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It’s the beginning of the October school holidays; I should be relaxed and looking forward to stress-free mornings and no packed lunches. But I’m tense and in limbo I am expecting rain and cabin fever, lots of fighting and far too much children’s television. In my desire to put off opening the curtains and see the rain I began to unpack the dishes from a dishwasher I had forgotten to switch on the night before.
“Here please take your juice.” I said to the Butterfly while I tried to disengage my leg from a Lollipop who was insisting on a chocolate at six in the morning! To which she calmly replied “Actually mum I am guessing that’s actually Papa’s coffee you’re giving me!”
I put the kettle in the fridge, who hasn’t? I filled the sugar bowl with rice, tried to dress the Lollipop in the Butterfly’s clothes and even put my underwear in the Butterfly’s draw.
I took the wrong trolley babies and all while their mother happily filled my trolley with her shopping. I gave the Mauritian a lecture about being late for work after he’d left already and woken the Butterfly up in a panic because she’ll be late for school on a Sunday.
I went into a complete panic because my Tumble Dryer would not switch on, of course it won’t turn on when the dials you are turning are on the washing machine. I’ve switch on the washing machine and taken the dirty washing to hang on the line.
I went charging out the house with the Lollipop in tow ready to do my weekly shopping only to remember half way down the road that it was holidays and I should have a Butterfly with me too. Honestly holidays are over rated; they truly throw my routine out and muddy up the clear waters of my mind.
It is the start of the second week of the holidays. I’m all set; I have a plan of action! I have my list of things to do with the children and a timetable of what I need to do when so that there are no mishaps. I threw open the curtains to a cloudy but dry day and sat down to drink a cup of wake up coffee, then the Lollipop insisted on a cup of juice.  So I proceeded to fulfil her request by pouring her watered down orange juice into my half drunk coffee.
I am now going back to bed

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