S. and I have worked diligently for the past couple of days, working on her English assignment. The book is now done, complete with cover and she is chuffed.
It was actually quite an entertaining project for me and an exercise in restraint. It's not a large tome, filled with complicated plots, fabulous world building or deep characters, just a twenty-page story of murder, theft and insanity - kids like that I understand.
The worst of it is waiting for a mark. The kidlet is on school holidays - which is why she's with me - and still has a week left before handing the piece in. Then there'll be the endless waiting. I can cope... I think.
As a reward - not that I use such methods, of course - she's off to the beach today with a couple of friends whose parents own property down here. It's a safe area, but she's taking the mobile with her, just in case. That means I get to clean house before her mother turns up for the weekend.
We've had a great week. No dvds, she's only surfed once to catch up on e-mails, and we've played games, like Mah Jhong (S. takes delight in beating me, like all teenagers, I suppose, playing an adult), chess (doesn't like it too much), checkers (yep, she likes that one) and an old 1980s game, Mastermind. Then there were the morning walks. I said she could sleep in since I go early, but nope, she wanted to come too.
S. is a testament to good parenting, I think. She's polite, rarely argues unless she has a point to make, smart, friendly, chatty and doesn't mind being without her friends. What more could an Aunt want? Oh, okay, cooking and cleaning... but I'm still teaching her and she's a willing student. I couldn't be more proud. S. is going to be a wonderful adult.
Now, if only her teacher gets back to us quickly...
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