The Darker Side of Mummy Misfit #2 (35 page)

Generous
and
gracious,
I
thought.

The meeting wrapped up pretty quickly after that with Shergar sloping off, head down and kisses and hugs from the rest of us to H&B.

Fenella and I made our way to our cars in silence.

Then she turned to me and said, “
So
, the local primary then?  How do we feel about that?”

I didn’t answer her.  I needed a drink and time to think.

All I knew was, I
hated
the local primary and its poor academic record - that’s what had got us in this mess in the first place.

Friday 19
^th
June

Sports Day

The kids would have been going to Manor House’s sports day today, so we Anti-Meemies decided to organise one of our own.  Think we’re all still a little numbed by the last few days but the kids are finding it wildly exciting.

Sports day seems an excellent idea to burn off some of their excess energy and for us mums to get together for a chat.

PM

Well there will probably never have been a sports day like it but we had an absolute ball.

We met on the common at lunchtime - me with Max and dogs, Fenella with brood and her dogs, Patience & Solomon and Rachel & Betsy.

The weather was glorious, a beautifully warm and cloudless day with a slight breeze.  We set up camp with our assorted cloths, food and sports gear and unpacked our lunch.

What a contrast to last year, when the competitiveness ran through not only the sports but the chosen outfits, the food, the drink and even the choice of Cath Kidston picnic blankets.

There was no caviar or smoked salmon for us - just good old bog standard sandwiches and crisps.  Although we
did
have wine and champers - we had lots to celebrate.

Once more, I thought how much can change in the space of a year.

The kids had great fun with the various races and challenges we set them and Fenella won the mummy race - of course!  Is there
anything
that woman can’t turn her hand (or legs) to?

The long afternoon turned into early evening and the kids were happily playing in the pop-up-tents we’d taken along.  Fenella suggested we ring our menfolk and get them to join us with more booze and a take-away.

“Come on,” she said, “let’s make a party of it.  It can be a mixed hen and stag night for Patience and Pritesh and, let’s face it, it’s not every day you find yourself without a school for your kids!”

So Ned, Josh, Pritesh and Mike joined us with enough food and drink to keep us going for a week.  Ned had very cleverly thought to bring some lanterns along
(trained hubbie!)
and our little party gathered to dine on the finest Indian cuisine our men could find.  To any passers-by we probably looked like some kind of hippy commune and nothing like (ex) prep-school parents.

We were all feeling very sated and mellow when Ned asked, “So guys, when do we go and take another look at the local primary?”

Fenella poured herself another glass of wine and looked at him.  “Who are you kidding, Ned?  You already
know
it’s shit!”  She paused and took a sip of her drink.  “I wondered what you all felt about home-schooling?”

Saturday 20
^th
June

Patience and Pritesh’s wedding

Fenella’s bombshell certainly sobered us all up a bit last night and then the common sense of her idea began to hit home.

Manor House was no longer an option.  We’d all seen the local primary school’s offering and hadn’t liked that either.

We had a dilemma.

But …

Between four mothers we have six children - seven after Patience pops this one - four intelligent mothers with very similar values and beliefs.

Suddenly we all started to excitedly embrace the idea.  Josh was mentally calculating the money he’d save by not putting three kids through private education and Fenella was quick to inform him that it would mean there would be more money for her to spend on clothes!  Is there
no
stopping her?

And that’s how we now find ourselves looking down the barrel of a long summer planning our first term’s lessons for September.

This is one school where I
know
I’ll fit in!

Sunday 21
^st
June

The wedding yesterday was quite simply beautiful - a truly magical day.

Patience looked stunning in a simple lace shift dress with just the tiniest hint of baby bump.  Pritesh looked every inch the Bollywood star and Mrs S looked like she’d shed ten years.

Mr & Mrs Umbolo are a lovely couple and they’d certainly spared no expense on their daughter’s wedding.

The ceremony was a simple but touching affair with Solomon acting as a very proud ring-bearer.

And the reception … wow!  We wined, dined and danced until the early hours in the most lavish hotel I’ve ever set foot in.

Hmm, just had an idea.  Our finances will run to a night of passion in that very hotel now we’re not paying school fees!  Must look into it - sure Ned won’t disagree!

As I looked around our assorted party, I felt a little shiver run through me.

The bride and groom were chatting with Solomon asleep across their laps.

Fenella and Josh were knocking back the Moët whilst on ‘sleeping children’ duty in the corner.

Mrs S and Harry were dancing to a slow number and laughing hysterically at something.

Nic and Rick were, as usual, trying to placate a very cross Mikhail and Skunk and Silver were helping.

These
are the people I wanted in my life, I thought - these and my gorgeously hunky husband and super-smart son.

Nothing else mattered.  It had taken a while for the Mummy Misfit to see that but she’d got there in the end.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have lessons to plan.

Oh, and some rather unexpected baby news to break to Ned …