Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 871.

Printer-friendly version
Wuthering Dormice
(aka Bike)
Part 871
by Angharad

Copyright © 2010 Angharad
All Rights Reserved.
  
-Dormouse-001.jpg

I tossed and turned that night, the idea of meeting up with Luke worried me. We had nothing in common except biology, and I was essentially an ecologist, while he was a hands on, cut ‘em up and see type of marine biologist. Last time I saw him, he was in his element–inside the body of an elephant seal he was dissecting. Simon’s offer was very attractive, I could do with a new outfit, but Julie needed new clothes more than I did.

I resolved to turn him down the next day when I had time. Of course I forgot–well I got bogged down in life–with six kids, things tend to be a bit fraught, and Julie wasn’t being as much help as I’d hoped–in fact she had more needs at times than those she was supposed to be looking after. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she had more issues than Readers Digest.

It might also be worth mentioning that once or twice I saw Trish counselling Julie–she had more experience of living the life test, which is essentially what Julie was doing–although nobody had said so in such direct terms.

I think she was learning from Livvie, too–I watched her copying how Livvie did things. Maybe I should be an anthropologist–although what are they but biologists who are too posh to admit they only study one ape?

The days passed quickly, probably because I was so busy looking after six kids. Any plans we’d had for New Year went by the board–we had too many children to make it viable to plan anything.

I know that’s no excuse, and we could have a proper Hogmanay if we planned it properly. I mean, it’s not as if I don’t have enough expertise in the family. In all fairness, we were invited to a party at the hotel in Southsea, and I urged Tom and Simon to go and take Stella, and I’d look after the baby. They wouldn’t go without me, and I wasn’t going to let the youngsters stay up that late. I suppose Julie could have gone, although I’d have been worried if she had gone, she was still a work in progress and her gesture and attitude was sometimes inappropriate for her apparent role.

Next time, I decided, we’d try and plan a proper Hogmanay party and invite some people round as well, get some records of Scottish country dance music and get some lessons for the girls and myself so we can all have fun.

Instead, what we did was open a bottle of sparkling wine–Asti spumante, I think and drank a quick toast at midnight, then we went to bed. I did allow Julie to partake–she was miffed that I wouldn’t allow her to go to meet her friends in the town centre and she sulked most of the night–texting and talking to Michelle and Tracie until just before midnight.

It was as we went to bed on New Year’s morning that Simon reminded me about Perryman.”When are you going to see your old friend at Southampton?”

“Who?”

“The one I told you I’d buy you a new dress for.”

“Oh him–I haven’t spoken to him since.”

“Why not? Go on–knock him dead.”

“I don’t know about that, if he’s just curious about meeting up with someone who’s changed over, I’m sure there are plenty in Southampton for him to ogle.”

“Send him a copy of your film.”

“Of course–Simon, you are a genius.” I hugged him and even kissed him–well he is my husband. I resolved to send him a copy of my dormouse film, which he should have seen if he was a real biologist–if only to criticise.

Simon started stroking my breast and I ignored him, when he started on the other one, I turned over–I was knackered. “Huh–even us geniuses have physical needs you know,” he sighed and I giggled myself awake–so the bugger got his wicked way, but only by promising to do the breakfast.

I think he did it with Danny and Billy, with Trish and Livvie coming in to me for a cuddle. Not sure where Meems was–possibly downstairs–she does like being with Simon. I knew that Julie wouldn’t be up for several hours–a la teenager. Hence my disappointment at her level of help. I wondered if this was what was to come with the others?

I sent Luke a DVD of my film courtesy of the university at Southampton and hoped he’d get it before too long.
I then sent him an email.

Dear Luke,
Thanks for contacting me. You were wondering how I was these days. If you’d watched my dormouse film on BBC, you’d have known and what I was doing. I’ve sent you a copy of the film on DVD.
I wish you well in your new job, but feel that the past has little relevance to me these days, so I won’t be accepting your offer to meet.

Yours,

Cathy.

So I didn’t get to buy a new dress courtesy of Simon. Oh well another time.

I took the girls to school on the fourth of January and was relieved to discover I had some time to myself–until I realised I had an hour to get Julie up and to Stephanie’s clinic.

“Oh, Mummy, it’s so early.”

“You have five minutes to get into the shower and get yourself dressed unless you want to run out of hormones?”

“No–I don’t.”

“You have to see Dr Cauldwell in less than an hour.”

She fairly flew out of bed and into the shower and was out and drying herself twelve minutes later. I helped her with her hair–mainly for time’s sake, she threw on some clothes and ate her toast as I drove her towards the clinic. She actually did her makeup in the car park–I wouldn’t wait for her.

On the drive there–I laid down some ground rules. “You are going to cease this laziness immediately, or you’re no use to me.”

The look on her face was priceless. It was sheer horror. “What d’you mean, Mummy?”

“I mean that I shall send you back to your original parents. You were meant to come to my house to help me, but you’re less help than even the boys are. So from tomorrow, you’re going to change that, or next week you’ll be back with your birth mother.”

“You wouldn’t, would you?” Moisture was beginning to pool in her eyes.

“Try me.”

“Okay, Mummy, I’ll do anything, just don’t send me back there.”

“Promise?”

“Absolutely, I promise.”

“Actions speak louder than words, we’ll get you an alarm clock for tomorrow–one that wakes the dead–no, better than that–one that wakes teenagers.”

Stephanie seemed pleased with her progress, it was me who wasn’t, but maybe that was in hand. While we were having a coffee in a well known chain of supermarkets coffee shop, my phone rang.

It was Tom, which was unusual in itself. I was quite concerned but he reassured me that he was okay, it was the mammal survey. “There’s a big meeting here tomorrow, Southampton are smelling blood and as we get government funding, they want some of thae action. I need ye here tae fecht oor corner wi’ me.”

“Of course, what time?”

“The meetin’ is frae eleven, so I’ll need ye here wi me when I go in to work.”

“I’ll need you to see the girls off tomorrow to school, I have to go to a meeting all day. I’ll leave you a list of things I want you to do, okay?” I said to Julie.

“Yeah, sure, Mummy.”

“I’ll arrange for a cab to take the girls to school, the boys go on the bus anyway,” I said to Tom.

“Sorry, hen, ye culd tak them first, then come on tae thae university.”

“Okay, we’ll do that then. I suppose you’ll want me dressed tidily?”

“Och, o’ course I dae, ye’re Lady Cameron thae noo, I expect ye tae show it.”

“Yes, Daddy.” I sighed and shut my phone. “C’mon kiddo, I need a new suit and shoes or boots.”

“Yay, canni’ve a new skirt, Mummy?”

“We’ll see.” We walked quickly to the car and had we had more time, I’d have liked to go to Salisbury or even Southampton for a change, instead we headed for the town centre and the best Portsmouth could offer Simon’s credit card–it had been burning a hole in my pocket for days.

In a small boutique down towards the quay I found a delicious crushed velvet suit in a deep rose pink, it was seemingly made for me, and with a grey silk blouse it looked absolutely perfect. I matched it with some grey court shoes and a pair of grey high heeled boots. Julie was in awe of my taste and spending power, and she profited by a red mini skirt for behaving herself.

05Dolce_Red_l_0.jpg

up
139 users have voted.
If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos! Click the "Thumbs Up!" button above to leave a Kudos

Comments

Bike pt 871.

Great to se Mummy Cathy taking charge. Like any woman, she truly rules the home.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine
    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Ah, teenagers!

I got mine at age 19; she'd grown up in a children's home and her eating and sexual habits seemed more suitable to that establishment.

I was recently told that, what they learn by the age of 2, stays with them, so we had no chance. It took Mo until age 35 to settle down.

Funny that she always credited me with taking the 'mother' role. I wonder why? Oh, and she still calls me 'Mum'.

Great 'life of Cathy' chapter, Angharad.

Susie

Interesting....

So Southhampton's trying to get some of the money - perhaps to extend to marine mammals? Perhaps that's what the "friend" was up to. Hmmm. It IS where he got her e-mail addy.

That all said, it's also possible he's a nice guy. We'll see.

Thanks,
Annette

come on --- wouldn't be any fun if the old "friend"

wasn't up to no good. In her field (and as a protector) Cathy has a lot of self confidence. Expect that she'll do just fine in preserving her project's funding.

One alarm clock?

If you're using one, make sure it's placed so Julie can see the time, but has to get out of bed in order to cancel the alarm.

Alternatively, have a (non alarm) clock by the bedside, and the alarm at the other end of the room, so not only does she have to get out of bed but she has to walk a few steps in order to turn it off.

Then again, if you think it's difficult getting teenagers up in the morning, wait until they reach university age. I remember being an undergrad - and a 9am lecture was considered "too early" - even though the halls were on campus, and about 5 minutes uphill from the teaching blocks...

(Aberystwyth - campus is built on a 1:9 hill, with the teaching blocks at the lower end of site and the numerous halls of residence at the upper end of site. The whole campus is about 1 mile up the hill from the town centre...unsurprisingly the local taxi firms do a roaring trade at pub closing time, ferrying students up the hill!)

 
 
--Ben


This space intentionally left blank.

As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!

Didn't work for me,

and I had them in pairs. Now I'm in my mid 50's I wake up after 4 hours sleep and can't get back to sleep. My boy, meanwhile, can't be woke up at all. Life is not fair.

Never had the luxury ...

... of being a 'typical' teenager. At 17 I was in full time employment (44 hrs/week), living in digs 125 miles from home and going to night school to gain qualifications. Neither the time nor the money for shenanigans. Kids today don't know they're born :) Mind you, I may be reverting to teen-type since I retired - we're rarely out of bed before 0900 these cold, dark mornings and rarely in it before 0100.

I doubt that Angharad introduced Luke into the saga for him to disappear from the scene so quickly. I think there may be trouble ahead ... hopefully ;)

Robi

"I think there may be trouble ahead"

But while there's moonlight, and music, and love and romance...
Let's face the music and dance!

Sorry, can't help but think of a now defunct insurance company's TV ads:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja6tcasUwGc

(OK, so the scenario's hardly appropriate for Cathy's household, but the narrator's comment:
"If your family suddenly grows, so do your responsibilities." certainly is!)

 
 
--Ben


This space intentionally left blank.

As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!

Always found

that the threat of a cold water bath in their bed, Was a pretty effective way of getting reluctant teenagers up of a morning.....Mind you there was that time when i had to carry it through...But that's another story....But i have to say, It was funny to see his face when i actually did it!!!

Kirri

Empty Threats And Four Feet

The problem with threatening drastic punishment is, if you don't follow through with it, you lose all credibility. Julie will inevitably sleep in and slack off. Cathy hasn't the heart to send her back to her birth parents, so then what? Perhaps a better solution is to be found in managing her as an employee. You know, paying her for services performed, and docking her when she doesn't. The whole hybrid arrangement of foster kid/employee is a bit muddled, though. Something needs sorting, as Julie doesn't seem a motivated self-starter now that she is "living her dream."

Two pairs of footwear for one suit is reasonable, but if this is for the morrow, I would suggest she only wear one pair at a time.

Exactly.

I'll never forget the look on my half-brother's face when my step mother (his mother) carried out her threat to tip his bowl of rice pudding over his head if he didn't eat it. She admitted afterwards that she regretted it even if only because it gave her a lot of laundry and hair washing chores. Food not eaten at one meal was saved and presented at the next until it was cleaned up. To this day, I can't bear to waste food.

Robi

Teens find it easy

to over promise and under perform. (sadly - like the rest of us)

Agree with the other poster that Cathy needs to find a form of motivation that will keep Julie active and helpful. Threats of something terrible that Cathy would never do will only work a couple of times.

Call It My Nasty Suspicious Mind

but why is it that I still think Cathy will end up meeting with Luke from Southampton?

I **love** it that there's always a new plot twist coming. Thank you, Ang, for keeping us entertained for so long!

Yours from the Great White North,

Jenny Grier (Mrs.)

x

Yours from the Great White North,

Jenny Grier (Mrs.)

Anrhropologists

I just LOVED your description of this endangered species -

"Maybe I should be an anthropologist—although what are they but biologists who are too posh to admit they only study one ape?"

Although it was just a wee bit unkind to that wonderful man Bronislav Malinowsky, who wrote "Magic, Science and Religion", based upon his fieldwork among the Trobriand Islanders.

He was a Social Anthropologist of course, there were also Physical Anthropologists, who collected skeletons and hair samples of "native peoples", and filled museums with specimens and measured heads... A bit too non-PC for today, I think they may even be extinct now, like so many of the "native peoples" they hunted !

IMHO Social Anthropologists are a lot more useful than Sociologists anyway.

What a neat way of not meeting his nibs - send him the video. But of course he will turn up in Portsmouth looking to grab half the funding they have, which was probably the whole raison d'etre already when he contacted Cathy. The regime that is pretending to govern the UK just now is about to cut the funding in Universities, especially for Research, so there will be fierce fights for what is left. In future people will have to stick to made up subjects like "Economics" and that oxymoron "political science", that do no experiments and research and need no apparatus. The UK will slide down from being one of the leading countries in Science to a Developing Nation status, and only the Bwankers will be happy, having run off with and magically disappeared all our money!

Lovely presentation of the typical teen phase. I once suggested we grow all new babies in bottles and dont decant them until age 21 and after being fully educated. Solve a lot of problems, that would. Meanwhile, we should perhaps start ro learn Chinese...

Briar

Briar

It's my way or the Highway, young lady ?

Tom needs the dormouse Lady C, not Lady mummy, to wow the committee, maybe a shorter skirt too.
Let's see how well this works with Julie. If it doesn't, toss her butt in the car, and drive to her house.
Halfway there, she'd be a puddle of terror. Maybe this would do it.