Friday 27 June 2014

Breathe...

Have I ever called a post "Breathe" before?  It seems I might, it's something I frequently mutter to myself, in a slightly strangled tone.  The week has flown past in a slightly highly stressed flash.

It started on Sunday...  I was awake early, so I thought I'd head down to the allotment and have a tidy round and do some watering.  The littlest boy woke up too, so we went together.

Our little town was looking pretty in the morning sunshine.  The bunting is often up, for one thing or another.  To be honest I'm not quite sure why it's there at the moment, but I love it.




We parked on the high street and walked along to the allotments.


By seven we were there, enjoying the quiet stillness of the early morning.  We stayed longer than we intended, but at quarter to ten we were ready to go home for breakfast.  The car was serviced just a few days before, and a large chunk of money spent on various bits and bobs.  Imagine my surprise then when it didn't start.   I ended up calling the roadside assistance people and buying a new battery from them.  Sigh.  It was getting on for eleven o'clock before we got our breakfast.

Moving swiftly on to Monday.  A lump on the guinea pig's neck turned out to be an abscess.  She seemed perfectly happy in herself, although the vet thinks it might not heal.  It's been drained, and she's on a three week course of antibiotics.  We're going away tomorrow, so that means that someone else will need to wrap her up in a towel once a day and squirt medicine down her throat.  In a deft manoeuvre I caught a lovely neighbour on her way into her house and she very kindly volunteered.  Thank goodness for wonderful neighbours.  (The word "volunteer" is used loosely in this context).

In the kitchen you can see the little medicine bottle and syringe.  There's also the last of a bottle of suncream, close at hand for early morning applications, fruit being used up before holiday, a party invitation to be replied to, a couple of allotment roses and a box of plaque disclosing tablets.  I made the children each chew one up and it's as I suspected, their teeth cleaning is diabolical.  They have all been duly lectured and sent off to do it properly.


On Wednesday it was sports day.  An afternoon of watching the little people sprinting for the finishing line.  The biggest two won their races, the littlest boy is a smaller chap altogether and not quite as fast as one or two of his classmates.   But fun was had all round.  I think after a few seasons of watching football all winter I'm a bit more shouty than I used to be...  On my way out of school late in the afternoon the littlest boy's teacher told me that I could go on the school trip the next morning.  I volunteered a while ago, but when I didn't hear anything I assumed there was no space.


So instead of packing, I spent Thursday at the beach with the littlest boy and his classmates.  We were ready in plenty of time, and just as I was leaving the house to walk to school at 8.30am I turned on my phone.  Imagine my surprise when I saw a text, sent at 6.10pm the previous day "reminding" us that the coach was leaving at 8.30am prompt.  We shot off to school like ferrets up a drainpipe, although as it happened the coach didn't leave promptly at all.  Breaking the previous world record school run time certainly got our blood pumping though.  The school had also forgotten to tell parents about a later pick-up time, so in the end we had to come back early.  There was time for sandcastles, sandwiches, an ice-cream and a paddle in the Bristol Channel though.  I'd been awake since 4.30am (I don't do well with stress) so on the way back to school on the coach I snoozed with my mouth open.


Today I have a huge list and three boys under my feet (INSET day).  So no more time to sit around chatting.  I'm taking a deep breath, and I'm off.  Let's finish with a butterfly (I just happened to have one knocking around).  Actually I think it's a moth.


Think of me in Cornwall next week, as the rain moves in.  CJ xx

PS.  Do you think I have time for a quick pass through the yarn shop..?  It hardly seems like a holiday without a new ball of wool, and the fine silk is scaring me, I need to be sat on my own sofa for that.  Two minutes in the yarn shop couldn't hurt surely?

34 comments:

  1. Have a lovely holiday... the BBC are rubbish at long term forecasts, so I have my fingers crossed for some sun for you all.

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  2. Sounds like a holiday is the perfect tonic for you. Hope the weather is kind :). And definitely yes to the yarn shop........you are on holiday and that is when you have to enjoy yourself, right?

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  3. Of course not - it's your holiday too! Sounds like a fairly normal family week but you could probably do with a break from it all! Have a great time and lets hope the rain which is torrenting down this morning having come to us from the west will continue east leaving Cornwall sunny and dry for your hols!

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  4. Wool shop en route top priority I'd say ! Hope your holiday gives you a chance of a change if not a rest !!
    Kate x

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  5. Have a fabulous holiday, it sounds like you need it after all that stress. Are you going for a week? I'll wave at you as we pass, we're following you down there next weekend.

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  6. have a lovely week, the stress will melt away as you get there I hope xxx

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  7. Of course it will not hurt - quite the opposite ! Have a great time away and breathe as much as possible ;o) xx

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  8. Ooh, a hectic time of it by the sounds of things. Yes, go to the yarn shop. You've earned it.
    I hope you have a lovely holiday and get to slow down a little bit. Fingers crossed for the weather!
    Sarah x

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  9. You simply must visit the yarn shop, it is essential. I hope you get some wonderful time to breath on your trip. We had a pet rat who needed a week of antibiotic injections, we went out of town too, oh boy my pet sitter had her hands full with that, but he healed up and went on to live a nice long life for a pet rat. Hugs to you and have a wonderful trip.
    Meredith

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  10. The weather should be better after tomorrow, have a really great time!

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  11. Have a lovely holiday and I hope the guinea pig makes a full recovery.

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  12. You're so fun to read! I hope you have a great time away and how nice that your neighbor will play nurse to your little pig. And most certainly, you need some yarn to take on holiday! Have fun.. take photos! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  13. Sorry to hear about the guinea pig, I hope that (s)he is better soon. Hope too that your holiday is a good one whatever the weather turns out to be, just a change of scene is a good thing though isn't it, so that alone will mean a good time if my wishes for you come true! Perhaps it will be sunny after all, you never can tell! xx

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  14. The sun od comming back! I asked for a little rain for the flowers. You'll be slappung on the factor 50 before you know it. Hopefully see you soon.
    Leanne xx

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  15. I've had a fair few weeks like that lately, just dashing to everything at the last possible moment, always rushing, always a bit late and a bit stressed. I think it's modern life to be honest! You should definitely pop into a yarn shop!! You deserve a treat or two. Enjoy your holiday. xx

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  16. Breathe, indeed! Phew, what a hectic week you've had. I am not surprised you are awake by 4:30 am. You have a wicked sense of humour though and made me laugh out loud. I feel sorry for your poor little guinea pig, it must be sore to have an abscess. I hope you had a chance to visit the yarn shop before you left for your holiday. Enjoy your Cornwall trip, we'll be driving down in two weeks and I am so so exited. Cx

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  17. What a pretty town! And Cornwall is one of my favourite holiday destinations, I'm sure you will have great fun. I hope your guinea pig recovers - when they are unwell it is hard leaving them in the care of others. I always view a trip to the wool shop as my pre holiday treat, that and a magazine!
    Caz xx

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  18. I do hope you stopped in and got that yarn friend! It will be perfect to have on your holiday! You so deserve a holiday after all of the running you have been doing this past week! I hope your piggie feels better soon! And what a stunning town you live in....now go off.....and have fun!!! Nicole xoxo

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  19. Yarn for holiday is essential. I think my entire hand luggage will be taken up with crafting and yarn for the time I am away!
    I hope the guinea pig is ok. One of ours had an abscess - an operation and medical manuka honey saved him. ( I recall spending weeks cleaning it and putting the honey in the wound!) He went on to outlive his friend!
    Happy holidays x

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  20. Good grief CJ I am exhausted just reading what you got up to! What a champion you are though :)
    You must go to at least one wool shop, it's the law I hear. Buy some lovely yarn and be good to you xxxx

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  21. As always a most enjoyable post and lovely photos. Your moth is a Small magpie.
    Have yourselves a great time in Cornwall. Flighty xx

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  22. The bunting looks so pretty in your town. Hope you have a wonderful time in Cornwall, we have just returned today and met such heavy rainstorms on the way home hope they don't remain in Cornwall with you. Sarah x

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  23. Hope you have a lovely holiday, the bunting looks great, reminds me of when we decorated the corner of the lane where I live with bunting for the Jubilee.

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  24. Have a fabulous holiday, I hope you got your stop at the yarn shop, you never know what might drop into your bag.

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  25. Sounds like a holiday is just what you need (as well as a visit to the yarn shop!) enjoy Cornwall, I hope you manage some 'feet up' time.

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  26. Whew, sounds like you definitely need a break! I know that trying to get meds into a wriggling furry mouth is not fun. I've had to do it with rabbits that I was petsitting and trying to hold them and get the syringe in their mouth is quite the challenge!

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  27. What a whirlwind of one thing after the next! I realize you are stressed, but I have to say as always, I find you handling you (and yours) so admirably! I hope you enjoy your holiday and yes, YES! I condone the trip to the LYS. In fact I hope you do. You shouldn't be intimidated by the silk, it's just yarn, but I do believe in having options and the last thing you need is to feel stressed about a knit ... especially on holiday :) Have a wonderful, wonderful time.

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  28. I hope you enjoy your vacation! I'm sure you will and thanks for sharing such lovely pictures and words before you go. I'm glad to hear everything got taken care of. Best wishes to your guinea pig. It's nice to have nice neighbors.

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  29. your photos of the town makes me think "typical english country town!" - how happy and relaxing - like a holiday.
    which is what it sounds like you need deperately! cornwall, just wonderful.

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  30. Your neighbor is so sweet to take care of your guinea pig. I hope she's ok. My little bunny had to go to the vet this weekend to get antibiotics, too. Apparently she has a bunny cold called the snuffles. Adorable name, but so sad to hear her sneeze and struggle to breathe. It sounds like a stressful time! Now you're on vacation, though, so I hope the stress has just melted away and that you got that new ball of yarn:)

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  31. Hope you have a well deserved holiday, sounds like it's well earned and needed, and that your guinea pig is on the mend by the time you're back....which is already, no doubt, as I'm so bloomin' late with my blog reading these days!

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  32. Did you get to the yarn shop? Hope you were able to treat yourself!

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  33. At the time I read this, I wouldn't have known about antibiotics for guinea pigs. Now I'm nodding and thinking... probably baytril. Tell me how big your guinea pigs is and I'll have a good guess at the dose. A year and I'm getting to be an expert.
    I hope you don't mind getting mad notes from the future on what are now your past posts. I have really enjoyed reading through the blog again. How time changes and yet stays the same.

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