An adventure or a chore?

I am off with the mother on Saturday evening to see Lionel Ritchie in concert at Wembley Arena. This isn't the first time that I have been to Wembley. I used to live behind the Stadium, (when it was the famous Twin Towers) and I have seen several events both in the arena and at the stadium it's self. Lucky me!

I was desperately thinking of a way to ask mother whether or not she liked Lionel, without trying too much to give away exactly why. Below is a rough transcript of the conversation:

Sticking my head around the door of her room:"Mum, do you like Lionel Ritchie?"

Mum: Nods then says "He’s ok" then after a minute’s reflection she remarks, "wait, who is that again?" A further pause then "oh YES I remember now, yes he is ok, why?"

Me, who by now feels like I should be made of wood because I have bobbed in and out that room door so much I feel like a cuckoo on a clock chime. "Oh, I was just wondering, can't remember now why I asked"

Mum, with a bemused look on her face: "well my daughter I think you need to have the memory section of your brain looked at, if you can't remember...”

I think she deserves a comedy award... I have to have MY brain seen to?! LOL
That is just the beginning of my “surprise”. Imagine MY surprise when I then realise that my mother dislikes the underground tube trains. The way I worked this out was through another conversation.

Me:” I wish that, (This part of London) was connected to the tube network”.

Mum: “I am glad that it isn’t. Not that I would use it anyway, I have my car, that’s my baby”.

Me: “Yeah but suppose that you had to drive into Central London, or goodness forbids your car was broken down, then what would you do”?

Mum, pauses for a minute, gazes into the air then says: “I would call a breakdown man and ask him for a lift”. (A mother’s logic?)

At this point I must look totally confused as she then goes onto explain,

Mum: “well he wouldn’t know that I actually lived here. I could claim that I have just broken down here and that I need to be towed to wherever it was I needed to go”

Me: “Well see that’s the good thing about the underground, go anyway get anywhere”

Mum:”The only time I am going underground is when I am in a box, in fact even then I don’t want to be put IN the ground, I want my ashes scattered”

Me, at this point in time thinking that the conversation was getting slightly lost in translation: “but getting into a tube train is different, surely?”

Mum: “Nope, still squashed in and not going anywhere”

I give in at this point and let her think that her wisdom (if you can call it that!?) has prevailed!

Guess that rules out the underground as means of transport then.

Next dilemma how on Earth do I get from one side of London to the next, without taking the underground... and I have already seen the mothers reaction to the London Buses. Me in my infinite wisdom decides to call the London Transport people, who are SUPPOSED to know routes, (we all know that they cheat and tap away on their little computers) and are supposed to advise you as accurately as possible.

Now it was 7:30am that I attempt to: 1) Have a conversation even though I am not awake 2) Speak English to someone who either has a trouble understanding, or like me has not long woken up and hasn’t had coffee yet.

Me: “Good morning. I wish to travel from (My side of London), to Wembley, the arena type place, I would rather not use the underground and as little contact as possible with London’s Buses”

LT Person: “(some rather rumbled good morning that I STILL have no clue as to what was said) From (My side of London) to Wembley?”

Me: “Yes please”

LT Person: “Without underground tubes?” (Then some incomprehensible things that I think were along the lines of I will have a look, but am not to sure about that- at least I hope that is what I heard!)
Then I hear the click, click of the computer keys, a really, really long pause... a few ummms and ahhhs then finally he replies:

LT Person:”Ok this is the way via railway. It requires you to take the underground from London Bridge.”

Me:”I do not wish to use the underground”

LT Person: “ah yes, ok let me look again”
More long drawn out ummms and ahhhs. In the meantime I’m watching the time tick slowly by and am thinking to myself I want my cup of tea now.

LT Person: “Can give you the whole route on the busses?”

Me: “as few busses as possible please.”

At this point I am probably starting to turn red, considering that this call has now taken at least 15 mins and STILL no results. Just as I was about to say to the person on the end of the line that I would ring back when I had, had my first hot drink of the morning, they came back on and gave me an “acceptable route” that will take nearly 2 hours to complete. Apparently they are supposed to give you the fastest and best route and this was not a route that was advised.

I DONT CARE JUST GIVE ME A ROUTE THAT I WANT TO USE... FOR GOODNESS SAKE THE TRANSPORT WILL STILL BE GETTING PAID...GAH (How I wished that I had shouted that down the phone... but then it wouldn’t have made a blind bit of difference)
So now I have a route that uses only one bus route, but it seems that, that is the longest part of the journey.

So I have the journey planned, I have managed to work out that my mother likes the “said” artist and I am quite exhausted even before getting there!
I have tried to bring up the subject of concerts as I know that my mother doesn’t like enclosed spaces. I have managed to find out that she has been to a “tribute” concert a few years ago, but she wasn’t overly excited with it because of the amount of people there. Hmmm.

Well this will be an experience for both of us. First I am going to terrify the poor woman by taking her on London Transport. Then I will be placing her in a Sold OUT crowd of fans, either one of us is going to pass out, or we are in for a great time!!

Well as the said day is drawing near, I have no clue as to whether I am excited or just totally exhausted! I still have to arrange babysitting for my “troop” without my mother suspecting anything, taking the funds out to get us both there in the first place; I need to pick up the tickets... and the travel cards...

Hang on whose idea was this in the first place?!!!!

Ill give you all an update when I get it over with... I am so sorry I started this now! LOL

Another day in the life of....

I have tried several times to have "stuff" to blog. Much to my annoyance nothing immediately "sprang" into the mind... And despite several unusual things happening, nothing would have really been enough to talk about. So I sat down today and decided that I would just think about anything and everything. That and the fact that my aunty casually mentioned that she has been checking here to see how things are, so just bear with me if nothing makes any sense in connection or logic! (ANNND I’m female so it isn’t supposed to make sense! =P)

Firstly let’s start with a family update.
Eldest child has finally sorted out his life. (at least it seems, there is no telling with teenagers...is there?) He has decided that he will re enrol in college. (Gah what the heck have I been telling him the past however long??!! But then I am just his mother I guess) He also has got involved in a steady little job, visiting pre-teen and young teens to try and impress on them the importance of staying in school and family life.

My “pre-teen” is at that stage in life when just grounding them is never enough, and suddenly I am the worst mother in the world to have. The “Kevin and Perry” stage...just I always seem to have the Kevin one!! I mean... how many school shirts does one boy REALLY need to wear? Isn’t one supposed to be enough?! Apparently not and “mum you are so uncool” o.O (As well as “you still think your young mum”)
That last comment comes from the eldest child, who seems to think that anything past teenage is a fossil *pouts furiously*

Kevin and Perry, created by British comedian Harry Enfield was one of many sketches he had in his show. He went onto make a film based on these two characters.

That just leaves the other children, who are very well currently. Now the weather has gotten slightly warmer I am being inundated with requests to go to the park with the bikes/footballs/whatever else looks good enough to throw at each other in the park/ and mum!

Just got the family photo at school delivered home. My babies are growing up *sheds a tear*. Even my little girl isn’t as “little” anymore! To all my family you all have one in the email =P...If I missed anyone off just “hit me up” and I will forward you a copy!

My mother is still happily living in the next room. She is almost part of the furniture now. Still feels strange at times having her here, especially after not really having too much in the way of contact with her before. They say time is a good healer, though it never makes you forget.

I was reading an article my friend wrote in her blog: http://theres-life-jim.blogspot.com/2007/03/genetically-modified-tomatoes.html and it made me giggle and think about why they do stuff to food. Following several articles (such as the link below) that have made national news articles over here also got me thinking:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6390000/newsid_6397000/6397059.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm

I came to the conclusion that the people who do “reinvent” our foodstuffs have NO clue at all what they are doing. Then to add insult to injury they blame the parents for how the children are turning out today. I “disallow” certain things for my children. They are only allowed things such as fizzy drinks and “treats” at things like parties. Even then I am apprehensive about what they are having... and the results after they have had those things are horrific. My usually “mild” children suddenly become tearaways, jumping, shouting, screaming and kicking their way through the rest of the day. I even know when they have had something at school...because they are waaay to active. So much so that my youngest son came home yesterday and my mother had to comment “what have they had at school today” as he did his 1000th jumping session around my kitchen.

Myself I am doing ok. I have not done much in the way of coursework, though I have done some...and I am kicking myself now, as I want to get a chunk out of the way. I have developed a strange taste for Horlicks during the day...along with a desire to eat honey roasted cashew nuts... mmmmmm (starts to drool)... perfect diet! LOL

Wow I typed more than I thought I would. I think that I will just leave you this instalment for now and then add something again in a few days.

Take care out there. xx