22 Foxhole East

f0xh0les

Today did not start well.

Traffic was horrific after dropping the kids at school. Traffic at a standstill, came to a box junction, could not get out the other side, so was stuck at the green traffic lights with nowhere to go until some space was made onthe other side, so the car behind me took exception to me not blocking the junction by nudging the back of my car.:eek: got out, the driver refused to speak, I checked the car, there was no damage, the passenger was really f-ing and jeffing and told me to get back in my car and start driving or they would hit me again:eek: It was totally deliberate.

As the driver got back into the car after checking the front of hers and was still refusing to speak, so I took a photo of the front of their car and continued in the snail's pace traffic. They decided to drive parallel to me up the bus lane, shouting every time the traffic stopped - the driver finally spoke to ask why I had taken a picture of her car. I told her because she had just rammed the back of mine. More abuse shouted by the passenger with obscene gestures, then they turned off, thank god, after the next lights.

So I came home, had a nice cup of coffee, checked it was taxed and insured, and rang 101 who told me to go and fill out a dangerous driving report. Which I have just done. Did not fancy driving down to the police station, but pulled up my big girl pants and got in the car.

And relax! So that hopefully is all the drama I will have today. I am a wreck by 11am.

the_cross_rabbit

I think people seems to be less patient these days on the roads and feel their need to get where they need to be is more important than everybody else and damn the consequences. It always amuses me when they pass you at great speed and then when you get to the next traffic lights or queue there they are just in front of you. Good for you to sticking to your guns and for taking action.

apple_muncher

Hope that your day improved drastically. Well done for reporting them. Hugs.

f0xh0les

Just found out I have £19.50 in V.Opinion credit that I can use for l0ve2sh0p vouchers that I can add to the xmas fund. Yay! Will cash out in November.
Still waiting on a £25 cashback payout from £-co

NSD today. Picked up kids and came home. That was it.

Made pasties for lunchboxes and a stew for tomorrow night as we are late home due to the start of cross country again. It is only once a month for 3 months.

Hopefully tomorrow will also involve not spending money. There is nothing I need and I have food ready. Food Tech ingredients bought already so there should not be any surprises on Friday morning.

All pretty organised, which is why I am convinved it cannot be this easy........
I must have forgotten something.

Feel in limbo as I have paid the mortgage already and any other spare money has gone on furniture. I do not like this feeling.

f0xh0les

DH has gone.
Off camping with his mates for the weekend (the weekend starts at 5pm on Thursday apparently). So I have the weekend alone with the kids.
I would say I am annoyed, but it will make no difference to my life if he is here or not. I will be taking and fetching the kids from school, then after school football, then feeding and bathing them, laundering all kits for return on Monday. Various DIY bits . Cleaning and tidying. Table tennis club and Junior parkrun. Feeding and watering x 3 daily.

Cross country went well. No tears or tantrums and both tried hard. Obviously the parkrun training is doing some good.

There is a beautiful sunset tonight, which is reflecting off an old victorian factory down the road and it is glowing in the light. Totally beautiful.

So, single parent again until late Sunday night. One day I will get to go away for the weekend. If we are on time in lieu, I have over 8 months accrued. I try not to think It's not fair but sometimes it is hard. I am not the wage earner, so I do not feel like I have the money to spend on myself. I think I need to do so after December. I am feeling rather taken advantage of sometimes. Still, shouldn't whine.
My life choices come with consequences.

All kids fed, 3 kids bathed, still need to tidy the kitchen and have a cup of tea.

Have a great evening.

kerri_gt

Sounds like you're having a bit of a rotten week f0xh0les

The driver sounds like a total tool, I think a lot of bad driving and aggression these days is symptomatic of stress / pace of life in general. People just seem to snap in their cars, forgetting they are actually in charge of what can essentially become a lethal weapon. I hope that driver gets a reminder of that from the police and thinks twice before repeating the same thing again - for their and other road users sake.

Did you drop into the job fair today? You shouldn't feel that because OH is the 'breadwinner' you can't spend on yourself, you are working just as hard bringing up (both of) your children and making the house a home. However if you were able to pick up a paid job of some kind, would you feel better about spending that to treat yourself - perhaps to a day (or two) of lady camping (aka the spa)

chin up, we all think you're doing a grand job x

Flying_By

Not easy with four, dear f0xh0les. Been there and done that. I think you are doing a far better job than I ever did. I am amazed at what you are achieving. Please remember to cut yourself a bit of slack, for your sake and those you care for. Love your writing, love your wit. Keep at it. xx

f0xh0les

I am sat here with a cup of tea and 'you've got mail' on't telly. It has just occured to me it is a Xmas film. Oh well, so is Die Hard.

DH has sodded off with his mates for the weekend, probably running around pretending to be a wizard or hobbit or something. Worse reasons to be in the woods I suppose.

So since Thursday I have been alone, and it has been lovely.
Got loads done. Slept with the radio on. Nobody to have to consider - sounds rotten, doesn't it. I adore him, but it is nice to only have 4 other people to put first. Children are simple creatures so they don't really count.

Friday I hit the grocery stores and filled up the pantry. Then I went to the charity shops and found a MASSIVE tv (not freeview, but I have a box - so it is now) that the kids can use for gaming together. £20. Also found a slinky nightdress , a jumper and a H&M T shirt on the sale rail. £1. Marvellous.
Put the final cube storage unit for DS3s room on the cc and a headboard for one of the top floor beds on the cc too. Now I just have to wait for them to be delivered and put them up.
Then I only need 2 mirrors and 2 pinboards and the top floor is FINISHED (the carpets up there are cheap and will need replaced, but will not do until after bathroom is sorted)
All the laundry (5 loads!!) was washed, dried, and returned to owners by Saturday night. The middle floor loo floor has had its second coat of white tile paint and it looks really good. The skirting board and shelf brace things have also been painted, which was a faff as I had to take EVERYTHING off 11 shelves and after painting two coats of paint and waiting for them to dry and put everything back on them, they look great. Another job off the list. Yay me!!

All the kid friendly dvds are now on a lower shelf next to an xbox so they can do it all themselves. Also picked up Avengers Assemble dvd for £10 so they can all watch that.
When they realise it is there. Surprise!!

Ridiculously, I am still within budget (just) - table tennis club asked for annual subs - £50 each for the kids, but it still works out (plus coaching) at £2 a week each. So I will rustle that up from somewhere.

Both DS 3 & 4 got a PB at parkrun this morning. DS4 was not trying and DS3 thought he was much slower, but both got their fastest times and are very happy chaps. So I came home, finished the painting, made lunch, the kids behaved very badly and I am cross with them. We are planning to watch last week's GBBO at 5pm and I have made sausage rolls, scones, blackberry turnovers and a sponge cake, so afternoon tea in the living room with the bake off. They can graze on df cheese and crackers if that lot does not fill them up. They had vegetable stew for lunch so they don't need to think about virtuosity for their evening meal. Plus I have no idea when DH is going to rock up, or if he will have eaten or not. He is out 3 nights next week with work stuff, so I will just get on with it.
Menus planned for all week long. All lunchbox stuff is sorted. I have half a tank of petrol left and £25 in my purse for emergencies. I think I am on top of this.

Right, off to make a cup of tea and hide the evidence of what I have been up to.
I am surrounded by men who are oblivious to all I do. They think we have fairies.

Right, tea is needed, and I should find that sock matching fairy and shake it until it finishes the job. Only 35 odd socks last week. It was a good week. Says it all, really.

kerri_gt

Weekend a bit like yours here f0xh0les although on a much smaller scale, and OH is here so has been on kettle duty. Spent today panting the other side of a window we had reglazed after so called professionals did a crap job. It's only small so I literally took the window off the frame and delivered it to the glaziers. Painted on side yesterday and had to do the other today, then refitting tomrrow.

In between that today I've made vegetarian lasagne (not sure about the white sauce in top, it didn't really thicken for two portions and I'm not sure if I put too much cheese in...normally I prefer the bought white sauce as a treat), I've also roasted a chicken and now have a casserole in the oven for which I must make dumplings for shortly. Was also going to make a cujan type dish but it needs an onion and I've discovered half the ones I have are soft, which I'm cross about.

Enjoy bake off. Hope your hobbit arrives home shortly.

Science_mum

Hi I am sorry you are having a tough weekend. I just wanted to say I really enjoy reading your diary; as you write so well in such a witty way. You are achieving so much and it’s really inspiring. I only have 2 kids I cannot imagine the work with 4.

I work in HE, in a job which is pretty similar to your DHs. So I completely relate to the nomadic lifestyle etc. I just wanted to let you know that the main reason I went back to work after I had my kids was because I was totally rubbish at being a SAHM and it was much harder work than my day-job. So please value the work you do every day at home. It has huge value both to the kids and also financially.. seriously the amount it costs me to work in academicia and look after the kids is extraordinary (it’s not just the child care costs but the extra evening and weekend babysitting when my DH and I have a work diary clash, the takeaways, the cleaner we have to have in term time to keep some semblance of hygiene). Not to mention that I feel guilty every single day that I am not as involved in my kids lives as other mums are. Sorry to post on your thread.. I hope you don’t mind. I just wanted to let you know that I think you are really brilliant.

Your diary has really helped me on my own MF journey. Hugs Science_Mum