Geese a-laying?

On Saturday, I took the daughters' (high) school kilts and blazers into their school and donated them to the thrift shop - where parents can buy second hand uniform items. Yes, Daughter 1 is 32 and Daughter 2 is 30. There never seemed to be a free Saturday morning in the last 14 years until now... . Well, better late than never. On the way out, I noticed this still life, by a pupil, in a corridor and stopped to admire it. It was initialled and dated - I think the date was 10.9.11. Then, to my distress, I read the framed transcript of a letter underneath it, which was from an air force officer to the young painter's parents, telling of his death and the circumstances which led to it. I was amazed that I hadn't read of this death in the papers. Then I read further down the letter, found out that he was shot down by Von Richthofen and realised that the lad had painted the picture not in 2011 but in 1911.

Very sad, of course, whenever it happened - somebody's lovely boy. How astonished he would have been to know that his painting was on the school wall 100 years after he painted it.

I took our lovely boy out for a walk today. It was cold - but he's now equipped for winter in a fleecy cocoon. He was wearing gloves too, though he couldn't manage to extract his arms.

The sixth day brought another penguin. Can you spot the difference, however? Yes, he's facing right. Or, from his point of view, left. A Labour supporter, then, or possibly just a penguin with independent views. Or no sense of direction, much like me but not like Mr Life or Daughter 2.

Today's haul: a teeny notebook and some sticky notes with clock faces, to remind one of the day's appointments.