Chapter 77

Balls. I had it all written out and pressed back on the browser and lost it all. I really hate myself sometimes. Start again hey?

I spent the weekend with a man. And I spent most of it in bed. A real actual man too, not a Lal sized one. Wow.

As part of the positive parenting experiment G and I headed off for some quality alone time on Friday night. I dropped Lal off with a working from home in his heated flat K, and went to pick G up from school. Had a slight nag at her unwillingness to get changed in the car, even though I was holding her blazer to cover her - pfft, some children - and off we went to a manicure nail salon place. It was run by giggling Vietnamese people, who were brilliant, but were no doubt giggling due to the fumes. Despite never having actually been high, I've no doubt that I was on my way to getting there. Very light headed, I only just managed to veto G's order of false nails. And then she wanted jewels on her real nails, but was put off (and slightly green) when I told her that they had to drill into her nails and hook the jewel in. I've no idea how true that is, but it did the job.

We then went disco clothes shopping. She wouldn't set foot in Laura Ashley for some reason, so the delights of Tammy gave us a boob tube dress, cardigan shrug thingy, high heeled shoes, footless tights and heart pendant #48695. I think my lips bled from the biting they received, but positive parenting won out and the arguments were avoided.

Picked up Lal, came home, had takeaway, cooked popcorn and settled down on the sofa to watch I'm a Celebrity and see who won. I'm informed that I fell asleep at 9.07 and only woke when her scream of delight that Joe won pierced my dreams. And then I fell back asleep again. So much for together time hey? Poor little girl. She had to stay up till 2 watching films and Hannah Montana whilst I slept on the sofa.Next to her. Feel sorry for her. Do.

K arrived to pick up the children on Saturday morning. Alarm bells should have rung when he got here early.. but I was too woolly headed from the sofa sleeping, the cold that still refuses to go (is 2 weeks a record?) and the fumes from the manicure place. He also arrived with a bag. Apparently, the heating in his flat, that was working perfectly the night before, had died and there was no way he could take the children there. Obviously. So could he stay?

I felt so ill, I'm pretty sure I said yes before he'd finished speaking, but I did manage to make it perfectly clear that I would be in bed, dying, and all child related responsibilty was his. And he could sleep on the bed that is cunningly disguised as a sofa, in the playroom.

To give him credit, which I hate to do, he was very good. I wasn't woken or bothered by them at all.. and he kept bringing me cups of tea and food. Whilst giving me the "you're not eating enough" stare, but you can't have everything.

One upside is that Lal is now a complete daddy's boy, which is fab. And G didn't go near her computer all weekend. K even bought us a Chinese once the children were in bed and we sat and ate and talked. It was nice, uncomfortable, but nice. In a way.

He somehow invited himself to come back next weekend and help put the decorations up.. not sure how I feel about that though. On the one hand, they are his children too, and why should he miss something like that? But on the other, it seems a bit too family like and we're not back there yet.. if we get there at all. I have no problems with him spending Christmas Day/Boxing Day here, it's Lal's first proper Christmas (ok, the 3rd, but the other two don't count as he was only 3 days old, and 1 year 3 days old) and he shouldn't miss that... but putting the decorations up? Spending another weekend here? Cos I know that will happen... not sure I'm ready for that.

See what happens when I write and I'm still nail varnished high? And suffering from evil colds? I go all deep and meaningful. This must stop.

It's supposed to be my alone time, Lal's at nursery.. ooh he now loves it there completely. Actually pushed me out of the door this morning to make me leave. Nice huh? They break up on Friday for the Christmas break.. what am I going to do? He wakes up every morning acking for school.. I'm going to have to buy desks.. and friends.. and create his own school here.

(Oh, and the weekend in bed with a man? I spent the weekend in bed, the man was here, but never the two shall meet.. )

K xx