Questions, Questions and More Questions

Yes, we’ve hit that stage with Toddler-Not-So-Tiny-Temper where every second sentence is a question. Honestly, she must average around 3,000 questions PER DAY, and every question gives you a little insight into the workings of her wonderful mind. Here are a few my recent favourites:

1)         “Mummy, what’s under the grass?”

            “ Soil, you know, what we plant the seeds in at the allotment”

            “What’s under the soil then?”

(Yikes, can’t remember, is it magma or something or is that just in films??). Says confidently:  “It’s the Earth’s core darling”

            “No Mummy, I think it’s a witch and a troll”

            ????

2)         “When I’m a big girl can I marry Daddy?”

            “No sweetheart, I’m already married to Daddy.”

            “Ok. I’ll have to marry Grandpa then”

3)         “Why is that man wearing a skirt” (said in very loud toddler voice)

            “It’s not a man it’s a woman with very nice short hair” (Excruciating!)

4)         Said in huge voice in hospital waiting room after ‘internal’ scan: “Mummy, why did you take your trousers off for that man?”

            Sniggers in the waiting room and a few sympathetic glances

            “Umm, because he wanted to see mummy’s tummy darling”

5)          “Daddy, how heavy is air?”

6)         “Mummy, why do ladybirds have spots?”

            “Umm, I’m not sure actually.”

            “Is it so they can match my tights?”

Help!!!!!!

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Welcome

Morning All. Well the bad news, on firing up my computer this morning, is that I've discovered I didn't win the Euromillions on Friday. The good news though is that I have four new wonderful followers, so hello and welcome to Lynsey, MummyDichotomy, Phillipa and Topsy Toesy!

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A Warm Autumnal Welcome...

...to my new follower Lillian. Hello there! x

Bring on Autumn....

The girls in the office were moaning today about the end of summer and the approach of Autumn. Well I, for one, am delighted that Autumn’s nearly here , so wrap up and enjoy my Autumn Love List:

1) Tights

Proper, thick, warm tights can work miracles and can turn unshaven, pasty, mottled legs into gorgeous, slim, supermodel pins. Magic!

2) Autumn Food

Goodbye skinny, virtuous salads and hello steaming pots of hearty casseroles and stews…..mmmm……

3) Sloe Gin

Wait until the first frost (which, based on the weather recently, won’t be too long) then pick loads of luscious sloes, bottle them up with plenty of gin and crack open a fine vintage bottle from a previous year for ‘quality control’ purposes

4) Bonfires

The crackle of flames, smoke on the breeze, hot mulled cider, holding hands with gloves on, fireworks, chunky scarves, warm kisses on cold cheeks. What’s not to love?

5) Crunchy Walks

Toddler-Not-So-Tiny-Temper loves these – forest walks that take twice as long because there are just so many leaves to kick

So come on everyone, cheer up, put the suncream away and embrace Autumn!

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Totally in Love with The National Trust

When we moved out to the country in 2007, Mr Working Mum suggested signing up for a joint National Trust membership. Far from accepting this as a practical and quite romantic gesture, I reacted by having a mini-meltdown - had I hit middle age already? Had I really left our vibrant London life for the plod of stately homes and plant shops? Was it all comfy shoes, angora jumpers and gardening programmes from now on?

When he pointed out that we would be entitled to a free cream tea when we joined I came round a bit, but was far from convinced.

Four years on and I am a true convert. In fact, they should sign me up to be an ambassador, because I LOVE the National Trust! We were at Waddesdon Manor today for a Bank Holiday outing and we had a fantastic time. With a woodland play area, ice cream kiosk, toy shop and sweet shop, Toddler-Not-So-Tiny-Temper was in her element.  In my experience the National Trust cafés, without fail, serve the best cream teas around and most of the properties we have visited have been brilliantly equipped with masses of parking, clean loos, baby changing, play areas and places to eat.  The other thing I love are the room attendants that are stationed in the houses. They are so knowledgeable and passionate and they answer all the questions thrown at them, even toddler ones such as ‘why did they wee on their chairs?’ (Working Mum having tried to explain the concept of the commode).

If you’re not a member you’re missing a trick – great days out and the warm glow that comes from helping save some of the UK’s most amazing properties. What more could you want?

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Welcome

Hello and welcome to my lovely new follower and friend, Sarah.

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Working Mum’s Wonderful Canine Crèche

Doggie Daycare. Ever heard of it? Well nor had I until this weekend. We went to see friends who live in London with their two golden retrievers (their self-confessed surrogate children). Over dinner, conversation turned to the usual topic of how expensive things were nowadays. We must have sounded like a group of 80 year olds: “the price of chicken today is a scandal..… I remember when a can of Coke was 12p and polo mints were only 6p……we’ll be burning the floorboards to keep warm this winter with the electricity bills as they are….these children demanding the latest toys, when I was young you were lucky to have a finger puppet…..”.

London Clare then starts bemoaning the fact that daycare costs were her biggest expense after the mortgage. We start heartily joining in when I suddenly realise that she has no children.

            “Clare, you have no children what are you talking about?” I say tactfully.

            “The Doggie Daycare. It’s £25 per dog per day.”

“What? Are you mad?! What on Earth do they do for £25 a day?

Wash and blow-dry your pooch, hand-feed it organic titbits and teach it basic home skills such as emptying the washing machine??”

“Oh no, they just look after your dog for the day and give it a walk. They do collect and drop off though.”

            “They don’t even get fed there??!”

            “No, but we know they’re happy whilst we’re at work. It’s priceless really.”

“IT’S NOT PRICELESS -  it’s costing you around £6,000 a year PER DOG that’s £12,000 a year in total. You could buy a child for that!!!!”

Ok, perhaps not the best comment to make but we were a couple of bottles of wine down and I was honestly in shock. I mean, I’m a dog lover as much as the next person but someone is laughing all the way to the bank with that one. In fact, I’m considering starting up a franchise in my area.  Roll Up, Roll Up (those fifty pound notes) – Working Mum’s Wonderful Canine Crèche, coming soon…..

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