‘…startled by his furry shorts!’. Louise Rennison

mum answered the door all washed and dressed normally. And smiling. Crikey. It’s so relaxing and normal round here; no wonder Jas has got a boyfriend and is not on the rack of love all the time. She has been brought up properly, not dragged up by fools like I have.

      Jas’s mum said, “Would you like a piece of toast, dear, or maybe a boiled egg?”

      A boiled egg!! Wow it was like being in a Famous Five book – the next thing you knew, Jas’s dad would come bounding in with a cheery smile and a newspaper.

      One minute later

      Jas’s dad came bounding in with a cheery smile and a newspaper. What is even more amazing is that although he smiled at me, he didn’t say anything. Nothing. How cool is that? He didn’t ask me anything or tell me a crap joke, he just went off to read his paper. Like a proper dad. He has probably got a pipe.

      One minute later

      He HAS got a pipe!!!

      And he doesn’t even light it. He just sucks on it in a pleasant way and doesn’t annoy people with smoke, etc.

      Amazing.

      Walking along to Stalag 14

      8:30 a.m.

      Waiting for Jas to tell me about the snooker-hall thing. I’m not going to ask her; I have too much pridenosity. She was doing tuneless humming. Very annoying. Then she started talking about MacUseless and her part as Lady Macbeth. Who cares about her? She said, “Have you practised your crying for the bit when Macduff finds out his wife and children have been killed?”

      I just looked at her. If she thinks it is me that should practise crying, she’s wrong; it’s her – if she carries on rambling about rubbish for a bit longer.