Friday 12 April 2013

Fizz. Froth. Hiss.

An end of day moment....

There we stood, peering over the rim of the bath. The water swaying gently, slowly settling itself until there was no movement, just the crackling sound of bubbles popping into nothing. Then she hesitated, I encouraged 'go on', and she dropped her special toy that smelt of vanilla and honey and faint roses into the water. It hissed and fizzed on the surface like a demon hangover cure, twisting and rolling like an alligator wrapped around it's prey mid kill. She hadn't seen anything like it.

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That day we had shopped and shopped and shopped. Summer clothes for the both of us. Pizza and ice cream. A photograph with Tree Fu Tom. Sugar and cinnamon fingers from a warm doughy pretzel.

In the changing room I examined my skin in the full length mirror, pre-menstrual and grey, pores opened. And tired. And spotty. And sagging, deflated cells from lack of glass-in-hand irrigation. No miracle cream could plaster up the cracks of this ageing dermis.

But no matter.

"Mummy you look fabulous," as I tried on the spotty top.

"Mummy you look like a pop star," as I pulled the blue grey t-shirt with silver stars over my head.

Her words were better than any thoughtless reflection the mirror cared to offer - It lied. 

When we entered the final shop - an emporium of all things soapy and facial - we were blown away by the stifling pungency of flowers. It wasn't an aroma - that would've been light and heady upon our senses - like we were dancing with butterflies and fairies. This was the thick sickly blanket of a pollen heavy day.

The shop's ware was arranged on tables and towered high on mounted plates. And where to start? I didn't have a clue. The soaps, thick bars of milk and white chocolate, were the stuff of sweet shops. Another trick up Willy Wonka's velvet sleeve perhaps? Or was there a witches furnace, hot and burning and ready, in a secret back room? Would I find Hansel trapped in a cage? Everything looked so enticing, so seductive, so sensual - candy sweet oranges and pinks and blues. Raspberry streaks lighting up cotton coloured fudge treats. Scrubs the thickness of double clotted cream. A green uniformed Oompa Lumpa massaging smooth ointment into a customer's willing hand.

She chose an innocuous small cream bath bomb. One with subtle soft smells.

And not a witch in sight.
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In the bath she let the water fall through her fingers, "it's so soft mummy."

But only minutes later, "I want to get out now." Uncharacteristically, she didn't want to play. Now a disintegrated milky film on the water's surface, she was no longer enchanted by her once frothing bomb. 

We watched as the water and the day drained from the bath stretching and separating the layer of tiny bubbles into shapes. I thought one looked like the boot of Italy. Another a curvy pepper mill.

"Look mummy there's a crocodile. It's snapping the other bubbles up."

"Look! Look!" Even more excitedly. "There's Captain Barnacles and Peso!"

And we stood in perfect, contented silence as the Octonauts disappeared down the plughole.


If you enjoy reading Older Mum in a Muddle, please spare a thought for me in the Britmums Brilliance in Blogging Awards - The BIBS - there are sixteen great categories to chose from but I think I'm best placed in the writers category. You can click on the badge below to take you through to the nomination form on the Britmums page - TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to nominate..... Thank you! X.

NOMINATE YOUR FAVORITE BLOGS

44 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great day! And I always avoid the Evil Changning Rooms Mirrors... and blame what I see on bad lighting..ehm ehm.

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    1. It was lovely thank you! Yes, it's always the bad lighting :o).

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  2. Beautiful! What a sweetie Little A is xx

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  3. This made me smile. If we hadn't been away this week we'd have definitely been in the same place wanting to meet Tree Fu Tom too. And don't get me started on the Octonauts - Pip is obsessed with them right now! Lovely post, and how lovely that you're already shopping together. Unfortunately Pip has already got the measure of it...'Shopping is boring Mummy.' His favourite part of Westfield is the car park! x

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    1. I wonder if 'shopping is boring Mummy' is a boy thing? And then his favourite part is the car park - yup defo a boy thing. Tree Fu Tom and the Octonauts are Little A's favourites! X.

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  4. How totally devine! Beautifully crafted into a spell binding story.

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    1. Thank you - and it was a divine day too!

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  5. Bathtime is lovely. Soothing - although its never us enjoying the warm soapy water. And I love those fizzy bombs. As for shop mirrors - don't. Your own mirror, in your own home, is much, much kinder. And if it doesn't fit you can always take it back... Really loved your description of the soap shop x

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    1. Bath bombs are fab. Shop mirrors are useless, the lighting is always too harsh. Fortunately all the tops I tried on fitted, and I took Little A's word for it :o) Thank you. X.

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  6. Did you go to Lush by any chance?
    The smell is like nothing else. Love it or loathe it.
    This is so well written. REALLY enjoyed it.
    Hopped here from Blog Lovin :-)
    Liska xx

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    1. Yes - it was Lush! Really overpowering smell isn't it - wonder how the staff cope with it! Thank you Liska, that was very kind. X.

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  7. Really enjoyed that, such a lovely post. Totally agree with Little A about bath bombs quickly losing their magic! And love the different shapes vanishing down the plughole.
    Best of luck in the BIBS x

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    1. Thank you very much! Bath bombs look so lovely in the hand, and then they dissolve in the blink of an eye! Thank you for the lucky vibes! X.

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  8. I can't believe that you managed to get Little A to shop all day! My skin also looks a little like you describe - the after-effects of a long, grey winter. I love the way you describe Little A's excitement at watching you try on clothes. How lovely!

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    1. Well - it took a little coaxing, but there are lots of kids things to do in the Westfield - they have a play area and Tree Fu Tom made an appearance - that helped. Also a bribe of pizza and ice cream swung everything in my favour!

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  9. Beautifully written post, and she is such a sweetheart!

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    1. Thank you lovely - and she is such a darling!

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  10. Lovely piece as usual OM, I know that shop, can't go in it myself, makes my nose go haywire! Sounds like a good shopping trip with Little A xx

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    1. Thank you. Lush is a bit over powering isn't it? We had a fab time! X.

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  11. Can I please borrow your daughter for my next shopping trip? If I could combine her 'skills' and one of those lying skinny mirrors that most shops have installed it coulod be a very happy trip!

    Now you make me want to take a trip into Lush ;-)

    Fabulous writing as usual, only sorry I'm too late for nominating you. I do hope you got some as you SO deserve it!

    xx Jazzy

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    1. Of course you can! In think I should start charging her out :o). Lush is one of those shops you either love or hate - bit like marmite. Thank you very much - no worries about the nominations - I'm not holding my breath though :o). X.

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  12. Beautiful! And kids say the sweetest things. My 9yo boy said to me 'you're not old, you're mummy'.

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    1. Don't they just? Love what your boy said to you - just what you want to hear!

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  13. I love the bath bomb shop! I hate shop mirrors! Lovely post x

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    1. Bath bombs are fab. Shop mirrors are just evil. Thank you X.

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  14. I love this Sarah, you are so descriptive that I can almost smell that shop and now want to go shopping for bath bombs! I do love how our children can make us feel like a goddess, they call it as they see it, so I'd definitely trust what Little A says and forget those rotten changing room mirrors!

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    1. Thank you very much! Bath bombs rock. Shop mirrors don't. And I totally took Little A's word for it! She speaketh the truth :o).

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  15. We have a saying in French: The truth comes out of children's mouths (the equivalent of "out of the mouth of babes" I guess), so you should believe your daughter...
    Love your description of bathtime with the bath bomb. xx

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    1. Well I'll certainly take it as gospel what came out of Little A's mouth - children can say the sweetest of things! X.

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  16. I know that shop, we all love it and often buy a bath treat when we are on a shopping trip. The boys get in the bath with the bath bomb and chase it around, letting it run through their fingers. I do dislike the mess some leave the bath in though. I adore the description of the all the characters and creatures disappearing down the plughole, what a lovely thing to do. Loving writing as always. x

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    1. Lush!!!! It's the first time I had been in for a while - forgot how overpowering the smell was - but their bath bombs are fab! I try to avoid the ones with too many petals - they make a right old mess! Thank you. X.

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  17. A sign of years to come - just the two of you - shopping galore - real girly stuff - a gorgeous, fabulous pair! And I agree with Funky Wellies' Katia XX

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    1. I hope so - Little A is a lot of fun to shop with (as long as a treat is included for her) X.

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  18. We must try things on in front of the same lying mirror in shops. It never tells me the truth either. Think I'll give bath bombs a whirl with the toddler.

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    1. CK will love the bath bombs - and it makes their skin unbelievably soft. I think next time I will just let Little A tell me what she thinks! :o).

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  19. Beautifully written, as always. And you're right: mirrors lie and loving children speak the truth. Go Little A!

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    1. Thank you very much :o). Little A defo speaks the truth!

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  20. I'm so sorry I missed the voting period. I love yr writing. This is a beautiful piece, and it's so nice to be back reading u again after having a hiatus from blogging for a little while. promise to vote for u in the next one xx

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    1. No worries (I'm not holding my breath though - so many great bloggers out there). I think I might have a hiatus myself soon - want to get my novel finished this year! X.

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  21. Priceless moments like this don't happen every time you hit the stores, well worth writing down your day.

    Slightly off the subject, but aren't the lights in changing rooms great for squeezing your spots ;)

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    1. These are definitely priceless moments - and I totally agree, very good for zapping those black heads! :o).

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