Bonkers Saturday

Well Friday was indeed crazy and today has been pretty much the same.

Two lovely events at St John's and later at Wixams but it is safe to say that we will be aiming to put children to bed early tonight and be following soon after.

Compared with yesterday's plan, here's how it really panned out:

Friday eve:

• 6pm: Grown up fun time with friends happened and lots of fun was had rocking at Amptrocks and laughing at all the young whipper snappers who will no doubt be feeling worse than us this morning, To the chap who thought it was fun to go on his mates shoulders until the point said mate forgot he had him up there and dropped him on his head, I hope you were as drunk as you looked that way it hopefully won't hurt as much as it should. To the young girl who had her head between her legs as we were walking out of the event, with dad ( actually shouldn't presume, but looked like he should be dad! ) holding her hair back as she was a little unwell, listen in future to what you were told before you left home - it's not big - it's not clever - but we've all been there. And to Billy Wyatt, my friend's son, who through a sea of bodies we saw, in the mosh pit his stripey shirt standing out in the crowd, on his dad's shoulders, having a fabulous time - keep on rocking Billy...

• Midnight: Back home and plan in place for bake off. C heads for a quick bath to soak tired party feet and A heads for the ovens. Slight detour as Watters - Cabs are called on and Andrew has to head back to Amptrocks to rescue stranded friends with taxi trouble. Sod it shall we only do one event tomorrow ...

• 1am: Andrew got back home but finally realises he needs some sleep and comes to bed for "only an hour" - alarm set but snooze button pressed a few times too often ...

• 4am: Andrew remembers he set the alarm for a reason and leaps out of bed in stealth like fashion ( in a 50year old father of 4 kind of way ) - panic mode sets in. Why had we agreed to do 2 events on the same day???!!! Cathryn promises to get up and help ...

• 7am: Cathryn wakes (oops) not quite appreciating what the issue is ... then remembers ( double oops ). However, there really is no need to panic, you have it all under control chef but by the amount of boxes of bread in the kitchen, mountains of cookies and bucket lots of brownies that have magically appeared in the last 3 hours. She quietly sets about making herself useful, bagging and tagging and washing up things that Chef is just about to use. ( triple oops )...

• 9am: Time to get out of here. Cathryn collects 2 out of 4 children from wonderful friend who did a sterling job as always, not easy when your 6 year old still has a tendency for meltdown at bedtime. Quick call to child number 3 who has been staying with equally lovely and wonderful friend elsewhere, to ensure he has vacated and is on his way to where he is supposed to be - yes he is MIRACLE!!

• 10.30: Cathryn sets up with a car full of bread, a boot full of brownies and a case full of cookies for Fete Number 1 leaving "chef Watters" to finish bake - off and get to Fete number 2 with number 4 child to assist.

• 10.45: Cathryn rings Chef Watters - hopelessly lost and her turn for panic mode. Chef Watters completely uncontactable - we have more IPADS, mobiles and electronic communication devices than the Apple store but do any of them work..... Luckily her very sensible daughter ( number 3 child ) offers some sound advice and sense is resumed quickly followed by finding destination 1.

• 1130am: Andrew returns Cathryn's calls - " did you need me?" - child present, can not respond how I would like to, but he is at Fete destination number 2 so all is good.

• 1.30pm: nearly all produce sold out at St John's - another lovely event there, such amazing people, and I have avoided number 3 child spending all of my profits - success all round

• 2pm: meet up with Chef Watters at fete number 2 who is rapidly selling out and we are supposed to be there until 7pm! Chef Watters returns home for more baking ( and a little kip! ) and Cathryn is assisted by children numbers 1 & 3. Assistance is probably a rather loose term, coming in the form of fleecing dear old mum for money to spend on Zorbing, inflatable it's a knockout type thing and general STUFF, but they caught mum on a weak moment and she needs a quiet sit down behind the stall with a cuppa so it's worth it.

• 6pm: all wrapped up, can't sell any more, time to get home, collect child number 4 from wonderful neighbours who have taken her to birthday party and hung on to her all day!!

• 6.45pm: cars unloaded, honesty box topped up, all children returned home, tea on and a cider poured. SUCCESS

There were times when I thought we wouldn't make it, times when we nearly gave up, but it all came together in the end in the usual bonkers Watters fashion. Both events were a huge success and the children all got through the day unscathed and secretly enjoying helping mum and dad. Now back home they are keen to get the paddling pool up but funnily enough myself and Andrew aren't that keen on spending the next 4 hours inflating it, filling it and guarding it from Rolo the dog jumping in, so we divert them away from that idea with the promise of movie night and whatever they want for tea, secretly hoping they will fall asleep quick so we can crash out too.

What do you think are chance are....