Reaching Boiling Point

Let me first set the scene, Joules has returned to college and this involves him not coming home until 10pm three or four nights a week, which leaves me holding the fort at home. Sometimes this is easy as I have no babies or toddlers (this is his fifth year and it was very tough when Ben was young) and sometimes it is not. Tuesday it was NOT.

Tuesday is not usually a day Joules is at college and I love the family dinner we have (no worrying about making something he can heat up later). He only told me on Monday night that he had to go to college on Tuesday to work on a project as the deadline was approaching. I had a Parents Association meeting and Dillon had scouts but Joules thought he could be home by 8pm but there again maybe he couldn't, so I said I'd get a babysitter on standby and he was to text me by 7.30pm as to whether he would be home.

As I mentioned Dillon has scouts which starts at 8pm. If the weather is OK he cycles with a friend. When he got home from school I asked him to get his bike out ready (as I always do), he didn't (as he always does). At 6.50pm I get a phone call from friends mum. Friend just mentioned he thinks the patrol leaders (which they are) have to be there at 7pm. I ask Dillon, response ' uh, do we...I don't know', my blood starts to get warmer. So Dillon rings another friend and it is confirmed, now the mad rush to get changed and get bike out of shed in zero minutes.

Dillon comes into house with my helmet so goes back to find his, meanwhile I notice my helmet had been broken and is not usable, blood getting warmer still. Next my phone rings (awful noise but I need to hear it above the chaos), a text from Joules, I read 'I'll be home', great I thought I don't have to be so organised before going out and sent Mollie over to cancel babysitter, blood cools slightly.

Dillon still flaffing about from his bedroom, at the top of the house to the shed, at the bottom of the garden, muddy footprints are appearing on the floor. He finds an old broken helmet but not his. 'Use your skateboarding helmet' I suggest, back upstairs he runs then down again empty handed, 'Angus has that helmet', 'why' I ask, 'I don't know...he just has...he must have had it in his bag... I think he has it...I don't know...', blood steadily getting warmer and warmer.

Meanwhile friend is waiting on corner. So Dillon rings friends parents to explain that he can't ride. I then talk to father, apologise on behalf of my son and then say I can bring them but can't collect would they possibly be able to, blood close to boiling point. Dillon now rushes around putting bike away, locking shed and gate and finding uniform.

Drop Dillon off to scouts and get home, Mollie very kindly had run Ben's bath so he splashed while I got my papers together for the meeting. Read Ben a story from my childhood book My Naughty Little Sister, blood cooling.

Sent Mollie up for a shower and checked I had everything for the meeting. Looked at clock a few times, where was Joules. Started to worry, checked text, read, 'I'll be home @ 9'. Oops, blood heating up again.

Ran over road, babysitter gone out. Ran to another house, haven't seen neighbour in about a year so exchange niceties, then ask whether daughter able to help as need a babysitter now, 'She'll be down in 10 minutes', blood getting hotter.

Rush around house trying to make it look presentable, finding biscuits, getting out the teabags etc while ringing to explain I'll be late to meeting. Babysitter arrives. Get in car drive to meeting, definitely getting calmer.

Walk into the room, feel the tension between the two men present and keep my mouth shut until they sort out their differences, blood slowly returns to normal.

On reflection I blame Joules, usually he'd text 'won't be home until 9'. Of course he disagrees.