Score One for Mummy

Well I knew it would get worse before it got better but today I CHANGED my behaviour and it worked.  Somewhat.  Kids went off to school alright.  About 11am I get a phone call from a local number, it didn't come up as the school but nobody else in town would be ringing me.  I didn't answer and they didn't leave a message on the machine.  This went on with both the landline and my mobile for a few hours and I didn't respond.  If either of them had lost a limb or were vomiting blood they would have called an ambulance.  I assumed it was Josh.  It was really really hard to not do anything but I knew they had both gone off to school happy and healthy and in Josh's case, with a good breakfast.  The phone calls were relentless and about 2.45 I caved and rang the school.  It was Emily not Josh.  I sighed and told the office girl that I know it's her job to call us but this is getting ridiculous and we have an ongoing problem of getting her to school and keeping her there.  I fully expected the "what a cold hard bitch mother you are" tone of voice but to my surprise she was really understanding.  I asked what I could do and she said that when they rang I can just tell them that unless they are seriously ill to tell them to go back to class and soldier on.  She told me to stay put and she would talk to the principal who would have a word to Emily.  I heard nothing more and picked them up as per usual.  Emily got in the car as if nothing had happened, but was sullen.  I ignored her and drove home.  She admitted she wasn't really sick, she had a headache (she hadn't eaten, in spite of her lunch money and snacks I'd given them, and probably hadn't had anything to drink all day either).  Little cow.  She had the hide to say if it had been Josh I would have gone to get him.  I thought it WAS Josh.  So now the girls in the office have their measure and know they are pretty well always faking to get out of something. 
Once we got home I heard Em ask Josh if he wanted to go down the street as she hadn't eaten all day and had her lunch money.  So off they went to Greasy Joe's to buy crap.  I had made a beautiful casserole in the slow cooker.  I just cut up some chuck steak, an onion and a carrot and threw it all in without browning, mixed some good red wine with a bit of tomato paste, some Worcestershire sauce, garlic and stock powder and tipped it over and added a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a tin of crushed tomatoes and a little brown sugar.  I made myself some mashed potato and peas and corn and have eaten my dinner.  I'm waiting for one of them to come out and ask what's for dinner and I will say "You've already eaten haven't you?"  They can heat up the casserole or make a sandwich, plenty of bread and wraps, and chicken, ham and tuna and salad.  Last night I cooked a lovely meal and they hardly touched it.  Then later filled up on crap leftover from our picnic.  I told Emily that tomorrow I won't be giving her lunch money but she can take her lunch from home.
She came in while I was getting changed and launched into the old abuse of me,  I just laughed and walked past her and did something else and she went to her room where she still is, posting on Facebook how she wants to die etc etc.  Oh I can hear her laughing in there now, can't be too suicidal.
So today I learned not to let maternal guilt rule my behaviour, not to engage in a slanging match with her, and not to be a freaking doormat to either of them.  See you CAN teach an old dogs new tricks, this Nigel Latta book I'm reading is great, really puts it all into perspective and lets me know I am certainly not alone in all this.
Phill wants to go to Bourke next week.   I found out to my horror today that this week is the last one of term.  I thought they broke up on the 21st!!!  Bit of a blow but there it is, nothing I can do about it.  He's wanted to take a trip to Bourke for ages, and if they will approve a week's holiday we'll be off on Monday.  I found a nice motel out there with cooking facilities.  I have never been to that part of the state and I'm really looking forward to it.  Bourke is truly the Aussie outback.
I got everything done today, changed all the beds, got the washing done and put away and cleaned the house after the weekend.  I had chest pains after the first phone calls, and this went on all day, I believe it is stress related, the pain has gone now I'm feeling a bit more relaxed (thank you de Bortoli!) but will finally make an appointment with the doctor tomorrow and face the music of the tests I had last year. 
The kittens will be ready to go pretty soon,  Puddin' Pie, the calico, used the litter tray yesterday, and today I saw her eating her mother's dry food!  Patches is a little bit behind but with a bit of encouragement she will be ready too.  They are so cute and funny and smart.  We think we have a home for Pud and won't have any trouble finding one for Patches.
Isn't it funny, used to be the parents who embarrassed their kids, but now it's the kids doing it to us, on Facebook.  Someone hacked Kate's account and posted something not nice and I asked her to delete it but as of this afternoon she hadn't.  Emily actually has some of my friends, and certainly family on her page, but thankfully they pretty much ignore her histrionics.