Monday 27 January 2014

It's been a while...

... so I figure the best way to get my blogging thang on again is to simply jump back into it.

You know that expression 'the best laid plans...' (of mice and men etc etc)?  Here, your honour, is a case in point.

It's Monday today.  I thought we were fairly well-prepared for it.  The Boys were rested after a relatively relaxed weekend, I had chivvied them out of bed in enough time (although, really, is there ever enough time on a Monday morning?) to walk to school instead of making a last minute dash in the car, and everyone had on the right gear for the -12degC outside.

What?  -12degC?  Minus 12degC is for sissies.  It's only when it hits -18degC that it starts to feel properly cold.

We were about to leave the house.  Boy #2 had forgotten to pack his lunch box.  He packed his lunch box.  Boy #1 hadn't put on his sweater under his coat (don't get me started - the boy is a regular walking immersion heater, anything warmer than -18degC seems not bother him).  He put on his sweater.  Boy #1 hadn't packed his ski socks for skating.  He ran upstairs to fetch and pack his ski socks.  Boy #1 left his gloves upstairs.  He went back to fetch his gloves.

We were still on time to walk to school.

We reached the end of the drive; I glanced at Boy #2 - no rucksack.  We walked back to the house to fetch his rucksack.  Boy #2 put on his rucksack.

We were still on time.

We walked to school - still on time.

We got to school.  I glanced at Boy #2's rucksack, which suddenly appeared suspiciously light.  Did he have his indoor shoes with him?  No, Mum - but I'm sure they're in my locker.

They were not in his locker.

That would be because they were sitting on the floor by the back door, at home.

And since the children are not allowed to wear their outdoor shoes indoors at school (or, indeed, anywhere inside during the snowy messy Russian winter), guess who had to then walk home again to fetch said shoes?

As I said - the best-laid plans...


8 comments:

  1. So glad I'm past the stage where I have to remember other people's things (except the occasional odd case for #2.) I'm doing quite well forgetting all my own stuff. Of course, they never really seem to quite outgrow it. #1 managed to forget his PASSPORT when presenting himself at the airport for his flight to Seoul at Christmas break (yes, he missed it and had to re-book.) Clearly the expensive university education doesn't include common sense.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You're not alone. I have had to go back home recently for swimming kits, homework and even lunch (which got inexplicably left in the hallway). And at the moment they need all kinds of different shoes as it's so wet that the rugby pitches are waterlogged....

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ha! I am en endless list writer and yet I can still manage to forget things, so I fear there is little hope for either boy when they (soon) reach the age to become responsible for their own things.
    And the temperature? We've got what should be a balmy -5 degrees at the moment but it chills me to the bone. This is, according to Husband, "because -5 degrees is colder than -10 degrees". Some strange Swedish logic but I fear that it is true [throws on another jumper].

    ReplyDelete
  4. All I will say is that it is times like these when I am grateful to live a mere two mins' brisk walk from the kids' school.
    Also helps when I cut it fine for governors meetings, appointments, or other school-related business... Although am sure they are starting to wonder about my habits given my penchant for turning up in filthy training kit and with sticky-uppy hair and mud on my face.

    LCM x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh MsC - I can SO see this happening in our future. My OH used to do this from time to time, too - so our family has form in the 'forgetting passports' department.

    NVG, thank god snow brushes off, is all I can say (and it's too cold for it to melt outside at the moment!)

    Kat,it's the humidity that's the problem. I'm guessing you're near the coast, whilst we've got a dry continental climate. +2 in London feels colder than -12 here...

    LCM, but I thought that was your preferred look? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I often wonder how on earth kids at boarding school cope, without a mother to chivvy them along. I suppose they just have to get on with it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Welcome back. You've been missed. And this post sounds pretty much like what I was just describing in mine!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I find the most annoying is my husband when he's supposed to pack the kids' bags... Sometimes I feel like I've got three kids now.

    ReplyDelete

Go on - you know you want to...