Getting everyone ready to leave our house in the morning is no mean feat. Although I'm fairly sure that lots of households play things out in a similar fashion to ourselves, I'm going to run through things from my point of view anyway, just because I can! Digital clock radio goes off, usually with a decent tune playing, all courtesy of 6Music. Nudge M' who grudgingly goes to shower.
Doze for 10 minutes more (sometimes 12 or sometimes even - tee hee - 15!) M returns, I change station to BBC Radio 2 so we can listen to Chris Evans, my turn to shower.
Walk along landing, say good morning to Joseph who is usually reading. I shower, go back to his room again, tell him to remember to look at his times tables poster while he gets dressed (in other words, time to get up and get dressed - now!) Go into Annabel's room, open blind and move her hair out of her face gently, thus stirring her from her deep sleep. I get dressed, walk along to Joseph's room again, inform him for the fourth time so far that week that the mornings are for getting up, ready, fed and out of the house for school; they are not an extension of playtime to be spent connecting lego pieces whilst in the buff - get dressed! Help Annabel to get dressed, brush her hair (commenting once again how much I wish I had her hair and she could have mine - which earns me a "you've got to be joking" look), et voilà, it's time for breakfast; first stage of proceedings completed! (Actually, I've just remembered exactly what it is I wanted to talk about, but for the sake of continuity, I'll finish this ramble quickly).
Cereal, ("surprise mixture please Dad"), crumpets, ("ooh, can I have honey please?") and a cup of strong tea for me. Finish brekkie, back upstairs to brush teeth, fill school water bottles, shoes on, safety helmets on, scooters at the ready and off we go, the entire mission accomplished in just under two hours. Now, what was I going to tell you .......?
Oh yeah, if M' is leaving early for work on any particular day, then Annabel and myself wave from one of the upstairs windows (I know, I know, so cheesy but we just can't help ourselves!). It is at this point that we see what sort of a day it's going to be weatherwise. For the children, it kind of doesn't matter - the uniform is the uniform - there's not a great deal that can be done to change it.
For me however, it's the moment when I realise that I am hopelessly under or over dressed, with no time really, to change into something more appropriate. I s'pose I could look out of the window before getting dressed, but where's the fun in that??!? "Hmm, whaddya think Annabel? Does it look warm and is going to be warm, or does it just look warm and is actually freezing out there?"
(Heh heh, this way, I get to blame someone else if I'm not dressed correctly, works every time) She got it right, bless her - it was quite cold, albeit beautifully sunny and clear. Cold or not though, it was a cracking morning and a cracking day. Spring, it seems, really is here! People were smiling at each other on the walk to school, and let's face it, Londoners only do that if it's the middle of summer so that should give you some idea of how nice a day it really was "dahn sarf".
Of course, the walk home was a slightly different matter, with everyone's sweaters, cardigans and jackets slung over (my) arm, but not even the fact that I was carrying heavy shopping stopped me from taking today's piccy.
Home, mes enfants, to the garden! It's been a long, dark winter and I have a lawn to tend to!!
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