I find I am falling into a pattern of a book review or two followed by a Random Rant or a Random Witter which I find rather relaxing so hope you find this OK.
Up to London yesterday to take care of my darlingwonderfulgorgeous Florence. Can now do this drive with my eyes closed (don't panic all of you out there on the A12, I won't), so set off with a relaxed mind. All OK until the A12 forks off to the M25 and then I take the 'old' section leading into central London. Soon as I hit that came to a grinding halt with a tail back that went on and on. Signs indicated there were roadworks ahead and two lanes of traffic into one. OK fair enough but then you reach the stretch coned off. It is like the Marie Celeste, no signs of life, no men working away, nothing, nada, just a long line of orange cones causing mayhem. I think there were just a few the night before and they got together in the hours of darkness and decided to multiply and cause chaos. Once past this bit of road, foot down and all OK but a tiring start and when you are looking after a nearly-two year old, you need all the energy you possess.
When I knocked on the door I could hear shrieks of Bama Bama Bama (can't manage grandma yet) and I knelt down so that when the door was opened there was the beaming face of Florence right in front of me. She hurled herself upon me and if there is a more lovely feeling than being hugged and greeted like this by your grandchild, then please tell me what it is....
Cup of tea with daughter then she was off and I was immediately grabbed and it was indicated that I was to do the Night Garden floor puzzle and was rather surprised to find that it took me longer than I thought with Florence patiently handing me the right pieces when I hesitated. OK Clever clogs you have obviously done this dozens of times already I said, not sure if she understood me or not but she rolled around giggling. In fact I am pretty sure she understand a huge amount and her vocab is coming along a treat as well and it is wonderful to watch her become more and more vocal each time I see her.
Mem: Rest of this post is going to be equally boring you know and really only of interest to me, so do feel free to go off and do whatever you would prefer to do, put the kettle on, read a book, watch paint dry...
After lunch of mince and dumplings cooked by moi which she packed away I could see signs of wilting. That was me by the way not Florence, oh no, she was still bouncing around so decided to slow her down by putting on CBeebies channel. I am now quite well acquainted with the various shows on here and I really think that they are very good indeed. I check with daughter how much TV Florence is allowed but it is left up to me and I do ration it and only use it when I am in dire need of a sit down and a rest. When Helen was not well after Christmas she said that she just allowed Florence to watch it a lot as she felt so dire, but suffered guilt because of this. I defy any parent to say that they don't use the TV as a babysitter now and then and if it is now and then, I don't see any harm. As long as it is not all day, that is the problem.
I well remember when my two were small I used to be on my knees with exhaustion (they didn't sleep, honestly they didn't) and I would watch the clock until it was time for Playschool in the afternoon. Then on went the box, I went on the sofa and I had an hour's rest. I remember one day dozing off and leaving them with a whole packet of chocolate digestive biscuits to keep them happy - the carnage when I came to was pretty horrific I can tell you. And in case you think shock horror, I slept while my children were in danger, I never went totally asleep. I just used to drift and a corner of my mind was always alert.
Anyway Florence eventually keeled over and had an hour's nap and so did Grandma which was just as well as the journey home was a nightmare and I needed to be alert. There had been ambulances and fire engines roaring up the Mile End Road in the afternoon and it transpired that there was a nasty accident and the A12 was shut for three hours. It had opened by the time I left but oh the traffic, the queues...normally it takes me 15 minutes to get from Mile End to the Redbridge Roundabout, in rush hour half an hour, this time two, yes two hours. I was in first gear the entire way and it is totally exhausting as most of the time I was on clutch control as you inch forward, I got cramp in my toes which was excruciating and, as I drive shoeless, my feet were freezing. In the end I put the brakes on, came to a halt completely and fished out a pair of woolly socks that I had been wearing all day and put them on over the thin ones I was already wearing. Got some tooting from around me because I was not moving and thought O for heaven's sake, we are not going anywhere, but I had made the fatal mistake of leaving ten feet in front of me and I had not inched forward.
To cut a very long and boring post short, a one hour journey took me three hours so in all I had spent five hours on the road and really wondered how people who drive for a living manage it. By the time I got home I was welded to my seat and my shoulders were knotted with tension. I was also starving as I had not had anything to eat since lunchtime. So indoors, a ready meal in the microwave, nightie, dressing gown and warm clean socks on, cup of tea and then I went to bed.
Found some parcels waiting for me and one of them was the last series of Lewis so this afternoon I intend to adopt a prone position on the sofa, cup of tea and remote to hand and wallow.
Will try for a less boring post tomorrow folks.
Au reservoir
