Friday Quicktakes

1. Over the last six weeks, I have sold my entire wardrobe on ebay and now I haven't a stitch to wear. Ahem. Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration- as Himself observed helpfully last night it still looks pretty well stocked to him, and then my sister cheerily pointed out that the fact I had so much to sell in the first place, said a lot more about my shopaholic tendencies, than my business acumen.

Myself and the lady in the post office are now besties- she'll refer to my numerous grey packages and make comments like  'Just the usual then for all of them?' and ' Your husband must be delighted with you!' and 'Now, who would even think of buying tights on ebay!?'

But thankfully for me,  some people do, which is just as well given the fact that so far, I've excavated fifteen unopened pairs from my drawer. A lovely selection too- tights and stockings of all different colours and deniers and yep, they were snapped up in no time.

But why on earth did I buy them all in the first place? Especially when I only wear skirts once or twice a year. Well, I think my logic was that I really should wear more skirts, and if I had the perfect tights, I would wear more skirts, and then they just sneaked in one by one over a few years until one day I opened the drawer and thought 'My God! Those tights are actually breeding in there.' (Frozen chickens and now tights- is this what a midlife crisis looks like?)

Conclusion- After extensive statistical analysis clearly showed no positive correlation between the number of tights in my drawer, and the frequency of skirt wearing, the tights' days were numbered. Photos were taken, descriptions written and they were uploaded to my ebay in no time at all...... and the skirts followed fairly sharpish.

2. Mother's Day this weekend, which has meant horrid time consuming Mothers' Day homeworks all week.  It. Is. Like. Pulling. Teeth.
 Rory, after a huge amount of thought and deliberation counted 'folding clothes' as one of my talents. Well, I was deeply touched obvs.
He also felt it important to include the fact that I had 'lots and lots of shoes.' Great, Imelda Markos with OCD tendencies. But the question is, is that better or worse than the previous classic of  'My Mummy has ginger eyebrows.The end.'

Conclusion-there is no positive correlation between Mothers' Day Homeworks and maternal self esteem. In fact, emperical evidence suggests that there may actually be a negative correlation instead.

3. I'm off this weekend with the girls*  for an overnight to Dublin....as in, a hotel + gossip+ no children + lots of  Prosecco + a lie in. Hell, I'm even looking forward to the hangover. But is it a teensy bit wrong that a night away from your kids is like the best Mother's Day present EVER? Don't answer that.

4. In honour of Mother's Day I'm going to include a themed Amazon ad instead of the usual Boogie in the Car seat. I warn you now-it's a bit cheeky, but I hope it gives you a giggle.
Happy Mothers Day, lovelies xxx

* All the 'girls' are in their thirties (or maybe very early forties...even if they totally don't look it) and are all married with children, so strictly speaking, are no longer girls. However, the mothership still enjoys early bird suppers  meals out with her loyal band of ' girls' and those chicks are all kicking the arse off seventy, so I'm running with it.

PS. I'm still officially on a high at being a finalist again in the MAD Blog Awards. Will you take a minute and give me your vote in the Family Life and Most Entertaining categories? I know it's a torture, but it's dead quick and it could mean an actual prize come September....rumour has it that it may even be a year's supply of Caramel Squares, so I'm highly motivated.xxxx

Shoe of the Week

Drumroll please...and put your hands together for the new weekly addition to the blog - 'Shoe of the Week!' Aside from my rather sporadic, (or spasmodic, according to my Ma), 'Friday Quicktakes', I've never actually had my own weekly feature. I'm really quite excited about it - can you tell? Especially, as it's going to be all about my most favourite things in the whole wide world - shoes.

This will truly be a labour of love, because as any of you who know me IRL can attest,  I DO adore my shoes - always have, always will - possibly because, unlike clothes, they've always fitted. (Except, years ago when I was pregnant with Anna during a hot Virginia summer, my feet grew to such Fred Flintstone proportions, that I had to wear hideous Tevas ALL THE TIME - bad karma, or wha!)

I can picture the colour draining from Loverboy's face as he reads this. Don't panic, my lovely - it doesn't mean that I'll have to buy a new pair of shoes every week, because I plan on featuring some of the already fabulous shoes residing in my wardrobe. Then, of course, there'll be the ones I'm currently lusting after - truthfully, a day rarely goes by without a little shoe porn in there somewhere. (And say nothing, but I'm fairly certain that a few sneaky shoe purchases might well just find their way on here too, so keep your eyes peeled for #theseoldthings?)

I'm planning on featuring all types of shoes - yes, even flats and sling backs, (and maybe even mules, Kimberley Anne), so stay tuned. I draw the line at slippers and running shoes though - I do have some standards- so if they're your thing, you're on the wrong blog, I'm afraid, so jog on.
 There'll be shoes for parties, school runs and workdays, barbeques, walking tours and dancing, stilettos, boots, sandals, wedges, kitten heels - you name it, you'll find them all on here. So stick the kettle on, pull up a chair and check out my very first 'Shoe of the Week'.


 I'm starting with a bang, because these beauties are truly a jewel in the crown of my shoe wardrobe.

Definitely NOT for the school run, these bad boys are firing on all cylinders. A spiky, hairy, leopard print peep toe- what's not to love? I've worn them lots and believe it or not, they're also quite comfortable*, thanks to the slight platform in there too.


They're made by the edgy brand Iron Fist and designed by Avril Lavigne (of Skater Boy fame - ring any bells?).I bought them on Amazon over a year ago, and I think they cost under £40 in the sale. They had been £90, so it would have been an absolute sin not to. A word of warning though, you may not want to 'playfully' kick someone up the bum while wearing these shoes...those spikes are sharp!

 Now, obviously, shoes such as these take central stage in any outfit, so less is definitely more when it comes to the  rest of the outfit. I usually wear them with all black or brown ensembles, and just a little gold jewellry.**

I promise you though, I don't wear any other leopard print when I'm showcasing these ... except maybe in the underwear department, but that doesn't count.
So now it's over to you peeps, would you wear them? Love 'em or hate 'em, let me know what you think!
Laters, Emx

* Relatively speaking, as it goes without saying that these babies are strictly 'car to bar'.
** Alright, maybe slightly more than a little.

PS- If you haven't done it already, could you take a wee minute and nominate me in any of the categories you think I fit into in the Mad Blog Awards 2014? I'm hoping it might be a case of three times a charm! Thanks lovelies-I very much appreciate it. xx

Tattoo Anyone?

My lovelies, I've something to share with you and I don't quite know how to say it so I'm just going to say it really fast - I'MTHINKINGABOUTGETTINGATATTOO! Thinking about it, haven't completely decided yet but seriously considering it. I know what you're thinking, and yes, I'm getting a distinct whiff of midlife crisis about the whole idea myself, but is that a reason NOT to do it?

Because this isn't something that I wish I'd done when I was younger- Oh No! I was the goody two shoes who wouldn't even get her ears pierced twice, never mind get a tattoo and I remember saying, with all the sweeping arrogance of my twenties  'Oh no! Imagine getting it now and then going off it. Or worse, being eighty and ancient and all wrinkly with a tat!'

Now though, and (only just !) past the midway to eighty point, I think 'Feck it! I don't care if I'm eighty with a wrinkly tattoo.' Frankly, I think I'd just be happy to still be around and I rather suspect my concerns would be more about being healthy, living a good life and loving my family, rather than worrying what others thought of Granny's tramp stamp.

Anyway, the cheeky, bold and utterly thran part of me (yep, it's there!) might even be inclined to flaunt it on occasion, just for my own amusement you understand, at the chiropractor's office for example, or the bridge club or even in the Classic department in Marks and Spencer's. Who knows? And one might even argue, that it would hint at a life lived fully... chances taken.... being comfortable in ones own skin?

 First, of course there's the very important decisions of what to get and where to get it, and this is where I'm a bit stuck.  I thought about getting it on my upper arm, but there's NO WAY I'm drawing more attention to the bingo wings - I need arm spanx for those bad boys, not a tattoo.

So I thought for about a microsecond about getting one on my hip or my stomach, but only when hell freezes over would I allow a tattoo artist anywhere near my 'zone'....and anyway, I'm blessed to have acquired a few 'natural' tattoos there thanks to five big babies.

Are you sure????

And as for doing a Cheryl Cole- puh-leez! I mean, what's the point when no one would ever get to see it? (Loverboy doesn't count.) For goodness sake, I couldn't even see it myself without a full length mirror and I'm fairly certain it would cost an arm and a leg to get my (rather more ample than Cheryl's) derrière  covered with roses.

Sooooo, so far I've narrowed it down to three body parts-the back of my neck (which you'd only see when my hair's up), my ankle or my inner wrist. I'm thinking fairly small and discreet- no giant spider webs, reptiles or anchors. Oh, and definitely no writing in languages I don't understand, which always seems a leetle bit pretentious, and anyway it could be list of groceries on there and I wouldn't know the difference.

I kinda like it!

I think my problem is, knowing what I don't want but not what I do, but I'm pretty certain my lifelong love affair with leopard print or shoes isn't likely to wane anytime soon, so that seems like a good bet? I may even combine the two?

 Or perhaps something more meaningful- like a few inspiring words or one with a family oriented theme? Or maybe I'm just over thinking it and a butterfly or a star or a cute little dolphin would be just the ticket.

So there you are, Peeps, I've put it out there and now I'd really love to hear your thoughts and opinions on the matter-for or against, I don't mind! And as long as it doesn't include my birth date in Arabic, a Chinese proverb or a dripping bleeding heart, I'm open to any and all suggestions as well.
Laters lovelies, Emx 

Taking A Step Back

I'm off to London today, (or 'Londing England' as a friend of mine insists on calling  it!) . Yes indeedy, as my prize in last September's MAD Blog Awards, Loverboy and I will be living it large all weekend - nibbling on afternoon tea, taking in a West End Show (Mamma Mia-here I go again!), quaffing cocktails and inhaling the 'all you can eat breakfast' - seriously, what's not to like?
Which is why there's a certain irony in what I'm going to say next... I've decided that it's time to take a step back from my blog. Not forever, mind you, but for a while. After almost two years and over 300 posts, I feel like I need a wee break.

'Adventures of an Unfit Mother' began as a much needed outlet, a place to find my voice, somewhere I could  be creative and completely honest.(Possibly toooo much at times!) It's been all that and more and amazingly it's grown steadily along the way. From just my sisters and a few friends, I now have 500 people visiting on a daily basis. Which, incidentally, is nothing compared to the big blogging fish out there, but quite an achievement for l'il old me. It's a massive compliment when people take the time to pop in, and even better when they come back and stay on to shoot the breeze as well.

The writing of it has always been the the fun part for me.....but I'm really useless at the rest of it.  For you non bloggers out there, I'm talking about the whole PR side of it all - the Twitter presence, the numerous blogging platforms, Instagram, Pinterest and the rest. Then there's the commenting on OTHER people's blogs (I know one blogger who rotates visits on 30 different blogs every freakin' night!), the blog hops and the forums. Because the truth is, if you want to grow your readership,  you've got to do all of that and more... but I can barely keep up with writing my own posts, never mind that side of it as well. So it all comes back to the initial purpose of the blog, which was as a head clearing space for me...so maybe none of the PR stuff  matters anyway at the end of the day. (Although honestly? I think it does a bit...maybe I'm more ambitious than I first thought!)

My main problem is time, or really the lack of it. Some posts take longer than others but I'm finding it hard to keep up with 3-4 posts a week while juggling everything else and holding onto my sanity. It's making me snappy and stressed and somewhere along the line it's become less of an outlet and more of a job... without the nice salary part! Other things have changed too - I used to read voraciously, always did, only now I seem to read other blogs (many of which I love, by the way), but I miss the newspapers, books and magazines too. As well as the time, I feel its all sucking up too much of my emotional energy, which leaves a whole lot less for the stuff that matters. A classic case of self induced burn out - hence the step back.

So I wanted to let you know my thoughts, even though I'm probably  flattering myself to think that you'd even notice my absence!  I'll still be here from time to time ...just on a less regular, more 'now and again' basis..like when genius strikes ...or I get a new pair of shoes and I'm hoping that you won't be a stranger and you'll still pop in to say hello.

I'm not one for big goodbyes so I'll  not go all tote emosh on you and that's not a tear in my eye. Let's just say, thanks babes and I'll see you when I see you - I suspect it'll be sooner rather than later - and in the meantime, look after yourself, wont you?
Love Emmaxxx

Ps I simply COULDN'T leave without showing you my gorgeous new summer shoes...soooo practical and quite deliciously  happen to match the scarf that I bought a few months ago...I suppose sometimes the accessories stars just align!

Rory's Old Shoes

They're his favourite shoes and he won't be parted from them.  In fact, he would happily sleep in them if he could. When I cluelessly voiced my intention to bin them, I was met with tearful pleas. 
So the soles have now been restuck twice and they smell so bad they could walk to the bin on their own.
The recent arrival of a new shiny white pair has made no difference whatsoever to his devotion. He continues to sneak them on no matter what the occasion, but that definitely WON'T include a Holy Communion this Saturday.  For instance, anything could happen before then - I mean, they could mysteriously vanish without a trace....or self combust....couldn't they? *looks innocent* just sayin'.

It had to be Shoe....

Today's a good day, for not only is it Friday which always gives it an edge over, say, a Tuesday, but I had coffee, craic and home made muffins with good friends-a perfect combination, don't you think?  Friday also means NO HOMEWORK which we ALL love, so I've just popped in 'Stuart Little' for the little 'uns and now I'm about to catch up on those 'Housewives of NYC.' Better and better, non?

And if THAT'S not enough, Himself and myself are off out on a date tonight. Yay!!  There'll be candlelight and steaks and wine and with no nappywipesbibtoycarssippycup,  I'll even get to carry that little fancy handbag instead of my usual  enormous sack. I know! My cup runneth over and I'm excited-can you tell?

Yes, they ARE hairy too!

So, with all that going on already, you can imagine that it was almost TOO much to bear, when I came home to find these little beauties waiting patiently for me. Sparkles, spikes, zebra print AND in the sale. Sure, it would surely have been a sin not to!
 Come to Mamma, my precious darlings.....Now the only question is, which ones to wear tonight??

More is more, I say!

Have a fabulous, frivolous Friday, my Loveliesxxx

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig!

All roads lead to...

So we're home now from the Caravilla, having just done a three weeker up there, and a very fine time we had too! After a washout week weather wise over the 12th, THIS time I went prepared- as in, I  ditched the heels and pashminas for welly bobs and a raincoat! (Before you ask, OBVIOUSLY, I still brought a makeup and jewellry selection-that would be a step too far.)
As it turned out though, this time we were SO lucky with the weather, that the wellybobs didn't even get a wee turn! The kids lived in shorts and t shirts, the sun (mostly) shone, and life was good. If I've learned one thing about Donegal summers, it's that just because it's pouring in the morning, doesn't mean you won't be sunning yourself and skinny dipping that afternoon... and vice versa. Once I realised that, I actually began to like it, because it forced me not to plan too far ahead. I tried to just let the good times roll with the weather, because Irish chances were, we'd probably be listening to the rain beat off the roof later on!

Our 'The Hills are Alive' moment

But anyway, now we're home, and the house seems MASSIVE and our bed super duper luxurious! (Now, dont get me wrong, the bed in the caravilla is cosy and snug..... but more than a tad vertically challenged, and a teensy bit too compact and bijoux pour moi on a long term basis.)
And don't even get me started on the emotional reunion with my bath! Having been bathless for three weeks, it was SUCH a treat to fill it with Jo Malone bubbles and sink into it, Grazia in hand. Showers have their place-they're functional and fast- the hygiene equivalent of a rocky bar, or a penguin, or possibly even a club milk, but a bath...well, it's a really good caramel square, or a slice of home made coffee cake. There's simply no comparison. One scratches an itch, the other is an itch all of its own!

My usual morning walk

And yet....after a day or so, the novelty of baths and beds and space has begun to wear off, and I find myself missing the beautiful simplicity of life in the Caravilla. The way that after the few days it takes me to wind down, real life with its many pressures, appointments, to do lists  and complications begins to seem very far away.
And the simple things like a walk on the beach, or the sun on your face, or the sound of the waves, can bring a contentment you only get to appreciate away from all the hustle and bustle.
It's probably something to do with the fact that the summer is drawing to a close, and although we'll be up again for a few weekends, our long stretch there is over until next year, and that makes me a little sad. The days are shortening again, a new term is looming and the mundanities of school shoes, hair cuts and potty training are on my immediate horizon.
Soon the long, sunny summer days will be only a memory...(And a hazy one at that, because obviously I'm already forgetting the quare bit of torrential rain and the numerous times we shook our heads muttering 'It's desperate- you'd think it was November! Sure you wouldn't live here unless you had to!')
But where there's a yin, there's a yang, and a whole lot of good stuff is coming up for us too. My little sister is getting married in a few weeks, and my brother and his lovely family are coming home from California for the celebrations. My other sister's new baby is due at the very same time, (although fingers crossed, Junior won't make an appearance till after the ceremony, because like me, she's signed up to be both bridesmaid and wedding singer!) And then, after all that excitement and family time, at the end of September, I'm off to the MAD awards in London ... and 3 whole nights away with Loverboy! As I said,  plenty to look forward to.
So here's to the end of one season and the beginning of another....but, hold on, not quite yet, it's still August after all.

Spike-tacular!

Don't shout at me..I just couldn't help myself...I blame the influx of birthday cash myself which, unsurprisingly, led to extended surfing of summer sales.

No, your eyes are not deceiving you-they DO match my nails!

I saw them in black first, but I knew it was meant to be when I discovered that they also came in leopard fur...with spikes. Now, I know these babies aren't for the school run, but honestly, once I knew they existed, they had to be mine. Come to Mamma, my precious darlings....

Skeanie Shoes-Review

When the lovely people at Skeanie offered to send me a pair of shoes to review for our Luke, I was delighted! You see, I'd heard the whispers that these were the shoes of choice, for little Misses Suri Cruise and Jolie Pitt, among others, and you should know by now, that I'm a sucker for all things celeb!
 What I didn't know was, that Skeanie started out in Australia, only coming to Europe recently, and are actually the preferred provider of the Australian Podiatry Assosciation (APA). Nor that their shoes and boots are designed to nurture and protect little feet and are hand-crafted from high quality eco-leather.
Apparently at birth, feet are mostly cartilage and the last bone doesn’t form until the child is about 3 years old, and scarily, more than 80% of foot problems, bunions and injuries are a result of misshaped and inflexible shoes. Research also shows that soles over 6mm thick prevent approx 80 percent of a child’s foot flexibility, hindering a normal step sequence. Yikes!
All excited, I rushed over to the Skeanie website to choose a pair, and was utterly spoilt for choice!  Eventually though, I plumped for the chocolate Riding boots (£39.99) for the Autumn. To get Luke's size, all I had to do was to print off the size guide from their website and pop his foot on it. Easy peasy and the sizing was perfect!

 When they arrived I honestly fell in love- the leather is butter soft and the rubber sole is lightweight and really flexible- perfect for running, jumping and exploring! What I really adored though, was how well they stayed on, and yet how easily they slide on and off as well- no more hauling and fussing with laces! (With five kids I'm all about saving time in the morning!)
Honestly, the only negative thing, that I can find to say about them, is that I wish they did shoes for older children as well, or better still, for me! These red Mary Janes actually had me seriously yearning for a wee girl to buy them for, but don't tell Loverboy that!
The bottom line is- if you have kiddies' shoes to buy anytime soon, you should check out their website. They're about the same price as Clarks or Start Rite, (only not every other kid in Mother and Toddlers will be wearing them as well!)

And, because I know that like myself, y'all  love a bargain, here's a cheeky 15% off discount, just for you.  (Just put in mummybl0g at the checkout-The o is replaced with a zero.) Finally, if you fancy winning a pair, there's a competition running on the Skeanie Facebook page right now, so give it a whirl and see how you get on. Emx

A Thursday Shoe In!

Behold these chic floral beauties that landed on my doorstep this week! Don't they just brighten up the rainiest of days? How could anyone feel depressed while wearing these gorgeous little numbers?
 Check out that cheeky floral heel, (not too high!), the sumptuous red suede trim, and the gorgeous rags for laces!  Magnefique, non? I swear, when I saw them, these shoes whispered to me (in a heavy french accent),
'Ma cherie', they said, 'We are zee summer shoe you didn't know you needed! En Irlande, zee sandal ees a fair weather friend, non? But we, my darling, we offer beauty, warmth and shelter too!'
Well, what could I say? Mon Dieu, who could argue with such logic? Already packed for our new 'mobile home from home', all these pops of shoe happiness need now, are skinny jeans, a fresh white tee and chunky red beads to finish the look.
 But what about you, my lovelies? Are YOU feeling l'amore for these babies? Oui, oui or Non, non? Go on, do share.......

It's Shoe Time!!!

Look how they sparkle in the light....love, love, love!!

Shhhhhhhh! Just had to share a sneaky peek at these beauties with you. Not for the fainthearted, I admit, they're adorned in pearls, and jewels and all manner of shiny stuff... and yes, those are little black cats all over them too. More is more, I say!
 They are to have their first outing at my friend Nuala's wedding in a few weeks-a fitting debut for such royalty, non? Sadly though, not everyone is capable of appreciating such lovlieness as Loverboy's reaction clearly showed, 'I thought panto season was over for this year!' he chortled uncharitably at their unveiling. (Obviously, I completely disregarded this, as tragically, and through no fault if his own, he was born entirely bereft of a style gene and is utterly beyond rehabilitatation.)  So.. never mind him...what do you think? Aren't they tote amaze and are you well jell? Sorry, sorry!  * holds hands up*  I've just always wanted to say that!

My Shopping Hell....

I'm mostly an Internet shopper myself. I've wholeheartedly embraced online retail and I'm really focused on doing my bit for the economy. Each little shoe purchase helps lift this country out of recession-one (cheeky  'Irregular Choice' clad) step at a time. Sadly, Loverboy doesn't always share my altruistic spirit, but I'll continue to try and illuminate the big picture for him.
Nevertheless, I'm not biased where shopping is concerned and there's definitely something to be said for the old fashioned experience as well. It's just that these days, I don't have the same opportunities because, as every mother knows, children and shopping aren't your ideal combo. Toddlers and shopping, even less so. As a result, in general, I tend to avoid it...then gradually the memories fade, and I give it another shot. Which is exactly what happened the other day, when I clocked a seventy percent off sale in a chic little local(ish) boutique. That's right. Seventy. Per.Cent. Well, I'm only human, so despite the fact that I had Luke, that it was almost nap time, and most crucially, that I had no method of containment (buggy) for him, I made the call to pop in. That was my first mistake.
There were two sets of glass doors into the shop- the first an ordinary push/ pull one, the second an automatic sliding kind. In we went, through both doors and I got to work, with one eye on the rails, the other on Luke who was toddling around me. Then, after a few moments of rummaging, I heard a little yelp, then another and glanced round frantically for him. I found him sitting, happily enough, in the inner doorway, bewildered, as the sliding door opened and closed on his toddler body, squashing him slightly each time.(And the Mother of the Year Award goes to....)
Undeterred, I hauled him out of there and sat him up on a chair with a (plain) biscuit in the hope of buying myself a few more minutes. But of course, that would have been far too easy. Down he got and  began a charm offensive on the very nice, perfectly groomed, older sales lady. She was talking to him, 'Who's a lovely boy? And what a lovely hat! Did your mummy knit you that hat? (Yeah, Right.) Oh yes, you're a lovely boy, aren't you? Aren't you?'
There was then the briefest of pauses and I glanced up from the rack  to see that the smile had frozen ever so slightly on her face. I then looked at Luke and saw the reason why. He also wore a frozen expression -a familiar, fixed grimace on his reddening face- he'd clearly decided that this was the perfect moment to answer nature's call. By this time, the slightly flustered, but ever polite lady, was backing away, and I understood why, as a distinctly unpleasant odour began to circulate. Meanwhile, with the job done and apart from an unmistakeable new bulge to his rear silhouette, Luke was carefree once more and ambled off after his new friend, who by this stage, was dealing with a new customer. That was when I made my second mistake. With the thick skin five children have granted me, and three heavily discounted items on my arm, I eyed the tiny changing room and made the call. Go! Go! Go!
So at this point, squeezed into the world's smallest changing room, with my now completely offensive offspring, I was aware of the women on either side coughing, (and possibly even gagging), on the foul smell. To make matters worse, he then decided to play peekaboo with the curtain, periodically exposing ample amounts of my mottled white flesh to the rest of the shop. The final flourish to this nightmarish scenario was, of course, the fact that none of the items even fitted. It was all for bloody nothing. Completely stressed, and now most definitely persona non grata, I grabbed my malodorous shopping buddy, put my head down and got the hell out of there.
But the fun wasn't over yet, as once outside, I had a decision to make- to change him now or get him home and do it. Given the freezing temperatures of the January day, coupled with a distinct lack of facilities, I chose the latter. Understandably enough though, Luke had no wish to sit down in his car seat while 'harbouring a fugitive', so this meant actually forcing his rigid body into the seat, in order to buckle him in. Eventually though, amid ear splitting screams, with the heat turned up full blast and the windows down, I hurtled back home, vowing never, ever again. It's the virtual shopping experience for me from here on in-come back Amazon, all is forgiven......