Ho-blooming-Ho!

Gah!  Its that time of year again when we're forced to be happy and full of good will to all men and make pleasant chit chat with those work colleagues / neighbours / sulky-faced shop assistants we normally don't give the time of day to in a veiled attempt to make up for the ills of the rest of the year.

Bah-flaming-humbug! I don't know if its down to the weather, the time of year (I'm a "summer" baby, ergo I despise the winter months) or just because it all seems so superficial and false, but I'm finding it pretty difficult this year to swallow back my feelings of loathing about the festive season. Why can't we make an effort with others at any time of the year, not just for a couple of weeks in December? And the forced making merry with family within close confines (let's face it, few of us are going to be treated to a breath taking, snow enchanted walk post-Christmas lunch), arguing over which movie to watch, whose turn it is to choose a board game and the feeling that one just has to join in with the jollities. Don't get me wrong; I love my family and TOM's family are (mostly) great as well. But it just ain't natural to have a protracted bonding session in someone's elses house (Outlaws this year) for 7 or 8 hours in a single day.

Tried to explain to TOM tactfully that I'm really struggling to find my 'Christmas spirit' this year. His solution? He's gone up into the attic to bring down the Christmas decorations to "get you in the swing of things" !!!!

I know what we're doing next year - we're going away for a week to a cottage somewhere, just the 4 of us to have some proper, quality, family time without any other pressures or distractions. That's what we'll be doing. How long to December 2010??

Crap mother moment

Son One received an invite early last week to go round to a friend's house for tea that Friday after school. The invite came by text and the reply of acceptance sent by text.

Didn't think any more about it. Friday morning came along and I waved Son One off to school saying  "Have fun at your friend's house, I'll be there to pick you up at 7pm" and off to work I went.

It was only at 3pm that same afternoon when I was heading off to pick up Son Two from his school, that the thought struck me that I had no idea how Son One and his friend were getting to the friend's house or even what the arrangements were for the two of them to meet up at the end of the school day (both being in separate classes). A panicked phone call ensued to the friend's Mum who allayed my fears by assuring me that she had told her son to go to Son One's classroom immediately the kicking out bell rang at 3:15pm. I'm so glad that one of us was organised and on the ball. Honestly, there are just some days when I wonder if I'm responsible enough to be looking after my children!!

Needless to say, Son One was totally oblivious to his Crap Mum's shredded nerves and had a thoroughly wonderful time at the friend's house.

Time management

I don't know why, but for the last couple of weeks I've been finding myself going to bed really late at night. I usually wander on up to bed around 10:30-ish but recently I haven't been retiring until nearly midnight. Been trying to figure out what the hell it is I've been doing and have just realised I mostly been faffing about.

Instead of being my usual organised self, I find myself doing all sorts of little jobs and tasks in the last hour or so before I go to bed. Usually I get in from work, sort out the kids with homework and make their tea. While they're eating I'll potter about putting on washing or pushing the vacuum round or whatever. But I've not been doing that for some reason. I couldn't tell you what I've been instead though - just time wasting !

I haven't been sleeping too well either - sign of a guilty conscience TOM says! I have had a lot on my mind lately so perhaps I'm putting off going to bed because I know I won't sleep restfully. Self-defeating really. So, from tomorrow night (as it is now approaching 11:30pm) I will aim to be in bed shortly after 10pm to see if I can regain my natural rhythm.

So it begins

The visits to potential secondary schools, that is.

As parents we have free choice of where to apply to send our children to secondary school. That doesn't mean we will get our first or even second choice of school but it does mean we aren't restricted to the school closest to the family home.

So we have lined up 6 (yes, 6!) secondary schools to visit in order to be able to make an "informed" choice. Last night was the first visit to an all boys comprehensive school. Its a school which, in the past, has not always had the best of reputations but has seen significant improvements in the last few years. So along we went. We sat through the Head's presentation (very passionate and enthusiastic), we had the grand tour but, you know, it just didn't "feel right". I wouldn't say it was a rough school but TOM and I agreed it felt a bit like Waterloo Road (off the telly) but with not as good decoration. Son One was fairly ok about it but I did point out that we still have another 5 schools to visit and he doesn't have to make his mind up just yet.

I can see the next couple of weeks are going to rather stressful!

Money, money, money

Oh.My.Goodness! I definitely know the kids are back at school now because the begging letters have come home. You know the ones - school trip which ties in with a history topic and will cost £7 which is a voluntary contribution but which you know you will end up paying because if enough people don't pay then the trip will be cancelled leaving you feeling that somehow you've cheated your child out of an important aspect of their education.

So far, in the last week, I've had asks for the following:

• £40 deposit for school residential which takes place during July next year
• £30 insurance for Child One and Child Two's sporting activity (£60!)
• £25 exam fee for Child One's sport
• a slip to purchase raffle tickets @ £1 a throw for the school Autumn show next weekend (I bought 5 - well the prizes look really good)

and that doesn't even include the Scholastic book magazine which Child One brought home and is keenly eyeing up the new Horrid Henry tome, or the extra on the shopping bill for items for packed lunches, or the new trainers Child Two suddenly requires for school (weren't on the PE list sent home at the end of last term) because he has decided he wants to do cross country running.

Roll on half term - I think it will be cheaper that week!

Movin' on up

It's the time of year universally feared by parents of Year 6 children. Yes, it's time to start thinking about WHICH SENIOR SCHOOL YOUR CHILD WILL GO TO!

Oldest Child brought home a load of bumpf relating to secondary school transfers from primary school today including a letter from the local education authority. The letter was mostly about  Oldest Child's unique reference number and deadlines for submitting applications for preferred senior school blah-de-blah, but also "helpfully" included the names of the two schools in our designated catchment area. OK, you might say, what's the beef there? I'll tell you what - the LEA has only put down 2 schools which are miles away from our house rather than the 2 schools closest to us. TOM phoned up the helpline to complain and was given some convoluted explanation that it doesn't matter which schools are closest to us, it all depends which ward we're in - this apparently dictates which school catchment area we fall under.

TOM was assured (just) that this won't stop us from applying for whichever schools we want, but it does mean there are absolutely no guarantees that we will get our first or even second choice of secondary school. OMFG, this is looking like it could be rather stressful. Quick, pass me the lavender oil!

Some more things which annoy me

My apologies, Dear Reader, I remembered a few more things which irritate me as I was walking to work this morning:

• People (usually women, a-hem!) who don't remove the price label from the soles of their footwear. I mean, how slack is that?
• Power sockets being left on with no appliances plugged in. Maybe this is just me being a bit OCD or perhaps in awe of the "magic" of electricity and not understanding how it works but, really, it bugs me. Wherever I am if I see a socket switched to 'On' with nothing plugged in I am compelled to switch it off. TOM thinks I need some professional help with this particular little issue.
• Other drivers parking so close to my side of the car that I have to gain entry through the passenger door; no mean feat in a small vehicle like mine. This happened this morning and the offending driver (I hate to say but it was a woman!!) was STILL IN her car. Busy setting up her sat nav, she was. Completely ignored my polite tapping on her window. Honestly some people.
• Crocs footwear. Well, not the actual items themselves as I do confess to having a pair. More like Crocs being worn inappropriately. Just because you work in social care doesn't mean its ok to wear clumpy, plastic slip-ons to the office. I promise you, it just isn't professional.

A short list today but I'm glad to have got them off my chest. Thank you for your patience.