Released On 03 September 2018

Dolly's blog: A series of unfortunate events

I was on a roll. Surfing the wave. Living the good life. Obviously that couldn’t last and lo and behold...

I pulled my back and spent 5 weeks in fairly constant pain. Work became agony, the kids had to take my shoes off and my new office chair (an ergonomic kneeling contraption on wheels) makes me look like Davros from Dr Who.
We went on holiday to Wales. I only have myself to blame. We shouldn’t have left it too late to find somewhere nice in sunny France that wouldn’t require re-mortgaging. What’s more we (ok, I) booked somewhere with no electricity, so whilst the sun blazed everywhere else in Europe but definitely not where we were, my daughter literally wept at having no internet and thought the kitchen stove’s hot plate was “some sort of ancient toasted sandwich maker”. On leaving (a day early) my son sighed and said “It feels like I’ve been here my entire life”.
It transpired that our cleaner/s have been systematically stealing from us. Farewell vintage Chanel handbag given to me 20 years ago by my rich aunt. Adios my beautiful sunglasses and lots of other stuff. Hello police witness statements and sleepless nights seething with anger. Grrr.
In the space of 12 hours, some git nicked the kids’ swing from outside our house (who would do that?!), the dog got “stomach trouble” having been caught scoffing next door’s cat food, and Mr D got blown up by an exploding aerosol hidden in a community bonfire. Having survived Iraq, Afghanistan and various other war zones unscathed, a weekend in Ramsgate has left him with 7% burns and a lot less hair. The army being a zero-sympathy environment, his boss now calls him Smokey.

There was more, but there’s only so much I will inflict on you. So here’s what I’ve learned...

I’m getting old and need to start doing some exercise. No more excuses (apart from my burnt husband, which buys me at least another week I reckon).
I turn into a complete gremlin if I don’t have a sunny summer holiday. But (once the tears dried) the digital detox was really, really good for all of us.
Some people lie, steal and just aren’t very nice. But no one I work with thankfully, so work has been a refuge.
Seeing your partner in serious pain is grim. I have new insight into what it must be like for men watching their partner give birth, greater awareness of our vulnerability (I’ve started driving like a right grandma) and greater respect for elf & safety. Although I shall continue to call it elf & safety.

So here’s to sunshine and never taking a good life for granted. Onwards and upwards.

After 19 years of fee earning, Dolly now works in a management role in a London law firm. Working four days a week she has three children aged 11, 10 and 7, a wonderful (though often absent) husband and a charismatic dog who keeps her sane.

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