Pre-coffee parenting

My least and most liked things in one scrawled swoop, more doodles here.

It’s wondrous stuff isn’t it, coffee? Small knows the rule in our house- don’t talk to mum until she’s on cup #2. Parenting goes wonderfully well until that glorious cup, along the lines of- don’t eat that, look at those tiny pieces that will occupy your hamfists being fished out of the rug, Shhhh. YOU KNOW THE RULE KID.




Made it to the seaside, ruminating the not-holiday of last year. She still doesn’t get the whole wet sand / sinking child dichotomy, could have ended worse than it did. Naturally she was angry at times, I’d have been disappointed if I’d had to buy occasionallyatwat.com instead.


 

Small has awoken beautifully, after what was quite likely the loveliest playdate she’s had recently. I was horrendously late naturally, after waging war with Ikea over botanical disasters (meaning that, in pure British fashion, I sent a passive aggressive tweet airing my disgruntled customer experience- immediate reply, kudos!).

It’s not like I have been doing my training in Wakefield for 3 years almost, and that I should know my whereabouts at all. I drove quite happily blindly following the sat nav vaguely dubious as to the destination. No, I have not yet seen the signs for the M1. 
Wrong postcode, nice one dickhead.

Still, in much need of my second coffee (yes, I attempted what to my tired mind and tin pugmobile was the equivalent of a round the world trip, on one coffee), and other outdoor activities… the tiny twat and bustling tornado met. And got naked, as being 3 gives one the privilege of doing so freely. One does wonder how there would be any indecence to be exposed after the rapid development of a Christmas Shelf. Humbugs indeed. 


I’m that parent as of last night, sockless welly-wearing, pirate-pilfered, chicken-keeping child. Fast asleep, prising McNuggets from her sweaty grip at ten past too late o’clock



I need to clean, in the way that a fish needs gin and homeless people need Brexit. My tired mind is insisting I sit today. Festive sitting is good. Alas, a distinct world apart from the usual mirth of a Monday morning, I fear my writing skills are somewhat lacking of late. It may be the recently acquired attention span of a toddler or the thought of my minds eye having gone on a wander of late that’s doing it but I miss the joy of being in my study dearly. 

2018 has been full of excitement, opportunities and beautiful moments. Isn’t that the Instagram quote post template? (I’m guilty of this too, as I fall from the highest of horses here).



Nah, this year I’ve eaten too much, smoked and drank too much and worked too damn hard. It’s frequently been a mess (at times including myself), but I’ve many things to be grateful for:

  1. Kept both Small and I alive;
  2. Learned a shit-ton about myself and how, who and why about the little things;
  3. Did a good job in my training so far, helping some wonderful families;
  4. Reinforced some wonderful friendships;
  5. That Small is verging on being socialised (sans bells too, win!).




I resolve to hit 2019 eating cheese, drinking gin, and being safe, sane and studious.

That will do for now. 

Day 6: See, I'm not always whining! I could even (after enough booze) book something similar again!

Distinct lack of Insta-twats today, apart from their little paddy this evening, slamming doors and shouting profanities whilst walking away. Not sure what it reminds me of most, the Toddler in the midst of rage or the Teabag that was. Only difference is one pisses herself when she gets angry that she can’t understand (and the other…. we’ll just leave that there).

We’ve had a really awesome day. And I’ve got that warm fuzzy feeling that oxytocin, reconnecting with my Small piece, and having too much gin to put in the case home- brings. So this will either be short and sweet, or ridiculously boring. Either way I’m sure the blog will be falling by the wayside, as far less shits are given when things go better than expected. And let’s just say here, the bar was definitely set with the demonstrable shitstorm that the past 4 days have been, so in advance for our lack of catastrophe, I apologise.

I managed to buy not one but two pairs of shoes today, mentally resolving to not go shopping again when shit is cheap and the money card has no reverse exchange option. Plus, they’re really bloody pretty, will make me feel better for the vegans in the world as I eat my pigs in blankets in 3 days’ time, and waterproof. Because we all love functionality. Granted, the Tiny Tornado had full on Twat settings enhanced, fast-touch-fibres (that I was told I had as a teenager before discovering alcohol, fags, and being on the rotund side of life) poised ready to spring into action at each dash for the shop door. The mum-panic that sends your heart racing and philtrum pouring thinking you think you’re not Adult enough for having had respawned.

A shit-ton of playground-ing later and we’re back at the hotel. She ate…. SHE FINALLY FUCKING ATE SOMETHING! That’ll be one less black mark in the red book of Shame for me. I’m a firm believer in the environment affecting one’s mood however, and have surmised that day 3 of this conference must be the less boring one, there are less Tits and Teeth and Suits at dinner than 2 day’s prior, real, normal people. Less business scheduling in conference calls over IPhone 600s and more face to face conversation. And no formidable stilettos clicking, winner!

Bathtime in the ‘blue lagoon’ that is the mood lighting in our bathroom and Small dutifully passes out at a reasonable time, leaving me to drink gin and watch BBC1, after calling the Mothership to find out what time literally anything is on, because as she pronounces, this is the only time she has the Radio Times, saved.

So tomorrow is our last day, and despite the screaming, raging, floor rolling and pissy protests (which haven’t been quite so pissy of late, handy as I only have one pull-up left), and we’re off to the beach. Still undecided as to whether to rent another Benidorm-mobile or if I should leave that life-lesson where it shat on me 2 days ago. To let her play in the sea and ‘make snakes’ across every single cute message written in the sand by likely the only other people currently in Icmeler (the malevolence with which she does this makes me think if I need to be worried for her teenage years, beyond the anticipated routine Twattisherisms). And we’ll try and meet with our Dutch friend, if we manage to not get lost on the Dolmus. Or stranded by a half-charged pensioner wagon yet again.

And the suitcase is nearly packed. Although my dearest and nearest have already given me the odd off-the-record warnings about stepping into the Mothership’s shoes, I’ve clearly not heeded and subconsciously become so. But it’s useful, and had I scorned the purchase of the Mum[bum]bag I’d have been majorly disadvantaged on our treks thus far, so I’ll have one for the team on that one.

Speaking of, I’m in a predicament. Very little of the one open bottle of Bombay, and not fancying finishing it off. Do I chuck it in or try to drink. Have in mere thought I just committed an obscene alcoholic blasphemy and be deserving of having my inner-trainwreck stripped of me? Answers on a postcard.

Love loves, the Dictator and I

Xx

Day 3: Mummy said I never should (book a holiday without first consulting her)

I’ve literally booked to stay in a ghost town. As my dear not-wife has just proffered, it looks like a clickbait article for what a grand place looks like after an apocalyptic abandonment. It’s darn creepy, I’ll try upload the video of said pool with eerie Christmas hymns playing in the background.

And yes, we’ve learned something here. Heed Mummy’s advice, as even at 30 it’s still quite possible to bollocks it all up. Royally.

My waking thought was ‘Fuck, how is Christmas dinner going to go? Will there be one?’
I feel silly now for snubbing the M&S dinner that was the alternative, thinking if I wasn’t going to cook my own I may as well go abroad. They’ll make a fuss of it won’t they? At least some part of the day there’ll be a sit down meal, I’m over the fact there’ll be no pigs in blankets, was hardly expecting Yorkshires, but being half board if breakfast is as catastrophic as the last 2 days, Small will be loading up in festive McDonalds. And I’ll be damned if I don’t find her some ice cream SOMEWHERE…

Hence the walk around the complex, a last resort attempt to try and find some silver lining in this wonderful mistake. And I find this.

Sheffielders, anyone recall that period of time where Castle Market was closed but the signage and stalls were still there? Loaded with the memories of a time passed, ghosts of a once thriving community whispering in the background over heavy shelves and bowed canopies. I’m there, right there now. Makes me think of what Meadowhall will look like in the year 2086, without the robots.

Though speaking of, I’ve come to notice a distinct overstock of mannekins. The rush of arrival and midnight food hunting oversaw this detail at the time, but now with all the time in the world to appreciate the environment, I truly See. All the air of an upmarket department store with all the pizazz of a pandemic. Tinsel though, every cloud.

These guys are everywhere. The reason I haven’t really ventured downstairs on an evening, fancy bumping into one of these in the dark, bristling nerves to match the tinsel they’re adorned with.
I feel like I’m knee deep in ethnographic study of Fukishima. Timeless abandon.
My dear Dutch friend Henny spoke of renting a bicycle to explore, possibly even to his in the next village, possibly for Koffee and Kaas, but in the absence of his mobile number I can only leave a 1471 in Sheffield. But exploring could be interesting, what exactly, I’m unsure of. 
We’re still sans Paw Patrol. This is hellish.