Accentuating the positive

Not that there is much. Friday in fact was the day from hell.....but I can't be bothered to recount moment for moment -suffice it to say that it was stress from morn till night - including another run in with the play scheme - I have come to the conclusion that the leader has decided my kids are rotten and nothing will change her mind. She's being unfair and I'm not going to let her bother me.

Rewind a couple of days - on Wednesday Rob had the day off and he had planned to take the boys to the Aquarium - he didn't think it would be a good idea for me with my crutch to come - but then we decided to get the wheelchair we borrowed out, and off we went - I was armed with Tesco vouchers to cover the admission. It was HEAVING - very busy -and when we got to the ticket office we were told the Tesco vouchers, while accepted at all other Sealife attractions, weren't accepted at London. But then, in a wonderful moment, the cashier took pity on us, told me I must have been mistaken and that Toby was obviously only 2 (therefore free) and gave me disabled price (a fraction) and let Rob in for free (as a carer) and so it didn't cost us much at all. I'm eternally grateful to that cashier - true customer based service and I was so grateful!

Although it was busy, the boys loved it. I however discovered how hard it is to be at seat level - people bashed into me, no one let me near the tanks to see, the disabled toilet was broken....I think all able-bodied people should spend a day in a wheelchair - makes you really think about how much easier it is to get around and how aware you should be of people in all situations.

Some photos - no flashes are allowed in the aquarium (though that didn't stop a lot of people, I wouldn't want to blind a fish). So they are a bit dark!




My favourite bit of the day? It started pounding down with rain - the boys had raincoats but Rob and I were in short sleeves - no brolly (getting a wheelchair, a crutch , a picnic bag and the boys stuff together was enough!) so we sheltered under the bridge for a while but ended up getting wet anyway cos of wind and holes in the bridge. So we though - SOD IT - went up onto Charing Cross Railway bridge and Rob RAN as fast as he could, pushing the wheelchair with Toby on my lap and Oz ran hell for leather beside us. I was laughing hysterically as we zoomed across, tourists jumping out of our way. Like being a kid in a go cart....truly brilliant.

And forward to today. Rob's Mum and Gran came down to London - Gran hasn't seen Oscar since he was a baby, has never met Toby and Rob's mum has only met the boys a couple of times. Rob's stepdad came down for the Chelsea game (and can't have been happy with the result!) so Gran and Mum tagged along. Rob and Oscar went up to meet them at Paddington and bring them home. Oscar was SO excited. And so was Toby. Within two minutes Great Gran was reading them The Cat In The Hat.....they had a captive audience to watch them scoot up and down the garden, everyone had a lovely time and there was chocolate cake - what more can you need?

Toby, Gran, Oscar and Great Gran!

Oscar loves his Great Granny

Reading to her Great Grandsons