And so the law of Sod strikes again. It is year end for me in my job and the busiest most manic time in the calendar - hence my tardy recent posting.

The Good Lady Wife has a job that is flexible most times but at others totally and utterly immoveable. It happens to be one of those now. She has a job that has some security implications so I cannot blog the reasons why. It is not calendar dependent or seasonal like my job so cannot be predicted.

And so, the afore mentioned law of Sod strikes as 23 month old Dixie decides now is the best time to contract chicken pox. She has to be quarrantined at home for a week which means that due to the GLW's work situation, I have to take time off work.

The poor love is covered in red spots from neck to belly with hardly any white to be seen. The odd spot on her head and legs but it is primarily concentrated in her midrift.

As even those of you without children will understand, she is not pleasant to be around, getting frustrated at the constant itching and is very grumpy.

Now add to this equation that as JuliaHames has previously pointed out, Children are in fact, vermin. A harsh choice of word perhaps, but true in the correct sense in that they are disease carriers and spreaders. So therefore the whole family now has a virus of some sort. Sore throats, bad sinus, headaches type flu-y thing all round.

So here I was today, moaning my poor luck and generally pissed off with life as work goes nuts without me, and I am stuck at home feeling unwell and looking after a spot ridden grumpy, demanding and ungrateful 2 year old.

Woe is me.

But then after sitting through most of Milkshake on channel 5 I switch to BBC2 and come across "Something Special" - and my reality check starts.

It is a pre school kids programme with a massive difference. It is about mentally and physically disabled children. I assume it has the aim of "normalising" them to young children, IE to show that it is normal and not be freaked out when they see them in the street. It also teaches kids sign language.

But to see those kids unable to hold their heads up, and have eyes darting in all directions, unable to speak or communicate in any shape made me feel guilty as hell for moaning about having to use up leave at an important time of year to look after an otherwise 100% healthy child.

Bad luck? Woe? get a grip Dan....you have no idea what struggle is!

And clearly I don't. To say my perspective has been changed, would be an understatement.

Right, goota go. Have to dab poor Dixie in Calamine.

Dan