Mug of Whine

28 Apr 2017 10pm A random one but this morning I had to find my collection of fivers. The kids thought it was a great laugh when I emptied my drawers and dug under the bed for hours – entertainment for them without effort! I don't think I'm particularly OCD, especially if you examine the general turbulent state of our compact flat, but collecting fivers was something I did for years. I love fivers – they're like the perfect denomination. Not too much that if you lost one or had it stolen, you'd be devastated and it'd leave you short. Not too little that you couldn't have a treat with, at the fruit market or £ shop with the boys. So stashed away somewhere, was a pile of the old ones. It was a panicky moment when I suddenly learned that these are to be completely withdrawn from circulation on 3rd May, leaving barely a week to locate those sheets! Ours is the tiniest of dwellings, so why are things so hard to find? They were in that drawer that...

Sat 29/4/2017 9:10am The morning after. I don't remember the last time! Was a bustling day yesterday and loved it.  Greyer start but not as cold. Ran to school for drop off, almost late again. Ben's mum was really upset and told me that her husband is threatening to sell their flat, divide the proceeds into three and give her and Ben two thirds, as he was going to leave them. Horrendous! Counted my blessings after hearing that. I offered to help but she obviously wants round the clock companionship and I can't give it, especially right now. Feel terrible but am up to my eyeballs with my own deadlines. Was led to a greasy spoons with mum friends. Not impressed! Not our usual swanky wannabe breakfast bistro affair, which was fine, but totally no space to swing a cat, never mind three buggies and my cherub, the avid climber. My husband has bred a snob in me. Gossip was juicy and felt so great to natter – was just able to contain the monkey in the buggy f...

Nearly new sales, baby sales, preloved sales. Doesn’t matter what you call them. The mere mention is like a bolt of lightning in a DeLorean at 88 miles per hour. I can feel the adrenalin soaring already and a countdown begins! Dates are highlighted on the calendar and my weekend work is moved around accordingly – my piano pupils have no idea. I may have been known to visit parents in Scotland when there happens to be a sale on, or the in-laws near Cambridge. I’m in London. How did it all begin and are there many like-minded souls? My other half calls it an affliction; addiction. I know few others afflicted (except my mother-in- law) but am reassured by the queues. Think of Apple iPhone queues on a compact scale, except there is sense in arriving early to snag the best bargains. It doesn’t surprise me as it’s not about just the savings. There is such a buzz, a rush, a thrill... I daresay the same as shopaholic-ism or any other “isms”. To me, it makes u...

26 Apr 17 10.30pm I’ve always been compelled to jot down the day’s events, like a compulsive nerd. Maybe I fancy myself as a bit of a Bridget Jones, albeit a less glamorous version! These days I talk about life pre-kids and post-kids, and divide people up. Is it a post-kid thing to separate people (and friends) into those who have them and those who are yet to be blessed ? Pre-kids, people who constantly talked about them tended to bore me. Their choice of time management was questionable and I scorned at their apparent lack of social activities sans kids. Did they have social problems or an anxiety disorder, since they clearly had nothing better to do than obsess about their sprogs 24/7? Why were they making it seem so laborious? They were giving parenting such a bad reputation!  Post-kids, a truck hit me with the reply. I never knew this level of exhaustion could exist! I know everyone says it, but life really is different. I have bigger feet. Gr...