Diary of a Mother - alone

So how did I spend my first week-ever-without-small-child?

Well, first day I managed to send Mr. Minimal (middle child) off to orchestra at 7am without checking that there was, in fact, orchestra practise. (Next week then.) He was none too pleased and I was quite glad that we live within walking distance of the school, so that he could stomp back and have another breakfast. It gave me a great excuse to lecture the oldest two about taking more responsibility for their schedules this year. (Yes, that's right, blame the kids.)

I then decked myself out like a Yummy. (In my case that would be wearing a skirt and co-ordinating t-shirt by the way.) Unfortunately, the Queenager noticed that the tan-topping up cream I'd applied the day before had topped up the front but not all the backs and definitely not the left sides of my legs, so I had to run back upstairs and grab a pair of long jeans. So much for looking the part of a leisurely stay-at-homer.

Settled little guy into his new classroom and forgot to deposit checks/cheques for the kids' cafeteria accounts so walked all the way back again. I could've actually done it before I picked him up at 3.15pm (yes, 3.15pm - that would be ALL DAY), but I can't trust my memory these days.

Inevitably, my wide-opn days filled up without any input from me.

Ball & Chain: "When shall I tell the sound guys to come?", (still fixing the world's stupidest smart house).
Me: "I don't know. When will you be in?"

OK, ok, even I knew that was a bit churlish now that I have bugger all to do. So I releneted and made no plans for Thursday morning.

What I didn't do was work out almost every morning as I had planned. Managed Monday, then when Wednesday came around I had to attend a short meeting at school and then completely forgot about the treadmill. I did, I did. You see, I'm still behaving like one of Pavlov's dogs when it comes to my schedule. Once the clock reaches about eleven I start racing around in readiness to pick little guy up at quarter to twelve. And of course, by the time I remembered that I had ample time to work out, I'd already showered and washed my hair. Shame.

Which brings me to another thing I did - had my hair trimmed. Except it was obviously so long since I'd had it cut, the hairdresser forgot what style it was she was trimming it back to. She always tells me I have thick hair for my age so I wasn't too concerned about the incessant razoring she seemed to be doing. After all, I like layers. However, I have ended up with very little hair below my ears and what there is of it looks very thin and stringy. You don't want your hair looking thinner and stringier in your 40's. Apparently I'm the only one with this opinion as several people have commented (positively) on the new do. My hair grows so quickly that it'll look like its usual self next Thursday anyway.

And then the week was completely taken over by the Queenager being sent home from school with a really, really bad cold. Next week looks very much the same as the boys have both started sniffling.

No rest then?

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