Today is my wife’s birthday, yet as I type this blog I am sat along, backstage at the theatre while panto dance rehearsals take place on the stage above me. The things we do and the sacrifices we make for our kids never ends.
This morning, instead of a lazy lie in with Helen on her birthday, and her only day off in the next 8 days, I was up early. This meant she was also up early. We did the gifts and cards while she was still in bed. I was then off with L to collect 3 other girls in her dance team to get them to the start of their rehearsal day. I returned home, after picking up some chocolate croissants for Helen, for a quick coffee and a Co-op cinnamon swirl. Then I was out again…
This time Dad’s Taxi was taking D and V to pick up 3 of their friends and fellow junior dance team members. They too were heading to the theatre for their rehearsals. After that trip, it was back home again.
Did I spend long at home this time? No. I took Helen and Grace to Beadlam Grange Farm Shop for a brunch. I say brunch but Helen had a cream tea while I had a deliciously huge breakfast bap and Grace had the breakfast wrap. After eating and checking out the gin selection it was home again. Not before I bought a couple of taster gin bottles made by Masons Yorkshire Gin.
Upon returning home once more I picked up my gear and headed back to the theatre. I was in time to see D and V heading home with a friend whilst I settled in for a stint at chaperoning. And this is where I am right now.
The busy life of parents
Of course, this busiest of busy days is something we knew we signed up for. We knew when the girls auditioned for panto that rehearsals were likely on her birthday. We knew we’d have chaperoning to do and Helen agreed to me doing a couple of hours today before I signed up. Then came the parent rota for transporting the kids to and from rehearsals. The busy life of parents indeed!
Following this chaos I will be heading home, after dropping of various senior dancers, to cook Helen’s birthday tea. She has requested my Hong Kong style sweet and sour chicken. It’s a simple enough dish, just a bit of a faff with the deep frying of the chicken first and therefore something we don’t have very often.
Dedication
So, as I sit here with freezing toes, in my woolly bobble hat, shivering slightly, I am dedicating this blog post to the most amazing woman I know. She’s an utterly brilliant mum, a fabulous best friend and the most fantastic wife. Happy birthday Helen – I love you, your girls love you, and you know the dogs love you xx
Neither Beadlam Grange Farm Shop or Masons Yorkshire Gin are affiliated with this post in any way. We live close to this fantastic farm shop and as Helen loves gin and she’s not tried this one (and it’s from Yorkshire) we decided to give it a try.
