Wednesday 9 September 2015

Before I go


A twenty four bullet point list of stuff  for my Mum, including emergency telephone numbers, how to programme the washing machine, food Olly and Alfie will eat, food they will not, refuse collection day, where the dog poop bags are kept....

A tense stand off between me and Sam over Uni packing. The fact that three fruit boxes have been grudgingly filled with miscellaneous crap seems to indicate a victory of sorts on my part.

New towels, bedding, underwear, socks and other sundries have been washed and dried and packed into another orange box. They will be transferred to a suitcase next week.

Meanwhile in my room there is the aforementioned suitcase, filling up with what to wear in New York clothes. I don't understand the concept of capsule packing. You never know how many pairs of pants you may need. I am going up skyscrapers after all.

A kitchen filled to the gills with food. I have baked enough to feed a scout patrol for a week. It will all be in vain. Mum will treat the boys to sweets everyday after school. They will love it. I just have to let it go.

Bolognese and curries cooked and frozen to aid the tea-time dilemma. I may be trying to teach my Mother to suck eggs.

An empty laundry basket, and enough ironed school uniform to last a week. I was taught by the best. She won't be happy that there is nothing to be 'getting on with' when she arrives.

A new cardi. I had to. It's Autumnal red. So I can be seen in a crowd when I'm singing 'The Circle Of Life' a la Kimmy Schmitt in Times Square next week. You think I won't, don't you? Sam is going to film me.

I have industrially cleaned the bathrooms. My fingers are peeling from all the bleach.

There is enough loo paper to make a mardi gras float. How much do you leave two boys and one middle aged lady? I don't have the answer to that. If in doubt, bulk buy.

There is Calpol, plasters, wet wipes and all manner of aids to recovery in the medicine cabinet. They'll thank me for it if the UK gets hit by the plague while I'm on the Staten Island Ferry.

I have put aside a pile of Olly's favourite bed time stories. I'm really hoping he doesn't miss me. We've only ever been apart for a couple of days.

I know Alfie is plotting some sort devious plan involving an xbox. I've already grassed him up. He doesn't realise that the eyes in the back of my head were inherited from his Nanny.

............


So Marc, Sam and I fly to New York on Friday. I haven't got past the nervous stage, so I'm not quite at the excited stage just yet. I can't help it. It's not a glass half empty thing. It's a Dear Lord, Sam is off to Uni as soon as we get back and I have to somehow manage to wash and dry the contents of his suitcase in half a day thing. It's also a flying thing. And a general travelling thing. And a being away from Olly and Alfie thing.

Can you take a deep breath for me, and slowly exhale at about 7pm on Friday evening? We should have just about taken off by then, and I will be on the gin.

Love to you all. Be good while I'm away.

Leanne xx

Thank you to all your comments on my last post. I've replied to each and every one. I'm going to try and make that a thing from now on. But I may sometimes forget. Or not have the time. Or indeed anything witty to say. xx

34 comments:

  1. Have a wonderful time and a safe trip!

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  2. Hello Leanne! This is a wonderful post, warm and witty. I could visualize it all. Have a great trip to New York. I've been once, it was magical. The Empire State Building is the best :) Fiona - Lucys Cottage

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  3. I'm smiling and smiling. You do have such a wonderful way with the words. Have a fantastic time in NY. How could you not? CJ xx

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  4. Have a really great trip Leanne x

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  5. I love this post! You sound incredibly organized and please post the video of you singing! Have a fantastic time. xx

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  6. Have a brilliant time!! It'll be amazing. I'm excited for you. Please spam tour IG account with photos while you're away so I can follow your adventures. Xxx

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  7. You are going to have a blast. (I've only been for work which isn't the same as a holiday but I still loved it.) Don't worry about packing, you can get everything there, bigger and better! Gosh everyone is so excited for you Leanne. Enjoy!

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  8. oohh, I'm very jealous! We went in 2012 and hope to go back in the next 12 months as our final (of three) honeymoon. Couple of things we did and found really good-do the free staten island ferry, takes you past the Statue of Liberty, surreal moment, and make use of the subways-we got a weeks ticket and absolutely hammered it-felt self and never got lost-or if we did it was easy to find ourselves again
    have a great time!

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  9. It's going to be a very emotional time over the next couple of weeks and the only advice I can give is to go with the flow. When Sam bites your head off it's because deep down he is as nervous/excited about all the new challenges a head as you are, and after all he is the first one to start and spread his wings. Empty nest is yet another normal emotion to go through and everyone goes through it and again you just have to go with it. Olly and Alfie will be fine with their Nanny it will no doubt be you that has the detachment anxiety but again all perfectly normal you are their mum after all and nobody does a better job than we do even when we have been trained and inherited all we know from our own all seeing mothers. Ok advice/sermon over with only one other thing to add have an amazing time and take lots of those brilliant photo's you take so well and look forward to seeing lots of evidence of a great time on your return. Will be thinking of you at 7pm with a glass of something nice in my hand.

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  10. Have a fabulous time Leanne! And Sam will be fine, after all he'll be arriving at uni with the coolest parents on the block - the ones who made it possible for him to introduce himself to all his new uni mates with 'yeah, bit tired, just flew in from New York...' You rock, remember that darling. xx

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  11. Have a wonderful time in New York and relax, take it easy and enjoy, you've thought of everything so that's all you have left to do.

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  12. Oh Leanne I am VERY envious, I loved New York! Have a brilliant trip xx

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  13. My favourite line: mums inherit the eyes in the back of their heads from their mums. Love it. You will have a ball and the boys will love their week with their gran and Sam will remember his week in NY forever. I will be really looking forward to hearing how it all went, seeing the pictures and of course THAT video :o) Watch out New York, eh? XX

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  14. Oh Leanne, you make me smile. I would experience exactly the same emotions and would prepare for leaving some of my kids behind in a similar way but I wouldn't be able to put it into words like you do. I don't think I would pack more than spare knickers for New York, just go shopping on the first morning :-) Have lots and lots of fun with your young man Sam. You'll remember this trip for a long time. Christina xxx

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  15. I hope that you have a wonderful time Leanne!!!! I love that you have prepared so much and so well for your Mum coming, I would be like that too!! You can be pretty sure that I would have bleached the loft too, so at least you didn't go that far!!! I hope not anyway!!!! Everyone will be fine and have a great time, not least of all you!!!! xx

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  16. I wish I had my time at Universty again...

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  17. Have a lovely time Leanne,bring back lots of lovely memories x

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  18. Have a lovely time Leanne,bring back lots of lovely memories x

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  19. Chill. Have a fab time! All will be well at home. Enjoy that G and T. B x

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  20. Sounds amazing..... Amazingly organised, amazingly prepared and amazing fun. Make the most of every minute xxx

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  21. Have just the BEST time! Cav & I spent a whole day in Saks on 5th Avenue, travelling the elevators from floor to floor. We've never forgotten being asked (in a v strong NY accent): "Do you want a bag, or do you want to consolidate?" Magic. Roz X

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  22. Have a wonderful, wonderful time over the next week! Good thing it's a long flight so you can recharge your batteries after all that preparation..! Look forward to your tales once you're home x

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  23. as i type this you'll be in the air...winging your way to NYC. hope you have a marvelous time...and i've no doubt your other two boys will be having a marvelous time of their own with their Nanny.

    and i had such a giggle over the inherited eyes-in-the-back-of-your-head thing...that is SO true. i always marveled at how my mum could *possibly* know the things she could know....but it seems i also have that superpower. ;) xo

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  24. Here's hoping you're having the absolute best time whilst I'm writing this! xx

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  25. How exciting, hope you are having a wonderful time! Sarah x

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  26. Are you back? I missed this and have no idea how long you went for. Here's hoping you're having/have had the very best of times x

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  27. Well I know from your Instagram pics that you had a great time! Looked fab. Wonderful coincidence that now we are here too. I so identify with the pre departure angst. So many things pulling me, claiming attention. Yet somehow we are here and it's great and the sky did not fall...

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  28. I just found your blog because I was looking for pictures of Nick Rhodes to post on a friend's Facebook page for her birthday. A picture of you wearing your Nick Rhodes jacket turned up on Google image search when I typed in "Nick Rhodes Birthday."
    So I came to your blog, curious to see what treasures it held (also saw an old photo of Nick sitting on a coffee table with Julie Anne sitting on a sofa...at least I think it was Nick and Julie Anne).
    And then I saw that you were coming to New York City in the early part of September.
    I was wondering if you traveled there to see Duran Duran at their show at Terminal 5 on Monday, September 14, 2015. I hope, that if you were in NYC on that day, you were able to get to the show...it was phenomenal! (the venue itself left a lot to be desired...but the band was off the hook that night).
    Anyway, I just wanted to stop at your blog and say hello. I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (about 90 miles south of NYC).
    Quite a lovely blog you have here!

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    1. Hello Denise,
      I can't tell you how much I love the fact that you found me through a search of Nick Rhodes! He was always my favorite. I didn't see their show, unfortunately; I have seen them several times and think they are amazing. They were a huge part of my.mis-spent youth.
      LeAnn xx

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