Wednesday & Thursday

Yesterday was obviously a sad day for us. We felt so far away and so useless. The divide was great. Family members tried to ring us without much luck. I realise there will be times like this when we feel far removed from our family.

WEDNESDAY 28th MARCH

Huffle went off to work as usual knowing that his meeting to sort out his 'stresses' would be happening first thing. He had a message to ring his brother, Uncle Grump, and then got the sad news about Uncle Dermott. He then rang me and I told the kids. Smallest didn't really understand but Small was sad and hugged me.

I sent them both off to school and was about to start the last coat of paint in Small's room when I had a phone call from my neighbour Mrs Royal asking if I wanted to go for a walk. Yes I most certainly did. I had been in for three days. I walked with her and another neighbour for about forty minutes. Met another neighbour on the way back who has a horse and cart and said we could ride in it anytime. He was Irish, kept calling me pet and was a lovely man.

I got back and started painting, I decided I would do a full clean of his room too and reorganise it but halfway through I got a Skype call from Moo telling me that Grandad was desperate to talk to me. So I rang him and talked to him about Uncle Dermott, family, contact numbers etc. Then I skyped Moo back and we had a good chat. While I was on to her I had a call on my mobile (cell) from the school to say that Small wasn't feeling well and wanted to come home.

I got changed quickly out of my painting gear, and drove to the school, picked him up and tried to find a walk-in clinic. The one in Town that has a huge sign saying walk-in clinic was no longer a walk-in and they weren't taking new patients. So I found a pharmacist who told me about a place attached to the hospital about thirty minutes away. I asked the pharmacist to check him out anyway and she said she thought he had strep throat as it was doing the rounds at the moment. Also the fact he was having nightmares and sleep walking (he looked at me and said "am i?") could have something to do with the infection but to definitely get it checked out. I knew I wouldn't have time to go there and be back in time for Smallest getting off the bus, so I went back to the Royals and asked for their help. (I think we struck gold moving here, the neighbours are just the best, so helpful, so kind and thoughtful, Moo said earlier that she has lived in her street for twenty years and no-one gives a damn about her!). Mrs Royal offered Mr Royal's services to keep an eye out for Smallest getting off the bus if I wasn't back. I decided to wait for Smallest to get off the bus and then we all went in search of the walk-in clinic.

We followed my GPS and found the place easily. I was dreading huge lines of poorly people coughing and spluttering over us with limbs bleeding (great imagination!) but instead it was a very clean, empty room with chairs and a friendly receptionist. I handed over Small's medical card, gave a brief description of his problem, my address and telephone numbers and was told to sit and wait till we were called.

Five minutes later we were ushered into what looked like a room full of curtained cubicles. Then we saw a nurse/trainee doc who asked questions, took notes and took Small's temperature (normal) and a swab from his tonsils (which he hated and cried, I think because he was scared and didn't know what was going on). Then a doctor came in, told us he had no fever but did have Strep Throat which he said is like Tonsilitus. He prescribed anti-biotics for ten days. He talked to me about getting a family doctor and where a practice was taking new patients (although forgotten where he said now) but that we were always welcome there whenever we wanted. He told us that Small should stay off school for 24 hours after starting the anti-biotics.

We went next door to a supermarket (very nice one) and went to the pharmacy. We have a health insurance card and it should cover us for prescriptions so I handed it over but the pharmacist couldn't process it and suggested I pay now and claim it back later. His medicine (bearing in mind it is free in the UK for children) was $30. OMG I didn't expect that much!

We stopped off at the fish and chip shop on the way home as it was getting late. Huffle was playing football so the three of us sat in front of the TV eating Chips. They weren't the best (certainly not compared to our lovely chip van back home) but the woman in there was really nice and chatty.

Huffle came home after football, weary, sad, a bit smelly (well so would you be if you had ran around for over an hour with a load of sweaty men!). We had a cup of tea (always helps) and then put the kids to bed. Huffle had a long soak in the bath while I watched my programmes on the TV. He had his meeting and it looks like he may be getting some help - Good, it seems his boss is quite understanding. We scoured our pictures to find ones of Uncle Dermott and thought of stories to tell. We have many more stories and many more pictures but it was important we published the post that night and didn't leave it. I hope we did him justice. We had such lovely emails and kind comments. Thank you to all x

THURSDAY 29th MARCH

Today's agenda. More Piñata. Tidy Basement. Library!? Bake cakes for school tomorrow for Smallest's birthday. Kasabian - yay.

Small obviously stayed off from school again today although he seems a lot brighter and is starting to annoy Smallest much more. GREAT. Smallest was in a very strange mood this morning. He had a huge tantrum because I asked him to remove his breakfast things. He decided he didn't know where to put anything and refused to do anything. I won in the end but it took some doing!

The boys went and played (they were supposed to be tidying away) in the basement while I tidied the rest of the house, did some washing, got showered and dressed. In the end they made a good job of tidying. They keep telling me "it's our space Mummy and we can make it messy if we want!" which is fair enough but we have to walk through it and constantly trip over cars and stand on Lego - ouch!

Smallest noticed that we had mail so he went to fetch it. Look at his grumpy face because he thought it was for me.........

It wasn't, he saw 'Master' and thought it said Mummy. Then he was happier.

 

We drove to the library, chose some books. The Library lady gave Smallest a card and present which was really sweet of her. She got an almost-hug. She let him open the present, some Lego, he was very happy.

Next we went for a sticky cheese sandwich at the cafe. Small is definitely going back to school tomorrow. He is certainly on the mend! Driving me up the wall!!!!!!

W came home and started making the cakes for tomorrow. Smallest requested Cookie Monster Cakes and as the kids in his class are really small, I though I would make really small cakes for them.

 

I had to buy the icing in a tube (which is not what I would normally do) as I was a bit stressed and in a hurry last night. I will shop for his proper cake tomorrow when I have the day to myself. Although I have just been given a free ticket to the One of a Kind show. Would love to go but not sure I can fit it in yet. Will see.

I had to clear up the big mess I made. Kids watched TV and made a list for the party. Small wrote some forfeits for the pass the parcel.

I had to send the kids in separate rooms today because they were absolutely hyper. On their own, they are angels but together they turn into whirling dervishes (is that right, it sounds wrong!). Spoke to Yahoo earlier on Skype and she heard me shouting at them, she said she was relieved as my blog makes everything sound like I do stuff with the boys and they behave all the time and are always happy. NO THIS IS NOT THE CASE. Sometimes they are horrible. To me. To each other. To Huffle. We are normal (ish).

 

Smallest made his new Lego, then it all fell apart and then I made it again. Then they sat in the basement and argued and shouted and fought and got annoyed with each other. Huffle came home early and tried to sort them calmly.

Calmly didn't work. So we ignored them and let them sort things out for themselves.

Oh well, I'm off to see Kasabian. HYYHHHYAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY.