Daylight saving has ended, and not only has the big old sun in the sky changed it's working hours, those hours seem to be stretched in funny places like a woolly jersey hung out to dry. Outside of the normal school-run routine and even simply being at home with children warps the days in funny ways, but yesterday - yesterday was something special.
545 am. Children up and first breakfast of weetbix. We are at the bach so my day started with a preplanned sleep-in on my behalf (after 12 years together our contracted sleep-in details are highly negotiated - present contract includes minimum of 2 rounds of tea and toast).
750am. Sleepover over. Wake-boarding for Dad. Second breakfast for kids, Weetbix. We head off to the tennis court for a few hits. Big Brother and I practice for 15 minutes and in this time he clocks 3 hits and 64 misses (at which I enthusiastically call out 'Nearly!' 'Try again' and 'Wow, so close' - I mean tennis has got to be a the worst game to learn for the parent). Across the court I hear the 5 most dreaded words from a toilet trained child's mouth while out of the house - 'I NEED TO DO POOS!' Oh, crap/ Literally. At speed I gather up kids, racquets, covers, balls from bushes and buggy and we all jog carefully home (carefully cause my children refuse to wear undies on holiday and previous experience has taught me not to squeeze them while running for the bathroom). Morning tea follows. Tree climbing practice. Game of soccer on the lawn. I get inspired with a pair of scissors and give them all haircuts, with happy mullet results. They strip off for the haircuts and get covered in hair so we climb into togs and walk down the beach. We dig trenches, make sandcastles and I shamelessly bribe them into swimming in the freezing cold lake. Big brother likes to warm up by rolling in the sand, including planting his face directly in the sand. We stagger home, as only you can with a 2 year old who wants to wear 'cool mine jandals' but can't bear to have sand in them so takes them of every, and I mean every second step to remove the insulting particles). Shamelessly I bribe the boys to carry the spades, buckets and towels home. Series of bucket baths to wash off sand. Hot showers to warm everyone up. All 4 of us squeeze into the shower and we all get holiday shampoo in our eyes which really stings. 3 tantrums. All get dressed in third outfit for the day. Lunch is prepared and eaten. Dishes washed. Read books. I check the clock - its 11.40am.