out for the day

A trip out. Much needed after a week off of school with no money and a whole load of rain. It seems like a good idea until one starts thinking about mobilizing and then it all comes all flooding back. Have to pack food as it always costs an arm and a leg to eat out. No food in the house that is picnic friendly. Have to think about and get STUFF. You know, all the stuff that a child under the age of three needs. Cause if you don't pack it, you WILL need it. So change of outfit, nappies, wipes, food, milk, bibs, toys, push chair, hat, sunscreen, paper towels, carrier bags, trainers, etc...
Then: Well, where is the damn place? What time of day is it? What will the traffic be like? Will I get lost?? (I have an overactive imagination on the getting lost front, especially as it has never actually happened to me) Do I have petrol? No. Will there be a queue at the station? Yes. Do I queue for things? No. Bother. Have we got any cash? No. What will I wear? My jeans are in the washing machine...
House is a mess. Laundry could actually go out on the line today. I could do some planning for school when Mamma's boy is asleep. Yikes. School in three days. Panic sets in.
I have a tantrum.
Hubby goes out for a paper.
Comes back with flowers, proscuitto, brie, organic bread and packets of unsalted crisps fried in sunflower oil not palm (he does listen to my rantings!)and a mango.

So. I find the directions to the American Museum in Bath. We've lived in Bristol for thirteen years and have never been. This has to be corrected. I pack the lunch while Mamma's boy has a nap. Spinach soup, coffee and lemonade is added to the above list. I go to a small service station and get petrol (95p a litre! Crickey). We wait for the boy to wake and we rush to the car. We drive for 45 minutes through the traffic hell that is Brislington and Bath. And we arrive.
And it's rather nice.
We have our picnic. We walk through the house. The quilts are amazing. They have a Grandma Moses painting. They have very nice tour guides.
Then the sun comes out and we tour the estate gardens. Tomorrow is a Cowboy re-enactment and they were setting up tepees and chuck wagon. And everyone had a good time. So there.