mamahog 'n the lets: October 2008

A day in the life.

Published at Wednesday, October 08, 2008 by keda

or That which makes it all worthwhile...

in the ever cosy darkness of the 'letroom, two warm, single beds, pushed together and tied with ribbons and an old spotty hairband have a dip between them. this depression, filled with soft excess quiltage and two little stray hands cushion my body perfectly on each side.

another hand rests light upon my throat, as another gently caresses my cheek.

and one of their owners quietly whispers

"you are the best mummy in the whole wide world mummy."

"and loveday is the best sister."

and rob is the best............ mummy's friend."

"i love you so much."

"here, have some money. it's for you"

"and here's one for rob too."

"i love making you presents. and being generous."

"i love you."

earlier in the day we went to school. i to sing, wipe noses and teach the putting on and off of shoes to nine 2 year olds over and over again all morning.
them, to write 11 pages of useless surf.

they cried as soon as i picked them up, telling me once again how they don't like their school, or the pushing and shouting it appears to involve.

we drank fresh lemonade at the health food shop while we discussed how rubbish but necessary our respective schools are, before buying ingredients for tomorrows packed lunch and walking home to do another two hours of our english home-school comprehension and maths measuring work.
they showed me their perfectly made beds that they'd made themselves this morning after i left at silly o'clock. they fed the cats again. then i did the dishes and not yet enough of the laundry, cooked cauliflower and blue cheese soup, and organic roka and tuna quiche with sauted potatoes while they built cities and covered the front room with chair towers and ninjas and man eating sharks.

we ate together, talking to our new turtles and watching them do gymnastics and dive practice.

we called our favourite birthday boy back in blighty, and tackled the monstrous demolition and tidy up job, and then teeth, pyjamas on and off to bed to read stories and sing songs as we've done each night for the last 6 years.
while the best mummy's best mummy's friend made the lunches and stacked and wiped.

i still have washing to hang out, and wash, and iron and put away, and school plans to write, and underpants and photographs from this (and last summer still) to edit, and a piece to write for the local magazine, about how once you've been fortunate enough to have a maid to clean up after you and iron, you become frankly incapable, and desperately call her name at least twice a day when she leaves for a two month much deserved holiday.
and the paper monster on the desk is spreading.

but the lovelylets, restless and still chatty, stroke my cheeks and tell me how much they love and miss me, and beg me not to leave them, ever. while i sink slowly between the beds and feel so full of pride and joy and love and worry that my heart could burst. and i tell them that i am exactly where i want to be.

but if i'm completely honest, i could also really murder a vodka and a fag.