Today, my partner has been as much use as a chocolate fireguard.
Tired and grumpy to say the least.
Whether or not he got out of bed on the wrong side I really can't say but there was definitely a cloud of gloom hanging over him when I ventured downstairs for my morning cup of tea.
After seldom speaking all morning, he was, of course, delighted when I announced that I thought we should all go for a nice, long walk to blow the cobwebs away.
The drive to the beach was long and I could tell it drove him almost to the point of insanity with the girls bickering in the back.
He was fairly sullen while we got excited about the ocean spray but eventually relented and joined in the hunt for attractive shells to make into necklaces and plop in the bath.
He seemed to really perk up when I handed him a chocolate cone with a double scoop of pistachio ice cream, which - excuse the pun - finally melted the ice.
After that, we headed back to the car and he slept, like a baby, most of the way home.
Then I dropped another bombshell - it was his turn to bath our youngest while I made dinner.
Needless to say it was met with renewed silence, which pretty much carried on through dinner until I offended him once again and he upped sticks and headed out in the middle of our mediterranean pasta.
My youngest was very upset, especially since he had promised to read her Careful Santa - a much-loved favourite every night since June - before bed and I didn't seem to be much of a substitute.
By 1am there was still no sign of him and so I headed to bed for the second time, feeling very tired, confused and very much as if I had a third child.
