Day 115: Family conference

It was week one of Exile #3's second season of 'swim lessons' today, when we returned I set to work removing the empty cardboard removal packages from the basement. We had put them there in a (reduce,) reuse, (recycle) moment thinking they would be good for our next move, but the basement flooded during our mid-April wet spell and they are soggy and smelly and no-use to anyone. They will still be recycled, but they can await that fate in the well-ventilated garage.

When I had finished I found Exile #2, Exile #3 and Exile #4 industriously planting out the flowers that the girls chose yesterday. Moments like this are great - everyone working together - really happy times.

Recent days, however, have been characterised by a fair amount of grumpiness at Exile Central. Exasperation and exasperating behaviour have been feeding each other in an unhealthy loop. Finally, we took action to break the spiral late this afternoon. The four single-nationality members of the family sat down to sort things out. We instituted a 'happy family jar' - into which we can each put beads when we manage to meet our goals (not yelling at the kids for the adults and not needing to be asked again and again to do something for the girls), bad transgressions will result in shame-inducing (hopefully) removal of a bead by the offender. We celebrated our fresh start by going out for tea at Exile #3's favourite restaurant. Bedtime was fairly calm and happy. So far so good.