A most unpleasant week

Last week was not a good week. As some of you will know, one of my twins, Joseph has had a number of health problems. To be fair I have had a break from what at one time seemed like a constant merry go round of medical appointments. This week it all started again. On Monday we met with an ear, nose and throat consultant. He informed us that Joseph needed to have his tonsils and adenoids removed and grommet's fitted. On Wednesday Joseph's medical care was reviewed by the community paediatrician. She referred me to a physiotherapist, a speech therapist and a dietitian. Just for good measure I also have to go and see her again in 4 months time. How are you, she asked. How do you think! I felt like saying.

On Friday Ewan (my other 2 year old) decided to lock himself in the changing room at the swimming baths. After shouting through the door for 5 minutes, suggesting that he opened it, I beetled off, (with Joseph screaming in my arms because we had deserted his brother) to find someone who had access to a flat headed screwdriver. While a search commenced I found myself on my hands and knees peeping through a 2 inch gap talking to a small boy who was shouting "stuck" at periodic intervals. Finally just as the cavalry arrived in the shape of 2 maintenance men, Ewan decided that he was fed up of being "stuck" and calmly unlocked the door.

Yesterday was my eldest boys 8th birthday. We took him and 5 friends ten pin bowling. I was mildly amused by my dad and husband intently trying to to beat this band of small boys. Fortunately I didn't present much competition. By lunchtime I was starting to feel a bit rough and being stuck in a traffic jam with a lively, noisy bunch of first year juniors was not helping. By the time the extended family met at a restaurant for a birthday tea I was coughing and sneezing and generally feeling terrible. Carl also has a cold which meant that his snoring kept me awake all night. Aggghhhhh! Hopefully this week will be better.

A weekend away

Well last weekend was great. Carl and I jetted off to Madrid for the weekend minus the kids. It didn't start all that well as I had to face a number of my intense dislikes in the first 4 hours . I initially had to get up at 5am (not a time when I am at my best) and then suffer Carl's horrendous driving all the way to East Midlands Airport (which is even worse these days, because I have to put up with the droning noise of the sat nav as well). Upon arriving I had a run in with a not very customer focused Ryan Air check in clerk who seemed to think that I should have answered "yes" when asked if I knew what priority boarding meant. OK I perhaps could have worked it out, but she should have been happy to tell me! She was forced to tell me, but she wasn't very happy about it.

Next we headed for Costa Bomb to await my best friend Siobhan whose flat we were staying at in Madrid. She was held up in the check in queue thanks to a bunch of people insisting on being told what priority boarding was! Meanwhile we were not enjoying our £4.50 latte's. The day was not improving when I had to chuck my Avon anti-wrinkle cream in the bin because it was in a 200ml tub. It was however, only half full so in my view met the 100ml quota. The officious woman on the security desk (who frankly would have been more at home in Prisoner Cell Block H), then tried to make me buy a 50p bag to put a three quarter empty Dove Deodorant in. I told her I would smell for the weekend and binned it. On the departure side we went into Boots (where the staff were rubbing their hands together in glee) and re-stocked our liquids, remarking on how easy it would be to buy a large pair of scissors and a packet of razor blades!

Once on the plane I said a few prayers (since I had the kids I now hate flying) and settled down to chat to Shiv about her plans for the future (she leaves next weekend to travel South America for 6 months and then will live in the USA for 2 years while Epi (her US boyfriend trains to be a teacher - in the Bronx, nice). When we stepped off the plane I then had several escalators and a tube journey to endure, not great if you hate heights, escalators, tubes and are slightly claustrophobic. Finally we arrived and once armed with the first beer of many, we began to relax.

We spent the weekend drinking, eating tapas, sight seeing, drinking, eating more tapas, drinking, visiting art galleries, drinking and playing pontoon. The weather was beautiful and we didn't stop laughing. Unfortunately, I can't remember exactly where we went, but it was all good. There were several rather dodgy pieces of modern art and sculpture on display though - I'm seriously considering a career change!

Unfortunately, my mood changed when we got up at 4.45 on the final morning. This was to be the last time that I would see the lovely Epi (who incidentally voted for George Bush twice and has thus provided us with hours of entertainment value) for a couple of years and I was quite upset. In fact I howled all the way to the airport. I could see Carl and Shiv getting very uncomfortable and it was dawning on them that I might keep it up all the way home. Fortunately I managed to pull myself together in the very long security queue, mainly because I was so incensed at the number of people who thought it was ok to push in! I held it together all the way home and didn't start again until we got into arrivals.

Siobhan has played a very special role in my life. We met when I was 22 on a management training course, when we both trying to find a TV to watch "Neighbours". Since then we have stayed firm friends and have been there for each other through the many ups and downs of the last 18 years. She was my witness when I got married and is the Godmother to my daughter. We have never had an argument and I really value her opinion. In many ways our lives are totally different but I think our values are the same and we think in the same way. Although she has been out of the UK for extended periods in the past, she has never disappeared for 2.5 years. I am glad for her because she is doing what she wants to do. I am desperately sorry for myself. Anyway that was the last time I will see her for a while unless I have a weekend away in New York - now there's a thought!

Don't get a labrador

I am writing this from my bedroom at the top of my three storey house. Why? My Labrador Elly has just deposited a large sloppy pile of steaming dog poo by the front door. I kept getting a whiff of an unpleasant smell. As I am still on an ongoing mission to complete the potty training of my twins I assumed that it was emanating from something to do with them. It was only when I heard the door bell ring and some rather foul language from my darling hub that the whole disaster was revealed. He was on his way out to a poker night. The +1 of a close friend who had been invited by my Accountant (notice I didn't get an invite, mind you he never has the heart to charge me anything when he sees the sorry state of my accounts!). Not only could Carl not open the front door, he then had to clean it up, whilst shouting an explanation through the letterbox - a most sorry state of affairs. I have done my best with the air freshener, but it isn't a room I want to hang around in!

Oh well off to Madrid in the morning. Freedom from 4 kids and a smelly dog for 3.5 days - bliss.

Adios (is that how you spell it?)

Wendy