So, Thursday I had plans. Plans to bathe the baby. Plans to clean a bathroom. Plans to watch some TV while cuddling.
At 1030, that all went pear shaped with a pounding on my door. I was in the middle of changing a hugely pooey diaper, so I wrapped Adam in a diaper that wasn’t latched and went to answer it. As I opened the door the smell of gas was overwhelming. It was our maintenance guy. We had a leak.
I finished diapering little man’s bottom, double checked the diaper bag, throwing a few more things in it, put on some clothes (I was still in my PJs, unwashed!!) and stuffed him into his Baby Bjorn. No way was I going to risk the lift, even if it was working, so no pram for us!
Got down to the front of the building and waited for the gas company. They arrived about 1100 and headed into the building. Meanwhile people were casually coming out of the building, obviously having no idea anything was going on. I don’t think they ever did evacuate the whole building. Yes, I am writing a letter to the management company about this.
Anyway, maintenance guy comes out and says it will be hours. The leak has been traced to the flat across the hall from mine (!) but they can’t get the owner on the phone. I mention that I think he travels a lot. And head into town.
At this point it is 1130. Little man is, thank god, asleep against my chest in his Bjorn, but not at all adequately dressed for what turned out to be a very chilly day. Luckily I had grabbed a blanket so I had that wrapped around him in the Bjorn. Also luckily I keep a warmer set of clothes in the diaper bag. As I was walking to City Centre I thought about where I could take him to put him in warmer clothes..AH HA Marks & Spencer has a family bathroom. M&S it is.
Got to M&S and got him more properly dressed. And then bought some knickers. 🙂
Then realized I was starving and needed a real lunch to make up for the fact that my day had gone to hell. So I headed to Victoria Square. Upon perusal of the options, I decided Pizza Express sounded good. And it was.
Meanwhile I had not been able to reach Simon. His mobile was going straight to voice mail. I knew he wasn’t teaching and didn’t think he had any meetings, so could not figure out what was going on. I finally said DUH and called his office number.
Got him on the phone and told him a.) that his mobile must be off and b.) that we had been evacuated! He was all WHAT? and said he’d call the landlord to see what was going on. He asked me if I wanted him to come home, but I didn’t really see the point, so told him to stay at work, that I was going to eat this HUGE piece of chocolate fudge cake in front of me and then go shopping. I mean, I was already at the mall. 🙂
As I was finishing up said chocolate cake, Simon rang again to say the landlord had no clue and he was coming back to see what was going on. I told him to ring me when he got to Belfast and headed off to shop.
I have been looking for a new diaper bag, as ours was just too small. I have been using it as a handbag as well and with all of my things plus the baby’s things, sometimes it just wouldn’t zip. So my first stop was the Mecca of Handbags, aka the ground floor of House of Fraser. I looked. I prodded. I removed stuffing. Nothing that would suit my needs.
My next stop was the Mecca of Sporty/Rugged Bags, aka Fossil. And EUREKA! There, in the window, I saw it. Messenger style, so I could sling it from hip to shoulder. What looked like a tons of pockets…how much how much?!?!? £108! Perfect! Started poking through it. Pockets galore. Large inner section..SOLD! A special thank you to Aunt Agnes and Aunt Sonny, whose generous monetary gifts went to paying for this bag to end all bags!!
I then headed out to the rest of the mall. Wandered through Pumpkin Patch’s sale. Nothing. And then headed to Argos. The other things Simon and I had been looking for were small lamps for indirect lighting in the baby’s room and a clock for his room. EUREKA again. These lamps were perfect. One for Adam’s room and one for the front room. Perfect for night feeds and changes! And a clock? How could I resist this clock especially since people kept sending him sheep!
As I was waiting for my things to be brought to the counter in Argos, Simon rang to say he was at the flat, no sign of gas company, no sign of anything going on. I told him to grab the pram and meet me at the bandstand at Corn Market, we’d run a few more errands and head home.
As I was leaving Argos, who do I run into? My hairdresser, who takes one look at my unwashed, standing on end hair and says ‘good thing you’re coming to see me on Saturday.’ I thwacked him with a package, showed off my son and headed off to meet Simon.
And then it started to rain. Where’s my umbrella? In the pram. Am I wearing a coat? I am not…
Eventually it stopped raining, Simon met me, we picked up a few things and headed home. No sign of any gas incident in or around the building. I fell into bed around 1500 and slept until 1800.
The moral of today’s story?
When your husband says to you ‘I have 10 minutes until I leave, do you want to hop in the shower’ say yes!
love the clock:)