I ask you...

Hi all!


Lets begin with the good news, shall we?


Nah.


Friday, as you know, Bethany, Nick and the kids set off for their holiday (meaning they were not going to have peace and quiet, and I was!!!!)

They left the house rather late, which left me with relatively little time to go and shop!


I eventually got into the car and drove to the shopping centre (or so I thought). I drove and drove and drove, but could not find high street (I'm ashamed to say that I even googled it, had directions and still managed to go wrong - must be a woman thing??) Eventually, I found a sign that pointed me to the seafront (thank goodness, I might have landed myself in Scotland for all I know). Once I found the seafront I had to drive for about 10 minutes until I found the stretch of coast near my place (Trust me, I breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when I found it!)


I then foolishly tried to find high street again... what was supposed to take 5 minutes to find took me 20 minutes (remind you of a little trip to the park in France mum?) Boy was I glad once I had found it.


I rushed out of the parking lot, parked the car and rushed into the shopping centre (where I ran into Primark to get a pair of tracksuit pants and a costume [stop laughing, I really did buy a costume]). I squeezed in a little browsing as well. On my travel around the store, I heard an aisle calling my name (c, c@, c, c@, c...). I searched curiously, and saw something in the distance, glowing. The sounds became more intense. As I rounded the corner I saw it. The most glorious aisle I had ever seen... (Even better than the stationery aisle)... I had found the SOCK AISLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I was gleaming. 'My precious...'


I resisted the temptation with all my strength. I felt the socks, looked at their prices, looked for my size then I sadly turned away (knowing I do not need another pair of socks). I must say though, I found some really nice ones (7 pairs for £2)... I was so sad.


Next, I ran out of Primark [yes, literally]. I went to the shopping centre on the other end of high street to look for baggage, but by the time I got there they had closed (I was upset... my motto is: 'don't run unless something is chasing you...')


On my walk back to the car Jo smsed to ask if she could have word with me online about her coming over to the UK. That gave me some hope (after a day like mine) and something to do for the rest of the evening (it was a good excuse not to hit the gym).


I reached the car, paid for parking and left. Once again, I got myself hopelessly lost and drove until I found another sign pointing toward the coast!!!!! I found home as the sun was falling from the sky, so I was rather glad.


I rushed inside, turned on the kettle and the pc. I heated up dinner and sat and spoke to Jo and Shaun for the rest of the night. I was going to go down to the gym for a little while, but decided against that as my sense of direction had managed to fail me several times previously that day.........


Saturday came. I slept in for the first time, in utter silence. It was delicious. I decided I best do some cleaning before everyone arrived home on Sunday. So, I stripped the beds, washed the clothes, linen and tea towels. I ironed them all and put them back on the beds and in the cupboards. I vacuumed the house and mopped the floors. I tidied the bookcase upstairs. I fed the cats, dogs and guinea pigs. I fed myself. I built a piano. I cleaned the toy cupboard. I watched mystic pizza whilst making the party bags for Corley's party. I went for a bath. At 3am I fell into bed.


Sunday arrived. I slept in again (not as much as the day before though!) I went downstairs and cleaned all that remained. I put the last load of washing in the machine and closed the door. I then changed the kitty litter and cleaned up all the dog mess. I followed all that with a movie and a cup of coffee. I then baked chocolate chip cookies and banana bread (the cookies were for the party bags and the banana bread was for the kids snack when they got home).


Later that afternoon the masses descended... all i had done was gone, demolished. I was taken aback when Bethany thanked me for all my hard work (she does not usually notice - so I scored some brownie points!) I smiled.

We bathed the kids and put them in bed. Bethany made me dinner.
We started the baking for Corley's birthday party on Monday afternoon. By midnight we had baked and iced two shape cakes (one penguin one and one dinosaur one), 50 cupcakes and 100 biscuits. We had also managed to finish a bottle of gin, tonic water and half a bottle of martini (need I say any more about what fun the cakes were to bake?) Whilst we were busy, Nick sat in the lounge and polished off 2 bottles of wine (oooooops!)

We fell in to bed, knowing what Monday was going to bring.

Monday morning came. Bethany did the school run and told me to stay in bed (whooooo hoooooo!) She came back, I got up, showered and we began icing all the biscuits and cupcakes.

Bethany had the bright idea of making the cupcakes into animals... needless to say, we iced one tray like animals and the others normally!!!! i sat and iced the biscuits (I got the soetkoekie recipe from the net). By the time we finished it was time to fetch Corley from school. Bethany went to collect him whilst I cleaned (oh, did I forget to mention that when she dropped Corley off she invited Rachael and her mum for lunch???)
I rushed to get the house looking like it was habitable...

Bethany arrived home and cooked spaghetti bolognaise. The kids ate whilst Carol (Rachaels mum), Rachael, Bethany and I made the 50 lunch boxes for the party (half a sandwich, yogurt, grapes, sausages). Once they were done it was time to get everything in the car, collect the boys from school and get to the party venue.

We got to the venue before anyone had arrived, so we had plenty time to set up. Before we knew it, the party man (AJ - who appeared to have had way too much coffee and energy drinks!!!!) was there and so were the millions of children...

The party was a success (we had just the right amount of food for everyone). AJ kept picking on me and Nick to come up and do things in the party. At one point he had me, Nick, Nicks brother Simon and one of the mothers up singing and dancing to Y.M.C.A (so so so so so SAD)

At the end of the party, we cleaned up and AJ asked me to help him carry his stuff downstairs. I did.
He then rushed back inside to get his money (£170 for 2 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!) and came back out as I was going back up the stairs. I made a b-line for me. I tried to avoid him, but was unsuccessful. Before I knew it he was hugging me goodbye (and being the sort of person who has way too much energy and not enough testosterone) pulled me down to the ground.

Bethany and Kailum saw him in action and for the rest of the day Kailum kept on saying 'Crissa has a boyfriend, crissa has a boyfriend.... do you know crissa has a boyfriend...' This led to Corley and Jai continuously asking me if I liked him and if we were now going to get married... Oh boy...

Once the place was cleared up we went home. Nick had invited Rachael and Mark and their two children (Poppy and Khai) round for dinner. They stayed until 22h30. We only then managed to get the boys into bed (what fun that was!)

As the boys were put into bed, we each in turn fell into bed.

Today has been rather uneventful. Woke up this morning, had coffee and a chat with Bethany. Went down to the bank (to try open an account - no success there... don't get me started!) whilst Bethany and the boys went to woolworths to buy Corley a DS. We then came home.
Bethany has since gone to the beach with the boys and I have been left home in the tranquil front room!!!

As for the good news I mentioned in the beginning...

I have officially got a placement starting Friday (I'm not sure where the money is going to go if the bank keeps messing me around...) I am VERY excited.

Bethany has offered me a place to stay when I am between assignments, so I am very chuffed and VERY grateful to her and her family.

The new Au Pair arrives here tonight from Hungary.

As for me?

My job here is done.