Babysitting etc

Amanda and children were with us to the end of the month.  I did several stints of babysitting - just Harrison! I didn't feel I could manage Bethany as well so she went to Carolyn's.  Amanda wanted to spend time at Leanne's flat helping her to clean it out and rearrange it so that she could fit another baby in, not to mention Ifty who is moving in sometime soon.  Amanda wrote down the schedule for the day and I was instructed in the art of making bottles and making up the powdered food.  The first day Mike went off to work at 7 and Amanda left shortly afterwards and I was left on my own for the rest of the day. The weather was absolutely awful and I was unable to take Harrison out in the pram - not least because there was no rain cover for it.

The first nap happened on schedule - but the long nap at lunchtime never happened.  So I skyped with Jayne for about hour and a half with Harrison on my knee - he was fascinated by the screen luckily so this worked quite well.   I went out with Suki first thing before Amanda left, and then again at the end of the day when, thankfully, Lorraine turned up out of the blue and took over for the final bottle and bed time.  Amanda got home about 9 pm absolutely exhausted and hardly able to walk she ached so much!  Bethany stayed overnight at Carolyn's ( and came back hyper from eating chocolate!!).

 I got on better the next day as I had got used to the routine and I was able to go out with the pram because the weather was dry - although it started to snow when I was in the park so I had to cut the walk short.  The snow didn't seem to bother Harrison too much - he slept all the way round.

So Suki got proper walks at the right time.  It was also nice having Mike around for some company and additional entertainment value!  Amanda came back with Bethany around 7 pm and I dashed off to ringing.  Although I had separate transport I decided to go to the pub with Mike to be sociable - but ended drinking up and leaving in a hissy fit over Adrian's assertion that he was singled out in not being asked what he would like to ring!!

We went to Gill and Martin's at the weekend.  We took Suki for a quick walk in QE Country Park first and then arrived in time for a nice lunch of homemade soup and fresh bread.  After lunch we looked at all the photos on the TV screen from their recent holiday to Cuba, and Gill's recent enterprise in Uganda.  Then Mike and I took Suki for a walk round the lake, and Gill disappeared upstairs - presumably for a nap.  After a cup of tea Mike played the Settlement game with Gill and Simon - which Simon won this time.  Martin and I watched old films on TV - it was obviously "submarine" day as all the films were about submarines.  I discovered the "Movies4men" channel which looks like a good one for a slow day!  We all went out for a curry in the evening which was delicious and Mike and I took back a doggy bag for lunch on Monday. The next morning I went up for a shower and found there was no hot water.  Of course I was wet by then so I had a cold shower - invigorating if nothing else.  I foraged for breakfast for us both and then rang the RAC about a flat tyre we had noticed the previous evening.  They said they might be 3 hours.  Martin came down and chatted with Mike in the kitchen for a while.  Gill came down for a cup of tea but otherwise stayed upstairs, declining an invitation to come for a walk with Suki and me.  So I went on my own for quite a long walk - all round the heath and then round the lake.  Mike rang to say Martin had changed the wheel for us - and he made an appointment with Kwik Fit for 2 pm.  I went to Tesco with Martin to get some nice bread for lunch to go with the Bentalls Christmas hamper we had brought with us.  After lunch I helped Gill move furniture from Simon's old room to his new one over the garage.  Then we loaded some stuff into her car and did a tip run.  When we got back I helped her clear out her linen cupboard and load the car again with stuff for the tip. She seemed to be more cheerful by the time we left. Mike and I had a good trip home - where Amanda had pasta and meatballs waiting for us!  It was great to have dinner put in front of us and then to settle down with a glass of wine.

I was on babysitting duty again on the Monday - even better now because Amanda had found that there was a raincover for the buggy which fitted the pram, and she had also bought Harrison a onesie coat (a big soft furry Gruffalo costume!) so he was warm and snug when we went out.  It was pouring with rain in the morning, but we had a good walk for about an hour  and then again in the afternoon for another hour, when the weather had greatly improved- it was great to get out with him in the pram and know he was warm and dry.

I went ringing at Chiswick when Amanda came home - got there in time for about half an hour of handbells with Monica and Richard.  There were two new learners - who were watching as we were ringing down when Mike got the rope of the 2 caught under his wheels and snapped the rope!  I was on the 3 and was petrified it was going to whip around me, but actually it wrapped itself round the rope guide.  I didn't go to the pub but came home and had a drink with Amanda - she had coke and I had a beer.  She was just finishing my ironing when I came in - which was a nice surprise.

Tuesday was an "admin" day - and it was quite productive although not everything on the list was ticked off.  I got all the banking ready for the numbers club and the Middx S&W subs and then Amanda and I went up to the Chiswick High Road and went to the banks and to the shops.  We got her car booked in for an MOT the next day and booked the taxi for the airport on 28th.  Amanda made a chicken casserole in the slow cooker - but we decided to have cheese and biscuits for supper and have the casserole another day.

We got going early on Wednesday - I took Suki out for a walk and then popped up the post office to post a parcel to Jayne, and some music for Mike, while Amanda fed the children and got them ready.  Then we went off to Alperton to drop off her car for the MOT.  We put the car seat into my car and then came back home.  I had time for a quick coffee and hot cross bun before going off to Keith's.  I had arranged for tv engineer to call and fix his set up and he was very pleased with the result.  I went to Sainsbury for him and then to the village and was home again by 2.30.  Mike meanwhile had gone off to Sunbury to ring a QP of Julie McDonald triples, with Dennis on the treble and Julie herself inside.  They had 6 starts before they got it - so he didn't have time to go for lunch as he had a call at 2 pm.


In the evening we went to Guys and rang some more minor on handbells with Caroline.  We had a very enjoyable ring and at the second attempt rang nearly four extents before it collapsed.  We then went for a most enjoyable meal at Azzuro - my tortellini was delicious.

I was back on baby sitting duties again on the Thursday.  We went over to Alperton first to pick up the car and then Amanda and Bethany went off to Leanne's/Carolyn's and I took Harrison back with me.  I found reconstructing the pram a bit challenging and Harrison had to cope with it being in buggy mode for the short trip from the car to the house!  It was all reasonably straightforward again - he had a sleep on the sofa after his lunch so I was able to get a sandwich myself and a coffee.  I sat next to him on the sofa and updated my blog.

It was Lorraine's 40th birthday on the Saturday - and I was once again babysitting Harrison for the day while Amanda took Bethany with her to help get the venue ready for the party and pick up the cake.  They came back about 5 and got ready for the party - Amanda took Bethany to the party until 9 pm and then brought her home in a taxi and went back to the party, so I was babysitting both of them in the evening. Harrison woke up when she came in so I rocked him back to sleep while I sat on the bed with Bethany and then crept out when both were asleep.  Amanda came in very late - and I discovered later also very sick!!  Lorraine had helped her in and cleaned up!  Lorraine came round the next day and took the kids out for the day so that Amanda could go back to bed and recover.  She has a very strong constitution as she was up for a glass of wine in the evening!

Amanda and children went off to visit a friend for a couple of days which gave us a window of peace and quiet!  When she got back she said the car was still making a knocking sound so she took it to Kwik Fit who said we had to take it to Ford.  Time was getting really short by now and it was the day before flying when I took it in to Alperton again.  I thought they were just going to screw the loose bit on but they announced the suspension was broken - and they didn't have the parts.  I wasn't sure how I could get home so they very kindly arranged for someone to take me!  I then took Amanda and children over to Carolyn's - we picked her up and went to the Starbucks cafe at her local Sainsbury for lunch.  Then we dropped in to say goodbye to Leanne.  Then when we got back I set off for Alperton by public transport to pick up the car.  It was about 7.45 before I got home.  Amanda spent the evening packing - I helped where I could - and it became clear that there was a great pile of stuff which wouldn't fit in.  So that was left for me to bring another time.  Lorraine came over to say goodbye and stayed the night - having Harrison to sleep with her so that Amanda could get a good night's sleep.  He had a rotten cold and it made him restless through the night.

Popular posts from this blog

Christmas Newsletter 2018

Saturday 1 February

Roving Ringers Reunion Weekend 21-22 Feb