Monday 21 January 2008

Just one thing I forgot...

Whoop-de-doo! 8.05 and Grit leaps out of bed! This is going to be a day of action! Nothing's going to stop the pace today! Grit is going to change her name to Mrs Achievement!

First off, it's the Independent no diet, so I switch off my mobile and put on a skirt. Those are two things I have to do to break out of my fatty web habit. Tick! Done!

Next, dishwasher, laundry (first load), then organise Squirrel, Shark and Tiger with three different activities in three different rooms.

Tiger is starting a project on birds, so she's equipped with mosaics and bird shapes from Our Lord Hobbycraft plus a big folder full of information on birds. The lot is installed downstairs in the cellar bedroom at the table shaped like an egg. Tick! Done!

Squirrel obligingly goes to the writing desk in the front room to finish off copying out her poem about turning into a dolphin. OK, so she's been at it three weeks, but I haven't given up. And today, guess what? Tick! Done!

Shark goes into the schoolroom where she hammers about with some clay and grunts. I am not absolutely sure what she's doing, but she didn't get to sleep till midnight, so we'll just be grateful for small mercies. And shout tick! Done!

At 12.55 I put on the laundry (second load), and the science programmes on BBC2 and say it doesn't matter about the ages, just watch it while I make two tortillas, one with the egg and one without the egg. Tick! Done!

After lunch, it's dishwasher and laundry (third load), then admin for me while Shark, Squirrel and Tiger play Mermaids. Grit admin means dribbling in front of the Amazon site and ordering Nim's Island, the Martin Jenkins version of Gulliver, and Seventy Great Journeys in History. Then it's telephoning the car insurers and writing emails to the child psychologist for Tiger's follow-up interview. All that! Tick! Done!

Next, take Shark to worship at Hobbycraft where she has seen a dress-your-mermaid book at £1.99. After success like today, I'm feeling indulgent. Tick! Done!

Hurrah! Back in time to make a quick tea! Then ballet for Squirrel and drama group for Tiger and Shark! Tick! Double Done!

Finally, dishwasher and laundry (load four), then bath and bed for Shark, Tiger and Squirrel and a bottle of beer for Mummy Grit to celebrate a day of achievement. Tick! Done!

Then at 10pm I switch on my mobile. And there's Jol, saying Where are you? We are here, at the safari park where you arranged, and it is raining.

Oh dear.

1 comment:

Brad said...

Just when you think you have it all under control. I can so relate.