Hohoho!

What a day. Up at seven to discover Kobi had made such a mess, the kids decided they weren’t letting him out of his playpen, the poor mutt was not amused! And neither was I.

Out at nine-thirty for swimming with J, but had to leave my darling five-year-old to get herself dressed and wait quietly because I had to run S to a party. The BH could’ve done the dropping off, just, but there was the worry S would freak (as she’s done in the past) and not let the BH go (and he had to get R to tennis – and R’s the one competing in the tournament tomorrow ;o)).

S and I were the first to arrive (see?! I’m getting better!!) and I thought I was being smart when I said I’d stay until more little darlings arrived, plus it gave me a chance to speak with the party-girl’s mom, which was fun as they’re from California and have twangy accents and she cheered me greatly with her delight that all the schools here require a uniform. Turned out not so smart to stay though, as no-one appeared to be from the same nursery and S began to look more and more worried. But she was good as I explained I had to run back to J who was sitting all alone (her swim instructor was keeping an eye on her).

Returned to find J sitting sweetly and clutching her treat. When I asked why she hadn’t eaten it, she said she wanted to share it with me, awwwww, that girl really is a darling!

The BH picked up S and left me to deliver and pick up J from Ballet, which was nice as I got to sit and natter with my friend, Cally.

Quick lunch then out with three of the darlings to drop J at her disco. Wish someone had thought to put up some sign-posts!

Whizzed straight past the turn-off.

On the second pass I cursed my own stupidity.

Though not as loudly as when I turned the car around and reversed into a bank, which wasn’t so bad in itself, but my bumper broke something and is now hanging at a 45’ angle. Never mind, only a bumper and I’ll find some tape tomorrow, onward!

But whoever didn’t think to put sign-posts up, also didn’t think about ninety cars all trying to get up and down a road, only one-and-a-half cars wide! Bit more cursing here unfortunately. Thankfully everyone appeared to stay in good spirits about the inconvenience and I got to chatting to three different strangers going in the opposite direction with the delay! Though I was glad I had arranged J to catch a lift with a friend for the return journey, as I commented to R that Daddy wouldn’t be so amused, who in turn revealed he thought Daddy would have gone potty.

Next up: a quick exit for P at his friend’s football party, and then into town to sort out R who has an interview on Tuesday and needs to be smart.

And this is when the real fun started.

First to the barbers, but there was such a queue I figured we’d go back closer to five. So on to change his trousers for some that fit. Slight problem there, as the wind has been so bad the boats haven’t arrived and so they’ve run out of black school trousers. Not good as R is too skinny for his height and it means I’ll have to hunt down another shop which can cater.

Around the corner we’re lucky enough to find a shop with three different lines. One had to fit! Well, they sort of do. If you’re not overly worried about style, and guess what? Time was worrying me more! It was a done deal.

Shoes. We needed shoes. Into shop A. You’ve got to be kidding! Don’t designers and buyers realise some of us still polish our kids shoes with real polish?! Are they’re not supposed to look like trainers either.

Into shop B. Must have buyers related to those in shop A.

Onto shop C. This will not do.

Shop D? Blaaaa!

Okay back to shop A to enquire if they still have any of their winter brogues in the back. How can shoe shop staff not know what brogues are? Geeze-louise I even had to educate the supervisor, and this is what you get for entering a trendy shop which doesn’t employ anyone over twenty!

Out to shop E. There’s really no need to measure him. WHAT? If he’s that size we’ll nip back to the more reasonable shop A and buy their adult brogues!

Back at shop A my son pointed out with increasing boredness, ‘That measuring computer in shop E sucks!’ And having not heard the term from him before, I began laughing. ‘Why are you laughing?’ he asked, and I explained I hadn’t heard him use bad language before (not that I’m for it, it was just relatively tame and I was amused at that minute.) ‘That’s nothing,’ he told me, ‘Dad swears all the time when we’re in the car with him!’ Oh.

So back to shop E, where they at least have some reasonable looking shoes which may fit him. Wow, two pairs! But nooooooo, as awkward son number one decides they feel funny and he doesn’t like walking in them. DO I BLOODY CARE?! I’m tired and we’re running out of time!! If they fit in the slackest fashion and I can polish them, and even if they’re twice the bloody price I wanted to pay, you can live with them, surely?

But unfortunately I lost that battle of wills, so back to shop B we went. Except it’s a long walk and the little darling was mad at me. Wouldn’t walk with me. Just like Ryker used to be, five feet behind, but unlike Ryk’s scowling and informing me it’s *me* who wants him to have new shoes, and he couldn’t care less whether the interview goes well. Doesn’t believe me when I tell him some people pay a lot of attention to shoes. And by that point, even I was wondering whether anyone would notice. But then I thought of his current pair, and depressingly, they would.

Finally we made it back at shop B, and hurrah! They have shoes in the larger size and maybe they’ll be narrow enough to make him think they fit! Grrrrrr, I can’t stand this! Why does this lad have to have such skinny-in-between-child-and-adult-size feet? I no longer cared if he went to school in black trainers, just find me a pair that fits!!

What’s this? He found some on a shelf over there. ‘O_k_a_y, if you like them’ I said nicely and handed them to the assistant. ‘But…’ she started to say and earned herself a stern frown from me, so instead put them in a bag and took my money with a smile.

And I’m smiling too!

His father’s not. Says it’s not right letting a boy go to school in women’s shoes.


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Just in case you’re wondering, we missed the barbers as they closed at a quarter-to-five. Guess I’ll have to face town with the four of them on Monday after school (*shudder*)