Waiting for the weekend

So, just as my week was ending on a 'well, it hasn't even felt like a week - it's been so good!', Mrs Meddle...interfered.

She'd been out all afternoon (meddling elsewhere no doubt), although I didn't know how long she'd gone for, so decided against putting the dishwasher back through on a high-temp wash. I still couldn't unload it though because the things inside are STILL DIRTY! I figure I'll just spend Monday putting the whole kitchen through the dishwasher... (Mainly to get everything 'Connie-Clean' again, but also to stick two fingers up behind her back!)

The girls all finished at ridiculous times today - 12.10, 3pm and 4.30 so I couldn't really get anything done this afternoon. I felt like a bloody bus service! By the time I'd arrived back home with one kid, refreshed my Facebook page and checked my emails, I had to get the next one! And surprise surprise, they each came back and made a load of mess, but because I couldn't empty the dishwasher, I couldn't clear it up. Then the meddlesomes arrived back this evening, and She kind of flipped at the kitchen. Can't say I'd blame her, but it was her stupid idea to insist on a washing-up bowl in the sink - people WILL automatically throw their cups and plates in and assume someone else will wash it up. Or, *magically* water-elves living in the depths of the washing-up bowl will swim up to the surface and scrub everything clean until shiny, and place it neat and dry on the side.

But then she started having a big go at me - as I was about to rush out of the door to collect the girls from Tennis, about how Margot hadn't cooked the burger she'd left on the side for her at lunch, and it had defrosted and now had to go in the bin (did she really think Margot would actually OPEN a packet, let alone COOK something?) - that I was supposed to have seen it and put it back in the freezer, and there were cups in the sink and on the side that weren't hers, and practically bit my head off when I said they weren't mine either. But then she was saying I should clean it up etc so I told her that the girls were 12 and 14 (I'm definitelycertain she needed this reminder) and that they weren't babies. Then she went a bit more mental and was practically hopping all over the kitchen!

This was probably one of the hardest arguments I've ever had in my life, because I could have won it a million times over if we actually spoke the same language. I couldn't remember the word 'to leave' and then thought 'partir' was 'to leave...a place', and not 'to leave something there'. I got to a point where it felt like I was speaking really s.l.o.w.l.y. so I could make precise points and not screw up because it was already taking up half my brian mechanisms to locate my French vocabulary in the midst of my desires to chuck the washing-bowl with grimy water at her and stun her with English sarcasm and insults.

Hey - she's the one who took over this week! She's completely shut me out, never-has-and-won't cook tea for me (I'm just the au-pair), there's just an awkward silence of hatred between us when we're in the same room (same for Mr Meddle - he doesn't say anything to me, and never has...) and so if she doesn't want to clean up the mess at the end of the week then tough titties. There is NO WAY I'm doing it. As far as I'm concerned, my Friday is OVER and the weekend is my free time. I'll buy some balloons for their departure (if they ever leave!).

OH MON DIEU. Phewey. It just makes me want to annoy her some more. This week I've been secretly filling the washing up bowl to the top with water just so she has to empty it outside (the pipes leak, and BEFORE she came we just had a bowl underneath the pipes to catch the water... but now she's trying to avoid having ANY water go down the drain...). Anyway, deep breaths, and tomorrow morning I'm flying off to wonderland (aka getting the train to Champs D'Elysees) to see Catie for a whirlwind of an adventure (no grandparents included)! And by the time I've been dobbed in to William or Caroline, they'll be gone, and Crazy Caroline will be too worried in her mission to kill off a few more polar bears, melt several glaciers and crank up global warming a further notch - sorry, I mean, 'add to her beautiful Garden of eternally-lit outdoor Christmas decorations including reindeer, gnomes and giraffes' to even remember they were here.