Bad Mother!!!

Oh dear, I am officially a bad mother. Tonight Himself and I were required at the presentation dinner of the MIGHTY ROOSTERS, aka North Adelaide Football Club. Unfortunately it is also Baby Angel's netball night.

Last night saw me making a flurry of phone calls to drop her off at her coach's house who would then take her to the Bestie's place for a sleepover whilst also finding another parent to give child C a lift home as we had promised to do for the season!! Having arranged all this I fell into a comatose stupor and slept until 2.30am when I was awoken by Himself coming to bed and consequently lay awake for an hour before giving in and going to take pictures of the moon until 5am!!!!

Today at school I accompanied 100 Year 8 pupils into the city on a Geography excursion. It wasn't too taxing really except that we were walking non stop for 2 hours, this on top of the morning fitness training (7am-8am) where the sadistic Nick made us do four out of 5 circuit activities on abdominals!!!

The net result of all this is that I was exhausted by the time I got home from school and fell into bed for a snooze before getting ready to go out.

Admittedly, the BA did ask me on a number of occasions if I was going to make her any dinner or provide her with any kind of nourishment before her netball match. After a few of these interruptions and me asking her (without opening my eyes) what she wanted me to cook, and her not knowing, I went for the soft option and said I'd pick her up McDonalds on the way to netball. (It doesn't hurt once in a while).

She was predictably pleased with this result and left me alone to sleep. I woke up at quarter to six! We were due to leave at 6. I had yet to shower, wash my hair, decide what to wear etc etc etc. Panic.

We screeched out of the driveway at 6.20pm having said we would be at the coach's house by 6.30. With a good run of green lights we were at the turn off 20 to 7. At which point I drove straight past McDonalds. (corner of Cross Roads and Goodwood for those of you with Adelaide UBD knowledge).

"Er Mum."
"What?" (in somewhat exasperated and rushed tones)
"I thought you were getting me McDonalds."
"Oh...damn......well...er....well, we're past the turn off now and we're running late so I can't go back.....I'll give Ken some money and you can get some chips at the netball courts."
"Great."
"I'm sorry but..."
"No, no Mum, it's OK. You're rejecting me once more for the North Adelaide Football Club and now I'm not getting any dinner either..."

Oh my Goodness. What's a mother to do? I still had a 40 minute drive to get up to Windsor Gardens (Main North East Rd) to meet Himself at the venue where he was running the AV presentation for Awards night....! I poured out profuse apologies, told her I wasn't rejecting her, only abandoning her and gave her $10.00 as I handed her over to her coach's husband, explaining that I had failed to feed her. Did her have time to drop in at McDonalds on the way to netball? (sheepish grin)

What must he think? Well, he'd be right!

Aaaaaanyway. I made it up to the venue with 10 minutes to spare before everything started. Himself was frantically trying to contact me thinking I may be lost but I'd left my phone at home in the rush. Got inside and realised it was a cash bar.....and I'd just given my last $10.00 to the Baby Angel. Himself had no money either.

Frantic discussion with barman about location of nearest ATM.

I then sallied forth, on foot, (again...I have walked further today than I have in the whole month) around the back of the venue, down a dark lane and into the carpark of a nearby supermarket to get some cash. Alone. With my handbag.

Somewhere between standing in front of the ATM and walking again back through the dark lane, I plotted my response to the mugger who was going to drive past and grab at my bag, or leap out at me from behind the rollaway garbage skip. Suffice to say it involved karate and breaking his nose or a sharp rear elbow to the ribs followed by a drop down into sumo position (to escape the bear hug) a sudden turn and short punch to the solar plexus. Then kick off my platform sandals and, never losing my grip on my bag for ONE SECOND....running like the clappers back to the foyer of the venue.

Fortunately, even though I am a really bad mother who doesn't feed her child, the Lord saw fit to spare me the practical experience of karate implementation and I was able to make my way, in a dignified fashion, back to our table in time for the entree.

So after a whole lot of football nonsense, including masses of inarticulate young men looking reeeeeally uncomfortable in suits thanking the physio and the masseuse and the waterboy, we made it home by 1am. Himself is sailing to day and No 2 Son had only managed to half finish sanding and polishing the keel and the hull for the final time. So guess what Himself did till 2.30am?

I however, must now go and make up for my bad motherhood by taking my girl to her school fair and being very interested and attentive for the day.......and....feeding her.