(Hyacinths, in the garden, blowing in the wind)
It’s about 6:30 am. Saturday. No need to wake anyone up. Nothing in the pipeline today. Not sure if my husband is going to his park run, as he’s been under the weather, so I leave him undisturbed. I head downstairs. Quietly. They can all have a lie-in. It will do them good, I hope.
I head to the downstairs loo and shut the door. It’s half light outside. I’ve not switched on lights or opened curtains on the way downstairs, in an effort to let the house sleep on. I open the curtain now. I need some light. It dazzles me slightly and I semi-consciously re-adjust my eyes to the change. I lift the toilet lid.
What the heck! I mean. Seriously!
How could someone have left it like that? On the seat.
Great. My job to clean up. Who’d be a parent? I’ll need gloves. I bend down slightly to see what I’m dealing with and, at that point, I notice a slight movement.
What?
Oh, good grief. It’s breathing. In fact, not only that. It’s looking at me. Straight at me. With two big, round eyes.
My own eyes are now adjusted. As is my mind. On the seat of the loo, previously snuggled up to the lip of the lid, before I lifted it, is a frog.
A frog.
On the loo seat.
I’ll admit. I did stand there for a minute, pondering my options. I half hoped someone else would come downstairs, just so they could act as my witness to the sight of a slumbering frog on our loo seat. No-one did. I decided to move it outside.
I think the frog sensed that I’d reached a decision, because at that very moment it turned round, jumped off the seat and into the pan. It knew where it was going. It shimmied down the sides and into the water and away. Away down the pipe. Never to be seen again.
I hope.
Well not by me. Not first thing. Not before my morning coffee.
(Just for the record, I like frogs and am very used to relocating them when they are found hopping around the house)
(Rhubarb in a pipe)
Sigh.
Pipelines have played quite a part this week. It’s felt a bit like we are living in a wind tunnel (or pipe) this week, with the force of the wind. It has been rattling and booming. It has never waivered.
I blamed the wind for giving me a cracking headache at the start of the week. Knocked me for six. Wobbly and feverish for 24 hours, which makes me think I was really probably fighting off a virus or something. Being a mother, I carried on, which was probably a bad move as, the rest of the family have had it, one by one, over the week. Most are back to normal now. The rest will live.
(primroses sheltering from the wind)
There is no stopping. Even for illness. There are times, when I wonder how I will adjust when they all leave home and I no longer manage the planning diaries for all the children. Noting down and planning ahead, so that they have everything and are in the right place. At the right time.
I think it will gradually creep up on me. I can already see our older two organising their time and planning, with the younger one biting at the bit to do more. Always something in the pipeline. Middle teen had a sleepover and cinema trip last weekend, where I just hovered and asked questions like parents do, but had nothing to organize.
Eldest teen had a UCAS event this week. She’s planning on taking a gap year before she heads off to university, so she’s just going through the motions this year. Doing her research, so she’s ready to pound on doors later, in earnest, once she knows her results.
She booked her ticket on line for the event. It was quite a form to fill in, for someone who’s not sure what she wants to study at the moment. All I had to do was pay for the transport.
She’s also been investigating and organising bank and saving accounts for herself. Planning in progress. I think she’ll have everything in place for her future adventures. No firm plans yet, but not a bad idea to lay the foundations now. I know the next two years will go so fast, but I’m glad she’s thinking ahead. She can plan and I’ll work on the slowing down of time.
Also in the pipeline is my quilt. I finished the sixteen blocks and am now deciding on the sashing and borders. I’m thinking of fuchsia pink in between. Toying with using a light green fabric as the border, I have in my stash, and a navy edging. I’ve pinned the blocks on an old throw and hung it up on the door of our shoe cupboard. Gives me the chance to move the blocks around and try different colours. I need to make up my mind soon, as shoes are beginning to pile up by the door. Afraid I might break the children’s habit of putting shoes away, if I take too long. I spent time training them up, after all.
I’ve also almost finished knitting the front of my new jumper.
What else this week? We celebrated 30 years of the internet on Monday, by dredging up all the stories about life before and the early days. It entertained the children for approximately all the of the 0.03 seconds that they listened. We celebrated Pi day on Thursday with a shepherd’s pie. Any opportunity to celebrate.
So there is my week. Lots in the pipeline, and actually in the pipeline itself, in some cases. Not all my planning works out. Should have ordered more chocolate chips for cookies this week and ended up using chocolate beans instead. Not the worst mistake. Quite good really. Added colour.
Joining in with Anne’s word of the week. My word is pipeline. Pretty sure I’ve not used that one before.
How was your week? Anyone for a cookie?
Raisie Bay – Word of the Week
What cute green fabric with the watering cans! But, a frog in the house – is that common? You’re making me think about plumbing and if that could happen here, or if British plumbing is different from ours. (and I’m sure I sound like a dope for mentioning it) I’ve never touched a frog, but am not afraid of them. I’d be concerned that the cats would get it. But I also have a “loo” story, and it also happened today! On days off even if I’m not cleaning the toilet I will take the brush and swish it around the bowl. Well, today something black appeared and it was moving – a spider! Not a huge one, but not small, either. One of those fast-moving black ones; he was hanging out under the rim of the bowl, and I can’t tell you how glad I am that he didn’t come out while I was sitting! I don’t want to think about how long he may have been there; I’d rather see a frog, as unusual as it would be.
We do get frogs in the house every now and again. Usually they hop on through an open door. First time, to my knowledge, ones made it through the pipes. Probably doesn’t help that we have a septic tank, rather than mains drainage. Ah yes spiders. Fascinating creatures, but I’m not keen when they surprise me. I think I’d feel the same as you did. Shivers.
I can’t even imagine finding a frog on the toilet seat! What a way to begin the day! 🙂 Your cookies look delicious! If only I was closer so I could taste them!
Up to today, neither could I.
I love it, I’m pretty sure no-one has used Pipeline before yet you have so much to say about it. How your story started is very similar to my house, if I get up early I try so hard not to wake anyone else. I have never found a frog in my toilet though, what a shocker! I do like frogs myself but we’ve never had any in the house. Your daughter sounds like she’s really growing up with all her future planning. Your quilt is looking fabulous already and your cookies look delicious. I really hope you are feeling better now x Thanks for linking up to #wotw xx
Frogs and toads love our house. They take a shortcut through it to the fishing lakes nearby, at certain times of year. We have to keep the doors shut. First time on the loo seat though. Wildlife likes our cottage in general. I was going for wind, but then the frog turned up and it had to be pipeline, in both senses.
Omg a frog that would have totally freaked me out, I do not dislike them at all but its just such an alien place to see one! I know exactly what you mean about wondering about life as the kids leave home, part of me is excited about booking holidays in term time, the other dreading them all leaving and the silence ! Our house is crazy it will be a big change, and I love the green edging of the quit it goes well x
Yes. Not a usual place to find a frog, but I’m kind of used to expecting the unexpected around here. It will be quiet for sure and I can see the attraction of term time holidays too. I think the green border is the way to go. It adds a bit more interest. Can’t wait to get on with it.
Those cookies look so delicious!
I remember once visiting the bathroom in the middle of the night only to sit down and find two MASSIVE spiders on the floor right in front of me. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough!
Another time, it was dark and I thought a neighbour’s cat has messed on the window sill, only to look closer and find a toad sat there resting.
It’s the unexpected that gets me each time.
I did have to giggle about the frog on the loo! We’ve had a bat upstairs and a hedgehog in the extension, but never a frog. The joys of rural living hey!
I love your quilt! It looks like it’s coming along nicely. I do like the idea of the green border too. Can’t wait to see it finished. Oh, I will have a cookie thanks 😉
Thanks for sharing with #MMBC. Hope you’ve had a good weekend. x
Yes, the joys of nature thinking you’d like to share your home! We’ve had baby bats in the kitchen. I need to order some more fabric to finish the quilt. Looking forward to posting up the finished photos, but I think it will be a while.
A frog on the toilet is a new one for me. That would be very unsettling first thing in the morning. Can’t wait to see what you choose for the quilt border and yes, a cookie please! #MMBC
I might have been slightly more at ease to find it during the day. When I was a bit more awake.
I’ll have a cookie please!
I am not as comfortable around frogs as you are and would probably refuse to use the downstairs loo ever again!
Your quilt is looking fab. I am so slow to sew in comparison.
Your eldest sounds very organised and focused. I always wondered how it would be when they started leaving home but I have found they just won’t go! My eldest came back and is planning on going to the local university so rather than losing him I have gained a tribe of several other young men who think I am running a hotel! #mmbc
I had to assure certain members of the family that I had cleaned up afterwards, otherwise I think they would have felt the same. I’m sure it feels a mixed blessing with your son coming home. Hope his application goes well.
Oh goodness, I love your frog story! I am not sure how I would have reacted. Glad he jumped back into the water and not somewhere into your home! Biscuits look yummy!
Yes. The fact the frog took matters into his webbed feet, meant I was off the hook. Much easier. Especially being first thing!
Finding a frog in my bathrroom would have freaked me out so much. I’d have ran and woken the whole house up. lol
I’m glad everyone is feeling better now.
Those cookies look so good x
I was relieved that I didn’t need to clear up anything else!
I think I would have been quite shocked to find a frog on my toilet seat lol, at least you know how he’s getting in. I too am knitting a jumper at the moment. I just have the last few inches of the back to finish. It is the first time I have knitted anything this big so it is a little scary.
#MMBC
The first jumper is always exciting. I’m sure you are going to love it.
What a shock for a Saturday morning ! Just glad you didn’t sit on him without looking 😆 Sorry to hear you’ve been poorly, my Jake has the same sort of thing on Friday and Saturday but seems to have bounced back quite quickly. Your quilt is coming along beautifully, can’t wait to see it finished x
Fortunately he has not reappeared. I do check each time.
I’m happy it was a frog and not something worse!
My thoughts exactly