But let me go slow.
The week started in the lazy lane, apart from going to the regular playgroups and a play date with C at the play ground {while we were waiting for C and her mother, there was a father playing dodge with his children, when he could catch his son, the little boy said “sucker” to his dad. AOI just shout out the same word, I had to tell the dad to tell his children not to use that word because my toddler of 17 months is picking words. I know I am one of those mothers}, we didn’t go swimming. Poor AOI, she kept asking for swimming pool every time we got ready to go out.
So on Friday morning, just before AOI could feel too sleepy, I prepared our swimming kit, a bag of snack and we headed outside. I touched my jacket pocket and the keys inside to I looked the door from inside and we went out. Once outside I wanted to lock the upper lock which I can’t lock from inside.
Long story short.
I locked AOI and myself outside the house. The keys I felt in my pocket weren’t ours but the playgroup building keys. Just imagine my panic. I looked over at AOI who didn’t have a clue about what was happening. She was so ready for swimming pool. But I relaxed straight away because AOI was right next to me and not locked inside the house.
I had the stroller outside so I didn’t have to carry AOI the whole time. I then thought about going to hubby’s office to get his keys and maybe go to the swimming pool at his work. I couldn’t phone him because the iPhone was locked inside as well. Also, I didn’t phone him from the pay phone because I knew he would have convinced me to jump in a taxi to his work. My instincts told me that I needed to disconnect from the computer and internet for a while.
In the end, I decided to let AOI and I experience how a homeless person feels without a house.
In that moment every time I looked at my daughter I felt alright because she was safe right next to me. She was clueless about what I had just done. All she needed was my presence.
So how did we spend the seven hours without a home?
1.parks, I was glad there are parks. We walked to one of my favourite parks. By the time we got there AOI was sleeping. I left her to sleep as I read some papers I found in the diaper sack. When she woke up, she wanted to play on the swing. I happy entertained her there for some minutes. In the middle of enjoying seesaw on the swing, I felt drops of water. All I had in my mind was I need a place to keep us dry. Find a restaurant, find a restaurant…
2.restaurants/cafe, this was another hotspot for us. I soon as I felt the drops I knew we had to go find a shelter. I strolled quickly, about 20 minutes to my favourite bakery/restaurant. We have been there in ages so that was a great occasion to stop by.
3.libraries, after lunch my sensible part told me to go to hubby’s office. On the other hand my crazy side told me to keep up with this experience so we went to the library. We stayed for two hours, AOI loves their children computer are. We had snack there and then we walked back home. On the way AOI wanted to play on the swings so we stop for awhile. It’s so funny how she picks words up from the children at the playground
4.shelter, we got home by quarter past five, normally hubby gets home latest six, but as per faith he came home seven. I managed to entertain AOI by playing catch the basketball we have in the garden. Just before seven I could tell she was very sleepy but I sung to her to keep her awake {that’s how bad my singing voice is}. I was so happy to see hubby running towards the house.
My conclusion? Being homeless sucks, sucks!!! I feel so much for those who find d themselves, not for only seven hours but for a long time. Some of these people don’t even have the money to eat. Though I was locked out the house I had money in my wallet and in the back. I had option to choose. I could have easily run to AMI’s office or to a friend’s house. But other’s don’t have that privilege.
Saturday was sunny, sunny. We had a pic-nic lunch, had a bike ride to one of our friends’ house.
Sunday morning we went, in the afternoon we went an art gallery with painting from amateur painters, some were awesome work. In the evening, I forgot to go to the toy wash and by the time the other coordinator phoned me, around 7pm, most of the ladies who signed up to come and helped left apart one who saw me in time and stayed over to help.
That was the adventures of our week 18, hope yours was fun.
______________________
Enjoy a relaxed week 19
