Report cards

Global climate change doesn't half throw up strange phenomena. On the way back from workfulness yesterday, the black clouds spewed lightning and thunder, stair-rod rain then hailstones the size of small icecubes. A #23 gave up the ghost under the torrent at Queen St, and chucked off a rush-hour load of passengers into a tropical rain. The streets off the Royal Mile became rushing streams and there was a 3 inch deep flood at the Meadows. This is maybe why the grannies tell us, 'Ne'er cast a cloot till May is oot'. Workwear this week has featured a fetching olive green kagoul, though I have not yet inflicted on my colleagues the frog-green wellies. I'll wait till my probation is passed before I bring those out.

The Big Wan got his S3 report card today, except it's not a card anymore as in my day from Mr Hollywood, but a print out. The same comments we've seen on report cards since P1- of high ability and a dreamy aspect in class; the same traits we see and appreciate at home. The only subject in which he's non-credit is maths, and there's some plans to try to turn this around. They have trigonometry at Standard grade these days, when that only appeared at Higher in my antediluvian day.

We had dinner tonight at my folks', including their usual rocket fuel coffee from a huge Italian mocha pot. Joe, who doesn't drink coffee at home, had a half cup of their potent brew and started speeding. Back at home we had a lovely chat about the S3 report, his plans and aspirations. He wants to turn the maths around, realising that he'll need this for more advanced science subjects, and I shall put in time and revision books to this end. He maybe wants to be a doctor or a writer, but mostly he wants a family. That's a wonderful but worryingly mature statement from a 14 yr old. He's always been kind to and interested in kids smaller than he, and has been a fabulous big brother to the wee wan. Later that night, I found both the kiddos in my room, the Big Wan telling the wee wan a science fiction story he'd been making up for 45 minutes before I sent them late to bed.