Today has been a strange day.. There was a reasonable amount of anticipation and its fair to say that there was a measure of the anticlimax about it too.
We had signed up with a local toddler walking group and were due to meet today with a view to visiting Folly Dolly Falls - a local beauty spot with more than a touch of geological significance and (its fair to say) a slightly comical name.
We got up bright and early with a view to partaking of a hearty breakfast to see us on our way. One of us entered into the active spirit a little more than the rest - approaching his breakfast as if he were settling into the starting blocks...
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| On your marks.... |
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| get set... |
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| TOAST! No oh wait a minute - biscuits... |
They dont make them big enough...(probably)
We rushed out of the house because although we'd initially had plenty of time we still managed to be late. In rushing out of the house we forgot our camera - I blame Alex - he was supposed to be reminding me. Yes he might only be two years old but still... So we have no photos of aforementioned Folly Dolly Falls. Here are some pictures of the Bluebells in our garden until normal service resumes... (that might be a while...}
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| *elevator muzak* |
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| Bluebells are rampant in our garden *more elevator muzak* |
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| *Do Do Do Dooooo Dudoodoooo Dudoo doodoo doo Dadadada Dooo Dudoo Dooo Dudoo Doodoo doo* |
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| Theyre spanish and theyre rampant so I'm allowed to pick them and put them in a vase on my windowsill ok? |
The walking group consisted of two Surestart Playworkers and a group of about six other mums with tiny babies in prams - no other toddlers. Consequently the pram brigade walked at a chatting Mummy pace - I walked at Alex pace. 'Alex Pace' "alehks pås" speed of walking which allows perpetrator (yes perpetrator) to examine every pebble, fallen leaf, indentation, puddle in, on or by footpath. As an approximate measurement 500 yards covered in a LIFETIME!!
This meant we were left behind... no matter... even though we were walking at a snail's limping pace - Alex was very excited to see the Falls and to paddle in the stream.
Only..
the group didnt stop at the falls - they walked past them - at a distance... Walked a little way further then turned around and walked past them again. At which point I told one of the Playworkers that I'd promised Alex a look at the falls and so I was going to take him down to the stream for a paddle and a better look. Aforementioned Playworker said that it wasn't a problem and that he would head back with the group but wait for us at the original meeting place to make sure that we got back ok. The falls were lovely. We were able to wade right into the stream and take a good luck up at them. On the way back it was a matter of national import that we jumped in every puddle (it was a rainy day - there were hundreds) and picked up every leaf, catkin, pussy willow bud that we encountered along the way. The meeting place was probably about 20 mins walk away from where we broke off from the group... an hour and a half later... we met back up with the playworker again. He was very nice about it but it cant have been fun waiting around for an hour plus just for us to to appear. Also Alex, being tired, wailed pretty much the whole way home. So to recap: Walk = Rained on, Left behind, and Wailed at. Not quite the fun day I'd had planned originally - No MATTER!.... I had been invited to a twitter party for Mums that involved Chocolate, Wine, and Doodling online. I would get home, get tea on, get Alex bathed and into bed and settle in for a relaxing evening chatting, chomping chocolate, quaffing vino and drawing. What could be better??
The turkey fillets for tea didn't defrost in the time that the microwave assured me they would, Tea itself didnt cook in the time that the recipe assured me it would (the fillets were still raw) so I was half an hour behind schedule...
NO MATTER!! I still had allowed plenty of time - Twitter party started at 8.30pm - Alex was in the bath by 7pm. In bed by 7.45 and David (my husband) said he would tuck Alex in and read him a story. Done and dusted by 8.05pm - I asked David to light me a fire in the living room, poured my wine and broke out some chocolate and marshmallows onto a plate - I found scrap paper and a selection of pens and pencils - 8.10pm.
Alex started to shout down that he needed the potty. Dave was busy with a match in his hand - 8.12pm - still time. I ran upstairs and helped him into the potty. We sang some songs, discussed his stuffed animal display, reminisced...still no wee. Everytime I asked him if he'd finished he would say:- "Mr Wee will be along in a minute" Finally Mr Wee showed up and I tucked him into bed. Alex, not Mr Wee. I flushed him down the toilet. Mr Wee, not Alex.
Came downstairs - 8.34pm. Rushed to switch on the p.c. Said my hello s and tried to settle in only it was all so fast - looked to see if my camera was ready - looked back - 8 more tweets had been submitted. Tried to read through 8 tweets and view all their doodles online - 17 more tweets in the intervening period. did a doodle about it all going too fast, took a photo, had a fight with the camera, won fight, uploaded photo.
117 tweets in the intervening... WHAT?? 117 TWEETS! Tried to do another doodle. Camera unresponsive. Bitch slapped camera, camera woke up. Camera refused to upload images. Switched off then switched on camera several times. Read tweet saying "thanks for joining in see you next time"
oh right
Not quite the relaxing, indulgent evening I had planned...
Good thing I decided to put my (super hero) cape on this morning - it may or may not have had any effect on the outcome of the day at all but I like it anyway and it only cost me 20p!
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| Cape - may or may not have supernatural properties - lets be honest I'm almost 67% sure it doesn't.. but ... you never know.. |
Anyway tata for now peepholios
Love XxshellxX
Shell, this post made me laugh out loud so I can genuinely put LOL!!! We really need to meet up soon (me and Joe are more than happy to stroll at Alex pace and would happily jump in every puddle too) xxxxx
ReplyDeleteThat sounds great! Lets do it!! Set aside at least a full day to walk anything up to say... 20 paces xx
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