The good, the bad and the downright ugly.

Good:
Primary geography sparking off map activity this morning, lots of jigsaw activity for both of them, including the 20 Word Puzzles that we’ve had for ages (that’ll be a reading activity then), cooking tea together.

Getting an hour on my own with Small in the library (aw, he took his book to the counter himself, handed the card over and everything :) ) and buying myself some stuff.

Bad:
Tantrums, talk back, Small on the windowsill, the back of the couch, Small drawing on the back of the couch with felt tip (yarg!), Big being so rude and uncontrollable that I had to turn down an invitation to Barbara’s for a sleepover.

Spending money I don’t *have* on myself!

The downright ugly…that’d be this room then. Looks like a bomb hit it. Again. And the Bratz girl fashion design books that I found in Wilcos - yeuch.

So what am I going to do about it all? Well, for Big, more structure I think. It’s going to have to be - I don’t see any other way out. For the house, my state of mind and our finances, Ebay - must get some of the clutter onto Ebay. And book selling - I started writing down ISBNs, but it’s taking ages. Found some bar code readers on Ebay that don’t cost very much at all, so I’ve mailed to find out how much they’ll cost to ship.

We have a plan. Now all I need to do is work out where I put my energy so that I can get on with it…

19 Comments

  1. HelenJ
    Posted Fri Mar 11 2005 at 19:01 | Permalink

    Ah to Small in library. Oh dear for all the rest. Ebay sounds more profitable than our present option of storage. I need to ebay things as well. like 0-6 month clothes? sounds a bit too final, so maybe not.

  2. Posted Fri Mar 11 2005 at 19:42 | Permalink

    I can’t ebay baby clothes yet. I could possibly ebay by family, Josie aside, though.

    Can i come up and declutter you then Jax????

  3. helen and chris F
    Posted Fri Mar 11 2005 at 19:57 | Permalink

    LOL!!! btw, at mo SB being queen of lip to chris re tidying up. i am not being here as it is about her dressing up clothes, and i said i would put them in the bin if i had to ask her to put away one more time. don’t really want to carry out threat. coould ebay them instead

  4. Sarah
    Posted Fri Mar 11 2005 at 20:08 | Permalink

    what did you buy yourself?!

  5. Jan
    Posted Fri Mar 11 2005 at 20:22 | Permalink

    Energy - the children siphon it off you. Probably in the night. You know you have to stop that co-sleeping thing ;)

  6. Kris
    Posted Fri Mar 11 2005 at 21:29 | Permalink

    When you find your energy, please check and see if mine is hiding with it and send it home asap! :)

  7. Nic
    Posted Fri Mar 11 2005 at 23:17 | Permalink

    yeah, how about a post Melrose, pre HESFes camp in your long drive so we can all come and do some book listing (and buying)!

    And, yeah, come on whatd’ya buy?

  8. helen and chris F
    Posted Fri Mar 11 2005 at 23:39 | Permalink

    the room looked alright yesterday though! Mine only OK, as loads of our stuff in storage.
    big was fine esterday though, and even nearly let SB sit in her chair. Shared her toys OK etc. it was SB that was having more of an issue with sharing.
    as for felt tips - why did i let chris talk me into getting light yellow sofas instead of my choice of terracotta?? v impractical. Just after we get new sofa cushions [as squished to pieces] we will get re-upholstery in sludge/coffee/red wine colour - preferably a blobby type print!. however, having redone our budget, not yet!

  9. Alison
    Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 0:06 | Permalink

    Oxi Clean really does work with the felt pens on sofas thing.

    I’ve already booked a place on Jax’s drive for sometime in April ;-)

  10. Jax
    Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 0:11 | Permalink

    What do you all think I bought???

    Looking forward to it Alison. :) We can get our tent in the garden just about, but it might be a bit cold for camping just yet.

  11. Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 1:34 | Permalink

    Felt tip might be removable. When L was two he managed to spread a full bottle of tippex over his head and the carpet. We claimed on the insurance (for the carpet not the head!) and got a nice new floor for £50 - that was the excess on our policy. Worth considering if your sofa is old and you have a new for old policy?

    Hope you and Big have a happier day tomorrow.

  12. Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 9:09 | Permalink

    Trying to guess what you bought.. clothes? a computer game? camping gear? books?

  13. layla
    Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 9:12 | Permalink

    We’re getting one next month - apparently its tax deductable (s uses them at work) ;)

  14. Barbara
    Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 9:54 | Permalink

    Um, books! She says without even going back to re-read the post….

  15. Jax
    Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 10:45 | Permalink

    Singular Barbara actually, but yes ;)

  16. Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 12:15 | Permalink

    Liar - you bought 2! ;~)

  17. layla
    Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 12:34 | Permalink

    oooh so not what I thought then … intrigued

  18. Jax
    Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 13:12 | Permalink

    Nah, two for Big, one for me ;)

    What did you think Layla?

  19. HelenJ
    Posted Sat Mar 12 2005 at 13:23 | Permalink

    scanner thing