for our Housekeeper, and I am wondering why I ever agreed to her taking her leave at Christmas (as opposed to the contractually stipulated summer)!

DH and I work.  The 3 munchkins are still at school.

Day 1 – a novelty; a novelty not to have anyone else in the house but our family, to return from the school run, do as we please, and not have someone else around.  As discreet at our Housekeeper is, one is still always aware of someone else in the house, and it is difficult to let go fully.  Yesterday was relaxed and fun, albeit a little chaotic, and less than hygenic!

Day 2 – the novelty has worn off.  Today, I dropped off the kids, dropped off DH at work (no driving for him on his office Christmas party day!), dashed to work, and put in my hours.  I dashed out again to get petrol before collecting the kids.  I was late because I was sorting out some admin at the school.  My 3 dumped their bags at my feet, and ran off to the football pitch, but not before they berated me (again) for being late, again.

Tottering around in office heels, balancing a pink back pack on one shoulder, a black one on the other, and carrying DS2’s smallish backpack, and bookbag as well as all the Christmas goodies the kids have been making in school over the past few weeks….all of which seemed to be covered in a bucket of glitter which, needless to say, ended up on my black dress…, I could have driven straight home!

Wednesday is swimming lessons day.  Have you ever tried getting 3 kids into a car, changed into swim gear, eat a snack, drink some water, tie hair back and drive to the pool about 1km away in back to back traffic, all in 20 mins?  Not easy!  45mins later, pack them up in the car, and drive to the shops.  Christmas party day tomorrow.  DS2 needs cakes for his class party.

As we enter our community, the kids beg me to drive around so they could spot Christmas decorations on the houses.  Being a kid at heart when it comes to Christmas, I didn’t need much persuading!

When we finally got home, it was almost 4:30……DD has been desperate to decorate the Gingerbread house we bought, but yet again, it goes unconstructed, as I made a start on dinner.  Then came the dishes from the morning (why I ever agreed to getting rid of our dishwasher is beyond me!), emptying the schoolbags…..filled with a term’s worth of glue, glitter, dust, dried food, and lots of unidentifiable goo.

As the munchkins watched another Christmas DVD, I continued with the post-school chores.  I put the rest of the uniforms and PE kits in the washing machine.  Au revoir til next year!  I couldn’t neglect the mould smelling lunch backpacks and bookbags, and threw them in too (but not as the same time as the white PE kits – am not that useless!).  Thankfully no lunch or homework due in tomorrow!  How I could have fitted in homework today, I do not know.

My first sit down was 8:30……and I still have to heat pizzas for the Christmas party tomorrow….

Right now, my back aches, my feet need a massage (and I hate foot massages!), my hands are raw having handwashed DD’s wool dress, and I can’t remember if I manged to put on make up today!

Ladies, Mums, Housewives, Working Women, Mothers, Grandmothers – especially those of you who have munchkins/grandmunchkins – I take my hat off to you.  You are AMAZING.  In the privileged world we live in here in Dubai, one can forget how long a day can be.

Day 3 – not looking forward to it particularly!