There's a word for everything these days.   Zuigerphobia is fear of vacuum cleaners.

Oswin has been staying with us while her mum is in hospital.  She's fine with that. She's used to staying with us and knows that Mummy and Mamma haven't abandoned her.

What sent her into mega distress was the vacuum cleaner. 

I think it's the high-pitched sound. She's always been scared of them.  Even in another room it distresses her.  She was actually afraid to go shopping (to get away from it) because it might start again as soon as she left.

Richard has instructions to phone me just before he gets back, so that the vacuum cleaner will definitely not be there when she returns.

It's a tough world when you're only three.


PS.   She's been 'helping' pick fruit and veg on the allotment - and proving in the process that young children absolutely love raw runner beans and mangetout and redcurrants, blackcurrants, raspberries, etc. as long as they're introduced to them early enough.  She isn't too keen on radishes yet, but we're working on that by serving milder ones in small slices.