The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3012 by Angharad Copyright© 2016 Angharad

---

This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
*****

Instead of chasing my intruders I decided to let them have their fun and began checking my list for my clothing and other bits and pieces. Two more days and then we were off. I sent an email to the passport office offering to have someone come and collect Hannah’s passport if it helped.

Their response was typically civil service snot, ‘Mrs Cameron, if you’d needed the passport earlier you should have submitted the application earlier. Also answering your emails takes time when we could be processing passports.’

I was tempted to complain but they were right, I’d forgotten all about the fact that Hannah hadn’t been abroad with us before so wouldn’t have had a passport as Ingrid seemed strangely proud of the fact she’d never left these shores. I might love this country and feel despite the current government wrecking everything we stand for, feel it’s the best in the world for so many things, I’m also glad to see other places and sample other cultures providing they don’t eat dormice or kittens.

All the non clothing things I wouldn’t need for a couple of days I began to put in my case, there should be plenty of plug adaptors there but I always take one, just in case. There’s a computer there in the study but I’ll have my iPad with me and where that goes, so does the charger. I placed my camera on charge and looking down at my legs went to see if Julie was home. She was and I asked her to do me a full leg wax, Danni said she wanted one as well. Not sure if she’s had one before or not. I was half tempted to go for a Brazilian but I’d discuss that with Julie when she did my legs. She booked me in early the next morning.

Simon thought the clip of me lying on the bed catching flies was hilarious and he said he’d give them fifty euros each towards their holiday money. I decided let the whole matter go, partly because I couldn’t do anything much about it without seeming petty or spiteful. I hoped I was neither.

Of course because I’d nodded off earlier I couldn’t sleep and did half the Guardian crossword before I succumbed. I also used my iPad to do a short clip of his lordship airing his tonsils at mach 1. They’d all have a laugh at breakfast at that; but would Simon care? Not a jot.

The next morning while Danni was being tortured by Phoebe I discussed the pubic hair removal with Julie who advised against it and suggested just doing the bikini wax, which removed any hair around the edges of the groin so it didn’t show while wearing a bikini. That was painful enough and I was glad when she smoothed on some lotion which helped calm things down a bit. She gave me a small bottle to take home.

I insisted on paying but Julie refused saying if I wanted to give her something, she’s settle for a chocolate éclair with her elevenses. So that became our next task and I had to listen to Danni witter on about how smooth her skin felt now but boy didn’t it hurt. She was a waxing virgin so it would have an element of novelty, it does do a better job than shaving but it’s time consuming and painful. Julie also tidied up my eyebrows and dyed my eyelashes—and all for a chocolate éclair.

We called in at the office after delivering the pastries to the salon, I bought two boxes of them for the four girls, which would mean a couple each during the day. I took some of the cakes into the office too and we had a cuppa and an éclair—fresh cream variety—same as the salon while I sorted last minute paperwork, Danni having scoffed her cake went down to see Sally in the labs. They seem to get on rather well and despite Danielle’s supposed boyfriend, I wondered if she was developing a crush on the older woman. My only objection would be the age difference of about ten years plus of course I suspect Sally already has relationships and doesn’t need a love sick teen hanging around her.

Home via the shops and we got last minute things like toothpaste and shampoo plus some things David asked for that he couldn’t seem to get via online grocery shopping.

We arrived home just in time to sit and eat omelettes with salad—David makes exquisite ones. Mine are pretty good but he is a genius and just mmmm. After that it was back to the packing. A ring at the door brought Hannah’s passport so I sent them an email of thanks. The reply this time was more friendly.

I checked the passport and sighed with relief, then placed it with all the others and the boarding passes. David was going to drive us to the airport—Gatwick—yuck, and collect us when we came back. It was quite an early start and I suspected I wouldn’t sleep much at all. Stephanie was sleeping over at our house to save her one extra journey and Julie agreed to go and feed her cat. Stephanie said she’d pay her but given her generosity to us with her time, Julie, to her credit, declined the offer.

At times my kids drive me nuts and at others, they make me so proud. Julie did so this time. She said she may try for a week at the villa with Phoebe and possibly Sammi a bit later on, she’d have to see how their schedule was. I believe they’re building quite a good business and while they both feel under achieved academically, they are showing they are both bright cookies and they could yet still go back to school or do an access course and go on to university. But while I’d support them if that’s what they really wanted to do, I also try to help them see that degrees aren’t a requirement to achieve your potential, but just one form of demonstrating it.

After dinner, my packing began in earnest and I started to place the clothes in the case to minimise creasing. Then I did the same with each of the girls, then it was bedtime.

The final day before we went away for two whole weeks—was I going to be able to cope with that amount of time away from David’s cooking. I’d just have to give it my best shot.

I’d checked with the lady who acts as a caretaker of the house for us and asked her to get some milk and bread for us to save time when we arrived, she’d also get some butter and eggs and so on. The last thing you really need to do when you arrive at a holiday home is go shopping for food, which is what I usually end up having to do, so at last I was learning to save my time for doing nice things like walking and bird watching or simply relaxing. I was really looking forward to this holiday.