I spent today shopping with Ems. Winter clothes. Our quest confirmed something I'd already noticed : there are no medium-sized children in the greater London area. There are lots of babies. There are toddlers galore, usually in strollers or on leashes. But there are no children. It seems that they disappear as soon as they can walk on their own, and don't reappear till they are hulking great teenagers. And it also seems that, since there aren't any medium-sized children around, the shops don't bother stocking things for the 10 - 14 year old set. It was bizarre; in every shop there was a whole slew of adorable baby and toddler clothes, a fair selection for children up to 7 (and Sophie, at a rather small just-8, fits into those perfectly), nothing for Emily's age and size, and then lots for the teens. We did eventually find a sweater and a couple of long-sleeved tops for her, but she still needs a decent coat. Sophs loves her new coat (purple and snuggly) and Stephen declines to even consider purchasing one. He may change his mind in November though.

The shopping was fun, in girly-day-out way, but this evening I feel a bit like I've been run over by a train; every muscle in my body aches and I think I am running a temperature. (Actually probably that is not how a person feels if they actually have been run over by a train. But I feel too weak to adjust my similes.) If I don't feel better soon I may actually have to cave in and visit our doctor.