Pages

Subscribe: Subscribe to me on YouTube

Sunday, September 22, 2013

One thing the Argus web editor said to Lisa on Thursday is that she hasn't visited my blog so often in the past year, since she had a baby. Frankly I know how she feels. I barely have time to write a shopping list, never mind a blog post, and the only thing I read on a regular basis is the riot act to the children. But the good news is that I'm all set for this week's conference in Newcastle!


At least I would be if I hadn't told Amelie I was going. I think this demonstrates perfectly the problems I currently have with time management. I'm off to Newcastle on Wednesday for a national conference where I'll be presenting two research posters, co-chairing one of the sessions, prompting a blind woman with cue cards, and picking up as many free pens and biscuits as I can stuff into my suitcase. So my intention was to spend Saturday morning packing.

Basically I got as far as opening the wardrobe. It was at that point that Amelie walked in and asked me what I was doing. And I made the mistake of telling her. Within seconds she'd burst into tears, flung her arms around me and started wailing that she didn't want me to go. Despite me explaining that it's only for three days, I'll bring her back a present, and she'll be at school for most of the time anyway, she was apparently broken-hearted and couldn't (or wouldn't) stop.

Obviously I can understand her not wanting to be left alone with Lisa, but we're getting the grandmothers in to help out, so the girl's got nothing to complain about. As it transpired, however, she was so desperate for me not to go, that I had to spend twenty minutes on the sofa, calming her down, followed by a morning helping her make cupcakes, just to cheer her up...


I have to say though, Lemon Meringue Cupcakes are definitely the way forward. Although the suit I was planning to wear at the conference no longer fits me.

By early afternoon I'd done no packing whatsoever, and it was time for us all to head over to Portslade for three of us to get our hair cut. That involved getting stuck in a traffic jam, treating the kids to McDonalds, shopping for non-essentials, and joining in a family rendition of the Wonder Pets teamwork song, during which Amelie encouraged Toby with the words "Take that stupid dummy out of your mouth and sing!".

Oddly, that didn't work. But it did all mean that we didn't get home until 6pm, by which time we still had a dozen things to do, and I was too knackered to open my suitcase.

As for today, I've already made Spicy Mango Chicken and walked Toby to Asda, while Lisa has dressed Amelie in an outfit made for eight-year-olds and taken her to church. We met up briefly for lunch, before the girls headed back out for a swimming lesson, and Toby and I attempted to clear up the mess he's made.

He's now having a brief nap, before we head back out again this afternoon. My suitcase remains empty, and I'm working in East Grinstead tomorrow, so I'll never be ready by Wednesday. But on the bright side, I've managed to lay my hands on an old kit bag. I'm going to forget the suitcase and pack that first. By the end of the day I'll be smiling.

4 comments:

Phil's Mum said...

As long as you can work out how to transport your gigantic posters, I shouldn't worry about the rest of the packing.

Jon the Bassist said...

is your poster of the Moons of Satan?

Phil said...

It was either that or Uranus, and I didn't want people thinking it was about rectal screening.

Jon the Bassist said...

My favourite are the two huge conclusions at the bottom