Wednesday 2 September 2009

Tempting fate and why you shouldn't do it

Remember in my last post when I said I had threatened SB with a session with a fine-toothed comb if he didn't get the last of the glue out of his hair? Well, Fate was listening in. And sniggering to himself. Fine-toothed combs were indeed to be wielded shortly. And those of you who have, or have had, children are probably wa-a-a-a-y ahead of me.

After my dire threats, the glue was declared gone and I took the boys for haircuts yesterday. At which point we discovered that FB had come home from school with some little friends. A wee case of head lice. His first. My first, for that matter. (Incidentally, is it wrong that my first reaction wasn't traditional middle-class mortification but "Oooh, can I see?!")

No haircuts then. Instead, off to the chemist we went for nit-annihilation lotion and, yes, the aforementioned fine-toothed comb. An entertaining evening was had by all, let me tell you. I certainly enjoyed myself as I gleefully pointed out that this would all be much easier and less painful IF THEIR HAIR WASN'T SO LONG! However it has not escaped my notice that the end result is two boys who still have long hair. Surely they wouldn't?.............no. Even they are not that devious.

I also had the fun job of phoning the boys' best friend's mum to give her the good news. She is a teacher so took it in her stride, head lice being really rather common in schoolchildren. Her parting comment was "Okay, but next time you're thinking of sending me a present, I really prefer flowers and chocolates...." I like this woman.

In other news, I have decided I need to start running again (and yes, XUP, I know walking is just as good but I used to really quite enjoy running). I stopped after running staggering the 2008 Great Edinburgh Run 10k and never got started again. Fitting exercise in is always tricky and I know from experience that running (once I get my backside out of bed) can be done first thing in the morning and what's more I actually enjoy it. Sort of. I have been making all sorts of excuses recently for not getting the running shoes on. The most ridiculous one being that my heart rate monitor needs new batteries and obviously I can't run if I can't time myself in tenths of a second, log my average heart rate and calculate the calories burned, can I?

Of course I can. I have downloaded a couch-to-5k podcast, just for a change, so tomorrow morning I aim to climb into my oversized t-shirt and joggers, slap on the iPod and head out for an amble round the neighbourhood for half an hour. Feel free to point and mock if I don't make it. I'll deserve it.

PS Hands up if you have scratched your head while reading this. Yeah, me too.

8 comments:

  1. Yikes, mine had them too and gave them to me, at least twice. I bought an electric nit comb that promises to zap them. Chemical potions don't work, the wee devils were still ambling around in YSs hair the next day lol.

    I was shocked and stunned at first, now I just take it in my stride, except when the kids tell other mums that they managed to give them to me. Eeeeeeeek.

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  2. No, no, didn't scratch at all. One advantage of having big children is that they don't get nits. Or if they do, I no longer comb their hair for them so I don't notice.

    When Daughter 2 got them, we all did. But it was a while ago now.

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  3. The new lotions simply lubricate the hair so you can swoosh them out with the fine tooth comb, although the electric zapper is more fun as you can (almost) hear them scream as they are electocuted. heh!

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  4. Loth! Hello from over the pond :)

    I am so happy to hear you're heading back into running. Perhaps I'll join you shortly as well. I gave up back in February and haven't felt the big again until a week ago.

    Also, the couch-to-5K is GREAT. I used to to start running in 2008 (about the time I stumbled upon your blog, sctually)

    Best of luck!

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  5. "felt the big" isn't what I meant. I think I meant "bug". Itch? Jones?

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  6. oh is it Robert Ullrey's podcast? Believe me, a few weeks in you will be gritting your teeth as he tells you he is a '43 year old guy'

    he's not 43 anymore, you know. Even running can't make time stop.

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  7. Oh man, I just hate head lice! One of the twins who use3d to live next door brought them over to me and I scratched for a month! I am a hypochondriac and so I knew I was infested. Finally I went to the hair dresser and found that the chemicals she used freshened my scalp and I no longer itched. She also did not run screaming from the shop, so obviously I was fixed! probably never did have them!

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  8. H, my daughter had lice after coming home from summer camp one year and....her hair....you know what it is like. It was a nightmare trying to get rid of those beasties. The combing took hours. What an awful time that was.

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