A late night trip to Aldi, a popcorn explosion and an orange flag

Last night I found myself in Aldi.

 Funnily enough I didn't have a shopping list, nor was I there to pick up milk and bread. I wasn't selecting a bunch of flowers, bulk mince or imported ciders. I wasn't even lured in by the weekly specials of miscellaneous items that I did not need but yet always convince myself I cannot live without. Snow wear anyone?

Truth been told I was drawn in by a different reason altogether.
Something that I was desperate for, the promise of a few minutes where I could walk aimlessly around the aisles, in silence, have no agenda, no task to complete, no plan, no drama. Aldi was my refuge, promised land if you will and I was going to prolong the experience for as long as possible. Or at least till bath time was over.


So what caused this sudden need for a hideout you might ask?

Enter in a blonde haired Viking with a chipped tooth who I like to call my son Alfie.

Toddler is an age of wonder, humor and meltdowns over gloves and noodles. In fact, toddler is an age where if you don’t or can’t find the humour in all the little things that can go wrong in a day you will end up crying in the corner before breakfast is over.

The day had been similar to many others, nothing over dramatic just the standard activity

6:50am- Bring in the day with song and foot stomping on side of wall
7am-Breakfast- knock over at least 1 litre of milk whilst demanding to make own "coffee" (warm milk with a dash of honey in KeepCup)
9am- Meltdown at a café
9:30am- Visit to a play centre, swim in ball pit, lose dummy
10:30am- Bribing with a lollypop to leave the play centre
10:45am- Bribing with another lollypop and a trip to the car wash to leave the play centre
11am- Trip to the car wash
11:45am- Sushi lunch with an escaping episode to the woman's toilet (demand to sit on toilet and pretend to use toilet, wee on ground)
12:30pm- Nap
2:40pm- Visit the florist to pick up flowers, attempt to drink water out of bucket
3pm- Visit friend- smother friend with kisses and cuddles that resemble a headlock
4:30pm- On way to pick up dad in car throw popcorn packet in air in a celebration of all things Justine Clarke

So as you can see, the usual, uneventful day. Right? Wrong!

For me when 5pm ticks over I tend to let out a sigh of relief. For it acknowledges the achievement of another day completed, another day without any major calamity, safe keeping of dare devil children and the calling in of backup whom I call my husband. However this afternoon, backup had been delayed and I would brave the arsenic hour alone.

So here we were, returning home, ready for the warmth of the gas heater and the entertainment of ABC for kids. As we approached the front door all three children in toe, Mr Viking had a gleam in his eye and a cheeky grin on his face that shouldn't have gone  unnoticed.

Fast forward three minutes and not only was I locked out of my own house. Mr Viking was let loose alone inside, little Miss was screaming her lungs out desperate for a feed and Wild Heart threenager Adella was again channelling her inner drama queen signalling for help with a orange flag off the bicycle trailer completing her self created monologue "we are trapped, we are trapped, come save us" waiting for a standing ovation from the neighbours and those game enough to walk past.

Thank goodness for the white knight we shall call Poppy Ray who entered the scene not on a horse but in a pick up truck to deliver the key which would free us from the living hell we were currently in. Of course he had a smirk on his face and muttered "this is really comical" as he bravely opened the door to discover all the delightful "treats" Mr Viking was yet to deliver.

So as my life has now officially turned into a comedy, my plan of attack was to hide out in Aldi for as long as it took to claw back a sense of control and if it took purchasing loads of miscellaneous crap in the process I think I was well up for the task!

What calamity have you found yourself in of late? I would love to hear

X Grace