Bobby started work today, and was rather underwhelmed by the experience. Seems that things there move with breath-taking slowness, and much form-filling is required. For instance, he has yet to get his log-on identity (which he needs in order to actually do any work). Seems that this requires a spot of form-filling, and the person in charge of those forms wasn't around. Or something. So he spent the day being shown around the swimming pool (which apparently we are also allowed to use, yay!) and tennis courts and cafeteria and whathaveyou. I picked him at four, and he was exhausted from a day of doing nothing. Boredom does that to you. I hope he gets to do some work soon, or he'll get fed up and quit.

The kids and I felt slightly guilty enjoying the current glorious weather while Bobby was wage-slaving. It was odd being without him, after the last two months of family togetherness. But, after doing all the chores (to minimise the guilt pangs) we walked over to the wonderful 200 acre green space just down the road from us, and picnicked under the trees, and fed the ducks, and played on the playground, which has a very cool foofie-slide. If that's what they're called here. Nice day.

The only thing about living in this house that I don't like is getting the car out. We park our car in front of the house, and in order to extricate it, one has to back into a bay opposite between the neighbour's car and a brick wall, with only millimetres to spare either side of the car. Then one has to execute an extremely sharp turn to get down the driveway out onto the road; a turn which, if one misjudges, will result in scraping either (a) the neighbour's car or (b) the wall or (c) a strange wooden contrapion belonging to the shop in front of us (our house is built behind the Reigate Farm Produce store, which sounds alluringly greengrocery, but is, sadly, actually a butchery - albeit, mercifully, a posh upmarket sort of butchery rather than the sort that has gruesome hanging cows and things) or (d) the side of the shop. And once in the road it's still a bit fraught, as, despite the fact that the road is narrow, cars park along the sides of it, which means that two-way traffic is a bit problematic.

I wanted Bobby to take the car today, but since he hasn't been allocated a parking bay yet (takes quite a few forms for that, apparently) I had to give him a lift. I did manage to get the car out to fetch him, but only thanks to my dear son, who very nobly positioned himself between the car and anything I might hit (which involved a bit of dodging around), and yelled helpful things like "Stop!" and "Good work, Mom! No, other way now! Good! Stop!"

Tomorrow I have to take the car again, as I have to drive Ems all the way to Gloucester for her appointment with the paed. endo. Should be fun - 2.5 hours each way, plus the hospital recommends allocating 45 minutes to an hour to find parking. Not looking forward to it at all ...