Traffic Jam, when you're already late.

I reckon if we could harness the energy of all mothers' frenetic anxiety attacks when they undertake the commute from work to pick up the kids on time we could power the national grid. Of all my weekly commutes, which drive me crazy on a daily basis, at least two of my journeys are, without doubt, a bit mental. 40 minutes I have to get from A to B. But I'm always late leaving work so in reality it's 25 minutes in standard issue deranged mode. My crazy drive takes in garthdee, cults, Kingswells, newhills, brimmond hill, the tyrebagger/(bugger), Blackburn, Hatton of Fintray, Monkeybucket, before finally releasing the steering wheel post roller coaster ride stylee to arrive at a certain pick up point in the local village for sprog number 1. I'm always grateful I make it there in one piece. There are a lot of mentalist drivers out there. Ahem.

On the way it's about thinking like the Stig, taking in single track roads, hairpin bends, old school farm tractors, obnoxious Chelsea tractors, negotiating access to a race track dual carriageway, mud on the roads, escapee sheep, keeping at a safe speed and today a major accident on the brimmond road which brought me to a standstill. Hope no one was seriously hurt. I had to turn the car around in a field and detour via Clinterty. Poor Sam, I was 40 minutes late getting to him, leaving him in the dark and cold to fret and worry. There goes that frenetic anxious feelings again. I felt so guilty. I MUST get him a phone.

And Thanks to Val and Joan for looking out for Eve and Tess today when the girls went into survival training in the cold this afternoon (Which for them meant heading to the shop to buy chocolate, being spotted by eagle eyed Val and being warmed up and fed Pringles by Joan). I have to say that it is so nice to know we have folk in the village that help us out, help us with school runs and even out of school care for us. We are very grateful!

And tonight's Blip is my Tracey Emin art installation, it's Tess, Sam and Dave in still life form. In other news, Big excitement tonight, Dave and I are heading to Clachtoll soon, just the two of us, how selfishly indulgent are we, or mainly me really, as I almost sulked until he said yes.