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Sunday, February 12, 2012

When it comes to creating memorable family portraits, composition is everything. Personally I like to place my subjects in the middle of a public car park, in front of a no entry sign, facing a sun so blinding that they can't keep their eyes open, before standing in such a way that my body forms a shadow puppet of Cyril Smith...

One for the album.
It's a technique which works for me. That's another one for the album.

Anyhoo, that was the three of us yesterday afternoon in Portslade, where we'd taken Amelie for another haircut. I took that photo afterwards, which makes you realise just how much hair she had beforehand. Her fringe was so long, you couldn't see her scowling eyes.

By that point in the day, I'd already hoovered the flat, put the rubbish out, done two lots of washing, one lot of washing up, and picked up all of Amelie's craft materials from the floor under the living room table. So I was particularly pleased to get out of the flat and onto the open road. Only to find that the open road had been closed, and there was a major diversion through Hove.

We arrived at the hairdressers ten minutes late for Amelie's appointment, which for us is virtually on time, and I settled back in the comfy chairs to watch my daughter transformed from a shaggy dog to a pampered pooch. I have to say, Amelie's very good when it comes to having her hair cut. She might never sit still at home (unless she's playing Supercow), but she's always the model child at the beauty salon. It's the only time she does what she's told. If I could afford it, I'd send her there instead of nursery.

Anyhoo, we had a relaxing fifteen minutes while Amelie had her hair done, and the stylist told us about her boyfriend and his mates paying a thousand pounds for a table at the Sugar Hut in Brentwood. Apparently he's a big fan of The Only Way is Essex, so it's money well spent. Although personally I'd prefer a table at Pizza Hut.

From there we got the bus to the Holmbush shopping centre in Shoreham...


The last time we were there, Amelie had a ride on Igglepiggle's boat and a slide down an inflatable. This time she demanded a bus tour and a turn on Bob the Builder's digger. Plus ten minutes on the slide. And a Happy Meal.

Personally I let her get on with it. I've just started another health kick (or short-lived toe-poke), so I avoided the temptations of McDonalds by heading next door to Tescos to begin the weekly shop. Fortunately the rest of the family soon joined me, and before I knew it, I was being ably assisted... all the way back to the toy department, where Amelie told me what she wanted for her birthday (it's less than eight months away), before demanding that I buy her some plasticine. I told her she could have it, as long as she didn't ask for anything else. She agreed. And then asked for some doughnuts.

By the time we got home, I'd been up for twelve hours, most of them working, and still had the shopping to put away. Which explains why I was a touch on the tired side. Fortunately today's been a lot more relaxing. Lisa took our youngest to church this morning, so I've spent some quality time with Amelie, playing Supercow and tackling a crisis in the bathroom. She had a slight accident when she went to the toilet, ended up with poo on the floor, and didn't notice until she'd stepped in it, and trodden it all over the bathroom.

It was upsetting for two reasons. Firstly because I had to scrub her feet clean, throw away the bathroom mat, and spray Cilit Bang all over the floor. And secondly, because I kept thinking that if she'd done it just two days earlier, we could have got a council refit.

7 comments:

Phil's Dad said...

I took our youngest to church today, as well.   But not this morning because we had more snow!

Phil said...

I thought *I* was your youngest??? Or is there something you haven't told me?

Jon Cheshire said...

Whats going on, on that bus. Its got blacked out windows?

Phil said...

I can't tell you for legal reasons. But it involves Cliff Richard and Una Stubbs.

Phil's Dad said...

I was referring to our current household!

Phil's Mum said...

........and Amelie, which is perhaps the most worrying thing.

Peter Chapman said...

I assume this blog post is on the 'must use as a reference' list as well as the 'must show this one to Amelie in 10 years time' list.