Monday, July 30, 2007

Gone fishin'

Gone fishin', there's a sign upon your door....

I remember I was younger. When the weekends seemed to be more than two days and going out was an event to be prepared for. I used to spend half a day choosing what to wear and the other half putting on my make-up, primping and preening until I was the best that I could be. A bath would stretch into hours, furnished with a few glasses of pre-event wine and a sandwich to make sure I didn't fall over before I was supposed to.

Gone fishin', you ain't workin' any more....

When the Feckers came along I forgot what it was like just to grab a handbag and car keys, replacing them with a kit bag that would make a squaddie proud. Nappies, bottles, toys and buggies replaced the small clutch bag, and going out became a scramble to the pub before the baby sitter rang with bad crying news. New clothes took on the value of hiding baby puke and make-up became just something that some normal people wore.

Cow's need milkin' in the barn, but you just don't give a darn....

As the Feckers grew I gave them a sitter with a penchant for Buffy video's, late nights and the biscuit tin. The Feckers loved him and socialising became more of a regularity but it always felt as if I was getting ready in a war zone. Evolving a black wardrobe meant that matching was a thing of the past but I could at least grab a soak before producing a hastily prepared dinner and ironing the last minute trouser change.

You just never seem to learn. You ain't got no ambition....

Now time is my oyster. I have plenty of time to fill the cracks in my face, to pick an outfit that flatters and hides. Time to spend time on myself - so what happened? Experience has led me to a woman who can juggle hair, ironing, jewelery, washing, make-up, cleaning and still be ready to go out by three in the afternoon when the table is booked for eight.
Oh dear, I really should learn - again.......

Mmm, folks won't find us now because
Mister Satch and Mister Cros
We gone fishin' instead of just a-wishin'
Bah-boo-baby-bah-boo-bah-bay-mmm-bo-bay
Oh,.......... yeah!


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14 comments:

Jon M said...

So true! I'd like to see you juggle hair though, that might be curious! :-)

I got to a point at which going out just wasn't worth it, or just didn't seem worth it and I still get that feeling now. I usually have a grand time once I'm out and about though.

Really enjoyed reading that Minx!

Unknown said...

If you had my hair, you'd be juggling!

Roberta said...

Oh PULEEEEZ! My kids have been out of the house for 2 years.

I still can't decide what to wear and it takes me three times as long to spackle my face.

Now that I'm retired and keeping the back deck from floating into the universe (Husbands words) I spend days twiddling my thumbs. I refuse to clean bathroom toilets every day. (A pet peeve of mine)

Now that company has gone, perhaps I should do some writing? Or maybe I should check out that MY FACE thingy?

Unknown said...

'Spackle' - I like that,Roberta, to spackle, heh.

And yes, check out the Facebook wotsit but beware - you may get sheep thrown at you! Better join, the whole world is in there.

Roberta said...

Sheep ?? As in Mutton? Good lord.

Then it will take me three times as long to get ready.

Anonymous said...

As a man who has no need to spackle his face - the lines show my character! - I empathized with everything else.

That sense of time's roller-coaster journey through our lives was very evocative.

It's been years since I thought about what it was like before my two thieves of time popped into the world. And one of them now is stealing less and less of my time.

How I wish he'd come back and steal more again!

Ah, if only. If only. Two of the loveliest and most poignant words in the language!

Unknown said...

Yay, feel a bit 'muttonish' on occasion, Roberta. Ah well.

Amin the elusive! Nice to see you.
If truth be told, I would not turn back any clocks, content to enjoy what has been and look forward to what will come - polyfilla and all.

Unknown said...

Not having kids, I just remember the shock of having NO time when I started working. I'm not sure how I would cope if it all just suddenly disappeared.

Unknown said...

Hmm, I've just found face spackling and such like has become less important as the years have passed by. As for hair, kept short it needs to fussing. So now I have all this time on my hands... to write, to blog - oh yeah, and to throw sheep.

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

I love that song. It's one of my favorites.

Ol' Cindy lou...


You didn't write about the time you spend writing, we all appreciate THAT very much!

Thank you!

Scarlett & V.

PS- Thanks very much for the facebook add... haven't signed up yet. Not sure I am comfortable with going to a place I can never leave... like Hotel California... YIKES! Makes me very uneasy.

Anonymous said...

Im going your way Ms Minx... do you think I will be glad?

Saaleha said...

I'll get there, erm, in about fifteen years or so. AAAck, I just realised that 15 is half of my lifetime!!!!

Chris at 'Chrissie's Kitchen' said...

I just wish I had been invited somewhere so I could begin to think about getting ready to go out for. Sigh..

Unknown said...

I thought about getting a life but I am already trying to live three already!