Still a bit twitchy

But who'd have thought that deep breathing, trying to stop panicking about how much there is to do, and y'know, actually doing some of it would be useful?? Weird.

My copies of Nurse Matilda and DWJ's new book, The Pinhoe Egg, just arrived. Really liked Pinhoe Egg. Now I need to reread to get some considered opinions and not just "It's [character from previous book] all grown up and happy! Eee!" I liked the heroine a lot, and the magic, and the descriptions of village and countryside life.

Still adore Nurse Matilda. The lists of bad behaviour are triffic.
"'Miss Tora has cut off one of Miss Susie's plaits -'
'- and Master David has made a beard out of it, and glued it on to Miss Charlotte.'
'Master Simon 'ave dress up ze dachshoooond in my best Parees 'at, and take eem for ze promenade.'
'Miss Helen has poured syrup into all the Wellington boots -'
'Miss Stephanie has grated up soap to look like cheese, and now poor Cook's dinner does nothing but foam -'
'- and all the other children are doing simply dreadful things too.'"

The sheer depths of worryingness implied by that last line! The comeuppances are also wonderful- the children ending up in the pond having porridge-covered socks flung at them, and so on; the writing is nice and story-tellish, but not naive; and lots of lovely flourishes like the Healthful Fresh Air, and Cook's toupee, and the Great-Aunt's list of treats ('and, above all, the pianoforte...'), and so many more; and the Ardizzone illustrations. I was so glad they reissued this.

Good stuff on TV tonight; must go and watch it.