Monday 4 August 2008

Cou Cou - c'est moi...

We were in Somerset this weekend, surrounded by green fields, alternately drenched in sunshine and rain, and as ever at my parents, eating far too much. I had to leave and drive back to London yesterday before I was no longer able to fit in the car due to an excess of food, wine, and relaxation.

The Boys, of course, had a wonderful time, but it has become clear that Boy #2 is outstandingly not ready for potty training. This revelation occurred when I left Husband in charge of bathtime. Afterwards my youngest son - whilst walking nappy-less between the bathroom and our bedroom, a distance of approximately 3 meters - wee'ed on the stairs. My mother, surpervising the journey in the vain hope of preventing this sort of incident, said the most comic thing about the whole experience was his expression of shock. She told me that he pointed at the wet patch with a degree of surprise that suggested he had no idea how it had got there - despite the fact that she had seen exactly how it had got there, not 20 seconds earlier. And it wasn't via a leak in the ceiling.

So, potty training is on hold for the moment. And thankyou Expat Mum for the hint about the water and white vinegar taking the smell out of most things - I will pass that one on to my mother.

And whilst I'm talking about 'interesting' moments, how about these two? Having showered and dressed on Saturday morning I went down to have breakfast with my parents. At which point, my mother asked me if I would like to borrow a hairdryer. I thanked her and pointed out that I had brought my own - which I had already used that morning. However, I realised later that perhaps she might have had a point regarding my general unkemptness, when whilst in Boots I asked for some not-so-cheap creams from the pharmacy for the Boys' eczema. The pharmacist looked at me. I looked at him. I had thought I was looking quite respectable. Not by Somerset standards, apparantly. "Are you sure?" he asked, in a caring fashion. "They're quite expensive, you know."

I clearly looked like a bag lady.

So now it's eerily quiet chez Potty. The Boys have stayed on for a few days with their grandparents 'on holiday', and back in London without them so - ostensibly - am I.

But the flat is empty without them, and whilst Husband is here, much of the time I am home alone with nothing but my 'to-do' list.

So I have done what any sensible woman should do when there is nothing to come between her and a long list of 'shoulds'. For today only, I have ignored the List, which includes such exciting items as; sort out the Boys' toys and donate unused items to charity; go through the shoe drawer and... donate unused items to charity; go through the pile of filing and, much as I would like to donate those unused items to charity, instead action all the outstanding items put to one side for much too long; sort out my tax return; and blah blah blah... etc etc etc.

No, today, I skipped off school and went to a Spa with two girlfriends. Hurrah! A lovely time was had by all. Though I feel I should mention, for safety's sake, that swimsuits which are unsuitable for doing lengths in at your local gym fare no better at a swanky spa during an Aqua-Fit Circuits Class. What can I say? The class was included in the cost of the day and so it seemed a shame not to do it; it was basically free. And so - more than once - was my chest, of the swimsuit.

When will I learn?

14 comments:

  1. God that's amazing: your To Do list reads just like mine, especially the comment pertaining to filing. Anal husband says, when he is frustratedly looking for a letter from bank/insurers/employers or similarly important body of persons, ''i told you to FILE it''. Yes. He did. And that means precisely nothing: it could be in my handbag, in a suitcase somehwere, in the desk drawer that gives him a coronary every time he opens it or i could have left in the deep freeze if i happened to be peering into it and pondering what to feed the 5,000 when he thrust it into my hand with instructions to File. Have a lovely week. Sod the filing. x

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  2. If he knows where he should look for it, he should know where to file it. Just a thought. I hate filing.

    Your to-do list is also remarkably like mine. I have gone through the toys though. I must say that I envy your childless time. It is one thing that is sorely lacking in my life, my me time. Enjoy it and I hope you get lots accomplished and have some fun too.

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  3. It makes my day to realise that I am not alone in the Husband Filing stakes(thanks RM) My to do list reads just the same Potty, and includes exam revision to boot! What bliss to be child free for more than a few hours, I always think so much will get done when the children are otherwise occupied - turns out me time is usually more important, after all what kind of a mother/wife could we be if we were burned out the whole time!

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  4. Potty Mummy, sod the to do list - time without the kids is far too precious to do boring admin-y things. You've got the right idea going to a spa. Enjoy the peace and quiet while you can!

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  5. RM, that's a whole other post, the one about me, my Husband, and my inability to file on time... And it's very comforting to find out I am not alone in this!

    Ped, it's awful isn't it? I don't know why. I should love it, the chance to impose order on a part of my life where it's so easily achieved, but I don't, probably because filing stuff away usually means have parted with money consign it to the 'sorted' pile... I really must write a post on this one...

    MdP, you're right of course. But that doesn't stop the laundry, the shopping, the tidying up, the filing, and the general admin piling up...

    VG, I am enjoying it. But with frequent calls to my little cherubs enjoying grandparent time as well, obviously!

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  6. I'm sure there is a carpet in beautiful boy's bedroom - I haven't seen it since the hols started - I see it as educational and a right of passage that he gets all his toys out and gets to know them again after a busy school term! It does mean visits to tuck him in after dark are quite perilous, but I can cope if it frees me from the need to tidy up! We do the charity thing near his birthday -'to make room for more'! Probably not very altruistic but it works on a 6 year old psyche! I am beginning to wonder if my hands off parenting is all a bit wishy washy! Should I have a bigger to do list? I just figured if paperwork got too near the bottom of the heap there's probably a reminder nearer the top and therefore I can bin stuff from the bottom up...... I'm sounding positively flaky now aren't I!! I think the spa was a good idea - I could add that to my to do list....t.x

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  7. Here's hoping the spa made you look less like a 'bag lady'.

    I wonder what they would say about me?

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  8. How wonderful not to have any little critters around for a while and how nice of your mother to take on the responsibility. I don't know if my mother would have done it.

    People are always short of time when they have kids, it seems. At least, until they go to school and then you can actually perform deeds of super human proportions compared to before. Don't make the mistake of getting a full time job or anything. Mothering and running the household are very intense activities. Get the show on the road well enough first of all.

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  9. A day off and you ignored your list. Awesome!!!!

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  10. KP, Boy #1's birthday in the relatively near future is actually what's driving me to do this clear-up...

    Aims, not sure about the rest of me but my nails are certainly not bag lady right now. Not sure how long that will last once the boys get back tomorrow though!

    Irene, I know, my mother is a saint. I am extremely grateful that she's giving me time off!

    SB, it had to be done - as you'll find in time...

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  11. Enjoy the break! How very exciting for you to have some time off...from potty training and everything else!

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  12. Gawd I just need a day off! Everyone thinks I've just come back from almost a month's holiday when in fact I had the 5 year old in my room THE ENTIRE TIME, waking up at ungodly hours then talking about absolutely nothing till he wore me down and I got up to feed him.
    These past few days have been even earlier due to jet lag. I had a bit of a lie-in today till 6.30am. Somebody help me!

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  13. Hi J's Mommy, the break is well and truly over - I picked the Boys up today and by the time we got back to London it felt as if they had never been away....

    EPM, you have my utmost sympathy. I had Boy #2 in my room last night - for one night only - and he was up at 6 as well. Curse these light mornings!

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  14. Hi how old is boy number two? Mine is nearly two...cannot face potting training just yet...

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