Packing it in

It's been a crazy week, with J finishing up at daycare, three separate groups of overseas visitors coming and going, folks staying over, hellos and goodbyes, and stretching of routines in the spirit of hospitality and friendship.

As they like to say here, it's all good. Adults and kids alike are learning to be more flexible and tolerant and to put others' needs above our own.

Yesterday was pretty full-on though.

J and I were out from 9.30 for playgroup which finished at 12 by the time we packed away the toys and washed up the remains of morning tea.

Then it was time to head home for a bite before picking up C to visit our mutual friend D, who lives in Pt Cook.

Only discovered in the car that my lifesaver - the Melway - was in hubby's car.

And the GPS had been lent to a visiting family...in Box Hill.

Resorted to using GPS on my mobile, but it only showed me the map of the destination, not how to get there. This is what happens when you're gadget-averse.

By God's grace, managed to find way to C's place, by which time we were running late.

Finding D's place was harder. I turned left on Pt Cook Rd instead of right and ended up in Seabrook instead of Sanctuary Lakes.

When we finally arrived, I felt as if I'd conquered 'a thousand mountains and rivers'.

Left C and J at D's house to get Beth from school.

Took Beth to Kumon but she wasn't feeling well, so we just picked up the homework and left.

Back at D's house, had difficulty finding the right moment to announce that we had to leave SOON as Beth had swimming assessment at Paul Sadler's at 6.30.

Managed it eventually and got home in time for another quick bite (poor kids).

Discovered on way home that my half tank of petrol had run out, but there was not enough time to fill 'er up, so took a chance and went straight to PS.

Met Sg Sharon at PS and had a lovely quick chat about composite classes etc.

Very impressed by the way PS runs its classes. The interaction between parents and reception/instructor is seamless. Have booked Beth in for the Intensive Holiday Program and will probably switch her there for weekly classes as well.

The girls helped me at the petrol station (with Beth unscrewing the petrol hub cap: good girl!) and we all got home at 7, to find The Tank in the carport already. It's a rare thing when hubby gets home before we do. (We call our 16 yo Commodore The Tank because you can hear it coming a block away.)

Beth was pleased with her newly achieved Green swimming certificate and excellent school report (the latter being one of the prerequisites for a trip to the cinema to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) but assured me she was too tired to tackle her Kumon homework.

End of another exciting day in the Tan household...