My Month in Numbers

Joining in with Julie's Month in Numbers again

Let's start with something that caused great excitement and eager anticipation of the arrival of handsome firemen in a (scavenger hunt) fire engine - Over 800 students and 80 staff evacuated from the school and registered at the hockey fields in under 12 minutes following a 'proper' fire alarm activation.
3 guilty looking workmen who forgot to turn off the heat/smoke sensors in the PE block while they were doing some work to the dance studio.

3 Crafty Ladies going down a slide in a children's playground.

Photo taken at lunchtime at the crop where I made a layout using 16 handmade flowers

1 Awards Evening at school.  70 books given out as School Prizes and 62 Silver Cups/Glass Awards for 'special' prizes. Organising 132 photos to be taken after awards were presented.  2 school secretaries feeling totally frazzled having organised the whole thing, then watching the teachers swan around with a glass of Cava mingling with parents.

2 birthdays which involved 37 candles.  Celebrating the younger generation this month!  And therefore single-handedly conserving the dwindling wax supplies of the country.

1 MOT. 1 new tyre. £125 bill.

5 meals out.  - going round the world in food from Spanish Paella to Indian Curry, American barbecue steak, British afternoon tea and Asian Dim Sum.

1 graduation. 2 very proud parents.

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Now, this month Julie has asked us to join in a communal count and the subject this month is items in your handbag.  Oh the shame.  I'm not a competitive person at all (could this be why no one ever wanted me on their team at sports day at school?) but I do fear that I may win this one.  I have a large handbag. 

And in that handbag I have a 'Bag Mate'.  It's a canvas 'inner' that has lots of different compartments and the idea is that when you change handbags, you just pick the Bag Mate out of one bag and into another.   All items moved in one fell swoop. So it is easy for me to count.  Here we go:

• 2 purses.  And before you think 'that woman has so much money she can't get it all in one purse' let me explain that I was given a lovely little purse for Christmas but I didn't have the heart to stop using 'old faithful' which is the perfect size for holding coins, notes and cards.  So I am using the new purse for coins and one of my credit cards and everything else stays in the other one.
• A small bottle of Hand Hygiene Gel.  Because public toilets don't always have soap in them.  And sometimes you just want to freshen up.
• A little slim torch.  Something I bought at the counter of Marks and Spencer once for £1.  'That'll be handy' I thought.  One day.  Who knows when? 
• A pen and a pencil.
• A little pack of tissues and a bottle of Rescue Remedy. I don't know if it is mind over matter or not, but if you find yourself in a stressful situation, this stuff helps you calm down. 
• A handbag mirror.
• A nail file
• Some plasters.  Because I am a mum. And mums always have emergency supplies in their handbag. And even though my kids are now almost 27 and 23, you never know when someone may fall over. In fact last time I came into Good Samaritan mode with my plasters was at Faro airport last year.  A lady fell on the escalator  on the way to the departure gate and took a chunk of flesh out of her shin. Blood dripping down her leg in a steady stream.  Officials begging her to go to the First Aid room despite the fact that doing so would make her miss the flight.  And who was the only one nearby with an emergency plaster?  Got it in one.  She was so grateful.  So if you don't have a pack of plasters in YOUR handbag, go and get some now.  Go on.  Now. 
• A couple of boxes of various medications.  Because you never know when a headache may strike.  Or an insect may bite or hay fever kick in. Actually now I see it written down I sound like a walking chemist. 
• A phone. 
• Receipts.  Please don't make me count them.  I save them all safely and then every now and again I get them out and shred them. 
• Keys
• My glasses
• Lipstick

We're up to 18 things.  19 if you count the Bag Mate.  Blimey, I remember when all I needed was a purse and some lipstick. And a much smaller handbag.