Tuesday 25 November 2008

Downtime

I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth/run away to live in a little cottage in the woods with Marco Pierre White, but since finishing the last book my brain seems to have collected its coat, switched the lights off and left the building, leaving me to potter around in mindless domestic apathy. I have dusted things, and cleaned windows (Well, some of them. When it came down to it there were more than I thought, and the novelty of marvelling at the dirtiness of the water soon wore off.) I have mopped floors and made fifty zillion calories worth of stuff from the new Nigella Christmas book with various combinations of daughters who have all been off school with coughs, chest and ear infections since last week. (The novelty of marvelling at my luck that they timed this for after the deadline has not worn off, hence the uncharacteristic indulgence with icing sugar and chocolate sprinkles, playing endless games of Disney Princess Memory Game and lighting the fire in the early afternoon.)

I have also cleaned the oven.

Can you tell I need to start another book?

9 comments:

Michelle Styles said...

I hope all are better now, kind considerate daughters that they were.

Anonymous said...

You did WHAT?!!!

Tut, tut, tut and big sighs of deep, domestic inadequacy here. What did you use? Was it toxic? And don't say 'elbow grease' or I'll spit.

Time to slink back to The White Chair of Creativity,Missy and let that naughty Marco beast lead you back onto the path of naughtiness!

Lots of love,

Rach. (still ignoring the jar of Lazy Green Chillies frozen in the lump at the back of the fridge).
XXXXXXXX

Unknown said...

I still have one malingering at home, Michelle. Awake all night coughing and complaining of earache, beaming and full of the joys of the season all day. What can you do? (Boarding school??)

Rach, of course it was toxic. I wouldn't feel I'd done a proper job if I didn't get that chemical burning sensation in the back of my throat while I was doing it. Actually, that's probably why all the children are ill.

The fridge is another proposition entirely though. I know for an absolute fact that we still have cranberry jelly from last Christmas growing all kinds of interesting cultures at the back of the top shelf. (It's the closest thing I get to interesting or culture these days, so I haven't the heart to move it.)

Anonymous said...

Yes! Get busy missy.
x Abby

Anonymous said...

And wouldn't rule out boarding school, good back bone building stuff...can you tell I went?!
x Abby

Unknown said...

Ha-- of course, Abby! But it's nothing to do with your backbone and more the fact that you can stay awake gossiping with the lights out for two hours that gives you away...

x

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

(posted that little gem twice!)

Anonymous said...

India,

I hope your girls are doing much better and that you are staying healthy too!

Ever read "Confessions of a Super Mom" by Melanie Lynne Hauser? The main character gets her superpowers when she mixes one too many bathroom cleaners in an attempt to conquer a pesky stain. I can't say that I ever laughed so much as when I read that book.

Trenda