Town Trip – A School Interview, Macca’s and Dollars & Sense…

There were a few things that made me laugh and also made me cross on the weekend and I really need to discuss them with you.

On Saturday DD and I headed into Town (Mt Isa) with Tom and Harry.  Rexy stayed home with Clancy.  I had forgotten what 2 children felt like.  I didn’t realise what a difference one child can make.  It was such a cruisy trip with only 2 children.  They weren’t squashed in the car right next to each other and gee it was easy to pack and load up.  I am not sure how one child can make so much difference.  Don’t get me wrong, we wouldn’t be without Clancy for all the tea in China, but it was a nice change to just have the 2 older boys.

We listenend to an audio book on the way into town and it was fantastic.  Mum and I were laughing all the way through…. but it was a children’s audio book.  It was Awful Auntie by David Walliams.

We all loved it. Perfect for the whole family.  And the great thing is that it doesn’t matter if you have boy or girls, they will all love it.  This one went for over 5 hours so it got us all the way into town and still had some to listen to on the way home.

When in town it was straight to the hairdressers.  Mum and I were both booked in for a much needed hair cut and the boys had some sitting around ahead of them.  I am still onto this “no screens” policy and can’t remember the last time they touched an iPad or iPhone so I told them to bring in a board game and a book.  I can’t say they actually read the books or played the game but what I can say is they were so well behaved, and it wasn’t just a quick visit, we were there for over 4 hours.  We had the works.  The boys even managed a hair cut thank goodness.

Now the reason for our quick visit to town was so that Tom could meet with the Principal and Head of Boarding from the school we hope to send him to in Brisbane.  They were up in Mt Isa for a visit which saved us a flight to Brisbane.  He had his interview that afternoon and we have now sorted him out.  He heads off in 2017 which will be here before we know it.  We had dinner with them and the boys got to ask questions and get to know a bit about their new school.  Harry was most interested in the new pool that is going in and asked 1,027 questions about it.  I am sure if Tom needs to know anything Harry will be his go to man.

On Sunday morning we were up and at it.  Packing up and getting ready for the trip home.  Now because we took so long at the hairdressers there was no time to do anything else.  The boys were most disgusted that they didn’t get to visit their beloved K-Mart – their mother ship.  But there was still Dollars and Sense.  You have no idea how much my boys love this shop!  Do your kids love those cheap and nasty shops filled with crap?  They were beside themselves.  We really need to get them out more, I suppose they haven’t been to town since May – oops, no wonder they were so excited.

First we had to have breakfast so thought we would quickly pop into Macca’s.  I haven’t been to Macca’s since… well I don’t know when.  And let me tell you – I don’t think I will be going back.  We went in and I ordered a quick meal – McMuffin/Hash Brown/Coffee – you know, just your standard breakfast, nothing fancy, no bells and whistles.  Well it took so long, I waited and waited and waited.  I even went up to the counter and asked if I had been forgotten, I was 111 and they were up to 120…. no they said, it was still coming…. so I waited some more.  After about 20 minutes steam was starting to come out of my ears and I went up again and asked, I was so cranky, I told them how long I had been waiting and that I hadn’t ordered anything fancy… where the hell was my food.  She quickly whipped around and popped it in a bag for me…. thank you very much.  So I ordered my breakfast at 10:15am and sat down to eat at 10:40am!  Ridiculous.  God listen to me go on, I hate people who whinge about this sort of stuff, but geez it made me cranky.  Remember when Macca’s used to be FAST and CHEAP.  If we wanted fancy we would go to a restaurant.  If we wanted healthy we would go somewhere else, we just want fast, dirty food if we are heading to Macca’s.  Remember when you used to order at the counter and you didn’t leave until they had filled your tray (in 2 minutes flat) with all of your food.  I miss those days.  Where the burgers were already made and sitting in the warmer.  I know many of you will disagree but I want the old Macca’s back.  I am afraid to say that you have lost me Macca’s, I don’t think I will be back, unless it is through the Drive Thru.  It would have been faster to drive through there and then go in and eat.  Our meal at the Camooweal Roadhouse arrived faster than our food at Macca’s.  Can  you tell I just can’t let it go?  I needed to discuss this with you all.  Sorry for going on and on, I am sure I am over it now that I have that off my chest!

So then it was onto Dollars & Sense.  The boys had their wallets with them, full of any pocket money they could scrounge up from home.  Harry was beside himself.  Off they went with their baskets.  After about 5 minutes Harry came back and said “Mum, look, look at all of this and it only comes to $16.00”.  He was as proud as punch.  I told him to keep shopping.  I cruised the aisles.  I secretly love those crappy stores too.  Shhh don’t tell anyone.  I didn’t plan on buying anything but came out with $180.00 worth of stuff, including a dog bed for Rosie.  Who am I?  The only store opened on a Sunday and I just couldn’t help myself.  I am as bad as the kids.  They did have some cool catering gear in there though.  Before I knew it my basket was overflowing.

We finally managed to head off, homebound.  The boys were wrapped to their back teeth with their cap guns, fake swords etc that they had just purchased.  We finished off Awful Auntie before we stopped once again at Camooweal on the trip home.  The boys whipped out their wallets and wanted to spend up big in the roadhouse.  It was hilarious, they really don’t get out much if they think the roadhouse is a shopping opportunity.  Harry was prepared to pay $10 for a back scratcher.  This creepy plastic hand on the end of a stick, he would have bought dog poo if it meant spending his money I think.  He just wanted to buy something, anything.  I managed to talk him out of the backscratcher but he wasn’t happy, so he bought a plastic dart board for $13.00.  Oh give me strength.  But they were happy and it was their money I suppose.

Once we had finished Awful Auntie we listened to Diary of a Whimpy Kid – Long Haul.  This one only went for about 1.5 hours.  It was pretty funny and the boys loved it but it was a bit like a kids version of National Lampoons Summer Vacation.  Reminded me of Chevvy Chase.  Got a bit frustrating in the end but the boys were happy.  Once that ended the swords came out and it was on for young and old, thankfully we only had about 1/2 hour left.

All in all it was a good trip.  Home now to unpack, wash and repack as I head off again tomorrow to start my journey down to the ProBlogger Conference on the Gold Coast.  So I had better get to it.

Have you been to Macca’s lately?  What is your verdict?
How about the cheap shops, love them or hate them?  
Do you have any good Audio Books for us?  Spread the love guys.