Things Have Come To A Pretty Pass ...

... when MuM is informed that she can have the night off, because her son wants to invite several friends to stay over in our small abode.  "You can go and spend the night with your boyfriend", he offers, magnanimously.  "Boyfriend?  What boyfriend?".  He is obviously keen to get me out of the way.

I admit, I have been complaining that I never get a break and muttering that I need to get away, but I was thinking more along the lines of ten days in the South of France, hanging out with Zoe, Clodagh, Kerry and other friends, old, new and yet to be discovered.

The thought of being practically ordered to go, and for one night only, made me feel slightly mutinous.  Until Kai pulled out his trump card.  "I'll clean the whole house, help you move that furniture you've been wanting to rearrange for ages, we won't eat ANYTHING! and Michael can come out with us for the evening.  "And", he added slyly, "you really don't  want to be disturbed by us when we finally come home in the early hours of the morning!".

"I'll think about it", I said,  not wanting to capitulate too easily.  Give them an inch and I'd end-up homeless.

Think, I did and it didn't take me long to acknowledge that it was too good a deal to pass up, but I wasn't going to tell him that.  I called my friend, Daggi, invited myself over for the evening and night and graciously informed Kai that I was prepared to concede to his wishes.

Not that I'll get much sleep at Daggi's.  Last time I stayed-over, we shared her bed (obliging hubby slept on the sofa) and her pre-teen daughter slept on a mattress on the floor.  She regaled us with imitations of her two grandmothers, causing fits of hysterical laughter.  Every time we tried to stop, one of us started-up again and off we went.   Finally we settled down to sleep.  At some point, Daggi's young son climbed into bed between us, as was his wont, not realising that I, and not his dad was snoring gently next to his mother.

It would have been no problem for me, but for the fact that I was sleeping "au naturel", having removed my pyjamas, due to the room being unaccustomedly warm.  I like to sleep with the window open, no matter what.  I could not sleep, so concerned was I not to wake this little boy and traumatise him.  The shock of realising I was not his accustomed dad would have been bad enough, but the discovery that he was sharing a bed with his sister's naked English teacher might just have pushed him over the edge.

Finally, I did fall asleep.  I know, because Daggi told me that her daughter asked her later if her 16-year-old male cousin had also stayed the night, 'cos nobody else snores as loudly as he does!???!