So, without further ado. a summary of the last few days.
Saturday 11th August
Activity - Essentially travelling from Drumnadrochit to Edinburgh via the beautiful Falls of Bruar.
Lowlights and Dramas - Nothing major, only the usual "I'm going in that car" and "I'm sleeping in that room" type arguments. And that was just between me and Dawn. The girls were fine.
Sunday August 12th
Activity - Seeing Dawn's sister and her family. The girls loved seeing their cousins for the first time in three years and we had a lovely pub lunch in town, where the children, to their absolute credit, behaved impeccably, and then went to the Meadows (a large park) where the kids played on the swings and roundabouts while we just relaxed.
Highlights - The aforementioned lunch and family catch up, plus the weather which was bright and sunny.
Lowlights and Dramas - After Dawn's sisters family had left, we decided to just have an evening in. This wasn't good enough for the girls who wanted to go out to see more shows, for dinner, to the park, to do anything except stay in the flat (understandable - but sometimes you just need to rest a bit). Then we had a huge battle as to whether they could watch TOWIE or not with a further argument over bedtimes. They had to be up early on Monday as they were off to Moira and David's for the day whilst Dawn and I spent a rare day ON OUR OWN, which just doesn't happen very often. It seemed that the behaviour was beginning to revert to how it was at the beginning of the holiday and is just totally exhausting.
Monday August 13th
Activity - A day ON OUR OWN in Edinburgh, meeting up with some friends in the evening and seeing three shows.
Highlights - A brilliant lunch at The Dome, some funny improv and sketch comedy plus an evening spent with adults doing adult things and not having to break up fights and arguments (well, not between children, anyway). Pappy's sketch show was excellent and the show "Briefs" turned out to be an all male Burlesque which was so incredibly camp and outrageous... but pretty entertaining. Oh, and a phone call I received letting me know I'd won top prize in a draw I didn't even remember entering. That was a lovely surprise.
Lowlights and Dramas - Surprise, surprise, the children did NOT get up early. In fact, one of them just refused to get up at all, then stropped and stressed completely about something to do with make up (an incident almost funny enough to be included in the highlights section to be honest) before Megan developed stomach cramps and was sick. Consequently they were over an hour and a half late in leaving for the Grandparents, which disrupted the day quite a bit. Tomorrow they were warned that they MUST get up on time as we had to be out of the flat by 10am and if they didn't, I would throw a glass of water over them.
Tuesday August 14th
Activity - The day we come home. Hang around Edinburgh until about 2, go to Moira and Davids (they took our cases yesterday to save us lugging them around as well) and then a taxi to the airport before flying home to arrive hopefully about 9.
Highlights - Difficult to recall too many. The street performers were good.
Lowlights and Dramas - With glasses of water poised, I'm pleased to say it wasn't necessary to deploy the weapons of mass soaking. The girls did all get up when asked although one only really thought of herself and was consequently still getting ready whilst everyone else was helping to clear the flat up. Words were had. But they were all tired, grumpy and stroppy and on top of that Dawn and Megan weren't feeling too good either. The "day at Granny's" punishment card was played but Dawn managed to behave and the girls followed her example.
After a wonderful breakfast in the Olive Tree (and an unscheduled return almost an hour later to collect the bag Anna had left and which was miraculously still there), we got soaked watching a show before traipsing around Edinburgh looking for Tom Daley's book (to no avail) and then having our taxi snaffled by another family. We finally arrived at Moira and David's to collect the cases before enduring a horrible taxi journey back to the airport in heavy traffic with Megan feeling travel sick and everyone else sweltering.
Our 'Speedy Boarding' facility whizzed us through check in and fastrack security but unfortunately three of our four bags were searched, so no time was saved (but at least they didn't find the stuff!)
Dinner was to be taken in the airport, but in our restaurant of choice the chef was out getting stock so we had to walk to the other end of the terminal to Wetherspoons where we did have something to eat and to cap it all I then trod on my glasses. But was this the last drama? No. On a flight where ours was the only luggage on the entire plane, Easyjet managed to lose Megan's bag which, apart from containing her clothes, also had her phone and hair straighteners in. No staff were on duty but we eventually managed to find someone to report it to who advised us that lost bags are "usually" found within 24 hours. I asked what happened if it didn't turn up and was told that after about 6 weeks the airline will pay compensation but it will be minimal. Joy.
Frankly, it was a relief to get into the car and I eagerly turned on the radio to catch the last 15 minutes commentary on Southend United's first competitive match of the season against Peterborough in the cup only to find we were 4-0 down. For the last half of the journey the girls were singing songs, which sounds quite sweet, doesn't it? Until I tell you that they were singing four different songs. Individually. At the same time. When we got back, Dawn and I were like the walking dead.
And so my annual two week holiday has finished and I feel as though I need another one to recover. It has been a rest but also with quite a lot of stress attached... so let's call it a "strest". There is another trip booked for the Algarve in October which was meant to be in half term but due to an administrative error (mine) the holiday is actually for the week before. Damn. I will have to sort that out with the school as I don't have "Imbecile Cover" on my travel insurance.
Sadly, we didn't find Nessie on our travels but (I hope) the girls all had a good time. All joking and moaning aside, we did as well. I'm not sure what we'll do next year though. Sending them on a PGL holiday while we just chill is the favoured option at the moment.
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