Today, I think I might have a nervous breakdown. Yes, I might just do that. It seems like a good day for a nervous breakdown. And hell, after the mandarin jam has cooked, I'll be left at a loose end. I've already made a catastrophe out of one knitted project. The Rowan Yorkshire Tweed? About to face it's maker I'm afraid. There is such a thing as over blocking. And that's not so good on wool which is very unforgiving of being overblocked. I forgot - twice - to buy matching thread for fabrics I am sewing with, so the neat pile of cut outs will remain a neat pile of cutouts till post nervous breakdown time. The cats decided they liked some wool. And demolished it. All through the house. Pia likes wool too. She demolished some more wool. And then chewed on some ribbon. And then howled and howled and howled and hasn't stopped howling for about a week now because now she wants to crawl, or better still walk! and she can't. So she will howl instead until she can. Max refuses to eat his dinner. But will eat mandarins. Which is good because the tree is absolutely bursting with fruit and we're never going to eat them all. Which is why, as a frazzled mother, I am making jam. I do wonder as well, why jam is so high on my priority list. Habu Kit24 was started and then ripped out to start again on smaller needles. A jacket for a friend's baby was also started and ripped out and restarted in another size to account for a gauge which was way off. Mr6.5st is away. Yes. Away. In another country far away. For a long time. Apparently the Ducati factory was open when they went to visit, but not the Prada store. That's nice. I will email my friend he is staying with and get her to help him find the Prada store in London and make him go in and buy what is on my list so help me god if it kills him make him feel guilty. According to Max, it is 'morning time' at 4am. I thought that was mighty hilarious. So did he. He decided it would be really fun to 'learn to fly' at 4am by jumping off whatever high surfaces he could find. The house is a mess. I don't care. I have had 3 hours sleep a night for the last 4 days. I don't have my nice little camera with the nice macro lens, and so nice photos are beyond me. I need to re-learn how to 'see' through my old camera (which is technically better, but no macro function. Bummer). I've pretty much given up. I need to go out tonight and wear something other than jeans with food all over them. That means trying clothes on in my wardrobe and seeing what the silverfish have eaten, or not eaten. I should eat lunch. But I can't even think what I might want to eat. There is munched up bread (thanks Pia) all over the floor. So I am avoiding that part of the floor. My glasses broke/fell apart so I've been getting new ones. And my feet are falling apart and how impressed was I that I might be facing surgery to remove nerves in my foot if walking in pain continues.
And I have a headache.
Hit Save, and then I'm curling up on the couch for the 20 minutes left of quiet before more howling, and having a nervous breakdown.
Oh -I feel your pain. But can I just say that this is one of the most hilarious things I have read in a long time?
Posted by: martha | June 06, 2007 at 02:17 PM
I understand, if not exactly, at least metaphorically the kind of shite day you seem to be having. I imagine it's of little comfort but I still feel compelled to tell you that you're not alone. You are NOT alone, Alison. Today sucks and perhaps tomorrow will too, but eventually the clouds will part and the angels will sing from on high... or, you know, at least things wont suck quite so bad. It WILL happen, dammit, it will.
Posted by: Sarah | June 06, 2007 at 02:24 PM
Don't you sometimes get the feeling you shouldn't get out of bed (if only that was an option!). So much of your post gives me a wry smile, because some of the same things are happening here now, just not all at once, thank heavens! Martha was right, very entertaining reading!
Posted by: Sam | June 06, 2007 at 02:47 PM
Aaaiiiieeeee, don't days like that make you want to start howling and never stop? Hold on. And I hope you get your prada.
Posted by: Ali | June 06, 2007 at 03:10 PM
Sorry Al...but I giggled a little. I can picture ALL of that in my head. YES Guilt Albert to Prada....
Posted by: nicole | June 06, 2007 at 03:33 PM
You've just made my day seem positively lovely even though I'm sitting in the freezing cold with all the windows open as the girls turned on the oven just before we went out and I'm still trying to get all the gas out, but at least I've had sleep - with sleep you can manage anything so hope you get some soon.
Posted by: Kate | June 06, 2007 at 03:45 PM
I do feel your pain - the husband went on a trip sunday early morning and left me w/ two kids but at night - the night before I had to go to work, my mom came - she's a life saver...
Posted by: joyce | June 06, 2007 at 03:46 PM
hugs. maybe you should howl back???
XO
Posted by: lisa s | June 06, 2007 at 04:09 PM
I feel like that a lot of days. Hope your day gets better. xx
Posted by: Nichola | June 06, 2007 at 04:17 PM
I have been here too, but could never have expressed it so well!
And if husbands think that they can go away (even if it is on business) without bringing back half decent gifts then they can think again! .... it took a while, but eventually mine got the message!
Posted by: Rebecca | June 06, 2007 at 05:50 PM
I didn't laugh.
Not once.
I have my sympathetic Pooh Bear face on.
Posted by: shula | June 06, 2007 at 06:47 PM
When I saw your last post I was amazed to see Pia crawling- where does the time go?
Now I read that she isn't quite, but I still think it's amazing. I've had days like yours, but this summer the youngest of my four children will leave to go to university and i just can't believe that family life, as I know it, is all but over.I'm proud of what my kids are beginning to achieve as young adults, and looking forward to more "me " time, but if I'm honest, I would do it all again (including the cereal on the floor and the sleepless nights)and treasure every moment, because when you look back it dosnt really last very long
Posted by: Jane Barber | June 06, 2007 at 06:57 PM
oh gosh,,, the only way is up, yes?
Posted by: manda | June 06, 2007 at 07:02 PM
harrumph! how is it okay for husband's to go o/s without lovely wives(to shop and look good in new purchases)?? damn. hope you have some local help - no? just for a wee time? thoughts are with you...
Posted by: kirsten | June 06, 2007 at 07:46 PM
Oh god you poor thing, that will be the sleep deprivation talking
It will pass
But in the meantime, maybe you need a Prada floor cleaner, lunch preparer and knitting saver.
They make those don't they?
Argh
Posted by: Carson | June 06, 2007 at 07:57 PM
Oh noes
It sounds like a hole in the road day- the day when all the holes with water in them are the ones you step in.
I only have one bit of advice - Send Albert To Prada NOW and tell him to get everything on your list or else.
p.s. little people eventually walk and stop jumping off things and then they learn to make mummy cups of tea and breaky in bed - something to look forward to.
p.p.s my sister got a emergency pack for her birthday yesterday - two match box cars, one for miss5 and one for mr3, and a block of chocolate - she used it today. That is what you need. good luck
Posted by: missfee | June 06, 2007 at 08:43 PM
Oh my. I hope today you wake up and it's 7am and the kids are still sleeping and you can just breathe the quiet air for one moment.
Posted by: Mama Urchin | June 06, 2007 at 09:46 PM
Thank you for sharing and showing so much of you and the honesty of what it is like on some days! Don't worry about the mess, kids grow up anyway and mom can always clean it after she gets some sleep. I also love the idea of you howling back. Take you're babes into the wild and give youself a big screaming session.
Posted by: Minka | June 06, 2007 at 11:05 PM
Good grief. That is a lot to deal with. Hang in there!
Posted by: Alicia A. | June 06, 2007 at 11:35 PM
oh darling. hugs.
Posted by: kate | June 06, 2007 at 11:39 PM
I'm having a day similar to yours, including the foot pain.
I hope your day gets better.
Posted by: lera | June 06, 2007 at 11:55 PM
Oh man, that sounds terrible! Hopefully things will calm down soon! However, I think there are probably few things in life that can't be fixed with a little Prada...
Posted by: Bertha | June 07, 2007 at 01:16 AM
sorry to hear such chaos. you put it in such a comical writing i had to smile! i've never heard a child howled, hmm. anyway think of all the lovely prada you might be getting.
Posted by: blossom | June 07, 2007 at 02:11 AM
Ohhh, my stomach hurts from laughing... Thanks for sharing such an exhausting day with us. Made me feel that I am not alone (about having days like that).
Posted by: Anne Marie | June 07, 2007 at 03:29 AM
Oh dear. I really really wish we lived on the same continent so I could swoop in and help a bit.
Posted by: cari | June 07, 2007 at 04:09 AM