Whilst I was off having a fine old time at the CyberMummy Conference (and what a fine old time it was too), Dave was left in charge of the boys. He had known about it for months but had sort of forgotten it was on the horizon. When reminded somewhat pointedly, he felt relaxed, safe in the knowledge that he could skip down the road and take the boys off to visit Grandma. After all this is one of the great benefits of moving back home - friends and family on your doorstep.
What he didn't have in mind was that Grandma might be busy. Doing something else. Gasp, shock, horror, not going to be in! Outrageous, grandparents having a life of their own!
The reality dawned. He was going to be in sole charge of the 2 boys (and dog) from mid-day on Friday until Saturday night. 'Pants'* he said to me 'it is time for the boys to start doing boy things. We..' and he may have paused for effect at that point .. 'are going to go on a guys trip camping'. And they did. Dave found a fellow Dad with suitably aged son and off they went.
By all accounts they had an absolute ball. There was fizzy lemonade and toasted marshmallows. The boys raced around until 11pm but then slept until 8.30. There was tree climbing and stories involving running away from cows. Dave remembered the tent pegs and how to get the tent up (neither of which is guaranteed, speaking from bitter past experience).
By the time I got home on Saturday night there were 2 knackered children as fast asleep as it is possible to be. There was one exhausted Daddy, who went to bed far earlier than I have ever known. And there was a totally trashed house. Ah well, to have come back to an untrashed house would have been unrealistic. I had to pay in some way for having such a great time at CyberMummy and laughing so much with so many bloggy friends. Can we do it again soon please?
*ok, he might not have said Pants. He may have used my real name. He may have said I can't believe you are abandoning me to go off and have a jolly jaunt in London with all your bloggy mates don't go getting addicted to twitter. Or something like that.
I can personally guarantee that Twitter IS addictive and that you too will not be immune to it.
ReplyDeleteTo the point where I will bet with you now that tweets will be forthcoming from 'Pants' when you are in the throes of labour as well.
You heard it here first.
LCM x
p.s. so happy to have finally met you in person xx
You did well to come back to a house that was still standing, or maybe I am projecting my own life on there you just a bit lol. Glad it went so well for all of you, you can go away more often now:) Jen
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to meet you on Saturday! Sounds like you now have an excuse to go away more often (as long as you get a cleaner in afterwards?)
ReplyDeleteSounds as if a good time was had by all! My boys are desperate to go camping - I am not a particular fan of it but I think we may end up having a camping trip next year....
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely to meet you and thanks for digging in with the goodie bag stuffing experience.
ReplyDeleteAh! Boys and camping... B is going away this weekend for *two* whole nights (without the children, note) on a boys camping, singing and eating bits of pig weekend. In preparation, he has bought*.... a new sleeping bag, a new rucksack, a new towel, a new torch, a new sleeping bag liner, and probably some more stuff I don't know about...
ReplyDeleteAnd he says I shop?!
So sorry I didn't meet you. But highly amused by the idea of Dave addressing you as "Pants"!
*ok, he's actually been given them all for his birthday, but it counts as the same thing because he asked for them....
ps don't do twitter - if you do, I really will be the only one who doesn't!
I don't think my hubby could cope with taking the kids camping without me (or even taking them to the shops lol) but yours seems to have coped brilliantly - I'm jealous lol
ReplyDeleteWas so great to meet you Pants. We were totally robbed on that quizz ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt was LOVELY to meet you. My hubby hasn't gone camping with the kids on his own yet, I'm totally pointing him here to show it CAN be done!
ReplyDeleteboth weekends sound great. i'm wistful about not joining in the cybermummy fun.... would have done if i wasn't at work!
ReplyDeleteHe got tent pegs in the ground in this weather? Respect!
ReplyDeleteLCM - watch this space (was that a twinge?)
ReplyDeleteJen - it was only just standing. But I will be encouraging the camping idea as much as possible. Preferably without me!
Julie B - So lovely to meet you on Sat. Any cleaner recommendations?
NVG - send them with The Doctor. It's a boy thing. (I feel the same way you do... I think we have to go to France on a camping trip this summer, I'm not organising it so it may not happen...)
Sian - any time! Lovely to meet you as well and I really enjoyed it all.
PlanB - I know! Our (pretty tight) budget is being blown out of the water for a few camping items that we apparently really need. for that once a year trip. Grrr.
MM - the deep end is good for the soul, I feel. They survived, more or less, good lesson for all of them!
Gappy - we totally were!
Vonnie - so lovely to meet you too. Maybe yours and mine can all go camping together and we can recreate cybermummy in a bar?
BwB - it would have been so nice to meet you. Another time, and soon!
What a cool thing to do. Surely he gets many brownie points for that!
ReplyDeleteSounds like they have a great time, you should get him to make it a regular thing (during which you will of course take the opportunity to "tidy" and "do all those things you can't do with kids around", namely nap and read magazines.
ReplyDeleteHow true about grandparents! I am always quite surprised if I ring mine and they're busy.