Photo's

Alas, again, I have no pictures to post. Luca has proven rather elusive in front of the lense over the past week, and his Mother? She'd give Usain Bolt a run for his money if I stood at the start line with my camera in hand.

We've had a relatively event-free weekend, with little to report. I ran another training 10K around Inverurie/Port Elphinstone/Thainstone again on Saturday morning after Luca's football training (no goals Grandad Mike), setting another personal best which was pleasing. However, my knee is worryingly becoming problematic again, and I'm going to have to nurse it through the next week until Sundays Nairn 10K. I may have to return to the gym to work on the machines again, lifting fixed weights to improve the knee muscles again.

Later on Saturday I picked up Luca's pal Ethan, who was staying overnight with us while his Mum had a night out. We've known Ethan since he was a tot, but he has a number of issues and requires separate classing, tutoring, speech training, etc which means certain parents do avoid getting involved outside school. This makes him sound extremely difficult, and he is at times (he's incredibly hyper and frequently extremely ill-behaved) but I often get the impression he needs more stimulation, activity and attention. Although a nightmare with other children at times, I seem to get a different child when it's just the two of us (for example, I had an hour to kill with him on Saturday while Carole and Luca finished up on the farm). He seems to respond very well when you put him in situations where you're forcing him to make a decision rather than just telling him what to do. A light goes on, and he'll think about things which in turn helps him understand consequences. He likes this responsibility too. I often get the impression childrens problems are over-exposed at times, which (although with the best of intentions) makes a child feel different, excluded and victimised.

My amateur psychology is over now, I promise.

Luca has been great however. We had a Father/Son day on Sunday, spending most of it out on foot, exploring and deciding what and where to go on whims. He's becoming whip-smart and has a real hunger for knowledge. I get uncomfortable when I don't know the answer to a question ("How long do squid live for Dad?") as I don't want to simply give him answers for the sake of answers.

He's still not very physical however. We had a cringeworthy moment yesterday when our football went through a fence forcing him to climb through to retrieve it. He's incredibly conscious of the dangers of falling which is a relief for worried parents granted, but his painfully slow and studied movement through the fences gaps (along with repeated calls to Dad to help) were a trifle embarassing. It throws up a conundrum. I love the fact he's careful in everything he does, which means I don't need to worry too greatly about what he's doing day-to-day. However, he really needs to toughen up soon or risk his peers consider him a figure of fun.

Hopefully the brightening weather will allow us to get out a little more now the worst of the winter is over. Indeed, it was only -2 degree's yesterday, a veritable heatwave up here.

I'm nearly finished at Asco now. With Wednesday my last day I'm winding down and essentially waiting for the time to pass. I'm horrible at goodbyes though, so am considering not returning after lunch on Wednesday. Is that too inconsiderate? Social dilemma ahoy.

**Useless fact of the day - Fathers tend to determine the height of their child, mothers their weight**