So, yeah, Katie's kind of getting really good at chess. She won her school's chess club competition (beating even Year 6 students). She did herself proud at the Gigafinal. When we got home Andrew got a call from some guy who runs the under-11s chess club for Kent. She's been invited to join. They just happen to be the best team in the country right now.

The girls' school let out on Tuesday, so I thought it would be fun to bring Katie to school with me on Friday. Even in an unstructured day, I don't think Buffy could sit back and let me teach. Maybe someday? (Dream on!) Katie was thrilled. She squeezed her hands into excited little fists under her chin and said, "More school?!" Our little geek! As it was going to be a Friday, I asked if she could join the chess club.

My school's chess club is very boy-heavy. Katie has only played girls and her dad. I wanted to see how she'd do with a bunch of big boys. Could they intimidate the good play right out of her? First she played the coach (who is also a coach on the Kent team), then he placed her with a student whom he felt would be a good match.

A boy.

An 11-year-old boy.

Katie thrashed him!

Katie's having a sensational week. Yesterday she was awarded her Bronze level certificate in ice skating. That's her ELEVENTH skating certificate in nine months. We are staggered.

Also this week the head teacher invited her to join the orchestra on the strength of her recorder playing abilities and she came in first in chess club. First out of about fifteen kids. First out of fifteen Year 4-6 children. She's in Year 3. And she's got the trophy!

We are falling-on-the-floor, weak-in-the-knees staggered. Mostly we are just so proud of how she's choosing to live her life.

Today Katie passed the Level 9 test for ice skating. There are only ten levels in the UK Learn to Skate programme. When she passes Level 10, she moves on to a bronze, silver and gold award. From that point on, she'd be in the bigger, competitive leagues. That's all a long way off, but the point is she's done all of this since September. She's amazing!

Two short mobile phone videos of Katie skating at Somerset House last weekend. I think it's pretty obvious which one is Katie!

They're very short and more than a little bit rubbish. But doesn't she look good?

"Well, firstly you have the list of questions that have answers. Then you think of the list of questions that don't have answers. So obviously, there must be more questions than answers."

This year Katie's best friend is at a new school. They have both managed well and are making new friends. Part of their ease is due to their clever mummies' plan to get them together every week. Actually, credit all goes to the other girl's mummy, because it was her idea and she does all the work. I just go along with it.

The idea is to take all three girls (yep, she takes Buffy as well!) ice skating. Buffy doesn't go yet, but does enjoy quality time with one of her favourite people. Katie goes to a separate beginner's lesson while her friend, a very talented skater, has private lessons. Before these lessons Katie had only been ice skating twice and had progressed to the point I didn't panic when she put on her roller blades.

Following the last lesson, Katie came home showing off a sign-off book. It seems she'd completed all of the requirements for her Level 1 certificate. Cool!

Oh wait, she's also completed all of the requirements for Level 2.

And Level 3.

She is one signature away from her Level 4, too!

Whilst we are immensely proud of Katie, we are presented with a bit of a conundrum. See, when she started, she wanted a pretty skating outfit. I put her off, because I wasn't sure she'd stick with ice skating. I thought it might be a good incentive. Maybe in a year or two. Yes, that sounded good. She could have her pretty, impractical skating outfit once she had completed her...

wait for it...

Level 3!

I guess we're going shopping.