that Sam had kicked him, but a classroom assistant had seen Sam working away, minding his own business. So this boy was suspended for the day. His parents were called to collect him. He didn't go back to school today either. Sam was glad to see that the school are doing something about his behaviour. The violence is not just directed towards Sam, but anyone who happens to be within reach, it seems. After the surprise of Sam getting into the higher maths group, he came home today all pleased because he had received his first 'grade'. They grade work A to D for attainment, and 1 - 4 for effort (1 being the highest). For Sam's RE homework he was graded A+, 1. He was delighted! He seems to be doing really well at the school so far. A little praise really spurs Sam on to do better. Something which was sorely lacking at his old primary school, where he was constantly put down by his teacher.