Friday 24 April 2009

R&R ??!!!

The family (well me and the boys at least) are getting ready to head back to England for a bit of a jaunt. For long, boring and now annoyingly unnecessary reasons we had to go back for the whole of May so we are leaving tomorrow, flying via Budapest and by Saturday night I shall be eating marmite toast, Thai food and sipping dark ale. Maybe all at once.

Preparation and packing are not going so well.


Status Update:

Youngest Boy, Luke: Currently being sick and with a nasty old bout of diarrhoea. Not at nursery. When not being sick is being pretty perky and wanting to play, unpacking as fast as I pack.

Eldest Boy, Adam: Quite jolly. At nursery. Will obviously get exactly the sort of sickness and diarrhoea that you do not want to get on a plane on the plane.

Packing: Not yet

Packing of day packs for the solo trip with 2 small boys to take on the plane: Now includes many changes of clothes for inevitable sickness combo that will hit at 35,000 feet.

House: Despite being cleaned top to bottom yesterday is now trashed. Again.

Washing Machine: Never knowingly quiet, it is now dancing across the room in an attempt to get rid of the pile of dirty washing before we go and to sort out the vomit covered bedding that wasn't in there when we went to bed last night.

Weather: Tuzla - has been grotty. England - has been lovely.

Weather Forecast: Tuzla - lovely, England - grotty. (Damn it - I always travel the wrong way round - once had a year of 3 winters as I didn't pay attention when I was booking the flights)

Estimated Time of Departure: Way too close

Fraught Mummy: weirdly calm. Keep thinking how much easier it is now Luke is 2 1/2 so don't need to pack things like buggy, bottles, sleeping bags, cots. Will panic shortly but feel that denial is a better state to be in right now as I can't keep up the level of panic required for the next 48 hours. Besides, I'm going to a place where there is CBeebies on TV and Mothercare. However bad my packing is, I can bounce back.

Fraught Daddy (Dave): Is 3 weeks away from sampling his first pint. Is regarding the chaos with a degree of calmness, but he isn't the one on the plane with 2 potentially vomiting children with not enough to do.

Not Very Fraught in fact rather calm and serene Granny (My Mum): A legend in her own time. Has decided that a day trip to Hungary is just the thing and is flying from Heathrow for a coffee in Budapest before meeting her fraught daughter off the flight from Sarajevo in order to accompany said daughter and the whirlwind dervishes from Budapest to London. I may lie down and weep in gratitude on the floor of Budapest airport. Calm and Serene Granny has obviously had a rush of blood to the head in coming up with this plan and is obviously quite mad, but her fraught daughter is eternally grateful.


They call the period when the expat takes a break from being foreign, R&R. I'm not totally sure what it stands for - Rest and Recuperation? Rest and Relaxation? Either way, we need it. The build up to getting some is killing me.

11 comments:

Laura - Are We Nearly There Yet Mummy? said...

Aaah - sounds like its just what you need and great that Granny will be coming back with you at 35000 feet when the puke flows freely.

Mummy said...

Can Granny be rented to do long haul flights from Asia?

Teacher Mommy said...

Thee are mad, girl. Flying with two small boys streaming from both ends?

I'm not sure there's any sort of R & R that can really make up for that. Besides, at this rate, you'll just land and then have to start packing for the return trip.

(I pride myself on my ministry of comfort and optimism, by the way. You're welcome.)

Smitten by Britain said...

I'm excited for you. Safe journey and all that.

Dot said...

Granny can remember exactly what it was like & if I can do one thing to help .. it must be right up there! Anyway couple of hours in Budapest can't be too bad ..

Dorset Dispatches said...

DOT! AKA Calm and Serene Granny. Hope Budapest provides you with a cafe with a beautiful view. Very much looking forward to seeing you in the middle of the airport. I will try not to weep with gratitude at your feet as that could be embarrassing.

By the way, the omens on the sickness front are looking good... I don't want to jinx anything but everyone here currently quite cheerful. Keep your fingers crossed.

Maternal Tales said...

I hope this comment finds you safe and sound in England and that flights and children weren't too soul destroying. Granny Dot sounds amazing. Can I borrow her?? Enjoy your R & R and make the most of the marmite!!

A Modern Mother said...

Tag for you at mine...

kerry jean lister said...

Hello Fraught Mummy! Hope your trip is going well and you are covered in marmite and baked beans (not literally tho obv - altho I do know some people who wouldn't mind this).

You registered to join Think Parents recently but forgot to leave your email address - you can find mine on my blog so do drop me an email when you get chance and we can have a chat

Cheers!

Kerry @ MLBB

Dorset Dispatches said...

MT and MM - yes back safely. Was very lucky on the sickness front, youngest recovered, eldest yet to go down with it. Otherwise trip was as expected with 2 excited toddlers.

Too busy stuffing my face with Pad Thai and drinking vast quanitites of cold sauvignon blanc to post. Boys currently covered in baked beans. Literally. Granny Dot is in charge. I'm thinking of making hiring her out a business. Will be posting again soon... just as soon as I finish that glass of wine.... hic!

Fourdownmumtogo said...

Hi, sorry and all, but I've tagged you.

http://fourdownmumtogo.blogspot.com/2009/04/youre-it.html