Categories: uncategorized
Date: 22 February 2004 22:28:48
It's not always an advantage when your big sisters act like your mother, but sometimes it has its benefits. It's rather nice being pampered by mine - especially when she hatches a plot with my sons to let me have a proper lie in by bringing me breakfast in bed on a tray, complete with tiny vase of hand-picked flowers. I rather like that.
We've had a fantastic few days away and I feel quite..... exhausted! Refreshed too, of course, but that brisk Peak-district breeze definitely whisks a few cobwebs away. And to think that hiring bikes for the boys and going on a gentle two-mile walk along the High Peak Trail to a local pub seemed such a gentle and enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. It would have helped if we had seen the weather forecast warning of Arctic conditions! But still, the scenery was beautiful and the company couldn't have been better and we didn't complain. We couldn't complain...... our teeth were chattering too much!
Smudgelet managed not to cause any major catastrophe with his bike, and my sister M and I were able to have a really good long talk about Dad. She managed to persuade me that it'd be a potential nightmare if Dad were to come and live with us. Unfortunately neither of us was able to come up with a less nightmarish scenario, so we're still at square one.... just slightly more windswept!
At this point I would like to express my utter admiration and adoration for my brother-in-law who willingly, and without any form of blackmailing or bribery from myself or my sister, offered to babysit the boys so we could go to the theatre to see a play which he really wanted to see too, and then took them off for the afternoon the following afternoon too so that we could do the shops! P, you're an angel and I love you for ever! :D
The play was excellent - highly recommended as long as you're not averse to strong language! (Gosh, is Miss Staid and Respectable really recommending a play that's full of foul language and crudity? Wonders never cease!) Four Nights in Naresborough. One of the best plays I've see in ages, and especially atmospheric where it was performed in the round. I'd happily go and see it again. My sister, of course, has the excuse - she can take my heroic brother-in-law to see it.
Of course, I would much rather have gone "mountain climbing" with the children than spent Saturday in Buxton doing the shops with my sister and drinking copious cups of coffee by a roaring log fire... but we have to make these sacrifices so that the boys can experience a bit of male bonding! We departed at high speed, having left my b-i-l with strict instructions about coats remaining fastened, gloves not being lost, sweets not being eaten too close to tea time, and with his pockets full of plasters for when Smudgelet fell over. b-i-l looked a little pale as we disappeared up the drive, leaving him with two highly excited mountaineers.
We returned to be met by sheepish expressions and three males saying "You'd better tell mummy what happened" "No, you'd better tell her"... Yes, they'd called in at the play area on the way home, Tiddles had gone on a swinging thing which was too small for him, had wrapped the chains round his wrists and swung..... and promptly sprained his wrist and b-i-l was in the middle of doing first aid (and probably hoping I'd be cross enough to say I'd never trust him with them again! ) The sprain was terribly painful - as we noticed when he was tickling his brother and later when he was playing top trumps) - and he moaned excrutiatingly when asked to help wash up or get ready for bed. He was, however, delighted to be allowed to wear a sling. As I fastened his coat over his poorly arm I had a distinct sense of deja vu. Amazingly, Smudgelet had done nothing more serious than graze his knee and, miracle of miracles, hadn't even mentioned it to Uncle P.
While in Buxton we bought Calendar Girls for Dad's birthday next week. I think it's the act of devoted daughters to check the suitability of a film before giving it to their father, don't you? And M and I are very devoted daughters!
So, all in all a lovely long weekend away. When's the next one?