Holiday

"So you've taken up residence then?" said The Cat's Mother's Mother.

Of course mother-in-laws are always terrifying, even when I usually go round feeling pretty grown up.

So no wonder I could only mumble into my boots in reply.

Anyway, I should be demob happy as we're away for a week...but before then I have to:

1. Finish organising the OBs Dinner tonight
2. Attend the OBs Dinner tonight
3. Stay sober at the OBs Dinner tonight
4. Do a day's work at the office...there's a mountain to be done. No doubt lots that I should have done won't get done, and I'll be found out in my absence
5. Make sure The Boy is properly packed...that means more than one pair of pants for the week
6. Get up at 2.30 a.m. to take The Boy and The Cat to school to joing their Berlin/Prague trip. The Cat's Mother will drive to the school. Unless we both decides to call them a taxi...
7. Write my cheerio blog entry. This one. I don't know why
8. Chase the Brighton cleaners who may or may not have been...who knows...
9. Chase a delivery that we need today
10. Do my own packing. Remembering the snorkel mask so The Cat's Mother can see the fish at Konnos Bay

11. Relax....

It's all in the timing

Oh dear, I've evidently titled a blog post 'It's all in the timing' before. I only know because Blogger told me. I wonder what it was about? Fortunately I read in the paper that they've developed a pill to stop you forgetting things. I may need an over-dose.

Apologies to Tara...I can't do your Photogallery this week...I simply can't think of a favourite photo...there are just too many for me to choose. Inspite of the politicians' claims, choice is not always a good thing!

The carpet shop rang today. "Mr Nota Bene, the bank has returned your cheque" They said. I turned a very tomato red colour, assuming that my flakiness meant that I'd paid with the wrong account. Or may be just didn't have the money in the first place. "They say your signature has changed so won't accept it". On the one hand, much relief. On the other instant annoyance. I'm not thirteen. My signature hasn't changed in thirty years. I apologised to the shop and transfered the money by internet banking. Then rang the bank. No apology from them. Merely a "You probably were rushing when you wrote the cheque". I assured her that when writing a cheque for several thousand pounds I NEVER rush. They suggested I go into the bank and re-signed the banking mandate. I suggested that if there had been a query they should have rung me as they hold a work number, a mobile number and a home number. And from there the conversation spiralled downwards. At some stage the supervisor came on the phone because I'd reduced the Customer Advisor at the UK's most complained about bank to tears. I may have been a little more conciliatory if I'd waited half an hour by which time I would have seen on the BBC that the bank is making 4,500 people redundant...most probably including the person I was speaking with. It's all in the timing.

And talking of timing. The Cat's Mother and I are off abroad next week. We fly on Sunday first to see Grandma in Cyprus and from there onto Beirut. That'll be the place that Sky News says, "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has begun a visit to Lebanon that heightens already mounting tensions in the country." He'll be in Beirut. Hopefully staying at his embassy and not the same hotel as us.

I hope we get an armed guard.

We think Big Ears has moved in....

We got up one morning this week to find this in the garden. The Cat's Mother says that it belongs to Big Ears, and that we will have Noddy driving his car past any time now....

Dinner time

The fabulously named Misty Weaver has sent me a press release about baby sign language. Better than that she has offered to write a blog post for me on the subject.

And best of all, she says, "Alternatively, if you prefer another topic just let me know and I can write anything of your choice. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Have a wonderful day!!!"

Suggestions on a postcard please

Nobody has ever accused me of being organised. Quite the contrary in fact. Indeed my desk is a testament to that saying...the one about tidy desk, tidy mind...in fact my life has been shambolic enough that last year I actually had to pay someone to open my post. I don't mean a few letters for the week before...I mean two or three or four years worth of envelopes which had carefully been stuffed in cardboard boxes. There was half a dozen of them, and I'd just never quite got round to doing it. actually truth be told I'd just been terrified of opening them in case I found anything untoward. Naturally, by not opening them I assumed any problems would go away. And if I ever get to be a celebrity, you can rest assured I won't be one of those Z listers who would go to the opening of an envelope...

...so I guess it was hardly surprising then that The Cat's Mother's jaw dropped to the ground when several months ago I volunteered (was volunteered) to organise this year's Old Boys (and Girls) Dinner. mmm I knew it was a risk (my failure will lead to the abject humiliation of The Boy as he gets ribbed by his friends) but I have been known to be quite adventurous.

The Cat's Mother is the most organised person in the wrold. She keeps every receipt. She goes through every bank statement every month. She goes through every credit card bill every month. Everything has its place. It's admirable. She even had an accountancy session when we were on holiday in Iceland. I have photo evidence to prove it.



I was very glad/pleased/relieved when she offered to help me sort out the ticket invitations which had variously arrived by e-mail, website booking, Facebook, by letter, on a post it note, on the booking form, and on a card. There were 146 of them. I've booked 135 with the caterer. I have some of the names in full, some just a surname, some a christian name, some just initials, one "I'll bring my sister", some who aren't on the database at all, and the odd reverend and cannon. We've even got Michael Jackson and Gordon Brown.

We've got to put them all into tables of ten; some have booked as groups of 12. Or 14.

Saturday, literally all of Saturday was taken up sorting this out...oh and I must order the wine yet. It's on Friday so I've got ages to go....I hope I don't get my just deserts.