We went walking on the motorway

... and, frankly, I really wonder why we bothered.

I find out about these fun and interesting things to do, but the reality of marshalling the rest of the troops and getting them out of the house at a given time is just a nightmare.

This morning started out beautiful and sunny. I walked the dog and fed the cat, then asked Daughter-One to get up. I went back into the kitchen to find the cat had regurgitated what looked like the remains of a large mouse all over the kitchen floor.

After cleaning that up, I again called out to Daughter-One to get up, and went on the computer to check bus times. I then yelled at Daughter-One to get up, before packing some water and the camera.

Three yelling attempts later, Daughter-one finally emerged and I told them we had ten minutes before catching the bus down the road to Newmarket where the new motorway viaduct was being opened for people to walk across, for the price of a gold coin donation.

The Husband wanted to know why we couldn't walk down but I pointed out it was 2 kms down there, a 1.5 km walk along the motorway, then 2kms back and, while I often walk that as a matter of course through the day, it would probably be a bit of a drag. Besides, there was a bus leaving from the end of the street right to the motorway entrance.

But he has an aversion to public transport (I blame several years commuting in London) so he said we should take the car AND the dog. But I didn't know if dogs were allowed so I said it wasn't a good idea.

By now so much time had passed since I got up, the clouds had started to gather. We drove down and parked quite a way from where we needed to go, and saw a couple walking past with their dog. "Look, look" said The Husband, "they took their dog. I told you we should have brought the dog. And we should have walked down too. Why didn't we walk down?"

Then Daughter-Two said she needed to go to the toilet, but I groaned and luckily she thought better of it.

Then we got to the start of the motorway and I asked The Husband to fish in his pockets for a few dollars for the "gold coin donation", which he did. We stuck on our little stickers to show we had paid, but The Husband then realised that it was "a donation" and not a charge. "Look, look" he said" those people haven't got stickers. They didn't pay. Or them. Or them. We didn't have to pay. Why did you make me pay?"

I felt like saying "Look, look, those people have got smiles on their faces and are having a nice, relaxing day out? Why can't we have one of those. Huh? huh?"

Daughter-One, meanwhile, looked like this the whole time:

Fortunately Daughter-Two looked like this, as usual:

And I looked like a chipmunk, as usual:

 

And then it started to pour down.

Of course.

Absolutely bucketed down.

And, really, the views from the viaduct of the rooftops of Newmarket do not in any way compare to, say, the rooftops of Paris.

However, I did get a chance to have a nice chat with Daughter-One as we trudged along under an umbrella.

She told me the world was quite possibly coming to an end and, anyway, since I was so old the chances of me dying increased incrementally every year.

Nothing like happy family time is there?

New Digital Scrapbooking kit at Designer Digitals  

 One thing that does bring a smile to Daughter-One's face is seeing a new printed photobook full of digital scrapbook layouts of when she was little.

I am still working through her "two year old" photos:

 
Paper, frame, ribbon and epoxy from "Late Summer" mini-kit . Alpha is Battered Alphabet No.02, gorgeous blended in floral accent is from new Painted Accents by Katie Pertiet., notepaper also by Katie, Loopdaloop flowers and Travel word transfers by Anna Aspnes. 

I used the new "Late Summer" mini-kit now in store at Designer Digitals:

Digital scrapbooking New Zealand

Comments

[Esther (aka blue_eyed_pea)]

I hear you, Lynn!! We are so old, what would we know, anyway?! Love those soft blues in the new kit!

[Heather T.]

I hate that kind of family time. Sorry you had to go through that. But your new kit is delightful, and congrats again on getting a GSO for your beautiful layout!

[phylis (whatnext)]

OMG, Lynn. i haven't laughed so hard in a month. thanks for "taking me along" on this hilarious trudge. if it's any consolation, your family time is about 100 times cheerier than mine. wait til the girls are 25. it REALLY gets interesting....

[Raylene]

Glad to hear you telling about your family times . . . so entertaining. Gotta love your sense of humor, though. I can relate! I see you were smiling!!!!!! Keep on keeping on!