hello everyone - and thanks again for all the insight.

i have a hilarious update! DD5 totally blew her cover today at school when she read a whack of stuff - upside down - that the teacher was organizing at her desk. best of all, DD was pretty smug about the "i didn't know you could read like that?!" exclamation that she got from the teacher - so maybe this whole thing will get better simply based on the kid outsmarting herself. wheee - i'm pretty excited.

Every Sunday it brooded and lay on the floor. Inconveniently close to the drawing-room door.