Juggling too many balls
Most people look forward to the weekend with a mixture of relief and optimism. My recent experience has been somewhat different, because invariably the two days “away from work” have been filled to the gunnels with things to do, places to go, items to deliver, chores to complete, and any number of other activities.
Take today for exampleI slept in until just after 8, and wandered down to find my other half preparing to leave for the day with our youngest, visiting “Hampton Court Palace” in pursuit of inspiration for a school project. While Miss 9 and 13 watched television upstairs in their Pyjamas, I set about bringing some order to the house. I think throughout the week only one of us was home most evenings, which meant we had a mountain of clothes next to the washing machine that would have caught the interest of aspiring mountaineers.
By perhaps 10am the animals were fed, the washing up was cleared, various rooms tidied up, the dishwasher running flat out, the washing machine and tumblr dryer rumbling away. Just as I sat down to begin tinkering with the web project I have been working on recently, a knock came at the door.
A miniature version of Henry Cavill stood astride a bicycle (the son of a good friend), accompanied by his quite wonderful big sister, who was desperately trying to control the uncontrollable; her youngest brother. His Houdini-styled escape from the stroller became a determined dash towards the house, accompanied by a stream of complete and utter jibberish. I exchanged broad smiles with his big sister as she stood uncertainly at the end of the drive, and crouched down to attempt communication with the busy little man. He took notice of me, and burst straight into the hallway.“Ah. The person you are looking for has gone out for the day!“He seemed to understand, and uncertainly exited the house, streaming jibberish at his sister.
Five minutes later our middle girl left the house like it was on fireapparently the opportunity to play with miniature Henry Cavill was enough to dump her sister immediately. Also enough to run out of the house in near freezing temperatures in a t-shirt, and not return immediately for a coat. Guess who apprehended her a few minutes later and forced a coat onto her ?The day continued in much the same vein; attempting to get some web development work done, but being thwarted at almost every turn by little people, or the various tasks involved in preventing our life descending into total and utter chaos and confusion.
Roll on Sunday morning, and frost laden rugby pitches