I am a stay at home mum. I don’t love not working but there are days that I know it’s the right thing to do. I do long for the days when I was a busy RN on the floor caring for my patients.

My mother was a single parent from the time I was 10 years old, she worked two jobs and was never home when school got out.
On the strange occasion that she might have a day off ,on a weekday, we were greeted with sandwiches and a glass of blackcurrant juice on arrival at home , and it was bliss!! It felt odd , but wonderful.

This week I received a phone call from the school, it was the school nurse, always a call I dread. Often it’s a bump on the head after a fall from the monkey bars or a sore tummy. Today though, my eight-year-old had somehow wet his underpants at school assembly. Could I please bring him a fresh change of clothing? This is totally in my job description as stay at home mum. Off I go to school with change of clothing, baby wipes and a plastic bag.

The nurse was very sympathetic to my son but my boy looked at me with such sad eyes when I arrived. He was embarrassed and apparently concerned that I would be mad at him for making me come to the school. All reassurances given and he was changed quick smart with a big hug.

I sent him back to class after offering to take him home, which he declined. He was instructed to ignore any students mocking him and if they did to tell his teacher.

On picking him up at 3 o’clock he told me that one little boy took it upon himself to tell everyone he could about his urinary mishap. As directed, he told his teacher.

Upon questioning by the teacher , the little boy admitted to making fun of my lad. My boy asked such questions as “why would you do that to me?” and ” how would that make you feel if I did that to you?” ( his teacher called me and told me all of this)

The bully boy started to cry at which point my son gave him a hug and told them that it would be alright and that he mustn’t cry.

Talk about turning the other cheek ….and he is only eight years old.

I am extremely proud of the way he carried himself, did not revert to anger or violence , despite his ADHD and impulsiveness.

I hope he continues to show forgiveness and strength as he grows.

I also hope he stops peeing himself at school.

I love cake.
I really love cake.

My favourite is a dark , rich , chocolate cake with ganache.

Let’s be reasonable though. I am not spending my time or money blending double cream with bitter chocolate for my kids , more often it’s a box cake with a dollop of frosting. Sprinkles too, if they are lucky.

Recently I’ve been messing with box cakes , adding real butter instead of oil, an extra egg and milk in place of water. Giving a more bakers flavour.

 

I wanted something simpler. Last night I mixed a box of angel cake with a box of devils food cake to make a mug cake mixture. The angel food cake has egg in the mix,  and so this is why chemically this works.

4 tablespoons of the mix with 2 tablespoons of water , in a mug , stirred , and into the microwave for one minute.

Cake.

Not the best cake ever , but perfectly acceptable for 3 small children for an after school treat.

I’ll save the fancy cake for birthdays, and for me.