Just a bit of light holiday reading

4.30pm
Full of cold. Why does holiday spell immune system breakdown! Decided this holiday must have been more needed than I realised. Read about Eat Pray Love in OH's rejected copy of The Times. I am a Guardian reader normally so it takes a bit of getting used to, but some good articles. Can't believe the whole Eat Pray Love book/film/merchandise opportunity has passed me by. Majorly interesting. Especially a point about our grandmothers not having the choices we have now, and so not having the neurosis that goes with 'should I have gone to art school' type decisions. In some ways life is simpler without so much choice. Although my Grandma worked, I always felt she was better at finding pleasure in simple things cooking, gardening, crosswords, than my generation will ever be.

I keep typing Eat Sleep Pray instead, what does that say about me- hungry and tired? (Finding vegetarian food here is ok, lots of egg and chips. Salads are great though. Wish paella was more often found in veggie format).

Also read great article in Company mag about full time mums. Not my usual read either, but loved seeding a celebration of those who choose to mum and not chase everything or 'juggle blackberries and baby bottles' as the caption ran. It really is rare that' just being a mum' is celebrated and glamorised. OK so we know it isn't a glamorous job really, but I really think the photos and profiles raised the profile of mothering. Some gorgeous shots of mums and their kids who were really loving their time together. And the message that it is fine to just be a mum, that it is a positive lifestyle choice, if that's what you want of course. I particularly liked the profile of the ex journalist who used blogging as a creative outlet. But the message seemed to be that you needed an outlet as well as motherhood, a social network, virtual or otherwise.
Fully aware that these things are very personal choices. My own views on motherhood change weekly, sometimes I love not working, other days I feel like I am missing out. Last month I would probably have flung an article like that at the wall, this month it made me feel really positive about my status. (I am studying, after four years I decided I couldn't just be a mum. But those four years were brilliant).
Both these articles raised different issues for me about the status of women in society and the complex new ground my generation negotiates on a daily basis. Hmmm, might try and find a trashy novel, this is meant to be a holiday after all.

10.25
Very snotty, have a full on summer head cold yuk. Have been sleepy, grumpy and irritable all day whilst trying to pretend it's no big deal. Sorry lovely family. Still happy times and a reality check or two. Kids don't like Spanish food so why bother, kids need a routine or they can't cope. Tomorrow will see sandwiches, fruit snacks and no three hour hanging round the villa trying to pretend we don't have kids to entertain! So weird to be on this kind of holiday with two kids. Have seen lots of couples with one under five but very few with two. Are we therefore mad? OH leaves for mid holiday business trip tom, feeling slightly apprehensive, mainly about the steep incline from beach to villa with kids and beach bag, but like anything I set out to do on my own with the kids, it will prob prove to be a really special bonding adventure. (In other words, a day of bribes and anything goes to survive ;)
Nearly lost all our swimming costumes to the washing machine today after I managed to pull the handle off trying to open it. Fortunately OH rescued the situation with a coat hanger and a torch.
Still working my way through the paper. Read about the pope, still trying to work out how I feel about his comments about atheism. Also the position of women and homosexuals in his religion and the safeguarding of children. The Times finally went in the bin after OH knocked wine over it. Not before I read about the spy found in a holdall. Blimey, poor bloke having his autoerotic sexual practices on page one of The Sunday Times. Wierd world. Anyway enough serious thought for one holiday, it really was time for The Times to leave my brain to mariande in sangria and trashy novels.

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Its taking a long time to get to Spain Mummy.

Day One
6.27am East Midlands Airport departure lounge.
After a 4 am start I am flagging. Miss L is very excited and has gone off to see aeroplanes with Daddy and Mr G. I am enjoying a rare moment of peace, although these moments do seem to becoming more frequent, ever so slightly. Thinking perhaps that we have turned a little corner with the kids. I may have spoken too soon and after three hours of trying to contain Mr G on our laps, we may arrive at Malaga slightly less composed. My OH is also being all hands on deck super dad in the knowledge that he has to abandon us part way through the holiday to return back to the UK for a work meeting. I am used to holding the fort though, little apprehensive but it will make a change to do it by the poolside in a bikini (bikini will probably be reserved just for hanging out at the villa as I have not quite seen off the extra half stone I have been trying to lose since Christmas).


12.15pm
Spanish time. Malaga airport. Miss L has "jet lag" and is trying to sleep on the floor and G has a second wind and is giving his teddy a ride around arrivals in his car seat. Both kids have been entertaining the very bored queues for car hire chasing each other round the vast space. Watching them reminds me that for them, their holiday has already started, and isn't dependent on collecting the hire car and arriving at the villa. We could learn alot from kids, I joke about this to the woman in the queue who says she would love to go for a spin round the room on a trolley. The desires we suppress as adults eh? Flight went well, ipad and peppa pig and supportive fellow passengers helped enormously. G only really lost it on the descent, at which point he was distracted by looking out the window. Car hire queue is slow and OH just told me we can't check in to the villa til 4pm. Still, another rare moment of peace while I blog.

20.57pm
Terrace outside the villa. I've had 3 G and Ts and the sun is setting. Villa is magical and safari themed. G slightly peturbed by the amateur art, especially the 3D fake fur 'lion head' over his bed, but enjoying sharing with Miss L and both are sleeping soundly now. Relaxed, happy and loving the sound of the waves breaking on the shore.