OK, this is very trivial, but if I don't know anyone with an AP in RL, so I need to have a little maon here to ppl who may sympathise a little! Sometimes, having someone live in your house can be a real test of your patience and dimplomacy, I feel.
I have a big essay due next week (and I know I'm wasting time on MN now, but hey ho!) Today and tomorrow are my study days to crack on with it. My fabulous childminder knows this, and knows that the dc won't leave me alone to work when I am home. She also knows that it's half term so any activities which the AP would usually take them to are closed this week. Knowing all this, she very kindly offered to have the dc an hour earlier today (for free) and provide them and AP with some lunch, to give me a little more time to myself. She is doing the same tomorrow by taking them all (incl AP) swimming and to McDonalds- she really is very lovely.
AP knew of this, and I reminded her again when she started work at 8.30 this morning. I suggested activities such as play dough to do until then. At 10.45 I went downstairs for a much-needed cup of tea, and they were all just watching Cbeebies, clearly they had been doing this all morning. So I asked, to make better use of AP's time, if she would put the girls' laundery away (which she was asked to do on Monday, and didn't do) and wash up the breakfast dishes (a daily chore of hers-she's never done it). She said that was fine, and I reminded her she had an hour to do it before leaving for CM's at 11.45
11.30 comes around and she has finished putting laundery away with dc's help. 'Oh good' I think, she has just enough time to do the washing up...
AP comes to me and says, 'would you mind watching the children, I need to wash my hair'. By this point, I'm clock watching, very aware that the CM will have lunch ready in half an hour. I say yes, but be quick, for the aforementioned reason (bearing in mind she had the bathroom to herself from 7.15 to 8.30 in which time she could've washed her hair).
So she washes her hair, then disappears in to her bedroom with dd1. dd1 emerges with her face made up (cream, blusher, lipstick, perfume), I don't mind this, at least they were having fun together, but by this time it's 11.50. I remind AP of their plans. 'Oh, is that the time?'!
So by now I am racing to get the girls in their coats and hats and dd2 in her buggy, whilst AP gets changed agian. They ended up leaving at gone 12.
So now my lovely CM, who was doing me a favour, has been made to wait for lunch until they get there. It's not far, but I can't abide lateness and think it says to the host that your time is more important than theirs. Or am I thinking into this too much? Should I care that they are late?
I know she was only faffing with her appearance because she is going out this afternoon and evening- but shouldn't she do this on her own time?
Oh, and of course, the breakfast dishes are still in the sink