Friday Oh the things we’d been going to be doing on Friday. First we were going to the RI for a lecture. But then when I checked ‘my RI’ we didn’t appear to have booked it after all and despite emailing to ask if we were booked in or not I never got a reply. I could have chased it up but decided London wasn’t a great idea when we were having a late evening so didn’t bother.
Then we were going to take my car to the garage to have it looked at again. But it’s been fine all week so we didn’t bother doing that either.
We had a half-a-plan to visit Tasha and co but had a list of other things to get done and in the end didn’t manage to see them either – but have rearranged for next week when we have time to visit ‘properly’.
So instead we headed into town. I wanted to see if I could find some new boots and some navy blue mascara and eyeliner, thought we could pop in and see my Mum at work and generally have a potter around the town. So we parked, saw my Mum, utterly failed to find any boots I liked and were about to leave town when we passed a charity shop which had been temporarily opened and was closing that day. And there were the boots I’d been looking for and failed to find, in my size, pretty much brand new and for just £8.50 (rather than the £90 they would have cost new) :). When I say the boots I’d been looking for I mean the boots I knew I’d know when I saw them rather than actual boots I had already seen or even knew for certain existed. Also got my make up from the cheapo brand at Superdrug (hurrah!) and did pick up a pair of ‘jeggings’ (cross between jeans and leggings) which I really should have tried on first as they look dreadful and will need to go back sometime next week.
I’d been feeling all defensive about the kids being out and visible during school hours and sure enough a woman looked at the children for a while in one of the shops before asking me ‘are those your children?’ I was all keyed up ready for a show down and said ‘yes’ and she said to me ‘they are so beautiful, you must be proud’ 🙂 🙂
Next we went to Lancing to collect Scarlett’s ring from the jewellers. It had gotten too small for her and I’d cut it off then carried it round in my purse for ages before finally being with Scarlett near a jewellers a couple of weeks ago so we’d got her finger sized and had the ring enlarged with more gold added. It was not cheap and to be honest I suspect the extra gold and work probably cost more than the ring is worth but it was mine when I was a child, Scarlett loves it and I like seeing her wear it so I was happy to pay for the sentimental value. Yes I know, me, sentimental ;). The jeweller suggested she move it from her ring finger to her little finger before it gets too tight to take off and then next time we’ll have it sized large enough for her middle finger, then she’ll get three fingers worth of growth out of it. We also got a watch battery for Davies’ watch which had stopped working and he gave us discount on the lot along with showing the children how he changed the battery and chatting to them.
A quick stop off at the bakers and then home for a late lunch.
Davies had bought a Simpsons video in a charity shop so they watched that, I brushed Scarlett’s hair and put a plait in the side and helped the kids get their clothes ready. Ady came home and he and I had baths before getting changed and heading out again.
It is Roundstone’s (Ady’s work) 25th birthday so yesterday all of the staff spent the day at Butlins doing team building and fun activities such as go-karting, archery, fencing and football. Then all went back in the evening for a meal / disco. They had said we could bring Davies and Scarlett along and as evening childcare is even harder to find than daytime childcare we did.
Except when we arrived at Butlins they said there was a problem with bringing the children on site. Apparently the camp itself was being used for a 70s singles weekend for which they had a specific licence for over 18s only and could therefore not let us in. We sat for over 15 minutes before being delivered this news by an idiot in a hi-vis vest with SECURITY on it. He even had the cheek to insinuate we should know better than to bring our children into such an unsuitable environment. Predictably I went a bit mad and was very specific about how I was feeling and what was going to happen next. IE very cross indeed and demanding to have the most senior person on site to talk to me in person as soon as possible. He scuttled off and someone else was dispatched to tell us that actually it would be fine after all. I believe a similar conversation was being had with the woman from Roundstone who had organised the very expensive day and evening function there, particularly as it was a seperate entity to the 70s singles weekend with a fully self contained venue within the complex and nothing had been stated about the over 18s clause when it was booked.
So duly allowed in we made full use of the 2 free drinks vouchers. I was given a further 3 from people who were driving and so could only have one drink, I suspect I have some sort of reputation among Ady’s work colleagues ;). I have my small select group of favourites so happily hung out chatting with them. Scarlett very amusingly whispered and giggled to Davies when I got up to give one of them a hug and a kiss hello and when I asked her what she’d said she asked ‘is that your other boyfriend?!’ 😆 😆 😳
It was a ‘hot fork buffet’ which I’ve never heard of and actually the forks were at room temperature 😉 but the food was okay, the kids did a fine job of trying all sorts of things they’d not normally entertain eating and actually liked quite a lot of them. I repaired some of the damage from that fateful wedding with the welcome drinks back the year before last by chatting to the bride and groom in a sober and senisble manner about teaching and parenting. There were some very boring speeches and prize givings and then the dance floor opened up. Predictably no one was up for dancing straight away.
Except for Davies and Scarlett who were straight up there along with one willing parent. Anyone guess who?
Scarlett got the dj to play some Michael Jackson for her, Davies requested some Queen and they danced their little hearts out :).
We left at about 1030pm although it was going on until 1am and brought home large bunches of the fancy helium balloons with us. I was really tired (read into that what you will ;)) so went pretty much straight to bed, Ady followed not long afterwards but as Scarlett was still awake and didn’t want to be left downstairs alone she came up with him, which meant he didn’t last long in our bed before heading back downstairs again to sleep in hers.
Saturday I worked this morning and was very glad of having gone to bed early as it meant I didn’t feel too bad at all. I had a lovely easy morning though, the first hour spent putting up a display of Quick Read books, then teabreak and covering the desk, followed by another hour of display time, this time a Jean Auel one for which I made letters to spell her name in the same font style as her book covers and did chalk drawings of horses and mammoth and bears which looked pretty good. The final hour was spent back on the desk again where I joined a couple of new borrowers, identified a half sovereign with Victoria on it for someone and helped her find out what it might be worth (about £100) and some local dealers to try and tried unsuccessfully to help a man who had found out he was adopted recently, tracked down his (now 90 odd year old) mother and was trying to find more details about his (now deceased) father. And happily printed off loads of Dr Seuss activity sheets for Chatterbooks on Monday.
Home for lunch where Davies and Scarlett were playing Goddardopoly and very impressively working out the bank and money and change. Davies even demonstrated some ‘chunking’ 😆
We had a fairly lazy afternoon although Ady did make some hot cross bun dough in the breadmaker. Then we went to see Caz and Bid (via Sainsburys for some fizz to celebrate them coming home and a large chocolate orange cake just because) who are housesitter while Caz’s parents are away this week. Had a very lovely indeed evening with them and the boys. The kids charged round, joined us to eat, got all fire up with chocolate cake and then charged round some more. We sat, ate, chatted, drank, chatted, ate and chatted some more. We covered all sorts including politics and the weather and the economic climate and briefly felt like proper grown ups. And I didn’t even break any glassware or anything ;). So pleased they are home – and happy to report that they are too :).
Conscious of Archie and Elliots bedtime (they are, like most other children I suspect, earlier to bed and rise than Davies and Scarlett), a second late night in a row for Davies and Scarlett and the fact the chickens had not gone in before we left so while they would all make their way into the shed to roost once it got dark they are not capable of shutting the door behind them so the shed is open should a fox chance by we left at about 9pm ish.
Davies and Scarlett went straight to bed and were asleep fairly quickly (althoug it was still probably gone 11pm), Ady a bit later and myself even later than that.