Sew rubbish

So today is break-up day. Six whole weeks. Six weeks of the house being trashed, six weeks of trying to work out what the hell to do with the kids, six weeks of praying for half decent weather, six weeks of thinking about three meals a day (god bless school dinners). But no school run. I shall remind myself of that last bit every day when I am moaning inwardly.

The Princess made this for her teacher. I knew her teacher would be swamped with chocolates and wine so asked one of my best friends (who is a teacher) what her best ever present was and she said a photo frame with something inside from the child. She could then add her own photo to the frame but keep the drawing from the child tucked behind. I loved the idea.

Been a bit of a Billy No Mates all week for some reason. It's just been the Prince and I every day and we haven't met up with any friends. Everyone was busy or away and despite the fact I've often moaned that I have too many friends and can't catch up with them all, this week it's felt like the opposite. I don't need people, but I've felt a tad lonely. There's been a lot of tumbleweed, shall we say.

Yesterday we went to the garden centre for coffee and I was on my own. Today we went to the toddler group but it had shut on Wednesday for the summer hols and I hadn't realised. So we went to the park. I chatted to a couple of mums but then they left and I felt a bit.......odd I guess.

I saw a group of yummy mummies (all with kids at school so no noisy toddlers interfering with their chatter) meeting in a cafe for their regular Friday morning gossip this morning and I felt a bit flat. I don't seem to fit into any particular group of friends. All my friends are quite different and not all from the same group, so I feel a little unsure as to where I belong.

Going back to the garden centre cafe, I started chatting to a mum of three-year-old twins who was waiting for her friend to arrive with triplets (methinks they met at a multiple births baby group!). The toilets are right back out by the car park, a good five minute walk and there is a sign in the kid's play area/cafe (which is away from the general cafe, this is aimed at kids and is grubby but great) saying Please Change Nappies in the Toilets, Not in Here.

Understandable but what happens if your child announces they are desperate and you have their twin to drag off with you. This poor mum pulled out a travelling potty and explained to me her daughter only needed a quick wee.

Behind her was a very snotty-looking mum of  two young children, with a very disapproving look on her face.  She vanished soon after. Then the mum with toddler triplets turned up, looking tired and harassed (naturally) and joined her friend with the twins.

Then the snotty other mum reappeared and behind her was one of the cafe managers who came up to the mums and told them off for the potty incident, saying it was unhygienic.

I felt sorry for the mum of twins. Her predicament was tricky. One twin was on the bouncy castle, the other was dying for a wee. By the time she would have grabbed the one off the bouncy castle and got his shoes on, the other would have already weed on the floor anyway.

I felt the snotty mum was so sneaky  to have grassed her up, rather than go up to the mum with twins and say "I don't know whether you know there is a sign over there, careful the manager doesn't see" or something. Or just mind her own business basically.

The mums with multiples said it was ridiculous that the toilets were so far away and they've never been told off before and so they decided to leave on principle. Yes, the poor mum with triplets had already bust a gut to get to the cafe and was now leaving before she had even slurped her coffee.

The snotty mum looked so smug and slagged them off to her cronies when they all arrived.  I sat there on my lonesome trying to decide who was right. I felt it was only a small wee and we all have bad days. Horrid snotty mum was the loser in my eye. It was all I could muster not to get involved and give her a piece of my mind. Huddles of mums can be very threatening I find.

Going off on a tangent (my speciality), I love all the crafty blogs of knitting, designing, baking and crocheting but have to say I can't see myself ever managing it; you know, showcasing my fabulous designs, typing out tutorials.

OK, I will show you what I mean. Here is my tutorial for Brown Bear.

1. Cut two dodgy teddy bear shapes from brown felt, sew (badly) them together but shove some wading in before it's too late.
2. Give the bear some bad eyes and a strange, vaguely sinister mouth. To draw away attention from his gammy leg.
3.Then present to daughter with a  "Look what your mummy has made you!" gasp.
4. Get the bored and unimpressed "Oh great. Can I now watch Horrid Henry please?" response and wonder why you bothered!

See what I mean about the gammy leg?

Oh yeah, the Prince has been doing the housework for me, ahem. The lazy boy's approach anyway.

The Princess was too busy tracing pictures
 and writing stories to help her brother.

I have a new addition for my Ladybird collection, this was £1.99 from Oxfam and it's so cute. I love the illustrations.

My favourite page

Oh, and on the handsome dad at school update. I sneakily tried to get a photo of him at the leavers' assembly but failed miserably. He is bent down hugging his son. I didn't want to look like a stalker so had to be discreet.

Yes, a total waste of time. You can hardly see him. And actually, whilst I do think he is handsome (if a little on the short side for a 5ft 8 lass like me), he is nothing like me. He is a picture of health, cycles 80 miles (I nearly died after Zumba on Monday) and is a serious sort. Totally my opposite.

Think I shall stick to the husband, who I celebrate nine years of marriage with next month. He's not all that bad after all. I woke up yesterday morning to find him and the Prince stroking my face and back while the husband was saying to the Prince "Don't we love mummy very much and all the things she does?" and it was so cute!

Have a great Friday night!

x