I think most of my lacklustre inclinations towards the weekend stemmed from having to drive to new places, but in the event, it was perfectly okay., if entertaining. I admit to having cried 6 times by 2pm on Saturday but the last time at least was because Louise Brown (of first ever IVF baby fame) had had a baby of her own. Fran was sat next to me in the car, to map read and she looked over said “Are you okay? Oh HAPPY crying…” and patted my knee sympathetically. Lol.
So getting Barbaras went fine, leaving aside that she lives in a set of streets all called the same thing and so Fran hopped over the last line of directions by accident and we optimistically knocked on the door of the right number in the wrong street 😆
Then it was time for very quick lunch and a hasty rush off to the Bowling Alley for E and Bigs party. Very noisy, but very lovely to see everyone, even if i did seriously have to fight urges to grab and make off with BB and Jasper. I feel oddly incomplete without a small person climbing on me and however much i laugh it off and pretend it is nice to be lapfree for for a change, to be honest, i think i’m always going to be really feeling like whoever is smallest in the room ought to belong to me. I think there must be something wrong with me 🙁
Once home we pretty much didn’t see the children again, leaving Babs and i plenty of time for gossip, tea, beads and animal crossing 🙂 Chris was very patient about it all, quite the most supportive AC widower i’ve seen yet 😆 And Babs didn’t even mind when i sagged about 1am AND let me sleep in till 10am 🙂 The kids had finally conked out under duress at midnight after a faintly mental game involving a bunkbed and a sloping air mattress. Fran and E and Maddy and B were inseparable in their pairs and B told Maddy she was his second best friend 🙂
Did our best to follow the Google map Babs gave us between hers and Jax’s but despite my best efforts and appearing to follow it to the letter, i ended up somewhere completely different. There were roundabouts on the roads that weren’t on the map 😕 Anyway, managed to pick our way across okay, albeit in a slight loop and spent lunchtime with the Beans and LiveOtherwisers while the kids did more bonding. CAN’T believe how much Small talks these days and developed overwhelming urges to go up with boxes and sort out Jax’s books 🙂
Left with bathbomb making ingredients in part exchange for something i can’t even remember now. Lol. Actually, Jax, i still owe you for those baskets at the Beans… hmm…… must sort that out!
Road home was dleiciously easy, the children were hysterical with excitement to be reunited and i was made to feel really glad that i didn’t have to divide up/swap my children on a regular basis. Some of the language of the weekend was very odd, alien… “you two are staying with daddy”… “you two are going with me.” It felt most peculiar, though also nice to go off with a lightened responsibility.
We also listened to Matilda on the cd player while driving, so i can tick that one off my big read list 🙂
Home to hotpot tea, washing done and away and happy siblings is always good and though business had been slow (Paypal having mysteriously decided to swap my payment address to a different one but WHY i have no idea) it had been good sized orders so i managed to make money and only have to pack parcels till 10pm and then go to bed. Hurrah 🙂
Sarah says
ooh, does Barbara play acww too?! I hope everyone’s going to bring their DSs to Melrose, never mind food/activities/musical instruments!
merry says
Yeah, i think she will (she has potential to out obsess you i think!)
Gill says
” I think there must be something wrong with me”
It’s called maternal instinct, Merry! I’m a fellow sufferer… 🙄
Sarah says
out-obsess me?! Surely not!
merry says
Um… i actually think so. She has her flowers planted out in hybrid grids…. *shakes*
Sarah says
lol, I’ve put all my hybrids away so that I can run!
Nic says
well can’t promise tolerance for lightweight early nights, lay ins or animal crossing here but looking forward to seeing you 🙂
merry says
Oh no, i think it was an exception to the rule; Babs normally keeps me up later than you do! And as for the lie in, i only had 2 children and a room to myself, which helped!
Alison says
Nah, I’ve never noticed you getting up early here either 😉
merry says
I think i have a tendency to get up at 9.15 in your house. That IS early! Of course, i can’t actually remember, because it is SOOOOOOOO long since i’ve been……. 😉
Nic says
Ask Alison – it is the law to be up early at my house. We’ve been up as early as 6am many a time 😆
Barbara says
Yeah, and I just replanted the lot because I just lost my first hybrid by accidentally running over it too many times. But no, I’m not obsessed. I’ve only just started. Got the game for Christmas. I don’t even have my own DS, let alone, erm, TWO 😉
And Nic, I’m sure she lasted longer than you did last time 😉 I still feel bad for Helen, though. But I did offer her the option of resigning. 😉
Merry… I’m gutted about my directions! And I was so proud of them, too. Racking my brains trying to think what possible roundabout I missed out.
HelenHaricot says
resigining – never!!!!
an imaginary roundabout!!!![ducks and runs]
merry says
Barbar, i don’t think YOU did. The map was missing one. I got as far as the roundabout with only 3 exits, having carried straight over one with 4 that didn’t seem to be n the map and then it took me into a sort of mini village with a mini roundabout that was slightly tilted. I eventually took the rightish straight on, went down a windy hill t what i thought was the T junction but ended up in Dronfield. Very odd. Next time i will follow you 🙂
Jax says
From that description I suspect I know where you turned wrong, but having been along that road very recently, I still can’t quite figure it out for sure.
Was good to see you. Must get shot of books, declutter house and life and then talk to you about being creative with beads 😉