Friday 19 December 2008

Our baby is teenager.

Today I am an exhausted yet proud mother! Celebrations started last night when 8 teenage and almost teenage girls arrived on our doorstep to spend the night in celebration of the fact our eldest is now 13. Unsure herself of what would constitute an acceptable party, our daughter bravely left us to invent a surprise evening. Understandably Bri and I planned to wear them out! Therein lay the first problem.
How do you wear out 8 teenage girls without being left totally wrecked yourself? (Personally I don't think it's possible unless you hire in someone to take on the job!)
We planned a walk down a country lane nearby, across fields and up a steep hill then back to ours for hot chocolate. We decided to punctuate the walk with various challenges so that rewards would give a sense of fun and incentive.
First stop - the end of the lane. 'Wherefore art thou Romeo?' hailed loudly by each girl in turn from the top of the stile successfully saw each of them receive a glow stick or glowing piece of jewellery. (These took at least 15 minutes to distribute due to various pieces being dropped in the mud.)
We continued on to the bottom of the hill and the next challenge which was to sing a Christmas Carol. 'O Come all you faithful' rang out over hill and vale in a manner and at a pitch which I'm sure is unlikely to ever be heard again. It was ominous that at this point the sky began to spit droplets of rain. Bri and I looked at each other. We hadn't accounted for this. Only moments earlier we'd commented on the mildness of the night happily trundling down the hill with the excited girls glowing in their trinkets. This would throw a spanner in the works. The singing must have done it we decided and began to hurry the girls towards the next and final challenge of the evening.
This next part was the most challenging for me as it was the steepest and muddiest bit of the walk. I trailed behind and watched the bouncing figures of the youthful group become smaller and smaller as they steamed on ahead despite the now persistent and more heavy rain. When I finally reached them gathered at the top of the hill I was a sodden , sorry looking lump.
Bri was no better as he determined to take on the last challenge which in the now sleeting and wind driven rain was nigh on impossible. The idea had been inspired, each girl to light a sparkler from the girl in front and say the 'iggle piggle' poem, the problem lay in the fact that we couldn't get the first sparkler lit due to the worsening weather. When it finally DID light it fizzled out within seconds because it had become so damp in the waiting process.
We abandoned the idea and decided to head for home. Brian and I dropped exhausted into bed at 11.30 having spent the rest of the evening hanging all the wet clothes out to dry and making sure everyone was happy. The girls continued merrily partying until 2. 30am until I'd finally had enough and threatened to separate them and put them in different rooms! Silence reigned.
Today has been yet another adventure, worthy of a blog all to itself so tomorrow I will continue in different vein.

Tuesday 9 December 2008

Post office pantomime


Has anyone tried buying a second class Christmas stamp of the 'religious' variety from the Post Office? One would think that on 9th December one wouldn't get a hard time for requesting them, especially as there is a week to go before the official last date of posting. I think customer services was sadly lacking when I went into my local branch earlier today.
No one was more surprised than me that in a season of supposed good cheer there was such a frosty reception to my innocent request for the religious version NOT the pantomime version. What unfolded was worthy of any pantomime I have ever seen.
I asked if they were likely to order any in and was told that it was too late as they take a week to arrive and by then it would be the last posting day for 2nd class stamps. I was incredulous! Surely a Post Office was able to obtain the services of Royal Mail to get some sent much quicker!
At this moment a second cashier appeared behind the toughened glass screen, glaring at me icily, she informed me in a superior manner, 'They've been on sale since the 5th November', as if it was MY fault for not buying stamps in November and that I should be ashamed of myself. Now I had not just one cashier but two who were staring at me with venom and obviously angry with me!
I have to say that it was at this point I realised I might not have been the first person to request 'religious; stamps after they had run out. It was obviously an issue which made them incredibly defensive. Their reaction was disproportionate to the request and their aggression uncalled for. Trying to diffuse the situation and aware of a growing queue behind me at the counter I calmly and gently apologised for causing them offence and quietly explained that they shouldn't take it personally. At this point a tirade of bitter venom errupted from the cashier,' Well that's very surprising because we're always getting stabbed in the back'.
I was growing more horrified as I realised that I might not be able to leave this battle zone unbloodied by attack. All I wanted was stamps for my Christmas cards! The anticipation and essence of joy at buying Christmas stamps for cards aimed at sending wishes of peace, joy and goodwill to all men had evaporated leaving me with a sour taste in the mouth. I made a second attempt to walk away from the till, 'You could buy first class stamps, we've got lots of those' he shouted to me. I moved back to the counter, 'Thank you ' I said, 'If I don' t manage to get any 2nd class stamps I'll come back.' With that I left the building having no intention of ever stepping in THAT post office again.
You see the fact is, last year this same post Office ran out of 2nd class 'religious' stamps early on in December and I ended up being persuaded to buy 1st class stamps. I had no intention this year of giving the Post Office any more of my money than needed to be or the satisfaction of my custom.
I came home, went on line and ordered 3 sheets of second class madonna and child stamps directly from Royal Mail. Free delivery within 2 days. Perhaps I should go back to my local Post Office and suggest they do the same.....but then again maybe NOT!