Glum

Two days into the Easter Hols and I look like this.

I was singing with joy this morning as the garage rang and said my car was ready. Hurrah! Hustled the kids into a cab and shot over there only to be rudely awakened from my deliriously happy state by the bill.

It has become a habit, since I was 17 (well, since I had my first child and having therefore been skint for nigh on 23 years now), to check bills thoroughly. Bills for everything. Gas, Leccy, shopping - every single thing.

So when I put the car in the garage I asked for a quote TWICE and both times they gave me the same figure. This is how the conversation went:

Me: What the hell is this?

Man: That's your bill madam.

Me: (indignantly) That's not what was quoted.

Man: Well that's the price.

Me: I suggest you go through it again, because this is not the price that was quoted to me twice over the phone - its THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OVER!

Man: Let me take a look.....

(Lots of fiddling about on the computer and rustling of papers)

Man: Mm, there does seem to be a problem.

Me: You're telling me! I had a verbal agreement on the phone (I watch a lot of Judge Judy) that the Power Steering would cost £*** and the Throttle would cost £*** so how do those figures add up to that?

(I then spotted the pro-former invoice with the verbal costing on it and pulled it out).

Me: Look, this is what I was told - so how do you get that price?

Man: (Shuffling uneasily) I'll just go back and sort this out. It may take some time.

Me: Well, I cant go anywhere can I? You've got my car.

Man: Take a seat and I'll be with you as soon as I can.

Me: (Getting irritated) I came to you because you are supposed to be a reputable company, If I want to get ripped off, I'll go to some tin-pot place down the road!

Man: (Getting shirty) We are not a tin-pot place Madam, mistakes do happen.

Me: Well, I cant pay for it. I can only pay what I was quoted and I've had to scrape about for that as it is!

Cheek!

After thirty minutes of hanging around and a lot of popping into the back office, he conceded that the bill was wrong, however I did have to pay an extra fifty quid - for diagnostics! I just wanted my car back.

After that episode we then had to traipse around a very busy ASDA. My poor friend Lou called a bit distressed, so with one hand on the mobile, the other trying to push a loaded up trolley that wont go forward and Olly was clinging to my arm. While I am so distracted, Amber is secretly loading crap into my trolley. (Sweets, cakes, nail polish etc) and Olly decides to unscrew some the jars on the shelves to sniff the contents.

Somehow Amber's foot got caught under the wheel of the trolley, so she ended up in floods of tears, told Lou I would call her back.

Finally got to the check out. 'What is all this stuff? Who put all these sweets in here? Amber?' I discard the stuff and tell Amber off.

At last we get home. Had to help Olly with his homework on the computer and whilst I was distracted again, Amber mumbled something.

Five minutes later, I put the kettle on to make a cup of tea. Where is Amber? I call for her, no reply. Look all over the house - not there. Go outside the front door and yell 'AMBER?' No reply. Go into the street and scream 'AMBER?'

I spot her riding her bike up the road. Call her back and have a go at her for going out without telling me. She protested that she did tell me, quietly!

Ten minutes later, Olly is still on the computer, but Amber has disappeared again! I find her in my bedroom scoffing her hidden Easter Eggs. I ban her from my bedroom and tell her she will not get anymore Easter Eggs.

I am exhausted by now.

Twenty minutes later, I find Amber washing the windows indoors with all my dishcloths, water spilled all over the floor and the kitchen a complete wreck. I sit down and cry.

I had to take the swimming lesson this evening with 11 people. Amber fiddled about with her goggles for a good 15 Min's before getting in the pool, she then moaned that she was in the same lane as Olly, then started to cry because she wasn't keeping up with the rest of the group. She wasn't keeping up with the rest of the group because she had wasted 15 Min's messing about with her goggles!

I never did call Lou back.

Now I know what those old sayings mean:

'You'll put me in an early grave!'

You'll be the death of me, you carry on!'

It worries me that it is only two days into the Easter Holidays and already I've been getting heart palpitations, had two panic attacks and keep getting this real pain in the neck.........

Yet another Toad of a Day......I feel glum!

Glum