Sunday, August 10, 2008

The best laid plans

Well, last week didn't go quite as well as we'd hoped. Family dynamics, dismal weather (thick fog, lashings of rain) and illness all played their part. Buster requires more attention than is fair to Sweetie Pie, who's fourteen and therefore unlikely in any case to enjoy a family holiday at all, let alone one on a caravan site in the rain-soaked UK. I did what I could to alleviate the situation for her - I paid inordinate amounts of money for a week's internet access from her laptop and for a couple of spa treatments, but what cheered her up most was getting her bum squeezed by a passing lad in the entertainment centre.

Me: You should've turned round and slapped him.

Sweetie: Are you mad? I liked it!

I think maybe there was a mix-up at the hospital...

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What do the following have in common?


Barry White Line

Porter Waggon-er

50 (per) Cent

They're all my (ingenious, I think you'll agree) attempts at concocting names of celebs from things we passed on the holiday car journey. Barney's, Buster's and Sweetie Pie's contributions obviously weren't quite as high-class as mine but oh, how we laughed, as they say. See, it really doesn't take much to make us happy.
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The high point of the week tho' came the day we walked on the beach to Embleton and lunched at the pub. Usually when we go to a pub we're the worst family there - the family that everyone else looks at thinking, why did they come along spoiling our peace with their bad vibes and truculence? On this particular day tho' there was a family even more snarly and scratchy than us. They had the two best behaved little boys ever, but kept telling them off for misdemeanors indiscernible to other diners. Finally, grumpy dad stood up and yelled very loudly at mum:
'Stop sitting there like flippin' Winston Churchill, barking out your orders! Go and sit in the corner!'
Sweetie Pie and I exchanged glances and what started as muffled giggling ended up as something a bit rowdier. Not sure what Winston Churchill thought of us but for once we were very, very proud to seem almost normal by comparison...

7 comments:

Jen said...

Oh man, I've just booked a week away with my Fussy Eater and Truculent teenager... you've not filled me with joy, reading this!

Lovely to have you back. See? You can stay home for rain and internets. 'Tis cheaper but less blogworthy :0)

Casdok said...

Yes the best laid plans!!
Great that you had some highlights though that gave you a laugh!

Pat Posner said...

Welcome home!
Your travel game sounds fun.
I love your Sweetie's comment when she got a bum squeeze.

Honeysuckle said...

Ah, you'll be fine, Spiralskies - Fussy Eater and Truculent Teenager exactly describes my two too, but still, you'll be fine...

Thanks, Casdok. Sometimes those highlights appear at the strangest times in the strangest places.

Pat - should we meet for coffee sometime soon? I can make it to Tod if that's the easiest thing for you...

Pat Posner said...

Honeysuckle
I don't drive so it'd be great if you could come to Tod. We could meet on the market then come back here for coffee? If you e-mail me (email's on my blog intro page) your phone number, I'll phone so we can fix a day.
Ooooh getting excited now.

Pat Posner said...

I've just seen your comment on my blog (smile).

You probably know how to get my email addy - but in case you don't: click on the 'View my Complete Profile' bit to get to the Blogger info page.

Jill Steeples said...

Oh the joys of the British summer holiday, eh? Sorry it couldn't have been better for you.

Snigger at Mrs Winston Churchill, you'll have to put that family into a story sometime.