I’m taking a moment to whine.
My Saturday hasn’t gone very well so far. It started with a burst water pipe in our street and went downhill from there. I thought there was more water in our geyser, so imagine my joy at being covered in conditioner and soap at the very moment the water ran out. Charmed.
I’m going to skip past the middle bit which also wasn’t pretty, but I briefly felt better after a nap. I then made the mistake of wanting to take Daniel to the hardware shop late this afternoon as I had taken the girls out with me this morning. I was at the same time looking forward to spending time with him and dreading his obstinate behavior. I have no idea where he gets this from. ‘Whistles and looks away’
We arrive at the hardware store and he says he is not getting out the car. So, I suggest that he either gets out the car or I can take him home and he crosses his arms and asks me to take him home. Which I promptly did.
Halfway home he changes his mind, no, he will get out the car, we have to turn around. Under normal circumstances I would have huffed and puffed, but I would have turned around gone back.
Not today. Today I thought fuck it. So I said no, it’s too late now.
We drive home in icy silence.
We pull into the garage.
He says he is not getting out the car.
I get out the car and stomp into the house.
Etienne asks what’s wrong and I tell him. Apparently this is a regular thing with them and Etienne normally just gets out the car and then Daniel hurriedly changes his mind and gets out too. But I also just know that if I try this he will call my bluff and simply stay in the car. So I huff and I puff some more and Daniel comes into the house.
I take my bag and leave the house on my own and needless to say there was much crying and gnashing of teeth.
I drive to another hardware store, only to find them closed.
By now I’m really pissed off, so I realise that I’m probably meant to drive back to the original store and see if I can still catch them open so I have some time to calm down. Which I did.
I arrive at the original hardware store, face still thunderous and look for some paint to finish a project that I’ve been procrastinating and some paint stripper for a new project.
In the 5 minutes to spare I couldn’t find the right colour, but I did find some paint stripper. I could probably have just looked at the frame I want to strip and the paint would have dropped off anyway, but now I have paint stripper, but no paint.
Go figure.
I guess what I’m really asking is this: do you ever leave your kids in the car?
Ps. I’m spending my Saturday evening at the Spur. This also does not please me. But I hear they have wine.