Category: Family life
Wednesdays Child..
And so the day starts…
Right everyone – have you all been for a wee? Shoes on? As there are 3 of you and only 2 large scooters and one smaller one, I’d be really grateful if you Charlie, as the smallest child, would use the smaller scooter today.
No. I don’t want to.
It would really help me if you could be a gentleman and help your Mummy.
No. I don’t want to.
I realise that, but I’d really appreciate it if you could help me.
I don’t want to.
Well, I don’t want to take 3 children to the playground, but I’m still going.
I don’t want the small scooter, I want the big one.
I’d like you to help me, can you do that?
No.
OK. Well, no Harry Potter Land on Friday.
But I want to go to Harry Potter Land.
So go on the scooter.
I don’t want to go on the scooter.
So then no Harry Potter Land.
But I want to go to Harry Potter Land.
Charlie, I’m going to count to 3..after that no Harry potter Land, 1,2..
(moves to scooter, we leave the relative safety of the house)
But I want the big scooter.
(Ignore, shut door)
I want the big scooter, I want the big scooter, I WANT THE BIG SCOOTER
Charlie, LOOK at me, do you want to go to Harry Potter Land? Yes? So tell me what you have to do..
But I want the big scooter.
JUST THERE! – did you spot that purple spotted fairy just hiding behind the car? Not there now?..I’m sure it was..look again..Maybe you’ll see it next time..Why don’t you just go and play with the girls?
Go away Charlie.
Bella please be nice, you have a friend.
But Mummy, Mummy, Charlie is being really horrible.
Charlie – why do you need to ride in the middle of the girls?..just ride to the side of them ..and don’t touch their wheels..
But I want to ride in the middle of them.
I’ve told you not to. It’s dangerous.
Does it again.
CHARLIE you are going to cause an accident.
Does it again.
(Sit him on kerb to talk to at eye level) Charlie, if you can’t act properly I will take your scooter away. Do you understand? What did I just say – repeat it back to me…
You’ll take my scooter away.
Do you understand? Right, let’s go..
Mummy – he’s done it again!
Charlie – WHY did you do that??
(Take scooter to add to dog, poo bags, picnic, picnic rug, kite, football, cricket bat, cricket ball, stumps. skipping rope…)
I WANT MY SCOOTER!
I WANT MY SCOOTER!
I wANT MY SCOOTER!
Not until you can learn to behave.
I will behave.
So prove it to me.
Goes up to Bella, hits her.
CHARLIE BENTLEY. COME HERE NOW…
I want a cuddle.
Not until you’ve said sorry Bella and sorry to me and YOU STOP THIS HORRIBLE BEHAVIOUR. THERE WILL BE NO HARRY POTTER LAND ON FRIDAY WHICH WAS GOING TO KILL US ANYWAY AS YOUR FATHER’S FLIGHT FROM HONG KONG DOESN’T GET IN TILL FIVE IN THE MORNING AND THE DOG HAS TO GO TO THE POSH VET FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT (long story) SO QUITE FRANKLY I’LL BE MIGHTY PLEASED NOT TO GO BECAUSE IT’S NOT EXACTLY MY IDEA OF A FUN DAY OUT..
I want a cuddle, I want a cuddle.
WHAT DO YOU SAY CHARLIE?
I want a cuddle.
WWWHHHAAAATTTT DDDDOOO YYYOOOUUUU SSSSAAAAYYYY?????
Sorry Bella…Sorry Mummy…
Gives kisses, has cuddle.
But I want the big scooter…
Find brick wall. Hit head.
Moral of this tale: When you see a mother tearing her hair out..
a. Honest to God..give her some sympathy..she’s been doing this for weeks now..schools in the UK broke up in July and don’t go back till September.
b. It’s probably me…………………………
Laters, Kate x
Sigh..
The ultimate in bikinis, non?
We are slowly getting back to the rhythm that is normal life with the holiday now a retreating paradise rapidly disappearing into the horizon…but it was a brilliant break.
Holidays are tough with kids: No matter how exotic the place, the beauty is sometimes the only positive of being away..which actually isn’t enough. Expectations are so high, the relaxation so needed..but the chores still remain the same: Planning, shopping, cleaning, cooking, sick wiping, world war 3 crisis talks, bottom wiping, parenting..but with none of the normal safety nets like toys, dvds, sound proof rooms, play dates, drugs...added to which you don’t know where anything is, it’s stinking hot and no-one is sleeping at night…
Spotted at Faro Airport. An unfortunate name…
Generally I embrace the grot that makes the foundation of home life, but sometimes, just sometimes….I want someone else to take over so I can step off the continual conveyor belt of care and re-charge my own batteries..
In Portugal we had meals provided, a kiddies club from 9-12.30 in the morning for both children, then again at 2.30-5.30 for Bella if she wanted it. Kids tea at 5.30 or they could eat with us later. More games (rounders etc) with her friends for Bella at 7.30 pm if she wanted (she did!) followed by a film and bed till we picked her up at 11.00. And a film club and a bed for Charlie from 7.30 – 11 pm. It was utter and absolute bliss..I read books!!..with never a worry a child could be drowning, I swam for myself..I went to the toilet – BY MYSELF..The Husband played tennis, mountain biked..we had romantic meals together..we drank, we ate, we talked..we became human beings again..
Which lasted..until we got through our front door and found the washing machine was broken..Oh life. With one hand it gives..and with the other it taketh away..
Laters, Kate xxx
Going Green x
Our final hurrah in Portugal was to head away from the sea and go horse riding..
Just off the beaten track, a mere 4 km from Luz, we went to Tiffany’s Riding Centre.
A no frills, wholesome place with a rustic air of contentment.
And a soundscape of dogs (eleven!) and lazy insects.
And a rather vocal bird.
Tiffany..capable and knowledgeable..salt of the earth..sort of – I started out with nothing..and I still got most of it left..and that’s the way I like it – touch.
The lovely Jasmine, staying for a month before heading back to the UK, looked after Bella. Loved her riding boots – brogue like with a zip up the middle. Ariat’s apparently..could be worth looking up for autumn..
To be still in routine.
In the grounds is an eco-house..if you want to/need to step off the rat-race and can ride a horse, Tiffany and Martin offer the accommodation in return for work. Check out the website Work Aways for more info along with other places offering similar scenarios…there’s a lot to be said for back to basics honest hard labour..and the palpable satisfaction that comes from it…sometimes it’s the simple things that make the memories that dance.
Laters, Kate xxx
Dolphins!!
Laters, Kate x
Inside Anna’s House..
I live in the moment..
But memories are made of this.
Today is our thirteenth Wedding Anniversary…and in my dreams, he’s still there…
Laters, Kate x
La vie en rose x
Proud mummy/cousin moment: My lovely daughter, Bella modelling t-shirts designed by my beautiful-inside-and-out cousin Nathalie. I’ll write a longer post when Naths has her full e-commerce site up and running but until then check out her Facebook page because Naths is one of the amazing people of this world – I think all the products (not just t-shirts) she designs and sells are super cool..and this is doubled when you know her story, and the story behind the story.
Nathalie lost her sister, Sam and Sam’s baby daughter, Ruby Rose in the horror of the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. As a way of grieving and celebrating her sister’s vibrant life, she started creating and commissioning art works based on the phrase ‘Sam says enjoy life’ to capture and treasure Sam’s spirit. These were then sold on behalf of the charity set up in their names.
Not only does this send a powerful message of joy over adversity, but many of Nathalie’s products are made by women’s charities, one of which is based in Barcelona and helps women recently released from prison by teaching them seamstress skills whilst earning a fair wage.
Love can be so many things.
So if the day is a downer, the suppers in the dog..or the dogs in the supper, just know that worse things can happen and take a step back..and enjoy life..because a certain person says so…
And believe me, she knows.
Laters, Kate x
Why I love SW London..
Because even though it’s only 10 minutes from Victoria we see green every day.
Which means popping out for a pint of milk is a simple pleasure.
And for some strange reason we are surrounded by huge Laburnum trees with their evocative smell that lingers everywhere: Our equivalent statement scent to orange blossom.
And we get to walk past this to and from school each day.
And disappear in it.
(an attempt at a panoramic shot. Needs practise)
And we can decide whether to cheer George and his freedom on..or commiserate with the obvious unrequited love of his owner. Hell, I’m not sure if I saw a furry animal of this size my first thought would be ‘Guinea-pig..must find owner’..
And the playground on the Common becomes our in-child-care-hours Office. No computers allowed.
Until a certain person (Charlie) knocks over all the squash..or someone (all of them) needs a wee..
And it’s time to go home.
Laters, Kate x
Is the grass is greener?
The end of term is starting to feel like an adopted sack of King Edward potatoes continually strapped to my left thigh and I can see the effect slowly spreading through the whole house..things are in piles waiting to be sorted, which is basically good, but there’s never time to organise anything so they’re just breeding free-style like a tottering physical rash. Take the laundry room which I always think – possibly strangely – is the outer representation of my inner mind. Ordered = in control. A shambles = manic. We are somewhere inbetween with ordered chaos: Clothes in baskets but heaped to the ceiling and bursting at the seams. The other barometer of life – My handbag?…an overflowing dustbin of cr*p..
It doesn’t help that the days are loosing their rhythm..suddenly there is a cornucopia of End of Year Shows, Sports Days, interviews at new school, tea party at new school, Second Hand Uniform sales, Ballet exams, Art Exhibitions and Prize days to fit in with their ever-growing list of additional requirements and I can feel my shoulders needing to grow on a daily basis. The social diary? It’s like Christmas again with late nights and lots of alcohol – which initially feels a necessity..until the next day…and I know I’m grumpy when I examine things and any bad grandma grammar really starts to great grate…It’s reached a point where I’ve actually started to hug people with tears in my eyes when they cancel..
I’m not the only one feeling it..
So from where I am standing, the kids off school for nine weeks?.. looks like bliss!
(Just remind me of that in a few weeks time…)
Laters, Kate xxx
Maison Bentley Style 