running away from it all

Went for a lovely long walk this morning with my friend Tabatha Tweedie ,who writes a really great blog about dressmaking, and her little ones. Madam insisted on taking her bike, which did cause slight endangerment on occasions, but was fairly successful.

We had a nice chat and I updated her on my fun with eviction activities and she updated me on her plans too :) Lovely. Sadly, we did not plan in cake this time, but I'm sure now the weather is cheering up we'll be able to meet up and do walking (and possibly cakings) again soon.

I didn't blog yesterday as I was in a bit of a stress mode and couldn't focus my brain to it.

Madam decided she was running away yesterday afternoon. Now with most 4yr olds this wouldn't get far. But mine is jolly independent and confident and did make a fairly good break for it. She had been playing in front of my parents house on the cul-de-sac with the little girl from across the street. They had been riding their bikes up and down and were having great fun. But the little girl had to go somewhere and madam wanted to go to.

She came inside to get her coat on and told me what she wanted to do. I told her that she couldn't invite herself to things and that she couldn't go. She told me she would just go back to riding outside the house, which I said was fine as long as she kept where I could see her and remembered to get to a pavement if she saw a car.

But she then headed straight off to the other end of the street and with me shouting for her to make sure she stopped at the end proceeded to turn up the next street. As I was in bare feet I went back in the house for my shoes and then headed after her. However, when I got up to the top of the next cul-de-sac she was nowhere to be seen. I headed down the street and to the next one over. No sign of her.

I headed back to the house for coat and phone and decided to try the local park before I rang the police. As I rounded the corner before crossing the road I saw her crossing a bit further down. Fortunately the road was remarkably empty for once and she crossed safely. I managed to catch up with her at the park and made her come home. She was of the opinion she should be allowed to play!

After we got home I was trembling with both anger and relief whereas madam curled herself up on my dad's chair and promptly fell asleep. She slept for a couple of hours and I calmed myself with a coffee (not sure that's very calming) and a bit of distraction from the TV.

I have kept the front door locked since as she keeps attempting to escape again. She's very independent, as I said.

My parents have just got back and I have had to apologise for the mess madam has made in her bedroom with my mums old nail varnish (which she also used to make blue highlights in her hair). I think we might actually have to cut her hair to get it out...

Which kind of helps me make the decision about whether I'm going to get her hair cut or not!