My life totally needs a do-over button...

I think once in every lifetime you should get a do-over day. And I’d like to use mine for last Saturday, please.

I woke up at 9am to the sound of the council enforcement team clamping my car. Turns out a parking ticket I thought I’d paid was showing as unpaid, and I had to give them £370 so I could go and collect Flea from her sleepover at Grandma’s.

Next, I made the fatal error of mentioning the incident to my parents, who have never contravened parking regulations in their lives. Ten minutes of lecturing later, I stormed out of the house, shouting “Sorry to be such a BLOODY disappointment,” over my shoulder. Is it just me who magically reverts to being a teenager in the presence of my parents?

I tried to renew my car tax online, only to find that my car doesn’t have an MOT – oops. Then the washing machine broke, the fridge door fell off (no kidding) and the phone rang – my credit card payment was late. I checked my bank account to find the child support that’s now being collected by the CSA wasn’t in my account. After the unexpected parking ticket payment, we were broke.

I put Flea in the lounge with a Toy Story DVD, told her to put it on, and then telephoned The Father. For the first time since we split up, I really lost it. I shouted, I cried, I used some of the more expressive swear words.

Fortunately, it seemed to work. The Father agreed to continue paying Flea’s school fees, so she can stay where she is for the time being. This is really great news. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and went back through to the lounge, where Flea was waiting for me.

“Can I go and live with Daddy at his house, Mummy?”

God, the day just gets better. Where did THAT come from? 

I wonder if she misses The Father more than I realise – she hasn't mentioned him, but he hasn’t visited in a couple of months. Or maybe having The Chap around the house is unsettling her. Maybe she’s picking up on my stress and doesn’t want to live with me because I’m cranky and evil?

Even though I want to cry, I say: “Gosh, that's a big decision. I’m sure Daddy would love to have you live there; we could ask him if you like.”

So she phones him, unbelievably excited and says, “I want to come and live with you.” A few seconds later, her face crumples, she throws the phone at me, starts to cry and I hate him all over again. I try to comfort Flea, pointing out that she wouldn’t have her bedroom at Daddy’s house, and she’d be a long way from school and her friends. Besides, I’d miss her like crazy.

I ask her why she wants to live with Daddy. She looks up, her eyes still brimming with tears. “Daddy told me he has a pile of DVDs at his house that’s taller than me and one of them is BATMAN.”

Well, at least that problem is easily fixed. Now, who knows how to fix fridges?

Comments

[Vic]

What a nightmare day. I'd probably still be in the hole I'd crawled into instead of blogging about it.
And parents always make me revert into a teenager too.

[Pippa]

Oh honey, I just want to come and give you a hug. The one good thing about it all happening on Saturday is that only good stuff can happen now right?

And re the fridge door, what make and model is it... I use to work for a kitchen fitters and so know a bit about fridges!

[Maternal Tales]

Oh God - you poor thing. It's all hideous, but you're doing a wonderful job with Flea and she's very lucky to have you (despite your criminal tendencies of course)! Here's to a much, much better 2010 xxx

[Sally]

@Vic - blogging is my way of putting it in perspective. Nobody died, after all. Although now I have to watch Batman at the weekend.

@Pippa - I'll check when I get home. It's held on(ish) at the moment with insulation tape and bad screws.

@MT - Thanks. I have BIG plans for 2010.

[TheMadHouse]

A think we all need a do-over buttin. Sorry life is so shit at the moment. At least school is off the worry list for a while and Batman, well I would be off out and buying that DVD!

The Father has no idea though - sorry that Flea had to go through that with him.

We had had one of those months too

Partical filter on car £600
Washer motor £100
School Photo's £40
2 tyres on my car

Oh well you get the picture, no money till payday now!!

[Muddling Along Mummy]

Couldn't get this to post via my phone - you sound like you need a massive hug

I think we all need a do over button

I hope that everything can be as easy to fix as the DVDs

[Mwa]

I think you should get a shitty day award or something. If there was such an award, you would get it.

Oh, and it's not just you that does that around their parents, believe me.

[Mummy Mania]

It might have been a bad day (sounds awful actually!) but the fact you can write so well - and funnily (can't spell the other word beginning with hum) means you're surviving it! No idea about fridges, sorry....

[Sally]

@TheMadHouse - ouch! Those are some scary bills. I can't really afford to replace the fridge after the parking ticket, the MOT (£370!) and then paying for car tax - but at least I'm legal again ;-)

@Muddling - Oh, I'm sure everything gets fixed eventually. It's just been the sort of month that builds character! I'm practically Coronation Street, these days, I'm so full of character.

@Mwa - I bet Violet Posy could make a badge for that.

@Mummy Mania - thanks, yes, I think it's a character flaw that I can usually find something to laugh about in the blackest situations. And I decided fridges are over rated - if I don't turn the heating on I can just pretend the utility room is a pantry!

[Lindy]

WOW what a truly crappy day! Sending positive thoughts. No, you are not the only one that reverts into a teenager. Ever single solitary time I visit my parents I have one of those moments. No matter how hard I try and how many times I tell myself I won't do it- then I see myself shouting, slamming doors and stomping feet. I'll probably still do it when I'm fifty.

[Liz (LivingwithKids)]

That's very good news re the fees. And no you're not the only one - my mother makes me so cross and feel so teenagerish (new word) sometimes I actually stamp my feet.

[Iota]

Wow, that's quite a day. Impressed you can blog about it.