Oh Boy!

Hi everyone

Let me tell you a little about the 'London' experience.

We got up early, as we had to leave the house by 07h00. The boys were dressed, fed and generally prepared by Bethany and Nick. Nick and I left the house at 07h01 with the three kids in tow.

We drove to London for a number of reasons. One, because it was peak hour (train tickets are more expensive at this time). Two, because we had three children. Three, because the shoot was quite far away from the train station... and so on and so forth.

SO, after 2 hours of driving, we got to our destination (with very little screaming and crying because each of the boys has a DS - which is like a portable PlayStation). Then came the REALLY boring bit. We arrived, sat and waited. Then the older boys were dressed (by wardrobe - sounds cool hey?) and Corley and I were left to wait whilst they filmed (they were making an advert on anti-stabbing. The boys were there as extras). Needless to say, by the time Nick and the older boys got back, Corley and I were equally fed up of waiting.

So, we packed all the stuff in the car (which was in a parking lot which costs £2 per hour - this is on top of the tax charged for travelling into London [£8 per trip in]) and headed off in search of the Golden Arches...

Nick took me on a driving tour of London, so I got to see Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Nelsons column, the Millennium wheel (which takes an hour to go around, and if you look at it, it appears not to be moving at all), the Houses of Parliament, the river Thames, Big Ben (no, not that one Melanie ;0) ), pudding lane, the Tower of London, Marble arch and all that stuff.

We arrived at Micky Dees, and with some relief, got out of the car and headed for some food.
Nick bought the meals (three happy meals, one chicken nugget 6-pack, and two meals for us) next, he bought ice-cream. I was VERY disappointed when Jai got away with ordering food, taking one bite out of it and then throwing it in the dustbin, followed by Corley having two mouthfulls of ice-cream and doing the same thing (obviously I could not reprimand them, as their father was there - and I think this is his department???). Next, Jai got away with pulling his tongue out at a lady in the car parked next to ours... just disappointed and generally miffed.

I will definitely do a walking tour of London, without children, when I am up and running.

On the way home, Nick was starting to fall asleep, so I suggested that we stop at a park on the way home (sometimes the boys come in handy!) We stopped, at a place called Hadleigh Castle (for more info and pics, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadleigh_Castle) it was lovely. And, wouldn't you know it, the boys climbed up every wall that was signposted 'Please do not climb on the walls'...

I was glad to get home.

I quickly found some work to do, and busied myself in the front lounge. Nick got stuck entertaining them every few minutes. Eventually, they went for a bath. Nick went out (he has karate on a Thursday night). I put the kids in bed (with no problems whatsoever!!!!!!!). Then I waited for the phone to ring. I spoke on the phone for a good hour. Nearing the end of the phone call Corley came downstairs 'for a drink' (roughly translated: I went to mum and dads room to get in bed with them, they were not there, so I needed some excuse to come downstairs). Following this, I turned the central heating off and went for a bath (which is a spa bath, to which I added bubbles - so much more fun this way! [well until there are too many bubbles and the bath begins to overflow]). Then I fell into bed.

This morning I had full responsibility of the kids. Both Bethany and Nick were at work, so I had to get them dressed, fed and watered. Then off to school. I did this in half the time it usually takes.

Got back home and sat online for a while whilst the dishwasher did the hard work.

Later went out to fetch Corley from school and feed him. I was reprimanded by the Principal of the Nursery school because Bethany had not given them written notice that I would occassionally collect him from school (even though Bethany gave verbal notice the last time, and I had been walking him in every morning). This is a good thing I guess, it just made my life that one little bit harder (as she chose to do it with all the other mothers around)... Principals...

So, so far another rather dull day all-round.

Bethany phoned a minute ago informing me that I am to take the day off again tomorrow...

I ask you?