Friday 11 June 2010

One day of illness and I have failed as a mother...

I have been ill today. I won't bore you with the gory details, but I did not make it into work and that was one of the best decisions of my life.As I lay in my pit of death I realised that I had nothing 'instant' for tea for the boys.I, personally, will probably never eat again, but they needed some form of nourishment.

This is one of the times when my ethos -  of only cooking from scratch, preferably from muddy, organic veg pulled, only minutes previously, from rural pastures - let me down. A hungry 10 and 12 year old are not interested in my ethics when they come home from school and want tea on the table, hot steaming and full of flavour.

I could hardly drag myself from my bed, but I did - staggering downstairs to stare vacantly at my freezer drawers.Mmmmmm.... a smoked Harrods chicken ( frozen, obviously ) one haddock fillet, several portions of cheese and a bag of peas.Hardly the inspiration for a quick and easy meal... And then I noticed the oven chips... nestling like a guilty pleasure at the back of the drawer, a reminder of a moment of weakness in Tesco's. I had usually scorned my husband's requests for oven chips.... if we were having chips I would make them, by hand, from potatoes grown in the garden fields of Devon... but this one time I had succumbed to their easy pleasure, and thank goodness I had.



So, chips. What else? What nourishing, nutritious delight could I find to go with them? I hesitate to type my answer... You will place me among the ranks of turkey twizzler scoffing chavs.... Tonight my children sat down to the sumptuous feast that is oven chips and instant noodles... together... as a meal....

I know. As I sit here feeling very much recovered from my earlier dreadfulness, I shudder at my failure as a mother.Will my children grow up to resent me? Will they be ... 'damaged'? Tomorrow its back on the straight and narrow ... free range meat and organic new potatoes with a drizzle of butter, served  with..... oh, hang on... England are playing tomorrow. Forget that... its burgers and chips all round.

6 comments:

Urban Cynic said...

You really were ill weren't you? You clearly weren't thinking right - ever heard of Dominoes Pizza? A veggie pizza, no hassle, instant & they get their 5-a-day! I'd make a brilliant mother...

Nicola said...

hahahah this made me laugh, no I don't think you've scarred them for life, they probably really enjoyed that strange concoction!! We all need a day like that sometimes and it sounds like you were dreadfully ill, no one really looks after the mother do they? I like cooking from scratch and most of the time I do but now and again, the boys just love a night when it's baked potatoes with baked beans and cheese ;0) Hope you are feeling better now!

Gail said...

They probably will hope you are sick again so they can have a easy treat.

Glad you are feeling better.

Caz said...

Every now and again doesn't hurt. Hope you're feeling better.

Marlene said...

Hope you are well by now. I am sure the boys were delighted in their meal. I know my kids were always happy when dad was away and I resorted to packaged Mac n' Cheese.

sarah at secret housewife said...

Thank you! I am feeling much better toda - a 24 hour bug I think. Sarah x