The weekend started out full of promise. Lots of exciting things to be done - too much really, but it gave us options as to what we wanted to explore. Swimming lessons were a must as they are already paid for. Then there was the end of year Physie concert and party, a big local fair, a visit from the outlaws (Wife’s family) amongst other things.

But by 1:30pm on the Saturday it was all in the crapper. But I get ahead of myself.

The morning started pretty good with Little Miss and I heading up for a swimming lesson. The last two times it has just been the 2 of us - which has been pretty good. Little Miss is a little bit scared of the water now since falling off her ‘noodle’ flotation device, but we spent an extra 30mins in the pool after the lesson practising, so we are getting there. It is fun for us, but kind of horrific for those that have to watch me splashing around in bathers.

Then it was home for a quick snack, a quick change and then off to the physie concert, where we were joined by the outlaws and Aunty Crazy. We got there in plenty of time to get ready before the first group - which being the 3-4 age group was the one Little Miss was in. Off she marched ever so confidently performing her routine with her friends in front of a 100 or so strangers. She didn’t miss a beat or waiver in the slightest even smiling and enjoying herself immensely.

Gone was the little girl who in last years xmas display at daycare just stood there holding her jingle bells by her side, her bottom lip quivering the whole time as she tried not to cry. The footage of that even is soooo gut wrenching to watch that neither my mother has not been able to watch more than 10 seconds on it on total, and Wife will pretty much cry everytime she sees it. But that girl is long gone.

Or so I thought.

You see after all the groups had performed there was a little end of year party for all the kids. By this stage I was the only one there with Little Miss (for reasons that will become obvious). So the lights dim and the music starts, and there is cake, and presents, and balloons and everything that makes like grand when you are 3. And there standing amongst it all, not dancing, nor laughing, nor running around was my Little Miss.

All by herself ………….. a lone soul in a sea of fun and excitement. I could actually feel my heart skip a beat at this stage. If it was possible I would have instantly bought her a pony just to distract her. She looked so lost, and overawed by the whole thing. As others where running around in little groups or dancing, she just kind of stood on the fringe of it all.

I wondered how she could have looked to be having so much fun when performing and yet so lost at the party. Then it hit me, she is like me. I have played in bands in front of 1000’s (even naked occassionally), done heaps of media, run meetings of 100s of peopld and given speaches in large halls while TV cameras rolled (thankfully the footage has been lost) and none of it really ever phased me that much. Nervous sure, but no enough where it was a problem.

But, take me to a party and you will find me hiding out in the kitchen. I just can’t do small talk or stike up a conversation with individuals - and I think Little Miss will have that problem as well.

Luckily after a while she was joining in more, but by the time she was getting started it was time to go home. I bought her a treat on the way home - more to make me feel better as she kept saying she had had a great time.

Oh, and the reason there was only Little Miss and I there for the party? Usurper was sick, and still is -  amost 5 days later. Wife took her to hospital on Sunday night when she had spent over 24hours throwing up only to discover it was a virus. But it has been terrible watching my little bundle of craziness and psycho energy turn into listless, unsmiling little sickly child over the last few days.

Of course all this sickness is beginning to take it’s toll. Little Miss is going stir crazy and getting jealous that Usurper is the centre of everyone’s concerns. Usurper is starting to be frightened to eat or go to sleep, because whenever she does either she ends up covered in vomit. And Wife is suffering from lack of sleep, and shot nerves.

It is a powder keg here at the moment, the only question on my mind is whether or not I will be collateral damage. I am afraid, oh good people of the internerds, which is probably why I am sitting here tying this in the middle of the night afraid to go to bed lest I stir one of the sleeping beats.

Pray for me………