Despite telling hubby over a week ago, that today he will need to be home by 5 because I have a meeting, he texted me earlier to say he wouldn't be home because he was tied up on a Job.
a) good job I know what he means and it wasn't in a sexual way
b) why today when I need him at home AARRRGGGHHHH!
Normally, he being tied up at work 
is not usually a problem as Simon is here to look after his brother, but Simon is on work experience this week - guess who with? Yes his father!
So frantic phonecalls made trying to find someone who will have the youngest after school so that I could make the meeting, eventually tracked down MIL who agreed to have him.
Now here is where the fun and games began.
MIL lives approximately 15 minutes away from the school.
Remember I am now walking to and from work so I didn't have the car. So off we set after school, heading towards MIl house when Richard informs me he has left his bag at school.
Check watch.
Go back to school to get bag - it soaking wet due to water bottle not having lid put back on properly, so we walk through the streets with a dripping bag.
Eventually get to MIL who examines Richards jumper.
"I can't see where it is wet" she says.
"Because it isn't" says I, "it is the bag and everything inside it which is"
"where"
"inside the bag"
"oh" she says still looking at the bag which is dripping over her pristine floor. "It's wet what do you want me to do with it?" She says 
"Err put it on the line to dry?" suggests I.
"how?" she says
By this time I notice time is marching on and that there is no way I will be able to walk a 40 minute walk to meeting destination in approx 20 minutes, even if I jog a bit in inappropriate footwear!
"Ok, how about you drop me off at home, I can hang them out and then get to my meeting."
"Drop you off? How do you want me to do that?" she says.
By now I am getting seriously worried. Persuade her she needs to drive her car and drop me off at home, which ends up with her:
1) searching for keys
2) searching for driving shoes
3) opening garage and attempting to reverse car out of it at a snails pace
4) us all getting into car when Richard points out he can't do up seatbelt because the back seats are covered in sheets in case they get dog hairs on them
5) me losing my temper and refusing to get into back seat and Richard in front because a) we might get stopped by the police and there is no booster seat, b) Not sure she wouldn't have an accident and me with no seat belt is more dangerous for Richard as a passenger.
So after we relocated seatbelt, tucked Richard in tightly, got back into the car, she then drives at a snails pace all the way home (a five min journey by car normally, now taking 15 minutes) complaining about the bad drivers on the road!
When I eventually manage to alight at home and send her back on her way praying my son will be safe, manage to peg out items on washing line and then get to meeting.
Hubby eventually managed to get home at 7.15 after picking Richard up declaring his mother is 'losing it', as she was telling him where she wanted him to scatter her ashes!!!
BTW it took him from 4pm to get home on a journey that would have taken 11/2 hours normally lol! 
