Tale of woe

Visiting my Gran always makes me feel very low afterwards.

Of course, this time I'd mucked up a bit: I'd said I'd go on Friday, but I had forgotten about T's swimming lesson. Going afterwards and getting back in time to pick up S from school would've been impossible. I didn't want to miss the lesson as it was the first of the new term and I hadn't paid in advance: I was worried that they'd give away his place as there seems to be a lot of demand.

So anyway, rightly or wrongly, I phoned Gran to postpone. She sounded so bitterly disappointed.

I couldn't bear it so offered to go on Saturday instead. The thing was, S was already invited to her best friend's house for the afternoon and it's M's first weekend as a "normal" working person, ie. 9-5 (not that it will work out quite like that), weekends off. So I had to fit her in for lunch, and be back for 3pm. But it takes an hour to get there, and given the speed you can anything with two children and an elderly person who can barely walk, it was a push. There was no point going earlier than 11am, cos she doesn't get up until fairly late, (putting paid to the conventional wisdom that the elderly need less sleep).

I felt bad because I felt I was rushing her, (and I think she would have liked a pudding), but it was getting near 2pm. I'll go again in the week and spend more time with her. I'll have to ask step-dad to pick up S from school or something, so I don't have to zip off.

I have to work out somewhere we can go that T will enjoy and that she won't have to walk anywhere. Where we went would have been OK, except she wanted to sit inside, by a window, (and the only table like that was in the far corner for viewing the play area) while I really needed to sit outside so I could supervise T playing properly. I should have insisted, but I just wanted her to enjoy herself. Must be stronger next time, I think, for as it was, I was bobbing up and down and having to leave her every few minutes, (while tearing my hair out internally). :(

It's funny how time works when you're with children - you have to add about twice the time it would take you on your own. I always remember M & I's amazement how we managed a walk on a beach, bit of shopping and a stroll round a exhibition all before lunch(!) when we had a weekend without the kids. I'd be lucky to get one of those in, with children. If you add on Gran, everything takes an inordinantly long time. :(

I dreamt about wheelchairs last night.



And this morning, T is miserable with a cold. S has only been back at school five minutes, it seems, and the cycle of colds has already begun. :(